Meta-action research with pre-service teachers: a case study

This article analyses a case of action research collaboratively conducted by a university teacher and 50 students in a master’s course in teacher training. Its originality resides in the socio-economic, academic, and conceptual nature of the obstacles encountered in the module; in the meta-theoretical orientation of the action research that was chosen to overcome them; and in how triangulation strategies were devised to compensate for the limitations imposed by the academic framing of the course. In spite of the brevity of the research cycle, both the structure of the course and teacher–student interaction improved rapidly and significantly, as did the latter’s trust in the teacher. As a result, important advances in learning also ensued, and the pedagogical potential of this research method was thereby confirmed.     

An action research process on university tutorial sessions with small groups: presentational tutorial sessions and online communication

We describe and analyse the action research process carried out by us as teachers in a general didactics course in the University of Malaga (Spain). The course methodology combined lectures to the whole class and small-group work. We were in charge of guiding small-group work. In the small groups, students researched on an educational innovation guided by a teacher from the educative system (primary, secondary, ‘A’-level). Students used theoretical concepts explained in lectures to analyse educational innovative realities. Students met with the lecturers at Faculty periodically. These lecturers used online tools to guide small group work between meetings. Specifically, students developed a diary using the ad hoc tool in Online Campus, based on Moodle. Lecturers read the diaries on a regular basis and offered feedback to the students. Additionally, students and lecturers kept in contact between meetings by email and forums. Finally, students submitted a report of their research and lecturers offered feedback before a final version of the report. We carried out an action research process to explore the fit between the general purposes of the course and our work as lecturers with the small groups of students. Moreover, we studied the interrelationship between the meetings at Faculty and the online communication via diaries, email and forums.     

Filipino Arts Among Elders in Institutionalized Care Settings

The use of traditional art in recreational therapies is unexplored. This paper, thus, attempts to surface the unique power of traditional Filipino arts (TFA) as synergizing lens in capturing the individual and the collective experiences of a select group of Filipino elderly in an institutionalized care setting relative to their feelings of depression and self-esteem. Three Filipino elderly housed in an institutionalized care setting were chosen for this phenomenological study, a robotfoto and a series of semistructured interviews constitute the main data gathering tool. Field texts were subjected to phenomenological reduction via the repertory grid analysis. Emerged themes were subjected to a series of member checking procedures to ensure the trustworthiness of the reported data. Depression and self-esteem were interpreted via two emerged themes. The themes were Me, Myself, and Melancholy and Will Not Let My Worth Wither. Through recreational therapies in the form of traditional Filipino arts, participants found novel psychological crutches that overcame the challenges of depression and give them hope toward more positive views of themselves and life.     

Who Says there is No Life After Abandonment? A Grounded Theory on the Coping of Abandoned Filipino Elderly in Nursing Homes

Cases of abandoned elderly are increasing worldwide. By and large, this group struggles with the sudden change in living arrangement as well as abandonment by their families. Consequently, many elderly are forced into living in nursing homes for the remainder of their lives. Abandonment among these elderly negatively affects how they view themselves, which is detrimental to their health and well-being. Thus, exploring the feelings of elderly regarding their abandonment and how they cope becomes a major concern in caring for them. Recognizing the dearth of literature, this grounded theory study purported to describe sthe process by which these elderly cope with abandonment. A total of 24 abandoned Filipino elderly respondents were purposively selected to take part in a semistructured in-depth interview. Following the Glaserian approach, a four-part process emerged to describe the layer of human experience under study. The R.O.P.E. to Cope Theory of Abandonment describes how the elderly progress from the resisting, occupying, pondering, and embracing phases toward successful coping. Understanding this process equips health care providers with knowledge of appropriate interventions in the provision of holistic care to the elderly. Ultimately, findings of this study will be helpful in assisting abandoned elderly individuals in their path to achieving an improved quality of life and a happier perspective on it.     

Teaching Organization Theory and Practice: An Experiential and Reflective Approach

The organization is often the overlooked level in social work's ecological perspective. However, organizational realities exert a profound influence on human development and well‐being as well as the nature and quality of social work practice. This article describes a model of teaching organization theory and practice which requires master's social work students to assess their school of social work as well as their field placement agencies. Teaching organization theory and practice experientially may help students understand how organizations influence practice and empower them to see organization practice as a legitimate and important aspect of their work.     

Attitudes and beliefs of family- and center-based child care providers predict differences in caregiving behavior over time

This study examined how patterns of caregiving behavior differ between family and center providers over time, and to what extent caregivers’ attitudes and beliefs shape those caregiving patterns. Ninety-eight child care providers (59 family child care-based [family] and 39 center-based providers) self-reported their initial demographics, attitudes, and beliefs about children and caregiving. Their caregiving behavior in the child care setting was independently and reliably observed three times over the course of one year. When controlling for relevant demographic and structural variables, growth curve analyses revealed patterns of caregiving behavior that varied as a function of provider type and of the interaction between provider type and caregiver attitudes and beliefs. Center-based providers’ caregiving behavior was more heavily influenced by attitudes and beliefs and showed greater variability over time than family providers’ behavior. Implications for choosing child care and improving professional development are discussed.     

Face it: The Impact of Gender on Social Media Images

Social websites like Facebook enable users to upload self-created digital images; it is therefore of interest to see how gender is performed in this domain. A panel used a literature review of pictorial features associated with gender traits, and a sample of Facebook pictures to assess gender stereotypes present in Facebook images. Traits emerging in greater prominence in pictures of males included active, dominant, and independent. Those prominent with female users included attractive and dependent. These findings generally conform to gender stereotypes found in prior research and extend the research regarding stereotypical gender traits displayed in professional media depictions to self-selected social media displays. They also extend the research on gender differences in impression management generally, in both interpersonal communication and social media, to include gender-specific traits that are part of young mens and women's impression management.     

Teaching gender studies via open and distance learning in South Africa

The University of South Africa (UNISA) has recently redesigned its honors degree in Gender Studies. The course design team members have been mindful of three key factors while redesigning this degree. First, we are aligning our course design with the demands of open and distance learning (ODL) and UNISA’s institutional move to online delivery of all teaching materials. Second, we are guided by the theoretical principles of feminist pedagogy. Third, we are committed to producing graduates who can take on the challenge of being gender change agents in a country with an escalating rate of gender-based violence. This article charts the development of the Gender Studies curricular initiative at UNISA with reference to the pedagogical insights provided by feminist scholarship on teaching, learning, and technology. We hope that our experience will provide insight into the parameters and process of creating an effective program in Gender Studies within an ODL context.