Activity Theory in Information Systems Research and Practice: Theoretical Underpinnings for an Information Systems Development Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mursu, Anja; Luukkonen, Irmeli; Toivanen, Marika; Korpela, Mikko

2007-01-01

Introduction: The purpose of information systems is to facilitate work activities: here we consider how Activity Theory can be applied in information systems development. Method. The requirements for an analytical model for emancipatory, work-oriented information systems research and practice are specified. Previous research work in Activity…

Implementing Evidence-Based Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, Edward J.; Bledsoe, Sarah E.; Bellamy, Jennifer L.

2008-01-01

Recently, social work has been influenced by new forms of practice that hold promise for bringing practice and research together to strengthen the scientific knowledge base supporting social work intervention. The most recent new practice framework is evidence-based practice. However, although evidence-based practice has many qualities that might…

Knowledge brokering: an innovative model for supporting evidence-informed practice in respiratory care.

PubMed

Hoens, Alison M; Reid, W Darlene; Camp, Pat G

2013-01-01

The process of adopting research findings in the clinical setting is challenging, regardless of the area of practice. One strategy to facilitate this process is the use of knowledge brokering. Knowledge brokers (KBs) are individuals who work to bridge the gap between researchers and knowledge users. In the health care setting, KBs work closely with clinicians to facilitate enhanced uptake of research findings into clinical practice. They also work with researchers to ensure research findings are translatable and meaningful to clinical practice. The present article discusses a KB's role in a respiratory care setting. Working closely with both researchers and clinicians, the KB has led teams in the process of conceptualizing, developing, testing, disseminating and evaluating several projects related to respiratory care, including projects related to mobility in critical care settings and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; inspiratory muscle training; and the use of incentive spirometry in postsurgical populations. The KB role has provided an important communication link between researcher and knowledge user that has facilitated evidence-informed practice to improve patient care.

Making Judgements about Students Making Work: Lecturers’ Assessment Practices in Art and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orr, Susan; Bloxham, Sue

2013-01-01

This research study explores the assessment practices in two higher education art and design departments. The key aim of this research was to explore art and design studio assessment practices as lived and experienced by art and design lecturers. This work draws on two bodies of pre-existing research. Firstly this study adopted methodological…

Putting Principles into Practice: Addressing Historical Trauma, Mistrust, and Apprehension in Research Methods Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Zuleka; Acquaye-Doyle, Lucinda A.; Waites, Shayna; Howard, Tyriesa

2016-01-01

The social work profession has articulated commitments to acknowledging and affirming how diversity and culture shape the human experience and to developing social workers who can competently engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research. However, there remains a need in social work education for more widespread use of…

The research potential of practice nurses.

PubMed

Davies, Jacqueline; Heyman, Bob; Bryar, Rosamund; Graffy, Jonathan; Gunnell, Caroline; Lamb, Bryony; Morris, Lana

2002-09-01

Little is known about the research aspirations and experiences of practice nurses. The study discussed in the present paper had three main aims: (1) to assess the level of research interest among practice nurses working in Essex and East London, UK; (2) to identify practice nurses' research priorities; and (3) to explore factors which facilitate and impede the development of practice nursing research. All practice nurses (n = 1,054) in the above areas were sent a questionnaire, and a total of 40% (n = 426) responded after two follow-up letters. Fifty-five respondents who volunteered for further participation were interviewed, either individually or in focus groups. About half (n = 207) of the survey respondents expressed an interest in undertaking research. One-third (n = 145) reported previous participation in research, and 20% (n = 85) had initiated their own research. Logistic regression showed that practice nurses educated to graduate level, and those working in practices with nurse training or participation in external research, were most likely to want to undertake research. Working in a medical training practice was found to be a negative predictor of research interest. Respondents prioritised research into long-term health problems with a high prevalence in the local population; for example, diabetes. Their reasons for wishing to engage in research included improving the service, career development, making work more interesting and reducing isolation. The main barriers identified were lack of time, lack of support from some general practitioners and poor access to higher education resources outside formal courses. The development of practice nurse research would provide a distinctive perspective on health need and service provision. It would contribute to the achievement of the national strategic objective of improving the quality of primary care, enhance the status of the profession, utilise the enthusiasm of individuals, increase job satisfaction and staff retention, and answer real questions.

Values in a Science of Social Work: Values-Informed Research and Research-Informed Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longhofer, Jeffrey; Floersch, Jerry

2014-01-01

While social work must be evaluative in relation to its diverse areas of practice and research (i.e., values-informed research), the purpose of this article is to propose that values are within the scope of research and therefore research on practice should make values a legitimate object of investigation (i.e., research-informed values). In this…

Medical scientists' information practices in the research work context.

PubMed

Roos, Annikki

2015-03-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the information practices of medical scientists in the research work context. This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in a web tool for qualitative analysis. Activity theory was used as the theoretical framework. The generating motives for the information related activity come from the core activity, research work. The motives result in actions such as searching and using information. Usability, accessibility and ease of use are the most important conditions that determine information related operations. Medical scientists search and use information most of all in the beginning and at the end of the research work. Information practices appear as an instrument producing activity to the central activity. Information services should be embedded in this core activity and in practice libraries should follow researchers' workflow and embed their tools and services in it. © 2015 Health Libraries Journal.

Applying Randomized Controlled Trials and Systematic Reviews in Social Work Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soydan, Haluk

2008-01-01

This article elaborates on the centrality of interventions for social work practice and the importance of understanding the effects of interventions for a more efficient, harmless, transparent, and ethical social work practice. Low-bias research designs and meta-analyses are important means of generating the best possible evidence on what works in…

Inclusive Educational Practices in Kenya: Evidencing Practice of Itinerant Teachers Who Work with Children with Visual Impairment in Local Mainstream Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Paul; McCall, Steve; Douglas, Graeme; McLinden, Mike; Mogesa, Bernard; Mwaura, Martha; Muga, John; Njoroge, Michael

2011-01-01

This article presents a findings from an investigation of the work of 38 specialist itinerant teachers (ITs) supporting the educational inclusion of children with visual impairment in Kenya. The research was designed around a participatory action research framework involving in-country researchers and participants (teachers) working in…

Research Making Its Way into Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Peter; Goatley, Virginia

2015-01-01

Identifying researchers whose work has influenced classroom practice, raises questions about the nature of research and its relationship with practice, and the means through which knowledge is distributed. We argue that normally, influence arises through lines of research more than individuals, that knowing-in-practice distribution systems should…

Assessment Research in the Context of Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tittle, Carol Kehr

Commemorating the work of Anne Cleary, the author considers the need for research on assessment in the practice context, provides an example of research in context, and proposes general areas of development for assessment research in the context of practice. Research has shown that effects of testing programs on practice are often not those that…

Trends of Empirical Research in South Korean Mental Health Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, In Han; Lee, Eun Jung

2017-01-01

Since the introduction of evidence-based practice in South Korea, it has gained significant attention for its potential to promote the efficacy of social work services and to integrate knowledge and practice in mental health social work. In order to see how empirical research in South Korean mental health social work has changed, we examined…

Negotiating Practice Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julkunen, Ilse; Uggerhoj, Lars

2016-01-01

The complexity of carrying out practice research in social service organizations is often matched by the complexity of teaching future social work practitioners to use and engage in practice research. To appreciate the scope of the teaching challenge, it is important to reflect on the evolving definition of practice research and issues involved in…

Specialty Practice or Interstitial Practice? A Reconsideration of School Social Work's Past and Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillippo, Kate L.; Blosser, Allison

2013-01-01

This article analyzes school social work's history to provide perspective on current dilemmas in social work practice and research. The authors use interstitial emergence theory, which holds that practices from overlapping fields (like social work and K-12 education) can develop into new fields, as an analytic framework. This perspective extends…

A Framework for Teaching Practice-Based Research with a Focus on Service Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Michael J.; Isokuortti, Nanne

2016-01-01

The integration of research and practice in social work education and agency practice is both complex and challenging. The analysis presented here builds upon the classic social work generalist framework (engagement, assessment, service planning and implementation, service evaluation, and termination) by developing a three-part framework to…

Relationships, Being-ness, and Voice: Exploring Multiple Dimensions of Humanizing Work with Black Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Erica; McArthur, Sherell A.; Russell-Owens, LaToya

2016-01-01

This work argues for an approach to research and education practices that considers the historically deficit-based research practices and views on Black girls and develops humanizing research methods that consider the multiple oppressions that act as barriers for this group. Research must acknowledge the precarious position of Black girls in order…

Dialogical communication and empowering social work practice.

PubMed

Natland, Sidsel

2015-01-01

How to succeed in facilitating for empowering processes within social work practice is a central topic in both theoretical discussions and regarding its principles in practice. With a particular focus on how dialogical communication can play a part in order to practice empowering social work, through this text the author frames HUSK as a project facilitating the underpinning humanistic approaches in social work. Dialogical communication and its philosophical base is presented and recognized as a means to achieve empowering social work as well as highlighting the importance of the humanistic approach. The author also underscores how HUSK projects in themselves were enabled because of the required collaboration between service users, professionals, and researchers that signified HUSK. This is pinpointed as having potential for a future research agenda as well as pointing at how the outcomes of the projects may impact future social work practice when the goal is to conduct empowering social work.

Is Social Work Evidence-Based? Does Saying So Make It So? Ongoing Challenges in Integrating Research, Practice and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrill, Eileen

2016-01-01

The integration of research and practice is of concern in all helping professions. Has social work become an evidence-based profession as some claim? Characteristics of current-day social work are presented that dispute this view, related continuing concerns are suggested, and promising developments (mostly outside social work) are described that…

A Scoping Review of Social Media Use in Social Work Practice.

PubMed

Chan, Chitat

2016-01-01

The trend of using social media in social work is increasing, but research which systematically reviews and evaluates their uses in actual practice is limited. This article reviews the social work literature to identify the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media in social work practice, and identifies current gaps in the literature to provide recommendations for future social work research. Articles in 64 social work journals published between 2000 and 2014 were screened and analyzed. The included articles (n = 20) were analyzed with particular reference to their level of evidence and ways of social media use. The methodological quality of the studies in this review was low, and this was consistent with the findings of recent systematic reviews of social media use in medical healthcare. The findings initially suggested that social media can potentially contribute to various social work processes, including: service user engagement, need assessment, intervention, and program evaluation. Limitations include lack of quality control, reliability, confidentiality, and privacy. In social work, the dominant research concern in social media is more about professional ethics than their application in intervention. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Bourdieu's theory of practice and its potential in nursing research.

PubMed

Rhynas, Sarah J

2005-04-01

This paper seeks to consider the utility of Bourdieu's "Theory of Practice" in nursing, and considers specifically its use as a framework for research exploring nurses' conceptualizations of illness and the patients in their care. Bourdieu's work uses the concepts of field, capital and habitus to explain interactions within the social world. This paper describes these concepts and their relationship with nursing is discussed using dementia care as an example. The work of French scholar Pierre Bourdieu has contributed to debates throughout the social sciences, but has had relatively little attention in the nursing literature. Pierre Bourdieu's work developed against a backdrop of change in the academic world. The emergence of the social sciences and the debate around objective and subjective styles of research were influential in the development of his "Theory of Practice". The importance of the conceptualization process is discussed, and the considerable potential influence of conceptualization on patient care is highlighted. Reflexivity is a cornerstone of Bourdieu's work, and is an important feature of nursing research. Examples of health care research using his work as a framework are discussed, and some of the challenges of the approach are outlined. The use of Bourdieu's "Theory of Practice" as a research framework could allow nurse researchers to explore the interactions of nurses with the structures, agents and symbols of illness within the field of care. This work could enhance understanding of how nurses view and react to patients in their care, and promote the development of practice innovations and policy change. The theory may, therefore, have much to offer future nursing research.

Cross-sectional multicentre study on the cohort of all the French junior lecturers in general practice.

PubMed

Barais, Marie; Laporte, Catherine; Schuers, Matthieu; Saint-Lary, Olivier; Frappé, Paul; Dibao-Dina, Clarisse; Darmon, David; Bouchez, Tiphanie; Gelly, Julien

2018-12-01

General practice became an academic discipline quite recently in many western countries. In France, junior lecturer work is specified in a three-part mandate: medical work in general practice, teaching in the university, and research. Since 2007, 130 junior lecturers have been appointed in general practice. The aim of the creation of junior lecturer status was to align general practice with other specialties and to develop research and education in primary care. To describe the healthcare, teaching and research undertaken by junior lecturers in general practice, practising in October 2014. A cross-sectional multicentre study using an online self-administered questionnaire on the cohort composed of all the junior lecturers in general practice with open questions and the qualitative analysis of written verbatim accounts. Of the 95 junior lecturers practising at the date of the study, 75 (79%) responded; average age 32 years; gender ratio (F/M) 2.4:1. They spent five, two and three half-days per week respectively in healthcare, teaching and research. The healthcare activity was predominantly carried out in the community (73%). Thirty-nine per cent worked as part of a multi-professional team taking on 50 consultations per week. Most of the educational work involved lecturing and mentoring students specializing in general practice (median 86 hours per year). Research output increased during the fellowship. Research topics were varied and relevant to the disciplinary field. During the fellowship, the balancing, and even the reinforcement, of healthcare and research contributions were accompanied by a significant investment in educational provision.

Commentary: Moving from Practice to Research, and Back

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yohalem, Nicole; Tseng, Vivian

2015-01-01

It is a widely accepted idea that knowledge from research needs to be better integrated into practice. Considerable energy is dedicated to strengthening the flow of research to practice. Less attention, however, has been paid to strengthening the ways researchers can learn from practice to improve their work. In this commentary, we draw on our…

"In Practice It Doesn't Always Work out Like That." Undergraduate Experiences in a Research Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John, Joanna; Creighton, John

2013-01-01

This paper examines the extent to which a structured undergraduate research intervention, UROP, permits undergraduate students early access to legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) in a research community of practice. Accounts of placement experiences suggest that UROP affords rich possibilities for engagement with research practice.…

Implementation Science: Why It Matters for the Future of Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabassa, Leopoldo J.

2016-01-01

Bridging the gap between research and practice is a critical frontier for the future of social work. Integrating implementation science into social work can advance our profession's effort to bring research and practice closer together. Implementation science examines the factors, processes, and strategies that influence the uptake, use, and…

Promising Practices to Meet Global Challenges in Science and Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berlin, Donna F., Ed.; White, Arthur L., Ed.

2010-01-01

The chapters in this book reflect the work of science and mathematics educators who have worked for many years at the international level. As members of the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education, their work provides readers with issues, models, practices, and research results that have applicability and…

Acts of Discovery: Using Collaborative Research to Mobilize and Generate Knowledge about Visual Arts Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Donna Mathewson

2014-01-01

Visual arts teachers engage in complex work on a daily basis. This work is informed by practical knowledge that is rarely examined or drawn on in research or in the development of policy. Focusing on the work of secondary visual arts teachers, this article reports on a research program conducted in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia.…

Making Practical Work Work: Using Discussion to Enhance Pupils' Understanding of Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Mark

2016-01-01

Background: Practical work is widely seen as a necessary part of a good physics education, but convincing evidence that it impacts positively on pupils' learning is scarce. Recent work suggests the use of talk and discussion might hold the key to making practical work more educationally productive. Purpose: The research question that this study…

Designing Research-Informed Resources for More Effective Practical Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Angela; Palmer, Emma

2015-01-01

The Nuffield Foundation's Practical Work for Learning project takes the position that practical work is not a pedagogic approach in its own right, but that its affordances for learning depend on how successfully other pedagogies are applied to practical lessons. The design process used in the project is made explicit, illustrating…

THE USE OF RESEARCH RESULTS IN TEACHING SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LAWRENCE, RICHARD G.

BECAUSE THE SUCCESS OF INTERVENTION DEPENDS UPON THE VALIDITY OF THE PROPOSITIONS EMPLOYED, AND BECAUSE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ASSURES VALIDITY BY PROVIDING THE MOST SYSTEMATIC AND RIGOROUS ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS, THE UTILIZATION OF RESEARCH IS IMPORTANT TO SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE. SEVERAL FACTORS LIMIT ITS USE--(1) ALTHOUGH CONCEPTS ARE CLEARLY DEFINED…

Good enough practices in scientific computing.

PubMed

Wilson, Greg; Bryan, Jennifer; Cranston, Karen; Kitzes, Justin; Nederbragt, Lex; Teal, Tracy K

2017-06-01

Computers are now essential in all branches of science, but most researchers are never taught the equivalent of basic lab skills for research computing. As a result, data can get lost, analyses can take much longer than necessary, and researchers are limited in how effectively they can work with software and data. Computing workflows need to follow the same practices as lab projects and notebooks, with organized data, documented steps, and the project structured for reproducibility, but researchers new to computing often don't know where to start. This paper presents a set of good computing practices that every researcher can adopt, regardless of their current level of computational skill. These practices, which encompass data management, programming, collaborating with colleagues, organizing projects, tracking work, and writing manuscripts, are drawn from a wide variety of published sources from our daily lives and from our work with volunteer organizations that have delivered workshops to over 11,000 people since 2010.

Research-Practice Partnerships: Building Engagement to Benefit Children and Youth. Social Policy Report Brief. Volume 30, Issue 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridgman, Anne

2017-01-01

Gaps exist between research and practice, with some researchers expressing frustration that practitioners do not use or misuse research findings, and some practitioners saying research is not relevant to their work or not easily accessible or understood. In research-practice partnerships, which have proliferated recently, researchers and…

Commitment to Community Practice among Social Work Students: Contributing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehm, Amnon; Cohen, Ayala

2013-01-01

It is important to develop commitment to community practice among social work students to encourage their engagement in this field as professionals later in life. This research examines factors that affect commitment to community practice among social work students. A structured questionnaire was administered to 277 social work students in one…

Preparing PhD-Level Clinical Social Work Practitioners for the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berzoff, Joan; Drisko, James

2015-01-01

Social work doctoral programs are not adequately preparing students to educate future clinical practitioners. Social work is predominantly a practice profession. Social work's PhD programs must continue the education of excellent researchers while also educating for excellence in practice, teaching, field liaison, and the supervision of practice.…

The Practice of Design-Based Research: Uncovering the Interplay Between Design, Research, and the Real-World Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Diana

2004-01-01

Recent interest in design-based research as a research and development methodology in education has begun to clarify the goals and commitments involved in this practice. So far, we have limited views into how the work of design and the work of research impact each other in the course of design-based investigations. In this article, I use the…

Implementation Science: Why it matters for the future of social work.

PubMed

Cabassa, Leopoldo J

2016-01-01

Bridging the gap between research and practice is a critical frontier for the future of social work. Integrating implementation science into social work can advance our profession's effort to bring research and practice closer together. Implementation science examines the factors, processes, and strategies that influence the uptake, use, and sustainability of empirically-supported interventions, practice innovations, and social policies in routine practice settings. The aims of this paper are to describe the key characteristics of implementation science, illustrate how implementation science matters to social work by describing several contributions this field can make to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care, and outline a training agenda to help integrate implementation science in graduate-level social work programs.

Implementation Science: Why it matters for the future of social work

PubMed Central

Cabassa, Leopoldo J.

2016-01-01

Bridging the gap between research and practice is a critical frontier for the future of social work. Integrating implementation science into social work can advance our profession’s effort to bring research and practice closer together. Implementation science examines the factors, processes, and strategies that influence the uptake, use, and sustainability of empirically-supported interventions, practice innovations, and social policies in routine practice settings. The aims of this paper are to describe the key characteristics of implementation science, illustrate how implementation science matters to social work by describing several contributions this field can make to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in mental health care, and outline a training agenda to help integrate implementation science in graduate-level social work programs. PMID:28216992

Portraiture in the Large Lecture: Storying One Chemistry Professor's Practical Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eddleton, Jeannine E.

Practical knowledge, as defined by Freema Elbaz (1983), is a complex, practically oriented set of understandings which teachers use to actively shape and direct their work. The goal of this study is the construction of a social science portrait that illuminates the practical knowledge of a large lecture professor of general chemistry at a public research university in the southeast. This study continues Elbaz's (1981) work on practical knowledge with the incorporation of a qualitative and intentionally interventionist methodology which "blurs the boundaries of aesthetics and empiricism in an effort to capture the complexity, dynamics, and subtlety of human experience and organizational life," (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997). This collection of interviews, observations, writings, and reflections is designed for an eclectic audience with the intent of initiating conversation on the topic of the large lecture and is a purposeful attempt to link research and practice. Social science portraiture is uniquely suited to this intersection of researcher and researched, the perfect combination of methodology and analysis for a project that is both product and praxis. The following research questions guide the study. • Are aspects of Elbaz's practical knowledge identifiable in the research conversations conducted with a large lecture college professor? • Is practical knowledge identifiable during observations of Patricia's large lecture? Freema Elbaz conducted research conversations with Sarah, a high school classroom and writing resource teacher who conducted much of her teaching work one on one with students. Patricia's practice differs significantly from Sarah's with respect to subject matter and to scale.

Drama and Role Playing in Teaching Practice: The Role of Group Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çerkez, Yagmur; Altinay, Zehra; Altinay, Fahriye; Bashirova, Elnara

2012-01-01

The research study aims to explore the essence of group work in drama and role playing for teaching practice inline with the nature of collaborative learning process. This research study has qualitative nature by capturing experiences of volunteer ninety pre-service teachers about group works, gained skills from drama and role playing in their…

Practical Engagements and Co-Created Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Jennifer Lyn; Seibold, David R.

2008-01-01

In this essay we foreground the value of engaging meaningfully with practitioners in our work. We review research by scholars whose work cuts across topics and contexts to gain insight into the power and practice of human communication as it shapes the world in which we live-highlighting work that is at its best because of its co-creation with…

Creating Research Practice Partnerships in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penuel, William R.; Gallagher, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

"Creating Research-Practice Partnerships in Education" is an invaluable resource for educators and researchers seeking to develop long-term collaborations in which educators and researchers work together to study and solve pressing problems of practice. Drawing on a wide range of examples, the authors describe the purposes for which…

A Better Research-Practice Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henrick, Erin; Munoz, Marco A.; Cobb, Paul

2016-01-01

District leaders often feel that working with researchers is not mutually beneficial. Researchers do not provide enough practical guidance, and they are often unable to present their findings in time to inform district decision making. Research-practice partnerships (RPPs) are a potential new strategy for addressing these challenges. RPPs are…

Why "What Works" Won't Work: Evidence-Based Practice and the Democratic Deficit in Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biesta, Gert

2007-01-01

In this essay, Gert Biesta provides a critical analysis of the idea of evidence-based practice and the ways in which it has been promoted and implemented in the field of education, focusing on the tension between scientific and democratic control over educational practice and research. Biesta examines three key assumptions of evidence-based…

Learning Practice-Based Research Methods: Capturing the Experiences of MSW Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natland, Sidsel; Weissinger, Erika; Graaf, Genevieve; Carnochan, Sarah

2016-01-01

The literature on teaching research methods to social work students identifies many challenges, such as dealing with the tensions related to producing research relevant to practice, access to data to teach practice-based research, and limited student interest in learning research methods. This is an exploratory study of the learning experiences of…

"Writing My First Academic Article Feels Like Dancing around Naked": Research Development for Higher Education Lecturers Working in Further Education Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Rebecca; Brown, Tony; Edwards-Jones, Andrew

2014-01-01

Growing emphasis on research output has spawned initiatives to enhance writing practices, often targeted at groups less familiar with academic research practices. This paper discusses a collaborative writing group project for higher education lecturers working in further education colleges. Participants had previously undertaken funded pedagogic…

A Multiagent Modeling Environment for Simulating Work Practice in Organizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sierhuis, Maarten; Clancey, William J.; vanHoof, Ron

2004-01-01

In this paper we position Brahms as a tool for simulating organizational processes. Brahms is a modeling and simulation environment for analyzing human work practice, and for using such models to develop intelligent software agents to support the work practice in organizations. Brahms is the result of more than ten years of research at the Institute for Research on Learning (IRL), NYNEX Science & Technology (the former R&D institute of the Baby Bell telephone company in New York, now Verizon), and for the last six years at NASA Ames Research Center, in the Work Systems Design and Evaluation group, part of the Computational Sciences Division (Code IC). Brahms has been used on more than ten modeling and simulation research projects, and recently has been used as a distributed multiagent development environment for developing work practice support tools for human in-situ science exploration on planetary surfaces, in particular a human mission to Mars. Brahms was originally conceived of as a business process modeling and simulation tool that incorporates the social systems of work, by illuminating how formal process flow descriptions relate to people s actual located activities in the workplace. Our research started in the early nineties as a reaction to experiences with work process modeling and simulation . Although an effective tool for convincing management of the potential cost-savings of the newly designed work processes, the modeling and simulation environment was only able to describe work as a normative workflow. However, the social systems, uncovered in work practices studied by the design team played a significant role in how work actually got done-actual lived work. Multi- tasking, informal assistance and circumstantial work interactions could not easily be represented in a tool with a strict workflow modeling paradigm. In response, we began to develop a tool that would have the benefits of work process modeling and simulation, but be distinctively able to represent the relations of people, locations, systems, artifacts, communication and information content.

The Promise of Partnerships: Researchers Join Forces with Educators to Solve Problems of Practice of Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meister, Gail R.; Blitz, Cynthia L.

2016-01-01

An auxiliary and potentially powerful source of practitioners' knowledge, skills, and dispositions can come from participation in research-practice partnerships. Research-practice partnerships link researchers, usually faculty at institutions of higher education, with practitioners working in schools, district central offices, county offices, or…

School Psychologists and Ethical Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kapoulitsas, Maryanne; Corcoran, Tim

2017-01-01

This research explored how psychologists working in the Victorian secondary state school system construct meaning around ethical practice. The specific aims of the research were to examine psychologists understanding of ethics in practice within schools and to explore challenges they faced regarding professional ethics when working in the…

Framing Education for a Science of Social Work: Missions, Curriculum, and Doctoral Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fong, Rowena

2012-01-01

Social work education has historically been grounded in professional practice but recent discussions have urged a reconsideration of social work as a science. Social work is progressively doing more intervention work, service systems research, implementation research, and translational research which are elevating research standards to new levels…

Returning to Work

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Research-Practice Partnerships: Building Two-Way Streets of Engagement. Social Policy Report. Volume 30, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseng, Vivian; Easton, John Q.; Supplee, Lauren H.

2017-01-01

People have long bemoaned the silos of research and practice. Researchers express frustration that practitioners do not use or misuse research. Practitioners respond that research is not relevant to their work, or is not easily accessible or understood. Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) across the country are seeking to undo these patterns.…

The role of researchers in disseminating evidence to public health practice settings: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

McVay, Allese B; Stamatakis, Katherine A; Jacobs, Julie A; Tabak, Rachel G; Brownson, Ross C

2016-06-10

Evidence-based public health interventions, which research has demonstrated offer the most promise for improving the population's health, are not always utilized in practice settings. The extent to which dissemination from researchers to public health practice settings occurs is not widely understood. This study examines the extent to which public health researchers in the United States are disseminating their research findings to local and state public health departments. In a 2012, nationwide study, an online questionnaire was administered to 266 researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and universities to determine dissemination practices. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between dissemination to state and/or local health departments and respondent characteristics, facilitators, and barriers to dissemination. Slightly over half of the respondents (58%) disseminated their findings to local and/or state health departments. After adjusting for other respondent characteristics, respondents were more likely to disseminate their findings to health departments if they worked for a university Prevention Research Center or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or received their degree more than 20 years ago. Those who had ever worked in a practice or policy setting, those who thought dissemination was important to their own research and/or to the work of their unit/department, and those who had expectations set by their employers and/or funding agencies were more likely to disseminate after adjusting for work place, graduate degree and/or fellowship in public health, and the year the highest academic degree was received. There is still room for improvement in strengthening dissemination ties between researchers and public health practice settings, and decreasing the barriers researchers face during the dissemination process. Researchers could better utilize national programs or workshops, knowledge brokers, or opportunities provided through academic institutions to become more proficient in dissemination practices.

The Evaluation of Industry Practical of Mechanical Engineering in Vocational Education: A CIPP Model Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamaludin, M.; Munawar, W.; Mahdan, D.; Simanjuntak, M. V.; Wendi, H. F.

2018-02-01

The learning system is not only studied on campus but also practicing in the world of work. Industry Practical aims to enable students to develop their skills in accordance with the real world of work. To know the success of the implementation of industry practical program then held evaluation. The evaluation of the program in this study used the CIPP evaluation approach (Context, Input, Process, Product). The purpose of this research is to know the extent of achievement and success of industry practical program at vocational school in Bandung with descriptive research method using mix method approach. The sample in this research is students majoring in mechanical engineering in the city of Bandung who have done industry practical.

Teaching Data Analysis to the Data-Averse: A Framework for Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouché, Christa; Bartley, Allen

2016-01-01

It remains a dilemma for social work educators to teach research so that it can be embraced by students as an integral part of social work practice. This article reports on an initiative to design a research course focused on the integration of research with practice. Drawing on developments in data mining and techniques in secondary data…

Building Sustainable Research Engagements: Lessons Learned from Research with Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vukotich, Charles J., Jr.; Cousins, Jennifer; Stebbins, Samuel

2014-01-01

Engaged scholarship, translational science, integrated research, and interventionist research, all involve bringing research into a practical context. These usually require working with communities and institutions, and often involve community based participatory research. The article offers practical guidance for engaged research. The authors…

Risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst female prostitutes working in legalized brothels.

PubMed

Pyett, P M; Haste, B R; Snow, J

1996-02-01

Most research investigating risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst sex workers has focused on street prostitutes to the exclusion of those prostitutes who work in different sections of the industry. This is largely a consequence of methodological difficulties in accessing prostitutes other than those who work on the streets. HIV prevention research and interventions must address the fact that risk practices may vary according to the type of prostitution engaged in. This paper reports on risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst prostitutes working in legalized brothels in Victoria, Australia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed by representatives of a sex worker organization whose collaboration was an important factor in obtaining a large sample of prostitutes. The study found low levels of risk practices for prostitutes working in legal brothels in Victoria. The major risk practices indentified were injecting drug use and condom non-use with non-paying partners.

Involving migrants in the development of guidelines for communication in cross-cultural general practice consultations: a participatory learning and action research project

PubMed Central

O'Reilly-de Brún, Mary; MacFarlane, Anne; de Brún, Tomas; Okonkwo, Ekaterina; Bonsenge Bokanga, Jean Samuel; Manuela De Almeida Silva, Maria; Ogbebor, Florence; Mierzejewska, Aga; Nnadi, Lovina; van den Muijsenbergh, Maria; van Weel-Baumgarten, Evelyn; van Weel, Chris

2015-01-01

Objective The aim of this research was to involve migrants and other key stakeholders in a participatory dialogue to develop a guideline for enhancing communication in cross-cultural general practice consultations. In this paper, we focus on findings about the use of formal versus informal interpreters because dialogues about these issues emerged as central to the identification of recommendations for best practice. Design This qualitative case study involved a Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) research methodology. Participants The sample comprised 80 stakeholders: 51 from migrant communities; 15 general practitioners (GPs) and general practice staff; 7 established migrants as peer researchers; 5 formal, trained interpreters; and 2 service planners from the national health authority. Setting Galway, Ireland. Results There was 100% consensus across stakeholder groups that while informal interpreters have uses for migrants and general practice staff, they are not considered acceptable as best practice. There was also 100% consensus that formal interpreters who are trained and working as per a professional code of practice are acceptable as best practice. Conclusions Policymakers and service planners need to work in partnership with service providers and migrants to progress the implementation of professional, trained interpreters as a routine way of working in general practice. PMID:26391628

Blending Research-Based Practices and Practice-Embedded Research: Project Excite Closes Achievement and Excellence Gaps for Underrepresented Gifted Minority Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olszewski-Kubilius, Paula; Steenbergen-Hu, Saiying

2017-01-01

In this article, we advocate for a new movement in education, particularly an approach emphasizing blending research-based practice with practice-embedded research. We do so by describing and discussing Project Excite, a working example that demonstrates such a model in the context of gifted education. We first trace the history, the impetus, and…

A theory-based model of translation practices in public health participatory research.

PubMed

Clavier, Carole; Sénéchal, Yan; Vibert, Stéphane; Potvin, Louise

2012-06-01

This article explores the innovative practices of actors specifically mandated to support interactions between academic researchers and their partners from the community during public health participatory research. Drawing on the concept of translation as developed in actor-network theory and found in the literature on knowledge transfer and the sociology of intermediate actors, we build a theory-based model of the translation practices developed by these actors at the interface between community and university. We refine this model by using it to analyse material from two focus groups comprising participants purposively selected because they work at the nexus between research and practice. Our model of translation practices includes cognitive (dealing with the contents of the research), strategic (geared to facilitating the research process and balancing power relationships among the partners) and logistic practices (the hands-on tasks of coordination). Combined, these three types of translation practices demonstrate that actors working at the interface in participatory research contribute to multidirectional exchanges and the co-construction of knowledge among research partners. Beyond the case of participatory research, theorising translation practices helps understand how knowledge is produced at the interface between academic and experiential (or lay) knowledge. © 2011 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Implementation of Industrial Work Practice management at vocational high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widodo, Joko; Samsudi, Sunyoto

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a management model of entrepreneurship-based Industrial Work Practice (Prakerin) at Vocational High School. This research was planned for three years under Research and Development design. The respondents were public and private Vocational High Schools in Semarang, Salatiga and District of Demak, Central Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, observation, and documentation. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Preliminary study shows that the implementation of Industrial Work Practice at Vocational High School, which has been carried out, was only to prepare the graduates to become an employee of the industry instead of entrepreneur. Further study is needed to develop a management model of entrepreneurship-based Industrial Work Practice at Vocational High School.

Mothering: Thinking Is Part of the Job Description: Application of Cognitive Views to Understanding Maladaptive Parenting and Doing Intervention and Prevention Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azar, Sandra T.; Reitz, Elizabeth B.; Goslin, Megan C.

2008-01-01

Irving Sigel's work, particularly his two volumes and numerous papers on parental beliefs, has left a strong mark on theoretical developmental work, applied research, and clinical research and practice. This article focuses on the impact that a cognitive perspective on parenting has had on our understanding of maladaptive parenting and practice.…

Inclusive Educational Practices in Uganda: Evidencing Practice of Itinerant Teachers Who Work with Children with Visual Impairment in Local Mainstream Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Paul; McCall, Steve; Douglas, Graeme; McLinden, Mike; Bayo, Asher

2011-01-01

This article reports on a research project investigating the role of itinerant teachers (ITs) of children with visual impairment in Uganda. The research focused on the activities of 52 ITs who recorded their work in a journal over a period of eight weeks (a new practice which was introduced to them through a workshop). Analysis of the data…

Taking stock of youth organizing: an interdisciplinary perspective.

PubMed

Christens, Brian D; Kirshner, Ben

2011-01-01

Youth organizing combines elements of community organizing, with its emphasis on ordinary people working collectively to advance shared interests, and positive youth development, with its emphasis on asset-based approaches to working with young people. It is expanding from an innovative, but marginal approach to youth and community development into a more widely recognized model for practice among nonprofit organizations and foundations. Along the way, it has garnered attention from researchers interested in civic engagement, social movements, and resiliency. A growing body of published work evidences the increasing interest of researchers, who have applied an assortment of theoretical perspectives to their observations of youth organizing processes. Through an appraisal of the current state of this still-emerging area of practice and research, including case examples, the authors identify common elements of the practice of youth organizing--relationship development, popular education, social action, and participatory research and evaluation--and conclude with a discussion of promising future directions for research and practice. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Ethical Issues in the Research of Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrich, Kristopher M.; Luke, Melissa

2017-01-01

This article provides a primer for researchers exploring ethical issues in the research of group work. The article begins with an exploration of relevant ethical issues through the research process and current standards guiding its practice. Next, the authors identify resources that group work researchers can consult prior to constructing their…

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to School Social Work Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teasley, Martell; Canifield, James P.; Archuleta, Adrian J.; Crutchfield, Jandel; Chavis, Annie McCullough

2012-01-01

Understanding barriers to practice is a growing area within school social work research. Using a convenience sample of 284 school social workers, this study replicates the efforts of a mixed-method investigation designed to identify barriers and facilitators to school social work practice within different geographic locations. Time constraints and…

Ideals, practices, and future prospects of stakeholder involvement in sustainability science

PubMed Central

Vermaßen, Hannah; Ellenbeck, Saskia

2017-01-01

This paper evaluates current stakeholder involvement (SI) practices in science through a web-based survey among scholars and researchers engaged in sustainability or transition research. It substantiates previous conceptual work with evidence from practice by building on four ideal types of SI in science. The results give an interesting overview of the varied landscape of SI in sustainability science, ranging from the kinds of topics scientists work on with stakeholders, over scientific trade-offs that arise in the field, to improvements scientists wish for. Furthermore, the authors describe a discrepancy between scientists’ ideals and practices when working with stakeholders. On the conceptual level, the data reflect that the democratic type of SI is the predominant one concerning questions on the understanding of science, the main goal, the stage of involvement in the research process, and the science–policy interface. The fact that respondents expressed agreement to several types shows they are guided by multiple and partly conflicting ideals when working with stakeholders. We thus conclude that more conceptual exchange between practitioners, as well as more qualitative research on the concepts behind practices, is needed to better understand the stakeholder–scientist nexus. PMID:29162698

Ideals, practices, and future prospects of stakeholder involvement in sustainability science.

PubMed

Mielke, Jahel; Vermaßen, Hannah; Ellenbeck, Saskia

2017-12-12

This paper evaluates current stakeholder involvement (SI) practices in science through a web-based survey among scholars and researchers engaged in sustainability or transition research. It substantiates previous conceptual work with evidence from practice by building on four ideal types of SI in science. The results give an interesting overview of the varied landscape of SI in sustainability science, ranging from the kinds of topics scientists work on with stakeholders, over scientific trade-offs that arise in the field, to improvements scientists wish for. Furthermore, the authors describe a discrepancy between scientists' ideals and practices when working with stakeholders. On the conceptual level, the data reflect that the democratic type of SI is the predominant one concerning questions on the understanding of science, the main goal, the stage of involvement in the research process, and the science-policy interface. The fact that respondents expressed agreement to several types shows they are guided by multiple and partly conflicting ideals when working with stakeholders. We thus conclude that more conceptual exchange between practitioners, as well as more qualitative research on the concepts behind practices, is needed to better understand the stakeholder-scientist nexus. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Efforts to Bridge the Gap between Research and Practice in Social Work: Precedents and Prospects: Keynote Address at the Bridging the Gap Symposium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubin, Allen

2015-01-01

This keynote address discusses previous and ongoing efforts to reduce the persistent gap between research and practice in social work and offers recommendations for further bridging that gap. Key among those recommendations is the need to conduct descriptive outcome studies of efforts to adapt research-supported interventions in everyday practice…

Assessing Student Perception of Practice Evaluation Knowledge in Introductory Research Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Lisa R.; Pollio, David E.; Hudson, Ashley

2011-01-01

The authors explored the use of the Practice Evaluation Knowledge Scale (PEKS) to assess student perception of acquisition and retention of practice evaluation knowledge from an undergraduate research methods class. The authors sampled 2 semesters of undergraduate social work students enrolled in an introductory research methods course.…

Integrating Single-System Design Research into the Clinical Practice Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Marlene G.

2006-01-01

Clinical practice and research are generally taught separately in Master of Social Work programs by faculty with distinct areas of expertise. This paper discusses the teaching of single-subject design research methodology by clinical faculty, in the clinical practice class. Examples from student papers demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating…

Education Research Australia: A Changing Ecology of Knowledge and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seddon, Terri; Bennett, Dawn; Bennett, Sue; Bobis, Janette; Chan, Philip; Harrison, Neil; Shore, Sue

2013-01-01

Processes of national research assessment, such as Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) are a type of audit technology that confronts and steers established institutional identities and traditions. This nexus between policy and practice drives boundary work that diffracts prevailing policy logics, organisational practices, and habits of…

Barriers to the implementation of research perceived by nurses from Osakidetza.

PubMed

Cidoncha-Moreno, M Ángeles; Ruíz de Alegría-Fernandez de Retana, Begoña

To understand the barriers to implementing nursing research findings into practice, as perceived by the nurses working in Osakidetza and to analyze if the workplace factor and time worked affect the perception of these barriers. Cross-sectional study. BARRIERS Scale questionnaire was given to a representative sample of 1,572 Basque Health Service nurses, stratified and randomized, according to scope of work and job responsibility (response rate: 43.76%). According to the research results, the first important barrier was "insufficient time on the job to implement new ideas". Nurses have perceived the organizational factor as the most important barrier in their practice. Nurses in "Special hospital departments" perceived more barriers in the "quality of research" factor than those working in "Primary Care". Years of service showed a slight influence. The nurses stated that external factors related to the organization principally interfered in implementing results into clinical practice. They placed lack of critical reading training second. Working environment and seniority mark differences in the perception of barriers. This study may help to develop strategies for planning training programs to facilitate the use of research in clinical practice, in order to provide quality care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Effectiveness of Community Practice Interventions: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohmer, Mary L.; Korr, Wynne S.

2006-01-01

Objective: Evidence-based practice is becoming increasingly important in social work and community practice. The authors reviewed existing research to assess the level of evidence available to guide community practice. Method: The authors conducted a review of the literature on community practice intervention research from 1985 to 2002 using…

Professional Learning Communities: Teachers Working Collaboratively for Continuous Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Louise Ann

2009-01-01

Current research indicates that a professional learning community (PLC) is an effective means for helping teachers to bridge the gap between research and practice. A PLC is a team of educators systematically working together to improve teaching practice and student learning. This study evaluated the PLC formed by teachers at a public elementary…

The Role of Radical Imagination in Social Work Education, Practice, and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnetz, Zion

2015-01-01

This article addresses the role of imagination in social work education, practice, and research. Following a brief discussion of terms, the author attempts to identify the various contributions of human imagination to social change processes. The second part presents the argument that the cultural structure known as Social Darwinism significantly…

Advancing Social Justice in Vocational Theory, Research, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgen, Fred H.

2005-01-01

David Blustein, Ellen Hawley McWhirter, and Justin Perry present a social justice agenda for action in vocational psychology in their article "An Emancipatory Communitarian Approach to Vocational Development Theory, Research, and Practice." They build on robust work in counseling psychology over recent decades by using the critical work of Isaac…

Economic Evaluation as a Component of Quality Effectiveness Research: Methodological and Practical Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Tina M.

2012-01-01

Background: As research moves from questions of efficacy (can an intervention work) to questions of effectiveness (does an intervention work in practice), questions of efficiency (what are the costs and consequences of the intervention) become increasingly important. The incorporation of economic evaluation into the planning and execution of…

Voice, boundary work, and visibility in research on sex work in Morocco.

PubMed

Montgomery, Anne

2015-01-01

How might the ethnographer conduct research on health and suffering among populations who would rather remain hidden? Drawing on my research with female sex workers in southern Morocco, I suggest and demonstrate an approach that allows interlocutors' discretionary practices to guide ethnographic inquiry. I show how boundary work--as a politics of visibility founded on practices of discretion, concealment, and distancing--emerged as central to my interlocutors' livelihood strategies and their efforts to enact moral personhood, integrate themselves into networks of solidarity, and articulate social critiques. A methodological focus on discourses and practices of boundary drawing, I argue, was essential for conceptualizing and representing the suffering of the women with whom I worked. Using boundary work as a guide, the ethnographer does not give voice to suffering, but learns how suffering is already voiced as part of attempts to survive, aspire, and become.

A new model of collaborative research: experiences from one of Australia's NHMRC Partnership Centres for Better Health.

PubMed

Wutzke, Sonia; Redman, Sally; Bauman, Adrian; Hawe, Penelope; Shiell, Alan; Thackway, Sarah; Wilson, Andrew

2017-02-15

There is often a disconnection between the creation of evidence and its use in policy and practice. Cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary partnership research, founded on shared governance and coproduction, is considered to be one of the most effective means of overcoming this research-policy-practice disconnect. Similar to a number of funding bodies internationally, Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council has introduced Partnership Centres for Better Health: a scheme explicitly designed to encourage coproduced partnership research. In this paper, we describe our experiences of The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, established in June 2013 to explore the systems, strategies and structures that inform decisions about how to prevent lifestyle-related chronic disease. We present our view on how the Partnership Centre model is working in practice. We comment on the unique features of the Partnership Centre funding model, how these features enable ways of working that are different from both investigator-initiated and commissioned research, and how these ways of working can result in unique outcomes that would otherwise not have been possible. Although not without challenges, the Partnership Centre approach addresses a major gap in the Australian research environment, whereby large-scale, research-policy-practice partnerships are established with sufficient time, resources and flexibility to deliver highly innovative, timely and accessible research that is of use to policy and practice.

Statement on National WorkLife Priorities

PubMed Central

Cherniack, Martin; Henning, Rob; Merchant, James A.; Punnett, Laura; Sorensen, Glorian R.; Wagner, Gregory

2018-01-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) WorkLife Initiative (WLI) [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/worklife] seeks to promote workplace programs, policies, and practices that result in healthier, more productive employees through a focus simultaneously on disease prevention, health promotion, and accommodations to age, family, and life stage. The Initiative incorporates the Institute’s foundational commitment to workplaces free of recognized hazards into broader consideration of the factors that affect worker health and wellbeing. Workplace hazards, such as physical demands, chemical exposures, and work organization, often interact with non-work factors such as family demands and health behaviors to increase health and safety risks. New workplace interventions being tested by the first three NIOSH WLI Centers of WorkLife Excellence are exploring innovative models for employee health programs to reduce the human, social, and economic costs of compromised health and quality of life. Many parties in industry, labor, and government share the goals of improving employee health while controlling health care costs. NIOSH convened a workshop in 2008 with representatives of the three Centers of Excellence to develop a comprehensive, long-range strategy for advancing the WorkLife Initiative. The recommendations below fall into three areas: practice, research, and policy. Responding to these recommendations would permit the WorkLife Center system to establish a new infrastructure for workplace prevention programs by compiling and disseminating the innovative practices being developed and tested at the Centers, and elsewhere. The WLI would also extend the customary scope of NIOSH by engaging with multiple NIH Institutes that are already generating research-to-practice programs involving the working-age population, in areas such as chronic disease prevention and management. Research to Practice (r2p) is a concept focused on the translation of research findings, technologies, and information into evidence-based prevention practices and products that are adopted in the workplace or other “real-world” settings. NIOSH’s goal is to overcome the translational issues that now prevent state-of-the-art occupational health, health promotion, and chronic disease research findings from benefiting working age populations immediately, regardless of workplace size, work sector, or region of the country. PMID:20949545

Nurse managers' strategies for feeling less drained by their work: an action research and reflection project for developing emotional intelligence.

PubMed

Taylor, Bev; Roberts, Sue; Smyth, Therese; Tulloch, Moira

2015-10-01

To raise nurse managers' critical awareness of practice problems; uncover practice constraints and improve work effectiveness. Nurse management requires skills and knowledge, underscored by emotional intelligence. The research improved participants' practice and personal insights. Purposive sampling targeted nurse managers interested in improving their practice. Three experienced female nurse managers met fortnightly in a group, for 1 hour, for 10 meetings. The methods included: writing and sharing de-identified journal reflections; critically analysing practice stories; identifying a thematic concern; generating action strategies; and instituting and revising the action plan. Phase One resulted in the identification of the issue of 'being drained by the intensity of nurse managers' work'. The participants adopted five strategies: debriefing problematic situations; deflecting multiple requests; diffusing issues; naming dysfunctional behaviours; and regrouping. In Phase Two, participants implemented and revised the action plan strategies, which resulted in them feeling less drained by their work. Strategies can lessen nurse managers' sense of personal depletion. However, strategies cannot guarantee success every time because the emotional intelligence is integral to nurse management. Action research and reflection assist nurse managers to improve their practice and develop their emotional intelligence. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

77 FR 14370 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

... Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs) in Oregon and Wisconsin, and with the Health IT Regional Extension... AHRQ through its contractors, the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) and the... effectiveness. Understanding clinical work practices and how they will be affected by practice innovations such...

77 FR 30011 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-21

... Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs) in Oregon and Wisconsin, and with the Health IT Regional Extension... AHRQ through its contractors, the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) and the... effectiveness. Understanding clinical work practices and how they will be affected by practice innovations such...

Imagining Literacy Equity: Theorizing Flows of Community Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González, Norma

2016-01-01

Theorizing flows of community practices implicates three interrelated themes: (1) theorizing practices rather than practicing theories, (2) theorizing our stories, and (3) research as responsibility to the communities in which we work. One way to claim literacy research as a principled epistemological stance is to confront the real-life effects of…

Preparing Current and Future Practitioners to Integrate Research in Real Practice Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thyer, Bruce A.

2015-01-01

Past efforts aimed at promoting a better integration between research and practice are reviewed. These include the empirical clinical practice movement (ECP), originating within social work; the empirically supported treatment (EST) initiative of clinical psychology; and the evidence-based practice (EBP) model developed within medicine. The…

School-Based Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glennon, Catherine; Hinton, Christina; Callahan, Thomas; Fischer, Kurt W.

2013-01-01

In the field of medicine, research and practice are joined in teaching hospitals. In these institutions, researchers work alongside doctors to incorporate recent advances in medical research into practice and track results. There is a growing movement in the field of education to create analogous institutions in education called research schools.…

P-12 Engineering Education Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Tamara; Richards, Larry G.

2012-01-01

This special issue of "Advances in Engineering Education" explores recent developments in P-12 Engineering Education. It includes papers devoted to research and practice, and reports some of the most exciting work in the field today. In our Call of Papers, we solicited two types of papers: Research papers and Practice papers. The former…

Linking Theory and Practice: Teacher Research in History and Geography Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Admiraal, Wilfried; Buijs, Maartje; Claessens, Wout; Honing, Terence; Karkdijk, Jan

2017-01-01

The impact of scholarly research in education on the educational practice in secondary school is low. Academics examine problems that teachers in school perceive as irrelevant, want to publish in peer-reviewed journals instead of disseminate their work, and aim at generalizing insights rather than improving school practice. Teacher research might…

A Triangular Approach to Integrate Research, Education and Practice in Higher Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkinen, Eetu-Pekka; Jaako, Juha; Hiltunen, Jukka

2017-01-01

Separate approaches in engineering education, research and practice are not very useful when preparing students for working life; instead, integration of education, research and industrial practices is needed. A triangular approach (TA) as a method to accomplish this integration and as a method to provide students with integrated expertise is…

What Is Implementation Research? Rationale, Concepts, and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharyya, Onil; Reeves, Scott; Zwarenstein, Merrick

2009-01-01

Despite the growing knowledge base on evidence-based practices in social work and medicine, there is a large gap between what is known and what is consistently done. Implementation research is the study of methods to promote the uptake of research findings into routine practice. In this article, we describe the rationale for implementation…

Improving the Students' Study Practices through the Principled Design of Research Probes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aleahmad, Turadig

2012-01-01

A key challenge of the learning sciences is moving research results into practice. Educators on the front lines perceive little value in the outputs of education research and demand more "usable knowledge". This work explores the potential instead of usable artifacts to translate knowledge into practice, adding scientists as stakeholders…

Research: Reflecting Practice. Papers from the SCUTREA Annual Conference (23rd, Manchester, England, July 6-8, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Nod, Ed.; Jones, David J., Ed.

The following papers are included: "Social Classification of Women's Work" (Benn, Burton); "Developing Models of Learning from Experience" (Boud, Walker); "'Research Reflecting Practice?'" (Edwards, Usher); "Metaphors and Their Implications for Research and Practice in Adult and Community Education" (Hunt); "'Common-Sense' Approach to Reflection"…

Learning the Work of Ambitious Mathematics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Glenda; Hunter, Roberta

2013-01-01

"Learning the Work of Ambitious Mathematics" project was developed to support prospective teachers learn the work of ambitious mathematics teaching. Building on the work of U.S. researchers in the "Learning in, from, and for Teaching Practice" project, we investigate new ways to make practice studyable within the university…

How to do a grounded theory study: a worked example of a study of dental practices

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Qualitative methodologies are increasingly popular in medical research. Grounded theory is the methodology most-often cited by authors of qualitative studies in medicine, but it has been suggested that many 'grounded theory' studies are not concordant with the methodology. In this paper we provide a worked example of a grounded theory project. Our aim is to provide a model for practice, to connect medical researchers with a useful methodology, and to increase the quality of 'grounded theory' research published in the medical literature. Methods We documented a worked example of using grounded theory methodology in practice. Results We describe our sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. We explain how these steps were consistent with grounded theory methodology, and show how they related to one another. Grounded theory methodology assisted us to develop a detailed model of the process of adapting preventive protocols into dental practice, and to analyse variation in this process in different dental practices. Conclusions By employing grounded theory methodology rigorously, medical researchers can better design and justify their methods, and produce high-quality findings that will be more useful to patients, professionals and the research community. PMID:21902844

How to do a grounded theory study: a worked example of a study of dental practices.

PubMed

Sbaraini, Alexandra; Carter, Stacy M; Evans, R Wendell; Blinkhorn, Anthony

2011-09-09

Qualitative methodologies are increasingly popular in medical research. Grounded theory is the methodology most-often cited by authors of qualitative studies in medicine, but it has been suggested that many 'grounded theory' studies are not concordant with the methodology. In this paper we provide a worked example of a grounded theory project. Our aim is to provide a model for practice, to connect medical researchers with a useful methodology, and to increase the quality of 'grounded theory' research published in the medical literature. We documented a worked example of using grounded theory methodology in practice. We describe our sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. We explain how these steps were consistent with grounded theory methodology, and show how they related to one another. Grounded theory methodology assisted us to develop a detailed model of the process of adapting preventive protocols into dental practice, and to analyse variation in this process in different dental practices. By employing grounded theory methodology rigorously, medical researchers can better design and justify their methods, and produce high-quality findings that will be more useful to patients, professionals and the research community.

Moderators and Mediators in Social Work Research: Toward a More Ecologically Valid Evidence Base for Practice

PubMed Central

Magill, Molly

2012-01-01

Summary Evidence-based practice involves the consistent and critical consumption of the social work research literature. As methodologies advance, primers to guide such efforts are often needed. In the present work, common statistical methods for testing moderation and mediation are identified, summarized, and corresponding examples, drawn from the substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health literature, are provided. Findings While methodologically complex, analyses of these third variable effects can provide an optimal fit for the complexity involved in the provision of evidence-based social work services. While a moderator may identify the trait or state requirement for a causal relationship to occur, a mediator is concerned with the transmission of that relationship. In social work practice, these are questions of “under what conditions and for whom?” and of the “how?” of behavior change. Implications Implications include a need for greater attention to these methods among practitioners and evaluation researchers. With knowledge gained through the present review, social workers can benefit from a more ecologically valid evidence base for practice. PMID:22833701

How open science helps researchers succeed.

PubMed

McKiernan, Erin C; Bourne, Philip E; Brown, C Titus; Buck, Stuart; Kenall, Amye; Lin, Jennifer; McDougall, Damon; Nosek, Brian A; Ram, Karthik; Soderberg, Courtney K; Spies, Jeffrey R; Thaney, Kaitlin; Updegrove, Andrew; Woo, Kara H; Yarkoni, Tal

2016-07-07

Open access, open data, open source and other open scholarship practices are growing in popularity and necessity. However, widespread adoption of these practices has not yet been achieved. One reason is that researchers are uncertain about how sharing their work will affect their careers. We review literature demonstrating that open research is associated with increases in citations, media attention, potential collaborators, job opportunities and funding opportunities. These findings are evidence that open research practices bring significant benefits to researchers relative to more traditional closed practices.

Powerful Outcomes: Delivering What Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brendtro, Larry K.; Mitchell, Martin M.

2014-01-01

Professionals in education, treatment, social services, and juvenile justice are bombarded by messages promoting virtually every method as an "evidence-based practice" (EBP). After years of debating EBP, research is turning toward "practice-based evidence" (PBE). The focus shifts from arguing about what practice works best to…

Statement on national worklife priorities.

PubMed

Cherniack, Martin; Henning, Rob; Merchant, James A; Punnett, Laura; Sorensen, Glorian R; Wagner, Gregory

2011-01-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) WorkLife Initiative (WLI) [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/worklife] seeks to promote workplace programs, policies, and practices that result in healthier, more productive employees through a focus simultaneously on disease prevention, health promotion, and accommodations to age, family, and life stage. The Initiative incorporates the Institute's foundational commitment to workplaces free of recognized hazards into broader consideration of the factors that affect worker health and wellbeing. Workplace hazards, such as physical demands, chemical exposures, and work organization, often interact with non-work factors such as family demands and health behaviors to increase health and safety risks. New workplace interventions being tested by the first three NIOSH WLI Centers of WorkLife Excellence are exploring innovative models for employee health programs to reduce the human, social, and economic costs of compromised health and quality of life. Many parties in industry, labor, and government share the goals of improving employee health while controlling health care costs. NIOSH convened a workshop in 2008 with representatives of the three Centers of Excellence to develop a comprehensive, long-range strategy for advancing the WorkLife Initiative. The recommendations below fall into three areas: practice, research, and policy. Responding to these recommendations would permit the WorkLife Center system to establish a new infrastructure for workplace prevention programs by compiling and disseminating the innovative practices being developed and tested at the Centers, and elsewhere. The WLI would also extend the customary scope of NIOSH by engaging with multiple NIH Institutes that are already generating research-to-practice programs involving the working-age population, in areas such as chronic disease prevention and management. Research to Practice (r2p) is a concept focused on the translation of research findings, technologies, and information into evidence-based prevention practices and products that are adopted in the workplace or other "real-world" settings. NIOSH's goal is to overcome the translational issues that now prevent state-of-the-art occupational health, health promotion, and chronic disease research findings from benefiting working age populations immediately, regardless of workplace size, work sector, or region of the country. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Practical Reason within and across Disciplinary Borders: A Response to Longhofer and Floersch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemp, Susan P.; Nurius, Paula S.

2014-01-01

Longhofer and Floersch argue for more expansive thinking about the modes of social science research predominant in contemporary social work science. This commentary concurs with aspects of their article that we see as compatible both with social work aims and with current trends and imperatives in research and practice, including mixed methods and…

Understanding Family Involvement in the Preparation of Graduate Students: Measuring Family-Centered Beliefs, Skills, Systems, and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giallourakis, Angie; Kent, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak; Cook, Bryan

2005-01-01

This research project sought to develop a measure to examine the family-centered beliefs, skills, work systems, and work practices of early childhood intervention, (ECI) and early childhood education (ECE) graduate students. The study was guided by four research questions: (1) To what extent do graduate students from preservice preparation…

The Short Supply of Saints: Limits on Replication of Models that "Beat the Odds"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilder, Tamara; Jacobsen, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Researchers have identified effective practices that allow schools to "beat the odds" and close the reading achievement gap. Although identifying these practices is important, researchers have paid little attention to the work it takes to implement them. Through interviews with teachers who work at schools identified as beating the odds, this…

Work-Based Researchers and Communities of Practice: Conceptual and Gestational Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sense, Andrew

2015-01-01

Drawing on a presumption that a Community of Practice (COP) can add significant value to the situated learning development of adults in any context, this paper exposes and analyses the challenges faced in facilitating the development of a COP involving part-time work-based researchers. Using an empirical case example involving a collaborative…

Sharing Wisdom(s) to Enrich Knowledge: Working in a Transdisciplinary Research Team in Medical Anthropology.

PubMed

Carceller-Maicas, Natalia

2015-06-01

This paper explains our experience working in a transdisciplinary research team focused on adolescence mental health. It introduces briefly the two key theoretical concepts: participation and transdisciplinarity. In order to be followed with a deep description of the methodology and the creation of the two principal materials resulting from our research: a guide of best practices in adolescent mental health, and a documentary film. Showing in a practical way how the research could be enhanced by the sharing of knowledge.

Best practices in social and behavioral research: report from the Enhancing Clinical Research Professional's Training and Qualifications project.

PubMed

Murphy, Susan L; Byks-Jazayeri, Christine; Calvin-Naylor, Nancy; Divecha, Vic; Anderson, Elizabeth; Eakin, Brenda; Fair, Alecia; Denton, Laura

2017-02-01

This article discusses the process of defining competencies and development of a best practices training course for investigators and clinical research coordinators who conduct social and behavioral research. The first project phase established recommendations for training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and was done in conjunction with representatives from 62 Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs. Diversity in behavioral clinical trials and differences in regulation of behavioral trials compared with clinical trials involving drugs, devices, or biologics necessitated a separate Social and Behavioral Work Group. This group worked with CTSA representatives to tailor competencies and fundamental GCP principles into best practices for social and behavioral research. Although concepts underlying GCP were deemed similar across all clinical trials, not all areas were equally applicable and the ways in which GCP would be enacted differ for behavioral trials. It was determined that suitable training in best practices for social and behavioral research was lacking. Based on the training need, an e-learning course for best practices is available to all CTSA sites. Each institution is able to track outcomes for its employees to help achieve standardized competency-based best practices for social and behavioral investigators and staff.

The Social Work Research Center at Colorado State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winokur, Marc A.; Valentine, Deborah P.; Drendel, James M.

2009-01-01

The Social Work Research Center is an innovative university-community partnership within the School of Social Work in the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University. The center is focused on working with county and state child welfare agencies to generate applied research that translates into evidence-based practice for serving…

Factors affecting social workers' inclusion of animals in practice.

PubMed

Risley-Curtiss, Christina; Rogge, Mary E; Kawam, Elisa

2013-04-01

Experts suggest that social work practitioners can improve their client service with a more thorough understanding of the impact of other animals on individuals and families. Studies indicate that some social work practitioners are including animals in their practices through assessment and interventions. Little is known about what factors contribute to this inclusion, especially because there is a lack of attention in social work education and research to animal-human relationships. This study used logistical regression to examine the impact of certain demographic, knowledge, and practice variables on the inclusion of animals in social work practice. Findings include that knowing other social workers who include animals in practice and primary client population served were significant for inclusion of animals in assessment, animal-assisted intervention, and treating clients for animal abuse or loss of an animal. Although practitioners' having a companion animal was positively related to including animals in interventions and treating clients for loss of an animal, contributing to animal welfare through volunteering at shelters or financially contributing to animal groups did not have an effect on inclusion of animals in practice. Implications for these and other findings are discussed, and recommendations for social work research, education, and practice are offered.

A New Model of Tracheostomy Care: Closing the Research-Practice Gap

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

521 A New Model of Tracheostomy Care: Closing the Research –Practice Gap Joel St. Clair Abstract Performance improvements have brought about...and it continues to close the research - practice gap . The WRAMC Department of Nursing is presently developing similar evidence-based procedures for... Research -Practice Gap 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: An updated review and recommendations for use.

PubMed

Swiger, Pauline A; Patrician, Patricia A; Miltner, Rebecca S Susie; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Loan, Lori A

2017-09-01

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) is an instrument, which measures the nursing practice environment - defined as factors that enhance or attenuate a nurse's ability to practice nursing skillfully and deliver high quality care. The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated review of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index's use to date and provide recommendations that may be helpful to nursing leaders and researchers who plan to use this instrument. A narrative review of quantitative studies. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature were searched to identify relevant literature using the search terms, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and PES-NWI. Studies were included if they were published in English between 2010 and 2016 and focused on the relationship between the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and patient, nurse, or organizational outcomes. Data extraction focused on the reported survey scores and the significance and strength of the reported associations. Forty-six articles, from 28 countries, were included in this review. The majority reported significant findings between the nursing practice environment and outcomes. Although some modifications have been made, the instrument has remained primarily unchanged since its development. Most often, the scores regarding staffing and resource adequacy remained the lowest. The frequency of use of this instrument has remained high. Many researchers advocate for a move beyond the study of the connection between the Practice Environment Scale and nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes. Research should shift toward identifying interventions that improve the environment in which nurses practice and determining if changing the environment results in improved care quality. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Integrating high school and college students into the astronomy research community of practice through participation in a hybrid research seminar.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freed, R.

2016-12-01

The Institute for Student Astronomical Research over the past two years has provided dozens of high school and college students the opportunity to conduct original research in astronomy and to publish their work in peer-reviewed journals. Students are engaged in the entire scientific process from coming up with a research question to collecting and analyzing the data and writing up their results for publication. During the process students work with amateur and/or professional astronomers to learn how to conduct their research and communicate their findings effectively. Working within a community of practice has been shown to improve student learning and the Institute for Student Astronomical Research provides a framework in which to bring students and astronomers together while allowing for the work to be done in a student-centered fashion.

Video observation in HIT development: lessons learned on benefits and challenges.

PubMed

Høstgaard, Anna Marie; Bertelsen, Pernille

2012-08-22

Experience shows that the precondition for the development of successful health information technologies is a thorough insight into clinical work practice. In contemporary clinical work practice, clinical work and health information technology are integrated, and part of the practice is tacit. When work practice becomes routine, it slips to the background of the conscious awareness and becomes difficult to recognize without the context to support recall. This means that it is difficult to capture with traditional ethnographic research methods or in usability laboratories or clinical set ups. Observation by the use of the video technique within healthcare settings has proven to be capable of providing a thorough insight into the complex clinical work practice and its context - including parts of the tacit practice. The objective of this paper is 1) to argue for the video observation technique to inform and improve health-information-technology development and 2) to share insights and lessons learned on benefits and challenges when using the video observation technique within healthcare settings. A multiple case study including nine case studies conducted by DaCHI researchers 2004-2011 using audio-visual, non-participant video observation for data collection within different healthcare settings. In HIT development, video observation is beneficial for 1) informing and improving system design 2) studying changes in work practice 3) identifying new potentials and 4) documenting current work practices. The video observation technique used within healthcare settings is superior to other ethnographic research methods when it comes to disclosing the complexity in clinical work practice. The insights gained are far more realistic compared to traditional ethnographic studies or usability studies and studies in clinical set ups. Besides, the data generated through video recordings provide a solid basis for dialog between the health care professionals involved. The most important lessons learned are that a well considered methodology and clear formulated objectives are imperative, in order to stay focused during the data rich analysis phase. Additionally, the video observation technique is primarily recommended for studies of specific clinical work practices within delimited clinical settings. Overall, the video observation technique has proven to be capable of improving our understanding of the interwoven relation between clinical work practice and HIT and to inform us about user requirements and needs for HIT, which is a precondition for the development of more successful HIT systems in the future.

Community and Connection in Inclusive Early-Childhood Education: A Participatory Action Research Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erwin, Elizabeth J.; Puig, Victoria I.; Evenson, Tara L.; Beresford, Madeleine

2012-01-01

There are many resources that describe high-quality inclusive practices in early education as well as the necessary competencies for early-childhood practitioners working in inclusive settings. Yet, despite important initiatives in the field, a discrepancy between research and practice remains. In an effort to narrow this research-to-practice gap…

The Role of Action Research in Empowering Teachers to Change Their Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley-Levine, Jill; Smith, Joshua; Carr, Kari

2009-01-01

Universities need to work with teachers to dispel the belief that research is disconnected from practice and teachers must be open to the benefits of action inquiry. This study examined the process and impact of conducting action research on teachers' perceptions of practice and professionalism. Twelve teachers enrolled in a master's level course…

Effective Online Lectures: Improving Practice through Design and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bese, Terry Lane

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to improve the practice of using online lectures at a small private university. Using action research methodology, the researcher worked with a group of five university instructors to refine the use of online lectures through design and pedagogical practice. Beginning with a template or guide based on the…

The Place of Community in Social Work Practice Research: Conceptual and Methodological Developments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulton, Claudia

2005-01-01

Community is widely acknowledged as a fundamental aspect of social work practice, and this formulation distinguishes social work from other professions. Because of this long-standing tradition, social work needs to make a greater investment in producing scientific knowledge to enable community change and to incorporate community context into…

Examining Inclusion of Evidence-Based Practice on Social Work Training Program Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wike, Traci L.; Bledsoe, Sarah E.; Bellamy, Jennifer L.; Grady, Melissa D.

2013-01-01

Websites represent a visible medium for social work programs to communicate information about social work research, academics, and professional training priorities, including evidence-based practice (EBP). However, few studies have examined the content of social work program websites. This exploratory study aimed to answer the question: Are EBP…

Current thinking in qualitative research: evidence-based practice, moral philosophies, and political struggle.

PubMed

Papadimitriou, Christina; Magasi, Susan; Frank, Gelya

2012-01-01

In this introduction to the special issue on current thinking in qualitative research and occupational therapy and science, the authors focus on the importance of rigorous qualitative research to inform occupational therapy practice. The authors chosen for this special issue reflect a "second generation of qualitative researchers" who are critical, theoretically sophisticated, methodologically productive, and politically relevant to show that working with disabled clients is political work. Three themes emerged across the articles included in this special issue: (1) recognizing and addressing social justice issues; (2) learning from clients' experiences; and (3) critically reframing occupational therapy's role. These themes can inform occupational therapy practice, research, and education to reflect a more client-centered and politically engaging approach. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Communication is the key to success in pragmatic clinical trials in Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs).

PubMed

Bertram, Susan; Graham, Deborah; Kurland, Marge; Pace, Wilson; Madison, Suzanne; Yawn, Barbara P

2013-01-01

Effective communication is the foundation of feasibility and fidelity in practice-based pragmatic research studies. Doing a study with practices spread over several states requires long-distance communication strategies, including E-mails, faxes, telephone calls, conference calls, and texting. Compared with face-to-face communication, distance communication strategies are less familiar to most study coordinators and research teams. Developing and ensuring comfort with distance communications requires additional time and use of different talents and expertise than those required for face-to-face communication. It is necessary to make sure that messages are appropriate for the medium, clearly crafted, and presented in a manner that facilitates practices receiving and understanding the information. This discussion is based on extensive experience of 2 groups who have worked collaboratively on several large, federally funded, pragmatic trials in a practice-based research network. The goal of this article is to summarize lessons learned to facilitate the work of other research teams.

Exploratory Practice: Work at the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allwright, Dick; Lenzuen, Rosa

1997-01-01

Focuses on the aim of the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the development of a new, fully sustainable concept for classroom-based research--exploratory practice--and its assimilation into the normal working and professional-development practices of Rio Cultura teachers. (Author/VWL)

Diversity Practice in Social Work: Examining Theory in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Tamara S.

2009-01-01

Individualized care in children's services requires practitioners to move beyond individual worldviews to gain a cultural context for service planning and delivery to an increasingly diversifying U.S. population. As such, research is needed to empirically support diversity practice models used to prepare practitioners for cross-cultural work. This…

New systems of work organization and workers' health.

PubMed

Kompier, Michiel A J

2006-12-01

This paper aims at identifying major changes in and around work organizations, their effects upon job characteristics and the health and well-being of today's employees, and related research challenges. Increased internationalization and competition, increased utilization of information and communication technology, the changing workforce configuration, and flexibility and new organizational practices are considered. As work has changed from physical to mental in nature, job characteristics have changed significantly. Meanwhile work and family life have blended. New systems of work organization have become more prevalent, but they do not represent a radical change across the whole economy. New practices may have an adverse impact upon job characteristics, but their effects depend on their design, implementation, and management. Research recommendations include improved monitoring of changes in work organization and studies into their health and safety consequences, intervention studies, studies into the motivating potential of modern work practices, studies of marginalized workers and workers in less developed countries, and "mechanism studies".

VET [Vocational Education and Training] Research: Influencing Policy & Practice. Proceedings of the National Conference of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) (1st, Sydney, Australia, February 16-17, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntyre, John, Ed.; Barrett, Mary, Ed.

These proceedings consist of 46 papers on the influence of vocational education and training (VET) research on policy and practice. These papers are grouped into these categories: impact of research; equity in participation; partnerships and stakeholders; practice and practitioners; research and policy; learning, work, and organizations; and VET,…

Data Mining for Social Work Students: Teaching Practice-Based Research in Conjunction with a Field Work Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auslander, Gail K.; Rosenne, Hadas

2016-01-01

Although research studies are important for social work students, the students rarely like research classes or see their value. At the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one group of BSW students was encouraged to carry out the required research in their field work setting, the Hadassah University Medical Center. Students used data mining, that is,…

Developing a Teaching Model Using an Online Collaboration Approach for a Digital Technique Practical Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muchlas

2015-01-01

This research is aimed to produce a teaching model and its supporting instruments using a collaboration approach for a digital technique practical work attended by higher education students. The model is found to be flexible and relatively low cost. Through this research, feasibility and learning impact of the model will be determined. The model…

Employer Policies and Practices to Manage and Prevent Disability: Foreword to the Special Issue.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Main, Chris J; Pransky, Glenn; Nicholas, Michael K; Anema, Johannes R; Linton, Steven J

2016-12-01

Purpose Employer policies and practices have been shown to impact workplace disability, but research in this area has waned in recent years despite an aging workforce, a growing prevalence of chronic health conditions, and a larger proportion of working-age adults on permanent work disability in many jurisdictions. The purpose of this article is to describe the background rationale and methodology for an invited conference designed to improve research of employer strategies to curtail work disability. Methods A multidisciplinary team of 26 international researchers with published research in employer-based disability management or related fields were invited to attend a 3-day conference in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The overall goal was to review the status of current research of workplace disability management and prevention, examine its relevance for employer decision-making, compare conceptual frameworks or theoretical perspectives, and recommend future research directions. Working groups were organized and draft manuscripts were prepared in advance. Conference activities included working group presentations and critiques, discussions with a panel of industry consultants and advisors, group interaction and debate, generation of final recommendations, and manuscript revision. Results/Conclusion Six principal domains were established with respect to future research: (a) further elucidation of the key workplace factors that buffer the disabling effects of injury and illness; (b) more innovative and feasible options for workplace intervention; (c) measurement of workplace-relevant disability outcomes; (d) a stronger theoretical framework for understanding the factors behind employer uptake and implementation; (e) a focus on special clinical populations and occupations where disability risk is most troubling; and (f) better representation of workers and employers that reflect the diverse and changing nature of work. Final comments and recommendations of the working groups are presented in the following six articles in this special issue of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. Conference attendees recommended changes in methodology, collaboration strategies, and theoretical perspectives to improve the practical and scientific impact of future research of employer practices.

Moving Away from Social Work and Half Way Back Again: New Research on Skills in Probation

PubMed Central

Raynor, Peter; Vanstone, Maurice

2016-01-01

Research on social work in the criminal justice system was well represented in the social work literature until the 1990s. Since then, changes in the organisation, training and research base of probation practice, particularly in England and Wales, have all contributed to a separation between probation research and the mainstream social work research literature. However, recent probation research, by focusing on individual practice skills and on the quality of relationships, is producing findings which resonate with traditional social work concerns. The study presented here, based on analysis of videotaped interviews between probation staff and the people they are supervising, shows what skills are used and the effects of skilled supervision. People supervised by more skilled staff were significantly less likely to be reconvicted over a two-year follow-up, and the most effective supervisors combined good relationship skills with a range of ‘structuring’ or change-promoting skills. In effect, this can be regarded as a test of the impact of social work skills used by probation staff and suggests that a closer relationship between mainstream social work research and probation research could be productive for both. PMID:27559218

Sharing Research Models: Using Software Engineering Practices for Facilitation

PubMed Central

Bryant, Stephanie P.; Solano, Eric; Cantor, Susanna; Cooley, Philip C.; Wagener, Diane K.

2011-01-01

Increasingly, researchers are turning to computational models to understand the interplay of important variables on systems’ behaviors. Although researchers may develop models that meet the needs of their investigation, application limitations—such as nonintuitive user interface features and data input specifications—may limit the sharing of these tools with other research groups. By removing these barriers, other research groups that perform related work can leverage these work products to expedite their own investigations. The use of software engineering practices can enable managed application production and shared research artifacts among multiple research groups by promoting consistent models, reducing redundant effort, encouraging rigorous peer review, and facilitating research collaborations that are supported by a common toolset. This report discusses three established software engineering practices— the iterative software development process, object-oriented methodology, and Unified Modeling Language—and the applicability of these practices to computational model development. Our efforts to modify the MIDAS TranStat application to make it more user-friendly are presented as an example of how computational models that are based on research and developed using software engineering practices can benefit a broader audience of researchers. PMID:21687780

Neuroscience in the HBSE Sequence: Mandate and Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combs-Orme, Terri; Lefmann, Tess; Pilkay, Stefanie; Strong, Joe; Thompson, Phyllis; Veerman, Tara

2017-01-01

Important findings from neuroscience research provide valuable knowledge for social work practice, and although these findings are already being incorporated into practice in many other disciplines, social work has been slow to integrate this content into foundation professional education. This article describes how one social work program…

Returning to Work after Childbirth in Europe: Well-Being, Work-Life Balance, and the Interplay of Supervisor Support.

PubMed

Lucia-Casademunt, Ana M; García-Cabrera, Antonia M; Padilla-Angulo, Laura; Cuéllar-Molina, Deybbi

2018-01-01

Parents returning to work after the arrival of a new son or daughter is an important question for understanding the trajectory of people's lives and professional careers amid current debates about gender equality and work-life balance (WLB). Interestingly, current research concludes that general WLB practices at the workplace may be necessary in the specific case of women returning to work after childbirth because of the particular maternal and infant factors involved. However, WLB practices as a flexible arrangement may work against women because they may be viewed as a lack of organizational commitment. Therefore, research on this topic could benefit from considering supervisor support as a complement of such practices, but previous research has analyzed WLB and supervisor support separately and scarcely. To fill this gap in the literature, we use two sub-samples of 664 female employees and 749 male employees with children under the age of one from 27 European countries participating in the 6th European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS-2015) to study the impact of perceived WLB on European women's perceived well-being after childbirth, in contrast with previous literature. We also analyze the impact of perceived supervisor support (SS) and its interaction with perceived WLB on women's well-being after childbirth, and explore differences with men after childbirth, a collective underexplored by the literature. We find significant gender differences on the relative impact of WLB, SS, and their interaction on perceived job well-being. Our results have important implications for human resource practices in organizations. In particular, they suggest that gendered WLB practices should be encouraged, and stress the relevance of the human factor over human resource practices in addressing the difficulties that women returning to work face after childbirth.

Returning to Work after Childbirth in Europe: Well-Being, Work-Life Balance, and the Interplay of Supervisor Support

PubMed Central

Lucia-Casademunt, Ana M.; García-Cabrera, Antonia M.; Padilla-Angulo, Laura; Cuéllar-Molina, Deybbi

2018-01-01

Parents returning to work after the arrival of a new son or daughter is an important question for understanding the trajectory of people's lives and professional careers amid current debates about gender equality and work-life balance (WLB). Interestingly, current research concludes that general WLB practices at the workplace may be necessary in the specific case of women returning to work after childbirth because of the particular maternal and infant factors involved. However, WLB practices as a flexible arrangement may work against women because they may be viewed as a lack of organizational commitment. Therefore, research on this topic could benefit from considering supervisor support as a complement of such practices, but previous research has analyzed WLB and supervisor support separately and scarcely. To fill this gap in the literature, we use two sub-samples of 664 female employees and 749 male employees with children under the age of one from 27 European countries participating in the 6th European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS-2015) to study the impact of perceived WLB on European women's perceived well-being after childbirth, in contrast with previous literature. We also analyze the impact of perceived supervisor support (SS) and its interaction with perceived WLB on women's well-being after childbirth, and explore differences with men after childbirth, a collective underexplored by the literature. We find significant gender differences on the relative impact of WLB, SS, and their interaction on perceived job well-being. Our results have important implications for human resource practices in organizations. In particular, they suggest that gendered WLB practices should be encouraged, and stress the relevance of the human factor over human resource practices in addressing the difficulties that women returning to work face after childbirth. PMID:29467695

Divisions of Labour: Activity Theory, Multi-Professional Working and Intervention Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warmington, Paul

2011-01-01

This article draws upon, but also critiques, activity theory by combining analysis of how an activity theory derived research intervention attempted to address both everyday work practices and organisational power relationships among children's services professionals. It offers two case studies of developmental work research (DWR) interventions in…

Biosocial Research in Social Work Journals: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynard, Brandy R.; Boutwell, Brian B.; Vaughn, Michael G.; Naeger, Sandra; Dell, Nathaniel

2018-01-01

Background: Despite an emphasis on a biopsychosocial understanding of human behavior and the relevance of biosocial research to social work practice, it is unclear whether social work is contributing to biosocial research and knowledge. Methods: Systematic review procedures were employed to locate studies that included biological variables (e.g.,…

Development of Innovative Group Work Practice Using the Intervention Research Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comer, Edna; Meier, Andrea; Galinsky, Maeda J.

2004-01-01

Rothman and Thomas' intervention research (IR) paradigm provides an alternative, developmental research method that is appropriate for practice research, especially at the early stages. It is more flexible than conventional experimental designs, capitalizes on the availability of small samples, accommodates the dynamism and variation in practice…

Work engagement in professional nursing practice: A systematic review.

PubMed

Keyko, Kacey; Cummings, Greta G; Yonge, Olive; Wong, Carol A

2016-09-01

Work engagement in professional nursing practice is critically important to consider when addressing key challenges of health systems, including the global nursing shortage, pressures to reduce health care spending, and increasing demands for quality care and positive outcomes for patients. However, research on work engagement in professional nursing practice has not yet been synthesized and therefore, does not provide a sufficient foundation of knowledge to guide practice and further research. The overall aim of this systematic review is to determine what is currently known about the antecedents and outcomes of work engagement in professional nursing practice. Systematic review. The search strategy included eight electronic databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PROQUEST, SCOPUS, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Business Source Complete. The search was conducted in October 2013. Quantitative and qualitative research that examined relationships between work engagement and antecedent or outcome factors was included. Quality assessment, data extractions, and analysis were completed on all included studies. Data extracted from included studies were synthesized through descriptive and narrative synthesis. Content analysis was used to categorize factors into themes and categories. 3621 titles and abstracts were screened and yielded 113 manuscripts for full text review. Full text review resulted in 18 included studies. All factors examined were grouped into either influences or outcomes of work engagement. A total of 77 influencing factors were categorized into 6 themes: organizational climate, job resources, professional resources, personal resources, job demands, and demographic variables. A total of 17 outcomes of work engagement were categorized into 3 themes: performance and care outcomes, professional outcomes, and personal outcomes. Based on the results, we adapted the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and developed the Nursing Job Demands-Resources (NJD-R) model for work engagement in professional nursing practice, which reflects key adaptations related to organizational climate and professional resources. Our findings indicate that a wide range of antecedents, at multiple levels, are related to registered nurses' work engagement. Positive outcomes of work engagement are valuable to both performance and the individual nurse. The NJD-R model offers nursing science a valuable beginning framework to understand the current evidence, further direct nursing research, and begin to guide practice and policy. The results offer opportunities for nurse leaders to promote work engagement in professional nurses through action on organizational level resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Practice Turn for Teacher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Jo-Anne

2011-01-01

Within the Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE) at Charles Sturt University, teacher education researchers have been quick to respond to the opportunities created by what is known as "the practice turn" that characterises contemporary theory around the globe and across disciplines. We are working,…

Observation intervention: time for an overview.

PubMed

Kettles, A M; Addo, M A

2009-11-01

This paper aims to illustrate the nature and extent of research and development work related to observation practice over the last 28 years. It aims to show both local Scottish work and the National picture, how there is still a lack of research evidence despite all the work that has taken place and what needs to be performed to explore observation practice for the future. It is not intended to be a literature review in the traditional sense. Observation has not been studied enough to know the continuing ever-changing picture of what goes on in the reality of practice. There are now studies examining observation but none of these are 'gold standard' randomized controlled trials; some are quantitative and some are qualitative audit or guidelines all based at a lower level in research evidence terms. The time has come to take the evidence base to the next level through evaluative research.

A new framing approach in guideline development to manage different sources of knowledge.

PubMed

Lukersmith, Sue; Hopman, Katherine; Vine, Kristina; Krahe, Lee; McColl, Alexander

2017-02-01

Contemporary guideline methodology struggles to consider context and information from different sources of knowledge besides quantitative research. Return to work programmes involve multiple components and stakeholders. If the guideline is to be relevant and practical for a complex intervention such as return to work, it is essential to use broad sources of knowledge. This paper reports on a new method in guideline development to manage different sources of knowledge. The method used framing for the return-to-work guidance within the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Rotator Cuff Syndrome in the Workplace. The development involved was a multi-disciplinary working party of experts including consumers. The researchers considered a broad range of research, expert (practice and experience) knowledge, the individual's and workplace contexts, and used framing with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Following a systematic database search on four clinical questions, there were seven stages of knowledge management to extract, unpack, map and pack information to the ICF domains framework. Companion graded recommendations were developed. The results include practical examples, user and consumer guides, flow charts and six graded or consensus recommendations on best practice for return to work intervention. Our findings suggest using framing in guideline methodology with internationally accepted frames such as the ICF is a reliable and transparent framework to manage different sources of knowledge. Future research might examine other examples and methods for managing complexity and using different sources of knowledge in guideline development. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Researching the Practice of Fostering Transformative Learning: Lessons Learned From the Study of Andragogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Edward W.; Laros, Anna

2014-01-01

This article identifies factors that have contributed to the challenges associated with the practice and research of fostering transformative learning (TL), by drawing on the work by Rachal and others in reviewing the study of andragogy--theory, research, and practice. Implications are also discussed of how scholars of TL can best respond to the…

The Center for Collegiate Mental Health: An Example of a Practice-Research Network in University Counseling Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castonguay, Louis G.; Locke, Benjamin D.; Hayes, Jeffrey A.

2011-01-01

This article presents a model of a practice-research network that offers benefits for clinicians working at college and university counseling centers. We briefly describe the basic components of this practice-research network, challenges in developing it, and some of the empirical studies that have resulted from this initiative. We also describe…

Emergent Learning Practices in Globalizing Work: The Case of a Finnish-Chinese Project in a Finnish Technology Consulting Firm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toiviainen, Hanna; Lallimo, Jiri; Hong, Jianzhong

2012-01-01

Purpose: This article aims to analyze emergent learning practices for globalizing work through two research questions: "What are the conceptualizations of work represented by the Virtual Factory and how do they mediate globalizing work?" and "What is the potential of expansive learning efforts to expand conceptualizations towards…

The research subject as wage earner.

PubMed

Anderson, James A; Weijer, Charles

2002-01-01

The practice of paying research subjects for participating in clinical trials has yet to receive an adequate moral analysis. Dickert and Grady argue for a wage payment model in which research subjects are paid an hourly wage based on that of unskilled laborers. If we accept this approach, what follows? Norms for just working conditions emerge from workplace legislation and political theory. All workers, including paid research subjects under Dickert and Grady's analysis, have a right to at least minimum wage, a standard work week, extra pay for overtime hours, a safe workplace, no fault compensation for work-related injury, and union organization. If we accept that paid research subjects are wage earners like any other, then the implications for changes to current practice are substantial.

Practicing as a Social Work Educator in International Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butterfield, Alice K., Ed.; Cohen, Carol S., Ed.

2017-01-01

The editors offer Six Promising Principles to guide successful practice by social work educators in international settings, including research, travel and study programs, technical assistance and training, and interdisciplinary efforts. These principles inform the content, which illuminates the specific role of U.S. social work educators in…

The scope of private practice nursing in an Australian sample.

PubMed

Wilson, Anne; Averis, Andrea; Walsh, Ken

2004-01-01

The changing Australian health care system is creating new opportunities for nurses who work directly with clients in private practice settings. This study examines the scope of practice of a cohort of nurses in private practice. In a questionnaire sent to 106 self-employed nurse entrepreneurs, questions were asked pertaining to the participants' scope of practice, their clients, the types of services offered, and their fee structures. Questions about scope of practice were divided into domains of clinical practice, business consultancy, education, and research. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected for a final sample 54 eligible responses. Participants had been in private practice for an average of 7.6 years (range: 1-20) and reported a mean of 21 years of nursing experience (range: 4-42) before entering private practice. Over half held diplomas in specialty areas. Most participants reported clinical practice, consultancy, or education as the primary work domain; research was much less important as a work activity. Nurses reported difficulties with building client base and receiving adequate fees for service, particularly in clinical practice. Increasing awareness within the nursing profession and health sector about various aspects of private practice nursing could improve service quality for their clients.

Using Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practices with Gifted Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Jennifer E.; Niemiec, Ryan M.; Lawrence, Christopher

2017-01-01

Mindfulness and character strengths are synergistic tools that work together to cultivate well-being. Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) combines the research and practice of these constructs to enhance well-being, meaning, and engagement. In this article, research supporting how mindfulness and character strengths may benefit the gifted…

A community of practice: librarians in a biomedical research network.

PubMed

De Jager-Loftus, Danielle P; Midyette, J David; Harvey, Barbara

2014-01-01

Providing library and reference services within a biomedical research community presents special challenges for librarians, especially those in historically lower-funded states. These challenges can include understanding needs, defining and communicating the library's role, building relationships, and developing and maintaining general and subject specific knowledge. This article describes a biomedical research network and the work of health sciences librarians at the lead intensive research institution with librarians from primarily undergraduate institutions and tribal colleges. Applying the concept of a community of practice to a collaborative effort suggests how librarians can work together to provide effective reference services to researchers in biomedicine.

The role of production and teamwork practices in construction safety: a cognitive model and an empirical case study.

PubMed

Mitropoulos, Panagiotis Takis; Cupido, Gerardo

2009-01-01

In construction, the challenge for researchers and practitioners is to develop work systems (production processes and teams) that can achieve high productivity and high safety at the same time. However, construction accident causation models ignore the role of work practices and teamwork. This study investigates the mechanisms by which production and teamwork practices affect the likelihood of accidents. The paper synthesizes a new model for construction safety based on the cognitive perspective (Fuller's Task-Demand-Capability Interface model, 2005) and then presents an exploratory case study. The case study investigates and compares the work practices of two residential framing crews: a 'High Reliability Crew' (HRC)--that is, a crew with exceptional productivity and safety over several years, and an average performing crew from the same company. The model explains how the production and teamwork practices generate the work situations that workers face (the task demands) and affect the workers ability to cope (capabilities). The case study indicates that the work practices of the HRC directly influence the task demands and match them with the applied capabilities. These practices were guided by the 'principle' of avoiding errors and rework and included work planning and preparation, work distribution, managing the production pressures, and quality and behavior monitoring. The Task Demand-Capability model links construction research to a cognitive model of accident causation and provides a new way to conceptualize safety as an emergent property of the production practices and teamwork processes. The empirical evidence indicates that the crews' work practices and team processes strongly affect the task demands, the applied capabilities, and the match between demands and capabilities. The proposed model and the exploratory case study will guide further discovery of work practices and teamwork processes that can increase both productivity and safety in construction operations. Such understanding will enable training of construction foremen and crews in these practices to systematically develop high reliability crews.

Social Work Faculty and Undergraduate Research Mentorships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horner, Pilar S.; Hughes, Anne K.; Vélez Ortiz, Daniel

2016-01-01

Social work faculty scholars lead the field as generators of knowledge that integrates investigative studies with practical social welfare outcomes. As such, the faculty potentially offers undergraduate researchers a different way of envisioning research that extends beyond traditional undergraduate research models. To date, however, no research…

Collaborative Practice: A Model of Successful Working in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, C. R.; Dunning, G.; Connolly, M.; Elliott, T.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop the notion of collaborative practice from theoretical and empirical bases. Design/methodology/approach: The research analysed the concepts of collaboration, reflective practice and the primary task. It also examined the ways of working of 18 primary schools in Wales where the level of student…

School Counselors' Professional Experience and Practices Working with Students Who Self-Harm: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Ellen Adams

2013-01-01

The professional experiences and practices of school counselors and the interventions they employ while working with adolescent students who self-harm is an underrepresented area within current research. This generic qualitative study provides a rich description and a deeper understanding of the professional experiences and practices of school…

Leading the Ongoing Development of Collaborative Data Practices: Advancing a Schema for Diagnosis and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosner, Shelby

2012-01-01

Research suggests that school leaders play an important role in cultivating and developing collaborative data practices by teachers. Although diagnosis and intervention are critical facets of leaders' work to support collaborative data practice development, this work remains poorly understood. Missing from data-use literature is more explicit and…

Worthwhile Work? Childcare, Feminist Ethics and Cooperative Research Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrew, Yarrow; Corr, Lara; Lent, Connie; O'Brien, Maeve; Osgood, Jayne; Boyd, Margaret

2018-01-01

Interdisciplinary research collaborations are often encouraged within higher education while the practicalities of such collaborations are glossed over. This project specifically addresses the praxis of research collaborations, exploring how feminist academics within different countries and disciplines came together to explore their mutual concern…

Faculty Research and Publication Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zoellner, Kate; Hines, Samantha; Keenan, Teressa; Samson, Sue

2015-01-01

Understanding faculty work practices can translate into improved library services. This study documents how education and behavioral science faculty locate, retrieve, and use information resources for research and writing and how they publish and store their research materials. The authors interviewed twelve professors using a structured interview…

Implementation of a health data-sharing infrastructure across diverse primary care organizations.

PubMed

Cole, Allison M; Stephens, Kari A; Keppel, Gina A; Lin, Ching-Ping; Baldwin, Laura-Mae

2014-01-01

Practice-based research networks bring together academic researchers and primary care clinicians to conduct research that improves health outcomes in real-world settings. The Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho region Practice and Research Network implemented a health data-sharing infrastructure across 9 clinics in 3 primary care organizations. Following implementation, we identified challenges and solutions. Challenges included working with diverse primary care organizations, adoption of health information data-sharing technology in a rapidly changing local and national landscape, and limited resources for implementation. Overarching solutions included working with a multidisciplinary academic implementation team, maintaining flexibility, and starting with an established network for primary care organizations. Approaches outlined may generalize to similar initiatives and facilitate adoption of health data sharing in other practice-based research networks.

Implementation of a Health Data-Sharing Infrastructure Across Diverse Primary Care Organizations

PubMed Central

Cole, Allison M.; Stephens, Kari A.; Keppel, Gina A.; Lin, Ching-Ping; Baldwin, Laura-Mae

2014-01-01

Practice-based research networks bring together academic researchers and primary care clinicians to conduct research that improves health outcomes in real-world settings. The Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho region Practice and Research Network implemented a health data-sharing infrastructure across 9 clinics in 3 primary care organizations. Following implementation, we identified challenges and solutions. Challenges included working with diverse primary care organizations, adoption of health information data-sharing technology in a rapidly changing local and national landscape, and limited resources for implementation. Overarching solutions included working with a multidisciplinary academic implementation team, maintaining flexibility, and starting with an established network for primary care organizations. Approaches outlined may generalize to similar initiatives and facilitate adoption of health data sharing in other practice-based research networks. PMID:24594564

Working and Learning in a Field Excursion.

PubMed

Hole, Torstein Nielsen

2018-06-01

This study aimed to discern sociocultural processes through which students learn in field excursions. To achieve this aim, short-term ethnographic techniques were employed to examine how undergraduate students work and enact knowledge (or knowing) during a specific field excursion in biology. The students participated in a working practice that employed research methods and came to engage with various biological phenomena over the course of their work. A three-level analysis of the students' experiences focused on three processes that emerged: participatory appropriation, guided participation, and apprenticeship. These processes derive from advances in practice-oriented theories of knowing. Through their work in the field, the students were able to enact science autonomously; they engaged with peers and teachers in specific ways and developed new understandings about research and epistemology founded on their experiences in the field. Further discussion about the use of "practice" and "work" as analytical concepts in science education is also included.

[Issues of research in medicine].

PubMed

Topić, Elizabeta

2006-01-01

Research in medicine is liable to all rules and standards that apply to research in other natural sciences, since medicine as a science and service fully meets the general definition of science: it is a common, integrated, organized and systematized knowledge of mankind, whereby physician--being more or less aware of doing so-- in his daily activities applies scientific thinking and scientific methods. The procedure of problem solving in scientific work and in medical practice is characterized by many similarities as well as variation. In scientific research, the observation of some phenomenon that cannot be explained by the known facts and theories is followed by making a hypothesis, planning and carrying out experimental investigation resulting in some data. Interpretation of these data then provides evidence to confirm or reject the hypothesis. In medical practice, quite a similar procedure is followed; the initial examination of a patient, when his condition cannot be explained by the data thus obtained, is identical to the observation of a phenomenon which cannot be explained by the known facts; working diagnosis would correspond to making the hypothesis; and experimental investigation would compare to laboratory and other diagnostic studies. The working diagnosis is accepted or rejected depending on these results. Of course, there also are differences in the problem solving procedure between scientific research and daily medical practice. For example, in research a single hypothesis is posed, a single experiment with successive testing and/or repeats is performed, whereas in medical practice several hypotheses are made, multiple studies are concurrently performed to reject current hypotheses and to make new ones. Scientific investigation produces an abundance of systematic data, whereas in medical practice target data are being generated, yet not systematically. Definitive decision making also differs greatly, as in scientific research it only ensues from conclusive evidence, whereas in medical practice definitive decision is made and therapeutic procedures are performed even before reaching final evidence. The general strategy of work and research in medicine can be briefly described by four principles, i.e. good knowledge of one's own work; continuing upgrading of one's own work in collaboration with respective institutions (laboratories, university, and research institutes); implementation of standard, up-to-date and scientific methods most of the time; and publishing work results on a regular basis. This strategy ensures constant progress and treatment quality improvement while allowing due validation and evaluation of the work by the society. Scientific research is based on the pre-existing knowledge of the problem under study, and should be supervised, systematic and planned. Research produces data that may represent some new concepts, or such concepts are developed by further data processing. In research, scientific procedure includes a number of steps that have to be made to reach a new scientific result. This procedure includes (a) thinking about a scientific issue; (b) making a scientific hypothesis, i.e. the main objective of the study; (c) research ethics; (d) determination of sources and mode of data collection; (e) research performance; (f) collection and analysis of all research data; (g) interpretation of results and evidence; and (h) publications. The next section of this chapter brings an example of scientific research in the field of medicine, where the procedures carried out during the research are briefly described; other chapters of this supplement deal with statistical methodology used on processing the data obtained in the study, which is most frequently employed in scientific work in the field of medicine.

Introductory Courses in Social Work Research in Canada: Some Examples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work, Ottawa (Ontario).

Various approaches to introductory courses in social work research in Canada are described. Objectives of the report are to promote informational exchange among instructors in schools of social work, to provide data on common practices employed in the instruction of introductory research, to encourage innovation and experimentation, and to aid in…

Will a Clinical Approach Make Education Research More Relevant for Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulterman-Bos, Jacquelien A.

2008-01-01

The way in which researchers view education differs fundamentally from the way in which teachers view education. These different outlooks are (partly) a consequence of the different work roles of researchers and teachers. This article explores the question of whether it is really inevitable that research and practice each establish different views…

Teaching Note--Creating an Integrative Research Learning Environment for BSW and MSW Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inoue, Megumi; Tsai, Laura Cordisco; Lee, JoAnn S.; Ihara, Emily S.; Tompkins, Catherine J.; Aguimatang, Jose; Fountain, Kathleen; Hudson, Sonya

2017-01-01

Research courses are often the least popular among BSW and MSW students because the connection between social work practice and research is not always evident. This teaching note introduces the structure of the Social Work integrative Research Lab (SWiRL), which was implemented in a social work program without a doctoral program at a large public…

Seventeen years of human trafficking research in social work: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Okech, David; Choi, Y Joon; Elkins, Jennifer; Burns, Abigail C

2018-01-01

The trafficking of persons around the world is a serious violation of human rights and manifestation of social injustice. It disproportionately affects women and children worldwide. Given the values of the social work profession and the prevalence of trafficking, it is essential to understand the current literature on human trafficking in social work journals. Using the PRISMA method, this systematic review (n = 94 articles) of human trafficking in social work journals found the following: more focus on sex trafficking than other forms of trafficking; a lack of a clear conceptualization and definition on the entire spectrum of trafficking; a lack of evidence-informed empirical research to inform programs, practice, and policy; and a dearth of recommendations for social work education. Specific implications for social work policy, research, practice, and education are highlighted and discussed.

A qualitative study examining methods of accessing and identifying research relevant to clinical practice among rehabilitation clinicians.

PubMed

Patel, Drasti; Koehmstedt, Christine; Jones, Rebecca; Coffey, Nathan T; Cai, Xinsheng; Garfinkel, Steven; Shaewitz, Dahlia M; Weinstein, Ali A

2017-01-01

Research examining the utilization of evidence-based practice (EBP) specifically among rehabilitation clinicians is limited. The objective of this study was to examine how various rehabilitative clinicians including physical therapists, occupational therapists, rehabilitation counselors, and physiatrists are gaining access to literature and whether they are able to implement the available research into practice. A total of 21 total clinicians were interviewed via telephone. Using NVivo, a qualitative analysis of the responses was performed. There were similarities found with respect to the information-seeking behaviors and translation of research across the different clinician types. Lack of time was reported to be a barrier for both access to literature and implementation of research across all clinician types. The majority of clinicians who reported having difficulty with utilizing the published literature indicated that the literature was not applicable to their practice, the research was not specific enough to be put into practice, or the research found was too outdated to be relevant. In addition, having a supportive work environment aided in the search and utilization of research through providing resources central to assisting clinicians in gaining access to health information. Our study identified several barriers that affect EBP for rehabilitation clinicians. The findings suggest the need for researchers to ensure that their work is applicable and specific to clinical practice for implementation to occur.

Beyond Positivism: Understanding and addressing childhood obesity disparities through a Critical Theory perspective

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Krista; Kulage, Kristine M.; Lucero, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose We apply Critical Theory to examine menu labeling with the aim of uncovering important implications for nursing practice, research, and policy. Conclusions Our critical analysis uncovers barriers to menu labeling's effectiveness, particularly for vulnerable populations. Nurses must work to minimize the impact of these barriers and optimize the effectiveness of menu labeling, in order to strengthen the fight against obesity. Practice implications We suggest changes, guided by this critical analysis,that can be implemented by nurses working in clinical practice, research, and policy. PMID:26112774

Self-transcendence: Lonergan's key to integration of nursing theory, research, and practice.

PubMed

Perry, Donna J

2004-04-01

This paper proposes that the philosophy of Bernard Lonergan can provide insight into the challenge of integrating nursing theory, research and practice. The author discusses Lonergan's work in regard to reflective understanding, authenticity and the human person as a subject of consciously developing unity. This is followed by a discussion of two key elements in Lonergan's work that relate to nursing: the subject-object challenge of nursing inquiry and common sense vs. scientific knowledge. The author suggests that integration of nursing theory, science and practice may be achieved through self-transcendence.

How open science helps researchers succeed

PubMed Central

McKiernan, Erin C; Bourne, Philip E; Brown, C Titus; Buck, Stuart; Kenall, Amye; Lin, Jennifer; McDougall, Damon; Nosek, Brian A; Ram, Karthik; Soderberg, Courtney K; Spies, Jeffrey R; Thaney, Kaitlin; Updegrove, Andrew; Woo, Kara H; Yarkoni, Tal

2016-01-01

Open access, open data, open source and other open scholarship practices are growing in popularity and necessity. However, widespread adoption of these practices has not yet been achieved. One reason is that researchers are uncertain about how sharing their work will affect their careers. We review literature demonstrating that open research is associated with increases in citations, media attention, potential collaborators, job opportunities and funding opportunities. These findings are evidence that open research practices bring significant benefits to researchers relative to more traditional closed practices. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16800.001 PMID:27387362

Partner Violence and Survivors' Chronic Health Problems: Informing Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macy, Rebecca J.; Ferron, Joelle; Crosby, Carmen

2009-01-01

Although most social work professionals may expect that women who experience partner violence will sustain acute physical injuries, social workers may be less knowledgeable about the chronic health problems with which violence survivors often struggle. To inform social work practice, we reviewed and synthesized the recently published research on…

Assessing the Development of Cultural Proficiency among Upper-Level Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahill, Guitele J.; Joshi, Manisha; Lucio, Robert; Bristol, Brittany; Dionne, Ariele; Hamilton, Alexis

2016-01-01

Graduate social work pedagogy is challenging to diverse faculty and students who work with diverse clients, often in international practice. We discuss the development, outcomes, and assessment of an assignment designed to stimulate students' research on proverbs as cultural resources for practice and to promote attainment of six competencies…

Considerations for practice-based research: a cross-sectional survey of chiropractic, acupuncture and massage practices.

PubMed

Floden, Lysbeth; Howerter, Amy; Matthews, Eva; Nichter, Mark; Cunningham, James K; Ritenbaugh, Cheryl; Gordon, Judith S; Muramoto, Myra L

2015-05-02

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has steadily increased globally over the past two decades and is increasingly playing a role in the healthcare system in the United States. CAM practice-based effectiveness research requires an understanding of the settings in which CAM practitioners provide services. This paper describes and quantifies practice environment characteristics for a cross-sectional sample of doctors of chiropractic (DCs), licensed acupuncturists (LAcs), and licensed massage therapists (LMTs) in the United States. Using a cross-sectional telephone survey of DCs (n = 32), LAcs (n = 70), and LMTs (n = 184) in the Tucson, AZ metropolitan area, we collected data about each location where practitioners work, as well as measures on practitioner and practice characteristics including: patient volume, number of locations where practitioners worked, CAM practitioner types working at each location, and business models of practice. The majority of practitioners reported having one practice location (93.8% of DCs, 80% of LAcs and 59.8% of LMTs) where they treat patients. Patient volume/week was related to practitioner type; DCs saw 83.13 (SD = 49.29) patients/week, LAcs saw 22.29 (SD = 16.88) patients/week, and LMTs saw 14.21 (SD =10.25) patients per week. Practitioners completed surveys for N = 388 practice locations. Many CAM practices were found to be multidisciplinary and/or have more than one practitioner: 9/35 (25.7%) chiropractic practices, 24/87 (27.6%) acupuncture practices, and 141/266 (53.0%) massage practices. Practice business models across CAM practitioner types were heterogeneous, e.g. sole proprietor, employee, partner, and independent contractor. CAM practices vary across and within disciplines in ways that can significantly impact design and implementation of practice-based research. CAM research and intervention programs need to be mindful of the heterogeneity of CAM practices in order to create appropriate interventions, study designs, and implementation plans.

Closing the Gap . . . between the University and Schoolhouse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Jack

2014-01-01

Scholarship that moves from research into practice shares characteristics that make it visible to teachers, friendly to their worldview, practicable for realities of K-12 schools, and easily sharable. That doesn't mean however, that it's good or effective. Connecting research and practice is important work, if only because it has the…

Working through the Practice Architectures of First Year University Mathematics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balatti, Jo; Belward, Shaun

2012-01-01

This paper describes how a group of university lecturers are adopting an action research approach to improve the learning experience of students in first year mathematics. Using the three categories of saying/thinking, doing, and relating (Kemmis, 2009) to explore practice, it describes the new practices of the action research team, the…

Strengthening Research by Designing for Coherence and Connections to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boerst, Timothy; Confrey, Jere; Heck, Daniel; Knuth, Eric; Lambdin, Diana V.; White, Dorothy; Baltzley, Patricia C.; Quander, Judith Reed

2010-01-01

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is committed to strengthening relations between research and practice and to the development of a coherent knowledge base that is usable in practice. The need to work toward connection and coherence is not unique to the field of mathematics education. Fields such as medicine, software…

Standard operating procedures for clinical research departments.

PubMed

Kee, Ashley Nichole

2011-01-01

A set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) provides a clinical research department with clear roles, responsibilities, and processes to ensure compliance, accuracy, and timeliness of data. SOPs also serve as a standardized training program for new employees. A practice may have an employee that can assist in the development of SOPs. There are also consultants that specialize in working with a practice to develop and write practice-specific SOPs. Making SOPs a priority will save a practice time and money in the long run and make the research practice more attractive to corporate study sponsors.

Providing services to trafficking survivors: Understanding practices across the globe.

PubMed

Steiner, Jordan J; Kynn, Jamie; Stylianou, Amanda M; Postmus, Judy L

2018-01-01

Human trafficking is a global issue, with survivors representing all genders, ages, races, ethnicities, religions, and countries. However, little research exists that identifies effective practices in supporting survivors of human trafficking. The research that does exist is Western-centric. To fill this gap in the literature, the goal of this research was to understand practices used throughout the globe with adult human trafficking survivors. A qualitative approach was utilized. Providers from 26 countries, across six different continents, were interviewed to allow for a comprehensive and multi-faceted understanding of practices in working with survivors. Participants identified utilizing an empowerment-based, survivor, and human life-centered approach to working with survivors, emphasized the importance of engaging in community level interventions, and highlighted the importance of government recognition of human trafficking. Findings provide information from the perspective of advocates on best practices in the field that can be used by agencies to enhance human trafficking programming.

Social Work Practice with Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans: Guidelines for Practice with Children and Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yardley, Meg

2008-01-01

This article introduces social workers to the beliefs and practices associated with Paganism, Witchcraft, and Wicca and describes how social workers can help to create a welcoming environment for children and youths belonging to these religious minority groups. Drawing on social science research, social work literature, and a case example, the…

Getting inside Rehearsals: Insights From Teacher Educators to Support Work on Complex Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazemi, Elham; Ghousseini, Hala; Cunard, Adrian; Turrou, Angela Chan

2016-01-01

In recent years, work in practice-based teacher education has focused on identifying and elaborating how teacher educators (TEs) use pedagogies of enactment to learn in and from practice. However, research on these pedagogies is still in its early development. Building on prior analyses, this article elaborates a particular pedagogy of enactment,…

Implementation of Evidence-Based Models in Social Work Practice: Practitioners' Perspectives on an MST Trial in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustle, Lars-Henry; Hansson, Kjell; Sundell, Knut; Andree-Lofholm, Cecilia

2008-01-01

The implementation of new treatment methods in social work practice is warranted. Moreover, little is known about professionals' attitudes toward the introduction of evidence-based practices into their communities. Therefore, this article reports on the implementation of a Swedish research project that evaluated Multisystemic Therapy (MST). All…

Benchmarking Work Practices and Outcomes in Australian Universities Using an Employee Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langford, Peter H.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to benchmark a broad range of work practices and outcomes in Australian universities against other industries. Past research suggests occupational stress experienced by academic staff is worse than experienced by employees in other industries. However, no other practices or outcomes can be compared confidently.…

Conducting Research: A Handbook for School Social Workers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullagh, James G., Ed.; Allen-Meares, Paula, Ed.

This handbook on conducting research was written for school social workers and contains these articles: (1) "The School Social Work Practitioner and Research: An Overview" (Elizabeth Timberlake and Lewis Carr); (2) "Defining Empirically Based Practice" (Deborah Siegel); (3) "Future Research in School Social Work Services: An Update" (Christine…

Exploring critical youth media practice: connections and contributions for social work.

PubMed

Johnston-Goodstar, Katie; Richards-Schuster, Katie; Sethi, Jenna K

2014-10-01

Youth media is emerging as an interdisciplinary field of practice and subject of study. Over the last two decades, there have been many efforts within communities to engage in media, especially within the fields of youth work and education. Despite the increase in practice, we found surprisingly little attention to the potential for youth media within the social work literature. Drawing on a qualitative content analysis of program descriptions from 49 youth media groups, the authors attempt to examine the current field of youth media. Using a critical media literacy framework, the authors analyze the practice of these youth media groups and apply those findings to social work practice, education, and research.

An Autoethnography of Teaching English to Young Learners: From Theory to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Arda

2015-01-01

In this paper, the researcher looked into his own theoretical and practical knowledge of teaching English to young learners through an autoethnographical research design. In order to understand to what extent these theory-driven conclusions "actually work" in primary school English language classrooms, the researcher recorded…

Towards a consumer-informed research agenda for aphasia: preliminary work.

PubMed

Hinckley, Jacqueline; Boyle, Erika; Lombard, Diane; Bartels-Tobin, Lori

2014-01-01

Person-centeredness in clinical practice incorporates the values of clients into a shared decision-making approach. The values of person-centeredness can be extended into the realm of research when the views of consumers towards relevant and important research topics are sought. Work in other health domains has shown the importance of gathering consumer views on health care research, which ultimately extends into health care policy and practice. The purpose of this paper is to report methods used successfully to gather the views of individuals living with aphasia on research topics they view as important. The project is founded on principles of community-based participatory research. Using a modified nominal group technique, members of an aphasia support group generated a list of research topics. The Aphasia Support Group identified twenty-two potential research questions. Although a majority (59%) of the research questions generated by persons with aphasia could be addressed with accumulated scientific evidence, the remainder of the generated questions has not been addressed in the research literature. This project demonstrates that consumers with aphasia can participate as stakeholders in the discussion of research needs in aphasia. Additional work is needed to fully develop a consumer-informed research agenda for aphasia. The perspectives of individuals with post-stroke aphasia on research needs can be successfully collected using nominal group techniques. Consumer input to research agendas and priorities can help to address potential research biases. Clinicians and researchers can use these techniques and other communication supports to foster collaborative, patient-centered care in their practice and work.

Promoting older people's voices- the contribution of social work to inter-disciplinary research.

PubMed

Powell, Jackie

2007-01-01

UK government policies over the last decade or more have focussed on giving older people more voice in the design, delivery and assessment of services. Mirroring these trends, there has been a shift towards increased involvement of older people in the research process. Drawing on three research studies, this paper examines the contribution of social work to an inter-disciplinary research agenda designed to promote increased involvement of older people in issues of service quality in primarily health settings. Challenges and opportunities are discussed. Each of the studies illustrates the importance of promoting research practice congruent with social work's commitment to partnership and empowering forms of practice. This, it is argued, requires the challenging of ageist assumptions, the use of a range of research methods and the valuing of different forms of knowledge.

Does Feminism Convince Us: A Response to ''The Case for Feminist Standpoint Epistemology in Social Work Research''

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisman, Clio Belle

2017-01-01

A response to the critique of where social work research currently stands, as put forth by Garrow and Hasenfeld, and their position that social work research should be undertaken from a feminist perspective. It is important to remember the origins and foundation of feminist thought and to approach research and practice with a full understanding of…

The What Works Clearinghouse: New Strategies to Support Non-Researchers in Using Rigorous Research in Education Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seftor, Neil; Monahan, Shannon; McCutcheon, AnnaMaria

2016-01-01

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is a central and trusted source of information of scientific evidence for what works in education. Towards that end, the WWC summarizes research on a range of practices, programs, and policies (interventions) and disseminates that research in a variety of forms on the free public website. In recent years, the WWC…

Collaboration: integrating practice and research in public health nursing.

PubMed

Henry, V; Schmitz, K; Reif, L; Rudie, P

1992-12-01

The need to integrate clinical practice and research has been stressed for many years in both public health and nursing. This article describes such a collaborative project between two rural upper Midwest public health nursing agencies and public health nursing faculty from a small, liberal arts, baccalaureate nursing program. The high-risk prenatal research project provided an opportunity for nursing staff and faculty research consultants to work together on a clinical study. A model for collaborative research is illustrated, and advantages and disadvantages for practice, administration, and research are discussed.

Knowledge Transfer in Social Work: The Role of Grey Documentation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Yitzhak

1995-01-01

Discusses scholarly journals in the field of social work, information sources for social work practitioners versus researchers, and grey documentation as an alternative means of knowledge transfer. Highlights include research versus practice; grey documentation and scientific credibility; and dissemination of grey literature. (LRW)

Panning for Gold: A Clinician's Guide to Using Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Lee M.; Patterson, Jo Ellen; Miller, Richard B.

2006-01-01

The gap between research and clinical practice is one of the key challenges facing family therapy. Clinicians often fail to incorporate research findings into their practice because they do not know how to search, evaluate, or apply research to their clinical work. The purpose of this article is to help clinicians become better consumers of…

Changing Teacher Practices: Proceedings of a National Conference (Austin, Texas, October 1981).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defino, Maria E., Ed.; Carter, Heather, Ed.

In this report of a working conference, experts in the teacher education field considered the adequacy of current research on teaching practices and obstacles in the implementation of changes based on research findings. In "How Useful Are the Findings from the Research on Teaching," Jane A. Stallings discussed findings from research on teaching…

Graduate Social Work Students' Attitudes toward Research: Problems and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgenshtern, Marina; Freymond, Nancy; Agyapong, Samuel; Greeson, Clare

2011-01-01

This study examines the attitudes of graduate social work students toward research in the contexts of academic study, professional social work practice, and students' personal lives. The authors collected quantitative and qualitative data from MSW students (n = 102) at a major Canadian school of social work. Findings suggest that MSW students…

A Scientific Framework for Social Work Doctoral Education in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerrero, Erick G.; Moore, Hadass; Pitt-Catsouphes, Marcie

2018-01-01

The emerging discourse about the science of social work has urged doctoral social work programs to reexamine assumptions about conducting research and responding to new expectations for scholarship. This article examines three promising models to guide scientific research in social work (evidence-based practice, team science, and multi- and…

Research Note--Engaged Scholarship: A Signature Research Methodology for Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delavega, Elena; Lennon-Dearing, Robin; Neely-Barnes, Susan; Soifer, Steve; Crawford, Cicely

2017-01-01

Social work has a rich tradition of engagement. Throughout its history, social work scholars have taken up questions that link knowledge production to its application in practice. Recently, other higher education fields have expressed interest in engagement. Yet, social work scholars have remained relatively silent about what they have to offer…

The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources for Building Capacity for Public Health and Aging Practice

PubMed Central

Wilcox, Sara; Altpeter, Mary; Anderson, Lynda A.; Belza, Basia; Bryant, Lucinda; Jones, Dina L.; Leith, Katherine H.; Phelan, Elizabeth A.; Satariano, William A.

2015-01-01

There is an urgent need to translate science into practice and help enhance the capacity of professionals to deliver evidence-based programming. We describe contributions of the Healthy Aging Research Network in building professional capacity through online modules, issue briefs, monographs, and tools focused on health promotion practice, physical activity, mental health, and environment and policy. We also describe practice partnerships and research activities that helped inform product development and ways these products have been incorporated into real-world practice to illustrate possibilities for future applications. Our work aims to bridge the research-to-practice gap to meet the demands of an aging population. PMID:24000962

Working at the nexus between public health policy, practice and research. Dynamics of knowledge sharing in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Joining the domains of practice, research and policy is an important aspect of boosting the quality performance required to tackle complex public health problems. “Joining domains” implies a departure from the linear and technocratic knowledge-translation approach. Integrating the practice, research and policy triangle means knowing its elements, appreciating the barriers, identifying possible cooperation strategies and studying strategy effectiveness under specified conditions. This article examines the dynamic process of developing an Academic Collaborative Centre for Public Health in the Netherlands, with the objective of achieving that the three domains of policy, practice and research become working partners on an equal footing. Method An interpretative hermeneutic approach was used to interpret the phenomenon of collaboration at the nexus between the three domains. The project was explicitly grounded in current organizational culture and routines, applied to nexus action. In the process of examination, we used both quantitative (e.g. records) and qualitative data (e.g., interviews and observations). The data were interpreted using the Actor-Network, Institutional Re-Design and Blurring the Boundaries theories. Results Results show commitment at strategic level. At the tactical level, however, managers were inclined to prioritize daily routine, while the policy domain remained absent. At the operational level, practitioners learned to do PhD research in real-life practice and researchers became acquainted with problems of practice and policy, resulting in new research initiatives. Conclusion We conclude that working at the nexus is an ongoing process of formation and reformation. Strategies based on Institutional Re-Design theories in particular might help to more actively stimulate managers’ involvement to establish mutually supportive networks. PMID:23075375

Working at the nexus between public health policy, practice and research. Dynamics of knowledge sharing in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Jansen, Maria W; De Leeuw, Evelyne; Hoeijmakers, Marjan; De Vries, Nanne K

2012-10-17

Joining the domains of practice, research and policy is an important aspect of boosting the quality performance required to tackle complex public health problems. "Joining domains" implies a departure from the linear and technocratic knowledge-translation approach. Integrating the practice, research and policy triangle means knowing its elements, appreciating the barriers, identifying possible cooperation strategies and studying strategy effectiveness under specified conditions.This article examines the dynamic process of developing an Academic Collaborative Centre for Public Health in the Netherlands, with the objective of achieving that the three domains of policy, practice and research become working partners on an equal footing. An interpretative hermeneutic approach was used to interpret the phenomenon of collaboration at the nexus between the three domains. The project was explicitly grounded in current organizational culture and routines, applied to nexus action. In the process of examination, we used both quantitative (e.g. records) and qualitative data (e.g., interviews and observations). The data were interpreted using the Actor-Network, Institutional Re-Design and Blurring the Boundaries theories. Results show commitment at strategic level. At the tactical level, however, managers were inclined to prioritize daily routine, while the policy domain remained absent. At the operational level, practitioners learned to do PhD research in real-life practice and researchers became acquainted with problems of practice and policy, resulting in new research initiatives. We conclude that working at the nexus is an ongoing process of formation and reformation. Strategies based on Institutional Re-Design theories in particular might help to more actively stimulate managers' involvement to establish mutually supportive networks.

Students' Views About Secondary School Science Lessons: The Role of Practical Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toplis, Rob

2012-06-01

This paper reports an interpretive study that sought students' views about the role that practical work plays in their school science lessons. Twenty-nine students aged between 13 and 16 years were selected from three secondary schools in England. Data were collected from initial lesson observations and in-depth interviews in order to explore students' views about practical work. The findings suggest that students have three main reasons why practical work is important in their school science lessons: for interest and activity, including social and personal features such as participation and autonomy; as an alternative to other forms of science teaching involving a pedagogy of transmission, and as a way of learning, including memorizing and recall. The findings are discussed in the context of a critical view of previous work on the role of practical work, work on attitudes to science and on the student voice. The paper concludes that practical work is seen to provide opportunities for students to engage with and influence their own learning but that learning with practical work remains a complex issue that needs further research and evaluation about its use, effectiveness and of the role of scientific inquiry as a component of practical activity.

Leading multi-professional teams in the children's workforce: an action research project.

PubMed

Stuart, Kaz

2012-01-01

The 2004 Children Act in the UK saw the introduction of integrated working in children's services. A raft of change followed with processes designed to make joint working easier, and models and theories to support the development of integrated work. This paper explores the links between key concepts and practice. A practitioner action research approach is taken using an autoethnographic account kept over six months. The research question was, to what extent is this group collaborating? When the architecture of practice was revealed, differences between espoused and real practice could be seen. Whilst understanding and displaying the outward signs of an effective multi professional group, the individuals did not trust one another. This was exhibited by covert interprofessional issues. As a result, collaborative inertia was achieved. This realisation prompted them to participate in further developmental and participative action research. The paper concludes that trust and relational agency are central to effective leadership of multi professional teams.

Leading multi-professional teams in the children’s workforce: an action research project

PubMed Central

Stuart, Kaz

2012-01-01

Introduction The 2004 Children Act in the UK saw the introduction of integrated working in children’s services. A raft of change followed with processes designed to make joint working easier, and models and theories to support the development of integrated work. This paper explores the links between key concepts and practice. Methods A practitioner action research approach is taken using an autoethnographic account kept over six months. The research question was, to what extent is this group collaborating? Results When the architecture of practice was revealed, differences between espoused and real practice could be seen. Whilst understanding and displaying the outward signs of an effective multi professional group, the individuals did not trust one another. This was exhibited by covert interprofessional issues. As a result, collaborative inertia was achieved. This realisation prompted them to participate in further developmental and participative action research. Conclusion The paper concludes that trust and relational agency are central to effective leadership of multi professional teams. PMID:22371690

Linking the NIH strategic plan to the research agenda for social workers in health and aging.

PubMed

Raveis, Victoria H; Gardner, Daniel S; Berkman, Barbara; Harootyan, Linda

2010-01-01

Although social work has a long and distinctive tradition of practice-relevant research aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of older adults, the profession has been underrepresented among the ranks of academic researchers and the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) scientific endeavors. In this article, the inherent capacities of social workers to generate and disseminate empirical health-related knowledge are discussed and recent developments in social work's geriatric research infrastructure are described. Emerging domains for advancing the profession's contribution to practice-relevant geriatric research on the federal level are identified and the next steps toward advancing the field's research agenda are posed.

The Use of Work-Based Learning Pedagogical Perspectives to Inform Flexible Practice within Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottingham, Paula

2016-01-01

The renewed emphasis on developing flexible learning practices in higher education (HE) underscores the importance of understanding pedagogies for students who are based in the workplace or undertake significant work-related elements of study. This paper draws on research that explores how work-based learning (WBL) pedagogy operates in UK HE using…

Can E-Learning Change Work Practices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noesgaard, Signe Schack

2016-01-01

Stand-alone e-learning is unlikely to change work practices. This claim contrasts with a comprehensive body of research arguing that e-learning is at least as effective as face-to-face instruction in improving work performance. Such a comparison is, however, problematic. On the one hand, it relies on the premise that face-to-face instruction is…

The role of collaborative ontology development in the knowledge negotiation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Norma

Interdisciplinary research (IDR) collaboration can be defined as the process of integrating experts' knowledge, perspectives, and resources to advance scientific discovery. The flourishing of more complex research problems, together with the growth of scientific and technical knowledge has resulted in the need for researchers from diverse fields to provide different expertise and points of view to tackle these problems. These collaborations, however, introduce a new set of "culture" barriers as participating experts are trained to communicate in discipline-specific languages, theories, and research practices. We propose that building a common knowledge base for research using ontology development techniques can provide a starting point for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, negotiation, and integration. The goal of this work is to extend ontology development techniques to support the knowledge negotiation process in IDR groups. Towards this goal, this work presents a methodology that extends previous work in collaborative ontology development and integrates learning strategies and tools to enhance interdisciplinary research practices. We evaluate the effectiveness of applying such methodology in three different scenarios that cover educational and research settings. The results of this evaluation confirm that integrating learning strategies can, in fact, be advantageous to overall collaborative practices in IDR groups.

Toward a Science of Character Education: Frameworks for Identifying and Implementing Effective Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkowitz, Marvin W.; Bier, Melinda C.; McCauley, Brian

2017-01-01

A growing body of research on character education offers the opportunity to derive lessons on effective practice. While there is little focused research on the effectiveness of specific practices, reviews of effective programs have been mined for well over a decade to reach conclusions about "what works in character education." More…

I "See" What You Are Saying: The Analytical Work of Diagrams in Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Tony Loring

2016-01-01

Diagrams illustrating research on discussion forum content in online education practices can assist to clarify an author's thoughts and assist with the reader's comprehension. A review of past practices in the use of diagrams to explain, demonstrate or propose research findings shows a diversity of practices emerging from naturalistic settings.…

Seeking the Green Basilisk Lizard: Acquiring Digital Literacy Practices in the Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Christina

2012-01-01

Research confirms that young children engage in digital literacy practices in the home. While there is an emerging body of work that documents the diversity of these practices, there is little research that examines their acquisition in situ. This article uses conversation analysis to describe and explicate the social accomplishment of a number of…

A Lesson Plan for the Enhancement of Training and Research in Academia by the Adaptation and Adoption of Good Laboratory Practice Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sitaraman, Ramakrishnan

2010-01-01

The implementation of good laboratory practices (GLPs) is recognized by the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries as being critical for ensuring the international acceptability of products. However, as universities and colleges (and research organizations) do not necessarily work under similar constraints, actual laboratory practices vary…

Institutional Ethnography as Materialist Framework for Writing Program Research and the Faculty-Staff Work Standpoints Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaFrance, Michelle; Nicolas, Melissa

2012-01-01

Institutional ethnography seeks to uncover how things happen--how institutional discourse compels and shapes practice(s) and how norms of practice speak to, for, and over individuals. The Faculty and Staff Standpoints project is shaped by this methodology, as it explores writing center staff and faculty relationships to their work. (Contains 10…

Recent Social Work Practitioners' Understanding and Use of Evidence-Based Practice and Empirically Supported Treatments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grady, Melissa D.; Wike, Traci; Putzu, Caren; Field, Sara; Hill, Jacqueline; Bledsoe, Sarah E.; Bellamy, Jennifer; Massey, Michael

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate how [the Council on Social Work Education's] (CSWE's) 2008 shift placing more emphasis on research have affected newly trained social workers' use of evidence-based practice (EBP). This qualitative study examined the educational and practice experiences of newly trained social workers and how those experiences…

Making Use of Theories about Literacy and Justice: Teachers Re-Searching Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comber, Barbara

This paper explores the way teachers make use of and work on theory to disrupt and ultimately improve everyday educational practice. The paper argues that teachers working on and with theory can and do generate new forms of educative practices in the field of literacy education, which are based on explicit standpoints towards social justice in…

Using activity-based costing to track resource use in group practices.

PubMed

Zeller, T L; Siegel, G; Kaciuba, G; Lau, A H

1999-09-01

Research shows that understanding how resources are consumed can help group practices control costs. An American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons study used an activity-based costing (ABC) system to measure how resources are consumed in providing medical services. Teams of accounting professors observed 18 diverse orthopedic surgery practices. The researchers identified 17 resource-consuming business processes performed by nonphysician office staff. They measured resource consumption by assigning costs to each process according to how much time is spent on related work activities. When group practices understand how their resources are being consumed, they can reduce costs and optimize revenues by making adjustments in how administrative and clinical staff work.

Action Research and Academic Writing: A Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Richard; Badley, Graham

2007-01-01

Here is a conversation between two former colleagues about action research and academic writing. Richard Winter opens the discussion with a series of reflections on his work as an action researcher. These reflections include the key argument that action research is a noble cause because it is relevant to working life, has a practical impact and…

The Practice of Designing Qualitative Research on Educational Leadership: Notes for Emerging Scholars and Practitioner-Scholars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knapp, Michael S.

2017-01-01

This article addresses a gap in methodological writing, concerning typical practice in designing qualitative inquiry, especially in research on educational leadership. The article focuses on how qualitative research designs are actually developed and explores implications for scholars' work, especially for new scholars and for methods teachers.…

Accountability: The Ethics of Devising a Practice-as-Research Performance with Learning-Disabled Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leighton, Fran

2009-01-01

This article discusses the dilemmas encountered by non-disabled performance researchers and practitioners working with learning-disabled people. I demonstrate how the "accounts" of empirical social scientists informed my PARIP [practice-as-research-in-performance] project, "BluYesBlu," and how Judith Butler's reformulation of the concept of…

Building a Community of Research Practice: Intragroup Team Social Dynamics in Interdisciplinary Mixed Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemmings, Annette; Beckett, Gulbahar; Kennerly, Susan; Yap, Tracey

2013-01-01

This article explicates the intragroup social dynamics and work of a nursing and education research team as a community of research practice interested in organizational cultures and occupational subcultures. Dynamics were characterized by processes of socialization through reeducation and group social identity formation that enabled members to…

Exploring Teacher Disposition toward Diverse Learners within Public Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedro, Ronald

2016-01-01

While research on pre-service teachers' disposition is a critical part of the process of developing new teachers, the research on practicing teacher is just as important. More importantly, the dispositions of practicing teachers who work with diverse groups of students are worthy of exploration and understanding. Current research on the…

The undergraduate research fellows program: a unique model to promote engagement in research.

PubMed

Vessey, Judith A; DeMarco, Rosanna F

2008-01-01

Well-educated nurses with research expertise are needed to advance evidence-based nursing practice. A primary goal of undergraduate nursing curricula is to create meaningful participatory experiences to help students develop a research skill set that articulates with rapid career advancement of gifted, young graduates interested in nursing research and faculty careers. Three research enrichment models-undergraduate honors programs, research assistant work-for-hire programs, and research work/mentorship programs-to be in conjunction with standard research content are reviewed. The development and implementation of one research work/mentorship program, the Boston College undergraduate research fellows program (UGRF), is explicated. This process included surveying previous UGRFs followed by creating a retreat and seminars to address specific research skill sets. The research skill sets included (a) how to develop a research team, (b) accurate data retrieval, (c) ethical considerations, (d) the research process, (e) data management, (f) successful writing of abstracts, and (g) creating effective poster presentations. Outcomes include evidence of involvement in research productivity and valuing of evidenced-based practice through the UGRF mentorship process with faculty partners.

Research in the Work of New Zealand Teacher Educators: A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, David A. G.; Gunn, Alexandra C.; Hill, Mary F.; Haigh, Mavis

2016-01-01

In this article we use cultural-historical activity theory to explore the place of research in the work of New Zealand university-based teacher educators (TEs). We consider how aspirations for a research-informed initial teacher education are served by New Zealand universities' recruitment practices and TEs' actual work. We suggest that TEs value…

Linking Research and Practice: The NCTM Research Agenda Conference Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbaugh, Fran; Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth; Ramirez, Nora; Knuth, Eric; Kranendonk, Henry; Quander, Judith Reed

2010-01-01

In August 2008, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) brought together approximately 60 mathematics education researchers and practitioners for a 4-day working conference. During this working conference, the participants analyzed over 350 mathematics education practitioner-generated questions in seven areas: assessment,…

Social Work Home Visits to Children and Families in the UK: A Foucauldian Perspective.

PubMed

Winter, Karen; Cree, Viviene E

2016-07-01

The home visit is at the heart of social work practice with children and families; it is what children and families' social workers do more than any other single activity (except for recording), and it is through the home visit that assessments are made on a daily basis about risk, protection and welfare of children. And yet it is, more than any other activity, an example of what Pithouse has called an 'invisible trade': it happens behind closed doors, in the most secret and intimate spaces of family life. Drawing on conceptual tools associated with the work of Foucault, this article sets out to provide a critical, chronological review of research, policy and practice on home visiting. We aim to explain how and in what ways changing discourses have shaped the emergence, legitimacy, research and practice of the social work home visit to children and families at significant time periods and in a UK context. We end by highlighting the importance for the social work profession of engagement and critical reflection on the identified themes as part of their daily practice.

Social Work Home Visits to Children and Families in the UK: A Foucauldian Perspective

PubMed Central

Winter, Karen; Cree, Viviene E.

2016-01-01

The home visit is at the heart of social work practice with children and families; it is what children and families' social workers do more than any other single activity (except for recording), and it is through the home visit that assessments are made on a daily basis about risk, protection and welfare of children. And yet it is, more than any other activity, an example of what Pithouse has called an ‘invisible trade’: it happens behind closed doors, in the most secret and intimate spaces of family life. Drawing on conceptual tools associated with the work of Foucault, this article sets out to provide a critical, chronological review of research, policy and practice on home visiting. We aim to explain how and in what ways changing discourses have shaped the emergence, legitimacy, research and practice of the social work home visit to children and families at significant time periods and in a UK context. We end by highlighting the importance for the social work profession of engagement and critical reflection on the identified themes as part of their daily practice. PMID:27559221

Bringing Our Communities to the Research Table: The Liberatory Potential of Collaborative Methodological Practices Alongside LGBTQ Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jourian, T. J.; Nicolazzo, Z.

2017-01-01

Research on and about queer people and topics in higher education continues to evolve, expand, and push boundaries on identity, policy, and programming, increasingly informed by our narratives and experiences. Thus far, this work has done little to dismantle the imposed binary of researcher and subject(s), relegating queer research and practice as…

The Promise and Challenge of Practice-Research Collaborations: Guiding Principles and Strategies for Initiating, Designing, and Implementing Program Evaluation Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Secret, Mary; Abell, Melissa L.; Berlin, Trey

2011-01-01

The authors present a set of guiding principles and strategies to facilitate the collaborative efforts of social work researchers and practitioners as they initiate, design, and implement outcome evaluations of human service interventions and programs. Beginning with an exploration of the interpersonal barriers to practice-research collaborations,…

Work Stress and Coping: Drawing Together Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewe, Philip; Trenberth, Linda

2004-01-01

Despite the enthusiasm for coping research, reviewers are concerned that much of the research has failed to live up to expectations as to its practical relevance. Yet the debate about the application of coping research is not short on writers pointing the way forward. By examining a number of issues at the heart of the debate on coping research…

Research, Policy, and Practice in Action: The Office of Community College Research and Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zamani-Gallaher, Eboni M.; Bragg, Debra D.

2015-01-01

The Office for Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) founded in 1989 focuses on P-20 education and the role of community colleges in facilitating educational access and equity. This article highlights the work of OCCRL as a research center that bridges inquiry, policy, and practice in contributing to the national dialogue on relevant…

A deviation from standard design? Clinical trials, research ethics committees, and the regulatory co-construction of organizational deviance.

PubMed

Hedgecoe, Adam

2014-02-01

Focusing on the high-profile drug disaster at London's Northwick Park Hospital in 2006, this article explores how such an event can be seen as an example of organizational deviance co-constructed between the company running the research and the research ethics committee which approved the trial. This deviance was the result of the normalization of a specific dosing practice in the broader regulatory field, allowing the researchers and regulators to take a risky dosing strategy for granted as best practice. Drawing on the work of Diane Vaughan, this article uses interview data with researchers and members of the research ethics committee concerned as well as documentary material, to show how work group cultures between regulators and those they are intended to oversee are maintained, and how the culturally embedded assumptions of such work groups can result in organizational and regulatory deviance.

A Composite Review of Social Work Research Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, George T.

2010-01-01

Social work educators require textbooks and other teaching materials that can be used in research courses to enhance student learning. Likewise, social work practitioners require resource books that can be used to enhance practice. This article provides an essay review of four recently published books representing diverse viewpoints on social work…

Teaching Social Work Practice Research to Enhance Research-Minded Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satka, Mirja; Kääriäinen, Aino; Yliruka, Laura

2016-01-01

The emphasis on student cognitive knowledge and expertise in social work education has been shifting more toward reflective learning that features learning networks and dialogical interaction. In the context of innovative knowledge communities for promoting social work expertise, educators have become facilitators of learning that is expanding…

Exploring a pedagogical approach to integrating research, practice and teaching.

PubMed

Newton, Jennifer M; McKenna, Lisa G; Gilmour, Carole; Fawcett, Jacqueline

2010-01-01

Application of evidence is accepted as an important component of clinical practice. Teaching research to undergraduate students has been reported internationally as a challenge, particularly for nurse educators. In this paper, reported is a strategy designed to enhance research learning for undergraduate midwifery students at one university, which formed part of a larger, international investigation into women's responses to caesarean birth. Following theory classes and briefings, students worked with their clinical educators in practice to interview women using existing tools, and were engaged in qualitative data analysis. A number of challenges were encountered throughout the process, both for the educators and students. However, the teaching approach provided benefits for students in learning about midwifery research. Recommended as essential is for continued development of pedagogical approaches that make research tangible for students. Furthermore, provision of support for clinical staff working with students is important for success of such approaches.

Compatibility of scientific research and specialty training in General Practice. A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Kötter, Thomas; Carmienke, Solveig; Herrmann, Wolfram J.

2014-01-01

Objective: In many departments of General Practice (GP) in Germany, young doctors who are trainees also work as researchers. Often these trainees work part time at the university and part time as a trainee in clinical practice. However, little is known about the situation of the actors involved. The aim of the study was to investigate the perspectives of GP trainees, heads of departments and GP trainers regarding the combination of research and GP training. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey with the heads of all German departments of General Practice, GP trainees who also conduct research and their GP trainers. The questionnaires consisted of open and closed questions. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative methods. Results: 28 heads of GP departments and 20 GP trainees responded. The trainees were mostly very satisfied with their situation as a trainee. However, the trainees considered the combination of research and GP training as difficult. The respondents name as problems the coordination of multiple jobs and the lack of credibility given to research in General Practice. They name as solutions research-enabling training programs and uniform requirements in training regarding research. Conclusion: The combination of GP training and scientific research activity is perceived as difficult. However, well-organized and designed programs can improve the quality of the combination. PMID:25228933

[Research on Participation in Working Life: On the Transfer from Theory into Practice].

PubMed

Bartel, Susanne; Ohlbrecht, Heike

2018-06-01

This study focuses on the theory-practice transfer in the field of research on participation in working life (LTA). The aim was to determine what expectations are prevalent on the part of service providers, how they access scientific knowledge, how the transfer into practice takes place and what research gaps exist. At the same time, representatives of the German Statutory Pension Insurance were asked about internal structures for identifying research topics and evaluating research results as well as for knowledge transfer. The aim of the article is to address the relationship between research and practice in the field of LTA and to create a sensitivity for this topic. The results of this study are based on a written survey of 28 Vocational Training Institutes (BFW) of the Federal Association of Vocational Rehabilitation Centres (BV BFW) and on three expert interviews with representatives of pension insurance companies (federal and regional). The response rate of the BFW survey was approximately 54% (N=15). For the evaluation of data primarily qualitative content analysis was applied, which included a step by step coding of the data. The results of the survey indicate a pronounced need for translation processes and a culture of cooperation between research and practice. At the same time, a tension between the preservation of the autonomy of research and an increasing transfer orientation became evident. In addition, a wide range of approaches for structuring possible transfer activities could be identified. In the area of research on services for participation in working life, the development of a strategy for research transfer represents a future task. It is necessary to explore new communication structures and participatory research formats in which research groups and sponsors as well as practitioners can jointly carry out research in this field. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Understanding work contextual factors: a short-cut to evidence-based practice?

PubMed

Wallin, Lars; Ewald, Uwe; Wikblad, Karin; Scott-Findlay, Shannon; Arnetz, Bengt B

2006-01-01

It has become increasingly clear that workplace contextual factors make an important contribution to provider and patient outcomes. The potential for health care professionals of using research in practice is also linked to such factors, although the exact factors or mechanisms for enhancing this potential are not understood. From a perspective of implementing evidence-based nursing practice, the authors of this article report on a study examining contextual factors. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of organizational improvement by measuring staff perceptions of work contextual factors. The Quality Work Competence questionnaire was used in a repeated measurement survey with a 1-year break between the two periods of data collection. The sample consisted of 134 employees from four neonatal units in Sweden. Over the study period significant changes occurred among staff perceptions, both within and between units, on various factors. Changes in staff perceptions on skills development and participatory management were the major predictors of enhanced potential of overall organizational improvement. Perceived improvement in skills development and performance feedback predicted improvement in leadership. Change in commitment was predicted by perceived decreases in work tempo and work-related exhaustion. These findings indicate the potential for organizational improvement by developing a learning and supportive professional environment as well as by involving staff in decision-making at the unit level. Such initiatives are also likely to be of importance for enhanced use of research in practice and evidence-based nursing. On the other hand, high levels of work tempo and burnout appear to have negative consequences on staff commitment for improving care and the work environment. A better understanding of workplace contextual factors is necessary for improving the organizational potential of getting research into practice and should be considered in future implementation projects.

Statistics for clinical nursing practice: an introduction.

PubMed

Rickard, Claire M

2008-11-01

Difficulty in understanding statistics is one of the most frequently reported barriers to nurses applying research results in their practice. Yet the amount of nursing research published each year continues to grow, as does the expectation that nurses will undertake practice based on this evidence. Critical care nurses do not need to be statisticians, but they do need to develop a working knowledge of statistics so they can be informed consumers of research and so practice can evolve and improve. For those undertaking a research project, statistical literacy is required to interact with other researchers and statisticians, so as to best design and undertake the project. This article is the first in a series that guides critical care nurses through statistical terms and concepts relevant to their practice.

Work-life balance of nursing faculty in research- and practice-focused doctoral programs.

PubMed

Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C; Cantrell, Mary Ann; Heverly, Mary Ann; Jenkinson, Amanda; Nthenge, Serah

2015-01-01

The growing shortage of nursing faculty and the need for faculty to teach doctoral students to address the shortage call for examination of factors that may contribute to the shortage, including those that are potentially modifiable, including work-life balance.This descriptive study examined work-life balance of a national sample of nursing faculty teaching in research-focused and practice-focused doctoral programs. Data were collected through an online survey of 554 doctoral program faculty members to identify their perceptions of work-life balance and predictors of work-life balance. Work-life balance scores indicated better work-life balance than expected. Factors associated with good work-life balance included higher academic rank, having tenure, older age, years in education, current faculty position, and no involvement in clinical practice. Current faculty position was the best predictor of work-life balance. Although work-life balance was viewed positively by study participants, efforts are needed to strengthen factors related to positive work/life in view of the increasing workload of doctoral faculty as the numbers of doctoral students increase and the number of seasoned faculty decrease with anticipated waves of retirements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Re-authoring research conversations: beyond epistemological differences and toward transformative experience for researchers and educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, Shawn M.

2016-03-01

Common sense and published literature both assert that education research is often dismissed by practitioners on the grounds that it is irrelevant to their work. Some have argued that this is due primarily to a mismatch of professional epistemologies. While agreeing in principle, this work draws on work in sociology (Erving Goffman) and literary theory (Mikhail Bakhtin) to argue that practitioner mistrust of research may be primarily related to differences in the presentation of self in the teaching (and research) profession and a history of research used as a tool of transgression in the authorship of the practitioner professional self. Goffman's account of frontstage and backstage settings in the everyday presentation of self is combined with Bakhtin's account of the ways research erases the voice of practitioners by reducing their fundamentally dialogic experiences to monologic narratives dominated by the voice of the researcher. As an alternative, I draw on the work of the research psychologist Jerome Bruner and the practicing clinical psychologist Michael White to explore ways in which practitioners might be more meaningfully engaged in the research enterprise through a process of re-narrativizing their own experiences captured as part of research. Narrative techniques that help share responsibility for authoring accounts of practice among researchers and practitioners as research participants are described leading to conclusions about the potential transformative nature of such work for both researchers and practitioners.

Best Practices in ELL Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Guofang, Ed.; Edwards, Patricia A., Ed.

2010-01-01

In this work, prominent authorities review the latest research on all aspects of ELL instruction (K-12) and identify what works for today's students and schools. Provided are best-practice guidelines for targeting reading, writing, oral language, vocabulary, content-domain literacies, and other core skill areas; assessing culturally and…

Online Literacies at Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Searle, Jean

1999-01-01

Uses examples drawn from research across several sites in tourism and hospitality in which employees are required to interact with technology, in order to highlight issues relating to new online literacies that are now required for efficient work practices and to discuss implications for practice. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy…

Current trends in nursing theories.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Chang, Sun Ju

2012-06-01

To explore current trends in nursing theories through an integrated literature review. The literature related to nursing theories during the past 10 years was searched through multiple databases and reviewed to determine themes reflecting current trends in nursing theories. The trends can be categorized into six themes: (a) foci on specifics; (b) coexistence of various types of theories; (c) close links to research; (d) international collaborative works; (e) integration to practice; and (f) selective evolution. We need to make our continuous efforts to link research and practice to theories, to identify specifics of our theories, to develop diverse types of theories, and to conduct international collaborative works. Our paper gives implications for future theoretical development in diverse clinical areas of nursing research and practice. © 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International.

An empirical definition of clinical supervision.

PubMed

Milne, Derek

2007-11-01

The growing recognition of clinical supervision as the basis for high-quality mental health services is apparent in policy, research and clinical practice, but an empirical definition is required to progress research and practice. A logical analysis was used to draft a working definition, and then a systematic review of 24 empirical studies of clinical supervision produced a best evidence synthesis, which was used to test and improve this definition. The logical analysis indicated that the most popular definition (Bernard & Goodyear, 1992) failed all four necessary tests of a good definition: precision, specification, operationalization and corroboration. The systematic review synthesis was then used to test the working definition, which passed these tests (with two amendments). These two complementary review approaches created a firmer basis for advancing research and practice.

Social work perspectives on human behavior.

PubMed

Wodarski, J S

1993-01-01

This manuscript addresses recent developments in human behavior research that are relevant to social work practice. Specific items addressed are biological aspects of behavior, life span development, cognitive variables, the self-efficacy learning process, the perceptual process, the exchange model, group level variables, macro level variables, and gender and ethnic-racial variables. Where relevant, specific applications to social work practice are provided.

Lessons Learned: Research within an Urban, African American District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Kimberly Ann

2012-01-01

For an African American female researcher whose race, class, and gender work as oppressive intersecting units shaping my contextualized experiences, meaning-making, and self-definition, the implications of my work with African American communities are complicated. In this article, I draw on culturally sensitive research practices, critical race…

Research, Teaching, and Publication Productivity: Mutuality Versus Competition in Academia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Mary Frank

1992-01-01

Addresses the relationship between research and teaching in the social sciences. Explains that the study examined academic work from economics, political science, psychology, and sociology departments to determine work attitudes and practices. Concludes that teaching and research are not complementary roles but different conflicting dimensions.…

A masterclass to teach public health professionals to conduct practice-based research to promote evidence-based practice: a case study from The Netherlands.

PubMed

Jansen, Maria W J; Hoeijmakers, Marjan

2013-01-01

Public health professionals have a pivotal position in efforts to obtain more practice-based evidence about what people need and what works in real circumstances. Close collaboration with researchers should enable public health professionals to design and conduct research in practical settings to address today's complex public health problems and increase the external validity of results. This requires expanding the research competencies of public health professionals. We developed and implemented a masterclass for public health professionals, modeled on an existing scientific training course for general practitioners and rehabilitation physicians. The masterclass was evaluated using a multiple method design, involving quantitative and qualitative methods. Evaluation took place during, at the end of, and 9 months after the masterclass. Twenty-one candidates (mean age, 41 y) started the program, 66% of whom completed it. Teaching materials, lectures, organization, and facilities were favorably evaluated. At the end of the masterclass, participants were able to design and implement a research proposal in their daily work setting, write a draft article, and critically appraise scientific research for practice and policy purposes. Participants had become more confident about their research competence. Management support from their employer proved crucial. Results obtained with the different methods were consistent. The masterclass appeared to be an effective instrument to increase the practice-based research skills of public health professionals, provided the research is implemented in a supportive organization with management backing and supervision by senior university researchers. We recommend using masterclasses to contribute to the improvement of practice-based evidence for projects addressing current and future public health problems.

Research ethics and the plight of refugees in detention.

PubMed

Kirmayer, Laurence J; Rousseau, Cecile; Crepeau, Francois

2004-10-01

Health researchers may have a strategic role to play in confronting the predicament of refugee detainees because they can lend their analytic skills and authority to document the personal cost and impact of this practice. The justification for such 'subversive' research comes from the discrepancy between the sources of legitimacy and legality for government action. The practice of detention may be legal but illegitimate, judged against the standards of international human rights. Hence, research to explore the consequences of this policy is both morally and politically legitimate. Morally, it reflects a commitment to uncover and oppose unjustified violence against others; politically, it represents an attempt to identify and challenge abuses of power by the state. However, doing research without official approval or with the use of deception raises concerns for the safety of detainees as vulnerable research subjects as well as the credibility of researchers and the research enterprise. Researchers also may face sanctions that will limit their future effectiveness. An international network of researchers working on issues of human rights and the health of asylum seekers can provide an institutional basis to support work that challenges local practices.

New ways of seeing: Health social work leadership and research capacity building.

PubMed

McDermott, Fiona; Bawden, Glenda

2017-01-01

Building research capacity amongst social work practitioners is critically important for leaders in the social work profession. To reverse an apparent reluctance to use evidence and engage in research, strong social work leadership in practice organisations is needed. The literature on leadership in health social work is relatively silent regarding research capacity building as a leadership attribute but it is argued in this paper that leadership is crucial. A programme of research capacity building and its outcomes in a health social work department is described, identifying key principles guiding its establishment and tasks undertaken. A transformational leadership style characterised this approach to research capacity building which delivered benefits to the staff and the service.

Classroom implementation of the practices learned in the Master of Chemistry Education program by the School District of Philadelphia's high school chemistry teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayaraman, Uma Devi

This dissertation reports the results of an exploratory case study utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies intended to ascertain the extent and differences of implementation of research-based instructional practices, learned in an intensive 26-month professional development, in their urban classrooms. Both the extent and differences in the implementation of practices were investigated in relation to the lesson design and implementation, content, and classroom culture aspects of research-based practices. Additionally, this research includes the concerns of the teachers regarding the factors that helped or hindered the implementation of research-based practices in their classrooms. Six graduates of the Master of Chemistry Education Program who were teaching a chemistry course in a high school in the School District of Philadelphia at the time of the study (2006-8), were the case. The teachers completed a concerns questionnaire with closed and open-ended items, and rated their perceptions of the extent of implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms. Additionally, the teachers were observed and rated by the researcher using a reform-teaching observation protocol and were interviewed individually. Also, the teachers submitted their lesson plans for the days they were observed. Data from these sources were analyzed to arrive at the findings for this study. The research findings suggest that the group of teachers in the study implemented the research-based practices in their classrooms to a low extent when compared to the recommended practices inherent to the MCE Program. The extents of implementation of the practices differed widely among the teachers, from being absent to being implemented at a high level, with inconsistent levels of implementation from various data sources. Further, the teachers expressed the depth of knowledge (gained in the MCE Program), formal laboratory exercises and reports, administrative support, self-motivated students, and group/collaborative work as several factors that enabled or would have enabled the implementation of practices. Among the many factors that hindered the implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms were, the core curriculum and pacing schedule, followed by test preparation, administrative paper-work, large class-size, students not prepared for student-centered work, poor math and reading skills of students, students' lack of motivation, unsupportive department head, unresponsive administration, and lack of resources.

Educating Consultants for Multicultural Practice of Consultee-Centered Consultation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingraham, Colette L.

2017-01-01

Literature about educating consultants with knowledge, skills, and dispositions to work effectively within culturally and linguistically diverse schools is scarce. Research suggests that additional attention is needed on the preparation of consultants to practice with multicultural competence. This article reviews theories and research and…

Telepresence-enabled research and developing work practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirmalek, Z.

2016-02-01

In the fall of 2014, a group of scientists and students conducted two weeks of telepresence-enabled research from the University of Rhode Island Inner Space Center and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution with the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, which was at sea studying the Kick'em Jenny submarine volcano and Barbados Mud Volcanoes. The way that they conducted their work was not so different from other telepresence-enabled ocean science exploration. As a group, they spanned geographic distance, science expertise, exploration experience, and telepresence-enabled research experience. They were connected through technologies and work culture (e.g., shared habits, values, and practices particular to a community). Uniquely, their project included an NSF-sponsored cultural study on the workgroups' own use of technologies and social processes. The objective of the cultural study was, in part, to identify social and technical features of the work environment that present opportunities to better support science exploration via telepresence. Drawing from this case, and related research, I present some analysis on the developing work culture of telepresence-enabled research and highlight potential adjustments.

Organisational characteristics associated with shift work practices and potential opportunities for intervention: findings from a Canadian study.

PubMed

Hall, Amy L; Smit, Andrea N; Mistlberger, Ralph E; Landry, Glenn J; Koehoorn, Mieke

2017-01-01

Shift work is a common working arrangement with wide-ranging implications for worker health. Organisational determinants of shift work practices are not well characterised; such information could be used to guide evidence-based research and best practices to mitigate shift work's negative effects. This exploratory study aimed to describe and assess organisational-level determinants of shift work practices thought to affect health, across a range of industry sectors. Data on organisational characteristics, shift work scheduling, provision of shift work education materials/training to employees and night-time lighting policies in the workplace were collected during phone interviews with organisations across the Canadian province of British Columbia. Relationships between organisational characteristics and shift work practices were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. The study sample included 88 participating organisations, representing 30 700 shift workers. Long-duration shifts, provision of shift work education materials/training to employees and night-time lighting policies were reported by approximately one-third of participating organisations. Odds of long-duration shifts increased in larger workplaces and by industry. Odds of providing shift work education materials/training increased in larger workplaces, in organisations reporting concern for shift worker health and in organisations without seasonal changes in shift work. Odds of night-time lighting policies in the workplace increased in organisations reporting previous workplace accidents or incidents that occurred during non-daytime hours, site maintenance needs and client service or care needs. This study points to organisational determinants of shift work practices that could be useful for targeting research and workplace interventions. Results should be interpreted as preliminary in an emerging body of literature on shift work and health. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Jamesian pragmatism: a framework for working towards unified diversity in nursing knowledge development.

PubMed

McCready, Jason S

2010-07-01

Abstract Nursing is frequently described as practical or pragmatic and there are many parallels between nursing and pragmatism, the school of thought. Pragmatism is often glancingly referenced by nursing authors, but few have conducted in-depth discussions about its applicability to nursing; and few have identified it as a significant theoretical basis for nursing research. William James's pragmatism has not been discussed substantially in the nursing context, despite obvious complementarities. James's theme of pluralism fits with nursing's diversity and plurality; his emphasis on social conscience in our actions matches nursing's fundamental purpose of improving the lives of others; his continuous testing of pluralistic truths in critically reflective practice pairs well with nursing's focus on developing best-available, holistic evidence; and his conceptualization of truth as being born in practice and becoming an instrument in practice is entirely compatible with nursing's theory-practice identity. The oft-discussed theory-practice gap is seen to hinder the development of nursing knowledge. If nursing is to find its identity in knowledge development and potentiate the knowledge developed, it is imperative to identify and address that which is impeding progress. By way of the pragmatic tenets of William James, I will argue that a significant part of the theory-practice gap lies in how nursing knowledge development is operationalized, creating a false dichotomy between practice and research. I will also argue that the research-practice schism has been widened by continued philosophical and methodological infighting in the research community. I will describe how Jamesian pragmatism can be 'what works' for rebuilding relationships and supporting an engaged plurality within nursing research and bring research and practice together into a collaborative and iterative process of developing nursing knowledge.

Sequential Research Needs in Evolving Disciplines of Social Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Malcolm S.

The author suggests that the emerging fields of social practice (such as recreation, social work, and adult education) must all go through a sequential pattern of research needs, first superficially, and then in ever deeper cycles. The six phases of these research needs are: definition of the field (survey and descriptive studies, census studies,…

Student-Centered Empowerment of Teacher-Centered Practices: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clegorne, Nicolas; Mitchell, Roland

2013-01-01

This action research reflects a narrative inquiry into the age-old debate concerning the relationship between theory and practice in educational settings. The unique perspective we add to this discussion is our distinct vantages. One researcher is a faculty member and the other is a student-affairs practitioner both working in a large public…

Using Reflective Practice to Incorporate Formative Assessment in a Middle School Science Classroom: A Participatory Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trauth-Nare, Amy; Buck, Gayle

2011-01-01

Our purpose was to investigate the efficacy of using reflective practice to guide our action research study of incorporating formative assessment into middle school science teaching and learning. Using participatory action research, we worked collaboratively to incorporate formative assessment into two instructional units, and then engaged in…

Inter- and Transdisciplinary Work: Connecting Research on Hormones with Problems of Educational Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rappolt-Schlichtmann, Gabrielle; Watamura, Sarah E.

2010-01-01

More than ever before, leaders within the field of education are looking to research on basic processes to inform and improve educational practices. Success requires building a reciprocal relationship between the field of education and research on learning and development, similar to what exists between biology and medicine. Key to this effort is…

Mapping Usability: A Critical Research Analysis of Trends in Software Usability Research, Theory, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Morgan Margaret

2009-01-01

The impetus for this project stemmed from a curiosity about two particular areas in the history of usability research. For one, I began research for this project with a desire to learn about patterns in the theory, practice, attitude, and perception about usability work, both in academic contexts and in corporate contexts, with a focus on the…

Telecommuting, Control, and Boundary Management: Correlates of Policy Use and Practice, Job Control, and Work-Family Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Lautsch, Brenda A.; Eaton, Susan C.

2006-01-01

We examine professionals' use of telecommuting, perceptions of psychological job control, and boundary management strategies. We contend that work-family research should distinguish between descriptions of flexibility use (formal telecommuting policy user, amount of telecommuting practiced) and how the individual psychologically experiences…

Agency-University Partnership for Evidence-Based Practice in Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellamy, Jennifer L.; Bledsoe, Sarah E.; Mullen, Edward J.; Fang, Lin; Manuel, Jennifer I.

2008-01-01

Little is known about evidence-based practice (EBP) in social service agencies beyond studies of researcher, practitioner, and educator opinions. The Bringing Evidence for Social Work Training (BEST) Project involved 16 participants from 3 social service agencies. The experiential training, delivered by 2 doctoral students, focused on a…

(Re/Dis)assembling Learning Practices Online with Fluid Objects and Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Terrie Lynn

2012-01-01

Actor network theory (ANT) is used to explore how work-learning is enacted in informal online communities and illustrates how researchers might use sociomaterial approaches to uncover complexities, uncertainties, and specificities of work-learning practices. Participants in this study were self-employed workers. The relational and material aspects…

Pre- and post-test evaluation of a project to facilitate research development in practice in a hospital setting.

PubMed

Clifford, C; Murray, S

2001-12-01

This paper describes a project designed to facilitate the use of research in nursing practice in one acute hospital. A university team worked in collaboration with staff from the hospital to develop and evaluate the impact of development work designed to enhance knowledge and use of research in practice. A research utilization questionnaire was administered as a pre-test (stage 1); a development phase was implemented (stage 2) and a post-test survey (stage 3) was administered to evaluate the impact of the development work. In stage 1, the total population of nursing and midwifery staff in the hospital (n=473) were targeted and 235 returned the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 50%. Data from the pre-test and focus group discussions with staff were used to plan stage 2 of the project. The development stage involved an educational strand in which open learning research materials were made available to staff, who were also offered tutorial support in their learning. A second strand supported the development of clinical research projects and funds were identified for clinical staff to apply for project development awards to enable them to develop skills in research and development activity under the supervision of a research fellow. Stage 3 involved a post-test survey of staff who had completed the questionnaire in stage 1 (n=81). There were no significant differences in findings between the pre-test and post-test. Qualitative data from those involved in the clinical projects in stage 2 indicated factors impacting on the feasibility of undertaking research in practice.

Relationships between the Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC) and self-reported research practices.

PubMed

Crain, A Lauren; Martinson, Brian C; Thrush, Carol R

2013-09-01

The Survey of Organizational Research Climate (SORC) is a validated tool to facilitate promotion of research integrity and research best practices. This work uses the SORC to assess shared and individual perceptions of the research climate in universities and academic departments and relate these perceptions to desirable and undesirable research practices. An anonymous web- and mail-based survey was administered to randomly selected biomedical and social science faculty and postdoctoral fellows in the United States. Respondents reported their perceptions of the research climates at their universities and primary departments, and the frequency with which they engaged in desirable and undesirable research practices. More positive individual perceptions of the research climate in one's university or department were associated with higher likelihoods of desirable, and lower likelihoods of undesirable, research practices. Shared perceptions of the research climate tended to be similarly predictive of both desirable and undesirable research practices as individuals' deviations from these shared perceptions. Study results supported the central prediction that more positive SORC-measured perceptions of the research climate were associated with more positive reports of research practices. There were differences with respect to whether shared or individual climate perceptions were related to desirable or undesirable practices but the general pattern of results provide empirical evidence that the SORC is predictive of self-reported research behavior.

An Opportunity to Bridge the Gap Between Clinical Research and Clinical Practice: Implications for Clinical Training

PubMed Central

Hershenberg, Rachel; Drabick, Deborah A. G.; Vivian, Dina

2013-01-01

Clinical researchers and clinical practitioners share a goal of increasing the integration of research and clinical practice, which is reflected in an evidence-based practice (EBP) approach to psychology. The EBP framework involves the integration of research findings with clinical expertise and client characteristics, values, and preferences, and consequently provides an important foundation for conducting clinically relevant research, as well as empirically based and clinically sensitive practice. Given the critical role that early training can play in the integration of science and practice and in promoting the future of the field, the present article addresses predoctoral training programs as a context for adopting an EBP approach to clinical work. We address training in the three components of EBP and provide suggestions for curriculum development and practicum training that we hope will contribute to bridging the gap between research and practice. PMID:22642520

Measuring Changes in the Economics of Medical Practice.

PubMed

Fleming, Christopher; Rich, Eugene; DesRoches, Catherine; Reschovsky, James; Kogan, Rachel

2015-08-01

For the latter third of the twentieth century, researchers have estimated production and cost functions for physician practices. Today, those attempting to measure the inputs and outputs of physician practice must account for many recent changes in models of care delivery. In this paper, we review practice inputs and outputs as typically described in research on the economics of medical practice, and consider the implications of the changing organization of medical practice and nature of physician work. This evolving environment has created conceptual challenges in what are the appropriate measures of output from physician work, as well as what inputs should be measured. Likewise, the increasing complexity of physician practice organizations has introduced challenges to finding the appropriate data sources for measuring these constructs. Both these conceptual and data challenges pose measurement issues that must be overcome to study the economics of modern medical practice. Despite these challenges, there are several promising initiatives involving data sharing at the organizational level that could provide a starting point for developing the needed new data sources and metrics for physician inputs and outputs. However, additional efforts will be required to establish data collection approaches and measurements applicable to smaller and single specialty practices. Overcoming these measurement and data challenges will be key to supporting policy-relevant research on the changing economics of medical practice.

Making a Mess of Academic Work: Experience, Purpose and Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malcolm, Janice; Zukas, Miriam

2009-01-01

Within the policy discourse of academic work, teaching, research and administration are seen as discrete elements of practice. We explore the assumptions evident in this "official story" and contrast it with the messy experience of academic work, drawing upon empirical studies and conceptualisations from our own research and from recent…

Intersecting Interests: Qualitative Research Synthesis on Art in the Social Work Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wehbi, Samantha; Cowell, Amanda; Perreault-Laird, Jordyn; El-Lahib, Yahya; Straka, Silvia

2017-01-01

This paper reports on a qualitative research synthesis that explored the intersections between art and social work. The scholarship notes a rise in interest in integrating creative arts practices in social work classrooms from assignment design to classroom activities. Also highlighted are the potential contributions of these artsinformed…

Innovation in ambulatory care: a collaborative approach to redesigning the health care workplace.

PubMed

Johnson, Paula A; Bookman, Ann; Bailyn, Lotte; Harrington, Mona; Orton, Piper

2011-02-01

To improve the quality of patient care and work satisfaction of the physicians and staff at an ambulatory practice that had recently started an innovative model of clinical care for women. The authors used an inclusive process, collaborative interactive action research, to engage all physicians and staff members in assessing and redesigning their work environment. Based on key barriers to working effectively and integrating work and family identified in that process, a pilot project with new work practices and structures was developed, implemented, and evaluated. The work redesign process established cross-occupational care teams in specific clinical areas. Members of the teams built skills in assessing clinical operations in their practice areas, developed new levels of collaboration, and constructed new models of distributed leadership. The majority of participants reported an improvement in how their area functioned. Integrating work and family/personal life-particularly practices around flexible work arrangements-became an issue for team discussion and solutions, not a matter of individual accommodation by managers. By engaging the workforce, collaborative interactive action research can help achieve lasting change in the health care workplace and increase physicians' and staff members' work satisfaction. This "dual agenda" may be best achieved through a collaborative process where cross-occupational teams are responsible for workflow and outcomes and where the needs of patients and providers are integrated.

Is a practice-based rural research network feasible in Europe?

PubMed

Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Kurpas, Donata; Tsiligianni, Ioanna; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; Jacquet, Jean-Pierre; Buono, Nicola; Lopez-Abuin, Jose; Lionis, Christos

2015-01-01

Research in family medicine is a well-established entity nationally and internationally, covering all aspects of primary care including remote and isolated practices. However, due to limited capacity and resources in rural family medicine, its potential is not fully exploited yet. An idea to foster European rural primary care research by establishing a practice-based research network has been recently put forward by several members of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA) and the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN). Two workshops on why, and how to design a practice-based research network among rural family practices in Europe were conducted at two international meetings. This paper revisits the definition of practice-based research in family medicine, reflects on the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice, and discusses a rationale for practice-based research in rural family medicine. A SWOT analysis was used as the main tool to analyse the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice at both meetings. The key messages gained from these meetings may be employed by the Wonca Working Party on research, the International Federation of Primary Care Research Network and the EGPRN that seek to introduce a practice-based research approach. The cooperation and collaboration between EURIPA and EGPRN creates a fertile ground to discuss further the prospect of a European practice-based rural family medicine research network, and to draw on the joint experience.

Becoming and Disappearing: Between Art, Architecture and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beinart, Katy

2014-01-01

This paper examines some parallels and differences in pursuing practice-based research in art or architecture. Using a series of different headlines and examples, I examine the potential of working "between" art and architecture, which I argue could generate new, hybridised methodologies of practice through interrogating the…

Underlying Paradigms in Student Affairs Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guido, Florence M.; Chavez, Alicia Fedelina; Lincoln, Yvonna S.

2010-01-01

Student affairs professionals benefit from understanding paradigms, worldviews, and ways of being among diverse faculty, staff, and students. It is challenging to understand core differences of paradigms, design student affairs practice and research in congruence with or across specific philosophies, and work effectively with individuals operating…

Talking the Talk: Translating Research to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grifenhagen, Jill F.; Barnes, Erica M.; Collins, Molly F.; Dickinson, David K.

2017-01-01

Decades of research have identified features of classrooms and teachers' talk that are associated with children's language growth. Unfortunately, much of this work has not yet translated to widespread practice in early childhood classrooms. Given the important contributions that early language development makes to later academic achievement,…

Configurations of leadership practices in hospital units.

PubMed

Meier, Ninna

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore how leadership is practiced across four different hospital units. The study is a comparative case study of four hospital units, based on detailed observations of the everyday work practices, interactions and interviews with ten interdisciplinary clinical managers. Comparing leadership as configurations of practices across four different clinical settings, the author shows how flexible and often shared leadership practices were embedded in and central to the core clinical work in all units studied here, especially in more unpredictable work settings. Practices of symbolic work and emotional support to staff were particularly important when patients were severely ill. Based on a study conducted with qualitative methods, these results cannot be expected to apply in all clinical settings. Future research is invited to extend the findings presented here by exploring leadership practices from a micro-level perspective in additional health care contexts: particularly the embedded and emergent nature of such practices. This paper shows leadership practices to be primarily embedded in the clinical work and often shared across organizational or professional boundaries. This paper demonstrated how leadership practices are embedded in the everyday work in hospital units. Moreover, the analysis shows how configurations of leadership practices varied in four different clinical settings, thus contributing with contextual accounts of leadership as practice, and suggested "configurations of practice" as a way to carve out similarities and differences in leadership practices across settings.

Map Changes and Theme Evolution in Work Hours: A Co-Word Analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Bei; Chen, Hong; Huang, Xinru

2018-01-01

(1) Background: Work hours are the basic carrier impacting employees’ work–life experience and organizational performance, and employees have greater anxiety in relation to work hours as new technology requires an increasingly faster work rhythm. However, scientific research on this topic lags far behind the practice, calling to attention the need for research on work hours from the perspective of historical evolution; (2) Methods: The Bibliometric method is used to analyze the 6364 articles and their contained 77 high-frequency keywords related to work hours from the Web of Science published between 1901 and 2017. Additionally, an individual–organization–society integrative perspective was adopted to describe the map changes and theme evolution of work hours; (3) Results and conclusions: The hot spots of research at the organizational level changed significantly around 1990, with the theme of “long work hours” becoming the core issue in recent years. Studies on the individual level have gradually moved from physiological aspects to the issues of burnout and psychological distress. Research topics related to the social level are somewhat loose, and mainly focused on work–life conflict areas. In addition, the cluster analysis based on the high-frequency keywords classifies six research types according to their research themes. Based on these findings, future trends are proposed to provide theoretical and practical reference for future studies. PMID:29789455

Workplace Interventions to Prevent Disability from Both the Scientific and Practice Perspectives: A Comparison of Scientific Literature, Grey Literature and Stakeholder Observations.

PubMed

Williams-Whitt, Kelly; Bültmann, Ute; Amick, Benjamin; Munir, Fehmidah; Tveito, Torill H; Anema, Johannes R

2016-12-01

Purpose The significant individual and societal burden of work disability could be reduced if supportive workplace strategies could be added to evidence-based clinical treatment and rehabilitation to improve return-to-work (RTW) and other disability outcomes. The goal of this article is to summarize existing research on workplace interventions to prevent disability, relate these to employer disability management practices, and recommend future research priorities. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration that ultimately led to an invited 3-day conference, Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability, held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a question/answer session with an expert panel with direct employer experience. Results Evidence from randomized trials and other research designs has shown general support for job modification, RTW coordination, and organizational support, but evidence is still lacking for interventions at a more granular level. Grey literature reports focused mainly on job re-design and work organization. Panel feedback focused on organizational readiness and the beliefs and values of senior managers as critical factors in facilitating changes to disability management practices. While the scientific literature is focused on facilitating improved coping and reducing discomforts for individual workers, the employer-directed grey literature is focused on making group-level changes to policies and procedures. Conclusions Future research might better target employer practices by tying interventions to positive workplace influences and determinants, by developing more participatory interventions and research designs, and by designing interventions that address factors of organizational change.

Expressions of cultural safety in public health nursing practice.

PubMed

Richardson, Anna; Yarwood, Judy; Richardson, Sandra

2017-01-01

Cultural safety is an essential concept within New Zealand nursing that is formally linked to registration and competency-based practice certification. Despite its centrality to New Zealand nursing philosophies and the stated expectation of cultural safety as a practice element, there is limited evidence of its application in the literature. This research presents insight into public health nurse's (PHN) experiences, demonstrating the integration of cultural safety principles into practice. These findings emerged following secondary analysis of data from a collaborative, educative research project where PHNs explored the use of family assessment tools. In particular, the 15-minute interview tool was introduced and used by the PHNs when working with families. Critical analysis of transcribed data from PHN interviews, utilising a cultural safety lens, illuminated practical ways in which cultural safety concepts infused PHN practice with families. The themes that emerged reflected the interweaving of the principles of cultural safety with the application of the five components of the 15-minute interview. This highlights elements of PHN work with individuals and families not previously acknowledged. Examples of culturally safe nursing practice resonated throughout the PHN conversations as they grappled with the increasing complexity of working with a diverse range of families. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Challenges of Conducting Research With Young Offenders With Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

OʼRourke, Conall; Templeton, Michelle; Cohen, Miriam H; Linden, Mark A

2018-05-31

The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the challenges encountered when conducting research with young offenders. This is drawn from the first-hand experience of 3 researchers working on separate projects within this environment. Young offenders present as a complex clinical population with high levels of illiteracy, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Significant planning is therefore required before working with this group. Consideration must be given to the heterogeneity of prison populations alongside the potential limitations of datacollection methods, in particular, reliance on self-report. The capacity of young offenders to comprehend and effectively engage with research is also of concern, posing issues of both a practical and ethical nature. The absence of a consistent "research culture" within prison environments poses further practical challenges, potentially also placing significant burden on both researchers and prison resources. The challenges discussed in this article may help inform future studies in the area and emphasize the need for greater critical reflection among researchers conducting work of this type.

Research Assistant Training Manual: Focus Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Sarah Elaine

2017-01-01

This manual is a practical training guide for graduate and undergraduate research assistants (RAs) working in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. It may also be applicable to research assistants working in other fields or institutions. The purpose of this manual is to train RAs on how to plan and conduct focus groups for…

Perceived Communication Skill Needs for Small Work Groups.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Katherine; Fillion, Bryant

A study examined communication skills essential for small work groups and whether the quality of small group teaching and research is in decline. The study reviewed small group research done previously by others and the problem of existing pedagogy and research in small group communication which does not provide practical solutions to real life…

How Artists Working in Academia View Artistic Practice as Research: Implications for Tertiary Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blom, Diana; Bennett, Dawn; Wright, David

2011-01-01

Artistic research output struggles for recognition as "legitimate" research within the highly-competitive and often traditional university sector. Often recognition requires the underpinning processes and thinking to be documented in a traditional written format. This article discusses the views of eight arts practitioners working in…

Social and behavioral research in genomic sequencing: approaches from the Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research Consortium Outcomes and Measures Working Group.

PubMed

Gray, Stacy W; Martins, Yolanda; Feuerman, Lindsay Z; Bernhardt, Barbara A; Biesecker, Barbara B; Christensen, Kurt D; Joffe, Steven; Rini, Christine; Veenstra, David; McGuire, Amy L

2014-10-01

The routine use of genomic sequencing in clinical medicine has the potential to dramatically alter patient care and medical outcomes. To fully understand the psychosocial and behavioral impact of sequencing integration into clinical practice, it is imperative that we identify the factors that influence sequencing-related decision making and patient outcomes. In an effort to develop a collaborative and conceptually grounded approach to studying sequencing adoption, members of the National Human Genome Research Institute's Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research Consortium formed the Outcomes and Measures Working Group. Here we highlight the priority areas of investigation and psychosocial and behavioral outcomes identified by the Working Group. We also review some of the anticipated challenges to measurement in social and behavioral research related to genomic sequencing; opportunities for instrument development; and the importance of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches. This work represents the early, shared efforts of multiple research teams as we strive to understand individuals' experiences with genomic sequencing. The resulting body of knowledge will guide recommendations for the optimal use of sequencing in clinical practice.

Making the Grade: Do Nebraska Teachers and Administrators Working in Public Schools in 7th-12th Grade Settings Agree about What Constitutes Sound Grading Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Mark E.

2013-01-01

In this study, the researcher sought to determine whether Nebraska teachers and administrators agreed about what constitutes sound grading practice. The results of this study indicated that Nebraska teachers and administrators working in public schools in 7th-12th grade settings did not always agree about what constituted sound grading practice.…

Adapting the Boundaries in Primary Physical Education: An Account of My Learning, My Educational Influence and Improved Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Julie

2011-01-01

In this paper I explore how I have come to theorise my work as a critical emancipatory practice as a lecturer in primary physical education (PE). I give an account of what I understand to be the epistemological foundations and practices of practitioner research and my potential educational influence in my own and other practitioner-researchers'…

This presentation will discuss how PLOS ONE collaborates with many different scientific communities to help create, share, and preserve the scholarly works produced by their researchers with emphasis on current common difficulties faced by communities, practical solutions, and a broader view of the importance of open data and reproducibility.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroffe, K.

2017-12-01

The mission of the Public Library of Science is to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication. Researchers' ability to share their work without restriction is essential, but critical to sharing is open data, transparency in peer review, and an open approach to science assessment. In this session, we will discuss how PLOS ONE collaborates with many different scientific communities to help create, share, and preserve the scholarly works produced by their researchers with emphasis on current common difficulties faced by communities, practical solutions, and a broader view of the importance of open data and reproducibility.

Twenty years of multidisciplinary research and practice: the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation then and now.

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Findley, Patricia A; Feuerstein, Michael

2011-12-01

Early research of work disability in the 1980s showed a complexity of factors influencing pain and health-related functional limitation at work; hence, multidisciplinary perspectives were necessary to understand the complex interplay between biomechanical, organizational, social, and psychological factors impacting work disability. To address this need, the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation was founded in 1991 with the goal of providing a scientific, yet practical forum for presenting multidisciplinary research and practice in work disability. Now, the 20-year collection of articles in the Journal reflects important trends and directions in the field of occupational rehabilitation. We conducted a retrospective summary of the past 20 years of the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, including its inaugural goals and intent, rates of submission and acceptance, trends in the types of articles published, study topics, global distribution of authors, and future directions. The original goal of providing a multidisciplinary scientific and practical forum has been met, but current trends reflect a maturing scientific evidence base, with less representation of employer-based case studies and practical innovations. There has been a dramatic increase in the international representation of studies, authors, and peer reviewers outside of the US. Also, published studies now address work disability for a larger number of health concerns. Contributions to the Journal continue to reflect a multidisciplinary perspective, but the Journal has seen significant changes with respect to international representation, the expanding study of non-musculoskeletal sources of work disability, and the maturing scientific evidence base in the field of occupational rehabilitation. Future volumes of the Journal will likely reflect continuing changes in the global economy, workforce fitness, and job demands.

Teachers, Arts Practice and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franks, Anton; Thomson, Pat; Hall, Chris; Jones, Ken

2014-01-01

What are possible overlaps between arts practice and school pedagogy? How is teacher subjectivity and pedagogy affected when teachers engage with arts practice, in particular, theatre practices? We draw on research conducted into the Learning Performance Network (LPN), a project that involved school teachers working with the Royal Shakespeare…

The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: An Interactive Systems Approach to Advancing Cancer Control Implementation Research and Practice

PubMed Central

Fernández, María E.; Melvin, Cathy L.; Leeman, Jennifer; Ribisl, Kurt M.; Allen, Jennifer D.; Kegler, Michelle C.; Bastani, Roshan; Ory, Marcia G.; Risendal, Betsy C.; Hannon, Peggy A.; Kreuter, Matthew W.; Hebert, James R.

2018-01-01

Background Although cancer research has advanced at a rapid pace, a gap remains between what is known about how to improve cancer prevention and control (CPC) and what is implemented as best practices within health care systems and communities. The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN), with more than 10 years of dissemination and implementation research experience, aims to accelerate the uptake and use of evidence-based CPC interventions. Methods The collective work of the CPCRN has facilitated the analysis and categorization of research and implementation efforts according to the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation (ISF), providing a useful heuristic for bridging the gap between prevention research and practice. The ISF authors have called for examples of its application as input to help refine the model. Results We provide examples of how the collaborative activities supported by the CPCRN, using community-engaged processes, accelerated the synthesis and translation of evidence, built both general and innovation-specific capacity, and worked with delivery systems to advance cancer control research and practice. Conclusions The work of the CPCRN has provided real-world examples of the application of the ISF and demonstrated that synthesizing and translating evidence can increase the potential that evidence-based CPC programs will be used and that capacity building for both the support system and the delivery system is crucial for the successful implementation and maintenance of evidence-based cancer control. Impact Adoption and implementation of CPC can be enhanced by better understanding ISF systems and intervening to improve them. PMID:25155759

The Role of an Intermediary Organization in Promoting Research in Schools of Social Work: The Case of the Bay Area Social Services Consortium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Elizabeth K.; Austin, Michael J.

2008-01-01

The multifaceted role of research in social work education and practice requires innovation to respond to the broader mission of the university and the needs of the community. Building research capacity and supporting infrastructure for research thus demands new approaches to effective collaboration between stakeholders. Intermediary organizations…

An Infrastructure to Advance the Scholarly Work of Staff Nurses

PubMed Central

Parkosewich, Janet A.

2013-01-01

The traditional role of the acute care staff nurse is changing. The new norm establishes an expectation that staff nurses base their practice on best evidence. When evidence is lacking, nurses are charged with using the research process to generate and disseminate new knowledge. This article describes the critical forces behind the transformation of this role and the organizational mission, culture, and capacity required to support practice that is based on science. The vital role of senior nursing leaders, the nurse researcher, and the nursing research committee within the context of a collaborative governance structure is highlighted. Several well-known, evidence-based practice models are presented. Finally, there is a discussion of the infrastructure created by Yale-New Haven Hospital to advance the scholarly work of the nursing staff. PMID:23482435

Rethinking Critically Reflective Research Practice: Beyond Popper's Critical Rationalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulrich, Werner

2006-01-01

We all know that ships are safest in the harbor; but alas, that is not what ships are built for. They are destined to leave the harbor and to confront the challenges that are waiting beyond the harbor mole. A similar challenge confronts the practice of research. Research at work cannot play it safe and stay in whatever theoretical and…

The Backyard Human Performance Technologist: Applying the Development Research Methodology to Develop and Validate a New Instructional Design Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Timothy R.

2009-01-01

Development research methodology (DRM) has been recommended as a viable research approach to expand the practice-to-theory/theory-to-practice literature that human performance technology (HPT) practitioners can integrate into the day-to-day work flow they already use to develop instructional products. However, little has been written about how it…

Physical Chemistry in Practice: Evaluation of DVD Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, James U.; Towns, Marcy; Weaver, Gabriela C.

2007-01-01

The Physical Chemistry in Practice (PCIP) DVD contains video programs (modules) and experimental data that present the research of scientists working in applications of physical chemistry. The DVD allows students to learn about cutting edge research in physical chemistry while making connections to the theoretical concepts learned in lecture.…

Vygotsky's Legacy: A Foundation for Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gredler, Margaret E.; Shields, Carolyn Claytor

2007-01-01

Most educators are familiar with Lev Vygotsky's concept of the "zone of proximal development," yet the bulk of Vygotsky's pioneering theory of cognitive development largely remains unknown. This volume provides a systematic, authoritative overview of Vygotsky's work and its implications for educational research and practice. Major topics include…

Reflections on the Research to Practice Gap.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell; Smith-Jones, Joyce

2001-01-01

This article highlights major points of each of the articles in this special issue on the research to practice gap in special education. It then considers some broader implications, especially the need to foster and establish collegial networks to counter the isolation in which many teachers currently work. (Contains references.) (DB)

The Effect of a Brief Training in Motivational Interviewing on Trainee Skill Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Tabitha L.; Hagedorn, W. Bryce

2012-01-01

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an empirically based practice that provides counselors with methods for working with resistant and ambivalent clients. Whereas previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of training current clinicians in this evidenced-based practice, no research has investigated the efficacy of teaching MI to…

Practising family history: 'identity' as a category of social practice.

PubMed

Bottero, Wendy

2015-09-01

Research on family history argues it performs the task of anchoring a sense of 'self' through tracing ancestral connection and cultural belonging, seeing it as a form of storied 'identity-work'. This paper draws on a small-scale qualitative study to think further on the identity-work of family history. Using practice theory, and a disaggregated notion of 'identity', it explores how the storying of family histories relates to genealogy as a leisure hobby, a form of historical research, and an information-processing activity; and examines the social organization of that narrativity, where various practical engagements render certain kinds of genealogical information more, or less, 'storyable'. Key features of 'identity-work' in family history, such as the construction of genealogy as a personal journey of discovery and identification with particular ancestors, emerge as a consequence of the procedures of family history, organized as a set of practical tasks. The paper explores 'identity-work' as a consequence of people's engagement in specific social practices which provide an internal logic to their actions, with various components of 'identity' emerging as categories of practice shaped within, and for, use. Focusing on 'identity' as something produced when we are engaged in doing other things, the paper examines how the practical organization of 'doing other things' helps produce 'identity' in particular ways. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2015.

Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) work practices report for composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luca, Jackie

1994-01-01

In an effort to gain a better understanding of effective safety and health work practice controls for composite manufacturing operations, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Occupational Safety and Health Committee established a Composites Task Group. The group's task was to provide AIA members with recommendations for minimizing occupational exposure risk and to determine research needs and information gaps. The strategy included a review of toxicological information on composites, a review of member company experience and control methods, and interaction with other professional organizations who share an interest in composite work practices.

Putting knowledge to work: a new approach.

PubMed

Evans, Karen; Guile, David; Harris, Judy; Allan, Helen

2010-04-01

Approaches to the longstanding challenges of 'integrating' subject-based and work-based knowledge have typically focused on questions of how learning can be 'transferred' from one setting to another, relating the assumed 'abstract' nature of theory to the assumed 'real' nature of practice. This is often seen as a single movement as encapsulated in the term 'from theory to practice'. The authors have developed a fresh approach that concentrates on different forms of knowledge and the ways in which these are contextualised and 're-contextualised' in movements between different sites of learning in colleges and workplaces. While the research has been carried out in a range of professional fields outside nursing, the arguments put forward by the authors are relevant to continuing debates within nursing around the theory-practice gap. The aim has been to explore how the subject-based and work-based aspects of a curriculum or learning programme can articulate with one another more effectively. The potential of the 're-contextualisation' approach for nurse education is outlined, with a view to further research. The original research was sponsored by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Commercial Education Trust and the Economic and Social Research Council Teaching and Learning Research Programme.

Social Work Practice with LGBT Elders at End of Life: Developing Practice Evaluation and Clinical Skills Through a Cultural Perspective.

PubMed

Arthur, Darren P

2015-01-01

This article focuses on culturally sensitive clinical issues related to best practices with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) elder patients at end-of-life (EOL) at key points in the therapeutic relationship. Vital concepts, including practice evaluation and clinical skills, are presented through a cultural and oncology lens. There is a paucity of LGBT research and literature as well as a shortfall of MSW graduate school education specific to social work palliative and end-of-life care (PELC) practice with LGBT elders. The content of this article is designed to be adapted and used as an educational tool for institutions, agencies, graduate programs, medical professions, social work, and students. Learning the unique elements of LGBT cultural history and their implications on EOL care can improve social work practice. This article provides an examination from assessment and engagement basics to advance care planning incorporating specific LGBT EOL issues.

Cognitive functioning, aging, and work: A review and recommendations for research and practice.

PubMed

Fisher, Gwenith G; Chaffee, Dorey S; Tetrick, Lois E; Davalos, Deana B; Potter, Guy G

2017-07-01

There is a larger proportion and number of older adults in the labor force than ever before. Furthermore, older adults in the workforce are working until later ages. Although a great deal of research has examined physical health and well-being of working older adults, less research has focused on cognitive functioning. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad contemporary and multidisciplinary review of the intersection between cognitive functioning, aging, and work as a follow-up to a paper previously written by Fisher et al. (2014). We begin by providing definitions and background about cognitive functioning and how it changes over the life span. Next we discuss theories relevant to the intersection of cognitive functioning and work, including the use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis, the cognitive reserve hypothesis, hypotheses regarding environmental influences on intellectual functioning, and the job-demands-resources model. Then we summarize recent research about the effects of work on cognitive functioning, as well as ways that cognitive functioning may influence work motivation, learning, development, training, and safety. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of person-environment fit, suggesting avenues for future research, and discussing practical implications for the field of occupational health psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Modeling as an Anchoring Scientific Practice for Explaining Friction Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neilson, Drew; Campbell, Todd

2017-01-01

Through examining the day-to-day work of scientists, researchers in science studies have revealed how models are a central sense-making practice of scientists as they construct and critique explanations about how the universe works. Additionally, they allow predictions to be made using the tenets of the model. Given this, alongside research…

Utilizing Technology for Professional Learning in the Dissemination of Evidence-Based Practices to Paraprofessionals Working in Public Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Patricia I.; Prescott, Rosalind

2018-01-01

Although paraprofessionals are pivotal for the educational success of learners with autism, limited professional learning opportunities are provided resulting in inadequate application of evidence-based practices in their work. In this participatory action research study, thirty-six paraprofessionals participated in professional learning utilizing…

Translating Knowledge Into Practice Through an Academic-Practice Partnership for Exploring Barriers That Impact Management of Homebound Patients With Heart Failure.

PubMed

Echevarria, Mercedes

A knowledge translation project involving an academic-practice partnership and guided by action-oriented research was used for exploring barriers that impact management of homebound heart failure patients. The intervention process followed an action research model of interaction, self-reflection, response, and change in direction. External facilitators (academia) and internal facilitators (practice) worked with clinicians to identify a topic for improvement, explore barriers, locate the evidence compare current practice against evidence-based practice recommendations, introduce strategies to "close the gap" between actual practice and the desired practice, develop audit criteria, and reevaluate the impact.

Comment on "Most computational hydrology is not reproducible, so is it really science?" by Christopher Hutton et al.: Let hydrologists learn the latest computer science by working with Research Software Engineers (RSEs) and not reinvent the waterwheel ourselves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hut, R. W.; van de Giesen, N. C.; Drost, N.

2017-05-01

The suggestions by Hutton et al. might not be enough to guarantee reproducible computational hydrology. Archiving software code and research data alone will not be enough. We add to the suggestion of Hutton et al. that hydrologists not only document their (computer) work, but that hydrologists use the latest best practices in designing research software, most notably the use of containers and open interfaces. To make sure hydrologists know of these best practices, we urge close collaboration with Research Software Engineers (RSEs).

Moving improvement research closer to practice: the Researcher-in-Residence model

PubMed Central

Marshall, Martin; Pagel, Christina; French, Catherine; Utley, Martin; Allwood, Dominique; Fulop, Naomi; Pope, Catherine; Banks, Victoria; Goldmann, Allan

2014-01-01

The traditional separation of the producers of research evidence in academia from the users of that evidence in healthcare organisations has not succeeded in closing the gap between what is known about the organisation and delivery of health services and what is actually done in practice. As a consequence, there is growing interest in alternative models of knowledge creation and mobilisation, ones which emphasise collaboration, active participation of all stakeholders, and a commitment to shared learning. Such models have robust historical, philosophical and methodological foundations but have not yet been embraced by many of the people working in the health sector. This paper presents an emerging model of participation, the Researcher-in-Residence. The model positions the researcher as a core member of a delivery team, actively negotiating a body of expertise which is different from, but complementary to, the expertise of managers and clinicians. Three examples of in-residence models are presented: an anthropologist working as a member of an executive team, operational researchers working in a front-line delivery team, and a Health Services Researcher working across an integrated care organisation. Each of these examples illustrates the contribution that an embedded researcher can make to a service-based team. They also highlight a number of unanswered questions about the model, including the required level of experience of the researcher and their areas of expertise, the institutional facilitators and barriers to embedding the model, and the risk that the independence of an embedded researcher might be compromised. The Researcher-in-Residence model has the potential to engage both academics and practitioners in the promotion of evidence-informed service improvement, but further evaluation is required before the model should be routinely used in practice. PMID:24894592

Paediatric physician-researchers: coping with tensions in dual accountability.

PubMed

Boydell, Katherine; Shaul, Randi Zlotnik; D'Agincourt-Canning, Lori; Da Silva, Michael; Simpson, Christy; Czoli, Christine D; Rashkovan, Natalie; Kim, Celine C; Levin, Alex V; Schneider, Rayfel

2012-01-01

Potential conflicts between the roles of physicians and researchers have been described at the theoretical level in the bioethics literature (Czoli, et al., 2011). Physicians and researchers are generally in mutually distinct roles, responsible for patients and participants respectively. With increasing emphasis on integration of research into clinical settings, however, the role divide is sometimes unclear. Consequently, physician-researchers must consider and negotiate salient ethical differences between clinical- and research-based obligations (Miller et al, 1998). This paper explores the subjective experiences and perspectives of 30 physician-researchers working in three Canadian paediatric settings. Drawing on qualitative interviews, it identifies ethical challenges and strategies used by physician-researchers in managing dual roles. It considers whether competing obligations could have both positive and adverse consequences for both physician-researchers and patients. Finally, we discuss how empirical work, which explores the perspectives of those engaged in research and clinical practice, can lead the way to understanding and promoting best practice.

Non/Working Lives: Implications of "Non-Standard Work Practices" for Literacy and Numeracy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Ian; Millar, Pat

Through a set of five detailed case studies of individuals representing the new conditions of un/employment, a research project generated new information and knowledge about effective communication skills, often referred to as generic and transferable, for people engaged in so-called new ways of working. These three research questions were…

Educating for Good Work: From Research to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mucinskas, Daniel; Gardner, Howard

2013-01-01

Launched in 1995, the GoodWork Project is a long-term, multi-site effort to understand the nature of good work across the professional landscape and to promote its achievement by relevant groups of students and professionals. In this essay, the authors review the goals and methods of the initial research project and its most salient findings. They…

A conceptual model of physician work intensity: guidance for evaluating policies and practices to improve health care delivery.

PubMed

Horner, Ronnie D; Matthews, Gerald; Yi, Michael S

2012-08-01

Physician work intensity, although a major factor in determining the payment for medical services, may potentially affect patient health outcomes including quality of care and patient safety, and has implications for the redesign of medical practice to improve health care delivery. However, to date, there has been minimal research regarding the relationship between physician work intensity and either patient outcomes or the organization and management of medical practices. A theoretical model on physician work intensity will provide useful guidance to such inquiries. To describe an initial conceptual model to facilitate further investigations of physician work intensity. A conceptual model of physician work intensity is described using as its theoretical base human performance science relating to work intensity. For each of the theoretical components, we present relevant empirical evidence derived from a review of the current literature. The proposed model specifies that the level of work intensity experienced by a physician is a consequence of the physician performing the set of tasks (ie, demands) relating to a medical service. It is conceptualized that each medical service has an inherent level of intensity that is experienced by a physician as a function of factors relating to the physician, patient, and medical practice environment. The proposed conceptual model provides guidance to researchers as to the factors to consider in studies of how physician work intensity impacts patient health outcomes and how work intensity may be affected by proposed policies and approaches to health care delivery.

High-performance workplace practices in nursing homes: an economic perspective.

PubMed

Bishop, Christine E

2014-02-01

To develop implications for research, practice and policy, selected economics and human resources management research literature was reviewed to compare and contrast nursing home culture change work practices with high-performance human resource management systems in other industries. The organization of nursing home work under culture change has much in common with high-performance work systems, which are characterized by increased autonomy for front-line workers, self-managed teams, flattened supervisory hierarchy, and the aspiration that workers use specific knowledge gained on the job to enhance quality and customization. However, successful high-performance work systems also entail intensive recruitment, screening, and on-going training of workers, and compensation that supports selective hiring and worker commitment; these features are not usual in the nursing home sector. Thus despite many parallels with high-performance work systems, culture change work systems are missing essential elements: those that require higher compensation. If purchasers, including public payers, were willing to pay for customized, resident-centered care, productivity gains could be shared with workers, and the nursing home sector could move from a low-road to a high-road employment system.

Risk assessment with victims of intimate partner violence: investigating the gap between research and practice.

PubMed

Cattaneo, Lauren Bennett; Chapman, Aliya R

2011-10-01

In intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessment, there is consensus that a large gap exists between research and practice. This exploratory study interviewed 13 practitioners working with IPV victims to generate ideas about the nature of this gap, and found that only two conducted standardized risk assessment. Others felt imposing structure might detract from the quality of their work. Results support the need for different techniques in different contexts; some adjust only speed of services according to their risk perception, whereas others use in-depth information to customize services. Perspectives appear particularly disparate regarding victim minimization of risk. Implications for future work are discussed.

Learning from Decoding across Disciplines and within Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller-Young, Janice; Boman, Jennifer

2017-01-01

This final chapter synthesizes the findings and implications derived from applying the Decoding the Disciplines model across disciplines and within communities of practice. We make practical suggestions for teachers and researchers who wish to apply and extend this work.

Methodology and outcomes of a family medicine research fellowship.

PubMed

Cronholm, Peter F; Straton, Joseph B; Bowman, Marjorie A

2009-08-01

There has not been a strong tradition of training researchers to provide the great amount of new evidence needed for the practice of family medicine. Few models for creating successful family medicine researchers have been presented in the literature. The authors report on the methodology and outcomes of a faculty development research fellowship in the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. The fellowship focuses on the two domains-intensive research training and academic career development-and frames them with coursework in a content-appropriate master's degree program and clinical practice in an underserved community. Fifteen fellows have completed the program, which began in 1997. Most fellows' research work has been related to primary care and health disparities. Program completers have been the principal investigators on 39 funded studies and coinvestigators on 24 funded studies. They have, at the time this article was written, described their work in 236 publications, 114 of them peer reviewed. All but one program completer hold academic faculty positions, and 12 practice in underserved areas. In a research-intense institution, the fellowship program successfully trained family physicians to be independent clinical researchers and leaders who have substantially contributed to the national effort to mitigate health disparities through practice and research. The authors suggest that the outcomes strongly support the development of similar training opportunities in family medicine departments in other resource- and research-rich institutions.

Customer satisfaction with the FHWA peer-to-peer program : a qualitative assessment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-07-01

This report is a synthesis of research findings and current practices in controlling and protecting pedestrian traffic in work zones. The information presented here is based on a review of research reports and work zone manuals from a selection of st...

High-performance work systems in health care management, part 1: development of an evidence-informed model.

PubMed

Garman, Andrew N; McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Harrison, Michael I; Song, Paula H; McHugh, Megan

2011-01-01

: Although management practices are recognized as important factors in improving health care quality and efficiency, most research thus far has focused on individual practices, ignoring or underspecifying the contexts within which these practices are operating. Research from other industries, which has increasingly focused on systems rather than individual practices, has yielded results that may benefit health services management. : Our goal was to develop a conceptual model on the basis of prior research from health care as well as other industries that could be used to inform important contextual considerations within health care. : Using theoretical frameworks from A. Donabedian (1966), P. M. Wright, T. M. Gardner, and L. M. Moynihan (2003), and B. Schneider, D. B. Smith, and H. W. Goldstein (2000) and review methods adapted from R. Pawson (2006b), we reviewed relevant research from peer-reviewed and other industry-relevant sources to inform our model. The model we developed was then reviewed with a panel of practitioners, including experts in quality and human resource management, to assess the applicability of the model to health care settings. : The resulting conceptual model identified four practice bundles, comprising 14 management practices as well as nine factors influencing adoption and perceived sustainability of these practices. The mechanisms by which these practices influence care outcomes are illustrated using the example of hospital-acquired infections. In addition, limitations of the current evidence base are discussed, and an agenda for future research in health care settings is outlined. : Results may help practitioners better conceptualize management practices as part of a broader system of work practices. This may, in turn, help practitioners to prioritize management improvement efforts more systematically.

Interdisciplinary Interactions During R&D and Early Design of Large Engineered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria Rivas

2014-01-01

Designing Large-Scale Complex Engineered Systems (LaCES) such as aircraft and submarines requires the input of thousands of engineers and scientists whose work is proximate in neither time nor space. Comprehensive knowledge of the system is dispersed among specialists whose expertise is in typically one system component or discipline. This study examined the interactive work practices among such specialists seeking to improve engineering practice through a rigorous and theoretical understanding of current practice. This research explored current interdisciplinary practices and perspectives during R&D and early LaCES design and identified why these practices and perspectives prevail and persist. The research design consisted of a three-fold, integrative approach that combined an open-ended survey, semi-structured interviews, and ethnography. Significant empirical data from experienced engineers and scientists in a large engineering organization were obtained and integrated with theories from organization science and engineering. Qualitative analysis was used to obtain a holistic, contextualized understanding. The over-arching finding is that issues related to cognition, organization, and social interrelations mostly dominate interactions across disciplines. Engineering issues, such as the integration of hardware or physics-based models, are not as significant. For example, organization culture is an important underlying factor that guided researchers more toward individual sovereignty over cross-disciplinarity. The organization structure and the engineered system architecture also serve as constraints to the engineering work. Many differences in work practices were observed, including frequency and depth of interactions, definition or co-construction of requirements, clarity or creation of the system architecture, work group proximity, and cognitive challenges. Practitioners are often unaware of these differences resulting in confusion and incorrect assumptions regarding work expectations. Cognitively, the enactment and coconstruction of knowledge are the fundamental tasks of the interdisciplinary interactions. Distributed and collective cognition represent most of the efforts. Argument, ignorance, learning, and creativity are interrelated aspects of the interactions that cause discomfort but yield benefits such as problem mitigation, broader understanding, and improved system design and performance. The quality and quantity of social interrelations are central to all work across disciplines with reciprocity, respectful engagement, and heedful interrelations being significant to the effectiveness of the engineering and scientific work.

Work engagement in nursing practice: a relational ethics perspective.

PubMed

Keyko, Kacey

2014-12-01

The concept of work engagement has existed in business and psychology literature for some time. There is a significant body of research that positively correlates work engagement with organizational outcomes. To date, the interest in the work engagement of nurses has primarily been related to these organizational outcomes. However, the value of work engagement in nursing practice is not only an issue of organizational interest, but of ethical interest. The dialogue on work engagement in nursing must expand to include the ethical importance of engagement. The relational nature of work engagement and the multiple levels of influence on nurses' work engagement make a relational ethics approach to work engagement in nursing appropriate and necessary. Within a relational ethics perspective, it is evident that work engagement enables nurses to have meaningful relationships in their work and subsequently deliver ethical care. In this article, I argue that work engagement is essential for ethical nursing practice. If engagement is essential for ethical nursing practice, the environmental and organizational factors that influence work engagement must be closely examined to pursue the creation of moral communities within healthcare environments. © The Author(s) 2014.

Innovative Ideas on How Work-Family Research Can Have More Impact.

PubMed

Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Baltes, Boris B; Matthews, Russell A

2011-09-01

The commentaries on our focal article agreed with its main premise that work-family research should follow new strategies to improve its practical impact, and made suggestions clustering into three main themes. The first theme built on our suggestion to improve the research focus, terminology, and framing of work-family research. These essays offered additional ideas such as decoupling work-family from work-life research, and examining contextual factors more deeply. The second theme focused on how to better apply the findings from work family research. These commentaries provided social change approaches for making work-family issues more central to key stakeholders and to organizations. The third theme focused on broadening our scope to the societal level. These editorials advocated tactics supporting the development of basic rights of work-life balance within and across nations.

The conduct of practice-based research in community clinics compared to private practices: similarities, differences, and challenges

PubMed Central

Gillette, Jane; Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Gilbert, Ann; Speed-McIntyre, Pollene; Zhou, Lingmei; DeRouen, Timothy

2013-01-01

Practice-based research should be performed in all practice settings if the results are to be applied to all settings. However, some practice settings, such as community clinics, have unique features that may make the conduct of such research more challenging. The purpose of this article is to describe and compare the similarities and unique challenges related to conducting research in community clinics compared to private practices within the Northwest Practice-Based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-Based DENTistry (PRECEDENT) network. Information was obtained from meetings with general dentists, a survey of general dentists (N = 253), and a clinical examination and record review of a systemic random sample of patients visiting community clinics and private practices. (N = 1903)—all part of a dental practice-based research network. The processes of conducting research, the dentist and patient sociodemographic characteristics, the prevalence of oral diseases, and the dental treatments received in community clinics and private practices were compared. Both community clinics and private practices have the clinical treatment of the patients as their priority and have time constraints on research. The processes of research training, obtaining informed consent, and collecting, transmitting, and securely maintaining research data are also similar. The patient populations and treatment needs differ substantially between community clinics and private practices, with a higher prevalence of dental caries and higher restorative treatment needs in the community clinic patients. The process of study participant selection and follow-up for research and the dentist and staff work arrangements also vary between the two practice settings. Although community clinic patients and their dental healthcare providers have different research needs and challenges than their counterparts in private practice, practice-based research can be successfully PMID:25429251

DOE Chair Excellence Professorship Environmental Disciplines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riley, Reginald

2014-10-08

The DECM Team worked closely with other academic institutions, industrial companies and government laboratories to do research and educate engineers in “cutting edge” environmentally conscious manufacturing practices and instrumentation. The participating universities also worked individually with local companies on research projects in their specialty areas. Together, they were charged with research application, integration and education in environmentally conscious manufacturing.

Impact of professional nursing practice environment and psychological empowerment on nurses' work engagement: test of structural equation modelling.

PubMed

Wang, Shanshan; Liu, Yanhui

2015-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the influence of professional nursing practice environment and psychological empowerment on nurses' work engagement. Previous researchers have acknowledged the positive influence that nurse work environment and psychological empowerment have on engagement. However, less is known about the mechanisms that explain the links between them. A predictive, non-experimental design was used to test the model in a random sample of 300 clinical nurses from two tertiary first class hospitals of Tianjin, China. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and the Psychological Empowerment Scale were used to measure the study variables. Structural equation modelling revealed a good fit of the model to the data based on various fit indices (P = 0.371, χ(2) /df = 1.056, goodness of fit index = 0.967), which indicated that both professional practice environment and psychological empowerment could positively influence work engagement directly, and professional practice environment could also indirectly influence work engagement through the mediation of psychological empowerment. The study hypotheses were supported. Psychological empowerment was found to mediate the relationship between practice environments and work engagement. Administrators should provide a professional nursing practice environment and empower nurses psychologically to increase nurse engagement. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating Prior Scholarship in Literature Reviews of Research Articles: A Comparative Study of Practices in Two Research Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwan, Becky S. C.; Chan, Hang; Lam, Colin

2012-01-01

Evaluations of prior scholarship play a crucial role in the literature review (LR) of a research article by showing how the boundary of an area of inquiry can be further advanced by the writer's work. Yet, many inexperienced writers find evaluating others' work a major challenge. Although the task has received some attention in research and…

A Situated Practice of Ethics for Participatory Visual and Digital Methods in Public Health Research and Practice: A Focus on Digital Storytelling

PubMed Central

Hill, Amy L.; Flicker, Sarah

2014-01-01

This article explores ethical considerations related to participatory visual and digital methods for public health research and practice, through the lens of an approach known as “digital storytelling.” We begin by briefly describing the digital storytelling process and its applications to public health research and practice. Next, we explore 6 common challenges: fuzzy boundaries, recruitment and consent to participate, power of shaping, representation and harm, confidentiality, and release of materials. We discuss their complexities and offer some considerations for ethical practice. We hope this article serves as a catalyst for expanded dialogue about the need for high standards of integrity and a situated practice of ethics wherein researchers and practitioners reflexively consider ethical decision-making as part of the ongoing work of public health. PMID:23948015

A situated practice of ethics for participatory visual and digital methods in public health research and practice: a focus on digital storytelling.

PubMed

Gubrium, Aline C; Hill, Amy L; Flicker, Sarah

2014-09-01

This article explores ethical considerations related to participatory visual and digital methods for public health research and practice, through the lens of an approach known as "digital storytelling." We begin by briefly describing the digital storytelling process and its applications to public health research and practice. Next, we explore 6 common challenges: fuzzy boundaries, recruitment and consent to participate, power of shaping, representation and harm, confidentiality, and release of materials. We discuss their complexities and offer some considerations for ethical practice. We hope this article serves as a catalyst for expanded dialogue about the need for high standards of integrity and a situated practice of ethics wherein researchers and practitioners reflexively consider ethical decision-making as part of the ongoing work of public health.

RN work engagement in generational cohorts: the view from rural US hospitals.

PubMed

Sullivan Havens, Donna; Warshawsky, Nora E; Vasey, Joseph

2013-10-01

To describe staff nurse work engagement, identify predictors by generational cohort, present implications for nurse managers and suggest future research. A global nurse shortage looms. While an adequate supply of nurses is needed to ensure access to care, access to quality care may be enhanced by an adequate supply of highly engaged nurses-those who are dedicated, energized, and absorbed. Nurses have long reported the presence of energy depleting practice environments. Nurses practicing in professional practice environments may be more engaged. A non-experimental survey design was executed. Direct care Registered Nurses (n = 747) working in five rural acute care hospitals completed questionnaires to assess work engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9), decisional involvement (Decisional Involvement Scale), relational coordination (Relational Coordination Survey) and the nursing practice environment (Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index). Descriptive, correlational and regression analyses examined work engagement and predictors by generational cohort. With the exception of the absorption component, no statistically significant differences in engagement emerged across generational cohorts. Predictors of engagement differed by cohort, however across all cohorts, professional nursing practice environments predicted nurse work engagement. Professional nursing practice environments are significantly associated with nurse work engagement. Enhancing nurse work engagement is a complex challenge. Generational cohorts may respond to different strategies to enhance engagement. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

In retrospect--a reflection on a 50-year research journey.

PubMed

Howie, John G R

2014-02-01

This essay is a personal review of a research journey extending over 50 years during which time the understanding of medical practice has changed out of all recognition and the quality and standing of the discipline of general practice has improved substantially. Three main bodies of work are reviewed and set against the reasons why they were undertaken. The first, on the pathology of the appendix and the management of possible appendicitis, was carried out almost entirely in the hospital setting. The second, about the prescribing of antibiotics for respiratory illnesses, and the third, about the determinants of good consulting practice, were carried out in general practice. The essay concludes with a reflection on the relevance of the work to some contemporary academic and health service issues. Although the work was carried out in the UK in the context of its National Health Service (NHS), the conclusions are widely generalizable and have contributed to health service and academic developments in many other countries.

2014 Code of Practice: How Research Evidence on the Role and Impact of Teaching Assistants Can Inform Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Rob

2014-01-01

In this article, the author reflects on findings from research on the role and impact of teaching assistants and experience of working as a special educational needs (SEN) officer. Research evidence suggests the reliance on teaching assistants to include pupils with Statements of SEN in mainstream settings masks a collective, though unintentional,…

A Framework of Working Across Disciplines in Early Design and R&D of Large Complex Engineered Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria Rivas; Papalambros, Panos Y.; Baker, Wayne E.

2015-01-01

This paper examines four primary methods of working across disciplines during R&D and early design of large-scale complex engineered systems such as aerospace systems. A conceptualized framework, called the Combining System Elements framework, is presented to delineate several aspects of cross-discipline and system integration practice. The framework is derived from a theoretical and empirical analysis of current work practices in actual operational settings and is informed by theories from organization science and engineering. The explanatory framework may be used by teams to clarify assumptions and associated work practices, which may reduce ambiguity in understanding diverse approaches to early systems research, development and design. The framework also highlights that very different engineering results may be obtained depending on work practices, even when the goals for the engineered system are the same.

Transforming Practice with Older People through an Ethic of Care

PubMed Central

Ward, Lizzie; Barnes, Marian

2016-01-01

This article explores the relevance of deliberative practices framed by feminist care ethics to social work practice with older people. It draws on two connected projects which brought together older people: practitioners and academics. The first was a participatory research project in which the significance of care to well-being in old age emerged. The second was a knowledge exchange project which generated learning resources for social care practice based on the research findings of the first project. Here we analyse selected transcripts of recordings from meetings of both projects to consider the ways that discussions about lived experiences and everyday lives demonstrate care through this dialogue. Using this analysis, we propose that care ethics can be useful in transforming relationships between older people and those working with them through the creation of hybrid spaces in which ‘care-full deliberation’ can happen. We argue that such reflective spaces can enable transformative dialogue about care and its importance to older people and offer a counterbalance to the procedurally driven environments in which much social work practice takes place and can support practice more attuned to the circumstances and concerns of older people. PMID:27559205

Transforming Practice with Older People through an Ethic of Care.

PubMed

Ward, Lizzie; Barnes, Marian

2016-06-01

This article explores the relevance of deliberative practices framed by feminist care ethics to social work practice with older people. It draws on two connected projects which brought together older people: practitioners and academics. The first was a participatory research project in which the significance of care to well-being in old age emerged. The second was a knowledge exchange project which generated learning resources for social care practice based on the research findings of the first project. Here we analyse selected transcripts of recordings from meetings of both projects to consider the ways that discussions about lived experiences and everyday lives demonstrate care through this dialogue. Using this analysis, we propose that care ethics can be useful in transforming relationships between older people and those working with them through the creation of hybrid spaces in which 'care-full deliberation' can happen. We argue that such reflective spaces can enable transformative dialogue about care and its importance to older people and offer a counterbalance to the procedurally driven environments in which much social work practice takes place and can support practice more attuned to the circumstances and concerns of older people.

An empirical analysis of public and private medical practice in Australia.

PubMed

Cheng, Terence C; Joyce, Catherine M; Scott, Anthony

2013-06-01

The combination of public and private medical practice is widespread in many health systems and has important consequences for health care cost and quality. However, its forms and prevalence vary widely and are poorly understood. This paper examines factors associated with public and private sector work by medical specialists using a nationally representative sample of Australian doctors. We find considerable variations in the practice patterns, remuneration contracts and professional arrangements across doctors in different work sectors. Both specialists in mixed practice and private practice differ from public sector specialists with regard to their annual earnings, sources of income, maternity and other leave taken and number of practice locations. Public sector specialists are likely to be younger, to be international medical graduates, devote a higher percentage of time to education and research, and are more likely to do after hours and on-call work compared with private sector specialists. Gender and total hours worked do not differ between doctors across the different practice types. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence-based practice curriculum in allied health professions for teaching-research-practice nexus.

PubMed

Asokan, G V

2012-11-01

Allied healthcare workers are from diverse professions and the key skill required is providing evidence-based care but this concept has not permeated enough for using it skillfully in their professions. A well structured curriculum in allied health professions is needed to strengthen concerted teaching, research, and practice to empower their professionals and make considerable differences in the lives of people by adopting evidence-based practice. Information sources for allied health professionals have relied on advice of their supervisors and colleagues, personal experiences, authoritative theory and texts for practice. Because of "research-practice" gap, often the use of evidence is not reflected in an individual day to day professional practice. Although allied health professionals work in resource and evidence challenged settings, there are certain barriers and facilitators, which need to be addressed. To implement practice-related research findings and uptake of evidence requires two essential components, namely, practical component and knowledge component. Research bench marking and research metrics for quality assurance and standardization through evidence-based practice will promote academic status and credibility of allied health profession. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Efficacy beliefs predict collaborative practice among intensive care unit nurses.

PubMed

Le Blanc, Pascale M; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; Salanova, Marisa; Llorens, Susana; Nap, Raoul E

2010-03-01

This paper is a report of an investigation of whether intensive care nurses' efficacy beliefs predict future collaborative practice, and to test the potential mediating role of team commitment in this relationship. Recent empirical studies in the field of work and organizational psychology have demonstrated that (professional) efficacy beliefs are reciprocally related to workers' resources and well-being over time, resulting in a positive gain spiral. Moreover, there is ample evidence that workers' affective commitment to their organization or work-team is related to desirable work behaviours such as citizenship behaviour. A longitudinal design was applied to questionnaire data from the EURICUS-project. Structural Equation Modelling was used to analyse the data. The sample consisted of 372 nurses working in 29 different European intensive care units. Data were collected in 1997 and 1998. However, our research model deals with fundamental psychosocial processes that are not time-dependent. Moreover, recent empirical literature shows that there is still room for improvement in ICU collaborative practice. The hypotheses that (i) the relationship between efficacy beliefs and collaborative practice is mediated by team commitment and (ii) efficacy beliefs, team commitment and collaborative practice are reciprocally related were supported, suggesting a potential positive gain spiral of efficacy beliefs. Healthcare organizations should create working environments that provide intensive care unit nurses with sufficient resources to perform their job well. Further research is needed to design and evaluate interventions for the enhancement of collaborative practice in intensive care units.

Exploring deliberate practice in medicine: how do physicians learn in the workplace?

PubMed

van de Wiel, Margje W J; Van den Bossche, Piet; Janssen, Sandra; Jossberger, Helen

2011-03-01

Medical professionals need to keep on learning as part of their everyday work to deliver high-quality health care. Although the importance of physicians' learning is widely recognized, few studies have investigated how they learn in the workplace. Based on insights from deliberate practice research, this study examined the activities physicians engage in during their work that might further their professional development. As deliberate practice requires a focused effort to improve performance, the study also examined the goals underlying this behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 internal medicine physicians: 19 residents, 18 internists working at a university hospital, and 13 working at a non-university hospital. The results showed that learning in medical practice was very much embedded in clinical work. Most relevant learning activities were directly related to patient care rather than motivated by competence improvement goals. Advice and feedback were sought when necessary to provide this care. Performance standards were tied to patients' conditions. The patients encountered and the discussions with colleagues about patients were valued most for professional development, while teaching and updating activities were also valued in this respect. In conclusion, physicians' learning is largely guided by practical experience rather than deliberately sought. When professionals interact in diagnosing and treating patients to achieve high-quality care, their experiences contribute to expertise development. However, much could be gained from managing learning opportunities more explicitly. We offer suggestions for increasing the focus on learning in medical practice and further research.

A review of best work-absence management and return-to-work practices for workers with musculoskeletal or common mental disorders.

PubMed

Durand, Marie-José; Corbière, Marc; Coutu, Marie-France; Reinharz, Daniel; Albert, Valérie

2014-01-01

Workplace absenteeism is still a curse for developed countries, and more systematic practices need to be adopted to address this issue. To review the literature on best practices for managing work absences related to musculoskeletal or common mental disorders. A review was conducted by performing a search in bibliographic databases and on work-disability research institute websites. Recommendations regarding work-absence management and return-to-work practices were extracted from all the retained documents and organized within a chronological framework. In total, 17 documents were analyzed, leading to identification of common work-absence management and return-to-work practices, the importance of a worker support approach, and recommended roles and responsibilities for stakeholders. These practices were then integrated into a six-step process: (1) time off and recovery period; (2) initial contact with the worker; (3) evaluation of the worker and his job tasks; (4) development of a return-to-work plan with accommodations; (5) work resumption, and (6) follow-up of the return-to-work process. Based on this review, we constructed a comprehensive work-absence management and return-to-work process designed to assist organizations. Our results indicate that such a process must be included within a broader policy of health promotion and job retention. Adaptations will be required for implementation in the workplace.

Social work and adverse childhood experiences research: implications for practice and health policy.

PubMed

Larkin, Heather; Felitti, Vincent J; Anda, Robert F

2014-01-01

Medical research on "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs) reveals a compelling relationship between the extent of childhood adversity, adult health risk behaviors, and principal causes of death in the United States. This article provides a selective review of the ACE Study and related social science research to describe how effective social work practice that prevents ACEs and mobilizes resilience and recovery from childhood adversity could support the achievement of national health policy goals. This article applies a biopsychosocial perspective, with an emphasis on mind-body coping processes to demonstrate that social work responses to adverse childhood experiences may contribute to improvement in overall health. Consistent with this framework, the article sets forth prevention and intervention response strategies with individuals, families, communities, and the larger society. Economic research on human capital development is reviewed that suggests significant cost savings may result from effective implementation of these strategies.

Practice Parameter for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medicus, Jennifer

2012-01-01

This Practice Parameter describes the principles of psychodynamic psychotherapy with children and is based on clinical consensus and available research evidence. It presents guidelines for the practice of child psychodynamic psychotherapy, including indications and contraindications, the setting, verbal and interactive (play) techniques, work with…

Read, Talk, Play, Watch: How HRD Practitioners Like to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Jo A.

2008-01-01

While an aim of research is to inform practice, there exists a tension between scholars who undertake research and practitioners whom it might benefit. Scholars work diligently inside a system that values print for dissemination, but practitioners opine that the practicalities are embedded within ponderous articles rife with academic language and…

Examining Practice in Secondary Visual Arts Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Donna Mathewson

2015-01-01

Teaching in secondary visual arts classrooms is complex and challenging work. While it is implicated in much research, the complexity of the lived experience of secondary visual arts teaching has rarely been the subject of sustained and synthesized research. In this paper, the potential of practice as a concept to examine and represent secondary…

Designer Stories: A Commentary on the Community of Design Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mc Glashan, A. A.

2011-01-01

This research explores the design practice of three prominent New Zealand designers. It seeks to identify the key elements and methodologies they employ and to answer the research question: "How do designers design?" The need to gain understanding on how designers work, gave me occasion to visit and speak with designers about their…

Landscape Scale Management in the Ouachita Mountains - Where Operational Practices Meet Research

Treesearch

Hunter Speed; Ronald J. Perisho; Samuel Larry; James M. Guldin

1999-01-01

Implementation of ecosystem management on National Forest System lands in the Southern Region requires that the best available science be applied to support forest management practices. On the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas, personnel from the Jessieville and Winona Ranger Districts and the Southern Research Station have developed working relationships that...

Honor the Past. Then Get Over It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swenson, Sue

2015-01-01

This speech was presented at a conference, the National Goals in Research, Policy, and Practice, held in Washington, DC, on August 6-7, 2015. The conference was a working meeting to summarize the current state of knowledge and identify a platform of national goals in research, practice, and policy in intellectual and developmental disabilities.…

Evidence and Impact: How Scholarship Can Improve Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lingenfelter, Paul E.

2011-01-01

Researchers, policy makers, and practitioners share a sincere interest in improving the human condition. Academics may be tempted to fault irrationality, ideology, or ignorance for the failure of research to inform policy and practice more powerfully, but policy makers and practitioners want academics to tell them "what works" in order to find a…

Relationship between School Principals' Ethical Leadership Behaviours and Positive Climate Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eranil, Anil Kadir; Özbilen, Fatih Mutlu

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between school principals' ethical leadership behaviour and positive climate practices. Research sample consisted of 383 teachers working at schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in 2014-2015 academic year. This research was designed according to the relational model. Data…

Working with Teachers to Adapt an Evidence-Based Intervention for Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahmer, Aubyn C.; Reed, Sarah; Suhrheinrich, Jessica; Schreibman, Laura

2013-01-01

Increasing diagnoses of autism have led to pressure to improve the quality of educational services for children with autism by incorporating evidence-based practices (EBPs) into school programs. However, this process has been difficult, and both autism researchers and educators report frustration concerning the gap between research and practice.…

The Role of Fitness Professionals in Public Health: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Lyon, Alexander T. C.; Neville, Ross D.; Armour, Kathleen M.

2017-01-01

Kinesiology researchers have long had an interest in physical activity, fitness, and health issues and in the professional education and work practices of teachers and coaches. The professional development needs and practices of "fitness professionals," however, have not been a major concern for researchers in the field. The purpose of…

Dyslexia in the Early Years: A Handbook for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Gavin

2017-01-01

Research has shown that early identification and intervention is crucial and can in fact minimise, and may even prevent, the challenges of dyslexia from becoming too detrimental at later stages of education. This book offers both research insights and practical guidance for teachers working in Early Years settings on how to create resource…

Modelling the Sociocultural Contexts of Science Education: The Teachers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2013-01-01

A growing body of research argues that teachers' beliefs and practices should be studied within the sociocultural contexts of their work because the relationship between their beliefs and practices is both complex and context-dependent. There is a need for further research in this area in understudied contexts such as developing countries, in…

Toward Community Research and Coalitional Literacy Practices for Educational Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campano, Gerald; Ghiso, María Paula; Yee, Mary; Pantoja, Alicia

2013-01-01

Community-based research can provide an avenue for understanding the complexities of students' and families' lives and working together for educational justice through what we refer to as coalitional literacy practices. In this article, we share a critical incident about a student's absence from school as an illustrative case of the grass-roots…

Philosophical Hermeneutics and Critical Pedagogy in Environmental Education Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iared, Valéria Ghisloti; Di Tullio, Ariane; Payne, Phillip G.; Torres de Oliveira, Haydée

2015-01-01

The contributions and challenges of Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics and Freire's critical pedagogy to research and practice in environmental education are considered. We present the authors' main concepts and relate them to the principles of critical environmental education that have guided our work in Brazil. Although a raft of current…

Calling and Vocation at Work: Definitions and Prospects for Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dik, Bryan J.; Duffy, Ryan D.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to initiate an effort to establish the constructs calling and vocation within counseling psychology. First, updated definitions of calling and vocation, developed with an eye toward stimulating research and providing useful practice applications, are proposed. Next, the authors explain how the constructs apply to the…

Faculty Teaching Climate: Scale Construction and Initial Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knorek, John Kenneth

2012-01-01

The concept "academic culture" has been used as a framework to understand faculty work in higher education. Academic culture research builds on organizational psychology concepts of culture and climate to better understand employee practices and work phenomenon. Ample research has investigated faculty teaching at the disciplinary and…

Developing Effective Social Work University-Community Research Collaborations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begun, Audrey L.; Berger, Lisa K.; Otto-Salaj, Laura L.; Rose, Susan J.

2010-01-01

In many instances, departments of social work in universities and community-based social services agencies have common interests in improving professional practice and advancing knowledge in the profession. Effective university-community research collaborations can help partners achieve these goals jointly, but to be effective these collaborative…

Northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting.

PubMed

Vukic, Adele; Keddy, Barbara

2002-12-01

This paper explicates the nature of outpost nursing work, and/or the day-to-day realities of northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting in Canada. The study was carried out to systematically explore the work of nurses in an indigenous setting. Institutional ethnography, pioneered by Dorothy Smith was the methodology used to guide this research. The theoretical perspective of this methodology does not seek causes or links but intends to explicate visible practices. It is intended to explicate the social organization of specific discourses that inform work processes of nurses working in remote indigenous communities. The data originated from various sources including spending 2 weeks in a northern remote community shadowing experienced nurses, taking field notes and audio taping interviews with these nurses. One of the two researchers was a northern practice nurse for many years and has had taught in an outpost nursing programme. As part of the process, texts were obtained from the site as data to be incorporated in the analysis. The lived experiences have added to the analytical understanding of the work of nurses in remote areas. Data uncovered documentary practices inherent to the work setting which were then analysed along with the transcribed interviews and field notes derived from the on-site visit. Identifying disjuncture in the discourse of northern nursing and the lived experience of the nurses in this study was central to the research process. The results indicated that the social organization of northern community nursing work required a broad generalist knowledge base for decision making to work effectively within this primary health care setting. The nurse as 'other' and the invisibility of nurses' work of building a trusting relationship with the community is not reflected in the discourse of northern nursing. Trust cannot be quantified or measured yet it is fundamental to working effectively with the community. The nurses in this study saw building trust to promote health and well-being in communities as very important, yet very difficult to achieve. The difficulty in part stems from the constraining, structural, administrative, historical, cultural and political contextual realities that have shaped northern community nursing.

One hundred years of work design research: Looking back and looking forward.

PubMed

Parker, Sharon K; Morgeson, Frederick P; Johns, Gary

2017-03-01

In this article we take a big picture perspective on work design research. In the first section of the paper we identify influential work design articles and use scientific mapping to identify distinct clusters of research. Pulling this material together, we identify five key work design perspectives that map onto distinct historical developments: (a) sociotechnical systems and autonomous work groups, (b) job characteristics model, (c) job demands-control model, (d) job demands-resources model, and (e) role theory. The grounding of these perspectives in the past is understandable, but we suggest that some of the distinction between clusters is convenient rather than substantive. Thus we also identify contemporary integrative perspectives on work design that build connections across the clusters and we argue that there is scope for further integration. In the second section of the paper, we review the role of Journal of Applied Psychology ( JAP ) in shaping work design research. We conclude that JAP has played a vital role in the advancement of this topic over the last 100 years. Nevertheless, we suspect that to continue to play a leading role in advancing the science and practice of work design, the journal might need to publish research that is broader, more contextualized, and team-oriented. In the third section, we address the impact of work design research on: applied psychology and management, disciplines beyond our own, management thinking, work practice, and national policy agendas. Finally, we draw together observations from our analysis and identify key future directions for the field. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Civilisation on the Couch: Theorising Multi-Levelled Psychoanalytical Arts Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benjamin, Garfield

2014-01-01

This paper combines two psychological approaches to art to theorise a both subjective and cultural methodology for practice-based arts research. The first psychoanalytical approach will follow the work of Deleuze and Guattari's Schizoanalysis, considering the role of the artist in order to assess their work in relation to society from an…

Reflective Journaling as a Flipped Classroom Technique to Increase Reading and Participation with Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sage, Melanie; Sele, Patti

2015-01-01

Students in undergraduate social work practice courses come to class with varying levels of educational, life, and practice experience. Students require an introduction to the material through textbook reading before they are able to engage in critical discussions, yet reading adherence varies widely among students. This research explores the use…

Developing "Know How": A Participatory Approach to Assessment of Placement Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Susan; Ord, Jon

2014-01-01

This paper is based on research undertaken on the supervised practice of an undergraduate programme of study which leads to both BA (Hons) degree and a professional qualification in youth work in a university in England. Youth work, for those unfamiliar with it, is a form of informal and experiential educational practice with young people often…

"Working towards being ready": A grounded theory study of how practising midwives maintain their ongoing competence to practise their profession.

PubMed

Calvert, Susan; Smythe, Elizabeth; McKenzie-Green, Barbara

2017-07-01

to present a grounded theory research study explaining how New Zealand midwives maintain their ongoing competence to practise their profession. grounded theory, an interpretive emergent research methodology was used to examine the process of maintaining competence in midwifery practice. New Zealand urban and rural practice settings. twenty-six midwives from across New Zealand were interviewed and asked about maintaining their competence to practise. Five midwives were interviewed twice, to explore the emerging findings and as one method of member checking. the grounded theory of 'working towards being ready' describes a continuous process in which midwives engage as they work to maintain practice competence. The component parts comprise professional positioning, identifying needs, strategizing solutions and reflecting on practice. The process is contextual, diverse and is influenced by the practice setting where the salient conditions of resourcing, availability and opportunity for engagement in activities are significant. across the midwifery profession, midwives in New Zealand are currently working under the generic umbrella of midwifery practice. Midwives work across a range of practice arenas in diverse ways focussed on providing safe care and require a range of professional development activities germane to their area of practice. When the midwife has access to professional development pertinent to their practice, women and the profession benefit. As there is diversity of practice, then mandated processes for ongoing competence need to have flexibility to reflect that diversity. midwives engage in development that allows them to remain current in practice and that enables them to provide appropriate care to women and their babies. As a consequence they can develop expertise in certain aspects of midwifery. Mandated processes that require engagement in activities aimed at demonstration of competence should be evaluated and tailored to ensure they meet the needs of the developing profession. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring varieties of knowledge in safe work practices - an ethnographic study of surgical teams

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Within existing research in health and medicine, the nature of knowledge on how teams conduct safe work practices has yet to be properly explored. Methods We address this concern by exploring the varieties in which knowledge is expressed during interdisciplinary surgical operations. Specifically, the study was conducted in a surgical section of a Norwegian regional general hospital, between January and April of 2010, by means of an ethnographic design combining detailed non-participant observations, conversations and semi-structured interviews. Results Based on an analysis of the gathered data, we identify three particular themes in how knowledge is expressed by operating room personnel: (i) the ability and variety individuals demonstrate in handling multiple sources of information, before reaching a particular decision, (ii) the variety of ways awareness or anticipation of future events is expressed, and (iii) the different ways sudden and unexpected situations are handled by the individual team members. Conclusions We conclude that these facets of knowledge bring different insights into how safe work practices are achieved at an individual and team level in surgical operations, thus adding to the existing understanding of the nature of knowledge in safe work practices in surgical operations. Future research should focus on exploring and documenting the relationships between various elements of knowledge and safe work practices, in different surgical settings and countries. PMID:21914183

Research as Spiritual Covenant

PubMed Central

Salois, Emily Matt; Holkup, Patricia A.; Tripp-Reimer, Toni; Weinert, Clarann

2009-01-01

Conducting research with Native American communities poses special challenges from misunderstandings that may arise from the interface of differing cultural worldviews held by the scientific and the Native communities. Although the community-based participatory research approach shows promise for conducting research that can maximize benefits and minimize the risks of harm to Native American people, there is little information related to the practical implementation of culturally appropriate research practices when working with Native American communities. Drawing on the authors' research with three Native American communities in the Northwest, this article describes culturally appropriate processes for engaging Native American communities. The first section identifies and describes the principles that provide the foundation for the authors' research activity as a spiritual covenant and guides the authors' research with the three communities. The second section describes the project phase matrix that was used to organize the approaches employed in this work. PMID:16829635

Training and Work Organisation: An Action-Research Study in a Sales and Distribution Company

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernardes, Alda Cristina; Lopes, Albino Pedro

2005-01-01

This study seeks to define a method of designing work-linked training, based on day-to-day work practices and the collaboration between all those involved. From diagnosis to evaluation, no training is designed or given without considering the opinions and interests of the parties involved. The method used is based on action research (AR) and on…

Educating Today's School Social Workers: Are School Social Work Courses Responding to the Changing Context?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berzin, Stephanie Cosner; O'Connor, Sarah

2010-01-01

School social work takes place within the dynamic context of the educational landscape, yet research indicates that school social work practice has been slow to adjust to the demands of that landscape. Little research has assessed whether school social workers are being adequately prepared to address the educational shifts that underlie today's…

Interprofessional collaboration in research, education, and clinical practice: working together for a better future.

PubMed

Green, Bart N; Johnson, Claire D

2015-03-01

Interprofessional collaboration occurs when 2 or more professions work together to achieve common goals and is often used as a means for solving a variety of problems and complex issues. The benefits of collaboration allow participants to achieve together more than they can individually, serve larger groups of people, and grow on individual and organizational levels. This editorial provides an overview of interprofessional collaboration in the areas of clinical practice, education, and research; discusses barriers to collaboration; and suggests potential means to overcome them.

Interprofessional collaboration in research, education, and clinical practice: working together for a better future

PubMed Central

Green, Bart N.; Johnson, Claire D.

2015-01-01

Interprofessional collaboration occurs when 2 or more professions work together to achieve common goals and is often used as a means for solving a variety of problems and complex issues. The benefits of collaboration allow participants to achieve together more than they can individually, serve larger groups of people, and grow on individual and organizational levels. This editorial provides an overview of interprofessional collaboration in the areas of clinical practice, education, and research; discusses barriers to collaboration; and suggests potential means to overcome them. PMID:25594446

Beyond positivism: Understanding and addressing childhood obesity disparities through a Critical Theory perspective.

PubMed

Schroeder, Krista; Kulage, Kristine M; Lucero, Robert

2015-10-01

We apply Critical Theory to examine menu labeling with the aim of uncovering important implications for nursing practice, research, and policy. Our critical analysis uncovers barriers to menu labeling's effectiveness, particularly for vulnerable populations. Nurses must work to minimize the impact of these barriers and optimize the effectiveness of menu labeling, in order to strengthen the fight against obesity. We suggest changes, guided by this critical analysis, which can be implemented by nurses working in clinical practice, research, and policy. © 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Balancing exploration and exploitation in transferring research into practice: a comparison of five knowledge translation entity archetypes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Translating knowledge from research into clinical practice has emerged as a practice of increasing importance. This has led to the creation of new organizational entities designed to bridge knowledge between research and practice. Within the UK, the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) have been introduced to ensure that emphasis is placed in ensuring research is more effectively translated and implemented in clinical practice. Knowledge translation (KT) can be accomplished in various ways and is affected by the structures, activities, and coordination practices of organizations. We draw on concepts in the innovation literature—namely exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity—to examine these structures and activities as well as the ensuing tensions between research and implementation. Methods Using a qualitative research approach, the study was based on 106 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the directors, theme leads and managers, key professionals involved in research and implementation in nine CLAHRCs. Data was also collected from intensive focus group workshops. Results In this article we develop five archetypes for organizing KT. The results show how the various CLAHRC entities work through partnerships to create explorative research and deliver exploitative implementation. The different archetypes highlight a range of structures that can achieve ambidextrous balance as they organize activity and coordinate practice on a continuum of exploration and exploitation. Conclusion This work suggests that KT entities aim to reach their goals through a balance between exploration and exploitation in the support of generating new research and ensuring knowledge implementation. We highlight different organizational archetypes that support various ways to maintain ambidexterity, where both exploration and exploitation are supported in an attempt to narrow the knowledge gaps. The KT entity archetypes offer insights on strategies in structuring collaboration to facilitate an effective balance of exploration and exploitation learning in the KT process. PMID:24007259

Balancing exploration and exploitation in transferring research into practice: a comparison of five knowledge translation entity archetypes.

PubMed

Oborn, Eivor; Barrett, Michael; Prince, Karl; Racko, Girts

2013-09-05

Translating knowledge from research into clinical practice has emerged as a practice of increasing importance. This has led to the creation of new organizational entities designed to bridge knowledge between research and practice. Within the UK, the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) have been introduced to ensure that emphasis is placed in ensuring research is more effectively translated and implemented in clinical practice. Knowledge translation (KT) can be accomplished in various ways and is affected by the structures, activities, and coordination practices of organizations. We draw on concepts in the innovation literature--namely exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity--to examine these structures and activities as well as the ensuing tensions between research and implementation. Using a qualitative research approach, the study was based on 106 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the directors, theme leads and managers, key professionals involved in research and implementation in nine CLAHRCs. Data was also collected from intensive focus group workshops. In this article we develop five archetypes for organizing KT. The results show how the various CLAHRC entities work through partnerships to create explorative research and deliver exploitative implementation. The different archetypes highlight a range of structures that can achieve ambidextrous balance as they organize activity and coordinate practice on a continuum of exploration and exploitation. This work suggests that KT entities aim to reach their goals through a balance between exploration and exploitation in the support of generating new research and ensuring knowledge implementation. We highlight different organizational archetypes that support various ways to maintain ambidexterity, where both exploration and exploitation are supported in an attempt to narrow the knowledge gaps. The KT entity archetypes offer insights on strategies in structuring collaboration to facilitate an effective balance of exploration and exploitation learning in the KT process.

Communities of practice in life sciences and the need for brokering

PubMed Central

Tierney, Anne

2016-01-01

Etienne Wenger’s work on communities of practice is influential in teaching and learning in higher education. A core work of many postgraduate certificate in teaching and learning (PGCert) courses for new lecturers, it is studied, in the main, as a means to understand how to support and encourage students to achieve more effective learning. Communities of practice can also be applied to academics. In the context of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and its predecessors, the gulf between research-focused and teaching-Focused academics in life sciences has widened, so that in many institutions, these two groups have evolved into two distinct communities of practice; one whose priority is disciplinary research, the other’s learning and teaching. However, in 2015, the UK government announced that a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) would be introduced into higher education in England, as early as 2017. While the exact details of TEF remain unclear, it is certain that “excellence” and “student satisfaction” will be high on the agenda. It is vital, therefore, that the two communities of practice, research-focused and teaching-focused, find ways to come together in order to ensure high quality teaching and learning. Wenger proposes that this can be done through the process of “brokering”, which allows expertise from both communities of practice to cross from one to the other, strengthening both. This should be encouraged at departmental and institutional level, but another vital origin of brokering can be forged at a(n) (inter)national level at meetings such as the SEB Annual Conference, where teaching-focused academics have the opportunity to mix with research-active colleagues. While this paper is informed by recent and current events in the UK Higher Education sector, it is of interest to academics who work in an environment where research and teaching have become separate to any extent. PMID:26998239

Gender, Work, and Health for Trans Health Providers: A Focus on Transmen

PubMed Central

MacDonnell, Judith A.; Grigorovich, Alisa

2012-01-01

Well-documented health research points to trans people's vulnerability to health inequities that are linked to deeply embedded structural and social determinants of health. Gender and work, as social determinants of health for trans people, both shape and are shaped by multiple factors such as support networks, social environments, income and social status, shelter, and personal health practices. There is a gap in the nursing literature in regards to research on work and health for diverse trans people and a virtual silence on the particular issues of trans-identified health providers. This qualitative study used comparative life history methodology and purposeful sampling to examine links among work, career, and health for transmen who are health providers. Semistructured interviews were completed with four Canadian transmen involved in health care professional and/or practice contexts with diverse professions, age, work, and transitioning experiences. Critical gender analysis showed that unique and gender-related critical events and influences shape continuities and discontinuities in their careerlives. This strength-based approach foregrounds how resilience and growth emerged through participants' articulation with everyday gender dynamics. These findings have implications for nursing research, education, and practice that include an understanding of how trans providers “do transgender work” and supporting them in that process. PMID:23316387

Christian Educators' Use of Prayer to Cope with Stress.

PubMed

LaBarbera, Robin; Hetzel, June

2016-08-01

Teachers experience significant work-related stress, and research asserts that they show greater mental health symptoms associated with this stress as compared to many other professions. Psychological distress among educators has been reported in the literature to be twice that of the general population. In other lines of research examining religious practices such as prayer, researchers have documented the overall positive impact of prayer on one's mental health. This study identified sources of stress for an international sample of 916 Christian educators, and the use of religious practices such as prayer, to determine whether prayer served as a coping strategy for their work-related stress. A mixed methods approach was used to measure three key variables: sources of stress, spiritual practices, and job satisfaction. Qualitative findings were used to analyze participants' sources of stress, and quantitative findings were used to measure their practice of spiritual disciplines and job satisfaction. A statistically significant relationship was found between frequency of prayer and job satisfaction, providing support for the initial hypothesis.

Research teaching in learning disability nursing: Exploring the views of student and registered learning disability nurses.

PubMed

Northway, Ruth; Parker, Michelle; James, Neil; Davies, Lynsey; Johnson, Kaye; Wilson, Sally

2015-12-01

Whilst there is a need to develop the research base within learning disability nursing it is also significant that currently there is little published data as to how research is taught to this group of nurses. To increase understanding of how research is currently taught to learning disability nurses within the UK. A survey design was used. The research was undertaken at a conference held in the UK in March 2014. 310 learning disability nurses attending the conference of which 212 completed the free text question. This comprised student nurses (n=158), registered nurses working in practice settings (n=25) and registered nurses working in educational institutions (n=24). Five participants did not specify their background. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire that included a free text question regarding the teaching of research to learning disability nurses: it is the responses to this question that are reported in this paper. Responses were transcribed and thematically analysed. Eight themes emerged: Teaching approach--the good and the bad; finding the right level; right from the start; we need more time; generic versus specialist; there's not enough; getting research into practice; and what should we focus on? Variations exist in terms of the timing of research education, the teaching approaches used, and hence the quality of student experience. Of particular concern is the apparent gap between research teaching and the use of research in practice, and the reported lack of support for research within practice settings. However, enthusiasm for research is evident and hence recommendations are made both to enhance teaching and to strengthen links with practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teacher Research Experiences: Impacting and Benefiting Teacher Professional Development and School-wide Practices (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, C. B.

2013-12-01

Providing authentic research opportunities is a potent form of professional development that significantly impacts teaching practices. The University of Rhode Island's ARMADA Project (2003-2010) was funded by the National Science Foundation to create opportunities for teachers to work with marine science researchers and implement best-practices in their classrooms. In early 2009, I participated in a 6-week research experience that has changed how I teach and how I learn. On board the R/V Knorr, I worked as a sedimentologist with an international crew who used geophysics, geochemistry, microbiology and geology to understand the controls on and distribution of subseafloor microbial life in the equatorial Pacific. This experience has affected my educational practices in two ways: (1) motivating me to fill gaps in my own understanding of natural chemical processes, and (2) prioritizing authentic research opportunities for all students at my school. My participation in the ARMADA project underscored the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to research. The team of scientists exposed me to a variety of topics. Biochemistry and the role of redox reactions in biological systems were relatively new to me. Scientists encouraged me to dig deeper into the chemical systems that we were researching. Through self-study and coursework focusing on biogeochemical cycles, deriving energy through chemical processes, and atmospheric chemistry, I have learned much of the chemistry that I am now expected to teach in my courses. I continue to seek out opportunities to learn more and am currently volunteering at geochemistry laboratories at the USGS. My ARMADA research experience depended on teamwork. I learned that while the dynamics of research teams can be simplified if the teams are carefully designed, it is important that students need to learn to work with a variety of people in different situations. Therefore, in my courses, students work in different teams to design and conduct research projects. Currently, I work with other science teachers creating student-driven research opportunities that involve designing and carrying out experiments, reading scientific literature, and evaluating evidence. Depending on the grade level, students also work across disciplines with teachers in English, Math, and Social Studies to develop research projects, report on results and evaluate the work of other student groups. My ARMADA experience emphasized the importance of ensuring that students understand and implement proper protocols, value academic integrity, and civic responsibility. In our program, students learn valuable teamwork and leadership skills, build on experiences from one year to the next, and develop a sense of pride in their own learning endeavors. While we do not expect every student to pursue a STEM career, we do expect our students to think critically, solve problems in a logical manner, and invest in their own creativity.

What results when firms implement practices: the differential relationship between specific practices, firm financial performance, customer service, and quality.

PubMed

Gibson, Cristina B; Porath, Christine L; Benson, George S; Lawler, Edward E

2007-11-01

Previous research on organizational practices is replete with contradictory evidence regarding their effects. Here, the authors argue that these contradictory findings may have occurred because researchers have often examined complex practice combinations and have failed to investigate a broad variety of firm-level outcomes. Thus, past research may obscure important differential effects of specific practices on specific firm-level outcomes. Extending this research, the authors develop hypotheses about the effects of practices that (a) enable information sharing, (b) set boundaries, and (c) enable teams on 3 different firm-level outcomes: financial performance, customer service, and quality. Relationships are tested in a sample of observations from over 200 Fortune 1000 firms. Results indicate that information-sharing practices were positively related to financial performance 1 year following implementation of the practices, boundary-setting practices were positively related to firm-level customer service, and team-enabling practices were related to firm-level quality. No single set of practices predicted all 3 firm-level outcomes, indicating practice-specific effects. These findings help resolve the theoretical tension in the literature regarding the effects of organizational practices and offer guidance as to how to best target practices to increase specific work-related outcomes. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed. (c) 2007 APA

An official American Thoracic Society research statement: comparative effectiveness research in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine.

PubMed

Carson, Shannon S; Goss, Christopher H; Patel, Sanjay R; Anzueto, Antonio; Au, David H; Elborn, Stuart; Gerald, Joe K; Gerald, Lynn B; Kahn, Jeremy M; Malhotra, Atul; Mularski, Richard A; Riekert, Kristin A; Rubenfeld, Gordon D; Weaver, Terri E; Krishnan, Jerry A

2013-11-15

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) is intended to inform decision making in clinical practice, and is central to patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). To summarize key aspects of CER definitions and provide examples highlighting the complementary nature of efficacy and CER studies in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. An ad hoc working group of the American Thoracic Society with experience in clinical trials, health services research, quality improvement, and behavioral sciences in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine was convened. The group used an iterative consensus process, including a review by American Thoracic Society committees and assemblies. The traditional efficacy paradigm relies on clinical trials with high internal validity to evaluate interventions in narrowly defined populations and in research settings. Efficacy studies address the question, "Can it work in optimal conditions?" The CER paradigm employs a wide range of study designs to understand the effects of interventions in clinical settings. CER studies address the question, "Does it work in practice?" The results of efficacy and CER studies may or may not agree. CER incorporates many attributes of outcomes research and health services research, while placing greater emphasis on meeting the expressed needs of nonresearcher stakeholders (e.g., patients, clinicians, and others). CER complements traditional efficacy research by placing greater emphasis on the effects of interventions in practice, and developing evidence to address the needs of the many stakeholders involved in health care decisions. Stakeholder engagement is an important component of CER.

Unsustainable Growth, Hyper-Competition, and Worth in Life Science Research: Narrowing Evaluative Repertoires in Doctoral and Postdoctoral Scientists' Work and Lives.

PubMed

Fochler, Maximilian; Felt, Ulrike; Müller, Ruth

There is a crisis of valuation practices in the current academic life sciences, triggered by unsustainable growth and "hyper-competition." Quantitative metrics in evaluating researchers are seen as replacing deeper considerations of the quality and novelty of work, as well as substantive care for the societal implications of research. Junior researchers are frequently mentioned as those most strongly affected by these dynamics. However, their own perceptions of these issues are much less frequently considered. This paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the interplay between how research is valued and how young researchers learn to live, work and produce knowledge within academia. We thus analyze how PhD students and postdocs in the Austrian life sciences ascribe worth to people, objects and practices as they talk about their own present and future lives in research. We draw on literature from the field of valuation studies and its interest in how actors refer to different forms of valuation to account for their actions. We explore how young researchers are socialized into different valuation practices in different stages of their growing into science. Introducing the concept of "regimes of valuation" we show that PhD students relate to a wider evaluative repertoire while postdocs base their decisions on one dominant regime of valuing research. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of these findings for the epistemic and social development of the life sciences, and for other scientific fields.

Pierre Bourdieu: Expanding the scope of nursing research and practice.

PubMed

Nairn, Stuart; Pinnock, David

2017-10-01

Bourdieu is an important thinker within the sociological tradition and has a philosophically sophisticated approach to theoretical knowledge and research practice. In this paper, we examine the implication of his work for nursing and the health sciences more broadly. We argue that his work is best described as a reflexive realist who provides a space for a nonpositivist approach to knowledge that does not fall into the trap of idealism or relativism. We emphasize that Bourdieu was not an abstract theorist, but only utilized theories to understand and explain the social world in all its empirical complexity. Theory is emphasized over method without denying the importance of method. We then provide a brief overview of some of his key concepts: habitus, field and capital. His work is a scientifically astute practice that has an emancipatory purpose, with particular resonance to the problems of nursing as a social practice. Some have criticized Bourdieu for undermining agency and we briefly address this issue, but argue that his conceptual framework helps us to understand what endures in social practice and why change is often problematic. In short, this paper argues that Bourdieu's work is a fruitful resource for critiquing existing nursing approaches that are preoccupied with agency over structure. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Working with Child Prostitutes in Thailand: Problems of Practice and Interpretation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Heather

2007-01-01

Conducting anthropological fieldwork on the emotive issue of child prostitution raises difficult issues for anthropologists and other researchers. This article examines the ethical dilemmas of working with these extremely vulnerable children, focusing on the difference between the researcher's own interpretations and those given by the children…

Reading Research at Work: Foundations of Effective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahl, Katherine A. Dougherty, Ed.; McKenna, Michael C., Ed.

2006-01-01

This book presents state-of-the-science research on the components of successful literacy learning and how to target them in contemporary classrooms. The volume builds on and extends the work of Steven Stahl, whose pioneering contributions encompassed the key areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and assessment.…

Working towards Skills: Perspectives on Workforce Development in SMEs. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Maria; Keddie, Vince; Webb, Peter; Corney, Mark

Research into workforce development (WD) considered the relationship between corporate assessments of workers' development needs and WD strategies; how learning at work takes place; and what learning methods are used and their effectiveness. Focus was on practice in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Methodology included a literature…

Conceptualizing Practitioner-Scholarship for Educational Leadership Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lochmiller, Chad R.; Lester, Jessica Nina

2017-01-01

In this conceptual article, we draw upon recent literature to describe the theoretical, epistemological, and methodological anchors that can inform a working conception of practitioner-scholarship. We position practitioner-scholarship at the intersection of an individual's work as a practitioner and researcher, wherein a practitioner focuses on…

Unsustainable Growth, Hyper-Competition, and Worth in Life Science Research: Narrowing Evaluative Repertoires in Doctoral and Postdoctoral Scientists' Work and Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fochler, Maximilian; Felt, Ulrike; Müller, Ruth

2016-01-01

There is a crisis of valuation practices in the current academic life sciences, triggered by unsustainable growth and "hyper-competition." Quantitative metrics in evaluating researchers are seen as replacing deeper considerations of the quality and novelty of work, as well as substantive care for the societal implications of research.…

Linking Environmental Research and Practice: Lessons From The Integration of Climate Science and Water Management in the Western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, D. B.; Rice, J.; Woodhouse, C. A.

2015-12-01

Efforts to better connect scientific research with people and organizations involved in environmental decision making are receiving increased interest and attention. Some of the challenges we currently face, however—including complex questions associated with climate change—present unique challenges because of their scale and scope. Focused research on the intersections between environment and society has provided substantial insight into dynamics of large-scale environmental change and the related impacts on people, natural resources, and ecosystems, yet our ability to connect this research to real-world decision making remains limited. Addressing these complex environmental problems requires broad cooperation between scientists and those who may apply research results in decision making, but there are few templates for guiding the growing number of scientists and practitioners now engaging in this kind of cooperative work. This presentation will offer a set of heuristics for carrying out collaborative work between scientists and practitioners. These heuristics were derived from research that examined the direct experiences of water resources professionals and climate researchers who have been working to integrate science and practice.

The effect of Reiki on work-related stress of the registered nurse.

PubMed

Cuneo, Charlotte L; Curtis Cooper, Maureen R; Drew, Carolyn S; Naoum-Heffernan, Christine; Sherman, Tricia; Walz, Kathleen; Weinberg, Janice

2011-03-01

The Reiki Master Teacher group at a large academic, urban medical center studied the effects of Reiki on work-related stress in Registered Nurse Reiki I class participants. Research suggests that work-related stress is an influential factor in nursing burn out and retention. Reiki, an ancient form of Oriental "energy work" or healing, has been found to decrease stress. The Perceived Stress Scale tool was administered prior to the Reiki I class and after three weeks of practicing self-Reiki. Seventeen participants returned follow-up data. Results indicated that practicing Reiki more often resulted in reduced perceived stress levels. Data from this small pilot study supports educating nurses about Reiki practice to decrease work-related stress.

Governing Well in Community-Based Research: Lessons from Canada's HIV Research Sector on Ethics, Publics and the Care of the Self.

PubMed

Guta, Adrian; Murray, Stuart J; Strike, Carol; Flicker, Sarah; Upshur, Ross; Myers, Ted

2017-11-01

In this paper, we extend Michel Foucault's final works on the 'care of the self' to an empirical examination of research practice in community-based research (CBR). We use Foucault's 'morality of behaviors' to analyze interview data from a national sample of Canadian CBR practitioners working with communities affected by HIV. Despite claims in the literature that ethics review is overly burdensome for non-traditional forms of research, our findings suggest that many researchers using CBR have an ambivalent but ultimately productive relationship with institutional research ethics review requirements. They understand and use prescribed codes, but adapt them in practice to account for the needs of participating community members, members of their research teams and the larger communities with whom they work. Complying with ethics protocols was seen as only the beginning, a minimum standard; our research suggests that the real ethical work happens in the field, where CBR practitioners encounter community members in diverse public roles and must forge ethical consensus across communities. CBR represents an ethical terrain in which practitioners challenge themselves to work differently, and as a result they care for themselves-and others-in ways that often resist the propensity for domination through public health research. '…there are different ways to "conduct oneself" morally, different ways for the acting individual to operate, not just as an agent, but as an ethical subject of action.' (Foucault, 1985: 26).

Service user integration into social work education: lessons learned from nordic participatory action projects.

PubMed

Angelin, Anna

2015-01-01

Service users have lacked substantial influence, access, and participation in social work education in Norway and Sweden. In this article the author presents comparative analyses of two participatory projects that have developed and implemented practices that integrate service users into academic social work education and empower service users. The Norwegian HUSK project and the Social Work as Mobilization and Entrepreneurship course, also known as the "Mobilization course," at Lund University in Sweden demonstrate collaboration between research, social work education, and service users. The conclusions focus on the importance of the empowering processes by including recognition and dialogue, co-learning in practice, and the use of neutral venues to ensure effective user participation. The inclusion of service users in social work education can improve both practice and education.

Work Group on American Indian Research and Program Evaluation Methodology, Symposium on Research and Evaluation Methodology: Lifespan Issues Related to American Indians/Alaska Natives with Disabilities (Washington, DC, April 26-27, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Jamie D., Ed.; Erickson, Jill Shepard, Ed.; Johnson, Sharon R., Ed.; Marshall, Catherine A., Ed.; Running Wolf, Paulette, Ed.; Santiago, Rolando L., Ed.

This first symposium of the Work Group on American Indian Research and Program Evaluation Methodology (AIRPEM) explored American Indian and Alaska Native cultural considerations in relation to "best practices" in research and program evaluation. These cultural considerations include the importance of tribal consultation on research…

Guidelines for Good Epidemiology Practices for Occupational and Environmental Epidemiologic Research. The Chemical Manufacturers Association's Epidemiology Task Group.

PubMed

1991-12-01

The Guidelines for Good Epidemiology Practices (GEPs) for Occupational and Environmental Epidemiologic Research address the conduct of studies generally undertaken to answer questions about human health in relationship to the work place or the environment. The GEPs propose minimum practices and procedures that should be considered to help ensure the quality and integrity of data used in epidemiologic research and to provide adequate documentation of the research methods. The GEPs address the process of conducting individual epidemiologic studies and do not prescribe specific research methods. The Guidelines for Good Epidemiology Practices propose minimum practices and procedures in the following areas: I. Organization and Personnel II. Facilities, Resource Commitment, and Contractors III. Protocol IV. Review and Approval V. Study Conduct VI. Communication VII. Archiving VIII. Quality Assurance Although the Guidelines for Good Epidemiology Practices will not guarantee good epidemiology, they do provide a useful framework for ensuring that all research issues are adequately addressed. This framework is proposed as a first step in improving epidemiologic research practices through adherence to sound scientific research principles. Appendices provide an overview of standard operating procedures, a glossary of terms used in the Guidelines, and suggested references on occupational epidemiology methods.

An exemplar of naturalistic inquiry in general practice research.

PubMed

McInnes, Susan; Peters, Kath; Bonney, Andrew; Halcomb, Elizabeth

2017-01-23

Background Before beginning any research project, novice researchers must consider which methodological approach will best address their research questions. The paucity of literature describing a practical application of naturalistic inquiry adds to the difficulty they may experience. Aim To provide a practical example of how naturalistic inquiry was applied to a qualitative study exploring collaboration between registered nurses and general practitioners working in Australian general practice. Discussion Naturalistic inquiry is not without its critics and limitations. However, by applying the axioms and operational characteristics of naturalistic inquiry, the authors captured a detailed 'snapshot' of collaboration in general practice in the time and context that it occurred. Conclusion Using qualitative methods, naturalistic inquiry provides the scope to construct a comprehensive and contextual understanding of a phenomenon. No individual positivist paradigm could provide the level of detail achieved in a naturalistic inquiry. Implications for practice This paper presents a practical example of naturalistic inquiry for the novice researcher. It shows that naturalistic inquiry is appropriate when the researcher seeks a rich and contextual understanding of a phenomenon as it exists in its natural setting.

A Qualitative Investigation of Practicing Psychologists' Attitudes Toward Research-Informed Practice: Implications for Dissemination Strategies

PubMed Central

Stewart, Rebecca E.; Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Chambless, Dianne L.

2012-01-01

This article presents the results of a qualitative analysis of interviews with 25 psychologists in independent practice, investigating everyday treatment decisions and attitudes about treatment outcome research and empirically supported treatments (ESTs). Clinicians noted positive aspects about treatment outcome research, such as being interested in what works. However, they had misgivings about the application of controlled research findings to their practices, were skeptical about using manualized protocols, and expressed concern that nonpsychologists would use EST lists to dictate practice. Clinicians reported practicing in an eclectic framework, and many reported including cognitive-behavioral elements in their practice. To improve their practice, they reported valuing clinical experience, peer networks, practitioner-oriented books, and continuing education when it was not too basic. Time and financial barriers concerned nearly all participants. Clinicians suggested they might be interested in ESTs if they could integrate them into their current frameworks, and if resources for learning ESTs were improved. PMID:22654246

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are promising laboratories for conducting dissemination and implementation research.

PubMed

Heintzman, John; Gold, Rachel; Krist, Alexander; Crosson, Jay; Likumahuwa, Sonja; DeVoe, Jennifer E

2014-01-01

Dissemination and implementation science addresses the application of research findings in varied health care settings. Despite the potential benefit of dissemination and implementation work to primary care, ideal laboratories for this science have been elusive. Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) have a long history of conducting research in community clinical settings, demonstrating an approach that could be used to execute multiple research projects over time in broad and varied settings. PBRNs also are uniquely structured and increasingly involved in pragmatic trials, a research design central to dissemination and implementation science. We argue that PBRNs and dissemination and implementation scientists are ideally suited to work together and that the collaboration of these 2 groups will yield great value for the future of primary care and the delivery of evidence-based health care. © Copyright 2014 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Work Life Stress and Career Resilience of Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators.

PubMed

Myers, Dennis R; Rogers, Rob; LeCrone, Harold H; Kelley, Katherine; Scott, Joel H

2018-04-01

Career resilience provided a frame for understanding how Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators (LNFAs) sustain role performance and even thrive in stressful skilled nursing facility work environments. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews with18 LNFAs, averaging 24 years of experience were conducted by a five-member research team. Analysis was informed by evidence-based frameworks for career resilience in the health professions as well as the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards' (NAB) five domains of competent administrative practice. Findings included six sources of work stressors and six sources of professional satisfaction. Also, participants identified seven strategic principles and 10 administrative practices for addressing major sources of stress. Recommendations are provided for research and evidence-based application of the career resilience perspective to LNFA practice aimed at reducing role abandonment and energizing the delivery of the quality of care that each resident deserves.

Are Leadership and Management Essential for Good Research? An Interview Study of Genetic Researchers

PubMed Central

Antes, Alison L.; Mart, Adelina; DuBois, James M.

2016-01-01

Principal investigators are responsible for a myriad of leadership and management activities in their work. The practices they employ to navigate these responsibilities ultimately influence the quality and integrity of research. However, leadership and management roles in research have received scant empirical examination. Semi-structured interviews with 32 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded genetic researchers revealed that they considered leadership and management essential for effective research, but their scientific training inadequately prepared them. We also report management practices that the researchers described employing in their labs, as well as their perceptions of a proposed intervention to enhance laboratory leadership. These findings suggest best practices for the research community, future directions for scientific training, and implications for research on leadership and management in science. PMID:27646401

Are Leadership and Management Essential for Good Research? An Interview Study of Genetic Researchers.

PubMed

Antes, Alison L; Mart, Adelina; DuBois, James M

2016-12-01

Principal investigators are responsible for a myriad of leadership and management activities in their work. The practices they use to navigate these responsibilities ultimately influence the quality and integrity of research. However, leadership and management roles in research have received scant empirical examination. Semi-structured interviews with 32 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded genetic researchers revealed that they considered leadership and management essential for effective research, but their scientific training inadequately prepared them. We also report management practices that the researchers described using in their labs, as well as their perceptions of a proposed intervention to enhance laboratory leadership. These findings suggest best practices for the research community, future directions for scientific training, and implications for research on leadership and management in science.

[What everybody should know about good clinical practices].

PubMed

Osorio, Lyda

2015-01-01

An increasing number of countries are adopting good clinical practices guidelines as part of the regulation of clinical studies to register pharmaceutical products and other health-related products. Consequently, all parties involved in the research and development of these products should know them, implement them and ensure their compliance. However, good clinical practices guidelines are just one of the initiatives seeking to achieve the highest ethical and scientific standards in health research and in other areas where humans are research subjects. This review defines such practices and their objectives presenting in a practical manner their legal framework in Colombia, and clarifying their application in studies where interventions use no medications or those that are not clinical trials. Finally, the work discusses the challenges to ensure that good clinical practices contribute to the protection of research participants, the education of trustworthy health professionals, and a culture of respect for human beings.

On-going collaborative priority-setting for research activity: a method of capacity building to reduce the research-practice translational gap.

PubMed

Cooke, Jo; Ariss, Steven; Smith, Christine; Read, Jennifer

2015-05-07

International policy suggests that collaborative priority setting (CPS) between researchers and end users of research should shape the research agenda, and can increase capacity to address the research-practice translational gap. There is limited research evidence to guide how this should be done to meet the needs of dynamic healthcare systems. One-off priority setting events and time-lag between decision and action prove problematic. This study illustrates the use of CPS in a UK research collaboration called Collaboration and Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC). Data were collected from a north of England CLAHRC through semi-structured interviews with 28 interviewees and a workshop of key stakeholders (n = 21) including academics, NHS clinicians, and managers. Documentary analysis of internal reports and CLAHRC annual reports for the first two and half years was also undertaken. These data were thematically coded. Methods of CPS linked to the developmental phase of the CLAHRC. Early methods included pre-existing historical partnerships with on-going dialogue. Later, new platforms for on-going discussions were formed. Consensus techniques with staged project development were also used. All methods demonstrated actual or potential change in practice and services. Impact was enabled through the flexibility of research and implementation work streams; 'matched' funding arrangements to support alignment of priorities in partner organisations; the size of the collaboration offering a resource to meet project needs; and the length of the programme providing stability and long term relationships. Difficulties included tensions between being responsive to priorities and the possibility of 'drift' within project work, between academics and practice, and between service providers and commissioners in the health services. Providing protected 'matched' time proved difficult for some NHS managers, which put increasing work pressure on them. CPS is more time consuming than traditional approaches to project development. CPS can produce needs-led projects that are bedded in services using a variety of methods. Contributing factors for effective CPS include flexibility in use and type of available resources, flexible work plans, and responsive leadership. The CLAHRC model provides a translational infrastructure that enables CPS that can impact on healthcare systems.

Opening the black box of ethics policy work: evaluating a covert practice.

PubMed

Frolic, Andrea; Drolet, Katherine; Bryanton, Kim; Caron, Carole; Cupido, Cynthia; Flaherty, Barb; Fung, Sylvia; McCall, Lori

2012-01-01

Hospital ethics committees (HECs) and ethicists generally describe themselves as engaged in four domains of practice: case consultation, research, education, and policy work. Despite the increasing attention to quality indicators, practice standards, and evaluation methods for the other domains, comparatively little is known or published about the policy work of HECs or ethicists. This article attempts to open the "black box" of this health care ethics practice by providing two detailed case examples of ethics policy reviews. We also describe the development and application of an evaluation strategy to assess the quality of ethics policy review work, and to enable continuous improvement of ethics policy review processes. Given the potential for policy work to impact entire patient populations and organizational systems, it is imperative that HECs and ethicists develop clearer roles, responsibilities, procedural standards, and evaluation methods to ensure the delivery of consistent, relevant, and high-quality ethics policy reviews.

Science Teachers' Beliefs and Practices: Issues, Implications and Research Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2009-01-01

The study of teachers' beliefs forms part of the process of understanding how teachers conceptualize their work which in turn is important to the understanding of teachers' practices and their decisions in the classroom. A growing body of research argues that teachers' beliefs should be studied within a framework that is aware of the influence of…

Passion Research: A Joint Venture To Interest High School Students in Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carriere, Francois J.; Abouaf, Madeleine

1997-01-01

Describes a joint venture between the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Department of Education in France that was created to allow students to do practical scientific work with the help of a CNRS researcher. Presents two practical projects done by students on organic polymers and on color. Concludes that this increases…

The Way We Ask for Money… The Emergence and Institutionalization of Grant Writing Practices in Academia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serrano Velarde, Kathia

2018-01-01

Although existing scholarship offers critical insights into the working mechanisms of project-based research funding, little is known about the actual practice of writing grant proposals. Our study seeks to add a longitudinal dimension to the ongoing debate on the implications of competitive research funding by focusing on the incremental…

Two Languages in the Air: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Preschool Teachers' Reflections on Their Flexible Bilingual Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palviainen, Åsa; Protassova, Ekaterina; Mård-Miettinen, Karita; Schwartz, Mila

2016-01-01

Bilingual preschool education is under researched compared with bilingual school education. There is also a lack of research on bilingual preschool teachers' agency and how they negotiate between two languages in the classroom. We examined the language practices of five bilingual preschool teachers working within three different socio-linguistic…

What Does It Take to Scale Up and Sustain Evidence-Based Practices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klingner, Janette K.; Boardman, Alison G.; Mcmaster, Kristen L.

2013-01-01

This article discusses the strategic scaling up of evidence-based practices. The authors draw from the scholarly work of fellow special education researchers and from the field of learning sciences. The article defines scaling up as the process by which researchers or educators initially implement interventions on a small scale, validate them, and…

Theory to Practice through Teacher Inquiry Courses in a Graduate Program: Two Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keat, Jane Blakely

2005-01-01

Our graduate degree program includes a component of six one-credit courses, in which teachers find ways to bring into their own classroom practices theory learned in related three-credit courses. Prior research indicates that taking course work alone may not bring about changes in teachers' decision-making. Prior research also encourages higher…

Motivational Practices and Teachers' Performance in Jinja Municipality Secondary Schools, Jinja District, Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Justine, Nairuba

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of provision of fringe benefits and the nature of working conditions under motivational practices on teachers' performance in secondary schools. The study was qualitative and quantitative; and descriptive-correlation research design was used in the study. The researcher used purposive and simple…

Evidence-Based Practices in Interventions for Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odom, Samuel L.; Collet-Klingenberg, Lana; Rogers, Sally J.; Hatton, Deborah D.

2010-01-01

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are the basis on which teachers and other service providers are required to design educational programs for learners with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As part of their work with the National Professional Development Center (NPDC) on ASD, researchers developed a process for reviewing the research literature and…

Preparing for Principalship from the Crucible of Experience: Reflecting on Theory, Practice and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Simon; Wildy, Helen

2010-01-01

This paper examines the theories of organisation that have informed our understanding of schools as complex social worlds and the practice of school leadership that seems to be required in such environments. This understanding has, in turn, determined the research approach we have adopted for investigating principals' work and for ascertaining the…

Tracking and Inequality: New Directions for Research and Practice. WCER Working Paper No. 2009-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamoran, Adam

2009-01-01

The practice of tracking and ability grouping--the division of students into separate tracks, classes, and groups for instruction based on their purported interests and abilities--has long been debated. Evidence from decades of research indicates that tracking magnifies inequality between high and low achievers without raising achievement overall,…

Transformation through Repetition: Walking, Listening and Drawing on Tlicho Lands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz, Adolfo

2017-01-01

As part of my PhD practice-based research on Tlicho lands (a self-governed Indigenous region in Canada's Northwest Territories), drawing is being used to embody intangible cultural heritage (which includes activities such as oral history and the social practice of walking). Recent work to emerge from this research consists of two drawings created…

Disallowing Recommendations for Practice and Policy: A Proposal that Is Both Too Much and Too Little

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Karen R.

2013-01-01

Robinson et al. ("Educ Psychol Rev" 25(2):291-302, 2013) offer a thoughtful and powerful argument for a policy change for primary educational research journals. This policy change would "disallow recommendations for practice" (p. 10) in primary educational research journals. They provided compelling examples of works in which…

General practice registrars' intentions for future practice: implications for rural medical workforce planning.

PubMed

Harding, Catherine; Seal, Alexa; McGirr, Joe; Caton, Tim

2016-11-01

The models of practice that general practice registrars (GPRs) envisage undertaking will affect workforce supply. The aim of this research was to determine practice intentions of current GPRs in a regional general practice training program (Coast City Country General Practice Training). Questionnaires were circulated to 220 GPRs undertaking general practice placements to determine characteristics of ideal practice models and intentions for future practice. Responses were received for 99 participants (45%). Current GPRs intend to work an average of less than eight half-day sessions/week, with male participants intending to work more hours (t(91)=3.528, P=0.001). More than one-third of this regional cohort intends to practice in metropolitan centres. Proximity to family and friends was the most important factor influencing the choice of practice location. Men ranked remuneration for work as more important (t (88)=-4.280, P<0.001) and women ranked the ability to work part-time higher (t(94)=3.697, P<0.001). Fee-for-service payment alone, or in combination with capitation, was the preferred payment system. Only 22% of Australian medical graduates intend to own their own practice compared with 52% of international medical graduates (χ 2 (1)=8.498, P=0.004). Future general practitioners (GPs) intend to work fewer hours than current GPs. Assumptions about lifestyle factors, practice models and possible professional roles should be carefully evaluated when developing strategies to recruit GPs and GPRs into rural practice.

Engineers' Professional Learning: A Practice-Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reich, Ann; Rooney, Donna; Gardner, Anne; Willey, Keith; Boud, David; Fitzgerald, Terry

2015-01-01

With the increasing challenges facing professional engineers working in more complex, global and interdisciplinary contexts, different approaches to understanding how engineers practice and learn are necessary. This paper draws on recent research in the social sciences from the field of workplace learning, to suggest that a practice-theory…

Praxis-based research networks: An emerging paradigm for research that is rigorous, relevant, and inclusive.

PubMed

Werner, James J; Stange, Kurt C

2014-01-01

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) have developed a grounded approach to conducting practice-relevant and translational research in community practice settings. Seismic shifts in the health care landscape are shaping PBRNs that work across organizational and institutional margins to address complex problems. Praxis-based research networks combine PBRN knowledge generation with multistakeholder learning, experimentation, and application of practical knowledge. The catalytic processes in praxis-based research networks are cycles of action and reflection based on experience, observation, conceptualization, and experimentation by network members and partners. To facilitate co-learning and solution-building, these networks have a flexible architecture that allows pragmatic inclusion of stakeholders based on the demands of the problem and the needs of the network. Praxis-based research networks represent an evolving trend that combines the core values of PBRNs with new opportunities for relevance, rigor, and broad participation. © Copyright 2014 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Building research capacity for evidence-informed tobacco control in Canada: a case description

PubMed Central

McDonald, Paul W; Viehbeck, Sarah; Robinson, Sarah J; Leatherdale, Scott T; Nykiforuk, Candace IJ; Jolin, Mari Alice

2009-01-01

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of death and disability in Canada. Insufficient research capacity can inhibit evidence-informed decision making for tobacco control. This paper outlines a Canadian project to build research capacity, defined as a community's ability to produce research that adequately informs practice, policy, and future research in a timely, practical manner. A key component is that individuals and teams within the community must mutually engage around common, collectively negotiated goals to address specific practices, policies or programs of research. An organizing framework, a set of activities to build strategic recruitment, productivity tools, and procedures for enhancing social capital are described. Actions are intended to facilitate better alignment between research and the priorities of policy developers and service providers, enhance the external validity of the work performed, and reduce the time required to inform policy and practice. PMID:19664224

"Keeping on track"-Hospital nurses' struggles with maintaining workflow while seeking to integrate evidence-based practice into their daily work: A grounded theory study.

PubMed

Renolen, Åste; Høye, Sevald; Hjälmhult, Esther; Danbolt, Lars Johan; Kirkevold, Marit

2018-01-01

Evidence-based practice is considered a foundation for the provision of quality care and one way to integrate scientific knowledge into clinical problem-solving. Despite the extensive amount of research that has been conducted to evaluate evidence-based practice implementation and research utilization, these practices have not been sufficiently incorporated into nursing practice. Thus, additional research regarding the challenges clinical nurses face when integrating evidence-based practice into their daily work and the manner in which these challenges are approached is needed. The aim of this study was to generate a theory about the general patterns of behaviour that are discovered when clinical nurses attempt to integrate evidence-based practice into their daily work. We used Glaser's classical grounded theory methodology to generate a substantive theory. The study was conducted in two different medical wards in a large Norwegian hospital. In one ward, nurses and nursing assistants were developing and implementing new evidence-based procedures, and in the other ward, evidence-based huddle boards for risk assessment were being implemented. A total of 54 registered nurses and 9 assistant nurses were observed during their patient care and daily activities. Of these individuals, thirteen registered nurses and five assistant nurses participated in focus groups. These participants were selected through theoretical sampling. Data were collected during 90h of observation and 4 focus groups conducted from 2014 to 2015. Each focus group session included four to five participants and lasted between 55 and 65min. Data collection and analysis were performed concurrently, and the data were analysed using the constant comparative method. "Keeping on track" emerged as an explanatory theory for the processes through which the nurses handled their main concern: the risk of losing the workflow. The following three strategies were used by nurses when attempting to integrate evidence-based practices into their daily work: "task juggling", "pausing for considering" and "struggling along with quality improvement". The "keeping on track" theory contributes to the body of knowledge regarding clinical nurses' experiences with evidence-based practice integration. The nurses endeavoured to minimize workflow interruptions to avoid decreasing the quality of patient care provided, and evidence-based practices were seen as a consideration that was outside of their ordinary work duties. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Practicing ethnography in migration-related detention centers: A reflexive account.

PubMed

Esposito, Francesca

2017-01-01

Feminist scholars, as well as community psychologists, have advocated the role of reflexive engagement in the research process in order to challenge power relations. Moreover, the liberating potential of storytelling, especially when working with issues of diversity and marginalization, has been stressed. The purpose of this article is to reflect on an ethnographic work underway in the Identification and Expulsion Center-CIE of Ponte Galeria, Rome. How the researcher's identities, values, and experiences, alongside power and privilege, have influenced her positioning in the research setting and the relationships formed with the different setting members is the subject of discussion. In sharing the story of this work, the final intent is to contribute to the joint effort to foster a reflexive community psychology practice incorporating feminist goals and a dialogue about ethnography in community psychology.

Considering the Role of Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices Research in Transforming Urban Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Mary Lynn; Pinnegar, Stefinee

2015-01-01

We explore the first four articles in this Special Issue of "Studying Teacher Education" to identify challenges to the self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (S-STEP) methodology, and how this methodology supports the work of teachers and teacher educators working in urban settings. We respond to these articles by…

Knowledges and Practices of Successful Literacy Teachers (Brazil, 1950-1980)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monteiro, Maria Iolanda; Bueno, Belmira Oliveira

2008-01-01

Significant changes have marked Brazilian education in the period focused on by this research. Aiming to understand the configurations of the teaching profession in that period, this work focuses on the issue of the school success in the area of literacy by means of an analysis of the practices of literacy teachers who were at work between the…

"Teamwork" or "Working as a Team"? The Theory and Practice of Top Team Working in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodfield, Steve; Kennie, Tom

2008-01-01

This article focuses on the theory and practice of teamwork in "top management teams" in UK higher education institutions. It is informed by some of the key findings from a recent two-year research project sponsored by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education that investigated the different ways in which UK higher education…

Women and Community Economic Development--Changing Knowledge, Changing Practice: A Summary of Research Results. NALL Working Paper #12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratton, Mary; Levine, Barbara

A preliminary study explored how Canadian practitioners who are engaged in community economic development (CED) that includes or is specific to women gain new information relevant to their work and how they incorporate that new learning into their daily practice. Interview questions focused on sources of information, learning opportunities and…

Influence of Head Teachers' General and Instructional Supervisory Practices on Teachers' Work Performance in Secondary Schools in Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jared, Nzabonimpa Buregeya

2011-01-01

The study examined the Influence of Secondary School Head Teachers' General and Instructional Supervisory Practices on Teachers' Work Performance. Qualitative and qualitative methods with a descriptive-correlational research approach were used in the study. Purposive sampling technique alongside random sampling technique was used to select the…

Serial and Parallel Processes in Working Memory after Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberauer, Klaus; Bialkova, Svetlana

2011-01-01

Six young adults practiced for 36 sessions on a working-memory updating task in which 2 digits and 2 spatial positions were continuously updated. Participants either did 1 updating operation at a time, or attempted 1 numerical and 1 spatial operation at the same time. In contrast to previous research using the same paradigm with a single digit and…

Ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice.

PubMed

Flatley, Danielle R; Kenny, Belinda J; Lincoln, Michelle A

2014-06-01

Speech-language pathologists experience ethical dilemmas as they fulfil their professional roles and responsibilities. Previous research findings indicated that speech-language pathologists working in publicly funded settings identified ethical dilemmas when they managed complex clients, negotiated professional relationships, and addressed service delivery issues. However, little is known about ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice settings. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the nature of ethical dilemmas experienced by speech-language pathologists working in private practice. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 speech-language pathologists employed in diverse private practice settings. Participants explained the nature of ethical dilemmas they experienced at work and identified their most challenging and frequently occurring ethical conflicts. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse transcribed data and generate themes. Four themes reflected the nature of speech-language pathologists' ethical dilemmas; balancing benefit and harm, fidelity of business practices, distributing funds, and personal and professional integrity. Findings support the need for professional development activities that are specifically targeted towards facilitating ethical practice for speech-language pathologists in the private sector.

Leading the Student Experience: Academic and Professional Services in Partnership Literature Review and Overview of Results. Leading the Student Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkes, Sarah; Young, Julie Blackwell; Cleaver, Elizabeth; Archibald, Kenny

2014-01-01

This research project explored how academic and professional personnel work together in new ways to deliver the best possible student experience. The project analysed why certain models of good working practice seemed to work well. The research investigated: how the change management process was perceived and managed by key stakeholders; the role…

Professional values and competencies as explanatory factors for the use of evidence-based practice in nursing.

PubMed

Skela-Savič, Brigita; Hvalič-Touzery, Simona; Pesjak, Katja

2017-08-01

To establish the connection between values, competencies, selected job characteristics and evidence-based practice use. Nurses rarely apply evidence-based practice in everyday work. A recent body of research has looked at various variables explaining the use of evidence-based practice, but not values and competencies. A cross-sectional, non-experimental quantitative explorative research design. Standardized instruments were used (Nurse Professional Values Scale-R, Nurse Competence Scale, Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Implementation Scale). The sample included 780 nurses from 20 Slovenian hospitals. The data were collected in 2015. The study identifies two new variables contributing to a better understanding of beliefs on and implementation of evidence-based practice, thus broadening the existing research evidence. These are the values of activism and professionalism and competencies aimed at the development and professionalization of nursing. Values of caring, trust and justice and competencies expected in everyday practice do not influence the beliefs and implementation of evidence-based practice. Respondents ascribed less importance to values connected with activism and professionalism and competencies connected with the development of professionalism. Nurses agree that evidence-based practice is useful in their clinical work, but they lack the knowledge to implement it in practice. Evidence-based practice implementation in nursing practice is low. Study results stress the importance of increasing the knowledge and skills on professional values of activism and professionalism and competencies connected to nursing development. The study expands the current understanding of evidence-based practice use and provides invaluable insight for nursing managers, higher education managers and the national nursing association. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Admiral nursing competency project: practice development and action research.

PubMed

Dewing, Jan; Traynor, Victoria

2005-07-01

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia care nurses working in the community with carers of those who have a dementia. The aim of the competency project (2000-2003) was threefold. Firstly to work collaboratively with these specialist nurses to facilitate the development a competency framework that reflects the needs of the Admiral Nursing Service. Secondly, to provide a way to structure evidence demonstrating evolving competency. Thirdly, to specifically enable the nurses to demonstrate evidence of achieving the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council's Higher Level Practice standard. The two complementary approaches of emancipatory action research and systematic practice development were adopted. Methods were taken from action research and systematic practice development approaches with an emphasis on promoting and enabling enlightenment, critical reflection, ownership and creating the best conditions for long-term commitment to the competency framework. The main outcome from this project was the development of a specialist nursing competency framework. The Admiral Nurses' Competency Framework is made up of a set of eight core competencies with three levels of competency statements, loosely structured around the Higher Level Practice standard, and guidance documentation to illustrate how work-based evidence can be generated to demonstrate competence. There were also process-derived outcomes associated with combining systematic practice development with emancipatory action research that had an impact on the culture. The main outcomes here were that practitioners engaged in and experienced learning about how to research their own practice and the consequences of doing this. They also learnt about specialist nursing practice more widely than Admiral Nursing. Finally, there was some increase in awareness about the culture within their teams and organizations. The final competency framework reflects the needs of the service, is owned by the majority of practitioners and project commissioners and this has had a positive impact on implementation. In this paper, we report on combining systematic practice development with action research to achieve immediate project aims. In addition we show how a project of this nature can contribute to developing skills in practitioners necessary for cultural changes in practice and contributes to wider issues of modernization within nursing and health care. This competency framework will enable Admiral Nurses to demonstrate their level of specialist practice, as individuals and collectively as a service and it also promotes the principles of nurses as life long learners. This may have relevance to other groups of specialist nurses. The project has widespread relevance for two reasons. Firstly, it shows that nurses can be involved in designing and testing a competency framework as collaborators. Secondly, that to achieve this within the spirit of approaches, such as systematic practice development and action research, can be testing for all collaborators even were there is a shared or espoused aim.

The nature and structure of supervision in health visiting with victims of child sexual abuse.

PubMed

Scott, L

1999-03-01

Part of a higher research degree to explore professional practice. To explore how health visitors work with victims of child sexual abuse and the supervision systems to support them. To seek the views and experiences of practising health visitors relating to complex care in order to consider the nature and structure of supervision. The research reported in this paper used a qualitative method of research and semi-structured interviews with practising health visitors of varying levels of experience in venues around England. Qualitative research enabled the exploration of experiences. Identification of the need for regular, structured, accountable opportunities in a 'private setting' to discuss whole caseload work and current practice issues. Supervision requires a structured, formalized process, in both regularity and content, as a means to explore and acknowledge work with increasingly complex care, to enable full discussion of whole caseloads. Supervision is demonstrated as a vehicle to enable the sharing of good practices and for weak practices to be identified and managed appropriately. Supervision seeks to fulfil the above whilst promoting a stimulating, learning experience, accommodating the notion that individuals learn at their own pace and bring a wealth of human experience to the service. The size of the study was dictated by the amount of time available within which to complete a research master's degree course primarily in the author's own time, over a 2-year period. The majority of participants volunteered their accounts in their own time. For others I obtained permission from their employers for them to participate once they approached me with an interest in being interviewed. This research provides a model of supervision based on practitioner views and experiences. The article highlights the value of research and evidence-based information to enhance practice accountability and the quality of care. Proactive risk management can safeguard the health and safety of the public, the practitioner and the organization.

Cancer survivorship care-planning: Practice, research, and policy implications for social work.

PubMed

Wagner, Richard W; Pritzker, Suzanne

2016-01-01

Increasing numbers of cancer survivors are living longer than 5 years from their diagnosis date. This has resulted in a growing population of cancer survivors, expected to reach 19 million by 2024. Survivors frequently experience late effects caused by cancer and its treatment, reducing survivors' quality of life in multiple domains. Survivorship care-plans may aid the many physical, psychosocial, and financial needs that emerge posttreatment. However, the lack of reimbursement mechanisms, the limited amount of effectiveness research, and minimal guidelines for content and delivery are barriers to the widespread provision of survivorship care-plans. Challenges and opportunities for social work practice, research, and policy are identified and discussed.

Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap: A Review of the Literature Focusing on Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grima-Farrell, Christine R.; Bain, Alan; McDonagh, Sarah H.

2011-01-01

Despite advances in our knowledge of evidence-based inclusive educational practice, much of this knowledge does not reach routine classroom practice. There remains a significant gap between our accumulated knowledge about what can work in classrooms and the extent to which evidence-based practice is used in sustainable ways. This inability to…

Does Research Degree Supervisor Training Work? The Impact of a Professional Development Induction Workshop on Supervision Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCulloch, Alistair; Loeser, Cassandra

2016-01-01

Supervisor induction and continued professional development programmes constitute good practice and are enshrined in institutional policies and national codes of practice. However, there is little evidence about whether they have an impact on either supervisors' learning or day-to-day practice. Set in a discussion of previous literature, this…

The Influence of the Core Practices Movement on the Teaching and Perspectives of Novice Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMink-Carthew, Jessica; Grove, Rebecca; Peterson, Margaret

2017-01-01

This collaborative self-study examines the influence of engagement in the core practices movement on the course designs, instruction, and perspectives of three novice teacher educators at a large mid-Atlantic research university. Through core practices work, we integrated repeated cycles of analysis, practice, and reflection into our courses,…

Evidence-Based Implementation: The Role of Sustained Community-Based Practice and Research Partnerships

PubMed Central

Kilbourne, Amy M.; Neumann, Mary Spink; Waxmonsky, Jeanette; Bauer, Mark S.; Kim, Hyungin Myra; Pincus, Harold Alan; Thomas, Marshall

2017-01-01

This column describes a process for adapting an evidence-based practice in community clinics in which researchers and community providers participated and the resulting framework for implementation of the practice—Replicating Effective Programs–Facilitation. A two-day meeting for the Recovery-Oriented Collaborative Care study was conducted to elicit input from more than 50 stakeholders, including community providers, health care administrators, and implementation researchers. The process illustrates an effective researcher-community partnership in which stakeholders worked together not only to adapt the evidence-based practice to the needs of the clinical settings but also to develop the implementation strategy. PMID:22388527

The Impact of Urban US Policing Practices on Black Men Who Have Sex with Men's HIV Vulnerability: Ethnographic Findings and a Conceptual Model for Future Research.

PubMed

Parker, Caroline M; Parker, Richard G; Philbin, Morgan M; Hirsch, Jennifer S

2018-04-01

This paper advances research on racism and health by presenting a conceptual model that delineates pathways linking policing practices to HIV vulnerability among Black men who have sex with men in the urban USA. Pathways include perceived discrimination based on race, sexuality and gender performance, mental health, and condom-carrying behaviors. The model, intended to stimulate future empirical work, is based on a review of the literature and on ethnographic data collected in 2014 in New York City. This paper contributes to a growing body of work that examines policing practices as drivers of racial health disparities extending far beyond violence-related deaths.

Mitigating circumstances in death penalty decisions: using evidence-based research to inform social work practice in capital trials.

PubMed

Schroeder, Julie; Guin, Cecile C; Pogue, Rene; Bordelon, Danna

2006-10-01

Providing an effective defense for individuals charged with capital crimes requires a diligent, thorough investigation by a mitigation specialist. However, research suggests that mitigation often plays a small role in the decision for life. Jurors often make sentencing decisions prematurely, basing those decisions on their personal reactions to the defendant (for example, fear, anger), their confusion about the rules of law, and their lack of understanding regarding their role and responsibilities. This article proposes an evidence-based conceptual model of the complicating problems surrounding mitigation practice and a focused discussion about how traditional social work mitigation strategies might be evolved to a set of best practices that more effectively ensure jurors' careful consideration of mitigation evidence.

Engaging participants in a complex intervention trial in Australian General Practice

PubMed Central

Perkins, David; Harris, Mark F; Tan, Jocelyn; Christl, Bettina; Taggart, Jane; Fanaian, Mahnaz

2008-01-01

Background The paper examines the key issues experienced in recruiting and retaining practice involvement in a large complex intervention trial in Australian General Practice. Methods Reflective notes made by research staff and telephone interviews with staff from general practices which expressed interest, took part or withdrew from a trial of a complex general practice intervention. Results Recruitment and retention difficulties were due to factors inherent in the demands and context of general practice, the degree of engagement of primary care organisations (Divisions of General Practice), perceived benefits by practices, the design of the trial and the timing and complexity of data collection. Conclusion There needs to be clearer articulation to practices of the benefits of the research to participants and streamlining of the design and processes of data collection and intervention to fit in with their work practices. Ultimately deeper engagement may require additional funding and ongoing participation through practice research networks. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ACTRN12605000788673 PMID:18700984

Ecological Census Techniques - 2nd Edition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutherland, Edited By William J.

2006-08-01

This is an updated version of the best selling first edition, Ecological Census Techniques, with updating, some new chapters and authors. Almost all ecological and conservation work involves carrying out a census or survey. This practically focussed book describes how to plan a census, the practical details and shows with worked examples how to analyse the results. The first three chapters describe planning, sampling and the basic theory necessary for carrying out a census. In the subsequent chapters international experts describe the appropriate methods for counting plants, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. As many censuses also relate the results to environmental variability, there is a chapter explaining the main methods. Finally, there is a list of the most common mistakes encountered when carrying out a census. Gives worked examples and describes practical details The chapter on research planning provides an approach for planning any research, not just those relating to census techniques Latest edition of a very highly-regarded book. Includes new authors, each chapter has been updated, and additional chapters on sampling and designing research programmes have been added

Sustainability in care through an ethical practice model.

PubMed

Nyholm, Linda; Salmela, Susanne; Nyström, Lisbet; Koskinen, Camilla

2018-03-01

While sustainability is a key concept in many different domains today, it has not yet been sufficiently emphasized in the healthcare sector. Earlier research shows that ethical values and evidence-based care models create sustainability in care practice. The aim of this study was to gain further understanding of the ethical values central to the realization of sustainability in care and to create an ethical practice model whereby these basic values can be made perceptible and active in care practice. Part of the ongoing "Ethical Sustainable Caring Cultures" research project, a hermeneutical application research design was employed in this study. Dialogues were used, where scientific researchers and co-researchers were given the opportunity to reflect on ethical values in relation to sustainability in care. An ethical practice model with ethos as its core was created from the results of the dialogues. In the model, ethos is encircled by the ethical values central to sustainability: dignity, responsibility, respect, invitation, and vows. The model can be used as a starting point for ethical conversations that support carers' reflections on the ethical issues seen in day-to-day care work and the work community, allowing ethical values to become visible throughout the entire care culture. It is intended as a tool whereby carers can more deeply understand an organization's common basic values and what they entail in regard to sustainability in care.

The Invisible Impact of Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Tim; Allan, David

2017-01-01

Although there are policy calls for educational research to discover "what works" and thereby inform decision making directly, the research literature argues instead for research to have a "conceptual" impact on practice. Empirical studies also suggest that, when teachers use research, their use is conceptual; research…

The research-practice relationship in ergonomics and human factors--surveying and bridging the gap.

PubMed

Chung, Amy Z Q; Shorrock, Steven T

2011-05-01

Significant discord has been aired regarding the widening research-practice gap in several disciplines (e.g. psychology, healthcare), especially with reference to research published in academic journals. The research-practice gap has profound and wide-ranging implications for the adequacy of ergonomics and human factors (E/HF) research and the implementation of research findings into practice. However, no substantive research on this issue has been identified in E/HF. Using an online questionnaire, practitioners were asked about their application of scientific research findings published in peer-reviewed journals and to suggest ways to improve research application in practice. A total of 587 usable responses were collected, spanning 46 countries. This article describes some of the key differences and correlations concerning reading, usefulness and barriers to application among respondents, who varied in terms of organisational type, percentage of work time devoted to application vs. research, society membership and experience. Various solutions proposed by the survey respondents on ways to bridge the research-practice gap are discussed. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The relationship between research and practice in E/HF has long been a subject of discussion, with commentators pointing to tension and possible implications for the adequacy of the discipline. Findings from a cross-sectional survey provide ergonomics practitioners' views on research, leading to discussion of strategies for achieving better integration.

Songs composed for use in music therapy: a survey of original songwriting practices of music therapists.

PubMed

Jones, Jennifer D

2006-01-01

While researchers have documented the efficacy of clinical songwriting in music therapy, limited research has been conducted on songs composed by music therapists that address clinical goals. The purpose of this research was to examine the original songwriting practices of music therapists. Professional music therapists (N = 1,364) received a 14-question survey via email asking each to identify client populations and clinical goals addressed by original songs, their length of time in clinical practice, and specifics about their acquisition of songwriting skills. The data collected from 302 completed surveys revealed that respondents who used original songs were most likely to work with children and adolescents in schools or the developmental disability field and wrote songs in order to individualize treatment. Music therapists working with persons over 65 years of age in long term care or assisted living programs were the least likely to use original songs in clinical practice, opting for interventions utilizing the client's familiar music. Most music therapists found songwriting generally easy, but only 37% indicated that they acquired this skill during their undergraduate degree. Additional research on the clinical efficacy of original songs and therapist's compositional processes is needed to identify best practices models for strategic songwriting.

Characterising Extrinsic Challenges Linked to the Design and Implementation of Inquiry-Based Practical Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akuma, Fru Vitalis; Callaghan, Ronel

2017-11-01

Inquiry-based science education has been incorporated in science curricula internationally. In this regard, however, many teachers encounter challenges. The challenges have been characterised into those linked to the personal characteristics of these teachers (intrinsic challenges) and others associated with contextual factors (extrinsic challenges). However, this level of characterisation is inadequate in terms of appreciating the complexity of the challenges, tracking of their development, and discovering knowledge within specific categories. Against this background, the purpose of the research presented here was to characterise extrinsic challenges linked to the design and implementation of inquiry-based practical work. In order to do so, we used a conceptual framework of teaching challenges based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory of human development. The data gathered using a multi-method case study of practical work in two South African high schools, was analysed by combining the data-driven inductive approach and the deductive a priori template of codes approach in thematic analysis. On this basis, the extrinsic challenges linked to the design and implementation of inquiry-based practical work that participants are confronted with, were found to consist of macrosystem challenges (such as a restrictive curriculum) and microsystem challenges. At the latter level, the challenges are material-related (e.g., lack of science education equipment and materials) or non-material-related (such as time constraints and the lack of access to interactive computer simulations). We have discussed the theory-, practice- and research-based implications of these results in relation to the design and implementation of inquiry-based practical work in South Africa and internationally.

Preparedness for physiotherapy in private practice: Novices identify key factors in an interpretive description study.

PubMed

Atkinson, Robyn; McElroy, Theresa

2016-04-01

Physiotherapists in Australia deliver services to a diverse range of clients, across many settings, however little research exists examining graduate preparedness for practice, even in the populous field of private practice. To explore novice physiotherapist perspectives on preparedness for work in private practice. The qualitative approach of interpretive description was used to guide in-depth interviews with 8 novice physiotherapists from 3 universities working in 5 private practices in Melbourne. All interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Four main themes influencing graduate preparedness for work in private practice were identified: 1) non-curricular experiences (e.g. sports training) 2) elective curricular: practicum experiences; 3) curricular: attainment of skills specific to private practice; and 4) the private practice setting: supportive colleagues. This combination of non-curricular, curricular, and practice setting factors offered the necessary scaffolding for the graduates to report feeling prepared for work in private practice. Non-curricular activities, radiological instruction, clinical placements, building supportive colleague relations and professional development in private practice are recommended as potential means of building preparedness in novice therapists. Findings have implications for physiotherapy students, educators and private practice clinics looking to recruit new graduates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practice patterns, satisfaction, and demographics of reproductive endocrinologists: results of the 2014 Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Workforce Survey.

PubMed

Barnhart, Kurt T; Nakajima, Steven T; Puscheck, Elizabeth; Price, Thomas M; Baker, Valerie L; Segars, James

2016-05-01

To identify the current and future state of the practice of reproductive medicine. Cross-sectional survey. Not applicable. None. Not applicable. The survey included 57 questions designed to assess practice patterns/metrics and professional satisfaction and morale. A total of 336/1,100 (31%) responded, and they were 38% women, 61% men, and 76% Caucasian, with a mean age of 54. Respondents averaged 2.3 jobs and averaged 53 hours of work per week: 44% work in academia and 50% in private groups. Average practice size was 5.5, with an average of 470 fresh IVF cycles performed per year. Percent effort included 63% infertility, 10% endocrinology, 10% surgery, and 9% research. Respondents performed an average of 13 major surgeries, 69 minor surgeries, and 128 oocyte retrievals per year. A total of 60% were salaried, and 40% were equity partners. Compensation was highly skewed. Greater than 84% had a positive morale and had a positive view of the future, and 92% would again choose REI as a career. The most satisfying areas of employment were patient interactions, intellectual stimulation, interactions with colleagues, and work schedule. The least satisfying areas were work schedule and financial compensation. Training was felt to be too focused on female factor infertility and basic research with insufficient training on embryology, genetics, male factor infertility, and clinical research. In the next 5 years, 57% suggested that the need for specialists would stay the same, while 20% predicted a decrease. A total of 58% felt we are training the correct number of fellows (37% felt we are training a surplus). Compared with academia, those in private practice reported higher compensation, less major surgery, more IVF, less endocrinology, and less research. Men worked more hours, conducted more surgery and IVF cycles, and had higher compensation than women. Morale was similar across age, gender, practice type, and geography. Our subspecialty has an extremely high morale. We are a middle-aged subspecialty with disparate compensation and a focused practice. Some respondents sense a need for a change in our training, and most anticipate only mild growth in our field. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Commands, Competence, and "Carino": Maternal Socialization Practices in Mexican American Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livas-Dlott, Alejandra; Fuller, Bruce; Stein, Gabriela L.; Bridges, Margaret; Mangual Figueroa, Ariana; Mireles, Laurie

2010-01-01

Early research on the socialization of Latino children has posited that mothers exercise authoritarian practices, compared with lateral reasoning (authoritative) strategies emphasized by Anglo mothers. This work aimed to categorize fixed types of parenting practices tied to the mother's personality rather than to culturally bounded contexts; it…

Community College Employee Job Satisfaction: The Influence of Leadership and Human Resource Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boies, Christopher Michael

2017-01-01

This case study research examined employee job satisfaction best practices at three community college receiving recognition through the Chronicle of Higher Education Great College to Work For designation. The leadership and human resource practices at these institutions were explored through employee interviews, collection of documents, and…

Inclusive Educational Practice in Europe: Psychological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Christopher, Ed.; Horan, Jacqueline, Ed.

2017-01-01

The inclusion of all children in the educational system still poses challenges, and psychologists have long been researching and facilitating effective practice with children who don't adjust readily to school. This book collates the findings and practice of psychologists working in schools and educational settings in 13 European states, and will…

Changes in Financial Practices: Southeast Asian Refugees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Phyllis J.

1989-01-01

Presents research on changes over a two-year period in the use of new, Western financial practices by Southeast Asian refugees and in variables affecting those changes. Significant interaction effects showed that increased use of new practices was affected by age, education, work experience, and changes in English ability. (JOW)

Spirituality as a Component of Holistic Student Development in the Practice of Student Affairs Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiessling, Marcia Kennard

2010-01-01

This quantitative research study measured self-reported spirituality of student affairs professionals, practices of student affairs professionals in regard to integration of spirituality into their work, and predictors of holistic, spiritually-infused practice of student affairs professionals. The independent variables were demographic and work…

Building research capacity and productivity among advanced practice nurses: an evaluation of the Community of Practice model.

PubMed

Gullick, Janice G; West, Sandra H

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate Wenger's Community of Practice as a framework for building research capacity and productivity. While research productivity is an expected domain in influential models of advanced nursing practice, internationally it remains largely unmet. Establishment of nursing research capacity precedes productivity and consequently, there is a strong imperative to identify successful capacity-building models for nursing-focussed research in busy clinical environments. Prospective, longitudinal, qualitative descriptive design was used in this study. Bruyn's participant observation framed evaluation of a Community of Practice comprising 25 advanced practice nurses. Data from focus groups, education evaluations, blog/email transcripts and field observations, collected between 2007 and 2014, were analysed using a qualitative descriptive method. The Community of Practice model invited differing levels of participation, allowed for evolution of the research community and created a rhythm of research-related interactions and enduring research relationships. Participants described the value of research for their patients and families and the significance of the developing research culture in providing richness to their practice and visibility of their work to multidisciplinary colleagues. Extensive examples of research dissemination and enrolment in doctoral programmes further confirmed this value. A Community of Practice framework is a powerful model enabling research capacity and productivity evidenced by publication. In developing a solid foundation for a nursing research culture, it should be recognized that research skills, confidence and growth develop over an extended period of time and success depends on skilled coordination and leadership. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"Working" Culture: Exploring Notions of Workplace Culture and Learning at Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somerville, Margaret

2005-01-01

This article is based on research into the practical problem of masculinity and learning and practising safety in the mining industry. The research began with a post-structural analysis of gendered subjectivity in miners' yarns but argues that a concept of "culture" is needed to elucidate a middle-level relationship between individual…

Please Write: Using Critical Friend Letter Writing in Teacher Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samaras, Anastasia P.; Sell, Corey

2013-01-01

This study examines students' experiences using letter writing designed as a socio-cultural-based tool for critical friend work to promote dialogue and critique of their self-study teacher research projects. It seeks to understand their diverse experiences to inform future practice and contribute to the knowledge base of critical friend work in…

What Would a Socially Just Education System Look like?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Becky; Mills, Martin

2012-01-01

This paper was born of the authors' discussions about the imbalance between critique and constructive thinking within the sociology of education, and work on education policy. They were concerned that their research--and the body of work to which their research contributes--is becoming increasingly irrelevant to policy and practice. For British…

Assessing the Unassessable: Making Learning Visible in Undergraduates' Experiences of Scientific Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Anna; Howitt, Susan; Higgins, Denise

2016-01-01

We suggest that academics involved in the provision of research experiences to undergraduate science students may benefit by reconceptualising these experiences as work-based learning. In particular, drawing on the widespread use of reflective practice in work-based learning allows for a more effective focus on process-related learning. We…

"What Works": Recommendations on Improving Academic Experiences and Outcomes for Black Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Tyrone C.; Douglas, Ty-Ron, M. O.; Warren, Chezare A.

2016-01-01

This brief presents the most significant recommendations based on a review of key findings from research presented in this special issue. The authors offer what they believe to be the most important considerations of what works for improving Black male school achievement in the domains of research, practice, and policy.

"Wear Some Thick Socks If You Walk in My Shoes": Agency, Resilience, and Well-Being in Communities of North American Sex Workers.

PubMed

Burnes, Theodore R; Rojas, Elizabeth M; Delgado, Irena; Watkins, Tianna E

2018-07-01

Using a participatory action research (PAR) paradigm, this study investigated how 35 individuals involved in the sex work industry exemplified aspects of agency and intentional well-being under harsh work environments. Using PAR and qualitative research, sex workers were asked to identify research questions and help to design a study investigating the relationship between well-being and sex worker agency. Participants in the study each completed one semi-structured individual interview to share their experiences in the sex work industry. Data from these interviews were analyzed using constructivist phenomenology; standards of trustworthiness were accounted for using multiple tools. Four themes emerged from the data that described how the participants understood their own resilience and areas of needed attention with respect to their mental health: (1) validating sex work and eliminating whorephobic oppression; (2) safety and mobility within practice environments; (3) sexual boundary setting; and (4) social support for sex workers. Implications of the findings on theory, research, practice, and advocacy are discussed.

Empowering occupational therapists to become evidence-based work rehabilitation practitioners.

PubMed

Vachon, Brigitte; Durand, Marie-José; LeBlanc, Jeannette

2010-01-01

Occupational therapists (OTs) engage in continuing education to integrate best available knowledge and skills into their practice. However, many barriers influence the degree to which they are currently able to integrate research evidence into their clinical decision making process. The specific objectives were to explore the clinical decision-making processes they used, and to describe the empowerment process they developed to become evidence-based practitioners. Eight OTs, who had attended a four-day workshop on evidence-based work rehabilitation, were recruited to participate to a reflective practice group. A collaborative research methodology was used. The group was convened for 12 meetings and held during a 15-month period. The data collected was analyzed using the grounded theory method. The results revealed the different decision-making modes used by OTs: defensive, repressed, cautious, autonomous intuitive and autonomous thoughtful. These modes influenced utilization of evidence and determined the stances taken toward practice change. Reflective learning facilitated their utilization of an evidence-based practice model through a three-level empowerment process: deliberateness, client-centeredness and system mindedness. During the course of this study, participants learned to become evidence-based practitioners. This process had an impact on how they viewed their clients, their practice and the work rehabilitation system.

Links between Conflict Management Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roloff, Michael E.

2009-01-01

This paper explicates the implications of my research on conflict management for self improvement and for practitioners who work to improve the conflict management of others. I also note how my experiences with practitioners have informed my research.

A Call to Develop Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for Nonmajors Courses

PubMed Central

Ballen, Cissy J.; Blum, Jessamina E.; Brownell, Sara; Hebert, Sadie; Hewlett, James; Klein, Joanna R.; McDonald, Erik A.; Monti, Denise L.; Nold, Stephen C.; Slemmons, Krista E.; Soneral, Paula A. G.; Cotner, Sehoya

2017-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) for non–science majors (nonmajors) are potentially distinct from CUREs for developing scientists in their goals, learning objectives, and assessment strategies. While national calls to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education have led to an increase in research revealing the positive effects of CUREs for science majors, less work has specifically examined whether nonmajors are impacted in the same way. To address this gap in our understanding, a working group focused on nonmajors CUREs was convened to discuss the following questions: 1) What are our laboratory-learning goals for nonmajors? 2) What are our research priorities to determine best practices for nonmajors CUREs? 3) How can we collaborate to define and disseminate best practices for nonmajors in CUREs? We defined three broad student outcomes of prime importance to the nonmajors CURE: improvement of scientific literacy skills, proscience attitudes, and evidence-based decision making. We evaluated the state of knowledge of best practices for nonmajors, and identified research priorities for the future. The report that follows is a summary of the conclusions and future directions from our discussion. PMID:28450449

Considering Community Psychology Competencies: A Love Letter to Budding Scholar-Activists Who Wonder if They Have What It Takes.

PubMed

Langhout, Regina Day

2015-06-01

Recently, community psychologists have re-vamped a set of 18 competencies considered important for how we practice community psychology. Three competencies are: (1) ethical, reflexive practice, (2) community inclusion and partnership, and (3) community education, information dissemination, and building public awareness. This paper will outline lessons I-a white working class woman academic-learned about my competency development through my research collaborations, using the lens of affective politics. I describe three lessons, from school-based research sites (elementary schools serving working class students of color and one elite liberal arts school serving wealthy white students). The first lesson, from an elementary school, concerns ethical, reflective practice. I discuss understanding my affect as a barometer of my ability to conduct research from a place of solidarity. The second lesson, which centers community inclusion and partnership, illustrates how I learned about the importance of "before the beginning" conversations concerning social justice and conflict when working in elementary schools. The third lesson concerns community education, information dissemination, and building public awareness. This lesson, from a college, taught me that I could stand up and speak out against classism in the face of my career trajectory being threatened. With these lessons, I flesh out key aspects of community practice competencies.

The implications of the feminization of the primary care physician workforce on service supply: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hedden, Lindsay; Barer, Morris L; Cardiff, Karen; McGrail, Kimberlyn M; Law, Michael R; Bourgeault, Ivy L

2014-06-04

There is a widespread perception that the increasing proportion of female physicians in most developed countries is contributing to a primary care service shortage because females work less and provide less patient care compared with their male counterparts. There has, however, been no comprehensive investigation of the effects of primary care physician (PCP) workforce feminization on service supply. We undertook a systematic review to examine the current evidence that quantifies the effect of feminization on time spent working, intensity and scope of work, and practice characteristics. We searched Medline, Embase, and Web of Science from 1991 to 2013 using variations of the terms 'primary care', 'women', 'manpower', and 'supply and distribution'; screened the abstracts of all articles; and entered those meeting our inclusion criteria into a data abstraction tool. Original research comparing male to female PCPs on measures of years of practice, time spent working, intensity of work, scope of work, or practice characteristics was included. We screened 1,271 unique abstracts and selected 74 studies for full-text review. Of these, 34 met the inclusion criteria. Years of practice, hours of work, intensity of work, scope of work, and practice characteristics featured in 12%, 53%, 42%, 50%, and 21% of studies respectively. Female PCPs self-report fewer hours of work than male PCPs, have fewer patient encounters, and deliver fewer services, but spend longer with their patients during a contact and deal with more separate presenting problems in one visit. They write fewer prescriptions but refer to diagnostic services and specialist physicians more often. The studies included in this review suggest that the feminization of the workforce is likely to have a small negative impact on the availability of primary health care services, and that the drivers of observed differences between male and female PCPs are complex and nuanced. The true scale of the impact of these findings on future effective physician supply is difficult to determine with currently available evidence, given that few studies looked at trends over time, and results from those that did are inconsistent. Additional research examining gender differences in practice patterns and scope of work is warranted.

Guiding Social Work Doctoral Graduates through Scholarly Publications and Presentations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Cynthia L.; Tomal, Daniel R.

2015-01-01

Disseminating the work of social work doctoral graduates aligns with the Council on Social Work Education's National Statement on Research Integrity in Social Work publication practices and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. Publications and presentations are essential to their future success, yet little support is provided…

Educating nurses about research ethics and practices with a self-directed practice-based learning program.

PubMed

Cibulka, Nancy J

2011-11-01

Learner-driven and practice-based education programs are recommended for integration of learning. A continuing education program on research ethics was introduced to five nurses in an ambulatory care setting at a Magnet® hospital, using a commercially available web-based course followed by a research practicum. The seasoned nurses reported little previous education in this area. Working with a nurse researcher, three nurses participated in a research project for improving clinic care delivery. The success of the continuing education program was determined by knowledge acquisition, satisfaction with learning activities, and perceived confidence in research participation. This continuing education program was effective in providing for knowledge and skill development in research ethics. The integrative learning format was well received. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Moving improvement research closer to practice: the Researcher-in-Residence model.

PubMed

Marshall, Martin; Pagel, Christina; French, Catherine; Utley, Martin; Allwood, Dominique; Fulop, Naomi; Pope, Catherine; Banks, Victoria; Goldmann, Allan

2014-10-01

The traditional separation of the producers of research evidence in academia from the users of that evidence in healthcare organisations has not succeeded in closing the gap between what is known about the organisation and delivery of health services and what is actually done in practice. As a consequence, there is growing interest in alternative models of knowledge creation and mobilisation, ones which emphasise collaboration, active participation of all stakeholders, and a commitment to shared learning. Such models have robust historical, philosophical and methodological foundations but have not yet been embraced by many of the people working in the health sector. This paper presents an emerging model of participation, the Researcher-in-Residence. The model positions the researcher as a core member of a delivery team, actively negotiating a body of expertise which is different from, but complementary to, the expertise of managers and clinicians. Three examples of in-residence models are presented: an anthropologist working as a member of an executive team, operational researchers working in a front-line delivery team, and a Health Services Researcher working across an integrated care organisation. Each of these examples illustrates the contribution that an embedded researcher can make to a service-based team. They also highlight a number of unanswered questions about the model, including the required level of experience of the researcher and their areas of expertise, the institutional facilitators and barriers to embedding the model, and the risk that the independence of an embedded researcher might be compromised. The Researcher-in-Residence model has the potential to engage both academics and practitioners in the promotion of evidence-informed service improvement, but further evaluation is required before the model should be routinely used in practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Understanding Work and Literacy: (E)merging Discourses at Work. Research into Practice Series Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castleton, Geraldine; Ovens, Carolyn; Ralston, Deborah

The nature and effects of current common understandings of the relationship between work and literacy were examined along with the typical design and objectives of workplace literacy programs for members of Australia's work force. Special attention was paid to the following topics: changing demands of work and literacy at work; discourses of…

Science and Social Practice: Action Research and Activity Theory as Socio-Critical Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langemeyer, Ines

2011-01-01

Action research and activity theory are considered by a number of followers as socio-critical approaches, whereas others do not relate them to social-criticism and use them merely as methods to improve practice. This article searches for general insights in Kurt Lewin's and Lev S. Vygotsky's work into how one proceeds and acts critically. In their…

Teaching Experientially with the Madeline Hunter Method: An Application in a Marketing Research Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Alvin C.

2006-01-01

Due to concerns about the disparity of learning and the high nonresponse rates encountered by student marketing research teams working with sponsors, the author adopted the Hunter Method to restructure his course. This method requires the use of a model onto which students can map their learning via guided practice as well as independent practice.…

Shared Learning and Clinical Teamwork: New Directions in Education for Multiprofessional Practice. Researching Professional Education Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Carolyn; Ross, Nick; Freeman, Marnie

The role of collaborative/shared learning in nursing, midwifery, and visiting nurse education in the United Kingdom was explored to identify the qualities and skills needed by practitioners to work effectively in multiprofessional contexts and establish the fit between the knowledge and skills needed in multiprofessional practice and the teaching…

Features of a Post-Identitarian Pedagogy (with Reference to Postgraduate Student Writing and the Continuing Professional Development of Teachers)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Done, Elizabeth; Knowler, Helen

2013-01-01

This article responds to Aitchson's observation that development of new pedagogic practices for teaching writing is inhibited by lack of research into how such pedagogies work in practice. The article refers to research into the introduction of a module, "Writing as Professional Development", on a part-time master's-level programme for…

Better Policies for Dual Language Learners: Bridging Research, Policy, Implementation, and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Conor P.

2015-01-01

On December 11, 2014, "New America" convened a group of leading experts on dual language learners (DLLs) to launch its new Dual Language Learners National Work Group. The group aimed to address three questions: (1) What are the key best practices for dual language learner instruction, policy, and research?; (2) What are the areas of…

High-Quality Traineeships: Identifying What Works. A National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica; Comyn, Paul; Kemmis, Roslin Brennan; Smith, Andy

2009-01-01

This study explores the common features of high-quality traineeships using case studies from the cleaning, child care, construction, retail, finance and insurance, and meat processing areas. The research identifies a range of policy measures that could improve both the practice and image of traineeships. A good practice guide has also been…

Current Status and Future Agenda for the Theory, Research, and Practice of Childhood Career Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultheiss, Donna E. Palladino

2008-01-01

This article reviews the current status and a future agenda for childhood career development theory, research, and practice. The fragmented nature of the current state of the literature is noted, and a call is made for a reexamination and reconsideration of the childhood developmental pathways of life's work. It is suggested that the study of…

Understanding Youth Development from the Practitioner's Point of View: A Call for Research on Effective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Reed W.; Walker, Kathrin C.; Rusk, Natalie; Diaz, Lisa B.

2015-01-01

This article calls for research on the expertise of youth development practitioners. We argue for studies focused on understanding youth practice from practitioners' points of view--as they experience and enact it--with the aim of contributing findings and frameworks that are helpful to their work and learning. To improve youth programs, first, it…

'The artist's piece is already in the stone': constructing creativity in paleontology laboratories.

PubMed

Wylie, Caitlin Donahue

2015-02-01

Laboratory technicians are typically portrayed as manual workers following routine procedures to produce scientific data. However, technicians in vertebrate paleontology laboratories often describe their work in terms of creativity and artistry. Fossil specimens undergo extensive preparation--including rock removal, damage repair, and reconstruction of missing parts--to become accessible to researchers. Technicians called 'fossil preparators' choose, apply, and sometimes invent these preparation methods. They have no formal training, no standard protocols, and few publications to consult on techniques. Despite the resulting diversity of people and practices, preparators and their work are usually absent from research publications, making them 'invisible technicians' in Steven Shapin's sense. But preparators reject the view of their work as predictable or simple; in particular, many preparators value art training, the aesthetics of prepared fossils, and the process of creative problem-solving in their work. Based on interviews and participant observation and drawing from literature in science studies, sociology of work, and anthropology of craft, I ask why these technicians compare themselves with artists and how this portrayal affects scientific practice and social order in laboratories. I argue that associating artistry and creativity with their work distances preparators from ideas of unskilled technical work and technicians' low status, thus improving their social role in the laboratory community and preserving their power over laboratory practices.

Getting "What Works" Working: Building Blocks for the Integration of Experimental and Improvement Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Amelia

2016-01-01

As a systemic approach to improving educational practice through research, "What Works" has come under repeated challenge from alternative approaches, most recently that of improvement science. While "What Works" remains a dominant paradigm for centralized knowledge-building efforts, there is need to understand why this…

Towards a genealogy of pharmacological practice.

PubMed

Camargo, Ricardo; Ried, Nicolás

2016-03-01

Following Foucault's work on disciplinary power and biopolitics, this article maps an initial cartography of the research areas to be traced by a genealogy of pharmacological practice. Pharmacology, as a practical activity, refers to the creation, production and sale of drugs/medication. This work identifies five lines of research that, although often disconnected from each other, may be observed in the specialized literature: (1) pharmaceuticalization; (2) regulation of the pharmaceutical industry; (3) the political-economic structure of the pharmaceutical industry; (4) consumption/consumerism of medications; (5) and bio-knowledge. The article suggests that a systematic analysis of these areas leads one to consider pharmacological practice a sui generis apparatus of power, which reaches beyond the purely disciplinary and biopolitical levels to encompass molecular configurations, thereby giving rise not only to new types of government over life, but also to new struggles for life, extending from molecular to population-wide levels.

Undergraduate Social Work Students: Learning Interviewing Skills in a Hybrid Practice Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barclay, Barbara

2012-01-01

This action research case study explored undergraduate social work students' perceived learning of interviewing skills in a hybrid environment course delivery. The single case study consisted of 19 students enrolled in a practice course blending web-based and face-to-face (f2f) meetings (4 of 15 f2f) within a large urban college. As part of…

Teachers Reflecting on Their Work: Articulating What Is Said about What Is Done

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mena Marcos, Juan Jose; Sanchez, Emilio; Tillema, Harm

2008-01-01

Teachers' written reflections on their work, which report on a change in their practice, were the object of this research. Taking teachers' articulation of their plans and actions in teacher journals as our source, this study's aim is twofold: (1) to describe how teacher reflect in a self-initiated and non-framed way on their own practice, and (2)…

Developing a professional poster: four "ps" for advanced practice nurses to consider.

PubMed

Bindon, Susan L; Davenport, Joan M

2013-01-01

Professional posters play an important role in the dissemination of knowledge and the professional development of advanced practice nurses, graduate students, and clinical faculty. Posters should be considered an integral component in communication of professional work in practice, research, and education. The invitation to submit a poster abstract is an important opportunity for clinicians and faculty alike to consider. Though sometimes misperceived as less prestigious than a podium presentation, posters add a unique element to professional and academic events. The argument is made for posters as an equal among scholarly presentation formats. The poster serves as a tremendous opportunity for collaboration between partners and a way to communicate important findings and advertise the presenters' work. For the advanced practice nurse who is a novice in presenting best practice or evidence from research trials, the poster format may be less intimidating while allowing the invaluable sharing of results. Four critical elements of professional poster development are deciding on a clear Purpose, targeting the right People, outlining key steps in the Process, and delivering a memorable Presentation. Using the "4 Ps" as cornerstones for the work of developing, preparing, and delivering the poster to an audience, the authors aim to help organize the entire process into these essential considerations. The poster, as a means of scholarly work, is a viable and essential activity, as interdisciplinary collaboration and sharing of best practice becomes the expectation for all professional development.

The practical epistemologies of the classroom: A study of laboratory work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wickman, Per-Olof

2004-05-01

The practical epistemologies of university students during laboratory work in chemistry are analyzed to enhance understanding of how teaching practices interact with learners. The purpose is to develop a theoretical framework of learning as action that can be used by educational researchers to examine meaning-making, but also by teachers in close association with their daily work to understand the course learning takes in their own classrooms. Here this framework is adopted to demonstrate how the sequence of learning may affect the subject content learnt. It is also demonstrated how learning can be understood in terms of habits, and how observations of such habits could be used by a teacher to inform her/his teaching. The theory of practical epistemologies is based on the later Wittgenstein, pragmatics, and sociocultural approaches identifying learning with talk, action, and habits situated in practices.

Good practices of publishing AYUSH research: A practical checklist for authors.

PubMed

Patwardhan, Kishor; Tillu, Girish; Jadhav, Priyanka M

Since its inception, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (J-AIM) has been constantly striving to create an environment that inculcates and strengthens "Good Publication Practices (GPP)" amongst students, practitioners and researchers in AYUSH community. The J-AIM has been doing this in the form of conducting workshops on scientific writing and research methods on different platforms. This article is based on our experiences and varied discussions that we have had with students, teachers, practitioners and researchers during these interactive sessions, and is intended at addressing the gap that prevails in the domain. The need for such awareness is felt even more strongly ever since the Beall's list of predatory journals has been unpublished. This article tries to fill the void this disappearance has created. We analyze the current scenario of AYUSH publications, enumerate the common perceptions and concerns among the workers in the field, and consider the periodicals where the doctoral and postgraduate level of Ayurveda research works are being published at present. The article also presents a practical checklist that will be helpful for students and teachers to refer authentic resources and submit their work to an appropriate scholarly journal. Copyright © 2017 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Building bridges between theory and practice in medical education using a design-based research approach: AMEE Guide No. 60.

PubMed

Dolmans, Diana H J M; Tigelaar, D

2012-01-01

Medical education research has grown enormously over the past 20 years, but it does not sufficiently make use of theories, according to influential leaders and researchers in this field. In this AMEE Guide, it is argued that design-based research (DBR) studies should be conducted much more in medical education design research because these studies both advance the testing and refinement of theories and advance educational practice. In this Guide, the essential characteristics of DBR as well as how DBR differs from other approach such as formative evaluation are explained. It is also explained what the pitfalls and challenges of DBR are. The main challenges deal with how to insure that DBR studies reveal findings that are of a broader relevance than the local situation and how to insure that DBR contributes toward theory testing and refinement. An example of a series of DBR studies on the design of a teaching portfolio in higher education that is aimed at stimulating a teacher's professional development is described, to illustrate how DBR studies actually work in practice. Finally, it is argued that DBR-studies could play an important role in the advancement of theory and practice in the two broad domains of designing or redesigning work-based learning environments and assessment programs.

Malaysian researchers talk about the influence of culture on research misconduct in higher learning institutions.

PubMed

Olesen, Angelina P; Amin, Latifah; Mahadi, Zurina

2017-01-01

Based on a previous survey by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) in the USA, a considerable number of foreign research scientists have been found guilty of research misconduct. However, it remains unclear as to whether or not cultural factors really contribute to research misconduct. This study is based on a series of interviews with Malaysian researchers from the local universities regarding their own professional experiences involving working with researchers or research students from different countries or of different nationalities. Most of the researchers interviewed agreed that cultures do shape individual character, which influences the way that such individuals conduct research, their decision-making, and their style of academic writing. Our findings also showed that working culture within the institution also influences research practices, as well as faculty mentorship of the younger generation of researchers. Given the fact such misconduct might be due to a lack of understanding of research or working cultures or practices within the institution, the impact on the scientific community and on society could be destructive. Therefore, it is suggested that the institution has an important role to play in orienting foreign researchers through training, mentoring, and discussion with regard to the "does" and "don'ts" related to research, and to provide them with an awareness of the importance of ethics when it comes to conducting research.

Beyond Work-Life "Integration".

PubMed

Williams, Joan C; Berdahl, Jennifer L; Vandello, Joseph A

2016-01-01

Research on the work-family interface began in the 1960s and has grown exponentially ever since. This vast amount of research, however, has had relatively little impact on workplace practice, and work-family conflict is at an all-time high. We review the work-family research to date and propose that a shift of attention is required, away from the individual experience of work and family and toward understanding how identity and status are defined at work. Several factors enshrine cherished identities around current workplace norms. The work devotion schema demands that those who are truly committed to their work will make it the central or sole focus of their lives, without family demands to distract them. Importantly, the work devotion schema underwrites valued class and gender identities: Work devotion is a key way of enacting elite class status and functions as the measure of a man--the longer the work hours and higher the demand for his attention, the better. Advocating change in the way work is done and life is lived meets resistance because it places these cherished identities at risk. Resistance to these identity threats keeps current workplace norms in place. This is why even the business case-which shows that current practices are not economically efficient-fails to persuade organizations to enact change. What is needed now is sustained attention to the implicit psychological infrastructure that cements the mismatch between today's workplace and today's workforce.

Governing Well in Community-Based Research: Lessons from Canada’s HIV Research Sector on Ethics, Publics and the Care of the Self

PubMed Central

Guta, Adrian; Murray, Stuart J; Strike, Carol; Flicker, Sarah; Upshur, Ross; Myers, Ted

2017-01-01

Abstract In this paper, we extend Michel Foucault’s final works on the ‘care of the self’ to an empirical examination of research practice in community-based research (CBR). We use Foucault’s ‘morality of behaviors’ to analyze interview data from a national sample of Canadian CBR practitioners working with communities affected by HIV. Despite claims in the literature that ethics review is overly burdensome for non-traditional forms of research, our findings suggest that many researchers using CBR have an ambivalent but ultimately productive relationship with institutional research ethics review requirements. They understand and use prescribed codes, but adapt them in practice to account for the needs of participating community members, members of their research teams and the larger communities with whom they work. Complying with ethics protocols was seen as only the beginning, a minimum standard; our research suggests that the real ethical work happens in the field, where CBR practitioners encounter community members in diverse public roles and must forge ethical consensus across communities. CBR represents an ethical terrain in which practitioners challenge themselves to work differently, and as a result they care for themselves—and others—in ways that often resist the propensity for domination through public health research. ‘…there are different ways to “conduct oneself” morally, different ways for the acting individual to operate, not just as an agent, but as an ethical subject of action.’ (Foucault, 1985: 26) PMID:29731810

Understanding clinical work practices for cross-boundary decision support in e-health.

PubMed

Tawfik, Hissam; Anya, Obinna; Nagar, Atulya K

2012-07-01

One of the major concerns of research in integrated healthcare information systems is to enable decision support among clinicians across boundaries of organizations and regional workgroups. A necessary precursor, however, is to facilitate the construction of appropriate awareness of local clinical practices, including a clinician's actual cognitive capabilities, peculiar workplace circumstances, and specific patient-centered needs based on real-world clinical contexts across work settings. In this paper, a user-centered study aimed to investigate clinical practices across three different geographical areas-the U.K., the UAE and Nigeria-is presented. The findings indicate that differences in clinical practices among clinicians are associated with differences in local work contexts across work settings, but are moderated by adherence to best practice guidelines and the need for patient-centered care. The study further reveals that an awareness especially of the ontological, stereotypical, and situated practices plays a crucial role in adapting knowledge for cross-boundary decision support. The paper then outlines a set of design guidelines for the development of enterprise information systems for e-health. Based on the guidelines, the paper proposes the conceptual design of CaDHealth, a practice-centered framework for making sense of clinical practices across work settings for effective cross-boundary e-health decision support.

First year physics practicals in distance education in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cilliers, Johanna Albertha

Although the merits of practical work in physics is often questioned, it remains part of physics curricula word- wide. In distance education the incorporation of practical work into the curriculum is considerably complicated by the unique logistics of the setting and the high cost involved. The research reported in this thesis emanated from the need to improve the practical work module for first year physics at the University of South Africa, one of the largest distance education universities in the world. Specifically, the home-based component which, up to the commencement of the research had been entirely text-based, needed to be addressed. To this end it was necessary to identify a valid and attainable set of objectives and to determine the characteristics, abilities and needs of the students in the target group. A survey polling the viewpoints of South African physics lecturers and students about the objectives of practical work was conducted and an extensive student profile comprising a biographic, cognitive and affective component was compiled. Biographically, the target group is unique in the sense that it consists mainly of adult learners, a large percentage of whom study in a second language. The cognitive component of the profile covered aptitude, proficiency in English, mathematics and the integrated science process skills and level of cognitive development, all of which were investigated for possible influence on performance in practical work. On an affective level, students displayed a very positive attitude towards practical work, seated mainly in their need for concrete exploration of the theory. A practical work module structured around an experiential learning cycle adapted to the distance education environment was subsequently designed. The study material developed for the module comprised an interactive study guide on data processing and experimental procedure, a home experiment kit with accompanying workbook and a laboratory manual. From the pilot study forming part of the development process, it was found that students performed significantly better in an assignment based on home- experimentation than in any of the pen-and-paper assignments preceding it. Based on the results of the pilot study, a full home experiment kit was designed, evaluated, refined and implemented.

The trials and tribulations of a practitioner-researcher: challenges and lessons learned through testing a feminist-cognitive-relational social work model of practice.

PubMed

Dombo, Eileen A; Bass, Ami P

2014-01-01

In practice with adult women who survived childhood sexual abuse, the field of social work currently lacks an evidence-based intervention. The current interventions, from the 1990s, come primarily from psychologists. The hypothesis that the Feminist-Cognitive-Relational Social Work Model and Intervention will be more effective in decreasing cognitive distortions, and increasing intimacy and relational health when compared to the standard agency intervention was tested in a quasi-experimental study. The challenges in carrying out the study in small, non-profit organizations are explored to highlight the difficulties in developing evidence-based interventions. Changes to implementation that resulted from the research findings are discussed.