Getting into the Field

A group of students enrolled in a law school clinic wanders through a large farmers\u27 market. They stop to chat with the proprietors of a farm that has sold vegetables at the market for many years. They visit with a cheesemaker and an apple grower. A second group learns about the economic costs of organic production from a farmer and talks with an olive oil producer. Both sets of students seem unusually attentive to their surroundings. That may be because the first group helped the sponsor of the market rework the market\u27s rules and regulations, and the second developed a site agreement for use by the sponsor in securing new locations. They had spent a lot of time thinking about market operations and how best to reflect them in contract documents

Women in STEM in Higher Education

This open access book addresses challenges related to women in STEM in higher education, presenting research, experiences, studies, and good practices associated with the engagement, access, and retention of women in the STEM disciplines. It also discusses strategies implemented by universities and policymakers to reduce the existing gender gap in these areas. The chapters provide an overview of implementations in different regions of the world and provide numerous examples that can be transferred to other higher education institutions

Advanced practice in radiotherapy across Europe: stakeholders’ perceptions of implementation and evolution

Introduction Adapting radiotherapy services with workforce innovation using skills-mix or task-shifting optimises resources, supporting current and future demands. Advanced practitioners (APs) work at a different level of practice (beyond initial registration) across four pillars: clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research. There is limited cross-country research on the advanced therapeutic radiographers/radiation therapists (TR/RTTs), particularly in Europe. This study aimed to investigate European radiotherapy stakeholders’ perceptions regarding current and future advanced practice (AP). Methods From June to September 2022, one-to-one online semi-structured interviews were conducted in English, and audio and video were recorded. Full verbatim audio files were independently transcribed and checked by interviewer and interviewees. Braun and Clarke's seven steps guided the thematic analysis (using NVivo). Results Thirty-three interviewees working or studying in 16 European countries represented practitioners (n=14), managers (n=6), educators (n=4), professional bodies (n=4), students (n=3), and regulators (n=2). Four overarching themes emerged: “AP drivers and outcomes”, “AP challenges vs enablers”, “Current vs future AP”, “Becoming and being advanced practitioner”. Participants identified research as the neglected AP pillar due to a lack of protected time, limited staff skills, no research culture, no funding, workload, and clinical priorities. Interviewees highlighted the importance of consistency in job titles, harmonisation of education models and curricula, definition of AP requirements, and support for all AP pillars through job plans and workforce planning. Conclusion Neither the profession nor education of TR/RTTs are harmonised across Europe, which is highly reflected in advanced-level practice. Advanced TR/RTTs should work across all pillars, including research, and these should be embedded in master's programmes, including leadership. Implications for practice This study highlights a policy gap in the education and practice of APs in radiotherapy

Challenges Child Life Specialist Faculty Face in Supporting Child Life Specialist Candidates Seeking Internships

Walden University College of Education This is to certify that the doctoral study by Deborah Fingerhut has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Joanna Karet, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty Dr. Sydney Parent, Committee Member, Education Faculty Dr. Leslie VanGelder, University Reviewer, Education Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University2022 Abstract Challenges Child Life Specialist Faculty Face in Supporting Child Life Specialist Candidates Seeking Internships by Deborah Fingerhut MA, Mills College, 1983BS, California State University, Sacramento, 1981 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University September 2022 Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for students seeking clinical internships, and faculty have felt those obstacles trying to mentor students. The problem addressed in this study were the challenges child life specialist faculty at a local colleges face in supporting child life specialist candidates in locating internships upon degree completion. The purpose of this study was to understand the obstacles child life specialist faculty face in supporting child life specialist candidates in obtaining internships and what institutional support could be offered to alleviate those obstacles. The significance of this study was the necessity of child life specialist faculty to successfully mentor child life specialist candidates toward obtaining internships. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Kouzes and Posner’s model of transformational leadership. Two research questions explored the obstacles child life specialist faculty face in supporting child life specialist candidates in obtaining internships and what institutional support could be offered to alleviate those obstacles. A basic qualitative design was used to interview 10 child life specialist faculty. Data were analyzed for common codes, categories, and themes from participant responses. From the data emerged six themes that provided a framework for the design of the project study. The Faculty Tool Kit is a 3-day workshop to enhance faculty skills and competency in mentoring students. The findings are supported by the transformational leadership model and provide a better understanding of the need for social change in the way child life specialist faculty support child life specialist candidates in their quest for internships. Challenges Child Life Specialist Faculty Facein Supporting Child Life Specialist Candidates Seeking Internships by Deborah Fingerhut MA, Mills College, 1983BS, California State University, Sacramento, 1981 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University September 2022 Dedication This doctoral journey is dedicated to my dear mother, Frances Lasky and my sons, John and Patrick Fingerhut who have provided me with unconditional encouragement and support and without whom I could not have endured this experience to see it to fruition. My friends and colleagues have shared in this journey by supporting me unconditionally throughout this experience. Each of you have my ultimate respect, love, and gratitude for pushing me forward every day. Acknowledgments I want to thank the many faculties who have provided endless guidance to reach this point in my academic career. Drs. Joann Karet, Sydney Parent, Carole Pearce, Leslie Van Gelder, David Michalik, and Linda Tirabassi have continued to encourage and support me through this process. My sincerest thanks to Rita Goshert, Suzan Helmer, my siblings (Robin, Kenny, Lisa, and Michael), my sons John and Patrick Fingerhut, my mother Frances Lasky, and my Uncle Hal and Aunt Fran for their continued patience and unwavering emotional support during the past decade as I explored and pursued a desire to further my education. I want to acknowledge my second cousin Sr. Mary Monica (Kathy DeQuardo) who encouraged my completion with each phone visit by reminding me that my doctoral completion would be the first for a member of the family to achieve. Additionally, I owe a debt of gratitude to my child life colleagues for having faith in me through this journey by their continued encouragement and celebration at each turning point in the doctoral process. Lastly, I cannot express how humbled I am to have achieved this degree that was initially inspired by the academic achievements of my dear father, Kenneth P. Lasky, may he rest in peace. My final hope is that my own achievements will provide some inspiration and perseverance for my sons to accomplish all that they are passionate about through their own academic journey. Table of Contents Table of Contents i Section 1: The Problem 1 The Local Problem 1 Rationale 2 Definition of Terms 3 Significance of the Study 4 Research Questions 5 Review of the Literature 6 Conceptual Framework 6 Relevance to the Study 11 Review of the Broader Problem 12 Implications 22 Summary 25 Section 2: The Methodology 27 Introduction 27 Qualitative Research Design and Approach 27 Participants 28 Protection of Participants’ Rights 29 Data Collection 30 Data Collection Instrument 30 Collection of Data 32 Data Management 33 Procedure for Gaining Access to Participants 34 Role of the Researcher 34 Data Analysis 35 Discrepant Cases 36 Evidence of Quality 36 Limitations 37 Summary of Outcomes 37 Data Analysis Results 38 Research Findings 39 Section 3: The Project 47 Project Description 47 Introduction 48 Rationale 50 Review of Literature 50 Module 1: Modeling the Way 60 Module 2: Inspiring a Shared Vision 61 Module 4: Enabling Others to Act 62 Module 5: Encourage the Heart 62 Project Description 63 Faculty Tool Kit .….64 Advantages of Recorded Models 64 Disadvantages of Recorded Modules 64 Project Evaluation Plan 64 Project Implications 65 Section 4: Reflections and Conclusions 67 Introduction 67 Project Strengths and Limitations 67 Project Strengths 67 Project Limitations 68 Recommendations for Alternative Approaches 69 Scholarship, Project Development and Evaluation, Leadership, and Change 69 Scholarship 69 Project Development and Evaluation 70 Leadership and Change 71 Reflection on Importance of the Work 71 Implications, Applications, and Directions for Future Research 72 Implications 72 Applications 73 Direction for Future Research 73 Conclusion 74 References 76 Appendix A: The Faculty Tool Kit Index 109 Appendix B: Recoded Scenarios 110 Appendix C: Transformational Leadership Model Element Scenarios …….111 Appendix D: Faculty Resources 112 Appendix E: Mentee Evaluation Form 113 Appendix F: Mentoring Competency Assessment 114 Appendix G: Types of Mentoring 116 Appendix H: Faculty Tool Kit Workshop Evaluation 117 Appendix I: Students Career Path Assessment 119 Appendix J: Study Announcement 120 Appendix K: Recruitment and Study Log 121 Appendix L: Citi Certification 122 Appendix M: The Project Study 123 List of Tables Table 1. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership 10 Table 2. The Five Elements of Transformational Leadership 24 Table 3. Alignment of Interview Questions to Research Questions 31 Table 4. Characteristics of Successful Mentors 128 Table 5. Qualities of Successful Mentors 128 Table 6. Mentoring Time Tasks vs. Transformational Leadership Concepts 134 List of FiguresFigure 1. Mentoring Timeline……………………………………………………………49 Section 1: The Problem The Local Problem The problem addressed in this study were the challenges child life specialist (CLS) faculty at local colleges face in supporting CLS candidates in locating internships upon degree completion (CLS Faculty Member, personal communication, January 28, 2020). Local college CLS candidates must complete their degree and an internship before they are eligible to sit for and pass the national certification exam which enables them to be hired as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). CLSs are healthcare clinicians who address pediatric patient psychosocial stress during healthcare experiences (Beickert & Mora, 2017; Thompson, 2009). According to local college CLS faculty, time and resource restrictions contributed to the challenges of supporting CLS candidates seeking internships (CLS Faculty Member, personal communication, July 31, 2020). Another contributing factor was the lack of leadership training of CLS faculty who mentor CLS candidates through the process of obtaining internships and therefore, lack the knowledge and understanding to promote up to date information about where and how to seek internships as noted in the Child Life Academic Program Directory. Additionally, CLS faculty at local colleges had difficulty in acquiring approval for additional institutional resources to provide additional guidance and support in assisting CLS candidates in locating internships (CLS Faculty Member, personal communication, April 2, 2020). Finally, some CLS faculty do not hold clinical positions while teaching CLS coursework whereby they become disengaged from the rapidly changing profession and the Association of Child Life Professional (ACLP) guidelines for applying to internships according to a recent survey conducted by the Child Life Professionals Data Center (CLPDC, 2019). Rationale The purpose of this study was to understand the challenges CLS faculty faced in supporting CLS candidates in obtaining internship and what institutional support was offered to alleviate those challenges. Stakeholders in this study were the CLS candidates who need guidance from faculty in the preparation of their internship applications and interviewing skills as well as the CLS faculty and administrators who want the program to be successful. The project for this study resulted in the offering of a leadership training workshop to address the challenges CLS faculty at local colleges face in supporting CLS candidates in locating internships upon degree completion and ways to address those challenges. Additionally, the project for this study provides a tool kit for faculty to enhance peer reviews as ongoing assessment of faculty leadership development. This study contributes to a better understanding of the challenges CLS faculty faced in supporting CLS candidates seeking internships, which was an extension of the faculty’s professional and academic roles as mentors and counselors for CLS candidates. Every faculty member who teaches CLS coursework is accountable for mentoring students toward program completion which includes securing internships as a requirement of the graduate curriculum design. As a planned outcome of this study, local CLS faculty were offered a leadership workshop to address ACLP internship guidelines and provide more information about supporting CLS candidates in locating internships upon degree completion. When CLS faculty have the tools and support to feel confident with the most current ACLP information about internships, they experience a more rewarding professional role as a mentor for CLS candidates. Definition of Terms ACLP certification exam – The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) advances the credibility of the child life profession by the Child Life Certification Exam (ACLP, 2019). ACLP – Association of Child Life Professionals is the professional governing organization for child life specialists (ACLP, 2021). CCLS – A certified child life specialist is a child life specialist who has completed internship and passed the Child Life Certification Exam (ACLP, 2019). CCLS Preceptor – A certified CLS who has completed more than 4,000 paid clinical hours and is in good standing with ACLP with membership and certification fees up to date (Child Life Certification Commission, 2020). Exemplary leadership – Leadership that promotes the conceptual framework of Transformational Leadership (Kouzes & Posner, 2009). Faculty-student mentoring – Faculty involvement in student mentoring for skill development and career guidance (Friedman, 2004). HIPAA - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient\u27s consent or knowledge (HIPAA, 1996). Transformational leadership – A conceptual framework for leadership skill development attained through five exemplary leadership practices (Kouzes & Posner, 2019). ySIM – A type of learning which uses simulation with augmented reality (Foronda, 2018). Significance of the Study This study addressed the challenges CLS faculty faced in supporting CLS candidates in locating internships upon degree completion. The significance of this study contributed to greater knowledge and understanding of what challenges faculty faced and how to mitigate those challenges. The study outcome was of interest to CLS faculty at local colleges who wanted to learn more about how to overcome the obstacles of providing guidance and support for CLS candidates in finding internships. CLS candidates rely on faculty to successfully mentor them toward their career goals, which designates CLS students as stakeholders in this study as well. Without internships, students cannot complete the certification process at the end of the program. Failure of these graduates to obtain certification will contribute to a lack of qualified CLS candidates for employment and a national shortage of CLS professionals by 2025 (Carnevale et al., 2018). There is a demand for certified CLS professionals in children’s hospitals because of the state mandate that free-standing children’s hospitals must employ certified CLS professionals. The gap in practice was the inability of CLS faculty to support CLS candidates seeking internships as a requirement for certification (Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals and Related Organizations, 2019). CCLS professionals are trained in therapeutic and medical play therapy, with a primary role to assess pediatric patient psychosocial adjustment to healthcare encounters and to provide therapeutic interventions to alleviate stress and anxiety. CLS candidates are required to complete coursework taught by certified CLS faculty before applying for an internship and to have completed practicum fieldwork. Competition for internships, according to Hay (2018), is incomparable to previous decades when fewer academic programs provided CLS degrees. Without an internship, CLS candidates are unable to complete their CLS certification and are therefore ineligible for employment in a hospital setting. Research Questions To address the gap in practice, the training for CLS faculty mentors provided an overview of Kouzes and Posner’s (2019) leadership practices for higher education theory and use of the Leadership Practices Inventory (Kouzes & Posner, 2000) that are deemed necessary for competent faculty mentorship. The leadership challenge theory, inventory and practices were the overarching conceptual framework for the study and the study project. This qualitative study explored the following obstacles faculty faced when mentoring CLS candidates: RQ 1: What are the perceptions of CLS faculty about the obstacles they face in supporting CLS candidates in obtaining internships? RQ 2: What are the perceptions of CLS faculty about what institutional support could be offered to alleviate those obstacles? Review of the Literature Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework that grounded this study was built on the work of Kouzes and Posner’s (2002, 2009) transformational leadership model. This practice model was defined as transformational leadership or functional leadership as an approach that centers on the relationship between leaders (faculty) and staff (students), so it was an appropriate model to explore how leadership initiatives addressed students and training challenges. The Kouzes and Posner model in practice referred to the degree to which role models and mentors in higher education provide leadership that is transformational for students embarking on a shift from academia to real world experiences. In the case of this study, that would be CLS candidates’ ability to obtain internships as the next step toward certification as a CLS and eventual employment. There were several leadership styles identified in the literature, but the most prevalent in the literature was transformational leadership, an approach introduced initially by Burns (1978). This approach draws on leaders’ moral values and exploits their ability to set examples and articulate goals to instigate positive change within social structures and individuals’ behaviors. As a result, followers (students) can perform to a higher standard and develop their own leadership skills (Burns, 1978). Since the early days of development theory, transformational leadership theory has been popular for organizational change based on the concepts of moral and ethical leadership behaviors that encourage and inspire rather than control behavior (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Transformational leadership became popular in the late 1970s and 1980s following the publication of James MacGregor Burns’ Leadership (1978), which is considered a seminal work in the field of leadership studies to this day. By recognizing the unique differences among educators and students, transformational leaders encourage their students by sharing their valuable knowledge and perspectives in engaging and creative ways. This fosters participation in decision making from shared insights and perspectives to help students become more autonomous. Initially, Burns conceptualized transformational leadership as benefiting society; however, subsequent interpretations have failed to focus attention on broader leadership characteristics such as leader integrity and the concern for social justice. Instead, attention was focused on the development of followers (CLS candidates) toward attainment of organizational (faculty) goals such as the number of graduates completing the program according to Bass (2003). Research by Kahn (1990) and Mezirow (2009) contributed to the foundation of transformative learning. In Kahn’s theory, engagement is promoted by personal preference (physical, cognitive, and emotional) and active, full performances. Engagement leads to higher performance, knowledge sharing, and innovation behaviors, in addition to greater health and well-being. Engagement enables institutions to develop a competitive advantage with leadership recognized as a determinant of employee health and well-being. Kahn’s theory asserts that engagement depends on three psychological states: meaningfulness, safety, and availability, whereby people’s perceptions influence their psychological work experience. Although this theory aligns with the conceptual framework of transformative practice in higher education, it does not address leadership training for faculty. Similarly, Mezirow (2009) suggested learning is a process to transform problematic mindsets and changing the perspectives and habits of minds based on preconceptions to create openness to change. Mezirow used three core elements – individual experience, critical reflection, and dialogue – to create a holistic orientation and an authentic practice with meaningful relationships as crucial in transformational learning. Mesirow’s contribution to transformative learning provides robust scaffolding for training faculty in helping students to achieve their professional goals such as internship. Transformational leadership behavior and organizational development in education may hold several points of promise addressing the relationship between CLS faculty and CLS candidates. The first of these is the mentoring experience for faculty as a shared organizational vision to promote student success. Secondly, transformational leadership provides a platform for faculty to enhance their skills through professional development opportunities. Thirdly, transformational leadership provides role modeling for the CLS candidate transitioning from a world of academia to career development. Burns’s (2015) model of sustainable pedagogy incorporates best practices and theories for effective teacher sustainability especially in higher education settings. This newer model provides opportunities for transformative learning suggesting that learners are motivated and inspired to shift values and make authentic changes in their lives and their communities. The Burns model includes five dimensions that when woven together create opportunities for transformational learning with the potential to transform learners’ attitudes and values (Burns, 2015). The five dimensions involve: content, perspectives, process, context, and design. The five dimensions provide the learner with opportunities for understanding complex issues and promoting critical thinking along with active participation and experience with a connection to the community and lastly, the design of weaving in all the dimensions to create transformative learning experiences (Gray, 2015). Leadership-focused coaching is a conceptual model postulated by Gray (2018) that involved mentoring workshops, professional development, and resources for mentors. Students were paired with an experienced mentor in the field according to this model to promote evidenced based practice, modeling of effective decision-making processes, planning activities in collaboration with practicum/internship supervisors and providing constructive feedback and evaluations. Gray encouraged students to gain practical experiences in the field to be more informed about their path to leadership practices. In a recent study, Posner (2016) investigated the reliability and validity of the Leadership Practices Inventory and confirme

No Such Thing as a Bad Question: Using Rubrics to Help Students Learn from and Strengthen Failed Research Questions

This chapter uses findings from a mixed-methods study of undergraduates’ research experiences in a developmental writing course at a small, private university to suggest that writing bad research questions is a necessary part of the research process and that students can learn valuable lessons from the struggle to pose effective questions if given the necessary support. It offers a set of rubrics that can be used to evaluate the debatability, researchability, and feasibility of students’ research questions to help students turn failed research questions into successful ones

The challenges of translating the women's group Participatory Learning and Action Cycle from multiple low-income countries to the UK NHS context, using nutrition in infants of Bangladeshi origin in Tower Hamlets as an exemplar.

Background There is a need for cost-effective and adaptable health interventions to address complex issues within the UK National Health Service (NHS). Reverse innovation in public health is the process of adapting health interventions developed in low-income countries (LICs) and implementing them in high-income contexts (HICs) (1). This process is gaining traction in global health as a means of offers knowledge sharing between the global south and the global north. The adaptation of interventions from one context to another is ubiquitous and necessary, but the process is often unrecorded. There is a tension between fidelity to the intervention and adaptation to the specific needs of the target context and a heterogeneous population. In the UK, ethnic minority groups in particular experience disproportionate levels of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and micronutrient deficiencies compared with the majority White European-origin population (2), and current NHS services are unable to address the increasing rates of nutrition-related ill-health in these populations. Furthermore, there are inconsistencies in the effectiveness of NHS interventions in minority ethnic groups and there is a risk of intervention generated inequalities. Adapting interventions that have been subject to reverse innovation could increase intervention effectiveness in their new context. The aim of this thesis is to present a framework that supports the theoretical adaptation of one such intervention, the women’s group Participatory Learning and Action cycle (PLA cycle) (3) using the Nurture Early for Infant Nutrition (NEON) study (4) in the Bangladeshi population of Tower Hamlets as an exemplar. The framework is intended for multiple policy, practice and research benefits. Failing to follow a framework for implementation could lead to an unsuccessful intervention (5). Methods This thesis employed a qualitative research design across two studies: 1. The principles of how the women’s group PLA cycle was adapted in practice were captured through Study 1. This study explored the process of adaptation to the women’s group PLA cycle across the original seven cluster randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Malawi through 14 key informant interviews. 2. Study 2 determined the specific contextual adaptations that could address the acceptability and feasibility to the women’s group PLA cycle through focus group discussions (FGDs) with individuals of Bangladeshi-origin from Tower Hamlets. All data were subject to the Braun and Clarke (2006) guidelines to thematic analysis (6). Results The key informant interviews generated data that resulted in an outline of a generic theoretical adaptation framework. The framework includes components requiring fidelity and those requiring subtle adaptations. The four-stage framework detailed a preparation phase, the process of adaptations and highlighted a specific set of micro-adaptations that can be adjusted to emulate local context. The FGDs aimed to address the micro-adaptations that were suggested by the key informants. They showed a paradoxical relationship between the participants’ Bangladeshi heritage and their lived environment. There were specific differences between individuals who had been in the country for less than three years, those that had been in the country for more than three years, and those that had been born in the UK but whose parents were from Bangladesh. Discussion The women’s group PLA theoretical adaptation framework is the first attempt to create a formal adaptation structure for the PLA cycle which is also relevant to other participatory intervention paradigms. The framework was developed in the context of a wider study about reverse innovation of the women’s group PLA cycle model but would also be relevant to any situation where a participatory intervention is being adapted. Relatively few studies have previously considered the macro policy and political context as a influencers on adaptation processes for health interventions, although this is well characterised in implementation literature (7). Recognising the inherent differences within the Bangladeshi population of Tower Hamlets could allow the women’s group PLA cycle to be adapted appropriately by the NEON study. I believe it is important to adjust the micro-adaptations to encompass both areas of the population’s identity - heritage and environment. This has implications for other interventions that are looking to culturally adapt their interventions for minority populations in the UK. Conclusion The theoretical adaptation framework for the women’s group PLA cycle is new to the innovation literature, because they outline areas to consider when an intervention developed in a LIC is undergoing reverse innovation. Strength lies in the homogeneity of experience of the key informants, meaning that data had less ‘noise’ in terms of the actual intervention itself. This thesis has constructed a theoretical framework that could potentially assist other researchers with the adaptation of the model into their HIC context

Circling the Wagons: A Re-Entry Program for Substance Use in NH

This dissertation aimed to adapt Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) to a substance-involved population in New Hampshire (NH). CoSA is a volunteer-based community program that provides accountability and various forms of support to previously incarcerated individuals rejoining the community. Program recommendations were created through qualitative realist thematic analysis of a literature review and interviews. Recommendations were integrated with existing CoSA manuals to create the proposed program. NH CoSA, through the principles of narrative reconstruction, risk-need-responsivity, and the Good Lives Model, aims to help individuals successfully re-integrate into their community over a period of about a year. The program will serve substance-involved individuals in NH county jails, with little pro-social support, who will be released to a NH community. Finally, the limitations of the study design and recommendations for future research are discussed