CHE Principles: facilitating authentic and dialogical semi-structured interviews in educational research

This paper examines the values of the CHE principles of Connectivity, Humanness and Empathy as a guiding framework for maximizing the ethical and methodological advantages of semi-structured interview research practices. The authors draw from two separate educational studies and apply the CHE principles to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of decision-making in facilitating sustainable relationships with the participants in each study. Findings highlight that dialogical relations with participants were evident in both studies, and identify significant junctures where decision-making and actions influenced effective rapport-building and respectful and reciprocal relationships with participants in the research. The CHE principles emerge as providing a robust framework for educational researchers to employ when auditing their decision-making prior to and during their engagement in qualitative interviews.     

Transformation and Closure for Anatomical Donor Families that Meet Medical Students

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine has conducted an annual Anatomical Donor Luncheon where families of the anatomical donors met anatomy dissection groups of medical students. The luncheon presented an opportunity for donor family members to share the life story of their loved one with the medical students prior to the start of the anatomy course. This study was designed to understand the impact of the Anatomical Donor Luncheon on families of the donors. Seven families in two different focus groups were included to explore the reactions and attitudes of the donor families to meeting the medical students. Conversations were digitally recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis of textual data were coded by three investigators using the Constant Comparative Method. To provide evidence of validity, a form of member checking was utilized. For further triangulation, an analyst not involved in conducting the focus groups or analyzing the data, re-coded all data. This analyst used categories and themes identified by the original analysts, ensuring validity of the themes and any negative cases (data not supporting or contradictory of the established categories and themes). One meta-theme and three sub-themes were identified. The meta-theme was Donor Family Participants Experience Transformation and Closure, and sub-themes were Motivators for Participation, Optimal Venue Factors, and Optimal Medical Student–Anatomical Donor Family Interactions. Study findings indicated the Anatomical Donor Luncheon facilitated closure on the death of their loved one, and transformed their apprehension about the luncheon and body donation into an attitude of gratitude and appreciation.     

Teacher evaluation as data use: what recent research suggests

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability - Most recent research on teacher evaluation examines evaluation’s measurement properties and accountability uses. Less research studies...     

The distinction of excellent students in the Portuguese state school as a strategy of educational marketing accountability

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability - The mechanisms of academic distinction of the best students, such as the Honours Boards of Excellence and Value, emerge in Portuguese state...     

论刘基诗歌的历史地位及其影响——兼论刘基、高启诗歌成就之高低

从横向和纵向的比较中探讨了刘基诗歌创作的历史地位及其影响。在元明鼎革这一特定的历史时期,刘基诗歌具有＂一代宗师的文学地位＂,与同时代的高启比较,刘诗是士君子言志之诗,高启是文人之诗,两家诗歌,各有千秋,未可轩轾。刘基的诗歌创作于仕元期间,在越诗派就有相当大的影响力,入明后,因其政治地位而影响更著,对有名一代的诗歌创作影响深远。     

丹巴县高中阶段教育发展调研报告

丹巴县高中阶段教育现状可归纳为：经济地理限制,发展基础薄弱;校园占地面积狭小,无扩展空间;资金投入少,资源配置不足;优质教师外流,优质生源外流;高中阶段普及率低,高考上线率低;学校缺乏竞争力,师生向心力不强。     

民族地区高校国防教育的基本定位与内容体系的建构

大学生国防教育是爱国主义教育的重要载体,是增强大学生国防意识、振奋民族精神的重要手段,是培养国防后备人才的有效途径。本文根据民族地区高校的实际,对民族地区高校国防教育的定位和内容体系做了基本探索,并在此基础上提出了民族地区高校国防教育的基本建构。     

民族地区少数民族传统文化变迁及其地理驱动力分析——基于施甸县两个典型布朗族村落的调查与思考

在经济、文化全球化和以工业化与城镇化为主要特征的国家发展背景下,面对施甸县布朗族传统文化呈现弱化这一现象,以施甸县两个典型的布朗族村落为研究对象,在运用田野调查、问卷调查及访谈法等方法获取大量研究数据和资料的基础上,采用从定性到定量的综合集成方法揭示施甸布朗族传统文化的变迁特征,并进一步分析其传统文化变迁的地理驱动力,并就如何实现施甸布朗族聚居地区社会经济较快发展与其民族传统文化传承和保护之间的耦合提出相关的对策建议,以期为当地政府制定民族文化发展战略及其传承保护措施提供科学依据和决策参考。     

The relationship between perceived ageism and depressive symptoms in later life: Understanding the mediating effects of self-perception of aging and purpose in life,using structural equation modeling

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between perceived ageism and depression in later life and to clarify the mechanism underlying this relationship by examining the mediating effects of self-perception of aging and purpose in life. The Health and Retirement Study surveys were used for this secondary analysis of data. The sample included 3,991 older adults, and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses using structural regression models were conducted. SEM analyses revealed that full mediation effects of self-perception of aging and purpose in life exist. Older adults who perceive ageism are likely to have negative self-perception of aging, and this negative view of their own aging is likely to decrease purpose in life and increase depressive symptoms. The results of this study imply that more efforts and resources are necessary to reduce ageism and its negative effect on depression among older adults. Additionally, the current study suggests the necessity of anti-ageism policies and social services. Increasing positive self-perception of aging, purpose in life, and resilience could be the key to a better quality of life for older adults.     

Discourse forms in a classroom transitioning to student-centred scientific inquiry through co-teaching

Teacher–student discourse continues to be teacher-centred even though researchers and reform documents have recommended changes toward increased levels of student-centred discourse. In science education this situation is paralleled by effort to make scientific inquiry more student-centred. The purpose of this study was to investigate how discourse forms changed over time in a classroom where the regular teacher and his students were scaffolded in the transitioning to student-centred scientific inquiry. Video-recordings were collected at intervals over one academic year. Three prominent forms of discourse were identified: two teacher-authoritative forms and one more interactive, dialogic form. As the lessons increasingly turned into student-centred scientific inquiry, a shift to the dialogic discourse form was found. Co-teaching provided for (a) guidance towards an organisation of events in the classroom that included regular teacher–student dialogue (b) modelling of the more dialogic form of discourse.