scholarly journals Determining needs and priorities of learners with special needs for support services in an open and distance learning context in Turkey

Open Praxis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 359
Author(s):  
Hakan Genç ◽  
Serpil Koçdar
Keyword(s):  
Special Needs ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Physical Disability ◽  
Sequential Design ◽  
Distance Teaching ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Qualitative Phase ◽  
Vocational Support

This study aims to identify needs and priorities of learners with special needs for support services in an open and distance teaching university in Turkey based on disability type. Exploratory sequential design was adopted. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were performed with six individuals from each group, including hearing impairment, visual impairment, and physical disability to determine the needs of the learners. Data were coded based on a thematic framework involving managerial, pedagogical, social, and technical support. To determine the priorities of the learners with special needs for support services in the quantitative phase, surveys were developed separately for three groups with disabilities based on the qualitative findings. A total of 703 learners took part in the surveys. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings of the study revealed that learners with special needs require a wide variety of services regarding managerial, pedagogical, social, technical and vocational support. Existing support systems need to be improved and awareness for these systems should be increased to make services more inclusive.

Supporting Learners with Special Needs in Open and Distance Learning

2020 ◽  
pp. 128-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan Genc ◽  
Serpil Kocdar
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Special Needs ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Flexible Learning ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

Open and distance learning (ODL) systems provide learners with a flexible learning environment independent of time and place. However, the advantage of this flexibility may turn out a disadvantage if the learners do not find a solution to problems they may face before, during, and after the learning process. In eliminating this disadvantage, learner support services play an important role. The quality of support services has a direct impact on learner retention and academic success. Especially, for the learners with special needs, the quality of support services has a particular importance. Within this context, in this chapter, the authors address accommodations for learners with special needs in ODL. First, this chapter focuses on support services in ODL, then learners with special needs in ODL and what accommodations learners with special needs require according to their disability type. Finally, the authors exemplify the accommodations for learners with special needs in ODL institutions and offer recommendations.

Experiential Education and Self-Authorship: An Examination of Students Enrolled in Immersion High Schools

2020 ◽  
pp. 105382592098078
Author(s):  
Meagan Ricks ◽  
Lisa Meerts-Brandsma ◽  
Jim Sibthorp
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Experiential Education ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Belief System ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Students ◽  
Developmental Experiences ◽  
Self Authorship

Background: Research shows that people benefit from having an internally defined belief system and identity to guide their decision-making rather than depending exclusively on external authorities to make choices. Less is known about what types of developmental experiences facilitate progression toward self-authorship, which is a way of being where a person depends on their internally defined beliefs to make decisions and direct their future. Purpose: This study examined an experiential education setting and the influence the setting had on high school students’ progression toward self-authorship. Methodology/Approach: We used Pizzolato’s open-ended Experience Survey and semi-structured interviews to examine aspects of self-authorship in high school students attending a semester-long experiential education program. Findings/Conclusions: We found students returning from their semester-long program focused on decisions that had a greater impact on their personally defined, long-term identity rather than immediate decisions. In addition, students showed growth in the three domains of self-authorship—epistemological, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. The results could be attributed to the pedagogical approach of the experiential education program. Implications: Educators who seek to provide experiences that support self-authorship could implement developmentally effective practices situated in an experiential learning context.

Open and Distance Learner Engagement with Online Mediation Tools: An Activity Theory Analysis

Open Praxis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 469
Author(s):  
Judy Corinne Noeline Pullenayegem ◽  
K. Radhika M. De Silva ◽  
Buddhini Gayathri Jayatilleke
Keyword(s):  
Activity Theory ◽  
Process Approach ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Theory Analysis ◽  
Learner Engagement ◽  
Distance Learner ◽  
Log Files ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Theory Framework

This paper presents the results of a study conducted to ascertain the extent to which participants studying in an open and distance learning context utilized the mediation tools provided in an Advanced Writing Skills course, conducted in a blended-learning mode in Sri Lanka. Sixty-four participants engaged in the online component of the writing course using the Process Approach. The course consisted of seven sessions; four addressing the stages of the Process Approach to writing an essay, and three practice sessions. Data were gathered from log-files of the Learning Management System, questionnaires, and interviews related to five mediation tools provided to learners. The data were analyzed utilizing Engeström’s activity theory framework (1987); with focus on the contradictions that emerged in the use of each tool. First, the contradictions that emerged in participants’ engagement with the tools is presented, secondly, the factors that need to be taken into account to ensure greater engagement.

FACTORS FOR MAKING DECISION ABOUT THE BIRTH OF A SECOND CHILD (CONSTRUCTING THE QUESTIONNAIRE)

2021 ◽  
pp. 87-96
Author(s):  
Lyudmila V. Trubitsyna ◽  
◽  
Elena Y. Johnson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Special Needs ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Principal Component Method ◽  
Second Child ◽  
Scale Factors ◽  
The Family ◽  
Rehabilitation Work ◽  
English Speaking

The task of this paper is to identify a set of subjective factors that affect the decision-making in the family about the birth of the second and subsequent children. For the broadest possible description of the phenomenon under study, the method of slightly-structured interviews was used. To assess the severity of the established subjective factors based on the analysis of qualitative interviews, a questionnaire consisting of two parts was developed and tested. The first part is intended for parents of any children, the second — only for parents of children with special needs. The questionnaire was completed by 122 women with at least one child. 75 of the respondents had a child with special needs and completed both parts of the questionnaire. 92 respondents lived in Russia, the rest respondents lived in English-speaking countries. Based on the results of responses for each part of the questionnaire, an exploratory factor analysis was performed using the principal component method with Kaiser normalization. As a result, the first part of the questionnaire revealed 11 significant scale-factors, and the second part — 3 significant scale-factors. Since the survey was conducted with both Russian-speaking and English-speaking respondents, the questionnaire is available in two versions (in two languages). This questionnaire will be useful for building correctional and rehabilitation work with parents of children with disabilities. The authors are ready to provide the questionnaire to interested specialists (free of charge).

Undergraduate Researcher Stories: Insights for Mentoring in an Open and Distance Learning Context

2021 ◽  
pp. 002205742110325
Author(s):  
Radhika De Silva ◽  
Dinali Devendra
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Bachelor Of Arts ◽  
Open And Distance Learning ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Purposive Sample ◽  
Firsthand Experience

Research is a requisite for most of the undergraduate honors degrees offered by universities worldwide and these undergraduates are expected to submit a dissertation based on their research. Given the new demands of this independent component of learning, it is important to understand the challenges faced by students and the strategies that they employ in successfully navigating the various components of this process. This knowledge is useful to mentors and course developers as it provides insights about the firsthand experience of the students. The present study used a qualitative research design to investigate the research experience of a purposive sample of undergraduates who completed their Bachelor of Arts Honors in English and English Language Teaching in an open and distance university in Sri Lanka in the academic year 2017/2018. The responses from 12 undergraduates in the form of written stories were coded and analyzed thematically. The study revealed areas which need attention by mentors, faculty, and universities, especially those in open and distance contexts, when providing support to novice researchers.

Listening to Bedouin fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Manor-Binyamini
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Raising Children ◽  
Cultural Perspectives ◽  
Children With Asd

Although children across the world experience autism spectrum disorder (ASD), most research on ASD has been conducted using Western cultural perspectives and has focused primarily on mothers, leaving significant gaps in the literature. This study aimed to address these gaps by exploring the experiences of fathers raising children with ASD in a Bedouin community. To this end, a sample of 19 fathers of children (aged 6–15 years) with ASD living in recognized and unrecognized Bedouin settlements in the Negev participated in ethnographic, semi-structured interviews designed to investigate their experiences with raising a child with ASD in their community. Two major themes emerged: the challenges that Bedouin fathers of children with ASD face, and the influence of socio-demographic and cultural characteristics on their experience. Findings reflect the complex experiences of fathers raising children with ASD in the Bedouin community, stemming from their socio-cultural context and the limited knowledge and support services that are available in the community for these children. This article concludes with recommendations on how to enhance professional sensitivity and provide more culturally tailored services for parents of children with ASD.

Domestic Property Violence: A Distinct and Damaging Form of Parent Abuse

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Latesha Murphy-Edwards ◽  
Kate van Heugten
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Parent Abuse ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Qualitative Phase ◽  
Interpretative Framework ◽  
Property Violence

This article reports on the qualitative phase of mixed method research conducted in a medium-size city in New Zealand, which examined 14 parents’ experiences of child- and youth-perpetrated domestic property violence (DPV). The research used semi-structured interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis, enabling parents’ perceptions of the causes and impacts of this form of family violence to be explored in depth. Three superordinate themes were identified in the analysis: damage done, the various impacts of DPV; staying safe and sane; and making sense of DPV, parents’ perspectives. An ecological meaning-making theory emerged from the data and provided an overarching interpretative framework for considering the themes both separately and together. The findings showed that DPV is a distinct form of parent abuse and one that can have serious impacts of a financial, emotional, and relational nature. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed along with ideas for further research into this problem.

scholarly journals Enculturating a Community of Action (CoA): A qualitative study of health professions educators' perspectives on teaching with Wikipedia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo C Martin ◽  
Lauren Maggio ◽  
Heather Murray ◽  
John M Willinsky
Keyword(s):  
Identity Formation ◽  
Situated Learning ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pedagogical Tool ◽  
Collaborative Project ◽  
Information Tools ◽  
Collective Experience ◽  
Based Medicine

Purpose: There is a growing desire for health professions educators to engage learners in more meaningful instruction. Many have tapped Wikipedia to offer an applied approach to engage learners, particularly as it relates to evidence-based medicine (EBM). However, little is known about the benefits and challenges of using Wikipedia as a pedagogical tool from the collective experience of educators who have sought to improve their instructional practice with it. This study aims to uncover and synthesize the perspectives of health professions education (HPE) instructors who have incorporated Wikipedia in their HPE courses. Methods: Applying a constructivist approach, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 participating HPE instructors who had substantively integrated Wikipedia into their curriculum. Participants were interviewed about their experiences of integrating Wikipedia editing into their courses. Thematic analysis was conducted on resulting transcripts. Results: Authors observed two broad themes among participants' expressed benefits of teaching with Wikipedia: 1) provides a meaningful instructional alternative that also benefits society and develops learners' information literacy and EBM skills, and 2) supports learners' careers and professional identity formation. Identified challenges included: 1) high effort and time, 2) issues with sourcing references, and 3) challenging interactions with skeptics, editors, and students. Discussion: Findings build on known benefits, such as providing a real-world collaborative project that contextualizes students' learning experiences. They also echo known challenges, such as the resource-intensive nature of teaching with Wikipedia. At the same time, findings extend the current literature by revealing a potential opportunity to approach crowd-sourced information tools, like Wikipedia, as a vehicle to engage and enculturate HPE students within a situated learning context. These findings present implications for HPE programs considering implementing Wikipedia and faculty development needed to help instructors harness crowd-sourced information tools' pedagogical opportunities as well as anticipate their challenges.

scholarly journals Proposed Model to Assist Saudi Postgraduate Students in their English Academic Writing

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 527-542
Author(s):  
Noof Saleh Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Written Feedback ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
English Academic Writing ◽  
Qualitative Phase

This current research forms part of a broader investigation into the problems Saudi postgraduate students face in English academic writing. The study used the interpretive paradigm to investigate and interpret the perceptions of Saudi postgraduate students and their supervisors in relation to the difficulties they encountered regarding academic writing in English. Therefore, the study adopted a sequential mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase of the research employed a questionnaire whereas the qualitative phase employed semi-structured interviews and document analysis. In total, 275 students completed the prepared questionnaire whilst 15 students, both male and female, and 9 supervisors participated in the semi-structured interviews. The research also used ten samples of written feedback students had received from their supervisors. SPSS descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data quantitatively, and MAXQDA software was used to analyse the data qualitatively. The study identified that Saudi postgraduates encounter a range of difficulties in their academic writing, which were due to several underlying causes. Therefore, to address this issue and to contribute to knowledge in the field, the author of this study devised a theoretical model to assist Saudi postgraduate students overcome their difficulties with English academic writing. The main focus of the current study is to explain this model in detail.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Jurisdiction and the Local Authority’s Online Sustainability Disclosure

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Corina Joseph ◽  
Heidi Christy Mingi Michael
Keyword(s):  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
General Linear Model ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Quantitative Phase ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure ◽  
Bureaucratic Procedure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Qualitative Phase

<p>The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between jurisdiction and the extent of sustainability information disclosure on Malaysian local authority websites. The extent of online sustainability disclosure is examined utilizing the coercive isomorphism tenet in both quantitative and qualitative phases.  In the quantitative stage, the analysis of 139 websites was conducted. The General Linear Model is utilized to determine the relationship between jurisdiction (measured by different states) and the extent of online sustainability information disclosure. In the qualitative phase, the semi-structured interviews were carried out to answer the underlying possible reasons derived from the quantitative phase. The quantitative phase provided evidence that various states have applied distinctive degree of coercive pressures on the extent of sustainability information disclosure on Malaysian local authority websites.  The interview findings revealed additional factors that are relating to the jurisdiction: political, state leadership, and bureaucratic procedure implemented by different states. The paper has recognized the impact of coercive isomorphism for the jurisdiction utilizing both quantitative and qualitative phases.</p>

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