Meaningful Opportunities Research Articles

You Can't Exclude Us Anymore! A Critical Reflection of Inclusive Research and Teaching Opportunities for People With Intellectual Disabilities in University Settings

Summary People with intellectual disabilities should have opportunities to work within universities. Inclusive research and coteaching opportunities are some ways that people with intellectual disabilities can have meaningful employment opportunities within universities. This paper was cowritten with people with intellectual disabilities. The paper discusses the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities, researchers and a disability grassroots organisation in coproducing research and teaching experiences. Two coproduced lists were developed: (1) To help universities better understand how to include people with intellectual disabilities in research and teaching opportunities and (2) to help other people with intellectual disabilities know what to do when working at a university.

Embedding equity and inclusion in universities through motivational theory and community-based conservation approaches.

Despite widespread plans to embed justice, equity, decolonization, indigenization, and inclusion (JEDII) into universities, progress toward deeper, systemic change is slow. Given that many community-based conservation (CBC) scholars have experience creating enduring social change in diverse communities, they have transferable skills that could help embed JEDII in universities. We synthesized the literature from CBC and examined it through the lens of self-determination theory to help identify generalizable approaches to create resilient sociocultural change toward JEDII in universities. Fostering autonomous motivation (i.e., behaving because one truly values and identifies with the behavior or finds behavior inherently satisfying) is critical to inspiring enduring change in both CBC and JEDII. Based on theory and our examination of CBC, we provide 5 broad recommendations that helped motivate behavioral change in a way that was self-sustained (i.e., even without external rewards or pressure). Guiding principles support autonomy by creating meaningful choice and different entry points for JEDII; prioritising relationships; designing payment programs that enhance autonomous motivation; developing meaningful educational opportunities that are relevant, timely, relational, and authentic; and creating institutional change by focusing efforts on critical moments.

Socioeconomic and sociocultural differences in adolescents’ leisure motivations

This study investigates the leisure motivations of secondary school pupils aged 14–18 in Flanders (Belgium) and examines their relationship with socioeconomic and sociocultural characteristics. Drawing on a diverse sample and employing regression analysis, the findings demonstrate that leisure motivations, assessed using an abridged version of the Leisure Motivation Scale (LMS), are significantly influenced by age, gender, migration background, educational track, and parental employment status. Notably, the educational track emerges as the principal differentiator, with students in technical and vocational education consistently exhibiting lower levels of motivation across all dimensions. The results further suggest that the LMS may not fully capture the leisure motivations of certain adolescent subgroups. These findings underscore the importance of recognising the diversity of leisure motivations in youth and highlight the need for tailored policy interventions that centre adolescents’ aspirations and experiences, thereby fostering equitable access to meaningful leisure opportunities.

A Needs-Based Assessment of Older Immigrants Experiencing Loneliness and Social Isolation and the Effectiveness of Interventions Responding to the Identified Needs: An Umbrella Review and Research Update

ABSTRACT This umbrella review and research update explores experiences of loneliness and social isolation in older immigrants to understand their support needs and the effectiveness of current interventions. Nine quantitative and qualitative studies discussing loneliness and/or social isolation in older immigrants were identified. Six key themes emerged: language and cultural barriers, life-course intersections, family relationships and obligations, meaningful opportunities as a counter-strategy, regaining self-esteem, and effectiveness of peer/community support. Assessment of needs was a central topic in the literature. Peer and community support is an effective intervention targeting loneliness and social isolation in older immigrants as it connects participants and creates meaningful relationships.

Navigating Uncharted Territory: A Qualitative Analysis of Challenges and Advantages Experienced by Early Career Medical Educators

AbstractWith the growing demand for medical educators, it is increasingly important that institutions implement practices to recruit, retain, and promote the well-being of early career medical educators (ECMEs). However, the specific needs of this group remain somewhat unclear. The current study aimed to address this gap by utilizing qualitative analysis to identify challenges and advantages associated with ECME status. An anonymous, voluntary survey was administered on forums of professional societies for medical education and on social media platforms, and emailed to professional societies. The survey collected demographic information and qualitative data regarding ECMEs’ experiences. Data were collected from 39 participants who met the ECME criteria of having less than or equal to 10 years of teaching experience since obtaining a terminal degree. Thematic analysis revealed that the challenges of early career faculty were difficulty balancing responsibilities, lack of research and educational support, perceived inadequacies as a faculty member, and development of workplace friendships. The advantages were the ability to understand students, possessing specific knowledge and skills, and the ability to innovate. ECME professional development needs focused on development of skills, networking, and support. In conclusion, ECMEs encounter similar struggles faced by all medical educators; however, they have the least amount of experience navigating the hurdles of academia. To aid ECMEs, institutions and departments can focus on the implementation of meaningful professional development opportunities, support systems, and encouraging ECMEs’ strengths.

The Quest for Educational Equity in Mexico

Abstract I examine the dynamics of implementing at-scale reforms to provide meaningful educational opportunities to disadvantaged students in Mexico. To effectively reduce social inequality and exclusion, education policies need a mix of system-wide and targeted efforts that are implemented at scale and sustained long enough to become institutionalized. The resiliency of those policies requires an elusive balance between system-wide and targeted efforts, alignment between federal and state initiatives, and supportive politics. However, the politics of implementing system-wide reforms are more contentious than those involving targeted efforts because they disrupt entrenched interests, making such efforts harder to sustain. Targeted policies, while easier to implement, reinforce the segregation of students into different educational tracks of varying quality.

Crafting Digital Experiences: Embedding Human-Centred and Participatory Design into Archaeological Practice

As digital archaeology has grown as a field of practice, so has the number of digital resources developed for specialists and non-specialists alike. However, the creation of such outputs has not always been accompanied and informed by design theory and practices. Design – used in its broadest definition as a process of conceptual making - is an integral, if often implicit, part of archaeological practices and it is through design that we develop and share our work – from data collection and analysis to interpretation and dissemination – and engage with our stakeholders. Engaging with core design practices offers meaningful opportunities for generating new forms of archaeological knowledge production and sharing, as well as creating digitally mediated experiences that are not guided by our own assumptions about our stakeholders’ needs and can really affect people’s engagement with the past. In this paper, I investigate the benefits of embedding Human-Centred and Participatory Design into the archaeology and heritage sectors to create more critically engaged digital encounters with the past.

Transforming teaching assistant roles into co-creators of instruction

This case study explores the implementation of a collaborative initiative that transformed the traditional role of teaching assistants (TAs) into student-faculty partners in two psychology courses. The objective of the collaboration was to leverage the insights and contributions of undergraduate students as co-creators of instruction for students’ engagement and meaningful learning experience. The case study highlights the processes, impacts, and challenges of these partnerships, revealing opportunities for student partners to develop pedagogical and assessment literacy, enhance communication and leadership skills, and gain insights into student behaviors and preferences. Pedagogical and curricular gains were observed, including the incorporation of student insights into instructional activities and improved teaching materials. However, challenges related to power dynamics and student perceptions of privilege were also identified. The findings emphasize the importance of careful navigation and the creation of meaningful opportunities for student engagement in higher education.

Children’s Guerrilla Play and Dirt Jumps: Parkland as Contested Space During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Australia

AbstractIn 2020-21 the Victorian state government in Australia imposed 262 days of sustained lockdown on Melbourne’s population in a bid to contain the COVID pandemic. These lockdowns, among the longest in the world, affected young people especially. Children were subjected to months of curfews, home schooling using digital platforms and severe travel. Nonetheless some children engaged repeatedly in autonomous and well co-ordinated efforts to construct dirt jumps and ride their bikes in urban public parklands in eastern Melbourne. This article is mindful of a long tradition of scholarly work tracing the ways young people have used public space, and contested ‘adultist’ representations of them and regulations affecting the use of public space. We address three questions: Why and how did children design, construct and use dirt bike jumps during the COVID pandemic in public parklands? How did Victorian local councils and others like police, older residents and mainstream media respond to children’s construction of DIY dirt jumps? How were these spontaneous DIY dirt jumps understood by Victorian local councils? Adopting a composite case study method and employing a relational perspective, we draw on images, participant observation, field notes, documents and webpage analysis to answer the research questions. We document how children used urban parklands to hang out, to onstruct and use bike jumps during the lockdowns. We show how they challenged adult representations of themselves and public space which depicted their bike riding and the jump making as anti-social and illegal. Meanwhile local governments continued through the COVID-19 pandemic to proclaim the value of ‘youth participation.’ When that youth participation involved young people initiating and managing projects themselves, their conduct was deemed unlawful as councils continued denying them any meaningful opportunities to exercise autonomy, or have say in important policy decisions. In the final section of the article say why providing insider accounts of what happens is useful for good policy-making and professional practice.

‘Being a Social Worker … It's in My DNA’ Retaining Experienced Child and Family Social Workers: The Role of Professional Identity

ABSTRACTThe retention of experienced child and family social workers is a significant issue in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe. Failure to retain experienced practitioners has serious implications for the protection and support of vulnerable children. Existing research and workforce interventions have focused on the support of early‐career social workers to prevent exit. Relatively few studies have examined what can be learned from experienced social workers who have remained in the profession long‐term. This study captures the voices of experienced stayers. Data consist of interviews with social workers (n = 58) across 11 local authorities in England who have remained in practice for ≥8 years. Findings suggest that a strong sense of professional identity (PI) sustains social workers and promotes retention. For experienced social workers, staying in the profession long‐term involves navigating a series of identity challenges over the course of their career, conceptualized here as Critical Career Episodes (CCEs). Based on these findings, we suggest that retaining experienced social workers involves support to navigate CCEs alongside meaningful opportunities for learning and development. We identify three key factors that support and sustain ongoing PI development and support retention: generativity, specialism and mobility. The article concludes with recommendations to support workforce retention.

The “flipped visit”: an innovative method to improve medical student self-efficacy through a structured approach in clinic

BackgroundSpecialty clinics can be challenging for students on the internal medicine clerkship. They often lack the specialized knowledge necessary to fully engage in the clinic and may be pushed into an observational role, rather than being afforded meaningful opportunities. These peripheral roles undermine self-efficacy, and, therefore, education and interest. We sought to improve self-efficacy of students attending non-malignant hematology clinic, as well as to enhance interest in hematology and internal medicine.MethodsWe developed a flipped visit model analogous to the flipped classroom. Students each received pre-readings accompanied and pre-assigned cases with delineated reasons for referral and learning objectives. This model allowed students to prepare the hematology content for visits prior to arrival and then focus their time in clinic on executing visits. Participating students completed pre- and post-clinic surveys. These surveys covered core concepts in self-efficacy and interest in hematology and internal medicine on a five-point Likert scale.ResultsOf 103 students attending hematology clinic, 38 students (37%) opted to participate. Two of the 38 did not complete the post-clinic survey. Students had a statistically significant increase in four of six measures of self-efficacy: evaluation of research relevant to patient care and practicing cost-effective care (p = 0.008 and 0.001, respectively); and creation of a differential diagnosis and treatment plan specific to hematology (both p < 0.001). While pre-clinic student responses expressed interest in more exposure to hematology or a possible career in hematology or internal medicine, this was not changed post-clinic. When comparing their experience to other clinics, 75% and 71% students rated hematology clinic slightly or much better than other medicine clinics and non-medicine clinics, respectively. The flipped visit improved self-efficacy both specific to hematology and more generally. While students rated the experience more highly than other clinics, there was no impact on career interest in hematology or internal medicine.ConclusionA flipped visit approach to incorporating medical students into hematology clinic that included pre-assigned cases and readings improved self-efficacy and was preferred by students. They may be adopted easily in other ambulatory education settings.

The Diversity of Voices in Universities: A Critical Reflection on Representation Based on Two University Projects in Iceland and Germany

ABSTRACTBackgroundUniversities are deeply rooted in a tradition of exclusivity. However, for the past several years, they have been called upon to develop in an inclusive and socially responsible manner that does justice to the plurality of society. This has led to the emergence of diverse practices and projects around the world that are intended to open up universities to previously excluded and marginalised groups of people. At the same time, findings from postcolonial studies, such as Spivak's discussions on the topic of representation, show that such processes of change must always be accompanied by critical reflection. This article offers a reflexive analysis of two university projects—one in Iceland and one in Germany—where people with learning difficulties are employed as academic staff, engaged in both teaching and research.MethodsThis article is a result of a collaboration between three nondisabled lecturers and three lecturers with learning disabilities, co‐written across three languages—German, Icelandic and English. The authors worked together to explore theories of representation, ensuring that their discussions and writing were accessible to all members, regardless of language or disability. The article discusses two projects from Iceland and Germany.FindingsThe article shows that inclusive higher education developments are necessary. The projects presented in the article have created work opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the previously exclusive setting of the university. The article provides descriptions of the exemplary life paths of the three lecturers with learning disabilities who co‐authored this article. They have had to navigate the precarious balance between being reduced to mere representatives of their disability and contributing valuable academic knowledge. The findings suggest that an inclusive university can foster equitable academic environments, contributing to the transformation of higher education by reflecting diverse viewpoints and experiences.ConclusionsInitiatives in Iceland and Germany highlight significant progress towards more inclusive universities by integrating individuals with learning disabilities into academic roles, challenging traditional power dynamics. Spivak's (2008) concept of representation emphasises the need to include marginalised voices in academic discourse, ensuring they are genuinely reflected. While these efforts are crucial, continuous critical reflection is necessary to avoid reinforcing inequalities. Moving forward, universities must embed inclusion into all aspects of their structures, creating meaningful opportunities for marginalised groups to influence decision‐making. This approach will ensure that representation is transformative and drives genuine social change.

Exploring students' computer‐supported collaborative argumentation with socio‐scientific issues

AbstractBackgroundThis study examined the effect of computer‐supported collaborative argumentation (CSCA) on secondary school students' understanding of socio‐scientific issues (SSI). Engaging students in collaborative argumentation is known to help with deepening their understanding of SSI.MethodsIn this study, a mixed‐method design is used to investigate 84 students' collaborative argumentation processes and outcomes. The statistical analysis, epistemic network analysis and qualitative uptake analysis results showed that CSCA was effective in supporting secondary school students' evidence‐based argumentation skills on SSI.Findings and ConclusionSeveral cases were presented to show how students engaged in CSCA to explore meaningful learning opportunities and how CSCA helped students' learning on SSI.ImplicationsThe findings provided insights for future innovative teaching and learning SSI in authentic classroom settings.

Democracy, elections and citizen participation: the South African experience

The discourse on the reversal of democratic dividends, which has gained momentum in the past decade and a half, focuses on the erstwhile discussion on electoral governance and the relationship between elections and democracy. In this article, I emphasise the pivotal role of citizens and the value addition of elections in a democracy. Elections, as a cornerstone of democracy, provide a platform for citizens to express their will and shape the future of their nation. The article asserts a symbiotic relationship between democracy, elections, and citizen participation. A preliminary conclusion is that democracy is about improving citizens’ circumstances, and regular elections provide the citizens with an opportunity to elect leaders who will ensure that they realise the democratic dividends. Therefore, there is a need for strengthened human rights-centred and inclusive electoral processes with meaningful opportunities and arrangements for citizens’ participation beyond voting.

Pig farming and the quest for decent work and economic growth: Evidences from Buffalo city

This study delves into the role of pig farming in advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8—Decent work and economic growth in Buffalo City, Eastern Cape. The absence of meaningful employment opportunities and genuine economic progress has remained a significant economic obstacle in South Africa for an extended period. Through a mixed-method approach, the study examines the transformative impact of pig farming as an economic avenue in achieving SDG 8. Through interviews and questionnaires with employed individuals engaged in pig farming in Buffalo City, the study further examines pig farming’s vital role as a source of decent work and economic growth. The study reveals inadequate government support and empowerment for pig farming in Buffalo City despite pig farming’s resilience and potential in mitigating socio-economic vulnerabilities and supporting community’s livelihoods. To enhance pig farming initiatives, this study recommends government’s prioritization of an enabling environment and empowerment measures for the thriving of pig farming in Buffalo City. By facilitating supportive policies and infrastructures, the government can empower locals in Buffalo City to leverage pig farming’s potential in achieving SDG 8.

“In an ideal world”: A qualitative exploration of shared decision-making and weight stigma in antenatal care

BackgroundShared decision-making supports women’s autonomy in antenatal care, but several barriers to shared decision-making have been identified in practice. Women with high body mass index experience a higher rate of interventions, which could provide more opportunities for shared decision-making in antenatal care. However, weight stigma may exist as a barrier to shared decision-making, limiting access to collaborative care. AimTo explore how shared decision-making is implemented and whether body mass index influences maternity clinicians' use of shared decision-making when providing antenatal care for women. MethodsMaternity clinicians were recruited via purposive sampling from two sites in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. FindingsTwelve maternity clinicians consented to participate. Three themes and ten sub-themes were identified. The themes were: 1) Whose choice is it anyway? 2) Pregnancy as risky 3) Excess weight as a diseased state. DiscussionMaternity clinicians in this study view pregnancy through a risk management lens that complicates women’s involvement in decision-making, demonstrating inherent beliefs that may further limit options for women with high body mass index. ConclusionShared decision-making is difficult to implement in the current antenatal clinic setting and requires significant structural consideration to become a reality for women. Clinicians may inadvertently limit meaningful opportunities to engage in shared decision-making with women with high body mass index due to preconceived perceptions of risk and stigmatising beliefs about women with high body mass index.

Open Case Studies: Statistics and Data Science Education through Real-World Applications

With unprecedented and growing interest in data science education, there are limited educator materials that provide meaningful opportunities for learners to practice statistical thinking, as defined by Wild and Pfannkuch, with messy data addressing real-world challenges. As a solution, Nolan and Speed advocated for bringing applications to the forefront in undergraduate statistics curriculum with the use of in-depth case studies to encourage and develop statistical thinking in the classroom. Limitations to this approach include the significant time investment required to develop a case study—namely, to select a motivating question and to create an illustrative data analysis—and the domain expertise needed. As a result, case studies based on realistic challenges, not toy examples, are scarce. To address this, we developed the Open Case Studies (opencasestudies.org) project, which offers a new statistical and data science education case study model. This educational resource provides self-contained, multimodal, peer-reviewed, and open-source guides (or case studies) from real-world examples for active experiences of complete data analyses. We developed an educator’s guide describing how to most effectively use the case studies, how to modify and adapt components of the case studies in the classroom, and how to contribute new case studies (opencasestudies.org/OCS_Guide).

Patient voices and student insights into LGBTQ+ healthcare: a call for equitable healthcare through medical education

ABSTRACT Purpose Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) individuals have health needs specific to their identities. However, they face discrimination and cis-heteronormativity in most patient-provider interactions, which often translate into poor healthcare. Evidence suggests doctors are inadequately trained to care for LGBTQ+ patients. Medical students are well-placed as the future workforce to establish affirming behaviours. This study garners LGBTQ+ patients’ healthcare experiences, where limited qualitative evidence exists, and explores whether students have insight into these experiences. Method Thirty LGBTQ+ patients and twenty students, evenly divided between Singapore and the United Kingdom (UK), two legally and culturally different countries, consented to semi-structured interviews in 2022 to evaluate their LGBTQ+ healthcare perceptions. Thematic analysis was conducted using a collaborative, iterative process involving five investigators, with frequent auditing of data interpretation. Results Most patients described implicit biases with a lack of support and professionalism from doctors, hindering health outcomes. Patients experienced misgendering and a lack of recognition of sexual and gender diversity; students appreciated the need to acknowledge patient identity. Although perceptions surrounding certain themes were similar between patients and students in both countries, patients’ voices on the complexity and dissatisfaction of gender-diverse care contrasted with students’ lack of insight on these themes. Singapore patients were more concerned with sociolegal acceptance affecting health needs, whilst UK patients noted more nuanced barriers to healthcare. Although many students were unsure about specific health needs and perceived a lack of training, they expressed willingness to create an equitable healthcare environment. Conclusions LGBTQ+ patients provided powerful narratives on discrimination surrounding their healthcare needs. To address these, medical students must be encouraged by healthcare educators to develop identity-affirming behaviours as future change-makers and challenge cis-heteronormative views. Alongside vital institutional changes tailored to each country, patients’ and students’ collective action would create meaningful educational opportunities to reach culture change.

“I Chose Motherhood First”: Salvaging the Maternal Identity in Resource-Starved Jails

The population of women in jail increased by 15% from 2008 to 2018. A portion of this increase was due to state policies shifting individuals serving sentences of 1–5 years to local jails to reduce prison overcrowding. In-depth interviews with 62 women serving long-term sentences in local jails in Central and Eastern Kentucky were conducted to examine how they navigated motherhood in this carceral setting. Findings suggested that despite the salient role that motherhood played in their lives, jails provided few meaningful opportunities for women to perform identity-congruent behaviors or receive verification of their maternal identity. Implications for reintegration, desistance, and theoretically relevant intervention models are discussed.

Employment and Energy

Ajay Phatak from The Ecological Society, Pune, reflects on Dr. Romesh Wadhwani's keynote at a 2015 Global Business Forum. Wadhwani highlighted the disconnection between India's GDP and employment growth, stressing that despite significant economic growth, employment, particularly in the organized sector, has lagged far behind. He advocated for vocational training, self-employment, and entrepreneurship to address this gap.WhilePhatak agrees with Wadhwani’s insights, he goes further in establishingthe critical link between job creation and energy consumption. Automation in industries, while boosting productivity, often replaces human labor with energy-intensive machinery. Phatak suggests a shift towards sustainable employment modelsandfocusing on restoring ecosystems and natural resources. This approach could create meaningful jobs with a lower energy footprint, helping to address both employmentgenerationandneed forenvironmentalrestorationin India.