Reflective Narratives Research Articles

Spirituality in the Therapy Room

Therapeutic presence brings one’s whole self into the encounter with another in the therapy room. It is a fundamental aspect of the relationship between therapist and client, the cornerstone of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Therapeutic presence can be strengthened through spirituality, meditation, mindfulness, or other practices such as the intention to enhance the therapeutic encounter for both client and therapist. Despite its importance, standard experimental techniques cannot readily measure and investigate therapeutic presence. However, reflective narratives can be used to explore the importance of strengthening therapeutic presence. The purpose of this paper is 1) to examine how one’s spiritual orientation offers the possibility to deepen the level of engagement within the therapeutic setting and 2) to illustrate, using reflective narratives, the use of presence and intention grounded in a spiritual orientation. The qualitative methodology of reflective narratives is ideally suited to illustrate the clinical issues presented in this paper. The requirements for reflexive engagement with one’s therapeutic practice and willingness to continually refine oneself outside of the therapy room are discussed. Three vignettes are provided illustrating 1) engaging through therapeutic presence with the client by use of imaginal exposure, 2) the use of intention to deepen connection and facilitate the sacred burial rites in the context of profound loss and trauma, 3) the negative consequences when the therapist is not fully present, 4) letting go of preconceived notions and judgments to be fully present with the client, and 5) using experiences from a spiritual practice throughout the encounters to enhance therapeutic presence. The implications for the practice of therapy are discussed with regard to spirituality, presence and intention as a way of being in the world over and above the discipline required to work as a therapist.

How Public Libraries Build Sustainable Communities in the 21st Century

This panel presents research and scholarship, case studies, and reflective narratives that exemplify how public libraries use social capital to build communities and affect social change (Wojciechowska, 2021). Session participants will hear from the book editors and chapter authors of a book entitled How Public Libraries Build Sustainable Communities in the 21st Century published by Emerald in 2023. Panelists will share both national and international case studies. This panel, led by the book editors: Kaurri C. Williams-Cockfield, a Ph.D. student at the University of Alabama, and Dr. Bharat Mehra, Professor & EBSCO Endowed Chair in Social Justice in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Alabama, features speakers, discussing their chapter case studies including Dr. Lynn Connaway, Executive Director for Research at OCLC who discusses library programs designed to close the legal justice gap; Christine D’Arpa, Assistant Professor in the School of Information Sciences at Wayne State University who proposes a sustainable communities model based on four separate research projects focusing on the role library staff play in building sustainable communities; Amber Matthews, Ph.D. candidate at Western University who discusses the development of a black community public library in Canada; Dr. Yong Ju Jung, Assistant Professor in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Oklahoma who discusses a picturebook library designed to address book culture and empower children’s ecological sensitivity in South Korea; and Dr. Sarah Ryan, Associate Professor of Information Science and Director of the Law Librarianship Program at the University of North Texas who discusses the role of public libraries in the knowledge economy. These case studies situate public libraries as a backbone organization within the community and illustrate how public libraries support the implementation of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2021, Kania et al. researched the implementations of collective impact since 2011 assessing the effectiveness and ways different groups have adapted the model. The key finding from this analysis is that successful collective impact efforts must make equity the focus of their work (p. 38). Kania et. al (p. 41) identified five strategies for centering equity: Ground the work in data and context and target solutions Focus on systems change, in addition to programs and services Shift power within the collaborative Listen to and act with the community Build equity leadership and accountability The correlation between public libraries and the UN SDGs is clear given that “information is a central component of sustainable development goals'' (Kosciejew, 2020, p. 330). The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) direct involvement in the data gathering and planning processes for the SDGs ensured that information access was part of every SDG and was identified as the common connector between the goals (Kosciejew, 2020, p.332). In Access and Opportunity for All: How Libraries Contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the IFLA (2019) outlines how libraries support all the SDGs by promoting literacy, providing access to information, serving as a network hub, supporting digital inclusion, encouraging research and academics, and by preserving culture and heritage. As public awareness and advocacy for the SDGs increase, the work of public libraries in community building is receiving greater attention given that public libraries expand social capital through their program and service connections. These connections are best illustrated by correlating the voices, programs, and research of the IS community to the SDGs, and by examining the collective strategic actions needed to achieve “collective impact” (Albright et al., 2022; Collective Impact Forum, 2016; Kania et al., 2021; Library of the Future, n.d.; Lynn et. al, 2018; Paschalville Partnership, n.d.; Veccharelli, J. 2018; Williams-Cockfield, K., 2022; Wojceichowska, M. D., 2021). Table 1 provides an outline of the program agenda. Program Agenda Activity Duration Introduction to the Project and the Panelists: Williams-Cockfield, Mehra 5 Minutes Discussion of Selected Chapters ● Lynn Silipigni Connaway – “The Library Serves as an Amplifier and Connector to the Community it Serves: Building Bridges to Legal Assistance” ● Christine D’Arpa – “Sustaining Ourselves, Sustaining Relationships, Sustaining Communities” ● Amber Matthews – Anti-racism in Practice: The Development of a Black Community Public Library in Canada” ● Yong Ju Jung – “A Small Library Making Big Changes: A Case Study of the Baramsup Library” ● Sarah Ryan – “Public Libraries as Key Knowledge Infrastructure Need to Empower Communities, Promote Economic Development, and Foster Social Justice” 40 Minutes Chapter Q&A 10 Minutes Breakout, Small Group Sessions - How Does Your Work Relate to the SDGs? 20 Minutes Debrief of Breakout Sessions and Conclusion: Williams-Cockfield, Mehra 15 Minutes Table 1: Williams, K. (2024) By the conclusion of this panel, participants should understand how public libraries impact social change in communities and ideas for public library programming that supports the SDGs. Educators will have concrete examples that can be used as case studies in the classroom.

Pedagogic mediation for praxis development: supporting leaders and mentors in the English ECEC context

ABSTRACT Pedagogic mediation from Pedagogy-in-Participation in Portugal, as a context-specific approach to professional development, provides a participatory framework through which practice enhancements are supported. This research introduced ten ECEC leaders and mentors, within a specific local authority in England, to the democratic nature of pedagogic mediation and provided a community of practice within which this could be explored. Leaders and mentors documented their own reflections over several months and noted how they applied the elements of openness, listening, suspending and encountering to their professional role, supporting outcomes for children birth to four years of age. Reflective narratives were shared and a focus group supported the evaluation of pedagogic mediation within this English context. All ten leaders and mentors found pedagogic mediation helpful within their professional role. Specifically, the element of suspending was found to be most useful as it provided leaders and mentors licence to enable additional time for development and this in turn supported a more participatory approach. Whilst small-scale and context-specific, this research illustrates the benefits of contextual professional development undertaken at a flexible pace.

Confronting decisions related to the termination or continuation of doctoral supervision: a supervisor perspective

Purpose This paper explores theoretical perspectives on supervisors' pedagogical dilemmas when deciding whether to terminate or continue problematic supervision relationships. This paper aims to unravel the complexities and challenges inherent in such decision-making processes while also discussing potential support mechanisms for supervisors. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a reflective narrative approach, this paper presents a fictional narrative to illustrate the intricacies of doctoral supervision. The narrative is divided into three parts, each followed by an analysis rooted in theoretical perspectives. Findings This article offers guidelines across individual, departmental and organisational levels to address critical moments in doctoral supervision. By incorporating various strategies and perspectives, it helps to understand the dilemmas that supervisors may encounter. A decision-making support guide is also provided to suggest ways of handling these challenging situations. Practical implications Drawing from theoretical perspectives, this paper offers practical solutions. A supervision support guide is developed to help establish support mechanisms at different levels, assisting supervisors in managing critical moments in doctoral supervision. Originality/value Addressing a rarely discussed issue, this paper highlights the complexity of supervisors' decisions regarding the termination of PhD students. It not only sheds light on these difficult choices but also offers practical guidelines for supervisors navigating such scenarios.

Examining Empathy During an Initial Nutrition Counseling Session Through Video-cued Narrative Reflection

Examining Empathy During an Initial Nutrition Counseling Session Through Video-cued Narrative Reflection

Somos Tejas: A Narrative Project to Document the College Experiences of First‐Generation Latinx Students

ABSTRACTThis study reports on a project that collected and documented narrative reflections of first‐generation Latinx students at a large Research 1 public university in the US southwest. The team (2 faculty members and 4 undergraduates) interviewed 23 students (20 undergraduate and 3 graduate) on topics including family, community, sense of belonging in their institution and major experiences as first‐generation students, future goals, and advice and recommendations for others. Their responses were analyzed with a modified version of Garriott's (2020) Critical Cultural Wealth Model, with the help of the software MAXQDA. The first important takeaway is that undergraduate and graduate students had different perceptions, with the latter respondents expressing more critical views. The second finding was that several institutional resources were highly effective in achieving students’ integration, including culturally congruent organizations and traditions. That said, participants also experienced academic dissonance navigating the financial and academic complexities of college life, which led to feelings of isolation, marginalization, and tokenization. The final takeaway is that students turned to support from their families and communities to overcome challenges, which suggests that measures to integrate family and school will benefit these students.

Geographical and Spatial Inclusion in Language Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article presents a duoethnographic study by two lecturers of German in a B.A. program at Waipapa Taumata Rau – The University of Auckland (UoA) in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). With an abrupt change to online teaching in March 2020, we had to redesign our language acquisition courses at different levels. Retrospectively, we conducted a duoethnography to investigate our development of courses that are inclusive for onshore as well as offshore students and lecturers. Our personal experiences across different courses are the main data sources, and include our e-mail exchanges, written narrative reflections, and dialogic oral reflections. They served to interrogate and critically reflect our unique experiences while attempting to foster location-based inclusivity. We used thematic analysis to interpret the data into emerging themes. This analysis provided us with a better understanding of the development of our course designs and the role of spatial and geographical inclusion in these courses. Informed by the collaborative reflection of our experiences, as the main finding, we identified three setups and four variations of these for location-based inclusive course designs. In our reflections we illustrate how these designs provided multiple opportunities for contributing to a place-sensitive teacher and learner autonomy.

Second language learners’ academic emotions in grammar learning with explicit attention to grammatical complexity

ABSTRACT Grammatical complexity, a hot topic in grammar research, poses great challenges for second language (L2) learners. This study aims to investigate L2 learners’ emotional reactions to L2 grammar learning, and the epistemic emotional sources related to grammatical complexity. Thirty sophomore English majors aged between 19 and 20 from a natural class were recruited in the present study. Through qualitative research design, the data consisted of 30 written narrative reflections with each containing a self-report on emotional experiences and a recalled summary of learning strategies, along with 10 semi-structured interviews. A deductive content analysis approach and thematic analysis were used for the data analysis. The present study revealed five main findings. First, delight and anxiety are saliently representative achievement-related activity emotions; second, disappointment represents the typical retrospective outcome emotion; third, hope is the typical prospective outcome emotion; fourth, the social aspects of the present context elicit the emotion of gratitude, whereas the cognitive aspects of grammatical complexity cause a more complicated emotional state; fifth, epistemic emotions are mainly evoked by thinking-related factors, syntactic rules, and the practical application of syntactic rules. Pedagogical implications for L2 grammar teaching were discussed.

Reflective Story on Diversity and Inclusive Education

This reflective article explores the current scenario of diversity and inclusion through the narration of a deaf ethnic child. Self-reflection is taken as an instrument for behavioural modification since the author is aware of its significance in education. This study aims to explore the experiences and implementation of inclusive education through the author's personal teaching experiences. The article employs a reflective narration of the author working as a novice teacher in a school exercising to incorporate deaf children into mainstream courses. The emphasis is on Krishna, a Dalit youngster with hearing difficulties, who had challenges in adaptation owing to cultural, social and educational obstacles. The results showed the obstacles encountered by such children who had to face social isolation, communication obstacles and insufficient educator training. The author's intervention in Krishna's metamorphosis underscores the necessity of helpful learning environments. The article links Krishna's experiences to wider socio-economic and cultural challenges, indicating that inclusive education is necessary for structural reforms in teacher training, cultural sensitivity and familial support. The results underscore the necessity of embracing diversity and enacting effective inclusive education policies to cultivate equal learning environments for all children.

Supporting Indigenous Graduate Student Health Research Capacity: Mentorship through a Provincial Health Research Network Environment in British Columbia,

The British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (BC NEIHR), funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, is an Indigenous-led network that supports the research development and knowledge sharing of Indigenous communities, collectives and organizations and Indigenous graduate students in BC. To understand how we impacted the health research journey of Indigenous graduate students, we conducted a critical analysis of our annual evaluation reports and offer a reflective narrative of our operations. In this article, we share our Indigenous mentorship model and describe how we supported and enhanced Indigenous-led research among Indigenous graduate students in BC by: addressing common challenges related to financial costs of pursuing health research; prioritizing cultural and land-based learning opportunities; providing exceptional academic and professional development opportunities; and promoting Indigenous cultural safety, equity, and self-determination by creating systems-level change through partnerships. We conclude that as we work toward systems change, the BC NEIHR offers a promising approach towards enhancing Indigenous health research capacity through mentorship.

Down and out but undeterred: A narrative on utilizing the new mobilities paradigm for contraint-based methodological research as an international student during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic led to lockdowns in Australia that inhibited the mobility of residents across the nation. While keeping many from leaving the country under a Covid Zero policy, the lockdowns also kept numerous international students from entering the country to commence their studies. Such disruption led to major constraints for a plethora of doctoral students and their graduate research projects. The constraints brought on by pandemic disruptions especially impacted every stage of the graduate research experience for aspiring ethnographers. Such challenges ranged from the stressful navigation of Covid restricted international travel, working around the university bureaucratic runaround in an ever-changing pandemic scenario, to discovering and utilizing the new mobilities paradigm to construct a doable thesis project under strict timelines. The reflective narrative presented here is a small contribution to the greater collection of stories about international graduate researchers making the most with very little during a constraint filled period of academic history.

Getting real: U.S. University students meet global refugees

ABSTRACT This study examines the effectiveness of an undergraduate intercultural learning assignment immediately and over time. Students were asked to consider what they know or believe about refugees and the sources of their information. They then engaged in two one-hour online interviews with a refugee. After the interviews, they wrote reflective narratives that guided them to think about their beliefs before and after the interviews, the value of the interviews to their learning experience, and how they might use what they learned to engage with others on the topic. The assignment utilises Bennett’s (2009) definition of intercultural learning and tests the efficacy of Allport’s (1954) contact theory in an online environment. Analysis involved content analysis of 80 student narrations and follow-up interviews with 14 students between 3–12 months after the assignment was completed. Results indicate a high level of changed attitudes among the students. They reflected on how they moved from stereotypes and misconceptions to respecting and advocating for refugees. Results were evidenced not only immediately during the assignment, but also by those students interviewed in months after the assignment was completed.

The Evolving Context of MAID-Related Communications for Registered Nurses in Canada.

Since legalization of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada in 2016, nurses are increasingly faced with new and evolving communication challenges as patients in a diversity of settings and contexts contemplate their end-of-life options. The purposes of this study were: 1) to develop an understanding of the nuances and challenges associated with MAID-related communication from the perspective of registered nurses, and 2) to draw on the insights arising from this analysis to reflect on the evolution of MAID communication for nurses over time. This study represented a secondary analysis of two primary qualitative data sets, including: 74 interviews of Canadian registered nurses self-identifying as having some exposure to MAID in their clinical practice; and 47 narrative reflections volunteered by respondents to questions posed in an online MAID reflective guide for nurses. Nurses described evolving complexities associated with introducing and engaging with the topic of MAID with their patients, helping patients navigate access to MAID assessment, managing family and community dynamics associated with opinions and beliefs surrounding MAID, supporting patients in their planning toward a MAID death, and being there for patients and their families in the moment of MAID. MAID communication is highly complex, individualized, and context-specific. It is apparent that many nurses have developed an impressive degree of comfort and skill around navigating its nuances within a rapidly evolving legislative context. It is also apparent that dedicated basic and continuing MAID communication education will warranted for registered nurses in all health care settings.

I am Myself

This reflective narrative takes childhood mistreatments as analogous to that of the insidious waysinstitutionalized power subjugates marginalized peoples. It centers the voice of a young girl who is yet to be proficient in English and thus uses her body as a key source of knowing, activating her embodied rage to articulate the fullness of her humanity. The narrative locates the body as a matrix of cultural-historical-self knowledge that recognizes its own sovereignty; as that which reminds us of our sacred place within the world; and therefore, acts as a spiritual gateway for collective liberation. As we look through our multiple screens and witness the current state-sanctioned atrocities and many genocides unfolding, this piece asks: what does the body do? What does it do when children are killed, and people are actively erased? Does it feel sick? Numb? Outraged? Shocked? The intellectual mind alone cannot recognize the depths of such complex abjection. It requires a corporeal awakening to remind us of our sacred existence.

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF LEARNING AND PRACTICING ENGLISH: A CASE STUDY COSTA RICA

In the community in La Virgen de Sarapiquí, community outreach projects have been carried out from 2018 to 2024. The projects had the purpose of providing the participants with professional skills for the potential tourist visitation in the area due to the opening of El Ceibo of the Braulio Carrillo National Park. In the last three years, English courses have been taught in the community with the aim of promoting linguistic competences in their tourism ventures. This qualitative research evidences the lived experiences and perceptions of two participants in the process of learning and Practicing English in socio-productive activities, developed under this community outreach framework. For this descriptive case study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, collages, and reflective narratives. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and using NVivo as software for data coding. The results obtained include the context of the participants before taking the English courses, the perceptions of these people about the English courses, the experiences lived in the implementation of the language and job projections in relation to English. It was concluded that the learning of English was effective and its use in the socio-productive activities of the participants. Also, extension projects are key in the development of rural communities along with the implementation of project management principles such as quality, complexity, adaptability, and resilience; In addition, rigorous qualitative research allows a systematization with perspectives from the experiences and perceptions of the participants.

Morocco's Webinars Ignite Global Academic Resilience in Doctoral Research

General Background: The COVID-19 pandemic triggered significant disruptions in education worldwide, compelling a shift to online learning across various contexts, including in Morocco. Specific Background: In response to this challenge, the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences at Mohammed V University in Rabat initiated the "Language, Culture, and Society" (LCS) webinar series. This program provided a virtual platform for doctoral students, aiming to sustain academic progress and emotional well-being during the crisis. Knowledge Gap: Despite the proliferation of online educational initiatives during the pandemic, there is limited research on how such programs specifically impact doctoral students' academic and psychological resilience. Aims: This article aims to explore the transformative role of the LCS webinar series in enhancing the academic journey and personal growth of doctoral students, particularly in alleviating challenges such as despair and reader's block. Results: The LCS webinars emerged as a crucial support mechanism, facilitating academic discourse, skill development, and psychological reinforcement. The program significantly contributed to restoring confidence, refining research trajectories, and fostering a culture of collaboration among an international online community. Novelty: This study provides a unique narrative reflection on the impact of a specific online educational program during a global crisis, emphasizing the dual academic and psychological support offered to doctoral students. Implications: The findings underscore the importance of online platforms in higher education, particularly in crisis contexts. The success of the LCS webinars suggests that similar initiatives could be replicated to support doctoral students globally, offering sustained academic and emotional support through accessible, high-quality online resources. Highlights: Webinar Impact: Enhanced academic progress and growth. Psychological Support: Overcame despair with emotional reinforcement. Global Collaboration: Fostered international scholarly connections. Keywords: COVID-19, online learning, doctoral students, webinars, academic resilience

AI and the Future of Teaching: Preservice Teachers’ Reflections on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Open and Distributed Learning

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in education underscores transformative prospects for open and distributed learning, encompassing distance, hybrid, and blended learning environments. This qualitative study, grounded in narrative inquiry, investigates the experiences and perceptions of 141 preservice teachers engaged with AI, mainly through ChatGPT, over a 3-week implementation on Zoom to understand its influence on their evolving professional identities and instructional methodologies. Employing Strauss and Corbin’s methodological approach of open, axial, and selective coding to analyze reflective narratives, the study unveils significant themes that underscore the dual nature of AI in education. Key findings reveal ChatGPT’s role in enhancing educational effectiveness and accessibility while raising ethical concerns regarding academic integrity and balanced usage. Specifically, ChatGPT was found to empower personalized learning and streamline procedures, yet challenges involving information accuracy and data security remained. The study significantly contributes to teacher education discourse by revealing AI’s complex educational impacts, highlighting an urgent need for comprehensive ethical AI literacy in teacher training curricula. However, critical ethical considerations and practical challenges involving academic integrity, information accuracy, and balanced AI use are also brought to light. The research also spotlights the need for responsible AI implementation in open and distributed learning to optimize educational outcomes while addressing potential risks. The study’s insights advocate for future-focused AI literacy frameworks that integrate technological adeptness with ethical considerations, preparing teacher candidates for an intelligent digital educational landscape.

Utilizing natural language processing to analyze student narrative reflections for medical curriculum improvement.

Medical curricula improvement is an ongoing process to keep material relevant and improve the student's learning experience to better prepare them for patient care. Many programs utilize end-of-year evaluations, but these frequently have low response rates and lack actionable feedback. We hypothesized that student reflections written during a fourth year Sub-Internship could be used retrospectively to mine additional information as feedback for future curriculum adjustments. However, reflections contain a large amount of narrative content that would require a cumbersome and essentially infeasible manual review process for busy medical education faculty. We developed a Natural Language Processing (NLP) pipeline to automatically identify common themes and topics present in the set of reflective writings that could be used to improve the curriculum. The dataset contains required responses to a faculty issued question submitted between August 2016 and July 2018 about challenges experienced during the medical students fourth year Sub-Internship. Eleven distinct topics were identified, with several being subsequently addressed in future iterations of the curriculum. Utilizing NLP on reflective writings was able to identify areas of curriculum improvement, and the NLP results provided a quick and easy way to explore the main themes and challenges expressed by students.

Surviving Not Thriving… Yet: Utilizing Lived Experiences to Improve Onboarding in an Academic Library

Starting a new job as a academic librarian is tough. It can be more so whenever the new liaison librarian doesn’t have the resources they need to be successful. In this article, the authors discuss using reflective narratives to not only critique a previous onboarding document within the Research and Instruction Services Department at Louisiana State University but to also offer suggestions on ways to improve a system in which they are new hires. Authors anonymized responses from a newly hired cohort of librarians and working alongside the department head, evaluated best practices, and offered evidence-based recommendations on ways to improve the system for all future hires.

Evaluating the Experiences of Novice Veterinary Clinical Practice Educators: A Qualitative Reflection on a UK Training Program

Within the evolving landscape of veterinary education in the United Kingdom, an increasing shift toward a distributed model of instruction necessitates that clinicians who assume the role of novice educators, receive training as clinical educators. The University of Surrey has pioneered a training program aimed at promoting understanding and application of educational theory in veterinary educator identity development. This study investigated the reflections of novice educators upon conclusion of their training to delineate the program's efficacy and identify areas of educator training necessitating further research and enhancement. A convenience sample of 53 reflective narratives was subjected to inductive thematic analysis. Three principal themes emerged. The first encapsulated an enhanced cognizance of student learning needs, underscored by foundational learning theories. Notably, the introduction of “feedforward” and the incorporation of student reflection within the feedback mechanism were identified as innovative concepts. The second theme revolved around the personal growth experienced because of participation in the training program, with 47% of reflections articulating profound introspection. The final theme explored the perceptions of the rewards and challenges associated with balancing the educational program with routine professional responsibilities, highlighting an increase in self-confidence and the obstacles encountered in allocating time for training.