How was your day? : exploring a day in the life of probation workers across Europe using practice diaries

This paper presents a reflection upon the preliminary analysis of diary research conducted during the period 2014-2015 in five European countries (England and Wales, France, Norway, Romania and Slovakia). The authors gathered and analysed data from a pilot project which used semi-structured diaries to generate data on probation workers’ daily lives with a view to understanding ‘a day in the life’ of probation officers across jurisdictions. The findings open up questions in relation to diary research in probation practice (diary format, follow-up interview etc.) and we use this article to discuss the relative advantages and benefits of using diary research in this area. We conclude with the argument that diaries as a method of social research hold considerable potential for conducting research in the context of probation but acknowledge that the method we employed requires some development and greater clarification in terms of the aims of the research

An examination of the early career experiences among graduates of sport management program degrees

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston UniversityThis qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to analyze the early career experiences of graduates of sport management degree programs. Participants (n=32) were drawn from a sample of graduates of bachelor's or master's degree programs in the United States within six years of graduation (2006-2011). Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2012 to explore the experiences of this population. Participants were asked to consider their experiences as students, practical industry experiences, and the process by which they obtained their first positions in the sports industry. A thematic analysis revealed several factors that were identified as having a substantial impact. The factors identified were personal characteristics, academic experiences, experiences in sport management, internships in the sports industry, and the influence of significant individuals. Expectations were a key element present with all identified factors. Graduates of sport management degree programs use a multi-directional and interactive approach to set expectations for their future careers in and out of the sports industry. A theory was proposed to show how factors influenced expectation setting which ultimately influenced career decisions. A flow diagram was created to explain decisional pathways that participants followed to obtain their first sports industry positions. Results indicated that participants could be divided into four categories: participants who obtained a position in the sports industry and remained in the field (n=16), participants who obtained a full-time position in the sports industry and left the field (n=3), those who obtained part-time position in the sports industry (n=5), and those who did not obtain a position in the sports industry (n=6). Two participants had obtained full-time positions in the sports industry and reduced to part-time status. Participants who obtained full-time positions in the sports industry generally remained in those positions. However, challenges existed for participants to obtain their first full-time positions. For participants who were unable to obtain positions in the sports industry, cited barriers for entry were competition for positions and lack of sports industry network. Implications for the development of sport managers from a degree perspective and retention of sports organization employees are discussed

Collaboration between academics and teachers : a complex relationship

Collaboration between academics and teachers has become increasingly prevalent over recent years. Whether its aim is joint research or continuing professional development for teachers, collaboration seems to offer a realistic opportunity for reducing the perceived gap between theory and practice. However, collaboration is not merely academics and teachers working together on a common project. It is complex in nature and involves a range of requirements that must be satisfied in order to maximise the potential of the relationship. In this paper we will theorise on the nature of academics and teachers working together and suggest that a working relationship between academic researchers and teachers can be one of three models: client–supplier, a coercive relationship or a collaborative relationship. We identify and unpack specific factors that underpin collaboration and suggest a number of concrete actions to establish collaboration between academics and teachers. We draw heavily from existing literature and our own reflections on two collaborative projects with which we have recently been involved. We use data from these projects to provide a number of anecdotes from the teachers who participated to support our own reflections. Finally, we suggest that further research should investigate the different ways attempts to collaborate fail, to build a more complete sense of the problems and potential of this special relationship. Keywords: collaboration; continuing professional development; action research; science teacher

Becoming a teacher educator – the motivational factors

This study explores the factors that influenced the transition made by three participants from primary class teacher (or first-order practitioner) to Teacher Education (TE) lecturer (or second-order practitioner) in a Scottish Teacher Education Institution (TEI). The self-study case study methodology explored the factors that encouraged, and potentially inhibited, this career change. Data collection utilised auto-ethnographic narrative and findings were reviewed using a thematic analysis. Results are considered using a theoretical framework provided by Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The study identified three common, key themes leading to the participants career change: exploration and reinvention, key figures and lifelong learners. The findings suggest the participants were largely intrinsically motivated to make the career change. The results provide an insight for teachers considering this move and administrators within teacher education. The personal development implications for the participants are also considered

Meta-action research with pre-service teachers: a case study

This article analyses a case of action research collaboratively conducted by a university teacher and 50 students in a master's course in teacher training. Its originality resides in the socio-economic, academic, and conceptual nature of the obstacles encountered in the module; in the meta-theoretical orientation of the action research that was chosen to overcome them; and in how triangulation strategies were devised to compensate for the limitations imposed by the academic framing of the course. In spite of the brevity of the research cycle, both the structure of the course and teacher-student interaction improved rapidly and significantly, as did the latter's trust in the teacher. As a result, important advances in learning also ensued, and the pedagogical potential of this research method was thereby confirmed

Coach development through collaborative action research: enhancing the learning environment within a national talent development system

Motivation to learn is an essential factor of talent being realised , which throws into light the essential role that the motivational climate plays in developing talent. Through collaborative action research, the aim of this study was to develop coaches’ learning to enhance the learning environment within a national talent development system, utilising the) TARGET framework (task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation and time). Results revealed that participatory collaborative action research is an effective coach development tool for coaches in order to enhance their learning and the motivational climate within their sessions. The study identified the benefits of coach development through participatory action research, revealing a highly positive response to the role that collaborative learning played in pedagogical developmen

Learning Sport Management

Sport management seems like a glamorous career path. Many students believe if they do well in classes and graduate, they will be the next general manager of the New York Yankees or athletic director of a major Division I intercollegiate athletic department. While sport management professors hope that every student has the potential to succeed, it is incumbent upon faculty members and students to have a realistic expectation of their career options and a true understanding of what it takes to be successful. This article leads a fictitious student and faculty member through four years of the student’s educational adventure in sport management with special attention being given to what students can undertake to best prepare them for the future and improve their chances of landing the right job. This case study demonstrates the value of a comprehensive sport management education and what students can do to set themselves apart from their competition in the job market

The impact of the arts in social work education: a systematic review

Evidence on the effectiveness of arts-based approaches in professional education has been gathering momentum in the last decade embracing disciplines such as medicine, the allied professions, social work and social care. Key texts have emerged promoting the use of the arts in professional education and there have been some attempts to capture empirical evidence on its value. This paper reports on a systematic review of the current body of knowledge on the impact of the arts in social work education. We introduce the rationale for undertaking a systematic review and the methodology and approach used. We then discuss the three significant themes from our synthesis of the evidence reviewed. These were; positioning social work practice through linking micro and macro thinking; the cultivation of leadership beyond verbal reasoning and art as pedagogy. The findings are discussed in the context of what the arts can offer challenges in social work education

Dimensions of professional competences for interventions towards sustainability

This paper investigates sustainability competences through the eyes of professional practitioners in the field of sustainability and presents empirical data that have been created using an action research approach. The design of the study consists of two workshops, in which professional practitioners in interaction with each other and the facilitators are invited to explore and reflect on the specific knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours necessary to conduct change processes successfully towards sustainability in a variety of business and professional contexts. The research focuses on the competences associated with these change processes to devise, propose and conduct appropriate interventions that address sustainability issues. Labelled ‘intervention competence’, this ability comprises an interlocking set of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that include: appreciating the importance of (trying to) reaching decisions or interventions; being able to learn from lived experience of practice and to connect such learning to one’s own scientific knowledge; being able to engage in political-strategic thinking, deliberations and actions, related to different perspectives; the ability for showing goal-oriented, adequate action; adopting and communicating ethical practices during the intervention process; being able to cope with the degree of complexity, and finally being able to translate stakeholder diversity into collectively produced interventions (actions) towards sustainability. Moreover, this competence has to be practised in contexts of competing values, non-technical interests and power relations. The article concludes with recommendations for future research and practice

Easing into the Academy: Using Technology to Foster Cross-Institutional Critical Friendships

This article addresses the ways in which early career teacher educators can support each other as they enter the academic community. By utilizing technology as an instrument to engage in a cross-country critical friendship, the authors were able to engage in a dialogue that grew out of mutual interests and concerns. Through critical reflection, they were able to address the question: How can we, two early-career teacher educators, push ourselves and one another to more critically examine our teaching practices? In doing so, each “new educator” grew more confident in claiming one\u27s voice as a sustainable critical friendship emerged