scholarly journals Exploring the Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Education Divide in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
pp. 32-39
Author(s):  
Naseem Hyder Rajput ◽  
Narmeen Noonari ◽  
Syed Muhammad Ahsan Bukhari ◽  
Mehboob Ali Dehraj ◽  
Jabbar Abbas Rajput
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Focus Group Discussion ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Conference Calls ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Online Learning Resources

Background: The education sector is badly shaken in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic as nationwide closures have impacted 89% of the world’s student population. Aims and Methodology: This qualitative, exploratory study investigated the impacts of COVID-19 on the prevailing education divide through focus group discussion. Focus group included purposefully selected two teachers (one male & one female), two senior headteachers (one male & one female), two Taluka Education Officers (one male & one female), two Assistant District Education Officers (One male & one female) and two Assistant professors of Education (one male one female). The focus group interviews were conducted from the participants through conference calls. Results: Focus group discussion results showed that there could be variable impacts of COVID-19 across society, parents, input that students could receive from families during this pandemic, assessment, gender, and schools. These variable impacts could result in further widening of the existing education divide in Pakistan. The major reasons, as highlighted by the participants, are the weak education system and the prevalent digital divide in Pakistan due to the use of online learning resources. It is recommended that the authorities should engage economically sound local elders, Non-Government Organizations and volunteer educated persons to meet the technology-based needs.

scholarly journals Understanding the Context of Education in an Urban Slum: A Case of Babu Sabu, Lahore

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-41
Author(s):  
Mehek Naeem ◽  
Naeem Zafar ◽  
Atia-ur Rehman ◽  
Waseem Akram
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Group Discussion ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
Urban Slum ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Slum Area ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Strategic Approach

Article 25 A of the Constitution of Pakistan stipulates that free and compulsory education must be given to all children between the ages of 5 and 16. However, there are gaps in its implementation leaving out pockets such as children in slums. Non-government organizations (NGOs) play an essential part in bridging the said gaps. This study explored the context of education in a slum area located at Babu Sabu Interchange, Lahore where an NGO PAHCHAAN (Protection and Help of Children against Abuse and Neglect)is providing non-formal education to children via community engagement. The current study explored the context of education in a slum where intervention is already implemented through/using the case study method. A survey from all the households in this area (N=26) and a focus group discussion from six mothers were conducted. The results showed a positive attitude of the mothers towards the education of their children, as 65.4% of the participants strongly agreed that it is essential to get children enrolled in schools. The findings from the focus group discussion highlighted several challenges such as the lack of financial resources, distance of school from the slum area, lack of acceptance of over-aged children and a difficult admission procedure. Bullying and cursing were, however, the leading cause of dropping out of regular schools. This preliminary study highlights the importance of taking a strategic approach towards “education for all,” looking at deep-rooted issues so that no child is left behind.

scholarly journals Unprofessional behaviour of GP residents and its remediation: a qualitative study among supervisors and faculty

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter C. Barnhoorn ◽  
Vera Nierkens ◽  
Marianne C. Mak-van der Vossen ◽  
Mattijs E. Numans ◽  
Walther N. K. A. van Mook ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Unprofessional Behaviour ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Gp Training

Abstract Background Lapses in professionalism have profound negative effects on patients, health professionals, and society. The connection between unprofessional behaviour during training and later practice requires timely identification and remediation. However, appropriate language to describe unprofessional behaviour and its remediation during residency is lacking. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to investigate which behaviours of GP residents are considered unprofessional according to supervisors and faculty, and how remediation is applied. Methods We conducted eight semi-structured focus group interviews with 55 broadly selected supervisors from four Dutch GP training institutes. In addition, we conducted individual semi-structured interviews with eight designated professionalism faculty members. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim. Data were coded in two consecutive steps: preliminary inductive coding was followed by secondary deductive coding using the descriptors from the recently developed ‘Four I’s’ model for describing unprofessional behaviours as sensitising concepts. Results Despite the differences in participants’ professional positions, we identified a shared conceptualisation in pinpointing and assessing unprofessional behaviour. Both groups described multiple unprofessional behaviours, which could be successfully mapped to the descriptors and categories of the Four I’s model. Behaviours in the categories ‘Involvement’ and ‘Interaction’ were assessed as mild and received informal, pedagogical feedback. Behaviours in the categories ‘Introspection’ and ‘Integrity’, were seen as very alarming and received strict remediation. We identified two new groups of behaviours; ‘Nervous exhaustion complaints’ and ‘Nine-to-five mentality’, needing to be added to the Four I’s model. The diagnostic phase of unprofessional behaviour usually started with the supervisor getting a ‘sense of alarm’, which was described as either a ‘gut feeling’, ‘a loss of enthusiasm for teaching’ or ‘fuss surrounding the resident’. This sense of alarm triggered the remediation phase. However, the diagnostic and remediation phases did not appear consecutive or distinct, but rather intertwined. Conclusions The processes of identification and remediation of unprofessional behaviour in residents appeared to be intertwined. Identification of behaviours related to lack of introspection or integrity were perceived as the most important to remediate. The results of this research provide supervisors and faculty with an appropriate language to describe unprofessional behaviours among residents, which can facilitate timely identification and remediation.

scholarly journals Company’s Pride Storytelling (Fantasy Theme Analysis of Psychology Approach Study to Community Communication of Pt Telkom Indonesia Retiree)

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.29) ◽  
pp. 620
Author(s):  
Maylanny Christin ◽  
Dadang Suganda ◽  
Asep Suryana ◽  
Jenny Ratna Suminar
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Fantasy Theme Analysis ◽  
Fantasy Theme ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Medium ◽  
Special Time ◽  
Do So

There are several factors influencing neglect dwindling loyalty such as the commitment of the company towards its employees, and the impact on employee loyalty. This research focused on aspects which influenced the pride of being the employees of PT Telkom so that the employee work optimally, concentrate, expressed thoughts, ideas, spent effort and time in accordance with the company objectives expected to end his tenure. This research used Ernest1 Fantasy Theme Analysis method through storytelling among PT Telkom Indonesia's retiree community. This research emphasized the main rule of communication become the primary medium in the internalization of the values that make the retirees proud of their company. The data collection was engineered by: Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Focus Group Interviews (FGI). The purposes of this researched were to investigate: (1) what makes employees feel proud of their organization. (2) what sort of communication activities that organization do so that the employees become loyal. The results of this research showed that pride at organization located on two aspects: there was (a) Employees pride towards the company: (1) Feeling proud because the company has standard in recruiting employees. (2) Feeling proud because they were awarded in the form of pension funds. (3) Feeling proud of because the company has a clean governance and transparent (4) Feeling proud because company has contributed towards the development of Indonesia. (b) the communication activities conducted by the company: the unification of diversity of background activities employees performed with the events 'Bintal’ (Mental instilling Program) the more similar socio-cultural background of each individual then their communication will be more effective. (2) the naming of building in University Telkom by using the name of the most outer islands that have been explored by retired member of Telkom. (3) Give special time for employees retired to give the story its experience and advice for the aspiring leader at Telkom. This research contributes to the development of the science of social psychology and communication studies that strengthened the connection between pride in the company with loyalty at the company. Originality in this study lies in the use of methods Fantasy The (Fantasy Theme Analysis, Symbolic Cue, Fantasy Type, Saga) with the technique of storytelling by employees retired member of Telkom Indonesia.  

scholarly journals Equity in Distance Education During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Tamika K Williams ◽  
Robert W McIntosh ◽  
William B. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Access To Technology ◽  
Group Interviews

The COVID-19 pandemic forced districts, schools, and teachers to mobilize in order to deal with the digital inequities that have existed for decades. At the beginning stages of technological advances in education, the so-called digital divide related more to access to technology and equipment. Utilizing the phenomenological approach to qualitative research, this study examines the experiences of educators who served students with differing experiences and needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Total of 14 (N) educators (including adminstrators, teachers, and counselors) participated likert style questionaires. 11 of 14 participated in focus group interviews. Findings are shared and conclusions are drawn.  

scholarly journals Older active users of ICTs make sense of their engagement

Seminar.net ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Kania-Lundholm ◽  
Sandra Torres
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Older People ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Immigrants ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Digital Spectrum ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact

Research on older people’s ICT usage tends to focus on either the ways in which they go about learning to use these technologies or the impact that ICTs have on their lives. This research seems, in other words, to take for granted that older people are ‘digital immigrants’ as the digital divide debate proposed. Research that specifically looks at the ways in which older ICT users make sense of their engagement with these technologies is still limited. This article explores therefore – through focus group interviews – how a group of older people who are active ICT users make sense of their ‘digital nativeness’. The analysis shows that the interviewees are well aware that their ICT proficiency differentiated them from their peers, which is why they make sense of their ICT usage by making reference to the issues that make them ‘exceptional’ older people. These include the fact that they have used computers for many years and therefore made ICT usage an everyday habit early on; the fact that most older people do not have the skills that they themselves have, which is why they feel the need to share them with others; and the fact that their lifelong experience means they can use these technologies in judicious ways. By bringing attention to how older active ICT users make sense of their engagement, this article contributes to the notion of the digital spectrum and the debate on the inequalities that ICT proficiency brings about. 

scholarly journals Understanding the Context of Education in an Urban Slum: A Case of Babu Sabu, Lahore

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-41
Author(s):  
Mehek Naeem ◽  
Naeem Zafar ◽  
Atia-ur Rehman ◽  
Waseem Akram
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Group Discussion ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
Urban Slum ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Slum Area ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Strategic Approach

Article 25 A of the Constitution of Pakistan stipulates that free and compulsory education must be given to all children between the ages of 5 and 16. However, there are gaps in its implementation leaving out pockets such as children in slums. Non-government organizations (NGOs) play an essential part in bridging the said gaps. This study explored the context of education in a slum area located at Babu Sabu Interchange, Lahore where an NGO PAHCHAAN (Protection and Help of Children against Abuse and Neglect)is providing non-formal education to children via community engagement. The current study explored the context of education in a slum where intervention is already implemented through/using the case study method. A survey from all the households in this area (N=26) and a focus group discussion from six mothers were conducted. The results showed a positive attitude of the mothers towards the education of their children, as 65.4% of the participants strongly agreed that it is essential to get children enrolled in schools. The findings from the focus group discussion highlighted several challenges such as the lack of financial resources, distance of school from the slum area, lack of acceptance of over-aged children and a difficult admission procedure. Bullying and cursing were, however, the leading cause of dropping out of regular schools. This preliminary study highlights the importance of taking a strategic approach towards “education for all,” looking at deep-rooted issues so that no child is left behind.

scholarly journals Analysis of Language Learning Strategies Used by Two Groups of Students of Differing Age Range

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Javier Suesca Torres ◽  
Andrés Mauricio Torres Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Focus Group Discussion ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Strategy Choice ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
Influence Strategy ◽  
Age Range

This short exploratory study aims to analyze the language learning strategies used by part of two groups of students with different age range in seventh and eleventh grade. The instruments used to carry out this study were: an adapted questionnaire to identify Language Learning Strategies (LLS), a focus group discussion, and an interview. The results show that age is an important factor when determining LLS. However, it was also found that there are other variables such as task nature, course methodology, and parents’ availability, among others, that may influence strategy choice.

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