Perceptions Of Professional Role Research Articles

Perceptions of research engagement among teacher educators in Cambodia: An explanatory mixed-methods design

This study aims to understand teacher educators’ perceptions of research engagement in higher education-based teacher education. Integrative insights were gathered from analyzing survey data from 89 teacher educators and conducting semi-structured interviews with subsample 13 informants to explore their perspectives on professional roles and research engagement. This study reveals mixed perceptions of professional roles among teacher educators. While many value the role of a researcher, the teaching role is also significant. Although research is highly esteemed, not all teacher educators actively participate. Many use research to improve their professional practices but may not feel capable of conducting research. They show moderate awareness of the research’s significance in their responsibilities, and research activities are not absent.

A qualitative study on blood and marrow transplant recipients' perceptions of health professional roles following BMT and preferences for ongoing care.

Survivors of blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) require life-long follow-up involving both tertiary transplant and primary care services. This paper explores the attitudes and preferences of BMT survivors and their carers regarding the transition from BMT centre care to primary care. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with BMT survivors and carers from New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Twenty-two BMT survivors and six carers were interviewed. Two themes emerged: (1) 'Relationships with health professionals' and (2) 'Challenges of long-term care'. Participants, particularly rural/regional survivors, had diverse views on the availability of community BMT expertise and identified a range of strategies to optimise care for BMT survivors. These results highlight the importance BMT survivors and carers place on their relationships with, and ongoing access to, specialised BMT teams for long-term care. While some are happy to receive community-based care, concerns exist about the capacity of primary care providers, particularly in rural and regional areas. Improved support, communication and coordination between BMT centres and primary care may help facilitate a person-centred, sustainable shared care model. Provider education, use of telehealth and clear delineation of roles and responsibilities may assist in this transition. As BMT survivors live longer post-treatment, transitions of care and sustainable long-term care models are needed. A shared care approach, integrating specialised BMT teams and local primary care, may optimise outcomes but requires further development to balance accessibility, preferences, and specialised care needs.

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Medical Decision-Making for Ostomy Surgery in Pediatric IBD: Themes from Focus Groups.

Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic illness where patients may undergo ostomy surgery. Medical decision-making (MDM) for ostomy surgery is complex for patients/families and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals (HCPs) alike, with current uncertainty about how multidisciplinary HCPs think about ostomy care to inform future interventions to facilitate equitable multidisciplinary care for patients. This study sought to understand pediatric IBD multidisciplinary HCPs' perceptions regarding ostomy-related MDM and education. Multidisciplinary HCPs (e.g., gastroenterology medical providers, social workers, surgeons, and ostomy nurses) participated in semi-structured focus groups. Focus group data underwent qualitative analysis to identify themes. Three multidisciplinary focus groups were conducted, with n = 12 participants across all groups. Qualitative analysis identified three main themes, including (1) HCP perceptions of ostomies, (2) Patient/family-related factors, and (3) Professional roles and collaboration challenges. Ostomy surgery in pediatric IBD requires complex multidisciplinary MDM and education. Perspectives of multidisciplinary HCPs identified patient, HCP, and systems factors that may impact MDM for ostomy surgery. This work highlights nuances in MDM and education in IBD, and the critical role of ongoing research and improved standardized processes to coordinate multidisciplinary ostomy-related MDM and education in this population.

Educational technology, higher education discourses and the lived experience of lecturers as users

Abstract Technological innovations, under the aegis of ‘technology-enhanced learning’ (TEL), are high on policy agenda in higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK and elsewhere. These developments have a direct impact on the conditions of teaching and learning. The socio-cultural dimension – the impact of change on working communities and their practices and beliefs on the ground – appears under-researched in empirical work (Selwyn, 2022). This paper reports on a qualitative study incorporating an analysis of linguistic metaphors that attempted to investigate that gap in one institutional context. It begins with a critical review of metaphors associated with policy and educational technology innovation in education discourses more broadly. Teaching staff were interviewed from across the institution’s main faculties. The interview transcripts formed a databank of naturally occurring language. Respondents used a range of metaphors, both conventional and novel, revealing insights into the affective and sociocultural dimensions of experience and understanding as well as perceptions of changing professional roles. For triangulation, linguistic analyses of relevant documentary sources, where available, were made and an example is included here. Overall, a more nuanced understanding of lecturers’ lived experience and engagement with educational technology was achieved by focusing on their metaphor usage.

Stepping on Toes? Role Dynamics between Journalists and Lobbyists Regarding Big Tech’s Accountability Agenda

The expanding political role of Big Tech(nology) corporations has triggered concerns about the role of the media in holding corporate power to account. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of role dynamics between journalists and lobbyists toward the agenda for Big Tech’s responsibilities. Based on semi-structured interviews with European journalists ( n = 15) and lobbyists representing large technology corporations ( n = 15), we use professional role perceptions as a heuristic for examining the relationship of both actor groups in tandem. Journalists, who report an overlap of audience-focused with passive watchdog role ideals geared toward legislative accountability, interact with lobbyists, who assert a more concrete and active role perception. Journalists cautiously appropriate their normative watchdog role in accordance with the ideals of detachment and balance to maintain their own media legitimacy and access to an oligopolistic information environment. Remaining strategically sovereign over information, lobbyists perceive a strong mandate to establish Big Tech as a relevant stakeholder in the agenda on their regulatory accountability, but in mid of a perceived techlash, the majority of corporations avoid public attention. Both actor groups’ limited and off-the-record interaction reflects a defensive corporate stance, keeping their negotiation of Big Tech’s accountability off-stage. The technological and regulatory complexity of the information environment might render these corporations unfit for soft regulation by news media. We discuss implications for their co-dependence in the context of fast technological advancement and disruption of (corporate) mediatization processes.

Social Work and Intractable Conflict: Professional Experiences and Role Perceptions

Abstract Social workers worldwide share a common framework and mission: to provide aid to those in need and promote social justice. Yet as an international profession, both global and local realities contribute to the unique ways in which the profession is understood and practised in various locations. This article considers the broad issue of how local and global realities shape social workers’ understanding of the profession using the case of Israeli-Jewish social workers as an exemplar. Narrative and life story methods were used to understand individual life stories within collective political and professional contexts. Sixteen Jewish-Israeli social workers participated in two, individual zoom interviews each in which they described becoming a social worker and practising in the context of an intractable conflict, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Three approaches to social work practice emerged, suggesting that social work in Israel has shifted away from applying ecological perspectives, limiting both how social workers understand their roles and how they practise. Recommendations for incorporating a politically aware framework to social work practice, research and education are discussed.

Professional identity and role perception of Radiographers and Clinical Technologists in Nuclear Medicine – An exploratory qualitative study

IntroductionAn awareness of Professional Identity (PI), an individual's identity in relation to their professional group, and Role Perception (RP), an individual's view of their specific role, may enable safe and effective practice by providing an understanding of professional boundaries, behaviours and activities. This research aimed to explore and gain an understanding of the PI and RP of Radiographers and Clinical Technologists working as Nuclear Medicine Technologists (NMT's). Methods10 NMT's were recruited from a large National Health Service (NHS) Trust. Utilising the established methodology of Qualitative Description, data was obtained using semi-structured interviews and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. ResultsFour themes were identified: “Becoming the Unexpected” which detailed various training pathways; “Caring with Science” which described the NMT's role and defined their PI; “Same View, Different Lens” which portrayed how Radiographers and Clinical Technologists practise as team of NMT's; and “Confirmation of Professional Self” which presented how individuals view their professional status. ConclusionThe study showed that the NMT role is highly specialised, multi-faceted and patient-centred. Their professional status is based on the nature of their role and their university level education and training. They work together under the umbrella title of NMT with a dual professional identity of “provider of care” and “user of science and technology”. However, they may have an individual identity of Radiographer or Clinical Technologist that is determined by their training pathway. Implications for practiceThis research has provided valuable understanding of the PI and RP of NMT's. By highlighting the differences in the regulatory status of this workforce, an insight into the future implications in the context of national healthcare planning has been provided, highlighting potentially significant issues that may impact on the manner in which NMT's can practice.

An Investigation of Barriers and Enablers for Genetics in Speech-Language Pathology Explored Through a Case Study of Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Advancements in genetic testing and analysis have allowed improved identification of the genetic basis of childhood apraxia of speech, a rare speech presentation. This study aimed to understand speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') consideration of incorporation of genetics in clinical practice using a theory-informed qualitative approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 pediatric SLPs using a behavior change theory (Theoretical Domains Framework [TDF]) within a case study describing a child with complex co-occurring features, including childhood apraxia of speech. Interviews focused on three stages of the patient journey (prereferral, referral, and postreferral). Interviews were analyzed to identify barriers and enablers to considering incorporation of genetics in current clinical practice. Barriers and enablers were grouped and mapped onto a contextually relevant TDF-coded analysis framework. Barriers were identified across several TDF domains, through all stages of the patient journey. Lack of confidence, relevance, and level of experience were most common prereferral, and connection to and awareness of genetics services and contextual factors were barriers in the referral stage. Perception of professional role, knowledge, and beliefs about effects on families were barriers postreferral. Associated enablers were also identified, including seeing value in genetic diagnosis, support from other health care professionals, supervision, and relationships with genetics services. Results of this qualitative study highlight barriers and enablers to incorporating genetics into speech-language pathology clinical practice. These findings will assist in the development of theory-informed implementation strategies to support SLPs into the future. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24112800.

Implementing digital neuroscience in special-needs-teacher education: exploring student-teachers' multifaceted learning outcomes related to teaching children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

In recent decades, there has been increased use of neuroscience in teacher education, which refers to applying knowledge from brain science to teaching. Similarly, digital learning has been extensively integrated into teacher education, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the benefits of assimilating educational neuroscience into special-education training-particularly using digital platforms-have yet to be examined. The current study explored the use of digitally-delivered educational neuroscience, related to neurodevelopmental disorders (ND), in teacher education, to gain insight into the learning outcomes alongside the contribution of the digital platform. Employing a qualitative approach, we recruited 193 student-teachers who learned a digital ND-related neuroscience course. Data collection included open-ended reflections, open-ended story questions and five focus groups - all of which were analyzed using content analysis. Findings revealed a process involving four learning outcomes: understanding brain-based mechanisms of ND, enhanced empathy, extended perception of teachers' professional role, and the design of pedagogical adaptations. The analysis also pointed out the various ways in which the digital platform facilitated these learning outcomes. The study provides theoretical insight into the role of digitally-delivered educational neuroscience in the service of inclusion. It further discusses the practical implications of using digitally-delivered educational neuroscience in teacher education to promote an inclusive pedagogy and best practices.

Transcultural Comparison of the Professional Identity and Role Perceptions of Special Education Pre-Service Teachers in Israel

This study examines the differences and similarities between Arab and Jewish pre-service teachers (PSTs) in Israel, in terms of their professional identity development, their perceptions of the teacher’s role and their self-efficacy in teaching. The sample consisted of 168 PSTs from a College for education in Israel, 103 Jewish and 65 Arab. All the participants study for B.A. in Special Education. The research instruments were: Teacher Professional Identity Scale, Teacher’s Self Efficacy Scale, Professional identity Scale for SE teachers. A significant main effect of year of study was found in the PSTs’ professional identity development, indicating that the second-year PSTs scored higher than the first-year PSTs. Additional paired samples t-test examining the differences between the two time points in each cultural sector and each year of study indicated that both Jewish and Arab second year PSTs scored higher on the teaching self-efficacy at the end of the second academic year compared to the beginning of the same year.

As if you were hiring a new employee: on pig veterinarians’ perceptions of professional roles and relationships in the context of smart sensing technologies in pig husbandry in the Netherlands and Germany

Veterinarians are increasingly confronted with new technologies, such as Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), which allows for automated animal monitoring on commercial farms. At the same time, we lack information on how veterinarians, as stakeholders who may play a mediating role in the public debate on livestock farming, perceive the use and the impact of such technologies. This study explores the meaning veterinarians attribute to the application of PLF in the context of public concerns related to pig production. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with pig veterinarians located in the Netherlands and Germany. By using an inductive and semantic approach to reflexive thematic analysis, we developed four main themes from the interview data: (1) the advisory role of the veterinarian, which is characterized by a diverse scope, including advice on PLF, generally positive evaluations and financial dependencies; (2) the delineation of PLF technologies as supporting tools, which are seen as an addition to human animal care; (3) the relationship between veterinarian and farmer, which is context-related, ranging from taking sides with to distancing oneself from farmers; and (4) the distance between agriculture and society, in the context of which PLF has both a mitigating and reinforcing potential. The present findings indicate that veterinarians play an active role in the emerging field of PLF in livestock farming. They are aware of and reflect on competing interests of different groups in society and share positions with different stakeholders. However, the extent to which they are able to mediate between stakeholder groups in practice seems to be constrained by external factors, such as financial dependencies.

Towards ethno-political advocacy: Ethiopian journalists’ professional role perceptions in post-EPRDF interregnum

The study aims at investigating the interplay between the ethnic identity politics and journalists’ role perceptions in contemporary Ethiopian media landscape. Professional roles are a key topic in journalism research along with the fundamental elements in defining journalism as a profession because they suggest and provide insights about the environment surrounding the journalists. Based on the analytical model of journalism culture and social identity theory (SIT), the article draws on qualitative interviews of journalists from the perspective of six media channels along with media and communication scholars to argue that the country’s ethno-political context shapes the media environment, which in turn influences how journalists perceive their roles. Accordingly, promoting ethno-centric identity and culture, becoming guardians and advocates for ethnic communities, mainstreaming the regional politics and hegemony, and considering themselves as struggle activators and change agents were found to be the most remarkable institutional role perceptions of journalism in the current Ethiopian media system.

Relationship Between Professional Identity and Role Perception of OTs Working in Education Systems

Abstract Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. OTs are integral in education settings, but their inability to define their role and differences between the educational and therapeutic cultures challenge their professional identity development. Reliable and valid tools to assess the role perceptions and professional identity of OTs in education systems indicate that teamwork is the most influential factor in OTs' positive professional identity. Primary Author and Speaker: Yael Fogel Additional Authors and Speakers: Liron Lamash

‘The World Is Very Competitive and Cruel, You Won’t Get Any Special Treatment’: Social Work and Youth Policy Discourses in the Neoliberal Era

Abstract Young people from ethnic minority groups are at the centre of public concern in modern societies. This article presents the findings of a qualitative study that critically examines the discourses of thirty-three social workers who work with young people of Ethiopian ethnic origin in Israel. The findings reveal three key discourses: the social inclusion discourse, the meritocracy discourse and the social conflict discourse. Alongside the dominance of conservative discourses and neoliberal perceptions of youth and sociocultural group relationships, the findings reveal the existence of a competing critical discourse. The discussion offers a critical and contextual analysis of the field of social work with youth as the basis for a renewed discussion of basic assumptions, values, professional role perceptions and work directions. It notes the critical models that recognise and oppose oppression as an alternative to policymaking, training and practice processes regarding young people from social minority groups.

How much journalism is in brand journalism? How brand journalists perceive their roles and blur the boundaries between journalism and strategic communication

An increasing number of companies and other organizations publish their own news media that resemble journalistic media in terms of content, language and design. The production and distribution of these publications are often referred to as brand journalism. However, although these publications look a lot like journalistic media, they are used as strategic communication tools: They represent and legitimize an organization’s interests and aim to improve brand image, build relations with customers or increase sales. Thus, brand journalism blurs the boundaries between journalism and strategic communication. The present study focuses on brand journalists and analyses their work routines, professional role perceptions and possible role conflicts. To this end, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with editors of corporate magazines. The interviewees described quite strong parallels to journalistic work routines and asserted their orientation toward journalistic norms (e.g. autonomy, unbiased reporting); however, these norms were regularly undermined when the topics covered centred on their own or their clients’ organizations. Most interviewees described large parts of their professional identity as journalistic, but were also aware that they were in a hybrid role between journalism and strategic communication. This hybrid role is associated with a range of expectations that can lead to role conflicts.

Physicians' and pharmacists' perception and practice of hospital pharmacist professional role in Egypt.

This study aimed to investigate physicians' and pharmacists' perceptions of the importance of pharmacists' role in healthcare in Egypt, and actual delivery of these roles in practice. Identifying any differences and inconsistencies between these will inform future strategies that maximize pharmacists' professional contribution to hospital practice. A self-administered questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was distributed to a convenience sample of physicians (500) and pharmacists (500) practicing in selected private or public hospitals in Egypt. The main sections of the questionnaire comprised statements that pertained to physicians'/pharmacists' views on the importance of pharmacists' roles and their actual delivery in practice. In this study, physicians showed low scores for both the importance of and the delivery of advanced patient-facing clinical pharmacy roles such as suggesting prescription medications, and designing treatment plans. In comparison, pharmacists were more positive on both of these aspects of their roles. High mean scores were reported by the physicians for pharmacist's traditional roles such as patient counselling, assessing compliance, preventing medication errors and treating minor illnesses. Both physicians and pharmacists reported poor pharmacists practice as drug information resources despite their high perception of the importance of that role. This study suggested that in hospitals in Egypt, there are significant differences between physicians' and pharmacists' perception and practice, and pharmacists' clinical skills are underutilized in health care.

Political Activist, Citizen’s Helper, and Entertainer: A Study of Professional Role Perception of Journalists in Azerbaijan

ABSTRACT This study seeks to partially fill a gap in knowledge about the practice of journalism in Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic. The study proposed here represents the first time Azerbaijan has been studied in a systematic fashion consistent with the literature of comparative journalism as represented by The Global Journalist and Worlds of Journalism, studies well recognized as the standards against which all such efforts should be measured. One of the primary goals of the project is to explore the roles these journalists believe they play in society. Data, collected through an online survey of journalists indicate that several identifiable, perceived professional roles existed along the dimensions of Hanitzsch’s journalistic milieus. In addition, three other dimensions were identified that did not fit the model, but proved to be specific to the Azerbaijani media environment: Political Activist, Citizens’ Helper, and Entertainer.

Seeing Eye to Eye: A Comparison of Audiences’ and Journalists’ Perceptions of Professional Roles and How They Relate to Trust

ABSTRACT The “gap” between journalist and audience expectations could be one reason why news media credibility is generally low. Journalistic expectations are often explored through analysis of the news worker’s role in society. One understudied topic in roles literature is perceptions of newer contextual reporting roles that consider society’s best interests: reporting in a socially responsible manner, alerting the public of threats and opportunities, accurately portraying the world, and contributing to society’s well-being. A representative survey of 1047 U.S. residents demonstrated audience perceptions of these contextual roles and more traditional journalistic roles. Responses were then compared to similar surveys of news professionals. Findings indicate that U.S. audiences diverge from journalists—especially newspaper/online journalists—in their role estimations, including more positive evaluations of adversarial and political roles. However, the order of role preference was largely similar among the groups, and both citizens and journalists highly valued contextual roles. Subsequent analyses showed that audience role perceptions influenced news trust more than demographics such as political ideology. Citizen belief in adversarial and disseminator journalistic roles strongly predicted greater trust in news reports.

Exploring Public Health and Nursing Students' Perceptions of Each Other's Professional Roles.

Public health education specialists and nurses often work interprofessionally in the public health setting. Using a mixed-methods design, this exploratory study evaluated the effect of an online interprofessional case study activity on nursing and public health education students' perceptions of each other's professional role. For the public health experimental group only, a statistically significant change (p < .05) was found in their perceptions of the professional roles of nurses including large changes in six specific domains. Recommendations for implementing interprofessional education programs include more emphasis on education about professional scopes of practice and roles/responsibilities of the health professions.

'It's difficult, I think it's complicated': Health care professionals' barriers and enablers to providing opportunistic behaviour change interventions during routine medical consultations.

ObjectivesInternationally, public health strategies encourage health care professionals to deliver opportunistic behaviour change interventions. The present study: (1) examines the barriers and enablers to delivering interventions during routine consultations, and (2) provides recommendations for the design of interventions to increase delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions.DesignQualitative interview study.MethodsTwenty‐eight semi‐structured interviews were conducted with patient‐facing health care professionals. The Behaviour Change Wheel informed a framework analysis in which findings were mapped onto the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Intervention functions and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) targeting each TDF domain were identified.ResultsHealth care professionals understood the importance of opportunistic behaviour change interventions (beliefs about consequences), but were sceptical about their capabilities to facilitate behaviour change with patients (beliefs about capabilities). Some clinicians were unwilling to discuss behaviours perceived as unrelated to the patient's visit (social/professional role and identity). Discipline‐specific tasks were prioritized, and delivering interventions was perceived as psychologically burdensome. One‐to‐one contact was favoured over busy hospital settings (environmental context and resources). Seven intervention functions (training, restriction, environmental restructuring, enablement, education, persuasion, and modelling) and eight BCT groupings (antecedents, associations, comparison of outcomes, covert learning, feedback and monitoring, natural consequences, reward and threat, and self‐belief) were identified.ConclusionsAcross disciplines, health care professionals see the value of opportunistic behaviour change interventions. Barriers related to workload, the clinical environment, competence, and perceptions of the health care professional role must be addressed, using appropriate intervention functions and BCTs, in order to support health care professionals to increase the delivery of interventions in routine practice. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Brief, opportunistic interventions can be a cost effective way of addressing population health problems.Public health policies compel health care professionals to deliver behaviour change interventions opportunistically.Health care professionals do not always deliver interventions opportunistically during routine medical consultations; however the barriers and enablers are currently unclear. What does this study add? This is the first study to examine cross‐disciplinary barriers and enablers to delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions.Across diverse professional groups, working in different medical professions, participants saw the value of delivering opportunistic behaviour change interventions.Targeting key theoretical domains that are shared across professional groups may be useful for increasing the delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions.