Skype in Qualitative Interviews: Participant and Researcher Perspectives

As Internet usage has increased, web-based technologies such as Skype and Face Time have become more common alternatives for qualitative interviewing, especially for research participants who are geographically distant from the researchers. Challenges to the use of these tools have been identified, but as technology is currently changing at a rapid pace, more recent research is needed to provide up-to-date information on the feasibility of web and video conferencing technologies for qualitative interviewing. This paper reflects on the experience of using Skype for qualitative research interviews (n=14) in a study of pregnancy and parenting in doctoral programs, including feedback from research participants who chose to complete the qualitative interview via Skype instead of telephone or face-to-face interviews. Twelve participants who completed Skype interviews provided feedback on their experiences using Skype for qualitative interviews. Feedback from participants highlight an overall positive perception of Skype interviews due to the availability of visual cues from researchers and flexibility, but participants also shared challenges in terms of technology issues and participants’ lack of expertise with the technology. Recommendations include the use of videoconferencing and digital technologies as an additional or alternative interview tool for qualitative interviews, especially for participants who have logistical challenges meeting researchers face-to-face

Understanding Sampling and Recruitment in Social Work Dissertation Research

The field of social work has increasingly focused on improving the quantity and rigor of its research. For many social work doctoral students, their first independent research experience begins with their dissertation, and yet, little is known about the factors that facilitate students’ success during this process. Sample recruitment is one step where significant and unexpected challenges can occur. As social justice is the central value of the profession, social work doctoral students may focus on research with vulnerable or marginalized populations; however, little research has been done that focuses on social work dissertations, samples used, and the process of recruitment. In this study, 215 doctoral-level social work graduates who completed their degree within the past ten years were surveyed about their dissertation research, with a focus on the sampling strategy and recruitment processes. Findings show that students have a wide diversity of experiences with the dissertation process. While 64.6% anticipant challenges around recruitment and sampling, only 54.9% encounter challenges. Less than half (44.7%) of study participants received guidance during this process and most (80.5%) felt the dissertation experience impacted subsequent research, both positively (40.5%) and negatively (9.8%). Based on these findings, doctoral programs are encouraged to increase supports available to dissertating students, particularly those recruiting study participants from vulnerable and marginalized populations. These supports include community connections, skills for obtaining gatekeeper buy-in, and both relational support and advice from dissertation committees and other colleagues

Using Social Network Analysis to Assess Professional Network Development among AGE\u3ci\u3eSW\u3c/i\u3e Pre-Dissertation Fellowship Program Participants

Professional networks are important for the success of doctoral students and early career faculty members, yet there is little research about what types of experiences help emerging scholars develop these networks. Social network analysis may be an ideal method for studying the effectiveness of training programs in nurturing network development among emerging scholars. We describe one application of this method, which was used to examine the professional networks formed through participation in the Association of Gerontological Education in Social Work (AGESW)’s Pre-Dissertation Fellowship Program (PDFP). Alumni (n = 12) from the first three cohorts of the program (2010–2012) reported meeting an average of 20 scholars (SD = 13.2) through AGESW, which led to potential professional interactions and collaborations on conference presentations and manuscripts. Although challenges with missing data limited the conclusions that can be drawn, we find that this method holds promise for helping to identify key factors that facilitate professional network development in pre-dissertation training programs such as the PDFP

The forgotten and misdiagnosed care transition: Live discharge from hospice care

Every aspect of the United States healthcare industry presents transitions in care—hospitalizations, rehabilitation, long-term care placement—each requiring careful attention. With a goal of maintaining safety during a known point of vulnerability for patients, discharge planning is required in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies under Medicare guidelines. Yet, no required discharge planning or clear guidelines are available for a discharge from hospice; it is a forgotten care transition in our healthcare system. Of the 1.6 million Medicare recipients hospices serve each year, hospices discharge 17.4% alive. Under Medicare regulations, if clinicians cannot document acceptable patient decline, then patients are decertified from hospice categorized as “no longer terminally ill”, otherwise known as a live discharge. These patients are often referred to as “not dying fast enough,” or “failure to die on time,” as ultimately, they are still dying, and they are still terminally ill, just not within the prescribed 6-month framework. This paper outlines what is known about the occurrences and experiences of live discharge from hospice care and provides suggestions for improving both practice and policy

Children`s TV programmes in germany between high quality standards and economy (as an example: the pre-school children’s series Sesame Street)

Seit mehr als fünf Jahrzehnten gibt es in Deutschland Kinderfernsehen. In dieser Zeit haben sich die Fernsehlandschaft und damit auch das angebotene Kinderprogramm erheblich verändert. Mit dem Aufkommen der privaten Fernsehanbieter in den 1980er Jahren verstärkte sich die Konkurrenz zwischen den einzelnen Sendern erheblich. Auswirkungen auf das Kinderfernsehen sind zu erkennen, denn Kinder werden als Zielgruppe von Fernsehverantwortlichen und der werbetreibenden Wirtschaft mit besonderem Interesse betrachtet. Dafür sind nicht zuletzt ökonomische Gründe entscheidend. Das Kinderfernsehen befindet sich heute im Zwiespalt zwischen hohen Qualitätsansprüchen und jenen marktorientierten Erfordernissen, die Konkurrenz und ökonomische Rahmenbedingungen bestimmen. Dabei ist Qualität keineswegs interessenfrei zu definieren. Vielmehr ist von erheblichen Diskrepanzen bezüglich der Frage auszugehen, wie sich Qualität im Kinderfernsehen manifestiert, wenn man die Ansprüche der Kinder, die Erwartungen der Eltern, die verschiedenen Standpunkte von Pädagogen und die Vorstellungen der Fernsehverantwortlichen miteinander vergleicht. Die Studie arbeitet die seit den 1990er Jahren erschienene medienpädagogische Literatur zum Thema Kinderfernsehen in Deutschland auf und analysiert sie unter dem Aspekt des Gegensatzes von Qualität und Ökonomie. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Frage, in welchem Maße die ökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen und der Quotendruck Qualitätsstandards des Kinderfernsehens beeinflussen. Hierbei ist die differente Situation zwischen den öffentlich-rechtlichen Sendern und den privaten Fernsehanbietern zu berücksichtigen. Am Beispiel der Vorschulserie Sesamstrasse soll ein Konzept zur Fernseherziehung für Vorschulkinder analysiert werden, das den Spagat zwischen Qualität und ökonomischen Erfordernissen seit 30 Jahren erfolgreich praktiziert. Das neue Sendekonzept und die Formen seiner Umsetzung werden dargestellt.For more than five decades, children’s TV programmes have been broadcast worldwide. During this period, TV itself and thus children’s programmes have undergone considerable changes. Since the beginning of the 1980’s, competition has risen among the different broadcasting companies as private entrepreneurs swept onto the as yet underdeveloped TV market. The effect of this development can be seen in children’s programmes as children are now seen as potential and wealthy consumers by makers of TV and producers of consumer goods alike. As one main factor for this development economic reasons have to be mentioned. Today’s children’s TV has to be regarded as struggling in a conflict between high quality standards on one hand and broadcaster’s economic needs on the other, which in turn depend on economical factors and competition. Bearing these facts in mind, “quality” itself cannot be seen as detached from the TV broadcaster’s main interests, i.e. making profit. The main problem remains how to define “quality” in children’s programmes. The answer to this question varies greatly as consumers of TV, i.e. children, parents, educational groups and makers of TV all have different perspectives as to what constitutes ‘quality’ in children’s programmes. This thesis reviews some of the scientific literature concerned with children’s media awareness since the early 1990s, focussing on the contradictory aspects “quality” vs. “economy”. Special attention is put to the question as to how far the required high standards of children’s TV programmes are influenced by economically set frames and the demands through viewer’s pressure figures. Also, the reality of funding is fundamentally different with state-sponsored broadcasters on one hand and private TV companies on the other. This has to be taken into account. With the help of the pre-school children’s series Sesame Street, a concept of educational TV for (kindergarten) children is examined as this series is one of the prime examples of how to bridge the gap between quality children’s TV and economical limitation. Sesame Street has been highly successful for the past thirty years, as it has been developed from its original concept, altering only slightly over the years to accommodate new ideas within the educational world. This study shows how this is achieved