Challenges for undergraduate speech pathology students undertaking cross-cultural clinical placements

Background: Two Australian undergraduate speech pathology students completed a series of clinical placements working with people with complex communication needs in cross-cultural contexts. Aims: To describe the challenges that the students faced and how best to prepare future students for such experiences. Methods & Procedures: The students completed the placements in Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, India and South Africa. They used personal journaling to record their experiences. The students used the journals as the basis for reflective discussion when considering the challenges they experienced in applying their knowledge and skills. Outcomes & Results: The challenges were (1) to prepare adequately ahead of the placements; (2) to select appropriate models of service delivery; (3) to use existing service approaches, resources and infrastructure appropriately; (4) to access professional support; (5) to define their professional role; (6) to manage variable shared language proficiency; (7) to adapt personally; and (8) to work using an undergraduate level of knowledge, skills and experience. Conclusions: The students encountered challenges related to their clinical preparation and their capacity to adapt in both a professional and personal sense. Future students preparing to undertake such placements need to attain at least minimum clinical competencies before placements. They will be helped if they have some clinical experience in working with people with complex communication needs in cross-cultural contexts, information about the cultures they will visit, and if they set professional and personal learning goals for each clinical placement. This preparation will aid students in maximizing their learning experience.

Transitions in reflective practice: exploring student development and preferred methods of engagement

Aim: Health-care professional students are required to demonstrate their reflective practice skills during their degree training programme. Online and digital technologies are increasingly being used to support this skill development. Our study aimed to explore whether different technology-based methods supported student growth and skill development in reflective practice at separate developmental time points (novice and competent). Methods: Third- (n = 23) and fourth-year undergraduate dietetic students (n = 22) from a single university were cross-sectionally surveyed via an online anonymous questionnaire at the end of the academic year. The mixed methods survey of 37 questions investigated the student experience of different reflective practice activities, their effect on a student's ability to self-reflect and whether using them aided a student's perceived transition towards becoming a competent dietitian. The data analysis included brief thematic enquiry, descriptive and independent t-test statistical examination. Results: Differences emerged in the way students engaged in reflection over time. Fourth-year students preferred to use more independent methods such as e-journaling (fourth- vs third-year students, P = 0.003) and engaged in reflection for reasons outside assessment (fourth- vs third-years, P = 0.027). Fourth-year students also identified fewer negative barriers to participating in reflection and reported being comfortable engaging in reflective practice. Conclusions: Overall, offering students a range of ways to engage in reflective practice over time supported their understanding and increased confidence in their reflective practice skills, thus potentially enabling a smoother transition into their profession where reflective practice is an essential and autonomous skill. © 2014 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Community music-making in regional Australia: creating, improvising and performing at a festival

Community arts in Australia, as in many other countries, continue to permeate society, illuminating the past and shaping the future. This article situates itself as an aspect of community music through creative music-making within a larger research project that started at Deakin University (DU) (Melbourne, Australia) in 2011 called ‘Flows and Catchments’. Through the lens of creative arts and music-making, I argue that community partnerships between local communities and tertiary institutions are a fertile ground to celebrate arts practice where the cultural and artistic life of the community is promoted, fostering respect and understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. In 2012, I presented a music workshop at the 8th Annual Lake Bolac Eel Festival (LBEF) in Western Victoria. Using the African term Masakhane, which means ‘let us build together’, I provide a snapshot of my experience through journaling and anecdotal feedback as I reflect in and on the teaching and learning episode of the volcanic composition. The community partnership between DU (academics in an urban space) and the LBEF (local community in a regional place) provided an opportunity for people of all ages to engage, explore and experience music-making collectively in a social context. As a tertiary music educator, I propose more pathways being established with regional communities in order to deepen the knowledge and understanding of them; schools, communities, artists, academics and tertiary students can form cultural synergies in place-based settings like those of festivals.

Violência doméstica contra adolescentes: o olhar dos educadores sociais

Domestic violence as a specific expression of violence against adolescents, is historically constructed from phenomenon of power relations that permeate the gender, ethnicity and social class, requiring differentiated attention. Sorting in A mass grave of what is understood by a child and teenager under the doctrines of the law of the minor and of irregular situation resulted, in General, in the preparation for the teenage audience, of policies and actions, fragile and inefficient with regard to domestic violence. Despite the status of children and adolescents clearly define what is meant by child and teenager, break with the menoristas doctrines and embrace the doctrine of integral protection, even if there is little guidance for the public actions and policies geared to the theme. Such deficiency contributes to characterize the current practice of social educators about domestic violence, marked by the absence of specific training; by inadequate working conditions; lack of preparation of the network of care. Thus, with the objective to start the discussion regarding the elements that make up the practice focused on this issue, the present study proposes to problematizing the design held by social educators working in public Social assistance of the city of Natal/RN, regarding the issue of domestic violence against adolescents, by paying attention to such things as their vocational integration, their training and their working conditions. Adopts norteadoras references as having its roots in the Pedagogia Problematizadora, Paulo Freire, and socio-historical perspective. The methodological procedure of nature quali-quantitative was lifting censitário and psychosocial characterization of educators together to State and local Departments of assistance; the application of questionnaire to educators, composed of open and closed issues; and observation and field journaling activities of their work. Of network professionals, 111 64 replied to the questionnaire, which represents more than 50% of the total. Psychosocial characterization exposes data as the predominance of low family income and female professionals; the note identified that do not have a professional technical parameter, and the activities carried out in accordance with the representations of each professional the respect of labour, problematic and adolescents involved, revealing an individual perspective of action. And a preliminary analysis of responses to the questionnaire pointed out that such professionals are subjected to precarious working conditions, as well as one realizes a relative ignorance about the network of care for adolescents at risk and ACE, all this resulting in restricted marginalizantes conceptions, and misleading information regarding domestic violence against teenagers.

Práticas educativas e integralidade na saúde da família: um estudo etnográfico

Primary Health Care, especially in the family health strategy, it is expected that the joint assistance and actions of health promotion. The Ministry of health (BRAZIL, 2007) defines health education as an eyeshadow strategy of prevention and health promotion, based on reflective practices, which allow the user to their condition of historical, social and political subject, under the vision of an expanded clinic on the part of health professionals. In this sense, there are guidelines for it professionals to develop educational activities and that they can interfere in the health/disease process of the population, with a view to the development of autonomy of the subject. This research had as objective to understand in the light of the integrality of the care, as is the production of health education practices, within the framework of the family health strategy from ethnographic study in a family health unit (USF). The location of the research was the unit of USF Felipe Camarão II in West Health District, in the city of Natal, RN, Brazil, selected from preliminary mapping of educational practices deployed in units of health of the family of this municipality, based on criteria such as time-to-deployment of USF and sustainability of existing actions. Immersion in the field consisted of participant observation with journaling, held during the period of August 2012 to January 2013, in which she accompanied team work processes in clinical-welfare actions on the USF, in households and in educational activities of group character. The results presented in ethnographic description were analyzed based on the axes proposed by Ayres (2009) for identification of integrality in health practices:the axis of the needs; the axis of the purposes; the joint axis; and the axis of the interactionsThe evidence described from observation point the presence of each axle up health education practices developed by the teams, even incipient form, namely: articulation and appreciation of knowledge and practices of popular culture with local initiatives (Pastoril do Peixe Boi Encantado, Auto de Natal e Grupo Terapia e Arte); Clinical integration with health promotion actions and coordination of multidisciplinary knowledge, with professional-user link (course for pregnant women). However, a few challenges were identified to be faced in order to move forward in these practices in integral care: the need to break with the fragmentation of actions; strengthening teamwork; need for greater sustainability policy of collective actions; intersectoral work aimed at a better role of the State in the face of the health-disease process, adding to the action of individuals.The analysis produced from observation of the processes experienced indicates the need for a better recognition of local managers that actions similar to those that occur in the USF Felipe Camarão II enable advances in completeness as allows inclusion of actors involved in the processes of health work, and stimulate participation and shared responsibility in the fight for health-disease situations

Realidade virtual não imersiva: contribuição do jogo de videogame como recurso pedagógico nas aulas de educação física

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

Vivência comunicativa do enfermeiro com pacientes e familiares de unidades críticas: do discurso à prática

Pós-graduação em Enfermagem (mestrado profissional) - FMB

Circulação de crianças: o olhar do cuidador sobre o desenvolvimento emocional

O presente estudo teve como objetivo compreender a forma como cuidadores, pais e/ou responsáveis, compreendem o desenvolvimento emocional no contexto de circulação de crianças. Para tanto, embasou-se na teoria psicodinâmica sobre o desenvolvimento emocional, cuidador (es) e circulação de crianças.Utilizou-se o método qualitativo, no intuito de capturar dados e informações sobre o fenômeno estudado em sua singularidade (MINAYO, 2010). A dimensão interdisciplinar do presente estudo, calcado na união de conceitos antropológicos e psicológicos, levantou a necessidade de utilizar mais de uma estratégia metodológica, para responder o problema da pesquisa e alcançar o seu objetivo. Desta forma, utilizou-se para coleta dos dados a entrevista semi-estruturada com uma dupla de pais e/ou responsáveis por cinco crianças regularmente matriculadas no primeiro ano do ensino fundamental, além do professor responsável pela referida classe. Fez-se o grupo focal com pais e/ou responsáveis, além da observação de um dia inteiro de cada criança. A análise de conteúdo foi utilizada para avaliar qualitativamente as respostas das entrevistas, ou seja, analisar o material verbal (FRANCO, 2007). Utilizou-se, ainda, do ecomapa e de um viés da perspectiva proposta por Mauss (2001), os quais auxiliaram a montagem da rede social (BOTT, 1976) e a observação participante com registro em diário de campo e posterior análise, ao permitir identificar e interpretar os fenômenos em estudo. Conclui-se que o desenvolvimento emocional na atualidade está ancorado em uma circulação de crianças vigiada, com redes de malha estreita, com poucas relações possíveis sem a escolha dos responsáveis. O ser em cuidado então se sente sufocado, por conseguinte os cuidadores passam a exigir cuidados redobrados de si que os tornam carentes e necessitados de escuta, pois a interdição e o medo gera angústia, ansiedade e futura agressividade. Assim, deve-se ampliar e investir em pesquisas que apreendam a circulação de crianças como forma de investigar como ela está se desenvolvendo emocionalmente na atualidade, para diminuir transtornos psiquiátricos futuros e auxiliar os cuidadores de crianças.

Writing in the Mathematics Classroom: Does It Have an Effect on Students’ Mathematical Reasoning?

In this action research study of my classroom of 5th grade mathematics, I investigate how to improve students’ written explanations to and reasoning of math problems. For this, I look at journal writing, dialogue, and collaborative grouping and its effects on students’ conceptual understanding of the mathematics. In particular, I look at its effects on students’ written explanations to various math problems throughout the semester. Throughout the study students worked on math problems in cooperative groups and then shared their solutions with classmates. Along with this I focus on the dialogue that occurred during these interactions and whether and how it moved students to a deeper level of conceptual understanding. Students also wrote responses about their learning in a weekly math journal. The purpose of this journal is two-fold. One is to have students write out their ideas. Second, is for me to provide the students with feedback on their responses. My research reveals that the integration of collaborative grouping, journaling, and active dialogue between students and teacher helps students develop a deeper understanding of mathematics concepts as well as an increase in their confidence as problem solvers. The use of journaling, dialogue, and collaborative grouping reveals themselves as promising learning tasks that can be integrated in a mathematics curriculum that seeks to cultivate students’ thinking and reasoning.

Writing in a Mathematics Classroom: A Form of Communication and Reflection

In this action research study, I investigated the use of journaling in my seventh grade mathematics classroom. I discovered that journaling can be a very rewarding and beneficial experience for me and for my students. Through journaling, my students became more adept at using correct mathematical terminology in writing and in speaking. The students also believed that they learned the content more deeply and retained it better. Additionally, implementing mathematical journals caused me to emphasize the use of correct terminology and thorough explanations of mathematical thinking in classroom discussions. As a result of this research, I plan to refine my journaling process and continue to use mathematical journals with my future classes.

LoneStar : Design and evaluation of an energy-efficient, disk-based archival storage system

Bandlaufwerke waren bisher die vorherrschende Technologie, um die anfallenden Datenmengen in Archivsystemen zu speichern. Mit Zugriffsmustern, die immer aktiver werden, und Speichermedien wie Festplatten die kostenmäßig aufholen, muss die Architektur vor Speichersystemen zur Archivierung neu überdacht werden. Zuverlässigkeit, Integrität und Haltbarkeit sind die Haupteigenschaften der digitalen Archivierung. Allerdings nimmt auch die Zugriffsgeschwindigkeit einen erhöhten Stellenwert ein, wenn aktive Archive ihre gesamten Inhalte für den direkten Zugriff bereitstellen. Ein band-basiertes System kann die hierfür benötigte Parallelität, Latenz und Durchsatz nicht liefern, was in der Regel durch festplattenbasierte Systeme als Zwischenspeicher kompensiert wird.rnIn dieser Arbeit untersuchen wir die Herausforderungen und Möglichkeiten ein festplattenbasiertes Speichersystem zu entwickeln, das auf eine hohe Zuverlässigkeit und Energieeffizienz zielt und das sich sowohl für aktive als auch für kalte Archivumgebungen eignet. Zuerst analysieren wir die Speichersysteme und Zugriffsmuster eines großen digitalen Archivs und präsentieren damit ein mögliches Einsatzgebiet für unsere Architektur. Daraufhin stellen wir Mechanismen vor um die Zuverlässigkeit einer einzelnen Festplatte zu verbessern und präsentieren sowie evaluieren einen neuen, energieeffizienten, zwei- dimensionalen RAID Ansatz der für „Schreibe ein Mal, lese mehrfach“ Zugriffe optimiert ist. Letztlich stellen wir Protokollierungs- und Zwischenspeichermechanismen vor, die die zugrundeliegenden Ziele unterstützen und evaluieren das RAID System in einer Dateisystemumgebung.

Invitational rhetoric : alternative rhetorical strategy for transformation of perception and use of energy in the residential built environment from the Keweenaw to Kerala

This dissertation explores the viability of invitational rhetoric as a mode of advocacy for sustainable energy use in the residential built environment. The theoretical foundations for this study join ecofeminist concepts and commitments with the conditions and resources of invitational rhetoric, developing in particular the rhetorical potency of the concepts of re-sourcement and enfoldment. The methodological approach is autoethnography using narrative reflection and journaling, both adapted to and developed within the autoethnographic project. Through narrative reflection, the author explores her lived experiences in advocating for energy-responsible residential construction in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. The analysis reveals the opportunities for cooperative, collaborative advocacy and the struggle against traditional conventions of persuasive advocacy, particularly the centrality of the rhetor. The author also conducted two field trips to India, primarily the state of Kerala. Drawing on autoethnographic journaling, the analysis highlights the importance of sensory relations in lived advocacy and the resonance of everyday Indian culture to invitational principles. Based on field research, the dissertation proposes autoethnography as a critical development in encouraging invitational rhetoric as an alternative mode of effecting change. The invitational force of autoethnography is evidenced in portraying the material advocacy of the built environment itself, specifically the sensual experience of material arrangements and ambience, as well as revealing the corporeality of advocacy, that is, the body as the site of invitational engagement, emotional encounter, and sensory experience. This study concludes that vulnerability of self in autoethnographic work and the vulnerability of rhetoric as invitational constitute the basis for transformation. The dissertation confirms the potential of an ecofeminist invitational advocacy conveyed autoethnographically for transforming perceptions and use of energy in a smaller-scale residential environment appropriate for culture, climate, and ultimately part of the challenge of sustaining life on this planet.

It's your game, keep it real. Sexual education study

Purpose: This study translated and adapted the It's Your Game, Keep It Real study currently being implemented with middle school youth in Southeast Texas for a middle school population in rural western Honduras. The study tested the effects of a sexual health education program focused on human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy prevention. We hypothesized that the number of adolescents in the intervention group who initiate sexual activity will reduce in comparison to the control group and there will be an increase consistent condom use in sexually active adolescents in the intervention group. ^ Methods: The target population included Spanish-speaking Hispanic middle school students from a small, semi-urban city in western Honduras. One school was randomly selected to receive the intervention and one to the comparison condition. The intervention curriculum consisted of 10 seventh-grade lessons that included individual and group classroom-based activities and personal journaling. Follow-up surveys were completed three months after the last lesson with 146 students (79.3% of the defined cohort). ^ Results: In the comparison condition, 21.4% of students initiated sex by the post-test follow-up three months after the intervention compared to 7.8% in the intervention condition. ^ Conclusions: A multi-component, curriculum-based program that is theory driven and culturally relevant can increase knowledge about STIs and HIV, increase self-confidence amongst middle school students, and develop communication skills amongst friends and partners. Further research must be conducted to assess delay in sexual initiation and the generalizability of these results.^

On My Mind

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

A fourth-grade teacher's classroom perspective

Countless books have been written about what is good and what is bad about our educational system. No matter what the book or what the theory, all agree the classroom teacher is critical to the education process. Many influences affect classroom teaching, some of which are beyond her control, but a caring classroom teacher has a central role in the instruction of children The purpose of this case study was to inquire into the beliefs and behaviors of one elementary school teacher in a low socio-economic school and study her classroom perspective. This teacher of five years was a reading specialist and was teaching a full fourth grade curriculum for the first time. Because she suffered from math phobia, she was apprehensive about teaching mathematics. ^ This qualitative study required intense, time-consuming interviews, long and frequent observations, critical journaling, field notes and artifacts provided by the teacher. The resulting descriptive data was coded into categories and reassembled into themes that captured the essence of the teacher's beliefs. ^ The overarching themes found were: first, the teacher's caring attitude towards her students, cultivated by her affectionate family, her mother who is an elementary school teacher, and rich and rewarding elementary school experiences, second, her implementation of the curriculum, influenced by her passion for reading, her math phobia, and standardized tests and third, her attitudes toward her workplace, school administrators and collegiality among teachers. During the school year this teacher “owned” her classroom and was a full participant in its life! Her dedication to teaching was fostered by the satisfaction of knowing she has a profound impact and makes a significant difference in her students' lives. ^ This study suggested areas for further research on the following topics: consideration of teachers with math phobia, the effect of standardized tests on areas of the curriculum and the value of computers in the elementary school classroom. ^