A cross-cultural study of High School teachers’ tacit knowledge of interpersonal skills

Effective teachers are characterized not only by pedagogical abilities and subject area mastery, but also by interpersonal skills. Using the Tacit Knowledge Inventory for High School Teachers (TKI-HS) – a situational judgement test consisting of 11 challenging interpersonal scenarios – this study compared how experienced teachers in England (n=108), Ireland (n=45) and Russia (n=492) rated seven possible response options for each scenario, to examine the extent to which the concept of “skilled interpersonal behavior” varies across cultures. The results indicate that judgments of “bad” responses are more similar across these three cultures, whereas there seems to be less agreement about what constitutes a “good” response. The importance of teachers’ tacit knowledge and how it varies across cultural contexts are discussed

The transitioning process: A qualitative case study of international swimming and diving student-athletes competing in the NCAA

Prior studies examining international student-athletes’ transition experiences to life on American colleges campuses have generally focused on outcomes related to their recruiting experience and change adaptation. Few studies included the adjustment process and challenges faced by the individuals. The primary purpose of this case study was to add to the existing literature by expanding on the psychological transition process of international swimming and diving student-athletes experience after joining an American intercollegiate athletics team. Utilizing Bridges (1986) model, the present study employed semi-structured interviews amongst 10 international student-athletes from a large NCAA Division I university. A thematic analysis revealed seven major themes, which were: realization that change was necessary, reflecting on the decision, language barrier, education system, cultural adjustment and valuable lessons,international bond, and words of wisdom. The findings suggested transition is a multi-stage process that occurs throughout student-athletes’ experiences on campus.   Key words: college athletics, international student-athletes, transitioning proces

Applying discursive approaches to health psychology

Objective: The aim of this paper is to outline the contribution of two strands of discursive research, glossed as ‘macro’ and ‘micro’, to the field of health psychology. A further goal is to highlight some contemporary debates in methodology associated with the use of interview data versus more naturalistic data in qualitative health research. Method: Discursive psychology is a way of analysing talk as a social practice which considers how descriptions are put together and what actions they achieve. Results: A selection of recent examples of discursive research from one applied area of health psychology, studies of diet and obesity, are drawn upon in order to illustrate the specifics of both strands. Whilst both approaches focus on accountability, ‘macro’ discourse work is most useful for identifying the cultural context of talk and can demonstrate how individuals are positioned within such discourses, and examine how such discourses are negotiated and resisted. ‘Micro’ discursive research pays closer attention to the sequential organisation of constructions and focuses on naturalistic settings which allow for the inclusion of an analysis of the health professional. Conclusion: Diets are typically depicted as an individual responsibility in mainstream health psychology but discursive research highlights how discourses are collectively produced and bound up with social practices

International Public Health Research Involving Interpreters: a Case Study from Bangladesh

Background: Cross-cultural and international research are important components of public health research, but the challenges of language barriers and working with interpreters are often overlooked, particularly in the case of qualitative research. Methods: A case-study approach was used to explore experiences of working with an interpreter in Bangladesh as part of a research project investigating women's experiences of emergency obstetric care. The case study: Data from the researcher's field notes provided evidence of experiences in working with an interpreter and show how the model of interviewing was adapted over time to give a more active role to the interpreter. The advantages of a more active role were increased rapport and "flow" in interviews. The disadvantages included reduced control from the researcher's perspective. Some tensions between the researcher and interpreter remained hard to overcome, irrespective of the model used. Independent transcription and translation of the interviews also raised questions around accuracy in translation. Conclusion: The issues examined in this case study have broader implications for public health research. Further work is needed in three areas: 1) developing effective relationships with interpreters; 2) the impact of the interpreter on the research process; and 3) the accuracy of the translation and level of analysis needed in any specific public health research. Finally, this paper highlights the importance to authors of reflecting on the potential impact of translation and interpretation on the research process when disseminating their research

Exploring the Complexities of Suicide Bereavement Research

Statistics indicate a projected increase in the number of suicides by those in receipt of mental health services in England. Research has also shown that the impact of suicide on individuals who have lost someone to suicide have an increased risk of poor physical and mental health, including a higher risk of suicidality. However, research within suicide bereavement is limited due to the lack of methodologically robust studies involving those bereaved through suicide. This paper will offer an overview of current debates in the suicide bereavement literature and discuss a forthcoming qualitative study that will examine the impact of suicide by those in receipt of mental health services on their families. The current research will utilise a constructivist grounded theory approach. Analysis of the data will include a process of coding and comparison, leading to theory generation. This study aims to contribute to knowledge of the impact of suicide on family members (where the deceased was in receipt of mental health services) and how to provide effective post-intervention support for these particular families

Culture and the therapeutic relationship: Perspectives from Chinese clients

Chinese people in the United Kingdom and United States underuse mental health services and, when they do seek help, may find that therapy does not meet their needs. In response to calls in the literature for naturalistic studies of therapy with people of Chinese background, this study used a qualitative, multiple-case approach to examine clients' individual experiences in depth and detail. Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight Chinese clients. The aim was to investigate how culture might play a role in the therapeutic relationship. Qualitative analysis yielded four key themes concerning clients' and therapists' awareness of culture and how this impacted their working relationship: "Cultural encapsulation", "cultural formulation", "cultural liberation", and "culture is not important." Although participants' perceptions of therapy showed similarities to those reported by clients of European American descent, culture entered into the therapeutic relationship in complex and diverse ways. The findings have implications for delivering culturally sensitive therapies

Outsiders within : women in management in the public service in Aotearoa/New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This thesis explores the management practices of a small number of women in management positions within a large government department in New Zealand, and the factors influencing those practices. Using a feminist standpoint epistemology the study took as its starting point the day to day experiences of managers and their staff. Through analysis of these experiences the context of New Public Management and the reforms of the public sector in New Zealand that took place in the 1980's and 1990's were identified as important features in the management practices of the participants. The study found that the doctrines of New Public Management were embedded within the organisation from which participants were drawn. Within this context, they had an organising or mediating effect on the day to day management practices of the participants, what they valued, how they perceived management and the language they used to talk of their experiences. Overall the participants did not consider that gender relations created either supports or constraints to their management practices or their entry into management positions. They considered that gender-related constraints were a thing of the past. They did, however, note particular events that suggested that women managers continue to be judged in relation to deeply held gender stereotypes. The management practices that the participants valued and/or described as their own practice did not conform to the gendered dichotomies of management that have been prevalent in the literature on successful management and women in management in particular. The participants demonstrated a more androgynous approach to management that is adaptive and sensitive to the wider context

Gender and participation in mathematics and further mathematics A-levels: a literature review for the Further Mathematics Support Programme

In preparing this report I have considered evidence from over 60 documents that relate to raising girls’ participation in mathematics. These include published research papers and reports compiled by expert bodies that present an evidence base. Although research specifically addressing Further Mathematics A-level is rare, the last ten years have seen considerable efforts to synthesise and update knowledge from different research perspectives about the relationship between gender and participation. For this reason, the review process started with papers from 2008 onwards