Collaboration Of Practitioners Research Articles

Revisiting From Cliché to Archetype for artistry in addressing artificial intelligence in media ecology and managing change

This article goes back to McLuhan and Watson’s book From Cliché to Archetype, in its respective editions, regarding artistic recognition and treatment of media effects. It examines the core aspects of these texts as well as related Explorations in Media Ecology articles that help explain key aspects more clearly. The narrative relates these parallel constructs to those employed in information technology change management impact assessment. It situates these matters in terms of Bolter’s Digital Plenitude. The article presents a framework for combining these ideas and applying them in initiating an investigation of artificial intelligence academic use. This schema suggests tools that foster scholar and practitioner collaboration to better deal with an increasingly digitized environment. This article balances on the line between the theoretical and the pedagogical coming together in its final section to suggest a specific way to proceed in preparing for the next phases of the digital era.

Reflections from members of a collaborative social work practitioner–academic research team investigating the career progression experiences of black social workers

This article shares the reflections of members of a collaborative practitioner–academic research team in social work. The team investigated the career progression experiences of black social workers working in statutory social work services in South-East London. Our intention in this article is to share our experience of researching a subject that holds emotional and political resonance. We do so by offering individual perspectives from different team members on how their project involvement affected them both personally and professionally. We also discuss some of the general themes identified in our reflections. These include practitioners growing in research confidence, the need to create a safe emotional space for stories of researcher discomfort and uncertainty to be heard, the effects of undertaking research on professional social work identity, and curiosity about whether our research endeavours can change social work career progression policies and practices for black social work colleagues. We caution that a safe emotional container is required when researching personally and professionally sensitive, subjects such as racism and discrimination in social work. We hope that our article inspires social work practitioners to become involved in research activities.

Anaemia Prevention Among Pregnant Women

This paper offers a thorough analysis of the worldwide occurrence and consequences of anaemia, with particular emphasis on its effects during pregnancy. Anaemia, a condition marked by inadequate red blood cells, is widely prevalent worldwide, with the African area having the greatest occurrence. The study highlights the complex and varied character of anaemia, which may be caused by factors such as insufficient nutrition, infections, and genetic predispositions. Pregnant women are at a higher risk, thus specific measures are needed to manage iron deficiency and reduce the possibility of negative effects for both the mothers and neonates. The article discusses diagnostic techniques, highlighting the need of thorough examinations that take into account several elements. The repercussions of anaemia go beyond its immediate health effects, affecting cognitive and motor development, productivity, and increasing the chances of maternal and neonatal death. The research elucidates the interdependence of maternal and foetal health outcomes, underscoring the comprehensive care necessary throughout pregnancy. Suggestions include giving priority to evidence-based treatments and programmes for the prevention and management of anaemia, especially in groups at high risk. Effective implementation of preventative interventions relies on the essential collaboration of healthcare practitioners, dietitians, legislators, and communities. Ongoing research, education, and sharing of knowledge are crucial elements of a comprehensive worldwide strategy to tackle anaemia and improve the health outcomes of both mothers and their unborn babies.

The Conservation and Display of a Traditional Korean Hwarot Panel with a Discussion of Purple Gromwell Dye

ABSTRACT This paper covers how, as conservation professionals, we promote and contribute to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collections through the understanding of historic materials and techniques that go into the making of complex objects. The conservation of a Korean embroidery panel originally found on an hwarot or bridal gown demonstrates this approach. The collaboration of both conservation disciplines and Korean practitioners enabled the work to be meaningful and informative. The decision to remount the hwarot panel as a robe structure, as it had been previously disassembled for the foreign export market, was agreed upon, as was the retention of the lilac repairs. The use of natural dyes to create a rainbow of coloured silks found in the embroidery brings its own problems, especially as purple gromwell is a dye less known in Western culture. The replica robe considers the historical context of the panel and can be re-utilized for subsequent mounting.

Health systems impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on malaria control program implementation and malaria burden in Benin: A mixed-method qualitative and mathematical modelling and study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has sent ripple effects across health systems and impacted the burden of many other diseases, such as malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. This study takes a mixed method approach to assess the impact of COVID-19 on malaria control programs in three rural communes in Benin. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with key informants who play important roles in malaria control in Benin at three levels of the health system-national, health zone, and commune. Using a purposive sampling technique, informants were interviewed regarding their roles in malaria control, the impact of the pandemic on their activities, and the mitigation strategies adopted. Relevant themes were identified by content analysis. We then formulated an agent-based model of malaria epidemiology to assess the impacts of treatment disruption on malaria burden. The key informant interviews revealed that essential aspects of malaria control were upheld in Benin due to the close collaboration of public health practitioners and health care providers at all levels of the health system. There were some disruptions to case management services for malaria at the start of the pandemic due to the public avoiding health centers and a brief shortage of malaria treatment that may not be entirely attributable to the pandemic. Results from the agent-based model suggest that duration, severity, and timing of treatment disruption can impact malaria burden in a synergistic manner, though the effects are small given the relatively mild disruptions observed. This study highlights the importance of top-down leadership in health emergencies, as well as the critical role of community health workers in preventing negative health outcomes for their communities. We also showcased the integration of qualitative research and mathematical models-an underappreciated form of mixed methods research that offer immense value in the continued evaluation of rapidly evolving health emergencies.

THE EXPERIENCES OF YOUTHS WHO LEFT CHILD AND YOUTH CARE CENTRES OF THE EKURHULENI METRO MUNICIPALITY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Leaving a familiar environment can be daunting. Although previous studies investigated the experiences of youths who left care centres, few considered those who left during the Covid-19 pandemic. For this exploratory qualitative research study, we purposively recruited 12 African youths aged between 18 and 23, with least two years’ experience of life in the care centres of Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality to investigate their experiences when they left suchcentres during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data were collected through individual semistructured interviews, analysed according to Akinyonde and Khan’s thematic analysis method, and verified using Guba and Lincoln’s strategies. The findings revealed experiences that were clustered into three themes: preparing to leave, reflecting on life at the centre, and transiting from care during Covid-19. The recommendations proposed include the need to facilitate exitstrategies for these youths, clear follow-up plans to support them, and collaboration of practitioners in the field of child and youth care. Keywords: child and youth care centre, Covid-19, experiences, social work, youths

Why can’t we be friends? Bridging the academic/practitioner gap in social marketing

PurposeIn this paper we (a pracademic, a practitioner, and an academic) aim to explore the academic/practitioner gap in social marketing and offer recommendations to close it, while amplifying existing examples of best practice from within the field. We also propose a research agenda to spur dialog and guide further investigations in this area. Insights from prior research, coupled with the co-authors’ experience and observations, indicate that a disconnect does exist between academia and practice within social marketing, though it is admittedly and unsurprisingly not uniform across contexts and disciplinary areas. Given social marketing’s identity as a practice-oriented field, there are many existing examples of academic/practitioner collaboration and the successful linkage of theory and practice that deserve to be amplified. However, the challenges associated with the very different systems and structures affecting both worlds mean the disconnect is problematic enough to warrant systematic change to ensure the two worlds are more aligned.Design/methodology/approachThis paper (a pracademic, a practitioner and an academic) explores the academic/practitioner gap in social marketing and offer recommendations to close it, while amplifying existing examples of best practice from within the field. The authors also propose a research agenda to spur dialog and guide further investigations in this area.FindingsThe authors suggest five key reasons that focus should be placed upon closing the academic/practitioner gap in social marketing: demonstrating societal value by contributing to practice; embedding and developing theories in practice; adding to the social marketing literature; contributing to social marketing teaching; and communicating the value and effectiveness of social marketing. To close the gap, the authors propose specific recommendations within four broad areas: marketing the academia and practitioner collaboration offer; building ongoing relationships; creating collaborative partnerships; and changing the publishing model ensuring communications are accessible to all. They also suggest ways for social marketing associations and peak bodies to play a role.Originality/valueThe concept of a disconnect between academia and practice is by no means new; it has been a pervasive issue across disciplines for decades. However, this issue has not been the subject of much discussion within the social marketing literature. Recommendations outlined in this paper serve as a starting point for discussion. The authors also acknowledge that due to long standing “bright spots” in the field, numerous examples currently exist. They place an emphasis upon highlighting these examples while illuminating a path forward.

Abstract 12521: Assessment of Women's Cardiovascular Health Awareness in Lombardy Using Population-Based Web-Survey: The "Call for Women" Project

Introduction: In Italy, despite the improvements in outcomes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) continue to be the leading cause of death in women. Hypothesis: The majority of women has no perception of this risk. Goals: Raising awareness among women about their main health threat. Methods: Women (≥18 years) living in the Lombardy region were invited from September 2022 to February 2023 to fill in a web-survey distributed in the general population through a public, anonymous link. Results: Of 2802 women who answered the call, 2217 (94%) completed the survey, including 107(5%) of women not born in Italy. The mean body mass index was 23.5±4.5 kg/m 2 , with 25,8% of responders being overweight. Despite the perception of that weight gain was a serious problem in a high percentage women (42%), 26.4% of them did not perform any physical activity and 38.7% practiced less than the recommended 150 minutes a week. Nearly half (46.8%) checked their blood pressure annually and 38.2% have never had any CV test. Only 35.5% were aware of CVD as the leading cause of death (LCOD) in women and 2.5% indicated stroke as LCOD, while 40.9% still considered cancer as the greatest health threat for women. Awareness was greater with older age and increasing education and lower among unemployed and menopausal women. The main sources of information about health were considered general practitioner (51.6%) and the web (27.0%). Counterintuitively, women not born in Italy mostly use the Internet (40%, p=0.001). Finally, the survey showed that women were aware of seeing public health education campaigns about breast cancer (72.4%) and violence (19.7%) more frequently than of campaigns about CVD prevention(1.3%). Conclusions: Only one-third of all women in this pilot study are aware that CVD is their number one killer. Increasing awareness of CVD as the LCOD among women is a priority, requiring collaboration of healthcare practitioners, professional health organizations, as well as dedication of financial resources.

Maximising the potential of academic–practitioner collaborations in international development

AbstractA call to action has been issued for cross‐sector partnerships such as academic–practitioner collaborations to develop evidence‐based solutions to address development challenges. This study investigated correlations between factors such as motivation, involvement in co‐creation of research, usability of research outputs and past partnering experiences with the future participation in such collaborations. Using survey data from members of the LASER PULSE Consortium, we not only present empirical evidence on the mismatch of expectations between academics and practitioners but also recommend a framework to maximise the potential of such collaborations by understanding value propositions and managing partnering experience.

Reconceptualising knowledge in the athlete-coach learning system: a mixed-method case study of harnessing bi-directional self-organising tendencies with a national wheelchair rugby league team.

Knowledge and knowledge transfer are often viewed in unitary and hierarchical terms, where a linear transaction exists between an individual possessing a body of knowledge and a person needing that knowledge. Although this traditional view of knowledge transfer is common within the sports domain, it is problematic because knowledge is treated as a self-contained entity. The overarching purpose of this study is to explore the ecological role of knowledge, underpinning performance preparation processes in an international coaching setting. Specifically, we investigated how bi-directional self-organising (coordination) tendencies (coach and athlete-led) can be exploited to facilitate the formation of attacking synergies within the team sport of wheelchair rugby league. A mixed-method case study approach was employed to collect data, involving semi-structured interviews, reflexive observations and field notes, and notational analysis. Results from the study described the transitional process of positioning an ecological view of knowledge transfer as a guiding principle to enhance athlete and practitioner collaboration. This reciprocal relationship provided documented opportunities to enhance on- and off-field team synergies. The pedagogical experiences we describe emerged throughout periods of uncertainty, requiring effortful interactions, forged on the continuous coupling of key agents (individuals), content, and context, enabling application, refinement, and opportunities for team synergies to evolve in performance preparation. Results suggested that the challenge of understanding and facilitating knowledge transfer could be embedded within the ecology of a complex adaptive system, sustained as a contextualised activity reciprocally constructed through on-going correspondence between athletes, scientists, practitioners, and the competitive performance context.

Translational bioethics as a two-way street. Developing clinical ethics support instruments with and for healthcare practitioners.

This article discusses an approach to translational bioethics (TB) that is concerned with the adaptation-or 'translation'-of concepts, theories and methods from bioethics to practical contexts, in order to support 'non-bioethicists', such as researchers and healthcare practitioners, in dealing with their ethical issues themselves. Specifically, it goes into the participatory development of clinical ethics support (CES) instruments that respond to the needs and wishes of healthcare practitioners and that are tailored to the specific care contexts in which they are to be used. The theoretical underpinnings of this participatory approach to TB are found in hermeneutic ethics and pragmatism. As an example, the development of CURA, a low-threshold CES instrument for healthcare professionals in palliative care, is discussed. From this example, it becomes clear that TB is a two-way street. Practice may be improved by means of CES that is effectively tailored to specific end users and care contexts. The other way around, ethical theory may be enriched by means of the insights gained from engaging with practice in developing CES in a process of co-creation. TB is also a two-way street in the sense that it requires collaboration and commitment of both bioethicists and practitioners, who engage in a process of mutual learning. However, substantial challenges remain. For instance, is there a limit to the extent to which a method of moral reasoning can be adapted in order to meet the constraints of a given healthcare setting? Who is to decide, the bioethicist or the practitioners?

Teaching on the Block

This article presents case writing research that explored the pedagogical benefits of teaching in Block mode through a university educators’ perspective. The authors of this research examined their tertiary teaching experiences of Block Model delivery. Through two teacher-authored cases, the researchers engaged in a collaborative practitioner research framework to critically reflect on their own teaching experiences in Block Model to uncover and examine the patterns occurring across iterations of various deliveries. The aim of the research is to examine approaches to teaching and learning in Block and unearth the pedagogical changes required to effectively teach in Block. The aim of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of Block delivery from a teacher perspective and examine the benefits to teaching and learning experienced through Block model delivery. The findings suggest that the systematic foundation of Block delivery, coupled with the immersive nature of Block led to a range of pedagogical benefits such as an enhanced sense of belonging, increased notions of student agency and it promoted scaffolded instruction. The hope is that this classroom-focused research will provide the basis for further research and refinement of Block teaching and learning.

“Doubting with”: An opportunity to renew the debate on researcher–practitioner collaboration

AbstractThis article explores “doubting with” in collaborative management research. Extending methodological reflections on collaboration between researchers and practitioners, this article, drawing on the foundations of the pragmatist inquiry, stresses the central role of doubt and the doubtful situation in overcoming difficulties that are encountered in problem‐oriented approaches. We propose guidelines for “doubting with” in collaborative research, highlighting how it transforms modes of researcher–practitioner collaboration and the opportunities it provides to restore possibilities of action with a broader social dimension. We emphasize how “doubting with” addresses the challenges of collaboration and the key implications for management research regarding the importance of keeping doubt alive in our inquiries and of doubting with practitioners.

Evaluation of the observation of infection control protocols in dental offices during the COVID-19 pandemic based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in Zahedan in 2020-2021

Coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19) was identified as a significant threat to health worldwide. During dental procedures, large amounts of aerosols are produced; therefore, dentists, the staff, and patients are exposed to the virus. The present study aimed to evaluate the observation of infection control protocols in dental offices during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) guidelines in Zahedan, Iran, in 2020-2021. The present descriptive study was carried out with the collaboration of general dental practitioners and specialists in 11 clinics and 133 private dental offices in the public and private sectors in Zahedan, who were active during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. The simple sampling method was used, and the data were collected using a checklist prepared based on the guidelines of the CDC. The dentists’ personal protection score was 63%, with 73% for the patients and clients. The mean scores for the personnel’s educational requirements, patients’ and clients’ educational requirements, screening, and personal protection equipment in the dental centers were 76%, 60.5%, 71.8%, and 81%, respectively. The observation of the infection prevention protocols in the dental offices in Zahedan by dentists, staff, and patients was moderate, necessitating further and more appropriate programs to improve it based on the CDC guidelines. Continuous education programs are necessary for dentists, with further information for the general population through the mass media and virtual social networks. periodic studies are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these programs so that modifications in the policies can be implemented if necessary.

Interprofessional collaboration of general practitioners and nurses in primary care: A qualitative study

Interprofessional collaboration of general practitioners and nurses in primary care: A qualitative study Abstract. Background: There is a need to strengthen interprofessional collaboration of general practitioners and home care nurses in the primary care of people with chronic diseases and long-term care needs. Aim: This study investigated a) how general practitioners and nurses in Germany perceive their collaboration in primary care and b) which development perspectives of collaboration exist from their point of view. Methods: Expert interviews were conducted with seven general practitioners and eight home care nurses. The data were analysed using thematic-structured qualitative content analysis. Results: The interviewees from both professional groups report that their collaboration is hindered by poor mutual accessibility. At the same time, they emphasise their appreciation of the professional exchange with the other professional group. Nevertheless, the perceptions of the professional competence of home care nurses differ. To improve their cooperation, the interviewees recommend the establishment of interprofessional meetings and cooperation in spatial proximity for regular professional exchange. They expect this to lead to a joint development of trust and competence and to an expansion of the area of responsibility of home care nurses in primary care. Conclusions: Binding communication structures, cooperation in spatial proximity and an expansion of the area of responsibility of home care nurses offer high potential for strengthening primary care in Germany.

Two modes of feedback are better than one: Educator experiences of providing audio feedback on student work

The integration of digital teaching and learning practices can contribute to the organisational change required by the higher education digital transformation agenda. One such digital practice, audio feedback, is claimed to be more efficient and engaging than written comments. A substantial body of empirical research in this area evaluates student satisfaction, impact on student performance, and time efficiencies for tutors. What remains to be usefully investigated is tutors’ experiences with providing audio feedback and its impact on tutors’ pedagogical processes and practices. To address the identified gap in literature, thus, an online tutor, the author of this article, conducted a collaborative practitioner research project with three other online tutors to use an audio feedback function for their module assignment marking. Qualitative data were collected through tutors’ reflective journals and a group discussion to gain insights into their experiences. Findings suggest that the production of audio feedback is the culmination of a complex process involving both written and spoken stages and has the potential to address pedagogic concerns and communicate authentically with students, but requires additional time and cognitive processing. Implications for the potential contributions of the practice to the broader digital transformation vision are discussed.Keywords: audio feedback; assessment feedback; feedback practice; digital feedbackPart of the Special Issue Teaching practices in times of digital transformation <https://doi.org/10.21428/8c225f6e.ac86609b>

“Important for you to be there”: Employee activism and the dialectics of researcher–practitioner collaborations

AbstractThe current study examines researcher–practitioner collaborations in the context of employee activism, a context in which the role of reflexivity and theorisation relate in unique ways. Specifically, we examine the collaboration between researchers and a practitioner sustainability manager, in the context of an ongoing organisational sustainability campaign at a French business school. Within the context of an ethnographic, participant observer study, we examine how the roles of “theory” and “practice” are distributed in dynamic ways, and how, across the study, roles are challenged and inverted, oscillating in dialectical moments which we term “praxis encounters”. We contribute to growing debates around academic–practitioner collaborations by showing how the roles of researchers and practitioners evolve dialectically over the course of a project, how employee activism may be studied using collaborative approaches, and how human resource managers may support employee activism. We call for future research about the variety of such dynamics across diverse contexts.

Exploring health-analytics adoption in indian private healthcare organizations: An institutional-theoretic perspective

In India, private hospitals are at the cusp of adopting health-analytics (HA) technology to manage their organizational performance through data-driven decision-making. Past studies have analyzed the applications and benefits of HA. Our study builds on this descriptive base to investigate the patterns of HA adoption and the institutional factors which impact adoption. We conducted a cross-sectional field study that involved ten Indian private healthcare organizations and four health-ecosystem partners and analyzed the case study data using an institutional theory lens. Our cases reveal that the breadth and depth of HA adoption varies and falls into three distinct patterns: far-sighted, conservative, and niche. We assess how these patterns are influenced by the two key dimensions of institutional environments (material-resource environment and institutional environment). We highlight distinctive factors (management support for building organizational trust on data-driven decisions and IT-Medical practitioner collaboration) that exert important contextual influences on HA adoption. Our study identifies areas of commonalty for HA adoption across national healthcare settings as well as contextual aspects representative of the burgeoning Indian healthcare field.

New conceptual tools for be(com)ing antiracist (teacher) educators at PWIs

PurposeThis study aims to share the development of new conceptual tools, which merge theories of critical whiteness studies (CWS), epistemic injustice and abolitionist teaching, applying them to the discourse of pre- and in-service teachers across the predominantly white institutions (PWIs) as they discuss antiracist teaching through the book Stamped and a series of online discussions.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative, collaborative practitioner inquiry derived data from video-recorded, online discussions, interviews and weekly research meetings. Critical discourse analysis revealed theoretical gaps and prompted the integration of additional theories, resulting in new conceptual tools, which are applied here to both “in the moment” exchanges between participants and individuals’ reflections in interviews.FindingsApplying new conceptual tools to discussions of whiteness and race revealed how epistemic harm, microresistance and epistemic justice emerge in talk along with the importance of cultivating critical vigilance among antiracist educators.Originality/valueThis study elucidates how merging the conceptual frameworks of CWS, epistemic injustice and abolitionist teaching provides new tools for interrogating antiracism relative to whiteness in participants’ and researchers’ experiences. It challenges teacher educators, particularly at PWIs, to recognize how epistemic harm may be inflicted on students of color when centering whiteness in teacher education.

Bridging the Researcher–Practitioner Divide Through Community‐Engaged Action Research: A Collaborative Autoethnographic Exploration

AbstractConsistent with recent calls to bridge the research–practice divide in second language acquisition, this article reports on the findings of a collaborative autoethnographic study that we, authors of this article, conducted as critical second language teacher educators. Conducting a series of constructive dialogues among ourselves for a semester, we focused on how our acts of reciprocal reflexivity were characterized by discussions and subsequent actions with our teacher partners located in different parts of the world and working in diverse contexts. Our data, which included reflective journal entries, phenomenological interviews, artefacts, and audio‐recorded group conversations, illustrate how we fostered constructive researcher–practitioner collaborations. These collaborations were mediated within and outside our classroom settings, as we sought to ultimately improve our own pedagogical practices. In contrast to working from an ivory tower and in keeping with our commitment to promoting equitable educational and research practices, our article also demonstrates and problematizes how we conducted our research in an ethical manner when designing, carrying out, and subsequently disseminating our findings to multiple audiences.