Navigating field education: insights from central universities in South India

Drawing on the work of Lee Shulman, this article reviews literature exploring the concept of signature pedagogies, which are described as having have surface, deep and implicit structures. These structures are complex and changing; concerned with habits of head, hand and heart. Emerging from professional education and now being explored in STEM and Humanities education, they are characteristic forms of teaching and learning that are common across a sector. Common themes emerge from within a range of disciplines including art, built environment, design, music, religious, social work and teacher education. These include the roles of the curriculum, the teacher, the learning environment, as well as capability, uncertainty and the challenges associated with signature pedagogies. Focusing on literature from design education, the paper explores the nature of signature pedagogy in design and technology, as a tool for professional discourse. The conclusions propose a discursive framework for design and technology education in which the structures are tied together by the three fundamental activities of ideating, realising and critiquing; more commonly thought of as designing, making and evaluating. The deep structure being project-based learning, undergirded by the implicit values and attitudes associated with design thinking; including collaboration, creativity, empathy, iteration and problem solving. Design and technology education has something unique to offer the broad and balanced curriculum through its signature pedagogies and the way that knowledge is experienced by learners.

Background: Reflexive thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative research published in Palliative Medicine, and in the broader field of health research. However, this approach is often not used well. Common problems in published reflexive thematic analysis in general include assuming thematic analysis is a singular approach, rather than a family of methods, confusing themes and topics, and treating and reporting reflexive thematic analysis as if it is atheoretical. Purpose: We reviewed 20 papers published in Palliative Medicine between 2014 and 2022 that cited Braun and Clarke, identified using the search term ‘thematic analysis’ and the default ‘relevance’ setting on the journal webpage. The aim of the review was to identify common problems and instances of good practice. Problems centred around a lack of methodological coherence, and a lack of reflexive openness, clarity and detail in reporting. We considered contributors to these common problems, including the use of reporting checklists that are not coherent with the values of reflexive thematic analysis. To support qualitative researchers in producing coherent and reflexively open reports of reflexive thematic analysis we have developed the Reflexive Thematic Analysis Reporting Guidelines (the RTARG; in Supplemental Materials) informed by this review, other reviews we have done and our values and experience as qualitative researchers. The RTARG is also intended for use by peer reviewers to encourage methodologically coherent reviewing. Key learning points: Methodological incoherence and a lack of transparency are common problems in reflexive thematic analysis research published in Palliative Medicine. Coherence can be facilitated by researchers and reviewers striving to be knowing – thoughtful, deliberative, reflexive and theoretically aware – practitioners and appraisers of reflexive thematic analysis and developing an understanding of the diversity within the thematic analysis family of methods.

A transparent analytical process contributes to the methodological rigor of reflexive thematic analysis. To enhance such transparency in reflexive thematic analysis, novice researchers need to document and present the analytical processes of theme development. In this article, we showcase how qualitative comparative analysis can be integrated into reflexive thematic analysis as a strategy for novice researchers. We demonstrate how novice researchers can develop codes and categories, use qualitative comparative analysis to facilitate the exploration of the complex causal relationships between categories, and construct candidate themes based on these analyses. We then show how novice researchers can continue developing these themes by creating relationships between codes and categories on the basis of qualitative data and existing literature. Such integration of methods not only facilitates theme development, but also assists researchers in justifying the decisions made in a reflexive thematic analysis process. The analytical procedures presented in this article may thus help novice researchers engaged in reflexive thematic analysis to enhance the transparency of their analytical process.

Balancing midwifery values with rural reality: Swedish midwives' views of midwifery continuity of care - A qualitative study.

Creativity is acknowledged as an essential component of the design process and considered a key design graduate attribute. Despite this assertion, several studies have highlighted that the teaching of creativity in design education is often implicit rather than explicit. Moreover, there is a paucity of research on product design students’ experience of creativity in design education, leaving a gap in knowledge relevant to how creativity may be better fostered in design education. In this study, reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data from online focus groups conducted with product design students. The three themes constructed provide insights into how students perceive and engage with creativity. Theme 1, the influence of social factors on creativity, uncovers the diametric effect students’ social eco-system can have on their creativity. These include an aversion to being associated with it due to weight of expectation and negative perceptions around creativity, as well as the ‘invisible support system’ created by peers. Theme 2, sanctuary seeking tendencies of novice design students, reveals behaviours that oppose essential creative attributes: a freedom from risk and ambiguity and desire for certainty and achievability. Theme 3, tension between passion for and pursuit of creativity, outlines the conflict between participants’ ideologies and actions when pursuing creativity highlighting a reluctance to utilise structured creativity tools while gravitating towards unstructured methods such as ‘relaxed attention’. Together, the three themes form a picture of product design students’ complex relationship with creativity and importance of self-efficacy. The findings of this study make an important contribution to our understanding of design students’ perception of, and engagement with, creativity in design education. As such these findings are relevant for both design education and future creativity tool development.

Signature Pedagogy in social work education has been well discussed in the American context, yet, less so in Canada. In the United States, field education has been proclaimed as the signature pedagogy for social work in 2008 and reaffirmed in 2015. To date, the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE), has affirmed field education as a cornerstone of social work education, yet has not declared it as its signature pedagogy. The claim that all professions have a signature pedagogy piqued our curiosity about our Canadian position. This mixed methods study reflects the voices of three stakeholder groups in Western Canada. Focus groups were utilized to explore social work students, field education staff, and faculty members’ understandings of social work signature pedagogy, and inform an on-line national survey of faculty and field education staff. Utilizing thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, the findings suggest common and disparate views between participant groups. Despite nuances in understanding, strong suggestions by some scholars, and some support for the value of defining signature pedagogy, there is not yet agreement on signature pedagogy in Canadian social work education.

Purpose The delivery of healthcare services in rural locations can be challenging. From the perspectives of rural rehabilitation practitioners and compensation claims managers, this study explored the experience of providing and coordinating rehabilitation services for rural major traumatic injury survivors. Materials and Methods Semi-structured interviews with 14 rural rehabilitation practitioners and 10 compensation claims managers were transcribed, and reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results Six themes were identified (1) Challenges finding and connecting with rural services, (2) Factors relating to insurance claims management, (3) Managing the demand for services, (4) Good working relationships, (5) Limited training and support, and (6) Client resilience and community. System-related barriers included a lack of available search resources to find rural rehabilitation services, limited service/clinician availability and funding policies lacking the flexibility to meet rehabilitation needs in a rural context. Strong peer and interdisciplinary relationships were viewed as crucial facilitators, which rural practitioners were particularly adept at developing. Conclusions Greater consideration of unique needs within rural contexts is required when developing service delivery models. Specifically, flexible and equitable funding policies; facilitating interdisciplinary connections, support and training for rehabilitation practitioners and compensation claims managers; and harnessing clients’ resilience may improve the delivery of rural services. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Rural survivors of major traumatic injury often have ongoing health and rehabilitation needs and struggle to access required treatment services. Rehabilitation providers and compensation claims managers highlighted areas for improvement in rural areas, including resources for locating available services, funding the additional costs of rural service delivery, and greater service choice for clients. Building rural workforce capacity for treatment of major traumatic injury is needed, including improved clinician access to specialist training and support. Developing good working relationships between clients and clinicians, including interdisciplinary collaborations, and supporting client resilience and self-management should be promoted in future service delivery models.

Space, place, and the politics of access: Service provider perspectives on health system responses to sexual- and gender-based violence in rural communities.

BackgroundKangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is an effective intervention shown to significantly lower neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially among low-birth-weight (LBW) infants. Despite its success, many families struggle to implement KMC effectively post-discharge.MethodThis qualitative study employed a hermeneutical-phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of mothers and families practicing KMC after discharge from the hospital in South India. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight mothers, fathers, and grandmothers, focusing on their experiences with community KMC (cKMC) and their challenges in maintaining cKMC at home. All the data were transcribed verbatim and reflexive thematic analysis was done to identify the enablers and barriers to practice cKMC.ResultsThree main themes emerged from the analysis: Breast Feeding - Persevering Despite Initial Difficulties, Kangaroo Mother Care - Seeing benefits but struggling to practice, and Family Boon or Bane - Family as a crucial context for cKMC practice. While encountering challenges, participants expressed a strong commitment to breastfeeding, persevering to breastfeed by expressing breast milk, getting donor milk and using skin-to-skin contact to increase the milk flow. KMC was adopted positively and benefitted from support by the healthcare team and infrastructure during hospital stay, but continuation at home was difficult due to inadequate counselling, lack of community follow-up and challenging home environment. Family emerged both as a support system and a source of a tension to KMC practice. While fathers and grandmothers actively supported KMC in hospital settings, post-discharge traditional gender norms and domestic responsibilities hindered continuity at home.ConclusionTo promote sustained family-inclusive cKMC practices, there is a need for structured education to empower all caregivers, including grandmothers and fathers. Adoption of gender inclusive terminology such as “Kangaroo Family Care” can help to dismantle gender-oriented perceptions and encourage participation of all family members. Engaging grandparents as champions of KMC can promote intergenerational support for families and improve the outcome of LBW newborns. Community health teams should strengthen through tailored training on antenatal counselling and post-discharge support.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-025-13615-7.

Reflexive thematic analysis (reflexive TA) originated within psychology and the social sciences and has become an increasingly popular qualitative analytic method across a range of disciplines. In this article, we offer a brief methodological guide for researchers hoping to use the method, suitable for beginners through to those experienced in qualitative research. Reflexive TA can be used to analyze data generated via a range of methods. Reflexive TA is highly flexible, and we outline the choices that researchers need to address when conducting their research. These choices relate to the theoretical approach (realist through to relativist/experiential to critical), their orientation to analyzing the data (inductive to deductive), and the depth in which they analyze their dataset (semantic to latent). We offer an accessible but comprehensive discussion of the six phases of reflexive thematic analysis and how best to produce a rigorous analysis. Starting with familiarization of the dataset as a foundation for analysis, data are then coded, before using these codes to generate initial themes. These early themes are then reviewed and developed, before the researcher moves to defining and naming them. The final phase of analysis is the writing up of the research, at which point final changes may still be made to the results. Written from the basis of our experience of using, teaching, and training reflexive thematic analysis within psychology and the social sciences, we see it as useful for those working across a range of disciplines.

Thematic analysis is a widely cited method for analyzing qualitative data. As a team of graduate students, we sought to explore methods of data analysis that were grounded in qualitative philosophies and aligned with our orientation as applied health researchers. We identified reflexive thematic analysis, developed by Braun and Clarke, as an interpretive method firmly situated within a qualitative paradigm that would also have broad applicability within a range of qualitative health research designs. In this approach to analysis, the subjectivity of the researcher is recognized and viewed not as problematic but instead valued as integral to the analysis process. We therefore elected to explore reflexive thematic analysis, advance and apply our analytic skills in applied qualitative health research, and provide direction and technique for researchers interested in this method of analysis. In this paper, we describe how a multidisciplinary graduate student group of applied health researchers utilized Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Specifically, we explore and describe our team’s process of data analysis used to analyze focus group data from a study exploring postnatal care referral behavior by traditional birth attendants in Nigeria. This paper illustrates our experience in applying the six phases of reflexive thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke: (1) familiarizing oneself with the data, (2) generating codes, (3) constructing themes, (4) reviewing potential themes, (5) defining and naming themes, and (6) producing the report. We highlight our experiences through each phase, outline strategies to support analytic quality, and share practical activities to guide the use of reflexive thematic analysis within an applied health research context and when working within research teams.

This article aims to contribute to understandings of empathic leadership, with the development of a framework, Em-Path, created in an empirical social work study. The relational study aimed to broaden understanding of empathic practice. Situated in the context of child protection social work in England (2021–2023), the study was supported by five project sponsors from three local authority organizations. Twelve social workers each participated in three relational interviews, with eleven of the twelve participants and four of the five project sponsors attending member reflection groups. Interpretive processes were guided by reflexive thematic analysis, integrating and developing the narrative I-Poem method. Elements of the national policy context restricted social workers’ empathic capacity and whilst elements of organizational contexts supported social workers’ empathic capacity, organizational leaders perceived enactment of empathy proved fragile. The Em-Path framework represents required leadership practices to protect and promote social workers’ capacity for empathic practice with people who engage with social work services. Em-Path contributes to understanding of relational, empathic leadership, with implications for policy and practice.

BackgroundAs the SARS-CoV-2 virus created a global pandemic and rapidly became an imminent threat to the health and lives of people worldwide, the need for a vaccine and its quick distribution among the population was evident. Due to the urgency, and on the back of international collaboration, vaccines were developed rapidly. However, vaccination rollouts showed different success rates in different countries and some also led to increased vaccine hesitancy.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the role of information sharing and context sensitivity in various vaccination programs throughout the initial COVID-19 vaccination rollout in different countries. Moreover, we aimed to identify factors in national vaccination programs related to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, safety, and effectiveness. Toward this end, multidisciplinary and multinational opinions from members of the Navigating Knowledge Landscape (NKL) network were analyzed.MethodsFrom May to July 2021, 25 completed questionnaires from 27 NKL network members were collected. These contributors were from 17 different countries. The responses reflected the contributors’ subjective viewpoints on the status and details of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in their countries. Contributors were asked to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (ie, SWOT) of the respective vaccination programs. The responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, followed by frequency analysis of identified themes according to the represented countries.ResultsThe perspectives of NKL network members showed a link between organizational elements of the vaccination rollout and the accompanying societal response, both of which were related to strengths and weaknesses of the process. External sociocultural variables, improved public communication around vaccination-related issues, ethical controversies, and the spread of disinformation were the dominant themes related to opportunities and challenges. In the SWOT 2×2 matrix, Availability and Barriers emerged as internal categories, whereas Transparent communication and promotion and Societal divide emerged as key external categories.ConclusionsInventory of themes and categories inspired by elements of the SWOT framework provides an informative multidisciplinary perspective for effective implementation of public health strategies in the battle against COVID-19 or any future pandemics of a similar nature.

Family, Friend, and Neighbour care is one of the oldest and most widespread forms of childcare used by families, yet there is far less research on this type of childcare compared to others. This study focused on Latinx immigrant FFN providers to learn about their motivations, needs, and facilitators and barriers to accessing services. Qualitative data come from a subsample of a larger study and include 5 focus groups with 41 Latinx immigrant FFN providers; these data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis [Braun & Clarke, 2020. One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1–25]. The themes, ‘They Need Us’; ‘We’re Not Babysitters, We’re Providers’; and ‘To Face the Job at 100%’ along with their subthemes capture Latinx immigrant FFN providers’ strong commitment and sense of duty to the families that they serve. Research and practice implications are discussed.

The climate crisis is accelerating even quicker than feared with devastating consequences for nature, animals and especially people that social workers engage with. This article, drawing on empirical data from qualitative research with social work practitioners in Sweden, highlights the gaps between global rhetoric and on-the-ground realities, and the huge chasm between social worker’s commitment to climate justice on a personal level and their professional practice. Informed by reflexive thematic analysis and the descriptive-interpretive research design, the empirical data show that while social workers reflect deep awareness of the importance of responding to climate change, understanding it as everyone’s responsibility, they see the call to action as being far removed from the demands of daily practice. There are strong indications that global patterns of individualization, specialization and the impositions of efficiency and narrowly defined outcomes, featured of neoliberalism and new public management, influence social workers’ scope of work in decided ways. The global, national and institutional constraints on the roles of social workers raise ethical issues in relation to the imperative that all social workers address issues of ecosocial justice. The data suggest that if there were spaces for dialogue and reflexivity in their workspaces, and educational political and organizational support for group and community-based approaches, social workers would be willing to live up to the global imperatives to fulfill their roles in contributing towards ecosocial justice. The implications for the politicization of social work and the importance of emancipatory praxis in social work education and practice are discussed.