Conducting Research in a Developing Country: A Reflection-in-Action Perspective

ICT4D researchers acknowledge the instrumental role of cultural differences in determining project outcomes. Rarely, however, do they acknowledge culture’s role in the actual research process. This study explores the impact of cultural differences on research conducted by Western-based researchers in a developing country. In mid-2015, we went to Uganda to conduct research on mobile payment systems and technology use in healthcare. This study recounts our data collection process, particularly the unique challenges and opportunities that we experienced. We employ the theory of reflection-in-action to interpret our responses to disruptions to our research project. As part of our contribution to ICT4D research, we offer several recommendations for conducting research in a developing country.

Equipping the equippers : a covenant group training model for pastors

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Refocusing Distinctive Capabilities: Strategic Shifts in Baker Library Services

This paper outlines how Baker Library Services, a department of Harvard Business School's Knowledge and Library Services, has re-focused its distinctive capabilities in order to become more integrated with research and course development and increase the value its human and material resources contribute to research, teaching, and learning. As part of a multi-pronged strategy, this work has developed new individual and organizational capabilities, including a: Research Support Continuum, Research Services Delivery Model, Project Management Office, and service to support the development of Collaborative Research and Course Development Environment. The work is positioned as a journey with reference to an earlier report on the creation of a Curriculum Services Group, update on current initiatives, and outline of future plans for continuing priorities to achieve the group's strategic shifts

Integrating Students into Interdisciplinary Health and Health Disparities Research Teams

Major initiatives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the World Health Organization have produced a large and compelling body of evidence on how to reduce health disparities, which entails having a clear understanding of how social factors shape health and healthcare outcomes. Specifically, there is a need for healthcare professionals to understand social determinants of health (e.g., low socioeconomic status, lack of health insurance, and poor education) and how these lead to disparities in health for people of minority racial and ethnic groups. Little is known about how students are developed as health disparities researchers or how their research experiences impact their views about addressing social determinants of health as a career goal. The purpose of this paper is to describe how health and human sciences students were integrated into three minority HIV prevention and testing projects using the lifelong learning for health professionals (LLHP) principles and activities framework, which entails a focus on: (a) education, (b) community, and (c) organization in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of interdisciplinary research

Promoting Mammography Screenings in African American Women: Media, Church, and Health Providers

Due to the underutilization of screening mammography, African American women (AAW) are more likely to experience negative health outcomes after receiving a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis than White Women (WW). The purpose of this article is to examine the roles of the media, health community and the African American church and pastor and their potential impact in AAW screening decisions. Fifteen AAW, ages 45 and older, were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Most women agreed the African American pastor and church as well as the health community, and media are an integral part of their lives. Therefore, specific to the issue of breast cancer awareness, faith-based institutions, media, and health community may be able to create greater awareness to help promote timeliness to screening mammography and improvement of survival rates

The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Assessment Technology Institute NCLEX- RN Predictor Score

The ability to pass a rigorous nursing curriculum and subsequently pass the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam is a requirement for nursing students to enter the nursing profession. Test anxiety may lead students to perform poorly on exams but emotional intelligence (EI) may buffer stress, improve communication, decrease anxiety, and improve nursing performance. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study, guided by the EI theory, was to determine if there was a relationship among EI, the ATI -RN Comprehensive Predictor score, and first time pass rates on the NCLEX-RN among registered nurses who had graduated from an associate degree nursing program within the past 12 months. Emails were sent to 16,812 RNs from Ohio and Florida and posted on several social media sites. A total of 80 RNs ranging in age from 25-44 years completed the Schutte Self-Report EI survey. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression which revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship between associate degree RNs who graduated within the past year and had completed the ATI-RN NCLEX predictor exam and EI. Future research could include a mixed method research design to investigate common themes of nursing students about EI and include participants from other types of nursing programs. Findings from the current study may provide nursing program administers with information to assist students in passing important exams such as the NCLEX

Summer Research Internships at Biosphere 2 Center

Through the support of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth, Biosphere 2 Center hosted 11 research interns for 6 to 8 weeks each during the summer of 1997. In addition, we were able to offer scholarships to 14 students for Columbia University summer field courses. These two types of programs engaged students in much of the range of activity of practicing Earth Scientists, with an emphasis on the collection and analysis of data in both the field and the laboratory. Research interns and students in the field courses also played an important part in the design and evolution of their research projects. In addition to laboratory and field research, students participated in weekly research seminars by resident and visiting scientists. Research interns were exposed to the geology and ecology of the region via short field trips to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Mount Lemmon, Aravaipa Canyon and the Gulf of California, while field course students were exposed to laboratory-based research via intern-led hands-on demonstrations of their work. All students made oral and written presentations of their work during the summer, and two of the research interns have applied to present their results at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Maryland in April, 1998

Physical Therapy Clinical Instructor Self-Reported Evidence-Based Practice Use

Introduction: Evidence-based practice is a required component of student physical therapist education. Practice applying the five steps of evidence-based practice to patient care (formulate question, retrieve evidence, appraise evidence, integrate evidence, evaluate outcomes), most effectively performed during clinical education, must occur for students to become proficient. Clinical instructor use of evidence-based practice is essential to assure that student physical therapist practice occurs during clinical education. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess self-reported evidence-based practice use by physical therapy clinical instructors and examine whether an association exists between professional characteristics and evidence-based practice use. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study using an electronic survey to collect data on clinical instructor professional characteristics and evidence-based practice use. Results: Respondents included 376 physical therapists who were clinical instructors in the United States. Participant responses for frequency evidence-based practice steps use ranged from never to frequently. Specifically, respondents reported integrating evidence into clinical instruction: never 2.1% (n = 8); rarely 6.4% (n = 24); occasionally 13.3% (n = 50); sometimes 28.7% (n = 108); and frequently 49.5% (n = 186). There was no difference in evidence-based practice use as the result of age or highest degree. Respondents who were American Physical Therapy Association members or held an American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties certification reported using some of the evidence-based practice steps more frequently than those who were not. Discussion and Conclusion: Although the majority of respondents in this study reported using evidence-based practice to some extent, there was great variability. Student physical therapists may be exposed to evidence-based practice during clinical education since the majority of respondents, considering their role as clinical instructors, reported evidence-based practice use. However, exposure cannot be guaranteed for every student because some respondents reported never using evidence-based practice. Educational program use of supplemental learning activities during clinical experiences may facilitate student practice of all five steps of evidence-based practice during clinical education

Spatially resolved stis spectra of WR + OB binaries with colliding winds

We present spatially resolved spectra of the visual WR + OB massive binaries WR 86, WR 146, and WR 147, obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. The systems are classified as follows: WR 86 = WC 7 + BO III, WR 146 = WC 6 + O8 I-IIf, WR 147 = WN 8 + O5-7 I-II(f). Both WR 146 and WR 147 are known to have strong nonthermal radio emission arising in a wind-wind collision shock zone between the WR and OB components. We find that the spectra of their O companions show Hα profiles in emission, indicative of large mass-loss rates and consistent with the colliding-wind model. Our spectra indicate that the B component in WR 86 has a low mass-loss rate, which possibly explains the fact that WR 86, despite being a long-period WR + OB binary, was not found to be a strong nonthermal radio emitter. Because of the small mass-loss rate of the B-star component in WR 86, the wind collision region must be closer to the B star and smaller in effective area, hence generating smaller amounts of nonthermal radio emission. Absolute magnitudes for all the stars are estimated based on the spectral types of the components (based on the tables by Schmidt-Kaler for OB stars and van der Hucht for WR stars) and compared with actual, observed magnitude differences. While the derived luminosities for the WC 7 and BO III stars in WR 86 are consistent with the observed magnitude difference, we find a discrepancy of at least 1.5 mag between the observed luminosities of the components in each of WR 146 and WR 147 and the absolute magnitudes expected from their spectral types. In both cases, it looks as though either the WR components are about 2 mag too bright for their spectral types or that the O components are about 2 mag too faint. We discuss possible explanations for this apparent discrepancy.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica