Social Constructionist Epistemology Research Articles

We need to talk about AL: has academic literacies designed the pedagogy out of Learning Development?

Academic literacies (AL) research has made significant contributions to understandings of student writing and literacy across higher education and particularly learning development. However, researchers and practitioners both within and external to the AL movement have struggled to clarify the relationship between AL and pedagogy. English for Academic Purposes researchers have highlighted the lack of a workable AL pedagogy, whilst AL researchers maintain that the model represents a design space or heuristic for thinking about practice in context, rather than a source of pedagogic prescriptions. This theoretical discussion elaborates concerns with the structural coherence of the AL model, its broadly social constructivist underpinnings and evidence base, and the impact of its ideological orientation on the pedagogy we derive from it. Underpinning these critiques is a suspicion that the interpretation of social constructivist epistemology on which AL relies to pinpoint weaknesses in the models of literacy/writing which it subsumes cannot generate a practical pedagogy. We argue that these structural and ideological tensions in the AL model help to explain confusion over its interpretation and implementation. We speculate that this singular focus on social constructivist-derived theory, though well-intentioned, does more to reinforce a particular ideological commitment than to enhance student learning.

Health professionals’ and caregivers’ perspectives on improving paramedics’ provision of palliative care in Australian communities: a qualitative study

ObjectivesParamedics have the potential to make a substantial contribution to community-based palliative care provision. However, they are hindered by a lack of policy and institutional support, as well as targeted...

Hiding in the shadows: a qualitative exploration of women gamers identities and perceptions of the video gaming context

Video gaming has evolved into a complex, digital landscape where gender dynamics are increasingly scrutinised. While women now constitute a significant portion of the gaming population, they face unique challenges in a traditionally male-dominated space. Despite the growing presence of women in gaming, persistent gender inequalities continue to shape their experiences and identities within gaming cultures. This qualitative study explored how women gamers conceptualise their identities and navigate their experiences in the video gaming context, focusing on motivations, well-being, and representation. Utilising a feminist theoretical perspective and social constructionist epistemology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 international women gamers (aged 23–43, M = 28, SD = 5.51). Findings constructed through our reflexive thematic analysis highlighted how women negotiate their identities within often hostile gaming environments, revealing both challenges and sources of resilience. Participants reported using strategies such as concealing their gender and creating private gaming communities to mitigate harassment. However, they also described gaming as a source of empowerment, offering opportunities for identity exploration and stress relief. Our research contributes to understanding gender dynamics in gaming by providing nuanced insights into women’s lived experiences, challenging simplistic narratives about their identities, preferences, and behaviours. Implications for game developers, community managers, and policymakers are discussed, offering guidance for creating more inclusive gaming environments that cater to diverse players and combat gender-based discrimination.

“Understand What the Feelings of the Student Must Be:” Newcomer Youths’ High School Integration Experiences

The present study was grounded in a social constructionist epistemology with an integrative social justice lens. It highlights the perspectives of one group – that of newcomer youth – from a collective case study exploring the phenomenon of school integration across multiple collaborators in one designated high school. As school integration is a central component in the lives and experiences of newcomer youth, this study aimed to provide insights and lessons learned directly from this group as they were integrating into a high school in Western Canada. In line with the epistemology and research design, the research prioritized participant voices with the goal of affecting change within the designated high school. The central research question guiding this study was: How do participants perceive and describe their experiences of integrating into high school? To address this question, semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 newcomer high school students between the ages of 15 and 19. Upon conducting a thematic analysis on the interview transcripts, five salient themes were developed, including (a) the stress of acculturation, (b) language transition, (c) making connections, (d) navigating academics, and (e) renegotiating life. In this manuscript, the inter-relationship between these themes is discussed in a manner that captures the complex, multifaceted process of school integration. Relatedly, implications are presented.

Medical residents’ perceptions of group biases in medical decision making: a qualitative study

BackgroundSystematic biases in group decision making (i.e., group biases) may result in suboptimal decisions and potentially harm patients. It is not well known how impaired group decision making in patient care may affect medical training. This study aimed to explore medical residents’ experiences and perspectives regarding impaired group decision making and the role of group biases in medical decision making.MethodsThis study used a qualitative approach with thematic analysis underpinned by a social constructionist epistemology. Semi-structured interviews of medical residents were conducted at a single internal medicine residency program. Residents were initially asked about their experiences with suboptimal medical decision making as a group or team. Then, questions were targeted to several group biases (groupthink, social loafing, escalation of commitment). Interviews were transcribed and transferred to a qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate major themes within the dataset.ResultsSixteen interviews with residents revealed five major themes: (1) hierarchical influence on group decision making; (2) group decision making under pressure; (3) post-call challenges in decision making; (4) interactions between teamwork and decision making; and (5) personal and cultural influences in group decision making. Subthemes were also identified for each major theme. Most residents were able to recognize groupthink in their past experiences working with medical teams. Residents perceived social loafing or escalation of commitment as less relevant for medical team decision making.ConclusionsOur findings provide unique insights into the complexities of group decision making processes in teaching hospitals. Team hierarchy significantly influenced residents’ experiences with group decision making—most group decisions were attributed to consultants or senior team members, while lower ranking team members contributed less and perceived fewer opportunities to engage in group decisions. Other factors such as time constraints on decision making, perceived pressures from other staff members, and challenges associated with post-call days were identified as important barriers to optimal group decision making in patient care. Future studies may build upon these findings to enhance our understanding of medical team decision making and develop strategies to improve group decisions, ultimately leading to higher quality patient care and training.

Participant perspectives on action learning in higher education: a framework for learning

ABSTRACT This paper presents a framework which captures the complexity and multi-dimensional process of learning in action learning (AL) on an accredited executive Master’s programme. The framework extends current knowledge by presenting a holistic participant perspective of learning. Underpinned by a social constructionist epistemology, the study supporting the framework’s development adopted a qualitative narrative approach. Data were generated using in-person individual and group interviews with a total of 13 executive-level graduates from four cohorts of the programme. Data were analysed iteratively, culminating in the development of a conceptual framework for learning. The framework provides insight into the depth and richness of learning and change that can occur for participants on programmes adopting an AL approach in Higher Education. It highlights the importance for participants of having a trusted supported space for their learning. Furthermore, it illuminates the role of emotion and the paradox of vulnerability in the learning process. The conceptual framework, which encompasses emotional, social and relational dimensions, extends knowledge of AL by providing a unique and holistic view of participant learning on an AL programme. Additionally, through an enhanced understanding of the learning process as undergone by participants, the research informs academics in facilitating action learning programmes.

Speaking up on attending ward rounds: a qualitative study of internal medicine residents

Attending rounds are a core educational component of learning in teaching hospitals. Speaking up in this context has not been explored among medical residents. We aimed to understand residents’ perspectives on speaking up about their own clinical reasoning during attending rounds. This was a qualitative study performed at a single teaching hospital. We selected a random sample of 45 internal medicine residents among 141 in the training program, among whom 21 accepted the invitation to participate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom. We performed thematic analysis within a social constructionist epistemology to develop codes, categories, and themes. Analysis continued until thematic saturation was achieved. We interviewed 21 residents, including 9 interns, 7 junior residents, and 5 senior residents. Residents described factors related to team culture, team dynamics, knowledge and experience, domain of patient care, and structure of rounds that influence speaking up during rounds. We identified four themes that were critical for speaking up: (1) promoting a culture of learning; (2) creating psychological safety; (3) developing self-efficacy; and (4) fostering resident autonomy. Feedback from the attending, particularly nonverbal cues perceived as negative, played a prominent role in preventing residents from speaking up. We identified factors for speaking up among residents during attending rounds. Feedback conveyed during attending rounds influenced the culture of learning, psychological safety, and residents’ self-efficacy, which impacted residents’ motivation to speak up. Ward attendings should be mindful of verbal and nonverbal forms of feedback on rounds.

Exploring Teaching and Learning Physics in Engineering Institutions of Kathmandu District

Being a physics educator for the last two decades, the first author of this paper observed some disturbing scenarios in the educational landscape of diploma in engineering in physics theory portion. Students' academic achievements in the physics final examination conducted by Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) indicated that many failed to fulfill the minimum requirements to pass the final exam or gain good grades. In addition, most students could not apply the physics principles in real-world contexts. The purpose of this study was to explore teaching and learning practices in physics theory classrooms of Kathmandu district-based diploma in engineering schools affiliated to CTEVT. The study employed a qualitative research design and was underpinned by the social constructivist learning theory. Ethnography as a research method was employed in which participant observation and unstructured interviews were used as the research tools. A purposeful sampling was carried out to conduct the research in which nine students from two engineering institutions were taken as the research participants. Data analysis was carried out by coding the raw data primarily employing N-vivo coding thus creating several categories and finally developing three major themes. The findings indicated that the classroom dialogue didn’t support the social constructivist epistemology. Thus, the findings lead to the conclusion that traditional teacher-centric practices were prevalent at those engineering institutions that might be responsible for the poor academic achievements of students.

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION THROUGH DIGITAL MEDIATION: A STUDY OF BRAZIL'S JUDICIARY COURTS

This study aims to examine the characteristics of online mediation within public systems, focusing on two pivotal elements: the technological progression instigated by the Covid-19 pandemic that led to an almost full digitalisation of Brazil's judicial system and the subsequent implications of an emancipatory conflict transformation. The research engages social constructivist ontological and epistemology of the south as perspectives, thereby conducting an empirical inquiry into the modifications, aspects, and efficacy of mediation across two judicial districts in São Paulo, Brazil, specifically the cities of Piracicaba and Campinas. The paper underscores the role of mediation within the sphere of online dispute resolution (ODR) in Brazil's legal system, serving to enhance access to justice, expedite communicational changes, and address the limitations of digital mediation while ensuring the active involvement of all parties in the proceedings. Furthermore, the study critically assesses and evaluates the use of mediation as a vital tool in national and international legal systems during the digital judiciary age. To achieve this, a comprehensive re-evaluation of the core principles of mediation is undertaken and juxtaposed with the challenges observed in these regional settings, thus unearthing various topics that necessitate further exploration. In summation, this study offers an insightful understanding of the modalities and regional practices of digital communication in mediation, positing it as a trailblazing approach to enhancing the efficacy of conflict resolution practices and furthering social, cultural, and academic transformation.

Family Carers' Experiences of Goals of Care Conversations in Acute Hospital Settings.

End-of-life Goals of Care (GoC) discussions aim to support care that is consistent with patients' preferences and values. This study uses an exploratory qualitative design drawing upon a social constructivist epistemology to examine family carers' perspectives on GoC within acute Australian hospital settings. Twenty-five family carers of aging inpatients were recruited from six Australian hospitals to participate in recorded, semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were developed. Theme 1 explored carers' experiences of GoC discussions-identifying varying levels of preparedness and carers' hopes for open, two-way discussions initiated by empathic Health Care Professionals (HCPs). Theme 2 examined carers' unmet needs for time, space, consistency, and support to make careful decisions. Theme 3 identified carers advocating for patients' needs when they could not do it themselves. Preparing carers and normalizing GoC discussions relating to end-of-life care maximizes benefits for patients, carers, and HCPs involved.

Therapists’ use of feedback from clients about Sensate Focus exercises: an interpretive description of therapists’ perspectives

Sensate Focus (SF) forms a core part of psychosexual therapy (PST) but in many respects is under researched. A literature review identified gaps in research including: how practitioners use language when asking for feedback, in particular about sensations and pleasure, and how they help clients deal with specific distractions and blockages arising from SF exercises. Sally Thorne’s Interpretative Description methodology was used for this study, using a social constructionist epistemology and interpretive theoretical perspective. Seven therapists were selected using purposive sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews, analysed using Template Analysis. The results identified two general approaches to dealing with feedback, characterised as “touch-centred” feedback and “broad-based” feedback, though the differences are ones of emphasis rather than a strict demarcation. Therapists are also divided about the value of asking clients about their experience of pleasure in SF exercises. Differences were found in the kinds of techniques used to address distractions and blockages and the extent to which Mindfulness is applied. Recommendations made relate to raising the profile of Mindfulness in training courses, giving greater emphasis to client note-taking after sensate focus exercises, and the need for further research into the language used by therapists when dealing with feedback.

“They were here, and they still matter”: A qualitative study of bereaved parents legacy experiences and perceptions

Background: Legacy building interventions are used in pediatric healthcare settings to help families cope with difficult healthcare experiences and typically reserved for intentional use at or near the end of a child’s life. However, little is known about how bereaved families perceive the concept of legacy that these practices are meant to address. Emerging research challenges the view of legacy as a standardized, handheld keepsake item but rather as a summation of qualities and experiences that affect those left behind. Therefore, more research is needed. Aim: To explore the legacy perceptions and experiences of bereaved parents/caregivers in an effort to inform legacy-oriented interventions in pediatric palliative care. Design: In this qualitative, phenomenological study grounded in social constructionist epistemology, bereaved parent/caregivers completed a semi-structured interview about their legacy perceptions and experiences. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an inductive, open coding approach grounded in psychological phenomenology. Setting/participants: Participants were parents/caregivers and one adult sibling of children (ages 6 months–18 years) that died between 2000 and 2018 at a children’s hospital in the Southeastern United States and spoke English as their primary language. Results: Sixteen parents/caregivers and one adult sibling were interviewed. Participants’ responses converged across three themes: (1) definitions of legacy, including traits and characteristics, impacts on others, and the child’s enduring presence; (2) manifestations of legacy, such as tangible items, experiences, traditions, and rituals, and altruism; and (3) factors perceived to affect legacy experiences, including characteristics of the child’s death and one’s personal grief process. Conclusion: Bereaved parents/caregivers define and experience their child’s legacy in ways and manifestations that conflict with current legacy building interventions used in pediatric healthcare settings. Thus, an immediate shift from standardized legacy-oriented care to individualized assessment and intervention is needed to provide high-quality patient- and family-centered pediatric palliative care.

‘The palliative care ambulance’: A qualitative study of patient and caregiver perspectives of an ambulance service

Background: The need for home-based palliative care is accelerating internationally. At the same time, health systems face increased complexity, funding constraints and global shortages in the healthcare workforce. As such, ambulance services are increasingly tasked with providing palliative care. Where paramedics with additional training in palliative care have been integrated into models of care, evaluations have been largely positive. Studies of patient and family carer experiences of paramedic involvement, however, are limited. Aim: To explore patient and family caregiver experiences of paramedics’ contribution to palliative care at home. Design: Qualitative interview study. We analysed data within a social constructionist epistemology using reflexive thematic analysis. Setting/participants: Participants receiving specialist palliative care in the community of a metropolitan city of Australia who requested an ambulance between January and August 2018, inclusive. Results: Participants considered paramedics with expertise and experience in palliative care as an extension of the specialist community palliative care team and held them in high regard. Participants highlighted the importance of: critical palliative care at home and a timely, responsive approach; person-centred paramedics; as well as safety and security. Conclusion: Patients and carers feel safe and secure when they know that highly responsive skilled professional support is available when an unexpected problem or sudden change arises, especially out-of-hours, and that support is delivered in an empathic and person-centred manner.

Using Web-Based Content to Connect Young People With Real-life Mental Health Support: Qualitative Interview Study.

Young people experience high rates of mental health problems but make insufficient use of the formal services available to them. As young people are heavy users of the internet, there may be an untapped potential to use web-based content to encourage this hard-to-reach population to make better use of face-to-face mental health services. However, owing to the vast range of content available and the complexities in how young people engage with it, it is difficult to know what web-based content is most likely to resonate with this age group and facilitate their engagement with professional support. This study aimed to identify the types of web-based content young people identified as more likely to prompt youth engagement with mental health services. This study used a qualitative design conducted within a social constructionist epistemology that recognized the importance of youth empowerment in mental health. Digital interviews using WhatsApp instant messenger were conducted with 37 young people aged 16-23 years who participated as "expert informants" on the priorities and practices of youth in web-based spaces. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify the types of web-based content that participants believed would encourage young people to reach out to a face-to-face mental health service for support. The analysis generated 3 main themes related to the research question. First, participants noted that a lack of information about available services and how they worked prevented young people from engaging with face-to-face mental health services. They proposed web-based content that provided clear information about relevant mental health services and how to access them. They also suggested the use of both text and video to provide young people with greater insight into how face-to-face counseling might work. Second, participants recommended content dedicated to combating misconceptions about mental health and negative portrayals of mental health services and professionals that are prevalent in their web-based spaces. They suggested content that challenged the stigma surrounding mental health and help seeking and highlighted the value of mental health services. Finally, participants suggested that young people would be more likely to respond to "relatable" digital stories of using mental health services, recounted in the context of a personal connection with someone they trusted. This study offers recommendations for professionals and service providers on how to better engage young people with real-life mental health support using web-based content. Web-based content can be used to challenge some of the barriers that continue to prevent young people from accessing face-to-face mental health services and underlines the importance of including young people's voices in the design of web-based mental health content.

Dying at home for people experiencing financial hardship and deprivation: How health and social care professionals recognise and reflect on patients' circumstances.

International palliative care policy often views home as the most desirable location for end-of-life care. However, people living in more deprived areas can worry about dying in poor material circumstances and report more benefits from hospital admission at the end of life. There is increasing recognition of inequities in the experience of palliative care, particularly for people living in more deprived areas. Promoting an equity agenda in palliative care means building healthcare professionals' capacity to respond to the social determinants of health when working with patients near the end of their life. The purpose of this article is to present data which reveal how some health and social care professionals view home dying for people experiencing financial hardship and deprivation. This work was framed by social constructionist epistemology. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 12) were conducted with health and social care professionals who support people at the end of life. Participants were recruited from one rural and one urban health board area in Scotland, UK. Data collection occurred between February and October 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Our findings suggest that healthcare staff relied on physical clues in the home environment to identify if people were experiencing financial hardship, found discussions around poverty challenging and lacked awareness of how inequities intersect at the end of life. Health professionals undertook 'placing' work to try and make the home environment a suitable space for dying, but some barriers were seen as insurmountable. There was recognition that increased partnership working and education could improve patient experiences. We argue further research is needed to capture the perspectives of individuals with direct lived experience of end-of-life care and financial hardship.

Change, connection and community: A qualitative exploration of farmers' mental health

Western Australia is a geographically diverse area and major contributor to Australia's agricultural production, however the specific challenges and resources associated with farmers' mental health have not been examined. Farmers face significant challenges such as variability in weather, unpredictable commodity markets, and increasing isolation as rural community populations decline. This qualitative research study adopted a social constructionist epistemology to explore the main risk and protective factors for the mental health of farmers in Western Australia. Sixteen farmers (37% female; 28–64 years old, M = 41.75 years) and thirteen service providers (38% female, 27–64 years of age M = 47.23) participated in semi-structured interviews. Through inductive thematic analysis the findings suggest that the main risk factors contributing to poor mental health of farmers included rate of change, family business, declining communities, drinking culture and weather variability. Our findings indicate that communication and connection with others and taking time away from farming were important protective factors for farmers' mental health. However, different aspects of some factors comprised both mental health risks and protections. These findings highlight mental health as a significant concern in rural areas and that building community awareness and initiatives around mental health are vital to support farming communities.

Collaboration and politics: Can a therapist work coherently while being informed by both collaborative-dialogic and narrative practices?

ABSTRACT The question we address in this article comes from the tension that frequently arises from the contrast between a collaborative and a political stance in therapy: Can a therapist work coherently while being informed by both collaborative-dialogic and narrative practices? We return to the concepts of collaboration and politics, as informed by each of these perspectives, and propose to understand them as being doubly intertwined. This is done by means of conceptualising collaboration as a political stance and politics as collaborative action. From the standpoint of a social constructionist epistemology for therapy, we propose that collaboration and politics be seen as sensitizing concepts, which may be used as conversational options that may create different effects, depending on the relational context of therapy. A clinical case of individual therapy is presented as an example of what these concepts might look like in actual practice.

Doctors on the move 2: a qualitative study on the social integration of middle eastern physicians following their migration to Germany

BackgroundThe integration of immigrating physicians has become a challenge for many societies and health care systems worldwide. Facilitating the integration process may benefit both the uptaking country and the immigrating physicians. Previous studies have approached this problem from a system integration perspective. The present study explores the degree of social integration of an exemplary group of Middle Eastern physicians following their migration to Germany from an individual perspective.MethodsBased on social constructivist epistemology, a series of fifteen interviews and two focus groups with immigrated Middle Eastern physicians (n = 23, purposively sampled) were conducted between 2017 and 2020 in Germany. The audio recordings were transcribed, translated into English and analysed deductively based on Esser’s model of social integration, consisting of four dimensions: acculturation, positioning, interaction and identification.ResultsThe social integration of the participants showed a multifaceted picture. The early phase was characterized by disorientation and trial and error. Cultural differences were of major importance. Acculturation was facilitated by German language acquisition and increased over time, although some cultural difficulties remained. Professional positioning was facilitated by the need for physicians and a relatively low-hurdle relicensing procedure. Interaction and identification depended on the efforts of the individual physicians.ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive picture of the individual social integration of Middle Eastern physicians in Germany. Language and cultural adaptation are identified as being of primary importance. Social integration can be facilitated through orientation programmes or cross-cultural training that benefits the uptaking countries as well as the immigrating physicians.

Japanese self‐initiated expatriates' adjustment to Indian assignments: the role of traditional values

The purpose of the study was to enhance understanding of how self‐initiated expatriates (SIE) adjust to new cultural contexts in the under‐explored Indo‐Japanese inter‐Asian context. A literature review identified that Asian focal case studies are under‐developed, especially regarding the important interactions between major advanced Asian economy and emerging Asian economy settings. Therefore, the study developed an illustrative case of advanced economy Japanese SIE managers’ lived experience in Indian emerging economy cross‐cultural management situations. Deploying a social constructivist epistemology using interpretive analysis, the current study found clear evidence of an interplay of hitherto under‐recognized common Indo‐Japanese spiritual values with roots in Buddhism surfacing in the Japanese SIE's adjustment. The paper offers important insights to complement extant theory on the individual‐level factors influencing SIE adjustment in an inter‐Asian context. The study contributes to international human resource management literature by surfacing contextualized understanding of the role of traditional spiritual values in SIE adjustment.

Insights on selection of undergraduate dental students.

The goal of selection to dental education was to find those with the greatest aptitude for dentistry. Recently, schools have introduced a variety of tools; however, these have often been adopted without appropriate evaluation regarding existing evidence for fairness, reliability or validity. We explore dental admissions staff beliefs about the quality of different selection tools, with the objective of exploring their decision-making in implementing selection practices. This qualitative study is underpinned by a social constructionist epistemology, in which our principal concern is "explicating the processes by which people come to describe, explain or otherwise account for the world (including themselves) in which they live." We conducted individual interviews with 15 of the 16 UK dental admission leads to elicit their views around admissions processes and aims. Data coding and analysis were initially inductive, using thematic analysis. After the themes emerged, we applied a deductive framework of affordances to group themes and then examined these for heuristics. We identified three main themes; "Selection Tool Use," "Widening Participation Practices," and "Professionalising the Admission Lead Role." Admission leads spoke favourably of tools that allowed a "holistic" view of the applicants "potential". Selection tools were favoured if they enabled "Gut feeling". Leads spoke of evaluating candidates, making sure they were "rounded", and "know what dentistry is all about." In justifying the use of elements of their procedure, the use of heuristics was prominent. In order to minimise the potential consequences of poor selection decisions, it is important to acknowledge that dental admission leads are at risk of depending on sub-optimal heuristics to make judgements about effective selection (shaped by previous practices) rather than using more rational decision-making processes based on the extant evidence (regarding the quality of different selection tools). Future research may be usefully informed by the knowledge translation literature to offer solutions for improving selection practices in dental education.