Reflective Comments Research Articles

The commodification of creativity: Integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence in higher education design curriculum

ABSTRACT The academic questions posed by the introduction of Generative AI (GenAI) into design higher education are many and reflect educators’uneasiness about its ethical use. Like any new radical technology breakthrough, GenAI straddles a pedagogical fence that divides opinion and focuses on a basic question: How can design educators harness Generative AI’s power without compromising the fundamentals of design education? This study contributes to foundational research on how to incorporate GenAI into design education without compromising and commodifying the creative process. This research examines design students’ experiences using GenAI in the context of studio practice of a second-year visual communication design course in a Bachelor of Design programme. Reflective comments are analysed and used to inform recommendations for a structured pedagogic approach for implementing GenAI as a building block for the design creative process into the curriculum.

Insights and implications: A reflective commentary on bibliometric analyses in sarcopenic obesity research.

Insights and implications: A reflective commentary on bibliometric analyses in sarcopenic obesity research.

Wolfram alpha and maple as educational technology for future teachers of mathematics

The paper’s purpose is to present technology-enhanced activities with triangular, square, and other polygonal numbers arranged in basic geometric shapes – equilateral and isosceles triangles and squares. The author’s review of recently published mathematics education papers found no use of computing technology in teaching polygonal numbers either at the college or the pre-college levels worldwide. This omission served as a motivation to share and discuss computational algorithms designed by the author for the summation of such numbers within each geometric structure. A method through which those algorithms were used with teacher candidates is based on the technology-immune/technology-enabled problem-solving pedagogy. This method can be recommended for the modern-day teaching of elementary number theory and other mathematical topics across multiple grade levels and educational programs. The activities, supported by Wolfram Alpha and Maple, can be used by instructors of technology-motivated mathematics teacher education courses. The paper argues that the power of digital tools allows future teachers of mathematics, in the context of elementary number theory, to appreciate the use of simple algorithms in achieving sophisticated computational outcomes. Reflective comments of teacher candidates (the author’s students) are shared to indicate the importance of the history of mathematics and the focus on mathematical visualization as a pedagogical approach aimed at conceptual understanding of the subject matter.

Addressing the 2021 Essentials with new approaches for developing leadership, resilience, and self-care/well-being in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students

IntroductionNew graduate nurses are not always prepared for the challenges of the chaotic clinical environment or to exercise leadership skills in a clinical capacity. Resilience and self-care are essential facets of successful leadership, as well as necessary components to prevent burnout in nurses. PurposeThe purpose of this article is to demonstrate how this School of Nursing implemented approaches to prepare the next generation of nurses with strong skills in the areas of leadership, resilience, and self-care/well-being while addressing the Essentials. MethodsFaculty explored new ideas, as well as showcased teaching strategies they had already successfully implemented, that aligned with the Essentials with the undergraduate baccalaureate pilot student cohort. ResultsTwo “Essential” Competencies, Domain 9 Professionalism and Domain 10 Personal, Professional and Leadership Development, as well as related sub-competencies, were addressed by the thirteen teaching strategies. Anecdotal student reflection comments supported high levels of satisfaction with these strategies. ConclusionsPreparing student nurses to meet the Essentials is critical to helping nurses thrive in contemporary practice settings. Equipping a generation of nurses with self-care practices to protect their own well-being, while at the same time meeting the Essentials expectations, is crucial to cultivating a sustainable nursing workforce.

Raising the bar

Abstract Empirical testing is a challenging aspect of L2 classroom-based research, especially when exploring the multifaceted nature of figurative language, such as metaphorical idioms. Typically, studies in applied linguistics involve language learners from convenience samples of intact classes. This approach can pose problems as these classes represent non-random, often small, samples of participants. Despite these challenges, appropriate precautions and considerations, such as addressing overlooked idiom-inherent variables, contemplating counterbalancing, managing time-on-task, and making well-informed treatment and data collection design choices can minimize confounding variables and enhance a study’s design and resultant validity. The author of this article offers a reflective commentary based on a previous study (Ramonda, 2022) to expound on these considerations and provide modest proposals for improving future study quality in this domain.

Humanising pedagogic research in higher education: A reflective commentary on a university-wide special interest group

In this article, we reflect on our efforts supporting an institution-wide special interest group (SIG) on pedagogic research. Initiated by the Academic and Learning Enhancement at the University of Greenwich, the SIG serves as an interdisciplinary and collaborative space for the university community to develop skills and practice in this area. We discuss our practices around the structure and sustainability of the Pedagogic Research SIG, which are characterised by values such as openness, transparency, inclusion, and equity. In the current neo-liberal climate of Higher Education, we advocate for the humanisation of pedagogic practice through a recognition of staff agency, endorsed by a compassionate community of practice. As an antidote to the commodification of academic practice, we suggest a more holistic approach to academic development with an emphasis on authenticity and fulfilment. In the context of the Pedagogic Research SIG, we envision impact as a multidimensional and layered construct, which includes the intellectual, social and personal dimensions of education, emphasising transformation and change with a potential positive effect on individuals, communities and the society within and beyond academia. Our work makes a significant contribution to the scant scholarship on special interest groups in Higher Education with broader implications for academic development and practice.

‶Don’t Say Neigh, Say Yay”

‶Don’t Say Neigh, Say Yay”

Culture as the bad object

AbstractThis paper creatively extends Fairbairn’s theory to investigate the impact of the UK’s hostile environment policy on marginalised communities at the intersection of culture, politics and society. The hostile environment is conceptualised as a disruptive ‘bad object’ in the cultural dimension in alignment with Fairbairn’s theory. Its influence is explored in terms of its unconscious reproduction within the psyche. By juxtaposing context, theory and personal introspection, this paper offers a Fairbairnian exploration of how sociality and sociopolitical contexts interplay with the intricate processes of the human psyche. It provides reflective commentary on how external racial dynamics are internalised within the endopsychic structure, shaping one’s interactions with others, and, more significantly, how one relates to aspects of the self.

Enhancing Multilingual Environment Services at the University of Derby: A Reflective Commentary and Marketing Analysis

This research focuses on the implementation of Multilingual Environment services at the University of Derby, aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and organizational development. The study encompasses a reflective commentary and marketing analysis, evaluating the features, servuction, services theatre, and promotion strategies of the new services. Through the application of Lovelock’s classification of services and the servuction Framework, the study analyzes the intangibility, inseparability, variability, perishability, and rental/access factors of the Multilingual Environment services. Anticipated potential problems are identified, and solutions are proposed to address staff emotional issues and ensure effective service delivery. Additionally, a comprehensive marketing mix strategy, including product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence, is developed to promote the new services. Furthermore, a reflective commentary highlights the necessary skills and knowledge for effective management, emphasizing the importance of time management, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the implementation of Multilingual Environment services, offering recommendations for improvement and emphasizing the potential for enhancing customer satisfaction and organizational success at the University of Derby.

Nurses - Workforce Commodity, or Autonomous Professionals: What Nurses Know about their Value, Working Conditions, Impacts on Patient Care, and Nursing Practice Concerns

The current focus on the critical shortage of nurses puts nurses at risk for representation as a health workforce commodity, rather than being recognized as an autonomous, knowledge-based profession without which the health of Canada’s population is in jeopardy. Nurses’ knowledge and professional role includes evaluation of their career, working conditions, and impact on patients and populations of care. The concern that nurses are leaving the profession can be analyzed within a feminist perspective related to autonomy and advocacy. The focus of this reflective commentary is to highlight, at a personal and collective level, that nurses are witnesses to the conditions fueling nursing shortages, the impact on the practice environment and the structural factors influencing these areas. We are therefore compelled to articulate the seriousness of our concerns and assert our knowledge and value as a profession.

The weight of “the keys”: two autoethnographic accounts of how mental health nurse training has changed over the decades

Purpose This paper aims to critically compare the impact and preparedness for practice of two types of mental health nurse training in the UK. One being a hospital-based apprenticeship model from the 1980s; the other a university-based and more academically focussed approach from this millennium. Design/methodology/approach This autoethnographic reflective commentary describes and reviews the effectiveness of two training curricula for Registered Mental Nurse (RMN) training. The first being the certificate-level 1983 syllabus of the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, which was replaced in the late 1990s by diploma and degree-level Project 2000 training of the General Nursing Council. Using a reflective narrative approach to describe the lived experience of two qualified nurses, it compares, reviews and critiques both initiatives. Findings The author/researchers found both benefits and negatives inherent in each model. These were grouped into five key headings, which are a sense of belonging/identity; exposure to clinical practice; differences in training modality; development of clinical management skills and clinical preparedness; and academic merit. The older curriculum lacked an academic or research base, whereas the more recent approach encouraged and enhanced this element. However, with regard to preparing the clinician/registered nurse to feel confident in addressing a range of clinical and managerial challenges, the older style training seems to deliver better outcomes. They conclude that a move towards a “middle ground” between the two models may be of benefit to future RMN preparation. Research limitations/implications This study reports on the experience of two registered nurses. Therefore, the sample size is small. However, autoethnography is acknowledged as an effective means of delivering qualitative research; in addition, the authors access and use material from the wider literature to triangulate and critique their approach. This paper adds to the literature but also allows for duplication by others to further test the findings. Practical implications This type of study provides an opportunity for others to review, compare and contrast nursing or other multi-discipline changes in training/curriculum. The research method is one that is transferable and can be used within areas of practice, which have resource limitations. It provides an opportunity to replicate it in other services or jurisdictions. Social implications Nursing in the UK has experienced significant change over the past four decades. For RMNs, the move from hospitals into the community has been transformational. In addition, the influence of higher academic standards and the influence of the recent pandemic have challenged the profession and individuals within it. This study demonstrates positive and negative elements of the dilemma faced by nurses and offers a further contribution to this area. Originality/value There are a number of academic papers, media stories, statutory reports and guidance that explore the impact of changes within nurse training. This paper uses a first person autoethnographic study of the impact and effectiveness of these changes at a human level, the nurse on the ground. It uses the ward medicine keys as the vehicle to represent the huge responsibility that newly qualified nurses must face; this is not widely represented elsewhere in the literature!

SIMSArchive

A reflection on processing LIS student association records in preparation for their move to the Dalhousie Archives, from the perspective of an MI student. This reflection comments on the importance of preserving student knowledge, a workshop series that was developed to provide instruction and learning opportunities for archive-minded students, and key takeaways from the project that may be of interest or significance to other academic student associations grappling with managing and preserving the records of their organizations.

Il ruolo della funzione ‘Feedback’ nelle attività di Moodle

The Role of the ‘Feedback’ Function in Moodle Activities. The development of online language teaching has accelerated over the last few years, and there is now an increasingly urgent need to deepen our knowledge of the functions of the available platforms. The aim of this presentation is to highlight the potential of the ‘Feedback’ function provided by the Moodle platform. The contribution deals with the Italian language courses offered by the Language Centre of the University of Perugia, with a view to showcasing some specific cases of the use of this tool, which enables the teacher to take on the role of facilitator of the learning process and the student to acquire greater autonomy in learning and self-assessment, without reducing the teacher-learner interaction. In fact, thanks to this function, teachers can add formative and reflective comments for each possible answer given by the student, for the purpose of fostering motivation, stimulating metalinguistic awareness and elucidating certain morphosyntactic structures or communicative functions.

Mobile eye tracking evoked teacher self-reflection about teaching practices and behavior towards students in higher education

This study was based on the concept of teacher professional vision, in which professional reasoning plays a crucial role, and investigated how video with gaze overlay and heatmaps from the mobile eye tracker can support teachers’ professional self-reflection and professional vision development in higher education. Four university teachers wore a mobile eye tracker in a segment of one lecture. Their gaze distribution on classroom targets was analyzed together with their reflective comments when watching the recordings of their own behavior in the lecture. The results showed that mobile eye tracking data provided feedback on the distribution of teacher attention in different areas in the classroom and between students. Visualization of gaze distribution as heatmaps allowed teachers to reflect on how they perceived their gaze allocation and most of them realized that sometimes there was a difference between how they perceived their gaze allocation and how it was captured by the eye tracker. The study revealed where teachers most often diverted their attention, which encouraged them to reflect on why this happened, to think about their professional reasoning, and to analyze opportunities for improvement. Therefore, the heatmap analysis based on the data collected with the mobile eye trackers could be used to develop the professional vision of teachers in different educational contexts for engaging students through more balanced attention to every student in the classroom. Implications for using mobile eye tracker recording and gaze distribution heatmaps in video-based professional development for teachers are discussed.

Pengajaran Bahasa Berbasis Tugas (Task-Based Language Teaching) Studi Kasus Guru Bahasa Inggris SMP

Like many methodological innovations, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has been applied to many English curricula throughout Asia. However, little research has been conducted to explore what teachers know and believe about these method reforms in the specific context of their profession. This research originates from an in-depth study of teacher cognition in Junior High Schools in Tebo District, Indonesia using multi-methods of data collection. In this study, the findings will be reviewed and explained from one of the methods used to obtain teacher knowledge and attitudes towards narrative inquiry. In detail, teachers were asked to write reflective comments in Indonesian about their attitudes towards TBLT, and the experiences they had after implementing TBLT in class. After explaining some of the findings, the approach to data collection and the relevant context can be used as a reference for further research.

Inclusive Classrooms: A Confessional Tale on a Métissage

This article is written as a confessional tale of the authors’ experience of conducting a métissage research process on inclusive classrooms within a course as part of a graduate program. Amanda, the lead author, is a queer elementary school teacher, researching the 2SLGBTQIA+ community within local classrooms and schools, and the Tim is their instructor in a research methods course. Together, we worked to explore the métissage methodology through a confessional tale to unpack the process and to frame the performance piece shared as an anonymously read métissage based on three participants’ voices: (a) a teacher and parent of a child with a disability, (b) an Indigenous teacher and (c) the lead author’s voice as a queer teacher. As Kluge (2001) explained, confessional tales represent the researcher’s personal account through the reflexive process that they experienced in the beginning, during, and at the end of the research process. Confessional tale is the postscript that follows the research progression in a highly personal diary-like format (Van Maanen, 1988). A métissage is an arts-based research methodology where a series of narrative writings by single authors are woven together to create a larger, thematic text, with the intent of “transformation from the inside out” (Worley, 2006, p. 518). In this article, therefore, we offer insights from Amanda's reflective comments, with their critical friend Tim (course instructor), on both the métissage process and their commitment to use research to create safer spaces for all through promoting participatory lived experience insights on inclusivity. Keywords: confessional, métissage, inclusion, queer, LGBTQ, Indigenous, disability, performance, participatory

Linking the choice of the class format and preclass learning experiences sheds light on a step further in blended medical education

ABSTRACT Background The core principle of HyFlex (‘hybrid’ and ‘flexible’) learning is to maintain learning equity under most circumstances. Within a blended framework in precision medical education, how different preferences of synchronous learning environment influence learning process and outcome is limited. We investigated students’ preclass online video learning experiences and their choices toward synchronous class formats. Methods This was a mixed-methods study. During the 2021 academic year, all 5th-year medical students who had viewed online video clips presenting core concepts were asked to complete a survey on their preference for future synchronous class format (face-to-face, online, or HyFlex) and asked to provide reflective comments on their self-learning. Anonymous survey data, online records, and summative assessment scores (short-term learning outcomes) were collected. Kruskal – Wallis or Chi-square tests were used to compare differences between groups, and multiple linear regression was managed to select the factors associated with various choices. The students’ comments were coded in a descriptive thematic analysis. Results Among 152 medical students, 150 responded to the questionnaires, and 109 provided comments. Medical students spent a median of 32 min online, significantly shorter in the face-to-face group than in the online and HyFlex groups. The online group had a lower preclass video completion rate for certain concepts. The choice was not associated with short-term learning outcomes. Student feedback revealed a higher frequency of multiple themes for each student in the face-to-face and HyFlex groups, and these themes fell into the categories of learning efficiency, focus concentration, and course attractiveness. Conclusions Linking the choice of the class format and learning experiences of preclass online videos sheds light on a step further within a blended framework of precision medical education. Supplement of online interactive elements may help secure learning engagement among students choosing ‘online only’ class format of HyFlex learning.

Shedding light on hidden Filipino occupations as portrayed by mass media and scholarly resources: A critical interpretive synthesis

ABSTRACT Portrayal of human doings in popular media has illuminated the social realities of Filipinos’ hidden occupations, presented from an outsider lens reinforced by journalistic biases, as health-compromising, illicit, and socially or personally undesirable. Depiction of hidden occupations becomes ambiguous when the intentions are to entertain, persuade, and monetize. This paper describes the depiction and meanings attached to Filipino hidden occupations featured in popular media and scholarly articles. Utilizing the critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) methodology, we analyzed more than 70 published resources featuring hidden occupations performed by Filipinos. We started with an iterative process of reading and viewing extracted resources, followed by writing reflective comments and online exchanges among the authors. Our findings revealed four emergent themes: (1) insider and outsider lens, (2) lack of choice and power of choice, (3) order amidst chaos, and (4) the nexus between context and hidden occupations. Our interpretation revealed that these hidden occupations occurred within cultural contexts where power dynamics, agency, and survival mattered more than improving health and well-being. We propose these contextual doings are underpinned by feelings of suffering (paghihirap), sense of propriety (hiya), and sense of community (pakikipagkapwa), thus advancing understandings of the unique meanings occupations may hold and reinforcing the need to move forward with the goal of understanding various occupations in a culturally specific and sensitive manner to advance occupational science.

Grammatical models and the self

The fact that cultures are differentiated as much by the languages with which they are associated as by any other social practice suggest that the study of psycholinguistics and sociolingustics are like to prove powerful entry ports to cross-culturel psychology. Cultures are known to differ on a number of psychological dimensions, such as the available repetoire of emotions. But the most important and the most elusive is surely differences in the sense of self. This is a matter of the way self-knowledge is organized around a logical subject. In this paper a generally Wittgenstein stance to language is coupled with an analysis of the formsof reflective commentary to show how a space opens up for distinctive self-theories to enter into the psychology of a folk. Further research along these lines would tie in these phenomena to other culturel practices such as the assignment of responsibility. It is important to see these diffferences as located on grammar because it is only in grammar that a speaker finds that basic set of conventions within which there are no linguistic options. In so far as psychological structures are tied to grammar they are a fixed part of the culture.

Экспликация категории тональности в текстах виртуального жанра

The research dealt with the category of tonality explicated in the texts of virtual communication. It featured the official community of students, graduates, academics, and employees of the Ural State Law University in the Vkontakte social network. The research objective was to identify the specifics of tonality in the communicative and pragmatic aspects of the virtual genre. The method of categorical-textual analysis revealed the types of tonality that made up the tonal field of virtual communication, as well as their linguistic explication means at the lexical, morphological, syntactic, and graphical levels. A specific transformation of tonal varieties proved to be a characteristic feature of the hybrid virtual genre: it combined a monologue text and a reflective commentary on it. The neutral and benevolent tonalities of the monologue tonal core were complemented by peripheral varieties of the commentary text with pleading and disapproving tonalities. In the commentary texts, the tonality of benevolence remained in the core, while the neutral tonality became peripheral. The communicative and pragmatic solution was evaluated as positive when the tonality in the tonal core of monologue texts and comments was benevolent, or when the neutral tonality of the monologue text turned benevolent in the commentary. These tactics yielded a positive perception of the information presented by the sender of the message.