Mothers’ ideals and experiences of raising children in inner and outer suburban Melbourne, Australia

Parents’ perceptions of their neighbourhoods are important for child health outcomes. This study compared views among mothers in inner versus outer suburbs of Melbourne, Australia using a mixed methods approach. Mothers of preschool-aged children were recruited via playgroups, mother’s groups and preschools and interviewed face-to-face regarding their local area as a good place to raise a family, with a second open-ended interview focussing on mothers’ ideals and experiences of raising children in their current location. Findings demonstrated that mothers had different ideals for, and experiences of, raising their children in their neighbourhoods. Inner suburban mothers valued a manageable work/family balance and access to public transport over the size of their homes. However, access to childcare, secondary schooling and heavy traffic were issues, with the latter two being reasons for moving from the municipality. In contrast, outer suburban mothers preferred a larger home in neighbourhoods that they perceived as low crime, over accessibility to work. Access to a car and activities for their children were also important. Findings suggest no ‘one size fits all’ in respect to what features mothers expect from a good place to raise a family, or how they experience these features. This has implications for service delivery and social planning of suburbs.

Shopping for schools or shopping for peers : public schools and catchment area segregation

Market theory positions the consumer as a rational choice actor, making informed schooling choices on the basis of ‘hard’ evidence of relative school effectiveness. Yet there are concerns that parents simply choose schools based on socio-demographic characteristics, thus leading to greater social segregation and undercutting the potential of choice to drive quality improvements. In this paper we explore segregation by examining catchment areas for a range of public high schools in a specific middle-class urban area. We focus on socio-demographic characteristics, including levels of income, country of birth and religion affiliation, in order to explore residential segregation according to public high school catchment areas. Our data suggests distinct residential segregation between catchment areas for each public school within our dataset, particularly for the schools deemed to be popular and rejected, that may pose risks for broader equity concerns. We argue that, in contrast to market theory, even more affluent and active choosers are not equipped with information on the programmatic quality of their different school options, but instead may be relying on socio-demographic characteristics of schools—through surrogate information about the urban spaces that the schools occupy—in order to choose peer groups, if not programs, for their children.

What do participants of the Crohn's and Colitis UK (CCUK) Annual York Walk think of their Inflammatory bowel disease care? A short report on a survey

There has been a growing interest in a patient-centered model of care in inflammatory bowel disease; however, no relevant study using a mixed methodology has been conducted to date. Thus, our multidisciplinary group aimed to explore the issue of patient involvement in care among the inflammatory bowel disease community. A mixed-methods anonymous survey was conducted during the Crohn's and Colitis UK annual event. Summary statistics were used to describe the sample, and a simple thematic analysis identified key themes in qualitative responses. There were 64 survey respondents, representing 73% of the total family/friend groups participating (N = 87). Overall, 75% of respondents answered that they had the opportunity to discuss their care with their inflammatory bowel disease practitioner and 81% felt their opinions were taken on board and valued. A clear majority (84%) had at some point been treated by a gastroenterologist. In contrast, less than half (44%) had the opportunity for a dietician consultation and only 28% had the opportunity for a psychologist/counselor consultation. Although satisfaction with inflammatory bowel disease care was high, access to specialty services was concerning. Efforts should be made to provide access to mental health practitioners for those with clinically significant anxiety and/or depression.

Tumor talk and child-well being: perceptions of 'good' and 'bad' news among parents of children with advanced cancer

CONTEXT: Little is known about how parents of children with advanced cancer classify news they receive about their child's medical condition.

OBJECTIVE: To develop concepts of "good news" and "bad news" in discussions of advanced childhood cancer from parent perspectives.

METHODS: Parents of children with advanced cancer cared for at three children's hospitals were asked to share details of conversations in the preceding 3 months that contained "good news" or "bad news" related to their child's medical condition. We used mixed methods to evaluate parent responses to both open-ended and fixed response items.

RESULTS: Of 104 enrolled parents, 86 (83%) completed the survey. Six (7%) parents reported discussing neither good nor bad news, 18 (21%) reported only bad news, 15 (17%) reported only good news, and 46 (54%) reported both good and bad news (1 missing response). Seventy-six parents (88%) answered free response items. Descriptions of both good and bad news discussions consisted predominantly of "tumor talk" or cancer control. Additional treatment options featured prominently, particularly in discussions of bad news (42%). Child well-being, an important good news theme, encompassed treatment tolerance, symptom reduction, and quality of life.

CONCLUSION: A majority of parents of children with advanced cancer report discussing both good and bad news in the preceding 3 months. While news related primarily to cancer control, parents also describe good news discussions related to their child's well-being. Understanding how parents of children with advanced cancer classify and describe the news they receive may enhance efforts to promote family-centered communication.

Early Literacy in Library Storytimes: A Study of Measures of Effectiveness

Across the nation, librarians work with caregivers and children to encourage engagement in their early literacy programs. However, these early literacy programs that libraries provide have been left mostly undocumented by research, especially through quantitative methods. Valuable Initiatives in Early Learning that Work Successfully (VIEWS2) was designed to test new ways to measure the effectiveness of these early literacy programs for young children (birth to kindergarten), leveraging a mixed methods, quasi-experimental design. Using two innovative tools, researchers collected data at 120 public library storytimes in the first year of research, observing approximately 1,440 children ranging from birth to 60 months of age. Analysis of year-one data showed a correlation between the early literacy content of the storytime program and children’s outcomes in terms of early literacy behaviors. These findings demonstrate that young children who attend public library storytimes are responding to the early literacy content in the storytime programs.

Journalisation dans un Programme de carrière en nouveaux médias : Le rôle de la réflexion par l’action

The purpose of this case study is to report on the use of learning journals as a strategy to encourage critical reflection in the field of graphic design. Very little empirical research has been published regarding the use of critical reflection in learning journals in this field. Furthermore, nothing has been documented at the college level. To that end, the goal of this research endeavor was to investigate whether second-year students in the NewMedia and Publication Design Program at a small Anglophone CEGEP in Québec, enrolled in a Page Layout and Design course, learn more deeply by reflecting in action during design projects or reflecting on action after completing design projects. Secondarily, indications of a possible change in self-efficacy were examined. Two hypotheses were posited: 1) reflection-on-action journaling will promote a deeper approach to learning than reflection-in-action journaling, and 2) the level of self-efficacy in graphic design improves as students are encouraged to think reflectively. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, a mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyze the data. Content analysis of journal entries and interview responses was the primary method used to address the first hypothesis. Students were required to journal twice for each of three projects, once during the project and again one week after the project had been submitted. In addition, data regarding the students' perception of journaling was obtained through administering a survey and conducting interviews. For the second hypothesis, quantitative methods were used through the use of two surveys, one administered early in the Fall 2011 semester and the second administered early in the Winter 2012 semester. Supplementary data regarding self-efficacy was obtained in the form of content analysis of journal entries and interviews. Coded journal entries firmly supported the hypothesis that reflection-on-action journaling promotes deep learning. Using a taxonomy developed by Kember et al. (1999) wherein "critical reflection" is considered the highest level of reflection, it was found that only 5% of the coded responses in the reflection-in-action journals were deemed of the highest level, whereas 39% were considered critical reflection in the reflection-on-action journals. The findings from the interviews suggest that students had some initial concerns about the value of journaling, but these concerns were later dismissed as students learned that journaling was a valuable tool that helped them reflect and learn. All participants indicated that journaling changed their learning processes as they thought much more about what they were doing while they were doing it. They were taking the learning they had acquired and thinking about how they would apply it to new projects; this is critical reflection. The survey findings did not support the conclusive results of the comparison of journal instruments, where an increase of 35% in critical reflection was noted in the reflection-on-action journals. In Chapter 5, reasons for this incongruence are explored. Furthermore, based on the journals, surveys, and interviews, there is not enough evidence at this time to support the hypothesis that self-efficacy improves when students are encouraged to think reflectively. It could be hypothesized, however, that one's self-efficacy does not change in such a short period of time. In conclusion, the findings established in this case study make a practical contribution to the literature concerning the promotion of deep learning in the field of graphic design, as this researcher's hypothesis was supported that reflection-on-action journaling promoted deeper learning than reflection-in-action journaling. When examining the increases in critical reflection from reflection-in-action to the reflection-on-action journals, it was found that all students but one showed an increase in critical reflection in reflection-on-action journals. It is therefore recommended that production-oriented program instructors consider integrating reflection-on-action journaling into their courses where projects are given.

Using an evidence-based online module to improve parents’ ability to manage their child with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Background : Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. Best practices include raising parents’ awareness and building capacity but few interventions incorporating these best practices are documented. Objective : To examine whether an evidence-based online module can increase the perceived knowledge and skills of parents of children with DCD, and lead to behavioural changes when managing their child’s health condition. Methods : A mixed-methods, before-after-follow-up design guided by the theory of planned behaviour was employed. Data about the knowledge, skills and behaviours of parents of children with DCD were collected using questionnaires prior to completing the module, immediately after, and three months later. One-way repeated measures ANOVAs and thematic analyses were performed on data as appropriate. Results : Fifty-eight participants completed all questionnaires. There was a significant effect of time on self-reported knowledge [F(2.00,114.00)=16.37, p=0.00] and skills [F(1.81,103.03)=51.37, p=0.00] with higher post- and follow-up scores than pre-intervention scores. Thirty-seven (65%) participants reported an intention to change behaviour postintervention; 29 (50%) participants had tried recommended strategies at follow-up. Three themes emerged to describe parents’ behavioural change: sharing information, trialing strategies and changing attitudes. Factors influencing parents’ ability to implement these behavioural changes included clear recommendations, time, and ‘right’ attitude. Perceived outcomes associated with the parental behavioural changes involved improvement in well-being for the children at school, at home, and for the family as a whole. Conclusions : The online module increased parents’ self-reported knowledge and skills in DCD management. Future research should explore its impacts on children’s outcomes long-term.

Using an evidence-based online module to improve parents’ ability to manage their child with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Background : Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder. Best practices include raising parents’ awareness and building capacity but few interventions incorporating these best practices are documented. Objective : To examine whether an evidence-based online module can increase the perceived knowledge and skills of parents of children with DCD, and lead to behavioral changes when managing their child’s health condition. Methods : A mixed-methods, before-after design guided by the theory of planned behavior was employed. Data about the knowledge, skills and behaviors of parents of children with DCD were collected using questionnaires prior to completing the module, immediately after, and three months later. Paired T-tests, sensitivity analyses and thematic analyses were performed on data as appropriate. Results: One hundred-sixteen, 81 and 58 participants respectively completed the three questionnaires. For knowledge and skills, post- and follow-up scores were significantly higher than baseline scores (p<0.01). Fifty-two (64%) participants reported an intention to change behavior post-intervention and 29 (50%) participants had tried recommended strategies at follow-up. Three themes emerged to describe parents’ behavioral change: sharing information, trialing strategies and changing attitudes. Factors influencing parents’ ability to implement these behavioral changes included clear recommendations, time, and ‘right’ attitude. Perceived outcomes associated with the parental behavioral changes involved improvement in well-being for the children at school, at home, and for the family as a whole. Conclusions : The online module increased parents’ self-reported knowledge and skills in DCD management. Future research should explore its impacts on children’s long-term outcomes.

State-narco networks and the ‘War on Drugs’ in post-transition Bolivia, with special reference to 1989-1993

This thesis examines the development of state-narco networks in post-transition Bolivia. Mainstream discourses of drugs tend to undertheorise such relationships, holding illicit economies, weak states and violence as synergistic phenomena. Such assumptions fail to capture the nuanced relations that emerge between the state and the drug trade in different contexts, their underlying logics and diverse effects. As an understudied case, Bolivia offers novel insights into these dynamics. Bolivian military authoritarian governments (1964-1982), for example, integrated drug rents into clientelistic systems of governance, helping to establish factional coalitions and reinforce regime authority. Following democratic transition in 1982 and the escalation of US counterdrug efforts, these stable modes of exchange between the state and the coca-cocaine economy fragmented. Bolivia, though, continued to experience lower levels of drug-related violence than its Andean neighbours, and sustained democratisation despite being a major drug producer. Focusing on the introduction of the Andean Initiative (1989-1993), I explore state-narco interactions during this period of flux: from authoritarianism to (formal) democracy, and from Cold War to Drug War. As such, the thesis transcends the conventional analyses of the drugs literature and orthodox readings of Latin American narco-violence, providing insights into the relationship between illicit economies and democratic transition, the regional role of the US, and the (unintended) consequences of drug policy interventions. I utilise a mixed methods approach to offer discrete perspectives on the object of study. Drawing on documentary and secondary sources, I argue that state-narco networks were interwoven with Bolivia’s post-transition political settlement. Uneven democratisation ensured pockets of informalism, as clientelistic and authoritarian practices continued. This included police and military autonomy, and tolerance of drug corruption within both institutions. Non-enforcement of democratic norms of accountability and transparency was linked to the maintenance of fragile political equilibrium. Interviews with key US and Bolivian elite actors also revealed differing interpretations of state-narco interactions. These exposed competing agendas, and were folded into alternative paradigms and narratives of the ‘war on drugs’. The extension of US Drug War goals and the targeting of ‘corrupt’ local power structures, clashed with local ambivalence towards the drug trade, opposition to destabilising, ‘Colombianised’ policies and the claimed ‘democratising mission’ of the Bolivian government. In contrasting these US and Bolivian accounts, the thesis shows how real and perceived state-narco webs were understood and navigated by different actors in distinct ways. ‘Drug corruption’ held significance beyond simple economic transaction or institutional failure. Contestation around state-narco interactions was enmeshed in US-Bolivian relations of power and control.

Identificación de redes nacionales y mundiales de distribución de petróleo y gas natural y su relación con la conformación de comunidades

El presente proyecto investiga la relación entre las organizaciones con el medio y marketing, para lo cual se debe mencionar el conflicto de intereses de la comunidad y de la organización, y como se intenta percibir a la organización como un buen vecino dentro de la comunidad. A su vez éste estudio cuenta con objetivos basados en la identificación de redes de distribución de petróleo y gas natural, tanto nacionales como internacionales, para así abarcar un sector estratégico más preciso, y mostrar las relación entre las organizaciones y la conformación de comunidades. Se tienen en cuenta factores elementales en el estudio de este sector energético, como son sus principales componentes, así como un marco teórico específico que permita desarrollar el concepto de conformación de comunidades para lograr una exitosa aplicación del mismo. Del mismo modo se incluirán temas relacionados con marketing, pero desde un punto de vista más cercano a la comunidad, tomando los medios y el marketing como un concepto más importante en el impacto de las organizaciones en la comunidad, es decir tomando el concepto de marketing como aquellas comunidades que rodean las organizaciones, como éstas dos interactúan, y que impactos tienen una sobre la otra. De la misma manera se tienen resultados en cuanto a planteamientos más profundos sobre conceptos de marketing que no son desarrollados muy a menudo, los cuales conservan su esencia fundamental y siguen impactando en silencio a las organizaciones, pero que si lo estudiamos y aprovechamos de algún modo lograremos beneficios para nuestra organización y para los intereses colectivos.

Modelo de competencias en TIC para el personal de una organización del sector eléctrico

La presente investigación pretendió incorporar el uso intensivo de TIC en los procedimientos establecidos y necesarios en los procesos de generación, distribución y control de la energía, lo que se expresa en un manual para el sistema de gestión humana de la organización analizada. La investigación partió de un levantamiento de un estado del arte, continuó con la realización de un análisis de actitudes y aptitudes de los colaboradores, basado en propuestas teóricas y mejores prácticas existentes del medio, y, por último, concluyó con un manual de gestión humana en el que se indican las competencias en los diferentes perfiles de la organización para el uso de TIC y su aplicación, con el propósito de alinearse con las perspectivas y objetivos de la organización analizada al tener como base la perdurabilidad y la competitividad de la misma.

Imaginarios sociales de adolescentes y docentes en torno al cuerpo, la corporalidad y la actividad física. Estudio cualitativo en un colegio de Bogotá, 2014-2015.

Problema. Esta investigación se aproxima al entorno escolar con el propósito de avanzar en la comprensión de los imaginarios de los adolescentes y docentes en torno al cuerpo, la corporalidad y la AF, como un elemento relevante en el diseño de programas y planes efectivos para fomento de la práctica de AF. Objetivo. Analizar los imaginarios sociales de docentes y adolescentes en torno a los conceptos de cuerpo, corporalidad y AF. Métodos. Investigación de corte cualitativo, descriptivo e interpretativo. Se realizaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas a docentes y a estudiantes entre los 12 y 18 años de un colegio público de Bogotá. Se realizó análisis de contenido. Se compararon los resultados de estudiantes por grupos de edades y género. Resultados. Docentes y estudiantes definen el cuerpo a partir de las características biológicas, las diferencias sexuales y las funciones vitales. La definición de corporalidad en los estudiantes se encuentra ligada con la imagen y la apariencia física; los docentes la entienden como la posibilidad de interactuar con el entorno y como la materialización de la existencia. La AF en los estudiantes se asocia con la práctica de ejercicio y deporte, en los docentes se comprende como una práctica de autocuidado que permite el mantenimiento de la salud. Conclusiones. Para promover la AF tempranamente como una experiencia vital es necesario intervenir los espacios escolares. Hay que vincular al cuerpo a los procesos formativos con el propósito de desarrollar la autonomía corporal, este aspecto implica cambios en los currículos.

Un aporte a la comprensión de las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones a través del concepto de improvisación y la metáfora musical

Este trabajo se inscribe en uno de los grandes campos de los estudios organizacionales: la estrategia. La perspectiva clásica en este campo promovió la idea de que proyectarse hacia el futuro implica diseñar un plan (una serie de acciones deliberadas). Avances posteriores mostraron que la estrategia podía ser comprendida de otras formas. Sin embargo, la evolución del campo privilegió en alguna medida la mirada clásica estableciendo, por ejemplo, múltiples modelos para ‘formular’ una estrategia, pero dejando en segundo lugar la manera en la que esta puede ‘emerger’. El propósito de esta investigación es, entonces, aportar al actual nivel de comprensión respecto a las estrategias emergentes en las organizaciones. Para hacerlo, se consideró un concepto opuesto —aunque complementario— al de ‘planeación’ y, de hecho, muy cercano en su naturaleza a ese tipo de estrategias: la improvisación. Dado que este se ha nutrido de valiosos aportes del mundo de la música, se acudió al saber propio de este dominio, recurriendo al uso de ‘la metáfora’ como recurso teórico para entenderlo y alcanzar el objetivo propuesto. Los resultados muestran que 1) las estrategias deliberadas y las emergentes coexisten y se complementan, 2) la improvisación está siempre presente en el contexto organizacional, 3) existe una mayor intensidad de la improvisación en el ‘como’ de la estrategia que en el ‘qué’ y, en oposición a la idea convencional al respecto, 4) se requiere cierta preparación para poder improvisar de manera adecuada.

Representaciones sociales del trasplante de médula ósea, la quimioterapia y la cirugía oncológica en población general colombiana

Las representaciones sociales son una construcción de significados que las personas otorgan a un objeto en este caso el tratamiento oncológico. En el mundo, el cáncer es una enfermedad de alta prevalencia y sus tratamientos suelen generar numerosos efectos secundarios, pero a la vez es el recurso médico disponible para controlar la enfermedad. Este estudio cualitativo tuvo como objetivo analizar las representaciones sociales del tratamiento oncológico en población colombiana. Participaron voluntariamente 20 personas seleccionadas por conveniencia. Se realizaron entrevistas abiertas y se analizaron los resultados a través del análisis temático y se interpretaron con base en la teoría de las representaciones sociales. Los resultados indicaron que las personas representan el tratamiento oncológico convencional, predominantemente como quimioterapia, generadores de sufrimiento, miedo, alto costo físico, emocional y económico; así como una apuesta en la que la ganancia puede ser la prolongación de la vida o la remisión. Se discuten los resultados y sus implicaciones.

La construcción de sentido (‘sensemaking’) de un entorno estratégico turbulento por parte de los altos directivos: un estudio en una multinacional automotriz

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación realizada al interior de dos contextos. Por un lado, el teórico, en el marco de uno de los discursos más relevantes en los campos de la estrategia organizacional, de la managerial and organizational cognition (MOC) y, en general, de los estudios organizacionales (organization studies): la construcción de sentido (sensemaking). Por el otro, el empírico, en una de las grandes compañías multinacionales del sector automotriz con presencia global. Esta corporación enfrenta una permanente tensión entre lo que dicta la casa matriz, en relación con el cumplimiento de metas y estándares específicos, considerando el mundo entero, y los retos que, teniendo en cuenta lo regional y lo local, experimentan los altos directivos encargados de hacer prosperar la empresa en estos lugares. La aproximación implementada fue cualitativa. Esto en atención a la naturaleza de la problemática abordada y la tradición del campo. Los resultados permiten ampliar el actual nivel de comprensión acerca de los procesos de sensemaking de los altos directivos al enfrentar un entorno estratégico turbulento.