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.

Private versus public : how one gay professor negotiates the boundaries between his personal and professional lives /

This study examined how one university professor negotiated the boundaries between his personal life as a gay man and his professional life as a teacher. Using his sexual orientation as a focal point, the study explored the circumstances and underlying assumptions that influenced this professor's decisions to disclose information of a personal nature. Data collection was solicited from a number of sources: (a) In-depth interviews with the participant, his colleagues, students, and friends; (b) Field observation of the participant teaching over a 3 -day period; and (c) A document review of lesson plans, course outlines, student feedback forms, and the participant's teaching portfolio. The researcher maintained both observation journals and reflective journals during this process. Data analysis using the constant comparative method elicited several themes. The participant engaged in a variety of strategies in disclosing his sexual orientation that included: (a) no disclosure at all, (b) assuming people knew, (c) casually mentioning it in conversation, and (d) deliberately planning to tell someone. The participant also engaged in an ongoing assessment of his environment that included evaluating the level of risk in disclosing his sexual orientation and assessing the listener's ability to receive the information. The participant cited numerous reasons for disclosing his sexual orientation. Further inquiry revealed a number of belief systems that underlined these reasons. These belief systems included beliefs around privacy, authenticity, teaching, manners, professionalism, and homosexuality. The conclusions suggested that the participant utilized a consistent process in both his personal and professional lives to determine what information was kept private and what information was made public. While the process used to determine the degree of disclosure was consistent, the actual disclosures themselves varied widely in nature.

An exploratory descriptive study of factors influencing students to seek or not to seek personal counselling on a college of applied arts and technology campus located in Southern Ontario /

This descriptive-exploratory study examined factors which were perceived by students at a College of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) campus as influencing them in choosing to come or not to come for personal counselling and why they would or would not retum. A total of 250 students selected through a sample of convenience were surveyed. A questionnaire survey was conducted with quantitative data collected using a 4-point, forced-choice Likert scale and yes/no questions and qualitative data collected using open-ended questions and invited comments. The responses were analyzed using means and modes for the Likert responses and percentages for the yes/no and check-off questions. The narrative responses were subjected to content analysis to identify themes. The mean score findings on factors influencing students to come for personal counselling were at or close to the mid- point of 2.5. Personal distress was the only variable found to have a negative response, meaning students would not come to counselling if they were in personal distress. On factors that would keep them from choosing to come to counselling, students seemed to trust counsellors and feel accepted by them and rejected the notion that peer pressure or the first session being unhelpful would keep them away from counselling. The counsellor's relationship with the student is the major determinant for repeat sessions. When asked what factors would influence students to not retum for personal counselling, students rejected the variables of peer pressure, the extra time needed for counselling, and not getting what they wanted in a session, but, in one instance, indicated that variables regarding the counselling relationship would keep them from returning.

An exploration of women elementary school teachers' perceptions of how their decision to return to teaching part-time from a maternity leave influences their professional and personal lives /

The purpose of this research was to explore women elementary teachers' perceptions of how their decision to return to teaching part-time from a maternity leave influences their professional and personal lives. The investigation focused on the decisions surrounding a mother's choice to reenter the teaching profession parttime in a field where each mother had previously been employed full-time. A collective case study was undertaken based on an in-depth interview with five mothers who had made the choice to return to the classroom part-time. The data collected in this study were analyzed and interpreted using qualitative methods. The following four major themes emerged from the interviews: decisionmaking process, challenges faced by mothers who teach part-time, the importance of support, and the enhancement of instructional practice from parenthood. Using these four themes, an analysis was conducted to examine the similarities and differences among the experiences of the participants. The mothers' reflections, my analysis, and the related literature were used at the conclusion of this report to compile implications for teaching practice, theory, and further research.

The female coach as a role model for personal growth and development to the female adolescent athlete

Research interest on the topic of female coaches as role models has recently emerged in the coaching literature. Social learning theory (Bandura, 1963; 1977; 1986) has also emerged as an essential framework in explaining learning through modeling. Previous research has examined the coach as a role model, as well as gender differences between coaches. Several authors, with several different conclusions, have studied the significance of gender as an influencer in role modeling. Whitaker and Molstad in 1988 conducted a study focusing on the coach as a role model. What they found was when they combined the results of high school and college aged athletes; the female coach was considered to be a superior role model. The current research used a social learning theory framework to examine the benefits and intricacies of the modeling relationship between female adolescent athletes and influential female coaches. To accomplish this task, the formative experiences of thirteen adolescent female athletes were examined. Each athlete was interviewed, with each semi-structured interview focusing on extracting the salient features of a coach that the athlete identified as being the most influential in her personal development. The data from these interviews were quaHtatively analyzed using case studies. From case studies, a template emerges in which the coach/athlete relationship can be seen as an essential construct in which caring and strong role models can have lasting effects on the lives, values, and successes of adolescent female athletes.

Enhancing personal effectiveness : the impacts of Costa Rica Outward Bound on students in an independent school in southwestern Ontario

This project examines students in a private school in southwestern Ontario on a 17 -day Costa Rica Outward Bound Rainforest multielement course. The study attempted to discover whether voluntary teenage participants could increase their self-perceptions of life effectiveness by participating in a 17-day expedition. A total of9 students participated in the study. The experimental design that was implemented was a mixed methods design. Participants filled in a Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ) at four predesignated times during the study. These time intervals occurred (a) before the trip commenced, (b) the first day of the trip, ( c) the last day of the trip, and (d) 1 month after the trip ended. Fieldnotes and recordings from informal group debriefing sessions were also used to gather information. Data collected in this study were analyzed in a variety of ways by the researcher. Analyses that were run on the data included the Friedman test for covariance, means, medians, and the Wilcoxon Pairs Test. The questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively, and the fieldnotes were analyzed qualitatively. Nonparametric statistical analysis was implemented as a result of the small group size of participants. Both sets of data were grouped and discussed according to similarities and differences. The data indicate that voluntary teenage participants experience significant changes over time in the areas of time management, social competency, emotional control, active initiative, and self-confidence. The types of outcomes from this study illustrate that Outward Bound-type opportunities should be offered to teenagers in Ontario schools as a means to bring about self-development.

Examining and describing professional development and continuing education in the personal training and fitness industry : sites and issues of disconnect

The following phenomenologically oriented study examines and describes the relevance and effectiveness of professional development and continuing education programs for real-world situations of personal trainers. The participants were personal trainers, facility managers, and persons involved in the accreditation process. Data collection took place in 3 phases. The first phase consisted of the participants completing the PUMP Questionnaire, followed by focus groups with personal trainers and interviews with managers. The study's 3 data sets required reduction via a content analysis by question, content analysis by existential categories, and further thematic analysis using the lived relation existential dimension. The discussion contains the salient sites and issues of disconnect between clients, personal trainers, and facility managers and how they might affect the personal training experience. The intergenerational disconnect emphasized between Boomers as clients and Millennials as personal trainers requires further exploration and dialogue and underscores the need for different approaches to content and delivery of professional development and continuing education experiences for personal trainers and managers of fitness facilities.

Exploring the Perceptions of Cultural Competence Among Personal Support Workers in an Ontario Long-Term Care Home: A Case Study

Personal Support Workers (PSWs) spend a large amount of time with long-term care (LTC) home residents providing assistance with their activities of daily living. The s limited research on their perceptions of cultural competence presents the need to bridge this knowledge gap. The researcher conducted a qualitative case study at a LTC home in Ontario. Data were collected by conducting a policy document analysis, a key informant interview with the Director of Care (DOC), and two focus groups with PSWs. The five major overarching themes were: The Culture of the LTC Home, Provision of a Supportive Environment, Collaborative Team Approach to Care, Building a Relationship with the Residents, and Maintenance of Staff Morale. The findings illuminated the broad nature of culture, connections to person centered care, and the factors that facilitate or hinder PSWs’ culturally competent care. The ambiguous perception of cultural competence among PSWs suggests further research and education on cultural competence in LTC home settings.

The Mirror Room Project: A Critical Ethnographic Program Evaluation of a Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Based Youth Development Program

Amongst a host of other benefits, proper physical education has the possibility to create a safe place where responsibility can be transferred from the teacher/facilitator, to the student. This is especially true with an underserved population. This critical program evaluation of the program CHARM was done for the purpose of program improvement. This research was a place for participants to share their experiences of the program. The participants were 5 underserved youth, 5 undergraduate students, 3 teachers and 1 graduate student. Observations, interviews, and document analysis were used to gather data. Data was analyzed using a first level read-through, and two second-level analyses. Summaries were written, and cross-case analyses were completed. The main finding of the research was the development of a Handbook, which is a guide to running the program. Secondary findings include issues of program structure, goal setting, meaningful relationships, roles, SNAP, and an outlier in the data.

Developing Life Skills through Physical Activity: A Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model Approach

Ethnographic methods were used to study a weekly after-school physical activity program over an eight-month period. Based on Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model, the program sought to foster positive life skills amongst youth. The study investigated how the developed program influenced this life skills education experience. Several themes were identified from the data revolving around culture, life skills, pedagogy, and lessons learned. Data suggests that the positive environment developed within the program positively influenced youths’ life skill education experience. The topic of ethnicity as it relates to the experience of marginalized youth in physical activity settings is also discussed. This study supports TPSR literature and suggests that effort to establish caring relationships and empower youth contribute to the establishment of a positive atmosphere where life skills education can occur. Beyond this, practical tools were developed through this study to help others deliver life skill education.

Associations Between Personal Cancer History and Lung Cancer Risk

The study aim was to investigate the relationship between factors related to personal cancer history and lung cancer risk as well as assess their predictive utility. Characteristics of interest included the number, anatomical site(s), and age of onset of previous cancer(s). Data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Screening (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial (N = 154,901) and National Lung Screening Trial (N = 53,452) were analysed. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationships between each variable of interest and 6-year lung cancer risk. Predictive utility was assessed through changes in area-under-the-curve (AUC) after substitution into the PLCOall2014 lung cancer risk prediction model. Previous lung, uterine and oral cancers were strongly and significantly associated with elevated 6-year lung cancer risk after controlling for confounders. None of these refined measures of personal cancer history offered more predictive utility than the simple (yes/no) measure already included in the PLCOall2014 model.