Re-Imagining Andragogy for Innovative and Inclusive Leadership Training for Minority Women in Higher Education

The purpose of this case study undertaken in 2021 was to explore the different ways educators in higher education might implement innovative andragogical practices for inclusive leadership training for minority women. There is need for minority women to develop abilities to make personal adjustments as well as receive support from external structures if they are to benefit from leadership training programs and to be successful leaders (Flower, 2021). The potential for innovation to shift towards a more engaged form of teaching and learning is very important in the 21st Century especially for the inclusion of minority women in leadership in higher education. Trainers of minority women for leadership must reflect on their praxis and learn how to implement innovative and responsive andragogical practices that engage and empower minority women in higher education. This case study attempted to answer a critical question: How might educators in higher education implement innovative andragogical practices for inclusive leadership training for minority women? This study was anchored on transformative leadership theory which aims at building socially just systems in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world (Shields, 2018). Protagonists of transformative leadership theory urge educators to proactively initiate conversations and implement praxis that remove barriers that impede groups of learners, such as minority women, from thriving to their full potential. Researchers conducted online focus group discussions with eight minority women as tools to collect data for this study. More data was collected from participants’ personal stories. Focus group conversations and participants’ stories were recorded on Zoom. The data collected was analysed through the constant comparison of conversations and stories to distil common themes. Six common themes emerged as perceived game changers in the implementation of effective andragogical practices for the training of minority women for leadership in higher education. The six themes include (a) positive self-worth, (b) effective mentorship and role modelling, (c) networks of supportive partner allies, (d) female models and styles of leadership, (e) mindset change, and (f) male positive perception of women as leaders

Research to understand the extent, nature and impact of skills mismatches in the economy: May 2016

Research to improve understanding of the extent, nature and potential effect of skills mismatches in the economy

Bringing trauma home : reflections on interviewing survivors of trauma while working from home

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home became the new normal for many professionals. While this was beneficial in managing the rapidly spreading virus, it had varying impacts on the mental health of those previously not accustomed to remote work. This paper provides a critical reflection of the researcher’s experience of conducting interviews with survivors of trauma while working from home. The research aimed to understand the experiences of significant others supporting patients with severe burn injury in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). As an experienced ICU nurse, the researcher has well developed personal coping strategies for dealing with complex trauma and in working with significant others of patients with severe burn injury in hospital settings. Due to the pandemic, data collection moved from face-to-face in the hospital, as originally intended, to phone or videoconference interviews. 17 participants were recruited, with all participants given the option of videoconference (n = 3) or telephone interviews (n = 14). Interviews had an average length of 55 minutes. This paper discusses the strategies adopted to cope with the sharing of significant others’ experiences of trauma while in the home environment. Careful consideration was needed for the researcher, the participants and those within the homes of both researcher and participant, in terms of psychological safety, ethical considerations and rapport building

The Tea Bag Index—UK: using citizen/community science to investigate organic matter decomposition rates in domestic gardens

Gardening has the potential to influence several ecosystem services, including soil carbon dynamics, and shape progression towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, (e.g., SDG 13). There are very few citizen/community science projects that have been set up to test an explicit hypothesis. However, citizen/community science allows collection of countrywide observations on ecosystem services in domestic gardens to inform us on the effects of gardening on SDGs. The geographical spread of samples that can be collected by citizen/community science would not be possible with a team of professional science researchers alone. Members of the general public across the UK submitted soil samples and buried standardised litter bags (tea bags) as part of the Tea Bag Index—UK citizen/community science project. Participants returned 511 samples from across the UK from areas in their garden where soil organic amendments were and were not applied. The project examined the effects of application of soil amendments on decomposition rates and stabilisation of litter, and in turn, effects on soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations. This was in response to a call for contributions to a global map of decomposition in the Teatime4Science campaign. Results suggested that application of amendments significantly increased decomposition rate and soil carbon, nitrogen, and carbon: nitrogen ratios within each garden. So much so that amendment application had more influence than geographic location. Furthermore, there were no significant interactions between location and amendment application. We therefore conclude that management in gardens has similar effects on soil carbon and decomposition, regardless of the location of the garden in question. Stabilisation factor was influenced more prominently by location than amendment application. Gardening management decisions can influence a number of SDGs and a citizen/community science project can aid in both the monitoring of SDGs, and involvement of the public in delivery of SDG

The Grizzly, January 29, 2004

Myrin Library is Hit with Catastrophe • Myrin Library Water Damage: Photo Essay • Kerry Led in Iowa Caucuses • Opinions: Ursinus Greeks vs. Pop Culture; Farewell to E-Follett; Winter Weathered Out • Iowa Caucus Results • New Theater Production Sure to be a Hit! • Ursinus College Leadership Studies Program • Students Meet with Wynton Marsalis • A Prime Example of a Team Leader • UC Wrestling Recognizedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1551/thumbnail.jp