Social Constructivist Paradigm Research Articles

'Role Model Moments' and 'Troll Model Moments' in Surgical Residency: How Do They Influence Professional Identity Formation?

Role models are powerful contributors to residents' professional identity formation (PIF) by exhibiting the values and attributes of the community. While substantial knowledge on different attributes of role models exists, little is known about their influence on residents' PIF. The aim of this study was to explore surgical residents' experiences with role models and to understand how these contribute to residents' PIF. Adopting a social constructivist paradigm, the authors used a grounded theory approach to develop an explanatory model for residents' experiences with role models regarding PIF. Fourteen surgical residents participated in individual interviews. The authors iteratively performed data collection and analysis, and applied constant comparison to identify relevant themes. Role model behavior is highly situation dependent. Therefore, residents learn through specific 'role model moments'. These moments arise when residents (1) feel positive about a moment, e.g. "inspiration", (2) have a sense of involvement, and (3) identify with their role model. Negative role model moments ('troll model moments') are dominated by negative emotions and residents reject the modeled behavior. Residents learn through observation, reflection and adapting modeled behavior. As a result, residents negotiate their values, strengthen attributes, and learn to make choices on the individual path of becoming a surgeon. The authors suggest a nuance in the discussion on role modelling: from 'learning from role models' to 'learning from role model moments'. It is expected that residents' PIF will benefit from this approach since contextual factors and individual needs are emphasized. Residents need to develop antennae for both role model moments and troll model moments and acquire the skills to learn from them. Role model moments and troll model moments are strong catalysts of PIF as residents follow in the footsteps of their role models, yet learn to go their own way.

Attachment in the Context of Early Years Pedagogical Practice: Early Childhood Educator and Director Insights

Given that early childhood education and care is relationship laden, research into attachment can contribute towards our understanding of early childhood education relationships. There is, however, a lack of research in this field and available research is largely absent of the voices of early childhood professionals and directors who work in early years environments. On these grounds a qualitative instrumental case study, nested in a social constructivist paradigm, was designed in Ontario, Canada, to gain insight into how attachment is (dis)embodied in their practice. The ten interviews that informed findings suggest that although attachment merges with practice, reluctance exists to intentionally embrace attachment theorizing and terminology. Instead, attachment is cloaked in care and love discourse, with "two-sided" inclinations. Participants of this study compel pre and in-service organizations to fortify their training to ensure that pedagogical approaches espouse the cornerstones of attachment theory and terminology, most notably to counter attachment (mis)understandings. Findings furthermore point to the intersectionality between the personal attachment history of professionals who work with young children, and their capacity to nurture security in their pedagogical practice.

DIGITAL REFLECTIVE JOURNAL IN THE TRANSLATION CLASSROOM: DOES THE FORMAT CHANGE THE GAME?

Reflection is considered an integral part of modern translation classrooms, particularly within the framework of the social constructivist paradigm. To enhance its effectiveness, students' reflective activities should be supported with appropriate tools. This paper aims to compare the effectiveness of two formats of digital reflective journals. A mixed-methods research was conducted involving 34 third-year undergraduate translation students, who were divided into two sample groups (SG). They were instructed to accompany their translation submissions with reflective journal entries, either in a MS Word document (SG1) or in a digital reflective journal application (SG2). The research results indicated a statistically significant difference in the translation proficiency levels of students in the two SGs. Reflective journaling using a specific application resulted in better translation performance and higher quality journal entries over the term. This study highlights alternative approaches to reflective journal writing in translation classrooms. Future research could explore the evaluation of journal entries using digital tools.

A pathway to urban sustainability: Understanding the challenges of unpopulated allocated residential lands in Oman

The right to adequate housing is recognized as fundamental human right as per the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is globally agreed that access to land is the core foundation for realizing the right to housing. However, policies related to access-to-land right has varied between different countries resulting in multiple urban challenges. Several oil-rich countries, such as Oman, address access-to-land right by means of land-allocation. In Oman, lottery system is used whereby citizens participate to get a residential plot form the government for minimum fees. This particular policy has resulted in a large number of land plots being unbuilt, which in turn resulted in fragmentation in cities.To address this issue a facilitated interactive focus group study, based on the social constructivism paradigm, was conducted in Oman aiming at identifying the factors that influence individuals' decision to build on the allocated land. The study concludes by identifying obstacles that prevent citizens from making building decision after receiving the land, which are in order of their significance: Need, Financial Capability, Location, Services and Neighborhood Quality. This will provide evidence-based guidelines for policy makers to overcome this challenge and achieve better urban sustainability aligned with the country's 2040 vision.

‘My life is a mess but I cope’: An analysis of the language children and young people use to describe their own life-limiting or life-threatening condition

Background: Children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions have multidimensional needs and heterogenous cognitive and communicative abilities. There is limited evidence to support clinicians to tailor their communication to each individual child. Aim: To explore the language children and young people use to describe their own condition, to inform strategies for discussing needs and priorities. Design: Positioned within a social constructivist paradigm, a secondary discourse analysis of semi-structured interview data was conducted incorporating the discourse dynamics approach for figurative language. Setting/participants: A total of 26 children and young people aged 5–17 years with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions (6 cancer; 20 non-cancer) were recruited from nine clinical services (six hospitals and three hospices) across two UK nations. Results: The language children and young people use positions them as ‘experts in their condition’. They combine medical terminology with their preferred terms for their body to describe symptoms and treatments, and use comparatives and superlatives to communicate their health status. Their language depicts their condition as a ‘series of (functional and social) losses’, which single them out from their peers as ‘the sick one’. Older children and young people also incorporate figurative language to expand their descriptions. Conclusion/discussion: Children and young people can provide rich descriptions of their condition. Paying attention to their lexical choices, and converging one’s language towards theirs, may enable more child-centred discussions. Expanding discussions about ‘what matters most’ with consideration of the losses and differences they have experienced may facilitate a fuller assessment of their concerns, preferences and priorities.

A Theoretical Perspective on Understanding Ethical Principles in Sports

Physical education as well as sports is human activity that supports holistically the development of individuals. Sport is recognized as an individual activity that provides the opportunity for self-knowledge, self-expression and fulfillment of personal achievement. Sport support skill acquisition and demonstration of skill, a joyful life, a well-being state and a good health. Moreover, sport also involves us in a collective effort to pursue human excellence, giving us the real opportunity for social interaction. Followed by discipline, sport becomes a source of pleasure, but more than that, sport brings inspiration to individuals, brings them together through their cultures and differences, for a common purpose, thus creating bonds where previously there were social divisions. Besides all its attributes, from a social-constructionist paradigm, sport can contribute to the prosperity of society and can stimulate friendships between nations, at the same time calling for co-responsibility. Starting from responsibility as a social value, we thus understand how sport is the environment responsible for the application of rules and for adherence to moral and ethical values, such as respect for the dignity of the person, in a reciprocal way, solidarity, equity, fairness, transparency. 
 The present paper comes to briefly approach, from a theoretical point of view, the importance of ethics at the level of sports, and to highlight those ethical values ​​(through a selection of ethical principles) on which the sport practice is based, through the lens of international specialized literature.

Including learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Voices of mainstream teachers

The global shift toward inclusive education is in pursuit of creating a more equal and just society. This has lead schools worldwide to experience an increase in the number of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering the general classroom. At the first level of contact, teachers play an important role in the implementation of inclusive education; it is therefore crucial to acknowledge their experiences. Their voices need to be heard since their experiences can contribute to doing justice to the existing policies on inclusive education. In search of teachers' subjective experiences, we framed this interpretive qualitative phenomenological research study in a social constructivist paradigm. Participants were purposefully selected from an international school in Cape Town, South Africa. We collected data through an online open-ended questionnaire, followed by an in-person focus group discussion at the school. The findings indicated that while teachers are in favour of inclusion, they experience many challenges that result in a policy-implementation gap.

Changing Gears and Buying Time: A Study Exploring AMHP Practice Following Referral for a Mental Health Act Assessment in England and Wales

Abstract The role of the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) under the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 in England and Wales is to respond to referrals for psychiatric detention and make an application for detention where they consider this necessary. This article reports the findings of my doctoral study into AMHP decision-making at the point of referral for an MHA assessment. The strengths-based methodology of Appreciative Inquiry was adopted, positioned in a social constructionist paradigm. Nine AMHPs working for one Local Authority participated in the study, including myself as an insider researcher. During four one-day workshops over five months participants defined their best practice, analysing emerging data together within the workshops using nominal group technique. Service developments included the creation of a triage role and a bespoke report to prioritise this decision within the service, opening avenues to change gears and buy time for a more thorough assessment at this point, and promoting greater collaboration with those referred. A multi-agency approach to searching for less restrictive options was advocated within an assessment pathway. The results of this study offer a research insight into this important area of practice, offering an evidence base to inform practice and policy developments.

Authenticity and woman’s leadership: a qualitative study of professional business services in the UK

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the research question: how do women leaders in the professional business services (PBS) sector develop and approach workplace (in)authenticity?Design/methodology/approachTen senior women leaders in the Midlands region of the UK were purposefully selected and interviewed. A semi-structured approach meant that the author adopted a social constructionist paradigm and feminist interpretation. Questions were designed to elicit rich descriptions from the participants. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted to address the study’s purpose.FindingsFour themes were important to women when they developed and approached workplace (in)authenticity: (1) Power Structures, (2) Fit to Belong, (3) Influential Femininity and (4) Through Her Evolution. Women described masculine-majority organisations exerting power. They were pressured into altering their behaviours to “fit” into workplaces. When women had the latitude to be themselves, their leadership excelled. Women’s authenticity developed through increased self-knowledge, helping them to overcome workplace challenges. The study concluded that women face complexities when developing and approaching their constructions of authenticity, namely in the barriers and ramifications they face.Practical implicationsThe study suggests several implications for practice and theory concerning enablers and barriers to women leaders' workplace authenticity. The link between authenticity and workplace gender equity needs to be investigated.Originality/valueThe study provides evidence that women are challenged when becoming authentic, therefore, altering their careers irrecoverably in some cases.

Social and Political Actors in the Czech Media Discourse on Ph.D. – A Content Analysis

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the media portrayal of Ph.D. programs in the Czech Republic. Specifically, it explores how doctoral study programs, their students, and the Ph.D. degree are represented across various topics and social actors over an 18-month period. Background: The societal perception of Ph.D. studies, especially at the postgraduate level, is significantly shaped by media representations, including their connections to science, academia, and broader social life. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the portrayal of the Ph.D. phenomenon in the media. The Czech Republic provides a relevant use case because of Central Eastern European (CEE) settings and amplified media coverage. The main factors are several political and social influences and governmental discussions regarding the legality of and against precarious conditions. Methodology: This study utilizes a qualitative method of conventional and directed content analysis to thematically categorize a corpus of 456 articles on Czech news platforms. A subset of these articles (thematic cluster about study conditions) undergoes further analysis to identify represented social actors. The results are clustered and interpreted using examples from the dataset. The instances of studied phenomena are quantified to provide an enumerated representation of individual themes and social actors. Contribution: The author contributes to research on doctoral studies by expanding the existing knowledge through media content analysis within the social constructivist paradigm. Moreover, the CEE region, often overlooked in doctoral studies and science communication research, is highlighted here. Finally, this article enriches the understanding of public relations strategies for higher-education institutions by focusing on earned media channels as opposed to solely owned ones. Findings: The analysis leads to the determination of 10 thematic clusters that can be succinctly categorized into four main areas: “Ph.D. Title,” “University Life,” “Study Conditions,” and “Controversial Issues.” The latter two categories are notably politicized, a fact underscored by the actor analysis, which shows a predominance of political figures in the media coverage. An unexpected result of the research is the significant underrepresentation of student voices in the analyzed sample of media outputs, except for those doctoral students who also hold positions such as student initiative chairs. Additionally, comparing the results to previous research on doctoral studies, it can be argued that many of the critical topics discussed by the research community, such as mental health issues or diversity of the student cohort, are not equally represented in media portrayals. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners, especially communication professionals from higher education institutions and research centers, can leverage these insights to refine their communication strategy. This can help counterbalance prevailing media narratives and provide a more representative portrayal of study programs, focusing on areas currently underrepresented in media discourse. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers from other regions are encouraged to conduct similar studies using the presented framework to map the representation of Ph.D. in respective media outlets. It is advisable to consider the local context in the interpretative phase of the content analysis, as demonstrated in this study. Impact on Society: The findings elucidate the role of the Ph.D. within the national media landscape of higher education, potentially influencing policymakers, journalists, and science communication professionals to reconsider their approaches to media discourse. Lastly, as hinted above, science communication professionals can benefit from the results in terms of future development of media outreach strategy with a focus on targeted topics. Future Research: The presented work would benefit from a broader, multinational comparison and also a complementary audience analysis to understand how Ph.D. students and possible applicants interpret these messages and whether they correlate with their attitudes.

The oversight functions of school governing bodies in the management of budgets

The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 (RSA, 1996) heralded a shift in decision-making powers through decentralising school governance from the state to local communities. One of the primary functions of school governing bodies (SGBs) is to manage school finances. It is imperative for SGBs to design and implement irrefutable finance policies that clearly and unambiguously spell out specific structures and processes by applying relevant legislation and regulations enforced by the Ministry of Education. Using a generic qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm, this paper accentuates the oversight functions of SGBs to manage budgets effectively and efficiently. This research was grounded in a social constructivist paradigm and data were collected by way of semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Findings revealed that many SGBs place very little importance on the oversight functions of budgets which usually result in the mismanagement of school funds. This is reflected in poor finance policy formulation and implementation, and the absence of operational mechanisms (e.g. budget variance analysis) to curb wasteful and fruitless expenditure. Furthermore, challenges associated with the non-compliance of a finance policy and the failure of SGBs to take timely corrective action exasperate the problems of poor financial management.

STRENGTHENING RESEARCH SUPERVISION IN UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

STRENGTHENING RESEARCH SUPERVISION IN UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA

Teaching measurement: The role of mathematics teachers' enacted PCK on gain in learner outcomes

Teaching is a challenging profession where teachers must create valuable learning opportunities to enhance learners’ conceptual understanding. Apart from mathematical content knowledge, teachers use their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) that develops as they reflect on previously taught lessons and learner responses in assessments. International and national assessment studies showed that South African learners perform poorly in, among other topics, Measurement. Thus, we determined the gain in learner outcomes as revealed in a pre-and post-test on Measurement and studied one of the PCK domains, namely teachers’ enacted PCK as informed by the baseline assessment learner outcomes. The aim was to determine how teachers’ enacted PCK relate to learner outcomes. Underpinned by a social constructivist paradigm, the study used a mixed-method research approach. Data were gathered from a pre-and post-test written by 124 Grade 9 learners taught by two experienced mathematics teachers in a city school in South Africa. Findings revealed that although some improvements are evident after the topic has been taught, the test was still experienced as difficult by almost all the learners. However, from the observations, there is little evidence that the experienced teachers extensively used the baseline assessment outcomes to inform their teaching.

Clinical decision-making by fourth-year pharmacy students: Towards an understanding of their uncertainty

IntroductionClinical decision-making is a critical process underpinning much of a pharmacist's daily activities. While it is known that pharmacists hesitate to make decisions, it remains unclear whether pharmacy students experience similar hesitancy. The objective of this study was to better understand the phenomenon of decision-making in pharmacy students. MethodsThis study was designed from a social constructivist paradigm using qualitative case study methodology. The purpose was to investigate issues related to hesitancy in clinical decision-making by fourth-year pharmacy students. Data were collected through observation of students engaging in simulations, post-simulation interviews, and written reflections. Data analysis included multiple stages of coding, followed by pattern identification and discovery of interrelationships. ResultsThe primary themes relating to issues in pharmacy student clinical decision-making were relational factors, teaching and learning, degree of certainty, and personal characteristics. Relational factors include elements of relationships with patients and physicians as well as a sense of autonomy. The theme of teaching and learning included the sub-themes of formal education and learning in the real world. Degree of certainty included patient complexity, weighing risks and benefits, comfort in ambiguity, and a lack of information. Finally, personal characteristics associated with decision-making include personal experiences, leadership skills, and confidence. ConclusionsPharmacy education needs to focus on ensuring preceptors can help model comfort in ambiguity, that assessments include the reality of practice, and ensuring ample practice of decision-making in a simulated environment.

I can be myself: robots reduce social discomfort in hospitality service encounters

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate service robots as an alternative service provider that can reduce customers’ social discomfort in hospitality service encounters. Specifically, the authors discuss when and in what scenarios service robots can alleviate such social discomfort and explain this effect from the perspective of dehumanization.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a social constructivist paradigm, the authors adopt a qualitative research design, gathering data through 21 semistructured interviews to explore why the presence of service employees causes customers’ social discomfort in hospitality service encounters and how service robots alleviate such discomfort.FindingsThis study’s results suggest that both the active and passive engagement of service employees are sources of customers’ social discomfort in hospitality service encounters; thus, adopting service robots can help reduce such discomfort in some scenarios. Customers’ differentiating behaviors, a downstream effect of social discomfort, are also addressed.Practical implicationsService robots can reduce customers’ social discomfort in certain scenarios and influence their consumption behaviors. This finding offers actionable insights regarding the adoption of service robots in hospitality service encounters.Originality/valueThis research enhances the understanding of social discomfort in hospitality service encounters and expands the research on service robots. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first attempt to reveal the bright side of robots in service encounters from a dehumanization perspective.

AsianCrit lens on Chinese international student multi-dimensional transitions and experiences in the US

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine Chinese international students' narrative stories, experiences and racial dynamics while studying in the United States to argue that Chinese international students navigate multi-dimensional transitions and experiences in different stages. This study uses an AsianCrit lens to address the gap in existing research focusing on Chinese international students' narratives and experiences.Design/methodology/approachNarrative inquiry with a social constructivist paradigm was used to provide an in-depth exploration of Chinese international students' navigation and negotiation in multi-dimensional experiences. Three phases of semi-structured interviews and journal entries were utilized to examine participants' experiences and struggles while studying in the United States. Descriptive coding, deductive coding and restorying were used to analyze and feather narrators' voices and stories for interpretation.FindingsThe findings in this qualitative study demonstrate that Chinese international students have unique backgrounds, and their backgrounds shape their multi-dimensional transitions and experiences in the present and the future. The findings address students' nuanced experiences in academic transitions and non-academic transitions with an AsianCrit lens.Practical implicationsThe study calls for higher education institutions to promote intercultural and international training for faculty and staff to better understand and support the unique needs of international students.Originality/valueUsing Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions theory with an AsianCrit lens helps make sense of the intersection of international student status, geopolitical tensions, racial dynamics and international student experiences.

Framework for communicating library training at a South African university

This article combines social constructivist and transformative paradigms to propose a framework for communicating library training to first-year students. Although performance indicators for literacy are universal, there are explicit attempts to move away from a universal approach to information literacy, as exemplified in the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. This article addresses the fragmentation of teaching and learning practices in a single case study of University of the Free State libraries. Data were collected using two methods: an integrated literature review; and document analysis. Literature and documentary evidence were found to justify a call for developing an underpinning theory for planning purposes. Furthermore, it was found that synthesized concepts from models, ideas and frameworks can inform new pedagogical approaches. This article proposes the Authority Pedagogy Socialization framework for communicating library training to first-year students and concludes with several recommendations.

Curriculum for mountaineering, climbing and winter sports instructors in Spain. A critical approach according to key stakeholders

ABSTRACT Outdoor physical activities and sports are growing in popularity: number of practitioners and professionals are increasing and number of active sport tourism businesses has multiplied. All these activities have become officialised, have grown into an emerging industry and play a powerful role as an economic driver. Qualified instructors are needed, as well as quality training for these professionals. This study focuses on climbing, mountaineering and winter sports instructor qualifications. Drawing on Bernstein’s framework of the pedagogic device and with a particular focus on marketisation of education and professionalisation of sport, the purpose of this research is to explore the following questions: (a) How do stakeholders perceive the current mountaineering, climbing and winter sports curriculum and what are the main lines of improvement of the curriculum? (b) Does the curriculum meet the knowledge required by instructors in their occupations? And (c) What is the logic and awareness underlying the construction of the curriculum? Following a social-constructivist paradigm, in-depth semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out, with a sample of 46 key involved stakeholders. The data coding approach and theme development were done both inductively and deductively and with a latent and semantic focus, following thematic analysis. Participants specify clear lines of improvement of qualifications: stakeholders involved in curricular updating, the general structure of qualifications, admission tests, assessment, internships, model of the teacher and also highlighted some training gaps to be resolved due to qualifications breakdown. It is noted that curriculum updating follows a ‘top-down’ policy demand, that there is a marketisation of the qualifications that is evident in admission tests, assessment and internships. This study provides a critical and in-depth analysis based on the views of a variety of stakeholders that should be taken into consideration for the improvement of the curriculum of climbing, mountaineering and winter sports instructors.

Exploring Factors Behind the Lack of Formal Employment Opportunities among Selected Transgender Women in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study

Since the founding of Malaysia as a sovereign independent nation, people belonging to the LGBTQ community have not been treated well in society. The legacy of colonialism still lingers in the Malaysian society, with laws such as the Penal Code 377A and government departments continuing to oppress members of these communities. Amongst those oppressed are transgender women who have had their employment restricted in formal sectors and forced to work in the informal economy. Hence, this study explores the factors limiting formal employment for trans women in Malaysia, the severe challenges faced in their job search and reasons this phenomenon continues to plague this community. Through a rigorous focus group discussion with a selected group of transgender women battling employment woes, the study utilised a focused ethnography approach using a social constructivist paradigm to study their narratives to ascertain why this segment of society faces more issues seeking formal employment than their cisgender counterparts in Malaysia. The findings demonstrate that the contributing factors are safety concerns, suppression by governmental bodies and discriminatory practices by employers. This preliminary study urges organisations to develop strategies to combat the disparity between trans women job seekers and their equally qualified cisgender counterparts making the Malaysian job market more welcoming for trans women in the near future.

Exploring the Masquerade of Equality: A Preliminary Study of Pink Politics in Maldives

The female voice in Maldives politics is devolving into a feeble mumble. A seemingly progressive society shows their implicit disdain for the female voice in politics with their votes. Despite years of observations by national or international organisations, a satisfactory answer why this remains recurrent is yet to be discovered. A democracy survey by Transparency Maldives indicates that the public seems to be aware of the falling numbers of Maldivian women elected in politics and have a variety of their own opinions regarding its causes. Exploring this subject is a measure to find out the in-depth reasons why the Maldivian society is indirectly rejecting women in politics. Hence, this study sought out responses that go beyond the surface to find clarity on what needs to change according to the voters themselves in the light of examining even one possibility that would make society more accepting and prepared to elect female politicians. To uncover the truth, this study utilised a focused ethnography approach using a social constructivist paradigm to study the narratives of a selected group of women over a period to ascertain why there is a deceptive treatment of equality when it comes to women and how this pretence impacts women’s role in society.