The One Voice Project

This process drama is intended to guide inner-city students of diverse ethnic backgrounds in the discovery of theatre as a viable form of expression in their lives. Through the course of a 6-week unit, these students will be introduced to different types of performances, from pantomime to monologues, making theatrical performance a less foreign experience. Once they have gained a familiarity with theatre and with different types of performance, the students will be invited to write theatrical performances of their own

A Participatory Action Research; Exploring the Economic Aspirations of Youth within the Context of the Community Wealth Building Initiative in Newham

While the rising inflation and skyrocketing prices across energy, housing, and consumer goods place high economic pressures on millions of people in the UK, the link between socioeconomic factors and well-being is becoming unavoidable. While such a link is backed by a growing body of research that provides unequivocal evidence of the detrimental effects of economic precarity and growing socioeconomic inequality on people's mental health, the economic realm remains overlooked by the profession. More recently, engaging in a new sustainable and democratic economic model, such as the Community Wealth Building (CWB) initiative launched in Newham, has been put forward as one of many possible ways to engage in the economic realm. Grounded in community and liberation psychology, this research was conducted in collaboration with young people involved with the criminal justice system in Newham, a group often highly impacted by the economy yet mostly excluded from its decision processes. This study used a participatory action research approach, hoping to shift the lens away from the decision-makers towards excluded young people by exploring their relationship with the economy and how they view their future. A series of focus groups were carried out, and the thematic analysis led to four main themes “Growing up in Newham”, “Education fails us”, “Building a future”, and “Unable to change bigger forces”. The findings raised questions about the accessibility, applicability, and acceptability of the current form of CWB amongst young people who experience exclusion and marginalisation. Young people’s experiences of the economy were found to be through poverty, lack of opportunities, barriers in education, and rising inequality. Young people were interested in conspicuous consumption as a sign of status, had a strong desire to achieve great material success and appeared to adopt highly individualistic solutions in response to structural and systemic barriers

Seeking connectedness post-stroke: an existential perspective on lived experiences of working-age men using grounded theory

Stroke, or cerebral vascular accident (CVA), is a type of acquired brain injury (ABI). It is a leading cause of disability, with over 1.2 million survivors currently living in the UK. Age at onset has dropped over recent decades, with men at higher risk of having stroke at a younger age than women. The biomedical model is crucial for stroke survival. However, psychosocial factors in determining progress with rehabilitation have been increasingly recognised, along with stroke literature pointing towards the (less widely acknowledged) significance of existential factors. Ten male stroke survivors of working age with mild to moderate stroke-related impairments were recruited through noticeboard advertising at a branch of Headway (a leading ABI charity). Participant ages at onset of stroke ranged from 38 to 60 years, with time post-injury ranging from 1 to 10 years. Participants were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Analysis of the interview data was guided by grounded theory methods described by Corbin and Strauss. The theoretical model generated from the data outlines a process comprising three components: ‘experience’ of enduring otherness, which can lead to ‘outcome’ of experiencing belongingness, through ‘action’ of seeking connectedness (which was selected as the core category of the theoretical model). Furthermore, this process of seeking connectedness unfolds across four domains of lived experience; namely, the physical, psychological, social, and the philosophical, with each domain having dimensionality of alienation vs. integration; acceptance-resignation vs. defiance; isolation vs. participation; and pointlessness vs. meaningfulness, respectively. The model goes beyond the biopsychosocial perspective to include an existential viewpoint (under the philosophical domain). Rather than being diagnoses-focused, the model offers a framework for a formulation-based understanding of lived experiences and meaning-making for working-age male stroke survivors. Further work is required to ensure the validity of the model and its applicability to a wider stroke population

A Curriculum and Leader Guide For LINC (Leaders Impacting Nonprofit Communities); A Program of the Hennepin County Bar Association

Many people are called to serve on boards of directors for not for profit organizations. However, many of those who do serve in such roles have little idea of their responsibilities and no formal training to facilitate more knowledgeable participation and more effective boards. Many people find that some formal training can turn service on a Board of Directors into a more positive experience for both the volunteer and the organization. The purpose of this Leadership Application Project for the degree of Master of Arts in Leadership at Augsburg College is to evaluate the content of one particular nonprofit board training program, review the literature and other materials connected to similar training programs, and to make recommendations for improvement by including objectives for the training sessions, resource materials, topic inclusions, and discussion outlines for the program to include a larger leadership component consistent with the literature and practice of leadership studies. The program selected for evaluation and augmentation is the Leaders Impacting Nonprofit Communities Program (LINC) of Minnesota\u27s Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA)

How Do Teachers Experience Lesson Study?

For the past 20 years, an increasing number of American educators have employed the Japanese model of lesson study as a process to structure their professional development experience. This study endeavored to understand how teachers experienced this relatively new and foreign process in their local contexts, using the overall research question, “How do teachers experience lesson study?” Leveraging hermeneutic phenomenology, the research was based on semi-structured phone interviews of 15 educators. These educators were from various regions in America, two from the Far East, and one from Europe. In describing their professional development experiences prior to lesson study, participants overlapped their terms, which signaled confusion. This was emblematic of their overall experiences with professional development. In general, participants found their professional development to be inapplicable, ineffective, and random. Additionally, they experienced issues sustaining their new learning even when they felt their professional development events were effective. Overall, participants believed their professional development time prior to lesson study was squandered. Participants experienced lesson study as an effective approach to professional development. Out of the 15 participants, 14 stated lesson study was the best form of professional development they experienced in their careers. They felt confident in the formal, yet flexible process. Lesson study offered the participants practice based, shared experiences learning about standards, curriculum, materials, and content fueled by structured collaboration. It changed their dispositions towards professional development. They contended lesson study assisted them in learning more about their students. Participants reported increased feelings of efficacy and professionalism after completing lesson study cycles. However, participants also described how their lesson study work was impeded by systemic obstacles including time, competing initiatives, misconceptions about lesson study, principal turnover, and interpersonal complications. This study adds information about lesson study obstacles in relation to school climate. They were frustrated by the local facilitation of their lesson study professional development. The participants found that the American system was ill-suited to support their lesson study experiences in the way that it is supported in Japan. This research informs those interested in using lesson study as a professional learning community. Further, it adds information to the discussion about professional development in general and the role of collaboration in this regard

Development of a framework for successful international clinical placements: A case study of Australian Bachelor of Nursing students studying abroad in Asia

International clinical placements (ICP) in undergraduate nursing programs are often offered to facilitate the integration of nursing students’ knowledge and clinical skills in complex and culturally diverse healthcare settings. This study aimed to better understand how key stakeholders’ value and attribute meaning to successful short-term placements undertaken in the Asia region within Australian Bachelor of Nursing programs. A mixed-methods case study design was used to provide a holistic view of ICPs and incorporated four phases of data collection and analysis. Phase one consisted of a qualitative systematic review, and was completed in late 2014; Phase two was an online mapping survey of higher education providers in Australia (n=18) to collect descriptive data of current ICP practices (conducted August to September 2015); Phase three and four were conducted concurrently and included semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (university, student, program administrators and local community) (n=19) and a reflective photo journal by the researcher. Six themes spanning the continuum of the ICP experience emerged from interpretive analysis of semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in Phase 3. They included: ‘Developing successful placements’, ‘Preparing for the unknown’, ‘Putting the focus on learning’, ‘Recognising difference’, and ‘Building relationships’ to ‘Growing from the experience’. Alongside the findings from the other data collection phases, these themes informed the development of a framework to assist education providers to prepare for and critically evaluate placements. The International Clinical Placement Planning and Evaluation (ICliPPE) framework reflects the multifaceted nature of international clinical placements, through a focus on factors that enhance clinical learning within three pillars that contribute to a successful placement experience: ‘Maximising learning’, ‘Exploring difference’ and ‘Motivations and Intentions’. The ICliPPE framework, whilst created within the Australian nursing context provides an identifiable structure that can potentially have applicability for all higher education providers wishing to maximise learning opportunities and develop sustainable international clinical placements

A Case Study of Co-teacher Relationships for English Language Learners in a Suburban Elementary School

English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States are faced with many academic challenges including those of language acquisition, lack of background knowledge, fear of participation and unknown academic language. These challenges mixed with the ever-growing demands of the educational system, resulted in State and local educational agencies to make a distinct shift away from segregated instructional services for ELLs, by either requiring or recommending integrated co-teaching as an optimal way to educate them. Although a large number of teachers and administrators are unfamiliar with collaborative practices for ELLs, school districts have nonetheless implemented integrated co-teaching models to comply with guidelines. However, the basic establishment of professionals in an assigned classroom does not create a collaborative teaching partnership. The development and success of these partnerships relied on many different factors. This study explored the development of co-teaching relationships in an elementary public school setting organized to serve ELL students through an integrated model. This study examined the co-teaching relationships between general education (GE) and Teachers to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in an elementary school and described how these teachers constructed collective efficacy beliefs that affected the development, implementation, and sustainment of a successful co-teaching relationship. This research utilized a qualitative case study methodology. Data was collected through focus groups with co-teachers, an interview with administration, observations of collaborative sessions and a review of documents (i.e. lesson plans, school improvement plan). This study provided guidance on how teachers of ELLs construct collective efficacy beliefs that affect the development, implementation and sustainment of a successful integrated co-teaching model. Furthermore, this study provided information for school administrators so that they may recognize key elements and strategies that will guide them in fostering successful co-teaching partnerships amongst their staff. The outcome of this study, identified key elements and strategies to guide administrators and teachers in fostering successful co-teaching relationships that benefit all students

Patients’ perceptions of safety whilst in the acute phase of hospitalisation following a spinal cord injury

This thesis focuses on synthesising what is known on patients’ perceptions of safety within physical healthcare settings, and presents new research on this within a spinal cord injury setting. The first paper is a literature review of patients’ perceptions of safety within physical health hospital settings. The aim of this literature review was to understand the main factors contributing to patients feeling psychologically safe within the physical health hospital environment. Searches were conducted during May and June 2022 and 11 studies were selected for the review. These were appraised using the CASP Qualitative Checklist Tool, and findings were analysed using thematic synthesis methods (Thomas & Harden, 2008). The review contained three main themes: ‘Communication with Staff’ (subthemes of information sharing, staff knowledge/competence, staff presence, staff attitude), ‘Connection and the Effects of This’ (support from others, isolation), and ‘Control Over the Situation and Self’ (physical environment, other patients, dependence on others, autonomy). The second paper is an empirical study of patients’ perceptions of safety in the acute phase of hospitalisation following a spinal cord injury (SCI). This qualitative study consisted of interview data from eight participants who had experienced hospitalisation following SCI, and used Reflexive Thematic Analysis for analysis. Four themes were noted as having an impact on feelings of safety. ‘Staff Attributes and Interactions’, ‘Perceptions of Self and Autonomy’, ‘Impact of Others in the Ward’ and ‘Availability of Resources’. Clinical implications from the research include training for staff on the psychological impact of SCI, management of staff pressures to lessen dehumanising care, and trauma-informed hospital design, such as choice over shared spaces. The third paper is an executive summary on the empirical research in Paper 2, aimed at the general population for wider dissemination of the research, including those with experience of hospitalisation following a SCI and healthcare professionals working within acute hospital settings

Exploring the views of child and adolescent psychotherapists on psychoanalytic remote work carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflexive thematic analysis study

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapists worked, almost overnight, by requiring the vast majority of therapy to be offered remotely, using telephone or video call. As the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted, the interest in remote psychotherapy remains as an option that could widen access to treatment. There is a need to develop guidelines on best practice for on-going remote work. Prior to the pandemic very little psychoanalytic remote work was offered to children and adolescents. The literature regarding adult patients suggests a relatively high prevalence of psychoanalytic remote work taking place in recent years. This work with adults has received a mixed reception, with questions arising on how a psychoanalytic setting and approach can be maintained remotely. This research aimed to explore the views of a team of NHS child and adolescent psychotherapists working during the pandemic. Seven members of the psychotherapy team took part in a semi-structured interview, exploring their thoughts on the scope and limitations of remote work in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I used Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; 2022) to generate themes that represent the participants’ views. The findings of this study suggest that there are fundamental differences between in-person and remote child psychotherapy. Most significantly the absence of the patient and therapist being physically together appears to change the nature of communication and containment in the dyad. This study tentatively suggests that young patients with significant disturbance or impoverished capacities might struggle to make good use of remote work. Minimum requirements in the young person’s physical and family environment are also described. Recommendations for further research into specific aspects of remote work are made

Exploring the views of child and adolescent psychotherapists on psychoanalytic remote work carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflexive thematic analysis study

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way that child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapists worked, almost overnight, by requiring the vast majority of therapy to be offered remotely, using telephone or video call. As the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted, the interest in remote psychotherapy remains as an option that could widen access to treatment. There is a need to develop guidelines on best practice for on-going remote work. Prior to the pandemic very little psychoanalytic remote work was offered to children and adolescents. The literature regarding adult patients suggests a relatively high prevalence of psychoanalytic remote work taking place in recent years. This work with adults has received a mixed reception, with questions arising on how a psychoanalytic setting and approach can be maintained remotely. This research aimed to explore the views of a team of NHS child and adolescent psychotherapists working during the pandemic. Seven members of the psychotherapy team took part in a semi-structured interview, exploring their thoughts on the scope and limitations of remote work in child psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I used Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; 2022) to generate themes that represent the participants’ views. The findings of this study suggest that there are fundamental differences between in-person and remote child psychotherapy. Most significantly the absence of the patient and therapist being physically together appears to change the nature of communication and containment in the dyad. This study tentatively suggests that young patients with significant disturbance or impoverished capacities might struggle to make good use of remote work. Minimum requirements in the young person’s physical and family environment are also described. Recommendations for further research into specific aspects of remote work are made