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Research Experience (research + experience)
Selected AbstractsCosta Rican Research Experiences: Mid-1950s and Early 1960sFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008Linda Nelson Qualitative research projects with rural Costa Rican women in two different villages are reported. One dealt with possessed, desired, and (by default) rejected kitchen facilities. A pictorial method was used to prompt the homemakers' decisions. The other research explored time activity patterns of homemakers based on observed activities compared to their predictions and recollections of their activities for the day observed. Time use goals were inferred from the data. Detailed methodological procedures are provided for each study. Research data as well as field journal quotations are included to illustrate the cultural learning experiences and the work is written in first person. [source] What becomes of dental research trainees once they leave the Dental Research Institute?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2008An analysis over 53 years Abstract The careers of 131 dental research trainees were followed (1954,2007) to establish whether and how they utilised their research training in keeping with clinical research workforce needs. The Dental Research Institute database was used to obtain trainee demographic, teaching and research outputs which were examined according to degree types: PhD (18); MSc (55); MDent (42) and dropout (16). Current careers show that 48% are in exclusive private practice and 15% in exclusive academia with further 15% practitioners having academic links via sessional teaching or research at a dental school. Most (63%) have remained in South Africa but emigration is high amongst the PhD and MSc groups. Forty-one per cent of the cohort is of age ,55 years and 16% <40 years old. The 131 trainees have published 2287 peer-reviewed journal papers over their careers: quantity of research output is skewed towards degree type (PhD) and individuals (10% trainees produced 65% of all publications). Recent trainees have little research experience prior to their training and a lower subsequent research output than earlier trainees. PhDs have participated in research for the greatest length of time (29.1 years). Academic teaching is heavily reliant on older and PhD trainees. It is proposed that a threshold of four publications be used to indicate minimum research skills and a period of formal academic teaching taken into account when advocating criteria to assess clinical research workforce requirements. [source] ,Partnership': a co-operative inquiry between community mental health nurses and their clients.JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 4 2000The aim of this study was to explore the utility of co-operative enquiry between community mental health nurses and their clients. The research design was a form of co-operative enquiry. Two nurses and two clients volunteered to participate as co-researchers and co-subjects with two facilitators in a co-operative inquiry group. The subject of the inquiry, agreed by the group, was the relationship between the nurse and client. The method for the inquiry was developed by the participants and consisted of dialogue groups. This paper provides a description of the research design and methodology with a first-person account of the research experience and reflections by the two facilitators. The process is considered with particular reference to the influence of the study facilitators. Their position changes from wanting to influence an ,external' relationship to one of being influenced within the research relationship over time through reflection and growing self-awareness. This results in the inquiry ultimately being driven by the agenda of the group rather than the process. The outcomes of the study were both informative and transformative and the content of the inquiry relating to the nurse,client relationship will be presented in a second paper. [source] Non-mathematical problem solving in organic chemistryJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 6 2010David P. Cartrette Abstract Differences in problem-solving ability among organic chemistry graduate students and faculty were studied within the domain of problems that involved the determination of the structure of a molecule from the molecular formula of the compound and a combination of IR and 1H NMR spectra. The participants' performance on these tasks was compared across variables that included amount of research experience, year of graduate study, and level of problem-solving confidence. Thirteen of the 15 participants could be classified as either "more successful" or "less successful." The participants in this study who were "more successful" adopted consistent approaches to solving the problems; were more likely to draw molecular fragments obtained during intermediate stages in the problem-solving process; were better at mining the spectral data; and were more likely to check their final answer against the spectra upon which the answer was based. Experience from research, teaching, and course work were found to be important factors influencing the level of participants' success. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47:643,660, 2010 [source] The influence of core teaching conceptions on teachers' use of inquiry teaching practicesJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 9 2007Christine Lotter This article investigates three teachers' conceptions and use of inquiry-based instructional strategies throughout a professional development program. The professional development program consisted of a 2-week summer inquiry institute and research experience in university scientists' laboratories, as well as three academic year workshops. Insights gained from an in-depth study of these three secondary teachers resulted in a model of teacher conceptions that can be used to direct future inquiry professional development. Teachers' conceptions of inquiry teaching were established through intensive case,study research that incorporated extensive classroom observations and interviews. Through their participation in the professional development experience, the teachers gained a deeper understanding of how to implement inquiry practices in their classrooms. The teachers gained confidence and practice with inquiry methods through developing and presenting their institute-developed inquiry lessons, through observing other teachers' lessons, and participating as students in the workshop inquiry activities. Data analysis revealed that a set of four core conceptions guided the teachers' use of inquiry-based practices in their classrooms. The teachers' conceptions of science, their students, effective teaching practices, and the purpose of education influenced the type and amount of inquiry instruction performed in the high school classrooms. The research findings suggest that to be successful inquiry professional development must not only teach inquiry knowledge, but it must also assess and address teachers' core teaching conceptions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1318,1347, 2007 [source] The NHS forensic mental health R&D programme: Developing new talent or maintaining a stage army?PERSONALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2008Keith Soothill This paper considers the successful recipients of the 79 project awards made during the 12-year ,life' (1996,2007) of the NHS Forensic Mental Health (FMH) R&D programme. The focus is on whether the 213 persons (principal investigators (PIs) and/or co-investigators (CIs)) represent new talent or existing academic entrepreneurs in the FMH field. Amongst PIs, awards were almost without exception given to researchers with an established research track record. Forensic psychiatrists continue to be the main players, but other research groupings are emerging as PIs. In contrast, CIs range more widely in terms of previous research experience and professional background. 38.5 percent had no apparent experience of previous funded research projects apart from grants funded by the FMH programme. Hence, CIs are the source of new talent amongst the programme's project awards. The authors warn of the dangers of losing the benefits of this investment as policy priorities shift. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Perspectives on research evidence and clinical practice: a survey of Australian physiotherapistsPHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2007Karen Grimmer-Somers Abstract Background and Purpose.,Physiotherapists' use of research evidence with clinical decision-making has interested researchers world-wide since 1980; however, little is known about such practices in Australia. The present survey sought information on Australian physiotherapists' perceptions of the importance of research, and barriers to uptake of evidence in clinical practice, when compared with an international cohort from 2001.,Method.,An Australian-relevant version of an English (UK) National Health Service (NHS) survey instrument was used to canvass 453 physiotherapists, randomly selected from the South Australian Physiotherapy Registration Board 2004,2005 records. The first survey was mailed in August 2005, a reminder was sent two weeks later to non-responders and a follow-up survey was sent in April 2006 to non-responders whose addresses had changed since 2005.,Results.,There was a 51% response rate. Of the non-responders, 12% were not contactable at their listed address, highlighting the mobility of Australian physiotherapists. Most respondents had undertaken research as students (59.5%) or as students and clinicians (11.5%). Of these, 37.1% were encouraged to embark on more research, and 20.5% were discouraged. The significant predictors of positive perceived importance of research were: previous research experience; being positive about undertaking further research; working in hospitals and holding a postgraduate degree. Clinicians working privately were significantly less likely than managers to be positive about research importance. The only significant predictor for not perceiving barriers to uptake of evidence was being positive about undertaking future research.,Conclusions.,The study identified constraints on uptake of evidence into practice that were related to accessing, reading and interpreting published research, and implementing findings. Found consistently across employment categories were barriers relating to lack of time, uncertainty about what the research reported, scepticism about the value of research and being isolated from peer support and literature sources. The responses indicated a positive shift towards evidence uptake since the 2001 NHS survey, suggesting an influence of increased exposure to information on evidence-based practice. A greater focus on research whilst training, the application of educational strategies for empowerment, better knowledge transfer and upskilling within the workplace, and ensuring dedicated time and organizational support for research activities are indicated. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Introduction: WHAT IS A CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL AND WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?ANNALS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2004Madelyn Iris A field school experience remains the exception rather than the common experience for most undergraduate and pre-dissertation graduate students in social/cultural anthropology. There are a growing number of programs that describe themselves as anthropology field schools, but fewer that emphasize a research experience and in-depth exposure to ethnographic and other qualitative methods. This bulletin offers detailed descriptions of four types of programs: "problem-focused" field schools, "instructor-driven" programs, "applied" anthropology field schools, and the "study-tour" model. Other chapters include descriptions of the field school experience from the student perspective; a long-term reflection on the influence of the field school summer on career development; the importance of mentorship; the relationship between field schools, service learning, and homestay experiences; ethical issues; and guidelines for choosing a field school. [source] Engaging with Aboriginal communities in an urban context: some practical suggestions for public health researchersAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 1 2009Priscilla Pyett Objective: In this paper, one Indigenous and two non-Indigenous public health researchers reflect on our combined experience of over thirty years in Aboriginal health, in order to develop some practical guidelines, particularly for researchers working with urban Indigenous population groups. Approach: Public health research is important not only to address the health inequities experienced by Australia's Indigenous populations, but also to build knowledge and confidence and to inform practice in Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations. Ethical guidelines and previous research experience demonstrate that researchers need to engage with the communities that may be involved in or affected by the research they propose. Although more than half of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population live in urban and regional centres, most research and commentaries address the health and social issues of remote communities. Researchers often do not know how to engage with urban Aboriginal communities and how to approach the particular research challenges within this context. Conclusion and Implications: The practical guidelines suggested in this paper may assist public health researchers to conduct ethical health research that is planned and carried out in a culturally appropriate way and that will benefit urban Aboriginal people. While not intended to be prescriptive, we believe that the lessons learned in Victoria will be applicable to other urban Indigenous contexts around Australia. [source] Perils and Promise in Defining and Measuring Mindfulness: Observations From ExperienceCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2004Kirk Warren Brown As mindfulness research advances on a variety of fronts, it has become increasingly important to carefully define and measure the construct. In this commentary, we draw from our recent research experience on these topics in addressing four issues of primary concern to Bishop et al: The nature of mindfulness, the role of acceptance in the phenomenon, the relation between mindfulness and meditation, and the measurement of mindfulness in meditative and other contexts. [source] Paradox of participation: giving or taking part?JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2004Kerlijn Quaghebeur Abstract In this article we address our experiences with a so-called participatory approach in a Vietnamese-Belgian water management project. This project aimed, in its social science component, at stimulating and studying processes of reflexive social learning and of participation and negotiation on local water management issues and on project activities. In this article we intend to show how specific project-related strategies and attempts towards facilitating participation fail and how other initiatives seem to succeed or at least to elicit valuable processes of negotiation and learning. We start from the commonly held view on participation as committed to reverse or subvert power relations. However, our research experiences indicate that participation is always part of an operation of power, governing people to behave themselves in a particular determined way. From this Foucauldian governmental perspective, we are able to reconsider the success and failure of participatory approaches, not so much in terms of the effectiveness of their application, but rather in terms of the possibility to refuse ,participatory' government. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An expanded role for dietitians in maximising retention in nutrition and lifestyle intervention trials: implications for clinical practiceJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2010L. M. Delahanty Abstract The demand for clinical trials targeting lifestyle intervention has increased as a result of the escalation in obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Little is published about the strategies that dietitians have used to successfully screen potential study volunteers, implement interventions and maximise adherence and retention in large multicentre National Institutes of Health funded nutrition and lifestyle intervention clinical trials. This paper discusses an expanded role for the contributions of dietitians as members of an interdisciplinary team based on research experiences in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, Diabetes Prevention Program and Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes). Many of the strategies and insights discussed are also relevant to effective clinical practice. Dietitians need to broaden their scope of practice so that they are integrated proactively into the screening and intervention phases of large clinical trials to maximise retention and adherence to assigned nutrition, lifestyle and behavioural interventions. The skills of dietitians are a unique fit for this work and it is important that investigators and project managers consider including them in both the screening and intervention phases of such clinical trials to maximise retention results. [source] Folk theories of "inquiry:" How preservice teachers reproduce the discourse and practices of an atheoretical scientific methodJOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE TEACHING, Issue 5 2004Mark Windschitl Despite the ubiquity of the term "inquiry" in science education literature, little is known about how teachers conceptualize inquiry, how these conceptions are formed and reinforced, how they relate to work done by scientists, and if these ideas about inquiry are translated into classroom practice. This is a multicase study in which 14 preservice secondary science teachers developed their own empirical investigations,from formulating questions to defending results in front of peers. Findings indicate that participants shared a tacit framework of what it means to "do science" which shaped their investigations and influenced reflections on their inquiries. Some facets of the participants' shared model were congruent with authentic inquiry; however, the most consistent assumptions were misrepresentations of fundamental aspects of science: for example, that a hypothesis functions as a guess about an outcome, but is not necessarily part of a larger explanatory system; that background knowledge may be used to provide ideas about what to study, but this knowledge is not in the form of a theory or other model; and that theory is an optional tool one might use at the end of a study to help explain results. These ideas appear consistent with a "folk theory" of doing science that is promoted subtly, but pervasively, in textbooks, through the media, and by members of the science education community themselves. Finally, although all participants held degrees in science, the participants who eventually used inquiry in their own classrooms were those who had significant research experiences in careers or postsecondary study and greater science-content background. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 481,512, 2004 [source] | ||||||||||||||||