\u3cb\u3ePersonal Reflection:\u3c/b\u3e What If...?

Excerpt: Parker Palmer (2003) describes an activity in the book Teaching where he asks people to introduce themselves by talking about a teacher who made a difference in their lives. He suggests that as the stories are told, the imprint of good teachers remains long after the facts that they have given us have faded. He goes on to say, “Then I ask the question that opens the deeper purpose…’What was it about you that allowed great mentoring to happen (Palmer, 2004, p. 14)?’” Palmer suggests that it is more than meeting the right teacher; the teacher must meet the right student. As I read Palmer’s chapter on “The Heart of a Teacher,” I began to consider his questions and to think about an educator who had made a significant difference in my life. His second question was more difficult- what was it about me that made the positive connection with this educator

Enhance, Extend, Empower: Understanding Faculty Use of E-Learning Technologies

[EN] There has been scant nation-wide assessment of institutional use of learning technology in Canada (Grant, 2016) and where assessment has been done of student access to e-resources, considerable variability within and across institutions has been reported (Kaznowska, Rogers, & Usher, 2011). With a broad goal of improved and increased use of learning technologies, one university wanted to explore the use of e-learning technologies across campus. The purpose of this study was to identify instructors' needs and aspirations with respect to how learning technologies at the university could be designed, implemented, and supported. The 3E framework of Enhance, Extend, Empower, proposed by Smyth, Burce, Fotheringham, & Mainka (2011), was useful in examining the underlying purposes of using e-learning technologies. For this qualitative study, the research team engaged 32 instructors in individual interviews or in focus groups to discuss how they currently use e-learning technologies, how they hope to advance their uses of these technologies, and their perceived barriers or enablers to implementation. The study has implications for practice and policy at postsecondary institutions; additionally, this study suggests possibilities for further research into the scholarship of teaching and learning in the context of e-learning technologies.Squires, V.; Turner, N.; Bassendowski, S.; Wilson, J.; Bens, S. (2017). Enhance, Extend, Empower: Understanding Faculty Use of E-Learning Technologies. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1033-1043. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.55081033104

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Needs, Opportunities and Preferred Futures in Arusha and Ngorongoro: Hearing women's Voices.

With the approaching sunset on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Tanzania continues with its final national push towards achievement of MDG #4 and MDG #5. The Mama Kwanza Socio-economic Health Initiative (MKSHI) was introduced in the hope of contributing to improving maternal, newborn, and child health in Arusha and Ngorongoro. The MKSHI project is a holistic, inter-sectoral approach to maternal, newborn, and child health which aligns with the Government of Tanzania's Vision 2025. At the project onset, a baseline assessment was conducted to launch ongoing benchmarking, monitoring, and evaluation of the project's impacts and implications. The aim of this baseline assessment was twofold. First it was to determine the state of maternal, newborn, and child health in the two project sites. Second it was to ensure that a baseline of key indicators was established as well as identification of unique indicators relevant to the populations of interest. The baseline study was a mixed methods approach to identify maternal, newborn, and child risk factors and indicators in the two target sites. This paper focuses on the qualitative methods and findings. The qualitative component included a series of five community dialogue meetings and thirty-seven individual/dyad interviews with women, providers, and stakeholders. Initially, community meetings were held as open dialogues on maternal, newborn, and child health issues, opportunities, and preferred futures. Individual/dyad interviews were held with women, providers, and stakeholders who held unique information or experiences. Both community dialogue and interview data was analysed for themes and guiding or critical comments. Three over-arching findings emerged: What took you so long to come? How do we know what you know? and How will it change for our daughters? Participant voices are vital in ensuring the achievement of local and global efforts and preferred futures for maternal, newborn, and child health services. This study contributes to the inclusion of women in all aspects of the planning, implementation, and delivery of maternal, newborn, and child health services in the target areas and beyond

Personal Reflection: What If...?

Excerpt: Parker Palmer (2003) describes an activity in the book Teaching where he asks people to introduce themselves by talking about a teacher who made a difference in their lives. He suggests that as the stories are told, the imprint of good teachers remains long after the facts that they have given us have faded. He goes on to say, “Then I ask the question that opens the deeper purpose…’What was it about you that allowed great mentoring to happen (Palmer, 2004, p. 14)?’” Palmer suggests that it is more than meeting the right teacher; the teacher must meet the right student. As I read Palmer’s chapter on “The Heart of a Teacher,” I began to consider his questions and to think about an educator who had made a significant difference in my life. His second question was more difficult- what was it about me that made the positive connection with this educator

Positive Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities for Aboriginal Youth: A Wise Practices Approach for Positive Aboriginal Youth Futures

Adolescence is a dynamic and complex period in any society, but within the Aboriginal population this time is one of significant social pressures, critical decisions, and struggles to emerge healthy. The Positive Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities for Aboriginal Youth (PL3A3Y) project created youth and Elder teams to explore cultural practices that may inform the youth’s paths to living well. Using a community-based participatory research approach, Elder–youth dyads developed and delivered five modules to 78 students at a local elementary school in response to the research question: What are the critical components of a “Living Well” healing initiative for Aboriginal youth? Through a 4-step process that included engagement, module creation, co-delivery, and knowledge sharing, the project’s community-based research team innovatively and using culturally appropriate approaches brought forward critical topics of Leaders and Leadership, Legacy, Lifestyles, Attitudes, and Activities. Not only did the Elder–youth dyads develop a series of highly relevant, creative, useful products that were shared extensively with youth in the community, but the experience became a culturally appropriate leadership development opportunity for the youth researchers. The involvement of Elder–youth teams was a strength in linking past to present and in jointly envisioning a positive, healthier future for Aboriginal youth. With youth as co-researchers, the Elders as partners were highly effective in the development and delivery of culturally relevant teachings and knowledge that strengthened youth’s ability to achieve holistic personal and community wellness