Practice Theory Research Articles

“An island on the edge of Europe”: A study on academic air travel in Finland through a combined model of practice

Although evidence about the environmental harm of air travel is growing, the goal of internationalization remains firmly built into academia. The aim of this article is to study this dilemma from both the institutional and individual levels. We seek to determine the elements of academic air travel from an online survey conducted at a Finnish research university. We utilize a combined model of practice, which merges the three-element model of practice theory and the levels of society approach. We also reflect upon the travel policies of all 14 Finnish research universities against the needs and wants of the individual academic.Our findings highlight that the core elements of academic air travel in the institution we studied are physical events, social interaction, technologies, and environmental values. Although virtual alternatives and slow travel are gaining momentum, more support is needed to replace the informal interactions associated with physical presence. In addition, the external pressure to travel, e.g., to undertake fieldwork or attend conferences, is limiting efforts toward low-carbon travel. We hypothesize that change is particularly difficult to induce with linkages between various levels of society. Our combined model of practice provides a tool to identify the elements of practice that can be influenced by the individual or require changes at the institutional or even the national levels. Finally, we note a mismatch between some forms of policy support between individuals and institutions, showing a need for more practical rather than theoretical support, especially with lowering academic expectations on the need to travel.

Understanding Translanguaging in Multilingual Education

Translanguaging" has now become a buzzword in every multilingual educational setting, and everybody is eager to exhibit their understanding of it. This paper critically examines the concept of "translanguaging," whereby it identifies the two principal research approaches: "the fixed language approach" and "the fluid languaging approach." Its intention is to clarify the various readings accordingly. This review is helpful in the classification of how 'translanguaging' has been conceptualised within the pedagogy and as a practical theory of language. It classifies studies within the two using conceptual and empirical literature, offering a comprehensive understanding of the approaches. The findings reported here clearly indicate that "translanguaging" is unfolding as part of the meaning-making practices across multilingual classrooms in the Global North and South. Research shows that strategic use of the translanguaging pedagogy enhances learners' curriculum access by leveraging their linguistic repertoires. This review has implications for challenging monolingual ideologies, fostering social justice for marginalised communities, and sustaining teacher-learner relationships. Its review encourages further exploration in diverse linguistic settings while building on translanguaging's strengths as an extremely promising research and practice area for reshaping future language education.

What’s in a name

With the growing ubiquity of educational technology, there has been an increased need for specialised practitioners to advise on and support technology enhanced learning within Higher Education. Academic developers, instructional designers and educational technologists are all examples of these skilled individuals typically working in ‘third space’ that crosses complex boundaries - between the pedagogical and technological, and the academic and professional. However, role titles and descriptions of duties are often unclear at best, with a lack of consistent terminology used across institutions and in the literature. This can lead to confusion and tensions when working with multiple institutional stakeholders who are uncertain about the abilities and knowledge of people in these roles; potentially exacerbating ‘the academic/professional divide’ in Higher Education and weakening the collaborative relationship between TEL workers and academics. This paper presents a synthesis of key literature related to contemporary TEL advisor and support roles in Higher Education alongside a preliminary analysis of 37 recent position descriptions of these roles. The application of social practice theory as our conceptual framework enables us to further explore the significance of practices in defining and differentiating these roles. This paper offers a step forward to the ways in which clarity and consistency of these roles might be sought. Future implications of this study are included for further consideration.

Commonsense sovereignty: a practice theory of Flanders’ paradiplomacy to the European Union

ABSTRACT European regions implement up to 70% of EU legislation, yet they are generally considered ‘objects’ rather than ‘subjects’ of European governance. This article proposes an original conceptual framework derived from practice theory in IR for the analysis of regional paradiplomacy in multilateral institutions. Through a case study of the Delegation of Flanders to the EU based on interviews with Flemish and Federal members of the Belgian Permanent Representation, this research contributes to the literature on paradiplomacy by critically examining the commonsense acceptance that sovereign authority can be delegated to substate actors while the unity of sovereign political representation must remain unchallenged. The analysis therefore shows that regional strategies of engagement with the EU are not only determined by formal institutions but are also shaped by taken for granted understandings of sovereignty which set the standards of competent diplomatic practice and inclusion for substate representatives.

The incremental transformation of the body through freediving: A biocultural approach to reflexive bodily practices

AbstractExpert freediving explores the limits of human endurance, with some divers staying underwater for over 10 min or reaching crushing depths on a single breath. This article explores the enskilment process, especially how freediving training involves a suite of reflexive bodily practices with psychological, neurological, and physiological consequences. Examined closely and over time, skill acquisition is a multi‐dimensional process involving self‐driven adaptations in a cumulative, uneven manner. Because skills combine biological, cultural, and psychological mechanisms, practices are ideal for biocultural analysis in psychological anthropology. This account of the behavioral‐development spiral in freediving enskilment suggests that transformative practices are inherently developmental, with neurological consequences. Theories of practice that ignore the temporal dimension or the variability of skill acquisition, that is, accounts that erase the slow and uncertain accumulation of expertise, fundamentally misrepresent how persistent practice blends biology and culture, and causes transformation, as well as the usefulness of ethnography for studying these processes.

Ideologies of teachers and students towards meso-level English-medium instruction policy and translanguaging in the STEM classroom at a Malaysian university

Abstract English medium instruction (EMI) as a language policy in higher education is based on monolingual conceptions and limits the use of the full linguistic repertoire of bilinguals/multilinguals in the university classroom. Informed by the constructs of language ideology (Spolsky, Bernard. 2009. Language management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), translanguaging (Li, Wei. 2018. Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics 39(1). 9–30) and pedagogical translanguaging (Creese, Angela & Adrian Blackledge. 2010. Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and teaching? The Modern Language Journal 94(1). 103–115), this case study aimed to examine the ideologies held by micro-level stakeholders (i.e., teachers and students) towards institutional English-only EMI policy, translanguaging, and the significance and scope of pedagogical translanguaging in EMI classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers and 10 students at a public research university in Malaysia. Also collected were a variety of publicly accessible institutional documents, including the focal university’s programme brochures, promotional materials and policy statements on its website. Analyses of the interviews and documents revealed that although EMI was officially adopted in the programmes, both teachers and students advocated for translanguaging and underscored its important role in the transmission of new information, effective communication, and scientific meaning-making. In light of these findings, the study concludes that an inclusive language policy is required that allows teachers and students to access all their linguistic resources.

Addressing the Colonial Legacies of Science

Science needs to address its colonial legacies. While the Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways envisioned reforms of the research, science and innovation system has lost momentum, individuals and organisations across Aotearoa recognise, and are reaffirming, that the country’s future prospects lie in embracing Tiriti-led policies and practices. In 2021 Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (a Crown research institute mandated to ensure that the life force and vitality of the land is strong) committed to weaving the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi into its fabric. As employees, we use social practice theory in this article to evaluate the changes our organisation is experiencing on its journey to being Tiriti-led, and assess the lessons, impacts, successes and failures. This case study highlights the values–action gaps currently evident across the science system and provides insights into the various elements required to enable transformative change and new social norms within knowledge production policies and practice.

Observing Interviewees’ Inner Self: How Authenticity Cues in Job Interviews Relate to Interview and Job Performance

AbstractJob interviews are among the most popular selection methods. Previous research suggests that interviewees who are perceived as being authentic are evaluated more favorably in job interviews. However, little is known about which behavioral cues elicit perceptions of authenticity in others and whether interviewees who exhibit such authenticity cues are more likely to perform better in the job interview and on their actual job. Drawing from person perception theories, the purpose of this study is to introduce the concept of authenticity cues to interview research and to examine the extent to which authenticity cues are related to (a) raters’ perceptions of interviewee authenticity, (b) interviewer ratings of interview performance, and (c) supervisor ratings of job performance. We used video recordings from 181 employed individuals participating in a mock interview to observe and rate interviewees’ authenticity cues. Results indicate that observers can distinguish between verbal and para/nonverbal authenticity cues and that both verbal and para/nonverbal cues influence the extent to which interviewees are perceived as authentic by independent raters. Moreover, we found that interviewees’ para/nonverbal authenticity cues were particularly relevant to predicting interview performance, whereas only verbal authenticity cues were related to job performance. In our analyses, we further considered the role of first impressions in the interview, interviewees’ verbal cognitive ability, and interviewees’ extraversion. Implications for theories of person perception, authenticity research, and interview practice are discussed.

Developing translingual competence and awareness in a study abroad Spanish language classroom

ABSTRACT Recent research highlights how agentive capacities for complex meaning-making can be developed among language learners during study abroad (SA) (e.g. Diao and Trentman 2021. Language Learning in Study Abroad: The Multilingual Turn. Multilingual Matters). In this regard, we focus on students’ translingual development, or their emerging capacity to communicate across sociopolitically-constructed linguistic and cultural borders (Canagarajah 2013b), during a 12-week program for U.S.-university students in Guatemala. Drawing on ethnographic data, particularly audio-recordings from a small, intermediate-level, second language (L2) Spanish class, we compare classroom interactions from the beginning and the end of students’ sojourn. Our qualitative findings demonstrate participants’ increasing utilisation of diverse semiotic strategies – along with linguistic resources associated with multiple languages and varieties – to make meaning and further their Spanish learning. In so doing, students and their instructor transformed their classroom into a translanguaging space where their full linguistic repertoires and identities were activated and encouraged (Wei 2018. “Translanguaging as a Practical Theory of Language.” Applied Linguistics 39: 9–30. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amx039). We further note students’ translingual development in their emerging ability to engage in transcultural reflection and communication as time progressed. As such, this paper argues for the promotion of translingual development in SA and L2 pedagogies.

Psychospiritual care: a concept analysis

Psychospiritual care has taken many forms and approaches. In the clinical setting, the meaning, variations, and inconsistencies in the delivery of psychospiritual and its related terms persist. The purpose of the study is to identify the meaning and attributes of psychospiritual care and enhance collaborative practice by presenting a concept analysis. This review used Walker and Avant's eight-step approach to concept analysis. Psychospiritual is a broad, dynamic, and unique concept that integrates psychological and spiritual methods. In this analysis, the defining attributes of psychospiritual care are intuitive self-awareness, therapeutic use of psychological and spiritual perspective, and cultivation of psychological and spiritual environment. Providing psychospiritual care promotes positive consequences, such as therapeutic effects for patients and promoting psychospiritual awareness among psychospiritual interventionists. A comprehensive definition of psychospiritual care has been developed. The findings contribute to science by creating a platform for developing practice standards, research, and theory. Implementing psychospiritual care may improve overall occupational health and well-being, thereby improving patient care delivery.

Press START to Teach – Can Simulation Games Close the Theory-Practice Gap?

Background Student teachers commonly struggle to apply theoretical knowledge to their teaching. This theory-practice gap is a serious problem in teacher education. Over the past decade, simulations and serious games have been shown as an effective way to practice the transfer of theoretical knowledge in authentic settings of skill-use. Approximating theory-based teaching practice via repeated use of simulation games, thus, may be able to close the theory-practice gap in teacher education. Aim We aimed to assess whether repeatedly engaging with simulated teaching and theory-based feedback would improve student teachers’ teaching self-efficacy, transfer of theories into teaching situations and their perceived usefulness of theories. Method N = 86 student teachers learned twice with either a digital simulation game depicting decision-making in the classroom (simulation condition) or with screenshots of the game (control condition). After each phase, student teachers received theory-based feedback about (their) teaching. Results Against our hypothesis, there were no changes in both conditions regarding student teachers’ teaching self-efficacy, perceived usefulness of theories for practice, or integration of theory-based arguments into practical reasoning. Nonetheless, we found positive effects for learning time and motivation favoring the simulation condition. Conclusion Our results point towards the motivating potential of simulation games that was, however, not sufficient to close the theory-practice gap. It seems that the theory-practice integration within the simulation game needs to be even stronger to reveal the desired effects, which needs to be subject to further research.

Simulation-based interprofessional education for teaching evidence-based medical practice.

Objective: To achieve consensus on opinions of expert medical educationist on utilization of simulation-based interprofessional education as teaching strategy for evidence based practice teaching in undergraduate medical education. Study Design: Qualitative Case study. Setting: Bahria University Health Sciences Campus. Period: March 2023 to August 2023. Methods: Research using modified Delphi technique was done under ERC 16/2023-BUMDC. Communities of practice and transformative learning theory were used for guiding research design. Non-probability, snow-ball sampling technique was used to select expert panel as participants. Inclusion criteria were medical educationist with masters in health professional education and ten year of experience in department of medical education. Content analysis was used for analyzing data and atlas ti-9 was used for organizing data collected through online email interviews. Results: Final consensus of participants was attained on, third year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Assignments/ Journal Clubs/Case-based discussions, Fourth year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Journal Clubs/Case-based discussions, Content: Final year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Clinical setting/ Journal Clubs. Conclusion: Expert showed ninety percent consensus that simulation-based interprofessional education is good teaching strategies for teaching evidence –based practice in undergraduate medical.

Preaching Through the Choir. What Interprofessional Education Can Learn From Choir Singing.

Collaboration between healthcare professionals from different backgrounds is a true art to be mastered. During interprofessional education (IPE), learners from different professions learn with, from and about each other. Landscape of Practice (LoP) theory can offer insight into social learning in IPE, but its application is rather complex. We argue that choir singing offers a helpful metaphor to understand different concepts in LoP (brokers, engagement, imagination and alignment) and how they are manifested in IPE. Based on similarities between choir singing and IPE, we present four lessons: 1) The teacher sets the tone: a lesson for brokers; 2) You can only learn so much alone: a lesson for engagement; 3) Listening is not as easy as it sounds: a lesson for imagination and 4) A song is more than the sum of its parts: a lesson for alignment. Moreover, we reflect on differences between choir singing and IPE, and insights from these differences.

Implementasi Teori Pendidikan Ki Hajar Dewantara: Tinjauan Praktik Pembelajaran dan Dampaknya pada Peningkatan Kualitas Pendidikan Dasar

This study aims to investigate the implementation of Ki Hajar Dewantara education theory at the basic education level, especially at SD Negeri Ngudirejo 1, Jombang District, focusing on learning practices and their impact on improving the quality of basic education. Ki Hajar Dewantara, as an Indonesian education figure, is known for his contribution to the development of holistic and humanist education. This study uses a qualitative approach with classroom observation methods, interviews with teachers, and document analysis to collect data on learning practices related to the theory of Ki Hajar Dewantara. The results showed the implementation of various aspects of Ki Hajar Dewantara theory in learning practice at SD Negeri Ngudirejo 1. Teachers adopt principles such as freedom of learning, stage play is stage learning, and empowerment of learners. In addition, this study reveals the positive impact of the implementation of the Ki Hajar Dewantara theory on improving the quality of basic education, both in terms of learning outcomes and character development of students. The application of Ki Hajar Dewantara theory in learning practice at SD Negeri Ngudirejo 1 has a positive impact in forming students who are more independent, creative, and have strong character. These findings contribute to the understanding of educational practices in accordance with the principles of Ki Hajar Dewantara and reinforce the urgency of applying the theory in improving the quality of basic education in Indonesia. The implications of this research can also be the basis for the development of education policies that are more oriented towards holistic and humanist approaches advocated by Ki Hajar Dewantara.

Photography in Social Work and Social Change: Theory and Applications for Practice and Research. Matthias J. Naleppa, Kristina M. Hash, and Anissa T. Rogers

Photography in Social Work and Social Change: Theory and Applications for Practice and Research. Matthias J. Naleppa, Kristina M. Hash, and Anissa T. Rogers

The hidden work of general practitioners: An ethnography

High quality primary care is a foundational element of effective health services. Internationally, primary care physicians (general practitioners (GPs), family doctors) are experiencing significant workload pressures. How non-patient-facing work contributes to these pressures and what constitutes this work is poorly understood and often unrecognised and undervalued by patients, policy makers, and even clinicians engaged in it. This paper examines non-patient-facing work ethnographically, informed by practice theory, the Listening Guide, and empirical ethics. Ethnographic observations (104 h), in-depth interviews (n = 16; 8 with GPs and 8 with other primary care staff) and reflexive workshops were conducted in two general practices in England. Our analysis shows that ‘hidden work’ was integral to direct patient care, involving diverse clinical practices such as: interpreting test results; crafting referrals; and accepting interruptions from clinical colleagues. We suggest the term ‘hidden care work’ more accurately reflects the care-ful nature of this work, which was laden with ambiguity and clinical uncertainty. Completing hidden care work outside of expected working hours was normalised, creating feelings of inefficiency, and exacerbating workload pressure. Pushing tasks forward into an imagined future (when conditions might allow its completion) commonly led to overspill into GPs' own time. GPs experienced tension between their desire to provide safe, continuous, ‘caring’ care and the desire to work a manageable day, in a context of increasing demand and burgeoning complexity.

Advancing social practice understandings of digital innovation delivery in construction project management

PurposeThe paper aims to apply social practice theory to clarify the process of innovation design and delivery from one successful digital innovation: the building information modelling (BIM) risk library. The paper clarifies the practices surrounding construction innovation and provides a schema useful for practitioners and technology designers through a social practice analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe paper applies Schatzki's “organisation of practice” concepts to a construction project innovation to clarify how the practice of innovation revolves around understandings, rules and teleoaffectivities (emotive behaviours). Sources for the study include notes from meetings, workshops with experts and the shared artefacts of innovation.FindingsThe practice of innovation design and delivery are clarified through a social practice analysis: a distinct “field of practice” and a “schema” of generalisable prescriptions and preferences for innovation delivery being presented.Practical implicationsThe paper informs the practice and process of innovation design and delivery; the insights clarify how collective understandings and rules of use evolve over time, becoming formalised into contracts, agreements and workplans. Practically, processes whereby innovation “sayings” evolve into innovation “doings” are clarified: a schema detailing prescriptions and preferences of practitioners and developers being presented.Originality/valueThe social practice analysis of one successful construction innovation is an original contribution to the body of knowledge, adding a level of detail regarding innovation design and delivery often missing from reported research.

Exploring systemic design practices in public sector innovation

Many societal challenges need to be resolved through innovative solutions at system level. Previous scholars have argued that it may be wise to combine design practice and system theory to form a management method for public sector innovation. However, it appears that few scholars have developed innovation management methods based on that combination. The aim of this article is therefore to contribute with new knowledge about how design practice and system theory can be combined in order to drive public sector innovation. The article proposes the development of a previously proposed systemic design management model and presents a toolbox with twelve innovation management tools. Although there is a logic in using the tools in a certain order, this article emphasizes the need for a flexible use of the tools and to be open to moving back and forth between different tools. The results also indicate that an initial key tool is to ensure that the right people become involved in the different phases of the innovation process. It is more important to involve the right people in different phases than to follow a specific pre-designed process model. In order to successfully create and implement innovative solutions at system level, the innovation processes need to engage different human resources for different tools. Different resources that understand the needs can contribute with new perspectives and also possess the mandate to make systemic changes.

Hosting and the normative presence of Christmas in older people’s lives

AbstractDespite the economic and cultural significance of Christmas in many nations, there has been relatively little geographical research on how it shapes people’s socialities, spatialities, and subjectivities. In this paper, practice theory was used to reflect on the materials, meanings, and competencies associated with older people who host the celebration at home, and thematic analysis of qualitative interviews with 20 individuals aged 65+ explored participants’ experiences of doing so. Findings reveal that homes’ material forms affect older people’s ability to host, while the ‘stuff’ of Christmas such as decorations, special foods, or gifts shape those homes as festive and welcoming places. Food sourcing and preparation were critical competencies for female participants, and shifting capacities to be a host influenced participants’ sense of autonomy and identity. Regardless of the extent to which participants celebrated Christmas, the meanings of hosting centred on social connection, contribution, and shoring up family. Choosing not to host or being unable to contribute in expected ways at Christmas could signify failure, exclusion, or incapability as an older person, parent, or citizen. Examining these issues in the case study, based in Aotearoa/New Zealand, reveals the existence and effects of the social expectations, norms, and obligations that typify Christmas. More broadly, the study highlights the need for geographers to attend to the ways in which celebrations shape and are shaped by diverse practices, places, and peoples and are assembled, reproduced, and resisted.

EXPRESS: Managing Brand Relationship Plurality: Insights from the Non-profit Sector

The non-profit sector is home to some of the most recognized and trustworthy brands, all competing for financial resources and volunteers. Akin to consumers, volunteers entertain relationships with non-profit brands. These relationships have recently become more diverse as individuals increasingly look for more ephemeral and distant forms of involvement. Drawing on an extensive qualitative dataset of the Vienna Red Cross comprising participant observation, archival data, and in-depth interviews, the authors conceptualize this non-escalating, episodic engagement as a neither-growing-nor-fading (NGNF) relationship. This theorization adds to the literature on consumer–brand relationships, which has predominantly focused on the cultivation of strong relationships. Informed by practice theory, the authors elaborate distinct brand relationship practices key to successfully maintaining NGNF relationships (acquiring and activating) while catering to volunteers following the traditional path of relationship intensification (building and cultivating). The analysis identifies constellations of practice elements conducive to managing both types of brand relationships in a symbiotic manner. The authors argue for the importance of moving beyond an exclusive focus on relationship growth and embracing non-escalating relationships. This study thus contributes to nascent theorizing on brand relationships that do not follow an axiology valuing growth and intensification.