scholarly journals Engaging students with self-assessment and tutor feedback to improve performance and support assessment capacity

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-24
Author(s):  
Conor Thomas McKevitt ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Student Life ◽  
Improve Performance ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Constructive Feedback

Assessment is one of the most important elements of student life and significantly shapes their learning. Consequently, tutors need to ensure that student awareness regarding assessment is promoted. Students should get the opportunity to practise assessing work and receive tutor feedback so that they might improve on both the work and their assessment of it. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how student engagement with criteria, exemplars, self-assessment, and feedback influenced students’ performance, their assessment capacity, and also how students experienced the process. A mixed methods approach was used. Students’ performance and assessments were established using a rubric that included 5 criteria each evaluated using 5 point likert scale linked to descriptors. A thematic analysis of the focus group resulted in two themes. The findings show that overall students’ performance in the assignment significantly improved between draft and final submissions. Students’ assessment of their work significantly differed to the tutor’s on some criteria at both submissions but in opposite directions on one criterion between both submissions. The focus group found that the rubric guided students to produce their draft while tutor feedback guided them to improve on it. However, these findings require further investigation. The following recommendations ensue from the research and should assist student development concerning assessment. Tutors should give students an opportunity to assess work and also see tutor’s assessment of that work using the same criteria. Also, tutors should provide constructive feedback during an assignment.

Problematic caregiving activities among family carers of older adults with disabilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladele Atoyebi ◽  
Maude Beaudoin ◽  
François Routhier ◽  
Claudine Auger ◽  
Louise Demers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Adults With Disabilities ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods

Family carers of older adults with disability often both experience stress that may affect their ability to provide care, and find some caregiving activities differentially challenging. The objectives of this research are to identify the caregiving activities that are most problematic to carers and to explore the reasons why carers found these activities challenging. Participants were past or current carers aged 19 years and older. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, data were collected through a survey and open-ended interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that an activity was likely to be more problematic if it had to be coordinated with other caregiving needs or where a care recipient’s disability was severe.

scholarly journals Uncloaking the anxiety behind professional dress.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Rebecca Rubinger
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Student Life ◽  
Phone Interview ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
New Graduates ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
Professional Workplace ◽  
Insight Into

Graduating from university is one of life’s greatest milestones. Students expect their stress to subside upon graduation; however, the transition from student life to career track entails a new set of stressful circumstances, including how to dress professionally. Using a mixed methods approach, this study examined how recent graduates prepare their clothing for the professional workplace. Participants included 15 recent, professionally employed, postsecondary female graduates who completed a demographic questionnaire, a modified version of a standardized anxiety scale, and a phone interview. In order to determine best wardrobe practices, research included interviews with 5 fashion advisors. Although results revealed recent graduates did not experience any quantitatively significant anxiety, interview responses demonstrated both concern and uncertainty. This research provides insight into the lived experience of recent female graduates. Findings may be used to assist retailers, create guides, and develop workshops for new graduates entering the professional realm.

Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of LMS for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Future Teaching Career

2021 ◽  
pp. 613-631
Author(s):  
Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

The chapter examined student teachers' perceptions of the use of Moodle for promoting critical thinking in their future teaching career. The study used a mixed methods approach with a sample of 70 student teachers from three public universities in Tanzania. Data were collected through a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of documents. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through SPSS 25 and MaxQDA 18, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of Moodle for promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and professional development. Similarly, there were statistically significant differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in perceptions of satisfaction with Moodle and taking LMS-related jobs in the future. Pedagogical implications of the findings and the area for further research have been discussed.

Twitter, Incivility and “Everyday” Gendered Othering: An Analysis of Tweets Sent to UK Members of Parliament

2019 ◽  
pp. 089443931986551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalynd Southern ◽  
Emily Harmer
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Members Of Parliament ◽  
To Receive

Recently, widely reported studies assessed messages sent to UK female MPs online and concluded that they suffer high levels of abuse. However, these studies tended to focus on the most high-profile MPs and the worst instances of abuse or did not include male MPs in their study for comparison. This study aims to assess more subtle forms of incivility and othering and the experiences of less prominent MPs online. It takes a mixed-methods approach to analyzing 117,802 tweets sent to MPs over a 14-day period for evidence of incivility. Firstly, models assessing the factors associated with receiving incivility on Twitter are presented, and furthermore, an in-depth thematic analysis of gendered tweets is conducted. The findings suggest that for the receipt of certain types of incivility, there is little difference between female and male MPs. However, female MPs were more likely to receive generally uncivil tweets, tweets with stereotypes about their identity, and tweets questioning their position as politicians than male MPs. Qualitatively, in terms of gendered othering, we found several instances of tweets containing misogynistic abuse, tweets demonizing, and objectifying female MPs, as well as tweets feminizing male MPs.

scholarly journals Comparing safety climate for nurses working in operating theatres, critical care and ward areas in the UK: a mixed methods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e016977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie Tarling ◽  
Anne Jones ◽  
Trevor Murrells ◽  
Helen McCutcheon
Keyword(s):  
Critical Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Nursing Practice ◽  
Acute Hospital ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Operating Theatres ◽  
The Uk

ObjectivesThe main aim of the study was to explore the potential sources of variation and understand the meaning of safety climate for nursing practice in acute hospital settings in the UK.DesignA sequential mixed methods design included a cross-sectional survey using the Safety Climate Questionnaire (SCQ) and thematic analysis of focus group discussions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the factor structure of the SCQ. Factor scores were compared between nurses working in operating theatres, critical care and ward areas. Results from the survey and the thematic analysis were then compared and synthesised.SettingA London University.Participants319 registered nurses working in acute hospital settings completed the SCQ and a further 23 nurses participated in focus groups.ResultsCFA indicated that there was a good model fit on some criteria (χ2=1683.699, df=824, p<0.001; χ2/df=2.04; root mean square error of approximation=0.058) but a less acceptable fit on comparative fit index which is 0.804. There was a statistically significant difference between clinical specialisms in management commitment (F (4,266)=4.66, p=0.001). Nurses working in operating theatres had lower scores compared with ward areas and they also reported negative perceptions about management in their focus group. There was significant variation in scores for communication across clinical specialism (F (4,266)=2.62, p=0.035) but none of the pairwise comparisons achieved statistical significance. Thematic analysis identified themes of human factors, clinical management and protecting patients. The system and the human side of caring was identified as a meta-theme.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the SCQ has some utility but requires further exploration. The findings indicate that safety in nursing practice is a complex interaction between safety systems and the social and interpersonal aspects of clinical practice.

scholarly journals The psychological and ideological foundations of meat consumption, vegetarianism, and veganism

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Madeline Judge
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Measures

<p>Despite increasing evidence suggesting that plant-based diets may have multiple benefits over animal-based diets (e.g., Craig & Mangels, 2009; Stehfest, et al., 2009), vegetarians and vegans tend to represent a minority of most Western populations. This thesis investigated the social and ideological foundations of perceptions of vegetarians and vegans in Western societies, and also explored the potential role of visions of the future in motivating support for social change towards plant-based diets. For my first two studies, I adopted a mixed methods approach to understanding perceptions of vegetarians and vegans in Western societies (Creswell, 2014). Study 1 was a thematic analysis of 44 online discussion forums containing evaluations of vegetarians and vegans as social groups, and the analysis was informed by discursive and rhetorical psychology (Billig, 1996; Potter, 1996). In my interpretations of the data, I highlighted the flexible and argumentative nature of expressing ‘attitudes’ towards vegetarians and vegans. I also discussed these discourses in relation to the wider ideological dilemmas of liberal individualism, rationality versus emotions, diet and health, and the human-animal relationship. In Study 2, I drew on the discourses in Study 1 to develop a survey-based investigation of attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans, in a sample recruited from the general population of Aotearoa New Zealand (N = 1326). Two attitude measures were developed based on a previous scale assessing attitudes towards vegetarians (Chin, Fisak & Sims, 2002). Attitudes towards both vegetarians and vegans were generally positive; however, attitudes towards vegans were significantly less positive than attitudes towards vegetarians. Subsequent analyses tested two dual-process motivational models of social worldviews, ideological attitudes and outgroup attitudes (Duckitt, 2001), in the prediction of non-vegetarian attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans. The dual-process models fit the data well, suggesting that ideological motivations to maintain social cohesion and social inequality were associated with increasingly less positive attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans. I proposed that these associations may be due to vegetarians and vegans representing a challenge to social traditions, and a rejection of human dominance over animals. In Study 3, I adopted a mixed methods approach to understanding visions of plant-based futures, in a convenience sample of first-year university students (N = 506). Study 3a involved a thematic analysis of participants’ visions of potential future NZ societies, where most of the population now consumes plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan diets. Dominant themes included changes to health, the environment, and the economy, as well as changes to individual traits and values. In Study 3b, non-vegetarian participants were randomly assigned to imagine plant-based, vegetarian or vegan futures, and then completed a survey of collective future dimensions and support for plant-based policies (drawing from Bain, Hornsey, Bongiorno, Kashima, & Crimston, 2013). The strongest predictors of support for plant-based policies were visions of a vegetarian future as reducing societal dysfunction, and visions of a vegan future as increasing warmth in individuals. I concluded the thesis by reviewing the theoretical implications of the current research, discussing future research directions, and proposing some suggestions for the advocacy of plant-based diets.</p>

Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of LMS for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Future Teaching Career

2019 ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

The chapter examined student teachers' perceptions of the use of Moodle for promoting critical thinking in their future teaching career. The study used a mixed methods approach with a sample of 70 student teachers from three public universities in Tanzania. Data were collected through a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of documents. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through SPSS 25 and MaxQDA 18, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of Moodle for promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and professional development. Similarly, there were statistically significant differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in perceptions of satisfaction with Moodle and taking LMS-related jobs in the future. Pedagogical implications of the findings and the area for further research have been discussed.

scholarly journals The psychological and ideological foundations of meat consumption, vegetarianism, and veganism

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Madeline Judge
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Dual Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Measures

<p>Despite increasing evidence suggesting that plant-based diets may have multiple benefits over animal-based diets (e.g., Craig & Mangels, 2009; Stehfest, et al., 2009), vegetarians and vegans tend to represent a minority of most Western populations. This thesis investigated the social and ideological foundations of perceptions of vegetarians and vegans in Western societies, and also explored the potential role of visions of the future in motivating support for social change towards plant-based diets. For my first two studies, I adopted a mixed methods approach to understanding perceptions of vegetarians and vegans in Western societies (Creswell, 2014). Study 1 was a thematic analysis of 44 online discussion forums containing evaluations of vegetarians and vegans as social groups, and the analysis was informed by discursive and rhetorical psychology (Billig, 1996; Potter, 1996). In my interpretations of the data, I highlighted the flexible and argumentative nature of expressing ‘attitudes’ towards vegetarians and vegans. I also discussed these discourses in relation to the wider ideological dilemmas of liberal individualism, rationality versus emotions, diet and health, and the human-animal relationship. In Study 2, I drew on the discourses in Study 1 to develop a survey-based investigation of attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans, in a sample recruited from the general population of Aotearoa New Zealand (N = 1326). Two attitude measures were developed based on a previous scale assessing attitudes towards vegetarians (Chin, Fisak & Sims, 2002). Attitudes towards both vegetarians and vegans were generally positive; however, attitudes towards vegans were significantly less positive than attitudes towards vegetarians. Subsequent analyses tested two dual-process motivational models of social worldviews, ideological attitudes and outgroup attitudes (Duckitt, 2001), in the prediction of non-vegetarian attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans. The dual-process models fit the data well, suggesting that ideological motivations to maintain social cohesion and social inequality were associated with increasingly less positive attitudes towards vegetarians and vegans. I proposed that these associations may be due to vegetarians and vegans representing a challenge to social traditions, and a rejection of human dominance over animals. In Study 3, I adopted a mixed methods approach to understanding visions of plant-based futures, in a convenience sample of first-year university students (N = 506). Study 3a involved a thematic analysis of participants’ visions of potential future NZ societies, where most of the population now consumes plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan diets. Dominant themes included changes to health, the environment, and the economy, as well as changes to individual traits and values. In Study 3b, non-vegetarian participants were randomly assigned to imagine plant-based, vegetarian or vegan futures, and then completed a survey of collective future dimensions and support for plant-based policies (drawing from Bain, Hornsey, Bongiorno, Kashima, & Crimston, 2013). The strongest predictors of support for plant-based policies were visions of a vegetarian future as reducing societal dysfunction, and visions of a vegan future as increasing warmth in individuals. I concluded the thesis by reviewing the theoretical implications of the current research, discussing future research directions, and proposing some suggestions for the advocacy of plant-based diets.</p>

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