Reflective Journaling: A Theoretical Model and Digital Prototype for Developing Resilience and Creativity

Reflection is commonly discussed as a tool for personal and professional development that is becoming increasingly important in today’s global and digital world. In this paper, we propose a model that suggests ways in which reflection, in the form of Reflective Journaling, can support the development of creativity and resilience, which are needed to enable individuals to function effectively in a fast-changing environment. In addition, the model proposes ways in which external support and progress monitoring can be used in conjunction with skills in adaptive resilience and structured creativity, to support the maintenance of reflective journaling as a habit, in the longer term, thus creating virtuous cycles of skills and behaviours that can reinforce each other. Based on our model, and additional user research, we describe the design of a first digital prototype that aims to support the use of Reflective Journaling and to develop creativity and resilience through suggested mechanisms. Initial evaluations of our prototype are positive. It has been well-received by early test users, and has the potential to address all the connections defined. We therefore suggest that the theoretical model can be used to develop digital tools, such as the one included, to help those who wish to develop the habit of reflective journaling, and through that a range of other skills associated with resilience and creative thinking. We see this as a starting point for investigating this potential in more depth

IMPLEMENTASI METODE PARTISIPATORI BERBANTUAN MEDIA MINDOMO DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MENULIS CERITA PENDEK DI SMAN 15 BANDUNG

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh permasalahan yang dihadapi siswa dalam menulis cerita pendek. Masalah tersebut di antaranya, kesulitan menemukan inspirasi, menuangkan ide, mengembangkan gagasan, mengungkapkan pemikirannya, menuliskan kerangka karangan, hingga kesulitan menyusun unsur-unsur yang terdapat di dalam cerita pendek. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan sekaligus membuktikan pengaruh metode partisipatori berbantuan media Mindomo dalam pembelajaran menulis cerita pendek. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah eksperimen semu dengan desain Nonequivalent Control Group Design. Sampel yang terlibat dalam penelitian ini merupakan siswa kelas XI SMAN 15 Bandung. Sampel tersebut dikelompokkan menjadi 2 kelas, yakni kelas eksperimen dan kelas kontrol dengan masing-masing kelas berjumlah 30 siswa. Data dikumpulkan melalui prates dan pascates. Adapun observasi digunakan sebagai data penunjang dalam penelitian. Data yang telah terkumpul kemudian diolah dan dianalisis. Melalui uji-t, diketahui adanya perbedaan signifikan antara kemampuan menulis cerita pendek kelas eksperimen yang mengimplementasikan metode partisipatori berbantuan media Mindomo dengan kemampuan menulis kelas kontrol. Dengan ini, maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa metode partisipatori berbantuan media Mindomo berpengaruh terhadap kemampuan menulis cerita pendek siswa. This research is motivated by the problems faced by students in writing short stories. These problems include the difficulty of finding inspiration, expressing ideas, developing ideas, expressing their thoughts, writing an essay outline, to the difficulty of arranging the elements contained in short stories. This study aims to describe and at the same time prove the effect of the participatory method assisted by Mindomo media in learning to write short stories. The method used in this research is a quasi-experimental design with Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The samples involved in this study were students of class XI SMAN 15 Bandung. The sample was grouped into 2 classes, the experimental class and the control class with 30 students in each class. Data were collected through pretest and posttest. The observations are used as supporting data in the study. The data that has been collected is then processed and analyzed. Through the t-test, it is known that there is a significant difference between the ability to write short stories in the experimental class that implements the participatory method assisted by Mindomo and the writing ability of the control class. With this, it can be concluded that the participatory method assisted by Mindomo media affects the students' ability to write short stories

Remixing Pedagogy: How Teachers Experience Remix as a Tool for Teaching English Language Arts

Remix, a type of digital multimedia composition created by combining existing media to create new texts offers high school teachers a non-traditional approach to teaching English Language Arts (ELA). As technology in the U.S. has become more accessible and affordable, literacy practices outside school classrooms have changed. While there is a growing body of research about remix and remix culture, most of it is set outside the ELA classroom by focusing on activities after school hours or specialty courses in creative writing or technology classes. Teachers’ points of view are largely left out of studies that examine in-school experiences with remix. Additionally, existing studies are often set in either higher education or elementary schools. This case study sought to understand how two high school ELA teachers experienced using remix as a tool for teaching and how practicing remix informed their pedagogies. The study revealed insight into why teachers find it challenging to practice new pedagogies in their teaching. I grounded my theoretical framework in sociocultural theories and a remix of Peirce’s (1898) semiotic theory with Rosenblatt’s (1938/1995) transactionalism. Designed within a case study methodology, data sources included teacher remixes, recorded conversations in online meetings, emails, texts, telephone calls, and a detailed researcher journal. Data analysis included multiple iterations of open coding of transcripts, informed by grounded theory and tools of discourse analysis, as well as visual analyses of teacher-created remixes. Key findings showed that, while teachers desired to incorporate remix teaching tools for meeting student needs, constraints of professional learning obligations, state standards, and administrator expectations limited their use of non-traditional practices. Both teachers approached remix differently, encouraging their students to construct meaning through multimodal tools, while still finding paths to meeting administrative requirements through remix. Further, remix allowed teachers to increase the student-centeredness of their pedagogy and at the same time support multiple student learning styles. This study also extends prior theoretical scholarship about remix by contributing a study of knowledge-in-action, focusing on teachers as their remix experiences unfolded

Customer service challenges in a South African casino : a participatory intervention.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Background: In an era of global competition, customer service (CS) remains a key differentiating factor for organisations to gain a competitive advantage. Due to heighted emotions experienced by customers when winning and losing, customer mistreatment and difficulties associated with cross-cultural interactions, the casino environment remains a challenging context for the provision of excellent CS on the frontline. Literature is scarce regarding the development of interventions to improve CS within the South African casino industry. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of CS challenges facing frontline staff within a South African casino, and develop, implement and evaluate a participatory intervention to address these challenges. The main objectives were to: 1) To identify challenges facing slots staff in providing excellent CS and generating solutions these challenges; 2) To equip slots hosts with observational skills to identify body language to pre-empt a customers’ need for assistance; 3) To equip slots hosts with skills on how to deal with difficult customers and communicate effectively when dealing with customers; 4) To improve the cultural awareness of slots hosts to enhance their ability to deal with diverse customers 5) To determine the effectiveness of the intervention in addressing CS challenges, motivate slot hosts to exceed customer expectations and provide recommendations to management for improving CS. Method: A case study using intervention research and a multi-phase mixed method design was used. Intervention research was conducted over three phases including a situation analysis, implementation of the intervention and process evaluation. For the qualitative aspect of the study, purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews, focus groups and observations in the situation analysis to identify CS challenges facing frontline staff. These findings were thematically analysed and used to develop the CS intervention using Lewin’s Unfreeze-Move-Refreeze Change Management Model as a theoretical framework. The researcher used the participatory action research approach to both develop and facilitate the intervention. At the end of the intervention, a training evaluation questionnaire was implemented for the quantitative aspect of the research. Three indexes were developed based on face validity including learnings gained, perceptions of learning and evaluation of facilitation. In addition, T-tests and One Way ANOVA were used to analyse the quantitative data. In the process evaluation phase, a second round of semi-structured interviews, focus group and observations were conducted to determine the effect of the CS intervention. Results: The qualitative results showed that poor equipment, inadequate CS processes and high workloads were highlighted as key factors impeding service. In addition, the study found that frontline staff from disenfranchised groups responded to perceived discrimination from customers through disengagement, withdrawal or slowing down of service behaviours. These responses were interpreted as poor CS, but were found to be defensive behaviours to reduce expected discrimination. In line with emotion contagion theory, positive or negative interactions with customers were found to shift the mood states of frontline staff, which in turn affected subsequent service interactions. The quantitative results of the workshop evaluation questionnaire suggested increased skills efficacy from learners in terms of learnt CS techniques such as identifying body language leading to customer complaints, as well as being better equipped to deal with difficult customers and customers from different cultures. The intervention also motivated staff to provide better CS with a series of interventions being recommended in future for encouraging sustainable CS behaviours. Conclusion: The study established clear guidelines for management to develop, implement and evaluate a participatory intervention to address CS challenges within a casino context. The participatory approach of the intervention was found to beneficial for knowledge-sharing, allowing for co-creation of workshop content, providing a forum for open communication on CS issues and building ownership of CS issues amongst staff. Further research is recommended to better understand the dynamics and effects of cross-cultural interactions on the frontline, so as to develop tools and techniques to assist staff to respond constructively in such situations and improve frontline CS in the organisation