The value of choice: A qualitative study

Background Providing choice in health care is part of an ongoing policy initiative Aim To explore how people understand choice in health care provision Setting South East England Design of Study A qualitative study using semi structured interviews Method Twenty two people recruited through advertising were interviewed about choice in general and choice in health care in particular. The data were analysed using template analysis. Results Participants grounded their consideration of choice in the NHS within the GP consultation. Four main themes about choice were identified: positive aspects of choice; the appearance of choice; unwanted choice; and the role of information in choice. In particular, there was strong assent to the value of choice in principle and having choice was seen as positive. The provision of choice options, however, was not always associated with the possibility of meaningful choice and participants felt that the appearance rather than the substance of choice was sometimes in evidence. Making – as opposed to having - choice was often unwanted and considered as indicative of erosion in trust in the GP and to occasion regret. Information was seen as a necessary but not sufficient prerequisite of informed choice Conclusion People value having choices rather than making choices but are concerned about choice provision for its own sake rather than choice that is available in a meaningful way. Health care policy that recommends an increase in choice per se may be met with scepticism which could ultimately undermine rather than promote the doctor / patient relationship

Teachers\u27 Experiences with the Implementation of the Common Core State Standards

Trust is essential in effective change, and this study examined the role trust plays in implementing policy change. This study begins to define the critical role of educator trust historically, through No Child Left Behind, and moves it forward in an exponential way as it applies to educator trust in this current wave of policy reform. This qualitative study examined how six teachers experienced the implementation of the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards during the first two years of required implementation in a southwestern state. The focus of this study examined these experiences by answering three primary questions: (a) How are teachers experiencing the implementation of English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the accompanying assessments? (b) How have teachers been informed about the CCSS and the accompanying assessments? (c) How are teachers incorporating CCSS into their practice? Previous research in the area of significant policy change shows that change is a complex process that requires stakeholders play diverse roles. Importantly, this study examines the conflation of policy reforms in the experiences of these educators. Using qualitative methods of research and analysis, six teachers from six schools in four regions of this southwestern state were interviewed. Three in-depth phenomenological interviews were conducted with each participant. The teacher sample included a novice teacher, two mid-career teachers, and three late-career teachers. The findings of this study indicate that teachers are struggling with trust throughout the educational system. The facets of trust emerged in this study as teachers shared their experiences as well as their concern for their students experiences. Assessments, curricula, and teacher evaluations were a significant factor in each teacher\u27s experience implementing the ELA CCSS. This supports the strong relationship between trust and change and moves forward the idea that to make those two factors work in schools, teachers must play a significant role in policy change. The reinstatement of an education system that values teachers\u27 work and knowledge of their students\u27 needs and learning outcomes is necessary to make policy successful.\u2

Plan Integrated Lessons for Deep Learning and Life Change

God has given everyone the capacity to learn deeply so that we will follow Him with “a whole heart and with a willing mind” (2 Chron. 28:9). This essay focuses on lesson planning that draws students to learn deeply and develop skills and habits that lead to life change. It first explores the background of integrated learning by analyzing models endorsed in the field of education. It introduces a lesson plan that integrates the head, heart, hands and habits and that promotes a heart response for each phase of learning. Finally, it reminds teachers how essential it is to prayerfully cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit. When teachers plan lessons in ways that encourage students to put effort, depth, and passion into learning, the results can be deep and transformational

Conversion stories as shifting narratives of organizational change

This paper is concerned with how employees talk about their experiences of organizational change and focuses specifically on the construction of conversion stories. These are particularly positive narratives that consider change as a turning point in which individuals depart from an old way of life pre-change to embrace a post-change organization. In this study, employees seek conversion into management groups and report the values and philosophies of management in their narratives, thus highlighting the benefits of change while suppressing any negative aspects. This paper draws attention to the dramatic nature of the conversion story and explores the sharp distinction between the reporting of experiences prior to and after change. We also investigate the relationship between constructing conversion stories and gaining personal and career advancement at work and suggest that beneath the positive exterior of the conversion narratives lies a theme of silence, which may be related to career advancement. Our findings suggest that such stories of silence complicate the conversion story as an example of positive organizational change and discuss implications for both the theory and practice of narrative change research.<br /

The telling of violence : organizational change and atrocity tales

This paper explores the retrospective construction of atrocity narratives of organizational change in primary industries of the Latrobe Valley, located in southeast Australia. Within their narratives, participants discuss various forms of workplace violence aimed at employees by management and, in some cases, other employees. In addition, shifting narratives from violence to resignation are explored. As all participants are no longer employed in the organizations described in the narratives, causal associations between workplace violence and resignation choices are of particular interest. In this context, atrocity narratives are presented in a deliberate effort to extend the theorizing of organizational change into domains that are neither attractive nor progressive

Mind The Gap: Career Resiliency Across Generational Approach

Bridging the divide among generations, well-being, and uncertainties to create an adaptable, seamless career capital journey. The impact of globalization, demographic changes, and technological advancements among other factors, have been driving new forms of organization, new ways of working, and new characteristics of the workforce 2026. To assist first-generation students and their parents with navigating this new world economy, adaptive programming and approaches must be implemented.Therefore, presenters will introduce an interactive virtual series, designed to assist first-generation students and their parents to adapt the career capital journey through these changing and uncertain times by: Surveying services and programs in the Office of Career Advancement as a guide to their career exploration path Learning from the experience of our Alumni about the obstacles they overcame Maneuvering the myriad of online platforms to advance their ability to operate in this ever-changing and emerging virtual landscape Enhancing skill sets and resumes by learning alternate opportunities Expanding visions and preparation for careers that do not exist yet Presenters will also highlight: The process of researching presentation topics for program implementation. Strategies for collaborating with institutional stakeholders across campus to encourage student engagement. Refining of program series for implementation at participants’ institution/departmen

Supporting Research Information Management in the Research University: Partnerships, Challenges, and Possibilities

Research universities are increasingly engaging in complex efforts to collect and synthesize information about an institution’s research footprint. The collection, updating, and sharing of the campus’s bibliographic research outputs is an increasingly important part of this effort, as institutions seek to develop external profiling systems and enable collaborator discovery and to also increasingly internally understand the research strengths and synergies of an institution for planning and assessment. Institutions are adopting a variety of tools to support research information management (RIM), faculty activity reporting (FAR), and researcher collaboration and discovery on campus. In this presentation, we will talk about the complex and enterprise wide institutional environment in which this research information management effort is taking place, including an overview of the multiple stakeholders: libraries, research offices, colleges and departments, provosts, and many others. The University of Illinois and Virginia Tech University will provide in-depth case studies about their own campus efforts, talking specifically about campus partnerships, RIM products, bibliographic data sources and gaps, implementation challenges, and faculty engagement. We will conclude with a discussion about the opportunities for greater interoperability between siloed campus systems that collect bibliographic metadata, and the important and evolving role of the library in this emerging and poorly defined community of practice

Evaluation of Thermal Imaging Camera Spot Temperature Measurements in Structure Fires

Fire service thermal imaging cameras (TICs) are utilized to provide an image of the environment when visibility is limited or impaired by absorbing infrared radiation (IR) emitted from solid objects within its field of view (FOV). This image is often accompanied by a temperature output that may mislead firefighters who do not have proper training of the limitations associated with such quantitative measurements. An evaluation of TIC spot temperature measurements was conducted to determine the TIC’s ability to quantify thermal hazards within an ambient and smoke-filled fire environment. During ambient conditions spot temperature measurements are a function of focal length. During fire experiments participating media (i.e., smoke) impact the IR received by TICs therefore affecting the temperature outputs. This research explores the impact of participating media on solid object temperature measurements from fire service TICs

Music Appreciation (GSW)

This Grants Collection for Music Appreciation was created under a Round Four ALG Textbook Transformation Grant. Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process. Documents are in .pdf format, with a separate .docx (Word) version available for download. Each collection contains the following materials: Linked Syllabus Initial Proposal Final Reporthttps://oer.galileo.usg.edu/arts-collections/1003/thumbnail.jp