title: An Evaluation of the Paths Curriculum in the Context of Theories of Social-Emotional Development

subject: PATHS, social emotional skills, Nova Scotia children

abstract: Experiencing trauma, particularly within the primary caregiving environment can have a negative effect on the development of social-emotional skills, particularly self-regulation in children. School success is dependent upon social-emotional skills making it important for schools to have programs that teach social-emotional skills. PATHS is a social-emotional learning program widely used in schools in Nova Scotia. The study examined whether PATHS is a good curriculum to use in schools with children who have experienced trauma using a framework based on research about social-emotional learning and the developmental needs of traumatized children identified by the Attachment Regulation Competency (ARC) model. In general, the PATHS curriculum introduces social-emotional skills in a manner that could be beneficial for all students, but additional supports would likely be needed to address the individual areas of competency and difficulty and build the necessary skills of children who have experienced trauma. Recommendations are about implementing PATHS in a real school environment.


title: Playing with possibilities: Facilitation of theatre collective creation for social justice in the secondary drama classroom

subject:
Theatre Collective Creation
Social Justice
Drama teaching
Internationally Educated Teachers
Arts-informed research
Participatory Action Research

abstract:
The purpose of this study was to inform and improve the practice of a secondary
drama teacher using Theatre Collective Creation (TCC) in her classroom, particularly
TCC as a means of exploring/experiencing social justice. The guiding questions were:
 How can the experience of facilitating a Theatre Collective with female
Internationally Educated Teachers inform and improve my practice as a
secondary drama teacher?
 What are the ways that teachers can best facilitate Theatre Collective for
social justice in their classrooms?
A crucial aspect of the research project was to use the process of TCC to develop a play
with a group of female Internationally Educated Teachers, and to then draw parallels
between that experience of theatre collective facilitation and the teacher’s previous
theatre collective facilitation in the secondary drama classroom with students. There are
two scripts included in this thesis: one was co-written throughout the research project by
the researcher and the group of female Internationally Educated Teachers, and the other
was written by the researcher herself, as a creative means of representing the thesis
conclusions.
To the drama teacher involved, the study both informed and improved her
teaching practice and revealed the ways in which her facilitation of TCC for social
justice functioned effectively and how it might be improved. These discoveries in the
data (Chapter Four) are explored in terms of moments of confirmation (building
relationships and a safe, creative atmosphere) and difficult discoveries (organization,
personal expectation/ influence on the process, acknowledging cultural difference and silences within the process and among participants). The researcher concluded that
while some authority is required for safety and productivity in the TCC process, the
facilitator must also recognize the fluidity of power relations between facilitator and
participants.
This study drew on Arts-based Research (ABR), particularly Drama and TCC as
a form of ABR and was influenced by Cross-Cultural Research and Feminist
Participatory Action Research.


title: The Role of Parent Personality and Attribution Style in Preschool Children’s Play Behaviour

format: Full-text application/pdf

subject:
Child play behaviors
Childcare providers

abstract: Parent personality and attribution style are two important variables which have been shown to independently contribute to child outcomes. To my knowledge, researchers have yet to examine the interaction of these two variables to predict child play behaviours. The current study examined the role of parent personality dimensions and attribution style in preschool children’s play behaviours. Participants included 37 parents and 23 childcare providers of children aged 2 to 4 years old registered in part-time or full-time daycare in the Ottawa region. The results yielded several significant findings. In terms of parent personality, parents’ higher rates of Openness to Experience were related to children’s increased social play as well as children’s increased rough-and-tumble play. Parents’ higher levels of Openness to Experience were also related to children’s decreased solitary-active play. In terms of parent attributions, for children who engaged in more solitary-passive play, parents depicted their child’s misbehaviours as less typical and more situational. For children who engaged in predominantly solitary-active play, parents were more likely to make less purposeful attributions. Three significant interactions were also revealed. For parents with higher levels of Openness to Experience, their children's increases in rough-and-tumble play were related to more stable attributions. For parents with lower levels of Openness to Experience, their children's increases in rough-and-tumble play were related to less purposeful attributions. Lastly, for parents lower in Conscientiousness, their children's increases in solitary-passive play were related to less typical attributions. Limitations of the study were explored. Implications of these findings and others are discussed in terms of possible ‘red flag’ combinations of variables and importance of early-targeted interventions for children and families


title: Exploring the "Hidden Curriculum" in Emergency Medicine Training Programs

subject:
Canada
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical personnel

abstract:
Introduction:

The Emergency Department (ED) is popular with learners. Amid the chaos we teach,

sometimes oblivious to messages sent and lessons taught. This exploration of the "hidden

curriculum" is a glimpse at the some of the content of this curriculum in two postgraduate

Emergency Medicine (EM) programs. The objective of this study was to stimulate

reflection on the importance of role modeling in medical education and hopefully to

moderate the content.

Methods:

A survey and subsequent focus group interviews of faculty and residents in two

Emergency Medicine (EM) training programs was conducted. The surveys were mailed

in October 2005 and the focus group interviews conducted in May 2006.

Results:

The main focus of the hidden curriculum messages were inter- and intra-disciplinary

disrespect in the provision of care. Messages also related to patient care in the form of

lack of respect, laughing at patients, and blaming them. Other elements identified

included gender issues, lifestyle expectations and financial concerns.

Conclusions:

The perceived content of the hidden curriculum was different for faculty and residents.

We must heighten role-modeling consciousness.


title: Assessing the physical environment in adult day program for persons with dementia

subject:
Adult day programs
Dementia
Health services - Nova Scotia

abstract:
This research assesses physical environments in adult day programs in Nova
Scotia in terms of their appropriateness for persons with dementia. Researchers have
found that when physical environments are well designed, they can significantly
compensate for decreased cognitive ability and can impact the behaviour and well being
of people with dementia. The Personal Environment Fit Model (Lawton & Nahemow,
1973) is used in this study as it recognizes that behaviour and affect are outcomes of a
person’s level of competence interacting with an environment’s level of press.
This study reports the reliability and validity tests of an adult day program
physical environment assessment tool (ADPPEAT) designed by the author. Additionally,
an assessment of the extent to which adult day program environments in Nova Scotia
implement the key physical environment design principles follows. All adult day
programs (N=27) were included in the cross-sectional design of this study. A sub-sample
of four centres were re-assessed for reliability purposes. Descriptive information is
presented on characteristics of the programs: type and number of clientele, hours and
days of operation, services offered, funding sources and information on support networks.
The results of this research indicated significant relationships between different
categories of adult day programs and their implementation of the physical environment
design principles. Adult day programs that were supported with District Health Authority
(DHA) and/or Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) funding were found to have
significantly more design features that provide safety and security, opportunity for meaningful activities, opportunity to function independently and space for the staff, than
adult day programs that were not supported with DHA/ DHW funding. Adult day
programs that were open for a full day and operating 2+ days a week were found to have
significantly more design features that provide safety and security and opportunity for
meaningful activities, good ‘visual access’ and functional independence within the
program for persons with dementia than adult day programs operating 1 day a week;
40.7% of adult day programs operate 1 day a week.
The relative importance of the design in creating a dementia friendly physical
environment in community-based services is demonstrated in the findings of the research.
Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that people with dementia do not experience themselves
and their physical and social environments as separate. Each element, the personal,
physical and social, comprise an integral piece to understanding the experience of the
person with dementia. Future research would benefit from incorporating an assessment of
the supportive environment (programming, staff-client-family- relationships) in adult day
programs to capture a more holistic approach.


title: Bridging Undergraduate Medical Education in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) To Physicians’ Early Detection Practices

subject:
Medical Education
Children
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

abstract:
Health care providers, parents, and educators are calling for earlier diagnosis and
treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a devastating, life-long disorder
that puzzles and even paralyzes both parents and professionals. Delayed diagnosis of
ASD and constrained developmental surveillance is a critical issue because of
physicians’ variable detection practices and the increasing prevalence of ASD. The
premise of this inquiry was to discover if the variability in physicians’ practices also
exists in undergraduate medical education, because once physicians leave medical
education, continuing medical education has limited effect on practice behavior.
Therefore, the rationale of this study was this: medical school is the best setting-and
where there is the greatest opportunity-to teach physicians about ASD and early
detection practices.
Borrowing from an ethnographic perspective, this study investigated curricula
and education practices used in an undergraduate medical school for identifying and
treating children with ASD. Rich descriptions of these curricula, along with common
themes emerged from the data which included telephone interview transcripts from 13
participants (2 medical school administrators, 7 fourth year medical students, and 4
instructors), curricula syllabi, and in some instances curricula content. The analysis of
the findings followed Miles & Huberman’s Interactive Model and the Six-Step
Approach to Curriculum Development for Medical Education. Methods such as
triangulation, respondent validation, and member checking confirmed the findings. This
needs assessment of undergraduate medical education provides a framework for the
content and structure of ASD curricula in order to understand and to change the
underpinnings of physician detection practices. Three factors delay ASD diagnosis until late preschool: physician detection
practices, misinterpreted and inaccurate parent reports, and the symptomatic nature of
ASD. The findings suggest all the factors that delay diagnosis in clinical practice are
present in current practices in undergraduate medical education. Four major themes
emerged: (1) Curricula structure and medical education’s current pressures affect child
development and ASD integration in the curricula; (2) Students learn basic
developmental milestones as a method to detect ASD and other developmental
disorders; (3) Clinical guidance is constrained for detection practices of ASD and other
developmental disorders, and (4) Students experience limited ASD patient contact and
do not have the skills for early detection practice. These findings provide opportunities
and have implications for learning and teaching ASD curricula in undergraduate medical
school.
This study offers insight to the practice gap in early child health surveillance and
provides educational goals and teaching strategies for medical students on early
detection practices. The findings provide curriculum planners with a baseline for
evaluating the impact of ASD curricula. The long-term goal of this research is to ensure
ASD curricula is relevant and succinctly comprehensive. The anticipated long-term
outcome is to prepare medical students for their future practices so they have a positive
impact on the health of children with ASD and their families.


title: Domination in Ecofeminist Discourse

subject:
Feminist ethics
Feminist theory
Ecofeminism
Domination

abstract:
In this thesis, I explore the concept of domination in ecofeminist discourse. This exploration

is facilitated through theoretical discussion and personal narrative. I specifically

consider three ways in which domination is conceptualized: as a product of progress; as

a way of thinking; and as a complex system of interconnected oppressions. For each of

these categories, I outline the general tenets of ecofeminist theory pertinent to the categorization;

I highlight some issues with the theory; and I explore some resulting insights.

I argue that although ecofeminist theory contains some contradictions and intricacies,

taken together, it offers a valuable perspective on the issue of domination, and this perspective

seems to be neglected by academic scholarship. In conclusion, I draw on the

work of Maria Lugones. I explore her concept of curdled logic and complex communication

as a possible means of addressing some of the problematic issues within ecofeminism,

and as a means of addressing academic marginalization.


title: Cultural Learning in Medicine

subject:
medical students
medical school
communities of practice
Culture

abstract:
Many papers have indicated that the medical school experience has a negative
impact on the attitudes of medical students (Becker, 1958; Knight, 1981; Muller, 1984;
Retzel, 1974; Rosenburg & Silver, 1984; Weinstein, 1983; Wolf, 1989). The social
structure of medicine and the culture of medicine each make a significant contribution to
the development of students as they develop their identities as physicians. This thesis
attempts to enrich current formulations of the forces that influence the development of
the medical student by utilizing literature and research from education, anthropology and
psychology.
Individuals grow and develop by participating in a culture and simultaneously the
culture evolves because of the participation of individuals. The medical culture exerts a
powerful influence on the student to develop along acceptable trajectories within the
medical culture.
A major task for medical students is to develop their identities as physicians. As
they follow their trajectory through medicine they must reconcile past experiences with
present ones as they create identities for themselves.
The medical school class forms a community of practice where significant
learning occurs. Taken together, the different communities of practice of medicine form a
constellation of communities, which constitute the culture of medicine. Medical students
occupy a unique position not only within their medical class community of practice, but
also within the communities they visit and within the overall culture of medicine.
Understanding these social relationships may help us understand better the forces that
direct the development of students.
Changes to the medical culture can occur and this may be facilitated by changes
in medical education. Hopefully this thesis can stimulate further discussions about the
struggles that students face when exposed to the culture of medicine and the potential
curriculum changes that could better support student development


title: Chinese International Students’ Understanding of Career and Attitudes toward Career Counselling Services

subject:
Public opinion
Foreign students
Information services
China
Attitudes
Vocational guidance
Nova Scotia
College students
Employment
Canada

abstract: Following the policy to globalize Canadian higher education, the demographics on Canadian campuses are internationalized. Chinese international students account for 23% of full-time visa students in Canadian universities. Although career related issues are of major concern for Chinese international students who want to stay in Canada or plan to return to China, studies about their career needs and attitudes towards career counselling are limited. Existing research tends to ignore the dynamic social and economic changes occurring in China and treats Chinese international students as if they were a homogenous group. This research is situated in the premise of social constructionism which emphasizes the importance of social processes, interactions and the centrality of language in the production of knowledge. Eight Chinese international students who were in the senior year of their undergraduate studies in Halifax, Canada were selected to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Eight themes emerged from the interview data such as, multiple comprehensions of the meaning of career versus job and work; contextualized motivations involved in career planning; less dominant parental roles and growing independent decision making and so on. The research shows that social constructionism provides new perspectives for cross-cultural studies by revealing multiple truths and interrelated contingencies involved in examining career related issues and exploring cross-cultural differences. The study has implications for career counselling and higher education.


title: The influence of experiential learning on self perceptions of cultural competence

subject:
self perception
cultural competence
practicum

abstract:
The focus of this research study was to examine Child and Youth Study undergraduates’
self perceptions of cultural competence following completion of their most recent practicum
placement. Qualitative research methods were used to gain an in-depth understanding of the
students’ perceptions and eleven students participated through interviews with the researcher.
Thematic analysis, as described by Attride-Sterling (2001), was used to explore three global
themes that were identified through examination of basic and organizing themes. The three
global themes identified indicated that 1) the participants’ background and level of experience
with diverse cultures influence their self perceptions of cultural competence; 2) coursework and
practicum experiences influence the students’ self perceptions of cultural competence; and, 3)
students expressed motivation to learn more about and interact more with diverse individuals.
The study results may be of interest to those involved in professional training programs who
actively encourage multicultural experiential learning through a variety of practica. Students
indicated an interest in greater diversity through practica, more opportunities for debriefing
during practica, and increased opportunities for professional development. Additional research in
this area is important in order to better prepare future child and youth professionals for a career
in the helping profession. Future investigations may aim to engage a more diverse group of
participants as a means to broaden the perspective beyond what is presented in this study.


title: Parents and teachers perceptions of the program planning process for children with autism in one Newfoundland and Labrador school district

subject: Autism

subject: Autism Spectrum Disorder

subject: Public School System -- Newfoundland and Labrador

abstract:
The number of children being diagnosed with autism, a pervasive developmental
disorder, has risen dramatically in recent years (Kendall & Comer, 2010). Children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder typically attend public schools in Newfoundland and
Labrador (NL) and individual program plans are developed to meet their needs. The
program planning process involves collaboration among school personal, medical and
developmental specialists, and the child’s family (Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador, Department of Education, 2007). The purpose of this study was to investigate
parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of the program planning and implementation process
when working with children with autism in one geographic area of NL. Results indicated
that teachers and parents shared similar perceptions on several points such as when
describing autism. Both parents and teachers mentioned that autism was associated with
social and communication deficits. They also noted the importance of working with
children with autism to improve their social skills and general behavior. However,
participants had different perspectives in some areas, especially regarding the program
planning process around issues of involvement, program implementation, and providing
needed services. Results suggested that the shared perspectives of parents and teachers on
some issues would be a good starting point for continued dialogue to ensure that children
with autism are receiving needed services and optimal programming.


title: The Development and Status of School Psychology: Comparing and Contrasting Canada and Romania

subject: School psychology, Canadian schools, Romanian schools,

abstract: School psychology is an essential service in Canada. The development of the field spans over 100 years. School psychology is overseen by regulatory bodies and training and development requirements are fairly consistent across programs and provinces/territories. Given the country’s political history, psychological services in Romanian schools are not as well defined and/or accessible as they are in Canada. Comparing and contrasting the systems will help to synthesize recommendations for the continuing development of school psychology in Romania. Specifically, we aimed to compare and contrast the following areas: (1) training and development; (2) preparation and scope of practice; (3) public perception of the psychological services provided by school psychologists; and (4) ease of access to these services. First an extensive review of the history, development, and current status of school psychology in Canada was completed using peer-reviewed journal articles and position papers, information from professional websites (e.g., Canadian Psychological Association, Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia), university websites, and relevant popular press articles. Second, a review of the history, development, and current status of school psychology in Romania was conducted using similar sources. Finally, an examination of similarities and differences between Canadian and Romanian school psychology was completed, to provide recommendations for the further development of the field of school psychology in Romania.


title: Examining the Relationships Between Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy, Emotion Regulation, and Academic Motivation

subject: Parental meta-emotion philosophy, emotion regulation, academic motivation.

abstract:
The purpose of the current study was to fill a gap in the current literature by examining a
theoretical model hypothesizing that parental meta-emotion philosophy is related to emotion regulation abilities in children and that this relationship indirectly and directly predicts children’s academic motivation. Researchers suggest that a similar model linking parental meta-emotion philosophy, emotion regulation, and academic achievement exists, providing support for the framework of this novel conceptual model. To test this model, children in grades four to six in schools in New Brunswick and their parents/caregivers were recruited. Children were asked to complete a self-report measure of academic motivation and parents/caregivers were asked to complete a measure of parental meta-emotion philosophy and a measure assessing their child’s emotion regulation abilities. Correlational analyses were conducted to assess whether all variables in the model were related to one another and hierarchical regressions were conducted to assess whether parental meta-emotion philosophy and children’s emotion regulation abilities predict children’s academic motivation. Results suggest that parental meta-emotion philosophy is
related to children’s emotion regulation abilities and academic motivation, children’s emotion regulation abilities are related to their academic motivation, and together, parental meta-emotion philosophy and children’s emotion regulation abilities predict academic motivation and a motivation. The results of the study provide implications for future research, contribute to parental meta-emotion philosophy research, and further strengthen the argument that parental meta-emotion philosophy is an important predictor of positive child outcomes. Results also have implications for parents and school psychologists by providing them with information regarding how to help children achieve positive outcomes.


title: The Contributions of Oral Language Components to Reading Comprehension in Early Elementary Students

subject: Reading comprehension, oral language, early elementary

abstract:
Reading is a complex skill that is foundational to children’s learning in school. One popular
theory of reading comprehension is the Simple View of Reading. This model posits that reading comprehension is comprised of listening comprehension and decoding skills. Listening comprehension, however, may not capture the breadth of oral language skills needed to develop reading comprehension. Alternative theories of reading comprehension identify a number of oral language skills that are involved in reading comprehension. The current study examines whether vocabulary, syntactic awareness, and morphological awareness each uniquely contribute to reading comprehension in concurrent and later reading comprehension for students who began the study in Grade 1. In separate hierarchical regressions, each oral language skill contributed significant unique variance to Grade 1 reading comprehension after that accounted for by listening comprehension and decoding. Each oral language skill did not account for variance with the other two oral language skills also in the equation; however, the small sample size may have limited these findings. The current study supports the theory that oral language skills contribute to reading comprehension beyond decoding and listening comprehension, supporting a more detailed theory of reading comprehension. The findings will be discussed in relation to the current research and theoretical frameworks of reading comprehension.


title: Understanding the Factors Influencing Career Decisions of Chinese Dietetic Students

subject:
Dietetics
Dietetics (vocational guidance)
Chinese students (in Canada)
Chinese students (psychology)

abstract:
The Canadian population has become more ethnically and culturally diverse. The need for ethnic
and cultural diversity within the dietetics profession is paramount to improve dietetic practice.
Limited research has been conducted to determine the reasons for visible minorities’ low
representation in the dietetic field. In addition, there has been little research exploring academic
experiences of Chinese dietetic students in Canada. The purpose of this study was twofold:
Firstly, to explore the career selection factors and experiences of Chinese dietetic students;
secondly, to examine the impact of these factors and experiences in order to provide a better
understanding of Chinese students’ experiences thus providing a basis upon which barriers and
challenges to entry into the profession of dietetics could be addressed. The study employed a
mixed method research approach. Critical theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory formed the
theoretical framework. The data set were made up of secondary data collected as part of a larger
study (Lordly, 2008) and personal experiences of the researcher through autoethnography, which
provided further insight and richness to the analysis. The sample consisted of 41 Chinese dietetic
students from seven university dietetic programs across Canada who completed an in-class or
online survey. This study provided findings on the career perceptions of Chinese dietetic students
and insights into their academic experiences as well as factors leading them to choose dietetic as
a profession. Analysis revealed that family, culture, ethnicity, gender, intrapersonal factors and
career opportunities influence Chinese students’ career decisions. Family, Chinese culture and
career interest were the most salient influences. The dietetics profession can reevaluate
recruitment strategies and promote visible minority groups as important members of the
Association. Dietetic educators need to be aware and find ways to acknowledge and address the
challenges that culturally diverse students’ experiences.


title: Academic predictors of achievement in children with ADHD and clinical-referred comparisons

subject: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

subject: Academic achievement (school-aged children)

abstract:
While previous studies have examined the relationship between the symptoms of ADHD
and academic achievement, as well as cognitive ability and academic achievement, fewer studies
have simultaneously examined the relative contribution of demographic, cognitive and
behavioural factors to academic achievement. The current study examined the predictors of
academic achievement in a large, rigorously diagnosed sample of clinical-referred school-age
children. Participants in the study included 288 school-age children, between the ages of 6-12
years, referred to a regional ADHD Clinic that operates under a formal partnership between the
local health authority and regional school board. The results of the present study indicated that a
number of demographic, cognitive and behavioural factors were related to achievement;
however, after controlling for known risk factors, the symptoms of ADHD did not predict
academic performance. Overall, children with a diagnosed learning disability, regardless of
comorbidity, were most academically impaired. Findings from the study hold important
implications for the practice of school psychology and educational professionals involved in the
identification of and intervention with students at risk for, or currently experiencing academic
underachievement.


title: Creative Movement and Dance and the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection for Children and Youth

subject: Creative movement, dance, emotional awareness, emotional expression

abstract:
Emotional awareness and emotional expression are important aspects of children
and youth’s social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual development and well-being. This
paper explores the social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual benefits of creative
movement and dance for children and youth. Creative movement and dance as a means
through which children and youth can self-express and embody their emotions, thereby
developing emotional awareness as well as gaining the opportunity to be in tune with
their spirituality, is be the focus of contemplation throughout this paper. Reflection based
interviews with participants who instruct creative movement and dance will provide a
basis from which to discuss common themes pertaining to creative movement and dance
with children and youth.


title: Early childhood educators shifting their understanding of emergent curriculum: “It’s about transforming thought”

subject: Early childhood education

subject: Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education

subject: Emergent curriculum

subject: Reflective practice

subject: Pedagogical documentation

subject: Shifting practice

subject: Research Subject Categories::INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS::Children

abstract:
What shifts occur in an educator’s practice from knowing the parts of emergent curriculum to
understanding the complexity of practicing emergent curriculum? This research study examines
this question through the experiences of five early childhood educators who have identified shifts
in their own understandings and practice related to emergent curriculum. Five early childhood
educators in Halifax, Nova Scotia each participated in two interviews that used examples of their
self-selected pedagogical documentation as catalysts for discussion about their past and current
thinking and practices related to emergent curriculum. The data from these interviews were
developed into individual chronological stories of shifting understanding and practice. An
examination of the data from the interviews led to the identification of four common themes
related to shifts in practice. Specifically, shifts were related to how educators communicated with
children in the classroom; the educators’ levels of confidence; the ability of educators to move
from a rules-based classroom to a more participatory culture negotiated between adults and
children; and, finally, the use of documentation as a way to focus on children’s ways of thinking
rather than a focus on what the children are doing. In their interviews, the participants used
metaphors such as “You’re constantly putting one more track in front of the train” and
philosophical statements such as “It’s about transforming thought” to explain their complex
understanding of practicing emergent curriculum. The identification of these specific shifts in
practice can inform new professional development opportunities for educators to benefit from
each others’ experiences and can create a greater understanding of how documentation can be
used as a tool of reflection when discussing the complexity of emergent curriculum.


title: Tinker, tailor! Soldier, sailor! Mother? Making sense of the competing institutions of motherhood and the military

subject:
Family
Military personnel
Military
Nova Scotia
Canada
Working mothers
Women soldiers
Spouses
Women
Family relationships

abstract:
In 2002, the Canadian Forces opened up the last of the restricted trades to women

by allowing them to serve on submarines. No longer are there limitations on the number

of women in the Forces or on the trades in which they are employed. Though women

now make up 15% of the regular force, there is very little research on their experience;

and in Canada, there is no research on women who combine motherhood and a military

career. Frequent and often lengthy absences from home and family are a reality of life for

Canadian Forces members. The institutions of motherhood and the military have both

been described as greedy because they are so demanding of commitment, loyalty, time,

and energy. Women traditionally shoulder more of the burden of caregiving, even when

working outside the home. Women, balancing a career in the military with motherhood,

can be expected to experience tension around the competing roles. Added to this is the

traditional male-oriented culture of the military that contributes to an environment that

continues to struggle with the integration of women.

The questions that guided the primary focus for this research were: How do

women balance the responsibilities of the role of mother with a career in the Canadian

military particularly when experiencing work-related family separation? What are the

everyday practices performed by women to balance these roles? What ideologies,

particularly military and mothering, are embedded in their everyday practices? Ideologies

that are socially constructed external to individualsâ   everyday life are a form of social

relations that serve to recreate and support existing power structures or ruling relations.

Institutional ethnography was used both as a theoretical framework and methodology, to

guide the mapping of the social relations evident in the everyday lives of women who

v

were both military members and mothers particularly at times of deployment away from

their family. Through interviews with eight military women who were mothers of at least

one child under the age of 12 and had experienced a work-related separation from family

of at least 30-consecutive days in the previous two years, this research uncovered and

explained the ways in which the everyday lives of women are coordinated and organized

by socially constructed ideologies. As well, the interviews informed an analysis of

Canadian military policy for textual documentation of ruling relations.

The requirement of military personnel to put duty ahead of personal

considerations and reinforced by everyday practices within the institution, often served to

render the womenâ  s children invisible. Furthermore, to accomplish this invisibility

demands the everyday work of support that encompasses the extended family, paid and

unpaid childcare, and often the children themselves. Through the lens of institutional

ethnography, this work can be seen to sustain the work of the military institution. This

exposure of systemic practices evident in institutions such as the military and motherhood

identified implications for policy changes that will benefit recruitment and retention

strategies for the Canadian Forces and may further contribute to transformative education

that is sensitive to women in other nontraditional careers.


title: Integrating a Palliative Approach to Care in Long-Term Care: A Comparative Case Study of Two Provinces

subject: Aging, long term care, palliative care

abstract:
Aging in place initiatives have contributed to a shift in long-term care (LTC) where
residents are now entering at an older age, have greater health complexities, and have a
shorter length of stay. Veering from the traditional biomedical approach to address the
changing needs, integrating a palliative approach to care in LTC aims to provide comfort
and improve the quality of life for residents and their families. A comparative case study
design was used to understand how two Canadian jurisdictions, British Columbia (BC)
and Nova Scotia (NS), integrate a palliative approach into LTC policy and how they
differ. An iterative process of data collection and analysis was used wherein a total of 29
LTC-specific regulatory policies (16 in BC and 13 in NS) were examined using a
qualitative content analysis method. Analysis was guided by an innovative framework of
10 domains developed specifically for this analysis (adapted from the Canadian Hospice
Palliative Care Association and Accreditation Canada). The 10 domains encompass a
palliative approach to care and are as follows: care delivery; care planning;
communication; end-of-life care/management; loss/grief/bereavement; physical health;
practical activities; psychological; social; and spiritual and cultural. After all policies
had been coded as part of the content analysis, thematic analysis was used within each
domain to uncover the specific themes related to a palliative approach to care and how
they were supported in policy and similar to or different in each jurisdiction. Analysis
revealed highly similar findings across both BC and NS in terms of the recurrence of
domains that were supported. In both jurisdictions, communication, physical health,
social, and care delivery were among the most coded and end-of-life care/management
and loss/grief/bereavement were the least coded. Promising approaches were identified around open communication among the interdisciplinary team, processes to discuss and
document an individual’s goals of care and advance care planning, health assessments
and safety, and encouraging social relationships and activities were identified. Although
many domains of a palliative approach to care are highly reflected in LTC policy, gaps
are identified around end-of-life care and providing supports post-death in loss, grief, and
bereavement. In conclusion, policy must go beyond the here and now and further support
the final stages of life and post-death care to improve residents and families’ experiences
at the end of life.


title: RENAISSANCE OF THE COMMON SENSE: Toward a Dialectical Understanding of Consumer Culture, Globalized Capitalism and Adult Learning Processes

subject:
Globalization
Education
Ethics
Morality
Capitalism
Social ecology
Consumer behavior
Philosophy
Adult education
Adult learning

abstract:
Cultural ways of learning and knowledge construction were, historically, traditionally,

social processes moving within and between families and communities. Negotiation,

sharing and cooperation were (and are) key aspects of communal life and, as community

tools, they are currently undervalued much to the detriment of the natural environment

and civil society. Consumerism and globalized capitalism undermine cultural ways of

knowing leading to deepening crises in both nature and community. Adult educators

should aid in the development of a cultural framework that nurtures everyday learning

processes and fosters an understanding of ecological interconnectedness. Meeting this

tremendous challenge is a vital step in achieving a sustainable balance for civil society

and the broader ecology.


title: Examining the Relationships Between Emotion Regulation, Social Relationships, and Temperament

subject:
emotion regulation
social relationships
school children

abstract:
The present study investigated the relations between emotion regulation,
temperament, and the quality of social relationships. Previous research has examined
these variables and determined emotion regulation abilities and temperament were
appropriate predictors of social functioning. However, the majority of research examining
such variables has been conducted in younger populations, outside of Canada. Therefore,
the present study contributed to the knowledge base because of the age of participants as
well as the location of the research.

Within the Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board, parents and teachers of
31 Grade One students completed questionnaires assessing temperament, social
functioning, and emotion regulation abilities. Specifically, teachers completed the School
Social Behavior Scale (Merrell, 2002) and parents completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist(Shields& Cicchetti, 1997) and the Colorado Child Temperament Inventory
(Buss & Plomin, 1984). This thesis explored two main hypotheses: children rated as
possessing a difficult temperament (i.e. high on scales of emotionality and shyness and
low on scales of sociability and soothability) would experience greater difficulty
regulating emotions and experiencing positive social relationships and children rated as
possessing an easy temperament (i.e. low on scales of emotionality and shyness, and high
on scales of soothability and sociability) would demonstrate the reverse pattern. Also,
children rated as high in emotion regulation would be rated as having positive social
relationships and would demonstrate few anti-social behaviors and children rated as low
in emotion regulation would demonstrate the reverse pattern.

Following data analyses, several interesting findings were discovered. For
example, the first hypothesis was partially supported while there was no evidence to
support the second. However, the most interesting finding was the role of temperament.
Multiple Regression analyses were conducted to examine if social behavior could be
predicted from emotion regulation and temperament variables. While there were
significant results for some of the temperament variables in this prediction, no
statistically significant results were noted for the emotion regulation variables.
Analyses revealed temperament variables account for 41% of the variance in Peer
Relations, 40% of the variance in Self-Management, and 49% of the variance in
Academic Behavior. Temperament variables were therefore found to be a significantly
better predictor of social relationships as compared to emotion regulation abilities.

Significant correlations included Negativity showed a significant positive
correlation with Emotionality as well as a significant negative relationship with Attention,Soothability, and Emotion Regulation. Emotion Regulation was positively correlated with
Attention and Soothability. In addition, Attention showed a significant positive
correlation with Peer Relations, Self-Management, and Academic Behavior. Finally,
Shyness showed a significant negative correlation with Peer Relations. A discussion
regarding speculation behind the current findings, and implications of the current
research is provided.


title: Family Centred Practices in Early Intervention in Nova Scotia: Quality of Life Issues for Families.

subject:
Family Service Plans
Services
Parenting
Family social work
Family
Children
Disabilities
Social work
Nova Scotia
Family relationships
Developmentally disabled children

abstract: Family-centred practice is comprised of three main components: family choice, working from a strengths perspective, and acknowledging and embracing the family as a unit, as opposed to merely the child or mother-child dyad (Allen & Petr, 1996). Within family centred practice, the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is used to outline the family’s goals and hopes for the future for their family (Garguilo & Kilgo, 2000). Developing IFSPs can be challenging (Jung & Baird, 2003; Jung & McWilliam, 2005; Mahoney & Bella, 1998) as service providers often lack training around family centred practices. Resulting IFSPs become documents created by professionals for the families with goals that are child focused, often ignoring quality of life issues for the family (Katz & Scarpati, 1995). The aim of this research was to gain deeper insight into family centred practices in Nova Scotia. Specifically, issues related to family centred practice such as the IFSP, quality of life issues for families, and formal and informal supports were examined from the perspective of parents and early interventionists. A qualitative research design was used to gather families and early interventionists perspectives and experiences in early intervention in Nova Scotia. Families (N= 8) and early interventionists (N= 3) from three rural early intervention programs were individually interviewed. Participants eagerly shared their experiences, frustrations and joys with early intervention. Results demonstrated that while early interventionists had a basic understanding of family centred theory, service delivery and IFSP development, practice and knowledge did not always blend. Of note was the disconnect between the knowledge of early interventionists and the experiences of families. Early interventionists discussed the pressures of meeting imposed deadlines for IFSP development while families lamented that goals were too child focused or not always in line with how the family functioned. Further, family quality of life issues did not iv appear to be formally addressed and there was some debate regarding the appropriateness and fit of these issues within the early intervention construct. The need for continued training and entry level qualifications to be an early interventionist in Nova Scotia was evident from the data. Early interventionists in NS need a means to share information and engage in ongoing professional development to ensure that new techniques and philosophies become part of their practice. This can only lead to more family focused practice and family led IFSPs. Continued in-depth training on the underlying philosophy of family centred practice and collective empowerment will help the early intervention community to truly understand and appreciate the notion of empowering each other and result in early intervention programs that truly reflect best practices.


title: Catholic Education in Nova Scotia: Understanding Parents and their Motives for Enrolling their Children in Catholic Schools

subject:
Nova Scotia
Religion
Catholicism
Education
Catholic school
Parental choice

abstract:
The small Catholic school community in Nova Scotia must rely upon networking and
working with each other to provide updates and exchange views with each school.
Understanding why parents support Catholic schools in Nova Scotia will greatly help the
Catholic school community in providing direction and informing leadership for existing
Catholic schools. It is important to know what parents are seeking when they chose Catholic
schools, as the survival of these schools depends on the tuition-paying parents.
In this study, the researcher sought to understand the motives that parents in Nova
Scotia have for enrolling their children in Catholic schools. This research employed a mixed method study which illustrates two major perspectives in research. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, percentages) were used to tabulate and analyze the survey data.
The researcher did a face-to-face interview with a small number of parents and each
interview was audio taped and transcribed by the researcher. Common characteristics among
parents interviewed were identified based from the survey, and themes were established
based on interview results.
An examination of previous dissertations conducted revealed a list of factors parents
consider in choosing Catholic schools. This list was utilized to develop the factors presented to parents in the survey and during the interview. Parents were asked to rate each of 25
reasons for choosing a Catholic school on a Likert-type scale.
Three out of the four invited Catholic schools in Nova Scotia with an elementary
level participated in the study. Ten out of 10 Catholic parents from School A answered the
survey. Twenty-seven out of the 58 surveys distributed to Catholic parents in School B were completed. Three out of four Catholic parents from School C completed the survey. Five
parents from School A, four parents from School B and three parents from School C were
interviewed. In total, survey return rate was 40 out of 72 (55.56%) and twelve Catholic
parents were interviewed.
Analysis of parent interviews revealed several factors out of the 25 given choices are
interconnected but are subsequent under four major themes. The first factor considered is that the school’s philosophy mirrors that of home. The next factor considered is the quality of curriculum, and that is linked with well-defined academic structure and instructional goals.The third factor identified is the school’s emphasis on religious and moral values. The fourth factor related to the teachers. Parents recognize the value of the teachers’ commitment, their high behavioral expectations from children and their involvement in the academic but also the character formation of the child. The fifth factor identified is related to school environment. Parents give importance to the safe school environment and the warm and friendly school climate. This is associated with parent’s perception of a sense of community in these schools


title: Name A More Iconic Duo, I’ll Wait: Exploring the Role of Humour in Bangladeshi Internet Meme Culture

subject: Digital humour, Internet meme culture, meme success, Bangladeshi memes

abstract: Internet meme culture represents one of the most prevalent facets in contemporary popular culture. In this study, I explore the role of humour in Bangladeshi memes. The purpose of this study is twofold: to explore the typology and frequency of humour in Bangladeshi Internet memes and to examine the application of humour among successful memes. This study engages a mixed methods approach, consisting of quantitative content analysis and thematic analysis. Through an analysis of 1,008 memes produced and shared among users in a famous Bangladeshi meme group on Facebook (Rantages Goatposting), I explore the application of humour in both successful and unsuccessful memes in Bangladeshi meme culture. Primary findings suggest that silliness is the most dominant type of humour in Bangladeshi meme culture, followed by sentimental humour, exaggeration, and sarcasm. Successful memes applied contextual humour with relatable references, balanced incongruity, mediated superiority, and positive sentiments. Unsuccessful memes failed to apply contextual humour with relatable references, used overly sophisticated or over-simplified humour, and produced forced or contrived forms of humour. This study is a preliminary contribution to the scholarship on Bangladeshi humour and Internet meme research.


title: Development and Usability Testing of an Ehealth Sleep Intervention Program for Youth

subject: Sleep intervention, adolescence, electronic health

abstract:
Adolescence is a vulnerable time for sleep problems. It is estimated that half of adolescents worldwide do not get the sleep needed to function optimally during the day. Current interventions available to treat sleep problems are often inaccessible, costly and time consuming. The use of the internet would allow for a more accessible and cost-effective way to deliver sleep intervention. This thesis includes two parts – the development of BNBD-Youth and conducting usability testing of this intervention. The intervention was created using a user-centered design to treat sleep problems in adolescents. Usability testing was conducted with 8 end-users as a next step in program development. Participants were asked to complete the BNBD-Youth program in full while providing feedback on each session and the overall program. The program was well received by participants and there was a high level of user satisfaction. Suggestions were
provided on how to improve the eHealth intervention including reducing text, adding more
interactive features and reducing the length of the lessons and sessions. Implications for the future of BNBD-Youth as well as eHealth interventions for adolescents in general are discussed.


title: The Contributions of Cognitive Abilities to the Relationship Between Inattention and Academic Achievement

subject: Academic achievement, inattention, cognitive ability

abstract: The main objective of this study was to examine whether increased levels of inattentive and hyperactive behaviours were associated with lower scores on standardized tests of achievement in basic reading, spelling, and math skills, after accounting for certain known background risk factors and cognitive processes. Clinical assessment data from a rigorously diagnosed, stimulant medication naïve sample of 354 elementary school-aged children experiencing academic difficulties and behavioural symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity were analyzed. It was expected that higher scores of inattention, not hyperactivity/impulsivity, would be associated with lower scores in basic reading, spelling, and math skills, and that these associations would persist after accounting for known background risk factors and cognitive processing variables. Results indicated that, although higher levels of inattention were significantly associated with lower scores in basic reading, spelling, and math scores, these associations did not persist after accounting for cognitive processes. Important factors for school psychologists to consider when conducting assessments, providing recommendations, and determining interventions for students with academic difficulties and perceived parent- and/or teacher-rated inattention are discussed.


title: The experiences of female Members of the Legislative Assembly in Nova Scotia

abstract: The Nova Scotia Legislature is Canada‟s oldest House of Assembly, dating back to 1758 (Nova Scotia Legislature, 2011). In its entire history, 31 women have been elected to the House of Assembly. Political analysts and supporters of women‟s equal representation in government are trying to encourage more women to run for political office in Nova Scotia. However, little attention has been given to the atmosphere that waits for women once they are elected. The research question of this thesis asks how female Members of the Legislative Assembly experience the communications atmosphere in the Nova Scotia Legislature. To determine this, I apply feminist communication theory and feminist organizational theory to data collected through feminist participatory qualitative interviews with current and former female members of the Nova Scotia Legislature. The thesis concludes that while women have made some gains in the political sphere in Nova Scotia, they still encounter a male-dominated, largely unwelcoming atmosphere when they are elected to the House of Assembly.


title: Factors Predicting Support Utilization by Older Adults

subject:
Dementia
Services
Health and hygiene
Medical care
Older women
Canada
Utilization
Health services
Women

abstract:
The Canadian population is aging and as it ages, there are concomitant increases
in the numbers of older women with high incidences of disability when compared to
men. Of particular interest for this study are the higher incidences of older women with
Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia (Lindsay et al., 2002; National Advisory
Council on Aging, 2004). This is because women have a unique interaction with
systems and with the individuals who provide care for them. This uniqueness of
interaction influences their roles and affects their ability to utilize services.
 To study this population the Andersen-Newman model of Health Service
Utilization was developed in the 1960s in an attempt to study the health service utilization
patterns of minority groups, like older women. It encompasses three factors: predisposing,
enabling, and need.

 Based on the literature surrounding gender, dementia, and their inclusion within
Andersen Newman model, two questions were explored. One, are there gender
differences in the utilization of formal support services, across different age categories
and level of cognitive impairment, while controlling for level of need? Second, what
characteristics predict the utilization of formal supports only, informal supports only, both
informal and formal supports?
Samples for the study were derived from the 2002 General Social Survey (16) on
Social Support and Aging. Multivariate analyses were used to answer both research
questions. Initially, question one results yielded no significant differences between
women and men, across different age categories, or levels of impairment. Further analysis
results indicated significant differences with level of impairment only, and there were no
significant differences across gender or age.
The fact that there were no significant gender differences in question one is
counterintuitive because a higher reliance on formal supports should be seen by women
due to levels of disability, poverty, and willingness to access care. Regarding level of
impairment the fact that those with the lowest level of problems with memory and/or
cognition received the most help leads to two possible conclusions. One hand, formal care
services are being provided preventively at the first sign of impairment. On the other
hand, those women with the greatest need may be not receiving the help they need.
 To answer the second research question, three separate stepwise logistic regressions were
performed comparing individuals who receive formal support services to those who
receive none, informal to none, and both to none. The models containing formal and both
significantly predicted of the use of service supports (Above 75%). Predisposing,
enabling, and need factors had significant predictor variables, although need accounted
for the greatest amount of variance.

Results raised concerns about reduced likelihood of formal services among
persons with higher levels of dementia, and the need for greater attention in policy and
practice to recognize and formally support persons with dementia. While gender did not
significantly impact whether individuals utilized support services, the models do provide
a framework for assessment providing information on who is using the system currently
and who should be using the system but has not.


title: Speaking In Circles: Indigenous Identity and White Privilege

subject: White privilege, racial privilege, indigenous identity

abstract:
This thesis explores white-seeming privilege, a term developed by the
author to describe the specific experience of racial privilege in individuals
who look white but primarily identify with a different ethnic label. The term
is discussed though its connection with different theory areas, namely
whiteness, white privilege, tribal critical race theory, Indigenous knowledge,
Indigenous identity, racial passing, and settler colonialism. Drawing
philosophical influence from both the Indigenous research paradigm and
arts-informed research, the author uses personal storytelling, poetry, and
written narrative to more fully describe the concept of white-seeming
privilege. The author argues that in the specific context of Indigenous people
who seem white, racial privilege must be situated in a deep understanding of
settler-colonialism and uses his own family history of colonization to
illuminate the way settler colonialism colours, but does not diminish, his
understanding of his own white-privilege. Framed as a talking circle
discussion between two parts of his identity, the Indigenous and the white,
the author combines Indigenous ways of knowing with Western academic
knowledge, generating what some have referred to as trans-systemic
knowledge and ultimately achieving reconciliation between his selves—an act
that can serve as a model for reconciliation on a wider scale.


title: A Study of How Kitchen Employees Learn through Informal Learning and Learning through Practice in the Workplace

subject:
Restaurant learning - employees
Informal learning
Lifelong learning

abstract:
This thesis identifies how restaurant kitchen employees learn to do their jobs, with
a primary focus on methods such as informal learning and learning through practice. The
findings of this study contribute to adult education and lifelong learning literature
pertaining to informal learning and learning through practice in the workplace.
I collected data using a small-scale qualitative research approach consisting of
semi-structured interviews. I interviewed seven participants working in family style
restaurants kitchens in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) area of Nova Scotia.
All those who volunteered to be interviewed were male. Although the levels of
experience varied amongst participants, none reported working in entry-level positions.
The main theoretical approaches taken up in this thesis include the three
categories of learning: formal, non-formal, and informal learning with an emphasis on
informal learning and learning through practice. I take up theories such as workplace
learning, scaffolding and learning in the workplace, learning organizations, communities
of practice and learning through practice. The data indicates that many factors influence informal learning including:
workplace structure; mentorship; learning through practice; trial and error; and
communities of practice. The results also demonstrate that informal learning and
learning through practice are integral components of how restaurant kitchen employees
learn to do their jobs. Therefore, it is important that these methods of learning are
recognized and valued for their contributions in the workplace.


title: The Association between Parental Meta-Emotion, Child Temperament and the Development of Coping Skills in Middle School Children

subject:
Students
Parenting
New Brunswick -- Rothesay
New Brunswick
Psychology
Life skills
Coping skills
Psychological aspects
Adolescence
Middle school

abstract:
The purpose of the current study was to examine how adolescent temperament

and parental meta-emotion influence the development of coping skills in middle school

children. A number of different findings regarding the relationship between temperament

and coping skills have been found in past studies (e.g., Ebata & Moos, 1994; Connor-

Smith, and Jaser, 2004). Similarly, previous research studies have shown significant

correlations between parenting styles and their influence on child development including

the ability to regulate emotions and cope with stressful situations (Eisenberg, Valiente,

Morris, Fabes, Cumberland, Reiser, Gershoff, Shepard, & Losoya, 2003; Dusek &

Danko, 1994). However, within the context of parental meta-emotion, previous research

has not directly focused on how parental meta-emotion influences or predicts coping

skills in children. Past studies have also not examined how temperament and parental

meta-emotion interact together to influence coping skills developed by middle school

children. In the current study, 37 students and their parents completed a number of

questionnaires to assess parental meta-emotion style, adolescent temperament, and

coping skills. Significant interactions were found between emotion-coaching parenting

and each of the four temperament dimensions in the prediction of distraction coping

strategies. Two more significant interactions were found between emotion-coaching and

emotion-dismissing (separately) and affiliation in the prediction of supportive coping.


title: Breathing Life into the Nova Scotia English Language Arts Curriculum Outcomes

subject:
Junior high school
Curricula
Middle school
Language arts
Nova Scotia
Evaluation

abstract:
The purpose of this educational microethnography was to explore and describe

the experiences of six English Language Arts teachers at Valley Woods Middle School,

in Nova Scotia. The onus for orchestrating the outcomes-based English Language Arts

curriculum mandated by the Nova Scotia Department of Education in 1989 belongs,

according to the law, with individual teachers. To comply, however, teachers must first

understand and feel comfortable with the outcomes in order to reshape curriculum and

future instruction. Attempting this in isolation has proven to be too arduous a task and

few collaborative opportunities have been available. This study describes and explores

the collaborative professional development sessions that the ELA curriculum team, in one

school, undertook to develop specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely

(S.M.A.R.T.) learning targets for all forty-one ELA outcomes and to create an individual

assessment rubric for each. Specifically, the study addressed the following question:

“Within the framework of a professional learning community, is it possible to create

teacher-led professional development sessions which would facilitate the change

necessary for collaborative teacher interaction with the Nova Scotia English Language

Arts curriculum outcomes, in order to articulate and assist student learning?” This study

describes and explores the following questions:

1. Did participation in the professional development sessions result in changes in

teacher understanding of the ELA outcomes?

v

2. Did participation in the PD sessions result in changes in teacher comfort level while

interacting with the ELA outcomes?

3. What was the nature of the collaborative group and did this group experience

change over time?

This educational microethnography revealed, in the experiences of six teachers, a

deeper understanding and level of comfort in interacting with the mandated Nova Scotia

curriculum outcomes to articulate and assist student learning.


title: “It Just Happened”: How Motherwork is Learned and Experienced by Canadian Stepmothers in an Online Support Group

subject: Stepmother, motherwork, adult learning, gender, communities of practice.

abstract: This doctoral dissertation study explores the ways in which Canadian stepmothers learn and experience “motherwork” through the negotiation of their role and their participation in an online support group. Life history interviews informed by literature around adult learning, motherwork, and stepmothering pointed to several sites and processes of learning and the factors impacting this learning which is explored as a digital community of practice. The public and private negotiation of motherwork as informed by traditional gender roles, and the Western ideology of mothering has a significant impact on role negotiation for stepmothers – women who are involved in the care of children not biologically their own. The goals of this study are to explore the experience of stepmothering from an adult learning perspective, to question and challenge the impact of traditional gender roles and mothering ideology for diverse families, and to explore the role of modern technologies (online support groups in particular) on the negotiation of traditional caring roles for stepmothers in Canada. This study expands the literature around adult learning, motherwork, stepmothering, and digital communities of practice.


title: Weaving Our Stories of Displacement: Gender, Place, and Identity in Newfoundland

subject:
women
gender studies
Newfoundland and Labrador
Atlantic Canada
identity

abstract:
The objective of my research is to explore how colonization, resettlement and ‘living
away’ are related stories of displacement for Newfoundland women, which have been shaped by similar political, social, and economic forces. These forces include, but are not limited to, colonization, imperialism, capitalism, neoliberalism, economic restructuring, and globalization. I have gathered the stories of individual women who have been affected by one or more of these displacements and explored how these forces have played a role in their stories, through their particular gendered and social positionality.

My research focuses on four interrelated questions: How have Newfoundland women
formed connection to the island as place? What has caused our displacement? How has this displacement affected our sense of identity and overall wellbeing? How can these understandings inform and enrich future government policy that has the potential to affect displacement? I see connection to the island as place as something that can be broadly defined. It is highly dependent on individual women’s identities and histories in relation to this place. It is not my aim to create sweeping generalizations about displacement in the context of Newfoundland or assume that all women’s displacements are the same. I want to illustrate the full(er) story of the multiple interconnected causes of a woman’s displacement, believing that there is great possibility for comparable threads of experience among diverse women and collective experiences of displacement. In reviewing the literature, and based on my own
experience, I believe that displacement does have an effect on a woman’s sense of identity, and this can have implications for the overall wellbeing of both individuals and communities. I also contend that if these women’s stories are heard, the provincial and federal government can be compelled to take these considerations into account when making policy decisions on issues such as job creation, resource development and resettlement, which will ideally result in more equitable policies and less displacement.

As a feminist researcher, I have a commitment to creating academic work that has the
potential to lead to social change (Pillow & Mayo, 2012). I hope that my research will broaden conversations around Newfoundland identity, and work towards facilitating our collective decolonization. As a settler academic, I consider a commitment to decolonization to be a prerequisite of doing research that is accountable to the presence and experiences of Indigenous peoples. I am very aware that discussions of Newfoundland identity often rely on essentialized and stereotyped notions6 of what it means to be a Newfoundlander and of the island as place, which exclude many members of our communities. I hope that by including the perspectives of Indigenous women, women who have experienced resettlement, and women who are ‘living away’ that we can move beyond this essentialism and challenge the boundaries that have been erected around our ‘identity.’ By including these marginalized voices, and making visible the connections between these stories of displacement, we can create much
more vibrant and inclusive notions of Newfoundland identities, which will hopefully be a
starting place for healing from our losses of sense of place and continuing strengthening our connections as Newfoundlanders across these differences.


title: Linguistic Inquiry in the Classroom: A Missing Link?

subject:
Inquiry-based learning
Language arts
English second language
Language acquisition
Linguistics
Foreign speakers
Middle school
English language
Study and teaching
Education
Language

abstract:
Linguistic inquiry is the exploration of language—what language is, how

language works, and how language is used. Students themselves engage in

linguistic inquiry by observing language use, collecting language data, and

investigating what they find.

This research creation asks the question: Is linguistic inquiry a missing

link between students, teachers, language, and learning? Can linguistic

inquiry enable students to become more aware of their own language expertise,

more respectful of language diversity, more engaged as second language

learners, more effective as writers and readers, and more confident in

using academic language?

As a language arts and ESL teacher with twenty-five years’ experience

(P-12), I have explored linguistic inquiry and its possibilities in the

classroom by creating a book about language for young people. This book

is my writing to discover how to recognize, highlight, and investigate language

itself—in order to understand how linguistic exploration might enhance

learning in school.

2

Part I of the thesis contains the thesis overview, a description of my

linguistic location, and the literature review. Part II, Talking Up a Storm:

Linguistics for Kids, is a nine-chapter nonfiction manuscript written for students

in Grades 4 - 8. Chapters include topics such as language acquisition,

endangered languages, writing systems, the history of English, codeswitching,

and the poetry of language. Part III explores possible classroom

connections for Talking Up a Storm: Linguistics for Kids. These connections

support the tentative conclusion that, like the arts, linguistic inquiry is

a valuable—but often missing—link in school, an important connection between

students, teachers, language, and learning.


title: The Lyrical Boundaries of Fair Dealing: Copyright, Community, Context, Coercion, Consolation

subject: Boundary objects; communities of practice; copyright; fair dealing; library science; lyric scholarship; poetic analysis; postsecondary education; Supreme Court of Canada.

abstract:
Informed by the methodologies of lyric scholarship and poetic analysis (elided here to lyric analysis), and written in a concrete, visual, calland-response format, this project provides a critical, lyrical, and material examination of the legal concept of fair dealing, its various
stakeholder communities, and its role in Canadian society and education. Fair dealing is approached as a flexible, quasi-lyrical boundary object that is variously—even adversarially—defined by educational, legal, and commercial communities of practice that have a vested interest in the evolution of copyright law in Canada.


title: Lego Mindstorms and Critical Thinking Skills in the Elementary Classroom

subject:
LEGO toys
Problem solving in children
Critical thinking in children
Action research in education

abstract:
This 12 week qualitative, action research, study examined the impact on grade

four students' ability to use critical thinking skills when manipulating the Lego

Mindstorms robotic kit in a classroom environment. In collaborative groups of 3,

participants programmed and built robots to solve open-ended challenges.

Participants completed a self-assessment rubric on their critical thinking ability to

provide a benchmark prior to the beginning of the study. Data was collected for 3 cycles

of research using field notes, self-reflection questions, semi-structured interviews and

self-assessment rubrics. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

The study provides some evidence that Lego Mindstorms supports elementary

aged children in their ability to think critically by leveraging collaborative group work,

employment of multiple problem solving strategies and reflection.


title: End-of-Life Preparation and the Role of Online Technology: A Comparison of Older Gay Men and Lesbians

subject: End-of-Life Preparation, sexual orientation, online technology

abstract:
End-of-life literature reflects the social determinants, resources, and services that can influence how one experiences EOL and the ways in which to prepare. However, what is currently missing from the available literature is how sexual orientation can influence the ways in which individuals think about or prepare for EOL. If experiences of lesbians and gay men (LG) are mentioned within the literature it is often as a comparison to their heterosexual counterparts, and the experiences of older LG individuals are even less documented. This portrays the LG population as a homogenous group and overlooks the potential for diversity within this minority population. This qualitative study aims to bridge that gap by exploring the similarities and differences between older lesbians and gay men in the way they think about and prepare for EOL, as well as the role that online technology plays in these preparations.

A secondary data analysis of a subset of the “Fostering EOL Conversations, Community, and Care among LGBT Older Adults” research project was conducted, guided by minority stress theory and intersectionality. A content analysis of lesbian and gay men’s focus group interviews from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia was performed, assisted by the use of MAXQDA software for data management.

Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (a) ways in which the men and women prepared for EOL, (b) concerns they had about aspects of EOL preparation, and (c) the role that online technology played in keeping LG older adults connected. More similarities than differences were found between the men and women. The areas where variation occurred were the configuration of social networks, openness to new relationships in later life, motivations for putting EOL documentation in place, and confidence in online technology abilities. These differences highlight the importance of looking deeper into the intersections of the older LG population.

The diversity recognised within this population also leads to a number of policy and practice implications, including a reconfiguration of policies that uphold the prioritization of blood and marriage ties over LG networks in legal and health care environments, long term care reform to redefine what is considered appropriate residential placement for older LG adults, and working towards a national approach to EOL documentation terminology.


title: Negotiating Souls For Lives: The Situations of Filipina Women in The Sex Tourism Industry

subject:
Filipina Women
Sex Tourism Industry
Prostitution

abstract: This research examines the lives and conditions of women involved in sex tourism and prostitution in the Philippines, based primarily on the voices and opinions of these women. In order to examine sex tourism and prostitution in the Philippines, this thesis examines the history of the Philippines in order to emphasize the macro and micro level factors that have sustained and supported the exploitation of women in sex tourism and prostitution. This thesis examines the actors in the trade of prostitution, including the prostituted women, sex tourists, business owners and the government. The roles the actors play in the sex trade as well as the benefits and consequences of each group will be explored as well as the women’s opinions regarding the sex actors and the industry as a whole. This thesis explores sex tourism through the roles of sex tourism actors in order to highlight women’s voices as well as the exploitation that women are exposed to for the benefit of sex tourists, business owners and operators, and various levels of government.


title: The Effect of Dairy and Non-Dairy Cultured Products Added to Breakfast Cereals on Satiety, Blood Glucose and Food Intake

subject: Dairy and non-dairy cultured products. blood glucose


title: Booze and CHAT: The Value of using Cultural Historical Activity Theory to Contextualize Alcohol Drinking throughout the Lifespan

subject:
cultural historical activity theory
alcohol

abstract:
The activity of alcohol drinking is omnipresent in society. The tools of alcohol use surround us
on a daily basis, impacting our lives and our culture. Few have not been touched by the power of
alcohol. Yet, the way in which alcohol drinking develops as a learned behavior through the
lifespan is still not properly understood and the current means of contextualizing alcohol
drinking through the lifespan are lacking. This thesis argues that cultural historical activity
theory (CHAT) is superior to individually biased philosophies (IBP) and socially biased
philosophies (SBP) in examining the multitude of vectors that converge to create alcohol
drinking activity throughout the lifespan. Through the analysis of three distinct alcohol drinking
activity case studies, it is demonstrated that IBP and SBP lack the depth and breadth to bring a
detailed understanding of what is happening. Then through the analysis of the same three distinct
alcohol drinking activity case studies it is demonstrated that CHAT is the greater means of
analysis.


title: METHODOLOGICAL TALES OF ESL TEACHERS AND TESL TEACHER EDUCATORS IN THE POST-METHOD ERA

subject:
Training
English teachers
English second language
Evaluation
Foreign speakers
Atlantic Provinces
Study and teaching

abstract:
This MA thesis explores the stories ESL teachers and TESL teacher educators tell

about their understandings of language teaching methodology in the “post-method era”

(Brown, 2002). The goal of this thesis is to explore how ESL teachers and TESL teacher

educators come to know what they believe about teaching by examining their

pedagogical choices.

Seven ESL teachers from a city in Atlantic Canada participated in the study. Two

of the seven are also TESL teacher educators. I used qualitative research methods, in

particular, semi-structured interviews. I also conducted in-class observations and followup

interviews with five of the participants. I also included autobiography in this research.

I used narrative analysis to analyze the research data and to identify different

topics: entering the profession by accident, the influence of L2 learning, teaching by

principles, formations followed by frustration, the use of music and movement, teaching

to school culture, continuing professional development, research in practice, and

educating for Guided Discovery and Task-Based Language Teaching. The data is

represented as fictionalized narratives of the ESL teachers and TESL teacher educators—

the tales of the narrator Joy and five main characters: April, Bridget, Cynthia, David, and

Emily.

iii

The research findings in this study include: (a) ESL teachers and TESL teacher

educators have varied educational backgrounds and working experiences before teaching,

(b) a teacher’s own L2 learning experiences, favorable or unfavorable, influence his/her

teaching in practice, (c) teachers learn to teach differently in various ways, (d) teachers

and teacher educators teach according to their own principles and beliefs, but not

according to a single method, (e) both teachers and teacher educators teach to fit the

school culture; school culture has an influence on the language teaching

methods/approaches/principles that teachers use in teaching, (f) teachers and teacher

educators believe in eclectic methods in language teaching, (g) teachers who do not

identity mainstream language teaching methods and approaches also teach effectively,

and (h) some teachers are particularly loyal to a British system in second and foreign

language education.

My research findings suggest that (a) sincere ongoing institutional support for

teachers’ professional development is necessary and important for the expansion of their

knowledge and practice, (b) it is important for teachers and teacher educators to share

knowledge after professional development with internal and external networking, (c)

teacher education programs should include a teaching methods course (also see, Bell,

2007), and (d) teacher education programs should encourage and, most importantly,

support practitioner research in the ESL classroom during the program so that teachers

can continue with their helpful classroom researching as they begin to teach.


title: The Canadian Policy Response to the Crisis in Care: Opportunities and Consequences for Women

subject:
Capitalist Production in Canada
Social Reproduction in Canada
Keynesian Welfare State
Capitalism
Motherhood
Child Care

abstract: Using a socialist feminist perspective, this thesis critically assesses the conflict between capitalist production and social reproduction in Canada, and the crises in care generated by this conflict, both historically and up to contemporary times. Policy shifts and mobilization that occurred prior to and during the build up of the Keynesian welfare state, its dismantlement under neo-liberalism, and the subsequent inclusive liberal/social investment response are studied in-depth. Child and palliative/long-term care-related policies created, debated, and revised throughout these three periods are critically analyzed. This thesis concludes that care crises present not only ongoing struggles, but also a potential opportunity for women to challenge the legitimacy of the capitalist system to improve their own and their dependents’ quality of life, and to advance the social justice agenda.


title: The House that Critical Thinking Built: Blueprint for aporia

subject:
Critical Thinking
Aporia
Queer Theory

abstract:
This research is a conceptual exploration of the vernacular that surrounds the concept of critical
thinking. Metaphor is engaged as a primer, and through this imagery, the intellectual resources
of critical thinking are explicated as tools of learning, understanding, and interpreting. Carrying
the metaphor forward, these tools are wielded as applications for each of the respective fields of
education, philosophy, and sociology. Social systems relating to epistemology and agency are
examined relative to the interplay with quality of thinking critically. In efforts to apply the
resources of critical thinking outlined, the tools will be wielded in an analysis of two notions of
socially constructed aspects of self: age and sex.


title: Identity, Culture, Contestation: Theorizing the Invisibility of Dominant Group Identity with Freud, Kristeva, and Nancy

subject: Identity, culture, psychoanalytic theories


title: Breastfeeding Adult Learning Experiences: Women’s Stories

subject:
Cape  Breton
Methods to Breastfeed
Adult Learning Model

abstract:
Breastfeeding is a form of life sustaining work that only women can perform. It is
learning and doing that exist within the lifeworld. Much of the work done by women in the
homeplace and in their roles as mothers is valuable sustenance labor performed in society.
Yet, like other work performed by marginalized people it is often undervalued by those
who control the systems in power (Hart, 1992). The knowledge, the language and the
understanding women need to help create a successful breastfeeding experience has, in
some cases been buried (Dettwyler, 1995; Palmer, 1988). Despite these obstacles there are
many mothers who develop methods to breastfeed their children.
After years of decline, current statistics boast an increase in the numbers of women
who choose to breastfeed in Nova Scotia. While the numbers are still lower in the Cape
Breton region there has been a significant increase since 1979. An increased understanding
of the value of breastfeeding and the technique required to breastfeed most certainly has
influenced the decision of many women to breastfeed. However, a mother’s success is
influenced by a myriad of factors.
For women who choose to breastfeed, learning the practice of breastfeeding can be a significant adult learning experience. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the adult
learning experiences of women living in Industrial Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The focus is
twofold. First, adult learning strategies women used to inform themselves about
breastfeeding as an infant feeding choice are determined and, second, how these strategies
impact the success of their breastfeeding experience is explored.
Focus group interviews were selected as the best method of data collection for this
particular study. They allow for a substantial amount of data to be collected while also
creating a group setting where women could share their stories with other women.
Two focus groups of four women from Industrial Cape Breton were conducted.
The participants were white, middle to upper-middle income women with varying levels of
post-secondary education. Based on the data generated by the women in the study, a
breastfeeding adult learning model was developed. It shows the adult learning appeared to
progress along a chronological continuum that began when the women first contemplated
breastfeeding as an infant- feeding choice and continued often past the weaning stage.
There emerged three distinct phases along this continuum: 1) the initiation phase, 2) the
lived experience phase, and 3) the retrospection phase. Throughout each phase the women
appear to utilize a number of learning approaches which involve knowing, feeling, doing
and retrospection, enabling them to learn how to breastfeed and how to tackle the
obstacles that they face throughout the process.


title: Psychologists’ Learning Disability Assessment Practices and Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Change in Nova Scotia

subject:
Psychologists-Nova Scotia
Evidence-based psychotherapy
Learning disabilities-diagnosis

abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual and preferred psycho-educational
assessment methods and attitudes toward evidence-based practices among Nova Scotian
psychologists and candidates registered. Forty-seven practitioners completed an online
questionnaire with items targeting current and preferred test and procedure use, attitudes toward
empirically based practices, satisfaction with assessment techniques, and demographic variables.
Results showed that the majority of practitioners have positive attitudes about evidence-based
practice and prefer to use tests and procedures supported by a strong research base. However,
many are not endorsing research-based methods in actual practice, due to limited resources,
training, and support, leading many to feel less satisfied with their current approaches to learning
disability assessment. Implications of this study are discussed in terms of affecting evidencebased
changes in learning disability assessment at the organizational and provincial levels, and
opportunities for future research are discussed.


title: (De)colonizing Space: Critical Reflections on Aboriginal Youth Space and Self

subject:
reclaimed space
public space
Aboriginal youth
colonization

abstract: There are two central purposes for this research. The first is to explore reclaimed colonial space within the context of colonization through a reflective exploration of three public spaces deemed to be created for and/or by Aboriginal youth in the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The second is to situate myself, as a white body, in the research process and explore how I participate in, and am impacted by, the ongoing process of colonization.. For each space previously determined questions were used to guide my reflections. The intention of these questions is to provide insight into the complicated relationship between ongoing colonization and reclaimed colonized space. These questions also function to reveal some of the imbedded assumptions I carry. By engaging critically with myself and these spaces, and including this as part of my research, I acknowledge that much of what I have been taught, both formally and in more subversive ways, about Aboriginal identity is not neutral. These ideas come from somewhere and influence how I approach and move through this research process. I will attempt to deneutralize these spaces and my role in them by exploring these tensions. My hope is that this research comes to reflect a reclaimed space itself, as I navigate the tensions in challenging interlocking systems of oppression, and being part of them, on the page.


title: Resisting Readin’, Writin’ and ‘Rithmetic: Stories from Inside a Classroom Panopticon

subject:
teacher resistance
power discourse

abstract:
This study is an account of teacher resistance in an intermediate classroom. It is an
examination of the ways in which resistance to dominant school Discourses was possible, and
sometimes not possible.
This study involves four main stories of resistance. The first story in the introduction
shows how and why I became resistant to many of the dominant Discourses controlling my
classroom Panopticon. In the second story, I find space within my classroom to resist the
dominant Discourse of standardized tests, by acting on students’ questions of and disdain for
them, despite feeling the pressure of surveillance. In the third story, I demonstrate how
resistance was possible within the constrictive structures of Teacher Performance Appraisals
(TPAs) and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The final story outlines how I, being in
relations with others, also exercise power, and that others will resist this, namely, my students.
This study ends with reflections on the dynamics of power and resistance, and outlines the
current dominant Discourses I face.


title: Gender on Jersey Shore (2009-2012): An observation of normative and non-normative performances of masculinity and femininity

subject: Gender, masculinity, femininity, Jersey Shore,

abstract: Working from a poststructuralist framework, using Butler’s theories on identity performance, this thesis uses content analysis to observe and report on normative and non-normative performances of masculinity and femininity on the reality television show, Jersey Shore. This thesis argues that the gendered performances of the Jersey Shore cast members are intersectional. In particular, the cast members’ gendered performances are heavily affected by their ethnicity, class, and geographic location (New Jersey, U.S.A.). This thesis unpacks the ways in which hegemonic gender embodiments are both reinforced and challenged through the Jersey Shore cast members’ performances on the show.


title: Activism and Public Relations: Then and Now

subject: Activism; public relations; public relations history; public relations theory; public relations practice; public relations pedagogy; activist, protest; social movements; activist organizations; critical public relations; public communication; public intellectualism

abstract: This thesis explores public relations scholarship to analyse where activism and public relations articulate and intersect in their development or “then” over the past century in how public relations became defined as a corporate-economic model to “now” where public relations in its relationship to activism, is seen as a meaning-making process. In analysing the disparate collection of articles and text on activism in public relations scholarship the thesis (the author) begins with defining public relations, activist, activism, protest, social movements, and activist organizations; followed by activism in public relations historical development, offering an alternative and expanded historical interpretation of public relations; then activisms role in public relations theory illustrating the critical movement amongst scholars from the Modernist approach solidified in the Excellence Theory to where Postmodernism and Postcolonialism are exerting their influence; and activisms role in the development of public relations practices as a management process, a control mechanism, and a set of technical skill where activism has played a central role in the development of strategic communications, issues management, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. Activism’s implications for the study and practice of public relations are then discussed including the challenges, omissions, and opportunities that such an investigation raises as a means of advancing contemporary public relations knowledge. This thesis supports calls for the development of a critical branch of public relations, to include public communications alongside those of organizations and state communications, for engaged scholarship, and a return to public intellectualism as public relations begins exploring not what it is, but what public relations can be.