The role of motivational systems in community service involvement : initiating and sustaining factors and quality of experience /

Community service participation can have a positive impact on development, especially for youth. Although researchers have found positive outcomes, there has been a notable decline in youth participation over the past few years (Statistics Canada, 2000). Given the positive outcomes and current decline, it has been argued that youth should be encouraged to get involved in service activities. In the present study, quantitative and qualitative data were collected to determine factors that would help youth to initiate and sustain service, along with examining the quality of their experience. Eighty-two university undergraduate students (23 men), ranging in age from 17-20 years completed a 60-minute self-report questionnaire. Initiating and sustaining factors, motivational systems (similar to approach and avoidance dimensions), activity dimensions {Structure, Supportive Social Environment), quality of experience {Positive, Stress-Challenge), and future intention to participate in community service were measured. Eight participants also completed a 20-minute telephone interview to complement and expand on the quantitative data collected. Some initiating and sustaining factors were specific to individuals higher on the avoidance dimension, while others were relevant to those higher on the approach dimension. Several factors also were important to individuals regardless of their motivational system orientation. Positive quality of experience was related positively to experiencing a supportive social environment. In addition, women rated their community service as more positive than did men. A predicted interaction between the avoidance dimension and Structure in predicting positive quality of experience was not supported; however, positive quality of experience was predicted by the interaction of the approach dimension and Structure. A tested interaction between the avoidance dimension and Supportive Social Environment in predicting positive quality of experience was not supported. Similarly, a predicted interaction between the approach dimension and Supportive Social Environment in predicting positive experience quality was not supported. However, Supportive Social Environment was positively related to positive quality of experience. No support was found for a mediational role for positive quality of experience or stress-challenge quality of experience in exploring the relation between motivational orientation and fiiture intention to engage in service activities. The results of this study suggest that participating in a service environment that is supportive and provides the opportunity for social interactions with others would promote positive quality of experience and help youth sustain involvement. Thus, to help youth have positive experiences and to remain active in service, it is important for service agencies to promote these types of environments. In addition, some initiating and sustaining factors were specific to youth higher on the avoidance dimension and some were relevant to youth higher on the approach dimension. Therefore, service agencies may need to consider using different recruitment and retention strategies, depending on the type of youth they wish to recruit.

An exploration of the experience of implementing the second step violence prevention curriculum in one primary general learning disabilities class /

Violence has always been a part of the human experience, and therefore, a popular topic for research. It is a controversial issue, mostly because the possible sources of violent behaviour are so varied, encompassing both biological and environmental factors. However, very little disagreement is found regarding the severity of this societal problem. Most researchers agree that the number and intensity of aggressive acts among adults and children is growing. Not surprisingly, many educational policies, programs, and curricula have been developed to address this concern. The research favours programs which address the root causes of violence and seek to prevent rather than provide consequences for the undesirable behaviour. But what makes a violence prevention program effective? How should educators choose among the many curricula on the market? After reviewing the literature surrounding violence prevention programs and their effectiveness, The Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum surfaced as unique in many ways. It was designed to address the root causes of violence in an active, student-centred way. Empathy training, anger management, interpersonal cognitive problem solving, and behavioural social skills form the basis of this program. Published in 1992, the program has been the topic of limited research, almost entirely carried out using quantitative methodologies.The purpose of this study was to understand what happens when the Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum is implemented with a group of students and teachers. I was not seeking a statistical correlation between the frequency of violence and program delivery, as in most prior research. Rather, I wished to gain a deeper understanding of the impact ofthe program through the eyes of the participants. The Second Step Program was taught to a small, primary level, general learning disabilities class by a teacher and student teacher. Data were gathered using interviews with the teachers, personal observations, staff reports, and my own journal. Common themes across the four types of data collection emerged during the study, and these themes were isolated and explored for meaning. Findings indicate that the program does not offer a "quick fix" to this serious problem. However, several important discoveries were made. The teachers feU that the program was effective despite a lack of concrete evidence to support this claim. They used the Second Step strategies outside their actual instructional time and felt it made them better educators and disciplinarians. The students did not display a marked change in their behaviour during or after the program implementation, but they were better able to speak about their actions, the source of their aggression, and the alternatives which were available. Although they were not yet transferring their knowledge into positive action,a heightened awareness was evident. Finally, staff reports and my own journal led me to a deeper understanding ofhow perception frames reality. The perception that the program was working led everyone to feel more empowered when a violent incident occurred, and efforts were made to address the cause rather than merely to offer consequences. A general feeling that we were addressing the problem in a productive way was prevalent among the staff and students involved. The findings from this investigation have many implications for research and practice. Further study into the realm of violence prevention is greatly needed, using a balance of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Such a serious problem can only be effectively addressed with a greater understanding of its complexities. This study also demonstrates the overall positive impact of the Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum and, therefore, supports its continued use in our schools.

Exploring the experiences of male spousal caregivers for their wives with alzheimer disease in their homes : the lived experience and the men's perception of support groups /

This research is qualitative in nature and has explored, by means of interviews, the '^^ experiences of 10 men in their roles in caring for their spouses with Alzheimer Disease (see glossary) in their homes. Additional data were collected by attending 3 formal support group meetings and one informal meeting of a group of men who brought their wives to a support group meeting for their wives with AD. The data retrieved supported the assumption that education about the disease, utilization of formal community support services, and attendance at caregiver support groups or programs can assist healthy male caregivers in caring for their wives with AD in their homes.

An investigation into the physical and psychological stress factors that elementary teachers experience : recommendations to boards and personal calming strategies /

The prlmaiy objective of this study was to Identify and describe the physical and psychological stress factors that elementary school teachers experience and how teachers cope with stress. A secondary objective was to offer boards and teachers potential coping strategies counteracting stress and the effects of stress. The sample consisted of 120 elementaiy teachers from southern Ontario. Ten elementaiy schools were randomly chosen. The Teacher Stress Inventory questionnaire (Flmian, 1989) was used. Data were analyzed using a variety of statistics. Test norms and interpretations were performed based on standard results obtained from the author of the questionnaire (Flmian, 1988). Overall, the results indicated that work-related stressors were the main factor for teacher stress. This Included such factors as caseload/class is too big, too much administrative paperwork, and having little time to prepare lessons. Implications for further research and practical suggestions for further reseairch are discussed. Also a variety of recommendations to boards and for individual use are discussed. Some recommendations are having counselling available for teachers, workshops on how to handle stress, and learning how to breathe and using calm visualization.

Learning experience and identity development as a research assistant /

What research learning experiences do current students have as research assistants (RAs) in the Faculty of Education at Brock University? How do the experiences of research assistants contribute to the formation of a researcher identity and influence future research plans? Despite the importance of these questions, there seems to be very little research conducted or written about the experiences of research assistants as they engage in the research process. There are few resources to which research assistants or their advisors can refer regarding graduate student research learning experiences. The purpose of this study was to understand the kinds of learning experiences that 4 RAs (who are enrolled in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario) have and how those experiences contribute to their identities as researchers. Through interviews with participants, observations of participants, and textual documents produced by participants, I have (a) discovered what 4 RAs have learned while engaged in one or more research assistantships and (b) explored how these 4 RAs' experiences have shaped their identities as new researchers. My research design provided a separate case study for each participant RA, including myself as a research participant. Then as a collective, I studied all 4 cases as a case study in itself in the form of a cross-analysis to identify similarities and differences between cases. Using a variety of writing forms and visual narratives, I analyzed and interpreted the experiences of my participants utilizing arts-based literature to inform my analysis and thesis format. The final presentation includes electronic diagrams, models, poetry, a newsletter, a website presentation, and other representational arts-based forms.This thesis is a resource for current and future research assistants who can learn from the research assistant experiences presented in the research. Faculty members who hire research assistants to assist them with their research will also benefit from reading about RAs' learning experiences from the RAs' perspective. The information provided in this thesis document is a resource to inform future policies and research training initiatives in faculty departments and offices at universities. Consequently, this thesis also informs researchers (experienced and inexperienced) about how to conduct research in ways that benefit all parties and provide insight into potential ways to improve research assistantship practices.

The lived experience of women with recurrent ovarian cancer /

The purpose of this study was to understand the Hved experience of 6 women with recurrent ovarian cancer. Six women were interviewed 2-20 weeks after the recurrence of their ovarian cancer. Interview questions focused on the meaning of the recurrence and their communication with others. Women were asked about the information and support that they felt they needed at that time, van Manen's method of reflection and writing guided the inquiry. Analysis of the data revealed the themes of: my cancer is back; it means that I will die; talking about it; we are people, we are not a disease; information; and life has changed/life hasn't changed. This study revealed the perspectives of these 6 women with recurrent ovarian cancer. It provided an understanding and knowledge about the lives of these women. Future research should explore the experiences of a larger group of women with recurrent ovarian cancer in order to address their unique needs.

A qualitative narrative inquiry of the experience of accessing community supports among women who have experienced trauma

Abuse related trauma can have serious consequences on individuals' health and their state of well-being and may result in decreased access to different determinants of health. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry using secondary data was to explore the experience of accessing community supports among eight women who had experienced abuse-related trauma. A conceptual framework drawn from the literature on social inclusion and social exclusion and a narrative inquiry method were used to explore epiphanies, customs, routines, images, and everyday experiences (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) among the women. A Three-Dimensional Space Narrative Structure was used to explore the participants' personal or internal conditions, feelings, hopes and reaction as well as their social experiences in interaction with others in community. The participants described experiencing the impact of trauma in their past and present circumstances, a lack of accommodation of difference, challenges in maintaining a sense of self in a world of assumption and labels, impact of trauma on the determinants of health, and uncertainty about the future. The findings from the study demonstrate experiences of social exclusion among the participants in the past, further isolation and social exclusion in the present when personal life issues were ignored by community support services, and uncertainty about what the future will bring for them. The findings indicate close relationships between the women's personal lives and their social connections which need to be considered to mitigate social exclusion and enhance social inclusion.

Behavioural and neural correlates of operant conditioning in Lymnaea stagnalis : role of previous experience during development /

The freshwater mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis was utilized in this study to further the understanding of how network properties change as a result of associative learning, and to determine whether or not this plasticity is dependent on previous experience during development. The respiratory and neural correlates of operant conditioning were first determined in normally reared Lymnaea. The same procedure was then applied to differentially reared Lymnaea, that is, animals that had never experienced aerial respiration during their development. The aim was to determine whether these animals would demonstrate the same responses to the training paradigm. In normally reared animals, a behavioural reduction in aerial respiration was accompanied by numerous changes within the neural network. Specifically, I provide evidence of changes at the level of the respiratory central pattern generator and the motor output. In the differentially reared animals, there was little behavioural data to suggest learning and memory. There were, however, significant differences in the network parameters, similar to those observed in normally reared animals. This demonstrated an effect of operant conditioning on differentially reared animals. In this thesis, I have identified additional correlates of operant conditioning in normally reared animals and provide evidence of associative learning in differentially reared animals. I conclude plasticity is not dependent on previous experience, but is rather ontogenetically programmed within the neural network.

An exploratory study of nurses' perceptions of their action learning experience /

Each year, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) requires all registered nurses and registered practical nurses in Ontario to complete a Reflective Practice learning activity. In doing so, nurses are expected to perform a self- assessment, identify a practice problem or issue, create and implement a personal learning plan, and evaluate the learning and outcomes accomplished. The process and components of CNO's Reflective Practice program are very similar to an Action Learning activity. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the perceptions of 1 1 nurses who completed at least 1 Action Learning activity. Data analysis of their comments provided insight into their perceptions of the Action Learning experience, perceptions of the negative and positive characteristics of various activities within the Action Learning process, and perceptions of barriers or challenges within this experience. The author concluded that participants perceived their Action Learning activities to be a positive experience because the process focused on practice problems and issues, enhanced thinking about practice problems, and achieved practice-relevant outcomes. However, the results indicated that self-directed learning and journal writing were difficult activities for some participants, and some experienced negative emotional responses during reflection. The research concluded that barriers to implementation of Action Learning include a lack of understanding of the process and a perceived lack of support from employers.

Evaluation of self-esteem before and after preceptorship experience for student nurses

seventy-eight diploma nursing students participated (from a class of 112 students) in completing the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory administered by mailed questionnaire before and at the end of the preceptorship. Also a rating form was completed by 70 preceptors to determine how the observed level of self-confidence compared to self-reported self-esteem at the end of the preceptorship program. As well, four preceptors and five preceptees completed weekly diaries and six preceptors and six preceptees participated in weekly phone interviews with the investigator. Overall, self-esteem went up after the preceptorship. A comparison was made between the pretest and posttest using the t-test (dependent paired samples). Significant difference (p=.05) was demonstrated. Self-confidence ratings by preceptors were inaccurate as they had no relation to the self-reported self-esteem level of students. The diaries and interviews of preceptors and preceptees were a rich source of data as well.

Exploring the experience of the pioneers of change

The world of work with Western society appears to be undergoing a major change. The literature has described this phenomenon as a change from an industrialbased economy to a knowledge-based economy. This change will represent a complete transformation of the world of work; some suggest that everything we have come to accept and know as normal will change. Our present society seems to be in a period of transition. It is a time with many challenges and problems, many of which cannot be solved with thinking patterns from an old industrial-based economy. A fundamental shift in thinking patterns consistent with a new emerging world of work must take place. This change in thinking represents a fundmental shift from traditional and linear ways of seeing the world (worldview), to more holistic ways of seeing the world. In this investigation the word paradigm was used to define how people see their world. A paradigm shift is defined as a change in how a person sees their world: a change from an old to new or different way of viewing the world. Those individuals who are the first to shift their paradigm are called paradigm pioneers. These individuals do not only shift their ways of seeing the world, but they also begin to act and behave in ways consistent with the new paradigm. Thus far the research literature has adequately described the concepts of paradigms and paradigm shifts. However, little is known regarding how people actually and eventually make a shift. As it will be important for each individual to make a personal paradigm shift, then it will be extremely valuable to learn more about the process itself. The purpose of this investigation was to explore these issues in more detail and specifically, describe the experience of paradigm shifts and explore the experience of paradigm pioneers. A qualitative research methodology involving in-depth interviews was used to investigate the experiences of four participants identified as paradigm pioneers. It is interesting to note that the participants in this study did not describe an allencompassing paradigm shift. In fact, each participant, defined a paradigm shift in several different ways. They did relate several examples of paradigm shifts. However, even among these examples, there was a high degree of variability. The findings of this investigation centered upon the participants' experience as pioneers. Each pioneer shared many of the same qualities, the first quality of which described how these pioneers dealt with change. I called this a change-sense quality. The pioneers viewed change in an open and positive manner, and were also aware of change taking place in their world. Finally, they displayed an understanding of change, and a bias to take positive action in the face it. The participants also shared an inner quality. The four pioneers demonstrated a personal purpose and vision, and were selfdirected individuals. They also had an innate curiosity which translated into a love of learning. They also displayed a quality where relationships with others were highly valued. Relationships were important to the pioneers because they played a support role to help them deal with the challenges of being a pioneer. Pioneers also valued relationships because, they relied on others to make change happen. The above mentioned qualities enabled pioneers to be effective in a changing world of work. The findings from this investigation have many implications for research and practice. First, the concept of paradigms and paradigm shifts must be further researched. A great deal more must be learned in order to better understand the kind of shift individuals must make to be effective in the new world of work. Second, the qualities displayed by pioneers are important for all members of the world of work to develop. The qualities shared by pioneers appeared to represent an enduring set of traits that can possibly help individuals deal more positively with uncertainty and rapid change taking place in today's North American world of work.

Manpower development and nation-building : Singapore's experience

Manpower is a basic resource. It is the indispensable means of converting other resources to mankind '.s use and benefit. As a process· of increasing the knowledge, skills, and dexterity of the people of a society, manpower development is the most fundamental means of enabling a nation to acquire the capacities to bring about its desired future state of affairs -- a more mighty and wealthier nation. Singapore's brief nation-building history justifies the emphasis accorded to the importance of good quality human resources and manpower development in economic and socio-political developments. As a tiny island-state with a poor natural resource base, Singapore's long-term survival and development depend ultimately upon the quality and the creative energy of her people. In line with the nation-building goals and strategies of the Republic, as conditioned by her objective setting, Singapore's basic manpower development premise has been one of "quality and not quantity". While implementing the "stop-at-two" family planning and population control programs and the relevant immigration measures to guard against the prospect of a "population explosion", the Government has energetically fostered various educational programs, including vocational training schemes, adult education programs, the youth movement, and the national service scheme to improve the quality of Singaporeans. There is no denying that some of the manpower development measures taken by the Government have imposed sacrifice and hardship on the Singapore citizens. Nevertheless, they are the basic conditions for the island-Republic's long-term survival and development. It is essential iii to note that Singapore's continuing existence and phenomenal-success are largely attributable to the will, capacities and efforts of her leaders and people. In the final analysis, the wealth and the strength of a nation are based upon its ability to conserve, develop and utilize effectively the innate capacities of its people. This is true not only of Singapore but necessarily of other developing nations. It can be safely presumed that since most developing states' concerns about the quality of their human resources and the progress of their nation-building work are inextricably bound to those about the quantity of their population, the "quality and not quantity" motto of Singapore's manpower development programs can also be their guiding principle.

The generation effect and word learning: a test of the effect of the language experience approach versus the text approach in the acquisition of new reading vocabulary

A class of twenty-two grade one children was tested to determine their reading levels using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Achievement Test. Based on these results and teacher input the students were paired according to reading ability. The students ages ranged from six years four months to seven years four months at the commencement of the study. Eleven children were assigned to the language experience group and their partners became the text group. Each member of the language experience group generated a list of eight to be learned words. The treatment consisted of exposing the student to a given word three times per session for ten sessions, over a period of five days. The dependent variables consisted of word identification speed, word identification accuracy, and word recognition accuracy. Each member of the text group followed the same procedure using his/her partner's list of words. Upon completion of this training, the entire process was repeated with members of the text group from the first part becoming members of the language experience group and vice versa. The results suggest that generally speaking language experience words are identified faster than text words but that there is no difference in the rate at which these words are learned. Language experience words may be identified faster because the auditory-semantic information is more readily available in them than in text words. The rate of learning in both types of words, however, may be dictated by the orthography of the to be learned word.