title: Diffusion of innovations in the long-term care sector: The role of motivation

subject: Long-term care, motivation, Canada

abstract:
As Canada continues to experience an advancing need for long-term care (LTC) services
and an increasing complexity of residents, dissemination of best practices and innovations that improve the quality of care within the LTC sector is paramount. The presence or absence of decision-maker motivation greatly influences the implementation of innovative practices. Research investigating the motivational characteristics of opinion leaders (OL) within the Canadian LTC sector would lead to an increased ability to tailor implementation strategies and achieve care quality improvements within this sector. My research focused on characteristics of motivation, capability, and opportunity from the perspective of OLs identified within the social network analysis study titled, Advice Seeking Networks in Long Term Care (Dearing et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to determine how the presence or absence of opinion leader motivation, with consideration for associated factors of capability and opportunity, impacts the diffusion and/or implementation of advice within the Canadian long-term care sector. To determine this impact, the following questions were addressed: What are the drivers of capability, opportunity, and motivation for opinion leaders within the interpersonal adviceseeking networks of this sector? What are the potential outcomes of having motivated opinion leaders within the long-term care sector with respect to the diffusion and implementation of innovations? Data for this secondary analysis research were collected through semi-structured qualitative telephone interviews with 13 OLs and 13 advice-seekers of OLs. The theoretical frameworks used to guide this research were diffusion of innovation theory and the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior) framework. While previous research identified motivation as one of the characteristics of an OL in the long-term care sector, it was unclear from where this motivation was derived. Findings suggest that OLs in this sector are motivated by a combination of factors, including: obligations of the position, value of education, ‘systemness’, relationships, supportiveness, passion, and caring nature. While these themes were identified from interviews with OLs, statements from advice-seekers supported these findings from an alternative perspective. Motivational factors were presented on a sliding motivational scale ranging from professional motivators to prosocial motivators. Obligation of the position was the dominant motivator for OLs in this sector, however a desire to improve care quality was found to be intertwined within many themes across the scale. Prosocial motivation was represented most clearly in the factors of supportiveness, passion, and caring nature. This research confirmed that OLs in the long-term care sector are motivated individuals, and that they are using this motivation as a driver to create change and improve care practices. Specific outcomes associated with this motivational presence includes the diffusion and implementation of innovations, an increased sense of community within the network, and increased readiness for the future of the long-term care sector. This research has important implications for policy and practice due to the nature of resource availability in the long-term care sector and the challenges for implementation of innovations that arise from this issue. OLs play a key role in ensuring resources are used efficiently and effectively, as they are invested in seeking out and sharing information pertaining to innovations that are evidence-based and will improve care quality.


title: The Canadian Shield: Vaccine Hesitancy and Ontario’s Immunization 2020 Health Initiative

format: Full-text application/pdf

subject: Vaccine hesitancy, immunizations, fantasy theme analysis, culture, shared identity, vaccine-hesitant discourses, health communication

abstract:
There was a time when diseases such as measles, mumps, whooping cough and polio
posed an imminent threat to Canadians, hopscotching across the country unimpeded. But starting with the whooping cough vaccine in 1918, Canada had a new weapon against those diseases — armour that could not be easily penetrated — and slowly the diseases’ spread ebbed. However in recent years, Canada’s shield has begun to crack. Most Canadians immunize their children, but there’s a growing trend away from vaccines and the protection they provide. Faced with falling immunization rates, the Ontario government released Immunization 2020: Modernizing Ontario’s Publicly-Funded Immunization Program, a 20-point action plan with the simple goal of increasing public uptake of immunizations. This study uses both content and fantasy theme analyses to examine how Immunization 2020’s key messages manifested in media coverage, how the concept of vaccination is embodied in reader comments following media coverage about Immunization 2020, themes and stories that are present within vaccine-hesitant discourse
communities and how those themes and stories function to form a vaccine-hesitant group identity that maintains vaccine hesitancy. Results from the content analysis show that of the eight key messages, evidence-informed choices was the only one to appear in every article. Notably, other key messages crucial to addressing public trust in vaccines such as shared responsibility, patients first/patient-centred or transparency did not appear frequently. In the fantasy theme analysis, vaccine-hesitant parents emerged as a rhetorical community that used four stock scenarios to create a culture among group members. Vaccine-hesitant parents engaged in discourse that positioned group members as the heroes and members of the public, the government and vaccine makers as the villains. Three rhetorical visions also emerged, creating a worldview that maintained vaccine hesitancy. Overall, vaccine-hesitant parents share common ground, symbols and stories that build a shared identity and reality. Belonging to this community goes beyond a
simple decision about vaccines, making it very difficult for parents to “switch sides” and
immunize their children. In the absence of another online community that encourages
immunization, vaccine-hesitant parents stick with the one that persuades them to stay by
validating their stories and the one with which they share an identity.


title: Memoir: An Examination of a Renegade Genre from the Inside Out

coverage:
Canada
20th century

subject:
Diaries
Diaries (Authorship)
Biography (literary form)
Women journalists
Canadian authors
Women authors


title: Remix + Praxis: A Rapademic Approach to Critical and Culturally Relevant Education

format: Full-text application/pdf application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream application/octet-stream image/jpeg image/jpeg application/pdf

subject: Hip hop, rap music, Nova Scotia, education

abstract: A decade ago, the province of Nova Scotia identified what it designated as achievement gaps—a significant disparity in scholastic performance for Black and Indigenous students relative to those of European descent as a result of longstanding Euro-centrism in educational spaces. This led to a number of calls for culturally relevant pedagogical approaches to be adopted as a means of combatting the negative trend. In the intervening years, however, educators have struggled to find ways to make this a reality. This dissertation makes use of a combined autoethnographic and songwriting-based method to detail the author’s efforts to bring his educational practices in line with culturally relevant and responsive pedagogies. Through a critical hip hop lens, a praxis-based method for curriculum development takes shape, presenting a pathway toward liberatory educational experiences that can be adapted to virtually any cultural context to the benefit of both teachers and students. Borrowing from the hip hop practice of remixing, the author outlines a method that gives educators an opportunity to continually reimagine and realign their curricula in a way that encourages student-centered critical education and adaptable curricular planning. While this dissertation outlines the author’s journey in coming to develop a hip hop-based pedagogy, it presents a praxis-based method that can be achieved through any number of approaches. While this is not presented as the definitive model for culturally relevant and responsive education, it offers an autoethnographic look at one way of attaining those goals.


title: Return to School Following Scoliosis Surgery: A Qualitative Analysis

subject: Scoliosis

abstract:
Previous studies demonstrate that recovering from Spinal Fusion with Instrumentation surgery
for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis is extensive and demanding. Consequently, adolescents who
undergo the procedure must navigate challenges when returning to their daily lives. Arguably
one of the most prominent aspects of adolescents’ daily living is school, but the experience of
returning to school following spinal surgery has not been investigated. Considering that
successful school functioning is often considered a benchmark of childhood, the goal of this
study was to examine the experience of returning to school following spinal surgery. Specific
objectives were to (1) gain a firsthand account of participants return to school experience, (2)
explore the challenges adolescents faced, (3) explore the supports they found beneficial, and (4)
explore what role pain played in their return to school. Semi-structured interviews were
completed and responses analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants’
overall experience was captured by the core theme Recovery to Fitting in at School in which
adolescents were faced with the need to return to school and thus, a demand to find their way to a
successful school reintegration. Two intersecting themes assist in bringing forth an
understanding of the return to school experience. Needing to Return to School outlines the
challenges participants faced in their return to school. Finding Their Way describes the process
of learning to cope with challenges encountered. Implications for both healthcare and school
teams are discussed.


title: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Food Marketing to North American Youth through Social Media

contributor:
Wadsworth, Lori
Hansen-Ketchum, Patti

subject:
Childhood obesity
Social media
Food marketing

abstract: Obesity rates among North American youth are a public health concern (Roberts, Shields, de Groh, Aziz & Gilbert, 2012; Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012). Previous research findings show strong statistical evidence that televised food advertisements are associated with adiposity among children and youth (ages 2-18 years old) (Institute of Medicine, 2006). In recent years, food and beverage companies have started utilizing newer forms of media including social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote products to youth with potential ripple effects on their food-related choices. However, there is currently a lack of research conducted on the topic of food marketing to youth via social media. The aim of this research study was to examine the marketing techniques used by food marketers to market food and beverage products to youth using social media. Another purpose of the study was to determine how youth who are exposed to food marketing on social media respond to these marketing campaigns and how they influence their peers. Data were collected from a sample of food and beverage companies that were part of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative which were deemed to be most popular based on numbers of likes, tweets and views on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, respectively. Written messages, images and screenshots from videos posted by food companies and consumer posts were collected from food company social media sites. Data analysis resulted in development of a number of themes including: Critical Consumer, Consumer as Co-consumer, Food Brand Promotes Emotions, Food Product Associated with Social Activity, Food Brand Associated with Cool Lifestyle, and Health Appeal. Implications of the findings include development of health promotion programs and social policies that aim to mitigate the negative impact of social media food marketing directed at youth. Although social media has provided a marketing advantage for food marketers, youth consumers may also benefit from food companies use of social media, since it provides youth with an opportunity to communicate with food companies and their peers. Social media food marketing also allows youth to engage in social activist efforts directly on food company social media pages.


title: Leaving Seats Empty: Exploring Student Attrition in an Undergraduate Health Sciences Program

subject:
Health sciences
College dropouts
Halifax
Nova Scotia
Study and teaching
Medical sciences

abstract:
Using qualitative research methodology, this study explores reasons why students leave an undergraduate health science professional education program before completion. The study focused on the Dalhousie University Bachelor of Health Science degree program encompassing the professional streams of Diagnostic Cytology, Radiological Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound and Nuclear Medicine Technology. Attrition was specifically examined from the students’ perspective, explicating former students’ experiences and reasons for leaving the program.

The thesis provides a review of the literature in the area of student attrition and, supported by narrative from the participants, offers a thematic analysis of the experiences and reasons former students left a health sciences program. Five themes surfaced through the interview process; these include: wrong career choice, unable to see career pathways, lack of support or connection with faculty, not ready for the demands of university, and stress. Results suggest that some students’ leaving may be preventable with sufficient preparation for their experience and effective interventions. Recommendations are made to improve student retention thus reducing student attrition in health sciences.


title: An examination of children’s word learning as a function of frequency of presentation, phonological neighborhood density, vocabulary, and nonword repetition

subject:
Language acquisition
Language arts (primary)
Verbal ability in children

abstract:
The present study examined variables important in the development and organization of longterm
phonological representations in order to better understand how these impact children’s word
learning. Children 4 through 7 years of age listened to stories which contained target nonwords,
and then completed tasks to test for word learning. The nonwords were from dense or sparse
lexical neighborhoods and were presented two or four times in the story. Children also
completed a receptive vocabulary test and a nonword repetition task. For the first word learning
task, there was a significant effect of frequency and the neighborhood density by frequency
interaction approached conventional levels of statistical significance (p = .055). Children learned
words from dense neighborhoods better only for the lower frequency condition. The current
study also examined the contributions of children’s vocabulary knowledge and nonword
repetition to learning for words from each of dense and sparse neighborhoods. Findings support
the proposal that lexical representations from existing vocabulary knowledge make an important
contribution to word learning for items from both sparse and dense neighborhoods.


title: The Assessment of Food Management Behaviours that Influence the Diet Quality of Mother-led Families in Nova Scotia

subject: Fatherless families -- Nutrition -- Nova Scotia

subject: Diet -- Economic aspects -- Nova Scotia

subject: Nutrition surveys -- Nova Scotia

abstract:
We have shown in previous research that food management strategies adopted by lowincome

families may account for the difference in diet quality within households that have

similar economic and structural characteristics. By studying these familial food policies we can

better understand how internal and external factors influence diet quality, particularly for

vulnerable populations, which may help to develop successful programs and health initiatives

aimed at achieving and maintaining diet changes that reflect the recommendations in Eating Well

with Canada's Food Guide.

The objective of this research was to validate the Food Management Assessment Tool; a

tool designed to assess diet quality and food management strategies used by low-income

households. The goal was to design a tool that could be implemented and interpreted by a health

care practitioner with little or no nutrition background. This required three methodological

objectives to develop and validate estimation tools to assess, 1) if a meal contains  30% of food

energy from fat; 2) if a food item is a limiting food; and, 3) if a non limiting food item is high in

fat. Participants included 48 low-income mother-led families with at least two children between

the ages of 2-14 living in Nova Scotia. The mothers completed one 20-60 minute face-to face

interview in which they described the supper meal consumed by each family member and

completed an interview administered questionnaire designed to assess Food Management

Strategies.

The data was interpreted using Family Systems Theory. Results found that low-income

families that use healthy food management strategies were 13 times more likely to have good

diet quality than those that do not use healthy food management strategies. The overall Food

Management Score includes components on healthy eating, formal meal structuring, meal

planning and on whether or not the family is mother driven, as opposed to child driven. This research was the first to develop an index score able to identify and classify families based on the

functionality of their environment in relation to diet quality. Practitioners can use the tool we

developed to assess clients and to develop, monitor and evaluate programs.


title: Growing Food Security from the Ground Up: A Case Study of the Kids Action Program

contributor:
Williams, Patricia
Norris, Deborah

subject:
Food security
Kids Action Program

abstract:
Background: In 2012, 17.5 % of Nova Scotian households reported experiencing food insecurity - a situation of uncertain or limited access to acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways. Women are particularly vulnerable to this situation; a major concern given the negative and interrelated impacts of food insecurity on multiple dimensions of human health. There is a need for comprehensive approaches that address food insecurity, including the inequality and inequity that underpins this issue.
Purpose: This thesis explored the potential contributions of a community-based program in efforts to address food security for low-income women and their families. More specifically, by drawing on the perspectives of staff members and participants and complementary data, it explored: 1) the “everyday experiences” of food insecurity for women who utilize these programs and, 2) the ways that a community-based program addresses issues of food insecurity through their programs and broader engagement.
Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, single case study design was followed, using the Kids Action Program (KAP) as the case. Data collection consisted of individual interviews (with women participants and KAP staff members), document review and participant observation in relevant KAP programs and activities. Analysis was informed by two theoretical frameworks - a conceptual definition of Individual and Household Food Security and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological System’s Theory.
Results: These results describe the experience of food insecurity for women who participate in KAP programs. Most prominent, was the coordinating power of money and its influence over women’s “choice”, specifically their ability to access enough healthy foods for themselves and their families. These individual experiences must be considered relative to interactions between these women and their broader environments – this includes the ways that the cost of living, the cost of food, organizational policy and household debt influence and interfere with participants desire to be food secure. It also includes an understanding of how the broader ideological environment, including labels, stigmatization and judgment, contribute to the persistence of poverty and food insecurity as significant social issues.
These results further describe the ways in which the KAP contributes to food security, for the women and families they work with, as well as others in their community. This encompasses a spectrum of understanding of what is needed to build food security, where outcomes of individual participation in KAP programs are realized in conjunction with organizational commitment, partnership, and advocacy to realize systems change. It also highlights the important role of organizational leadership and the philosophies and values of staff members in developing meaningful programs and speaking out against injustice.
Conclusions and Recommendations: Participants experiences with food insecurity primarily centered on their limited economic access to healthy nutritious foods for themselves and their families. It also included other broader consequences and barriers such as organizational policies, and judgment from others. The KAP contributed to food security for these women at multiple levels – temporarily providing them with improved access to resources, while also engaging in partnership and education activities that aimed to address the social and political conditions in which food insecurity exists.
To address food insecurity, community-based programs need strong organizational leadership, founded on principles of social justice and long-term change. Institutions looking to address food security must give community-based programs the autonomy they need to address the needs of their participants and communities.


title: The Student Body Project: Evaluating a multi-strategy weight bias reduction intervention with food and nutrition students in Nova Scotia, Canada

subject: weight bias reduction, Nova Scotia, nutrition

abstract: Research has demonstrated that weight bias exists in areas such as education, most stages of employment and healthcare. The prevalence of weight bias in healthcare is troublesome, as it can negatively influence the thoughts and actions of health practitioners in practice and create barriers for patient health behaviours and outcomes. Registered dietitians (RDs) are one example of healthcare providers in which weight bias has been documented globally. It has been suggested that current healthcare university programs, such as nutrition and dietetics, do not provide enough training for future healthcare professionals regarding interactions with individuals having overweight or obesity and that additional education is needed for RDs to improve attitudes towards individuals with overweight or obesity. Multiple approaches have been utilized in intervention studies to detect and reduce weight bias among students and professionals in various health disciplines; however, none have been trialed with students studying food and nutrition in Canada.


title: Spirituality in Family-Centered Practice; Parents’ and Practitioners’ Views

subject:
Spirituality
Family-centered practice
Religion

abstract: This exploratory study used a qualitative research approach to acquire parents’ and practitioners’ views of spirituality within family-centered practice. Outcomes of this study were to a) gain an understanding of parents’ and practitioners’ views of spirituality and religion b) determine if these constructs are valued within family-centered practice and e) explore necessary practitioners’ competencies based on participants’ perceptions of the constructs. Parents (N= 6) and practitioners (N=7) participated in either individual interviews or focus groups to investigate their perceptions of formal and informal supports, the individual family service plan process, the family quality of life indicator of spirituality, and requisite practitioners’ competencies. Parents and practitioners actively engaged in the debate and reflection process pertaining to the integration of the constructs of spirituality and religion into family-centered practice. Results indicated that parents’ and practitioners’ views reflected the multifaceted nature of spirituality and the complexity of family-centered practice as outlined in the literature. Participants value the integration of spirituality and religion within family-centered practice. Highlighted was the fundamental nature of making spirituality and religion overt and distinct constructs to be discussed within family-centered practice. Emphasized was the strength giving nature of spirituality and religion in addition to the importance of following, honouring, and respecting the family’s beliefs. Furthermore, the data indicated that practitioners’ competencies need to be inclusive of skill, knowledge, and reflection regarding the constructs. Implications and future research directions are discussed.


title: Having (a Piece of) It All: An Exploration of Mothers’ Perceptions of Organizational Culture and Reduced Work Schedules in Canada

subject: Motherhood, employment, part-time work, professional employment, organizational culture, organizational behaviour, maternity leave, work-life balance, work-life conflict

abstract:
As the number of women in professional employment continues to increase, so does the number of families with both parents working in paid employment. This has rendered a stressful reality for families, especially mothers as they attempt to balance the often conflicting and demanding roles: work and motherhood. Workplaces have embraced the metaphor of “organizations as cultures,” yet these cultures remain childless. Despite the range of research on motherhood and employment, there is a lack of ‘mothers’ voices’ in the research to shine a light on what the actual demographic needs to feel supported in their career and family roles. Through survey research, this study examined the perceptions of mothers living in Canada about the current landscape of organizational culture, how they feel they are treated once they return from maternity leave, and what types of work schedules they feel may alleviate work-family conflict.
Overall, mothers surveyed in this study wanted the same thing – more professional opportunities that offer a reduced schedule or flexibility that accommodates family care. Mothers who were surveyed want to maintain their professional selves, but motherhood also plays a critical role in their lives. The constraints of the traditional workday are becoming obsolete with the advancement of technology, creating the perfect opportunity for employers to re-evaluate these traditional models and begin to help take the burden off families who desire a better work-life balance.


title: Pathways to a Program: An Examination of Public Relations Education programs in Canada

subject:
Public Relations - profession
Public Relations - education

abstract:
In light of the continued debate on Public Relations education and the discussion
on professionalism, this study examined the current state of Public Relations education in
Canada. The sample used consisted of the programs listed on the Center for Education’s
list of College, University Programs & Academia on the CPRS website. The CPRS
Pathway to the Profession (2011) was used as a template to analyze current programs.
Findings indicate an overall strong match for Pathway 1, the Technical Pathway, a
weaker match for Pathway 2, the Career Pathway and little or no match for Pathways 3 or
4, the Management Pathway and the Leadership Pathway.
Findings are discussed in terms of how they related to the main characteristics of
professionalization. Also explored is how they contribute to the Public Relations role
within the Senior Management Function.


title: Bridge or Barrier: an Examination of the Accessibility of Ontario University Accessibility Services Offices Webpages

subject: Accessibility, Webspace, post secondary institutions

abstract: Research examining the web accessibility of postsecondary institutions has primarily focused on the homepage of the website, with few examining Canadian institutions. This study explored how easy it is to locate the homepage of each Ontario University Accessibility Services Office and evaluated the compliance of each homepage with the most recent version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). Using qualitative methodology and an automated accessibility tool (Total Validator), 21 Ontario University Accessibility Services Offices homepages were analyzed. Each homepage was located, and all failed to comply with WCAG 2.1 standards. Across homepages, 100% had at least one WCAG 2.1 Level A error, and 71% had at least one WCAG Level AA error. The most common WCAG 2.1 error was improperly nesting headings. Implications and recommendations for Ontario University Accessibility Services Offices are discussed, along with considerations for future research.


title: The Bullying Phenomenon: Definition, Prevention, and Intervention

subject:
Bullying
Cyberbullying
University students

abstract:
Bullying not only affects victims, but also perpetrators, bystanders, and society at
large. Despite concentrated efforts from schools, community organizations, and
governing bodies, not only has traditional bullying continued, but bullying has now
carried over to cyberspace. Until a better understanding of the motivations behind
bullying acts is identified, this phenomenon will continue. This study sought to enhance
current knowledge regarding bullying, specifically participant’s understanding of
bullying and cyberbullying, and their reaction to being involved in or witnessing bullying
incidents.
One hundred and eighty-one first and second year students at Mount Saint
Vincent University who were enrolled full-time in an arts, science or professional
program completed a researcher designed questionnaire. The majority of the participants
were female (76.9%) between the ages of 18 and 20. Qualitative analysis, using a
modified grounded theory approach, was used to analysis participants’ responses to open
ended questions. Quantitative data analysis of dichotomous items was limited to the
calculation of means, ranges, and percentages. As the number of participants in the
gender, age, university program, and ethnic groups were so skewed, statistical
comparisons were not feasible. Participants were divided fairly evenly by geographic
region, but Chi square calculations revealed no statistically significant differences
between the two groups.
The majority of participants (63.9%) reported being bullied, 26.7% reported
bullying others and 82.2% reported witnessing bullying incidents. They also had a good
understanding of what constitutes bullying, noting that it went beyond physical harm,
typically occurred more than once, and was usually intentional. Interventions,
unfortunately, only took place 20.5% of the time and of these, slightly over half were
viewed as effective in stopping bullying acts.
Many reasons for both bullying and stopping bullying behaviours revolved around
peer influence; bullies sought peer acceptance via bullying others, and ceased behaviours
when peers did not provide the desired attention. Another explanation given for bullying
was the bully seeking an increase in self worth and to feel better about themselves by
making others feel worse.
These results suggest that increasing peer intervention and decreasing peer
approval may be an effective method to aid in the discontinuation of bullying behaviours.
The results of this study also suggest that an effective preventative approach may be to
find other means of increasing potential perpetrator’s self esteem and confidence.


title: Cultivating Food Security in Nova Scotia Public Schools: A Case Study of an Elementary School Garden Project

subject:
Community food security
School gardens
Food security
Food sustainability

abstract:
Background: Community food security (CFS) exists when all community residents

obtain a safe, personally acceptable, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that

maximizes healthy choices, community self-reliance and equal access for all. A small but

growing body of peer reviewed research suggests that school gardens provide an array of

nutrition, health, social, and ecological benefits. School gardens have been promoted as

a strategy for building CFS, but to date no research is available exploring school gardens’

role in CFS.

Purpose: This thesis explored the role of school gardens in building CFS. More

specifically, it surveyed, from the perspective of the school community and affiliated

public health practitioners: 1) any health, social and ecological effects of the school food

garden at River Valley Elementary School, and 2) what factors contributed to producing

these effects.

Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, single case study design was followed, using an

elementary school food garden as the case. Data collection consisted of focus group and

individual interviews, document review and participant observation in classroom and

extracurricular garden activities. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological System’s Theory and

Garret and Feenstra’s Model for Sustainable Food Systems were used as frameworks to

inform data analysis.

Results and Conclusions: While the school garden at River Valley Elementary School

did have some direct effects on human and environmental health, it was the indirect

effects that were most important for their potential contributions to longer term CFS. The

school food garden at River Valley Elementary has the potential to influence long term

CFS through developing in children knowledge, skills and values that encourage

participation in sustainable food systems. A societal culture supportive of healthy,

sustainable food at schools, backed by relevant government and school policies, were key

ecological systems factors reinforcing and supporting this garden’s effects on human and

environmental health, and economic vitality. If all schools are to have access to building

and maintaining a sustainable a school garden, these findings suggest that adequate

funding for a paid school garden coordinator and the support of a team of committed

volunteers is essential. Furthermore, the social, health and ecological effects of school

food garden at River Valley and their relationship to each other was complex. More

research is needed to extricate if and how the observed immediate effects contribute to

the indirect, CFS building potential of school gardens suggested in this thesis, and further

explicate what factors at the micro-, meso-, exo-, macro-, and chronosystem levels

contribute to this.


title: Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes and Perceptions About Breast and Cervical Cancer and Screening Among Arabic Speaking Immigrant Women in Halifax, Nova Scotia

subject:
Women, Arab -- Nova Scotia
Breast cancer
Cervical cancer

abstract:
Women of all races and ethnicities are at risk for breast cancer and cervical

cancer. These types of cancer have remained major public health issues across the

world. Although effective strategies for preventing breast and cervical cancer have

yet to be developed, following early detection practices can reduce the impact of the

disease and allow for a greater range of treatment options (American Cancer Society,

2005).

Informed by Black feminism and critical social theory relevant to Adult education

this qualitative study was conducted to explore the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and

perceptions Arabic speaking immigrant women in Halifax, Nova Scotia towards

breast and cervical cancer among. The data were collected in two phases. The first

phase consisted of a survey in which 100 Arabic speaking women who are all married

and are 21 years and older participated. In phase two semi-structured interviews were

conducted with five of Arabic speaking women who were from a range of

backgrounds and age groups.

The study's findings reveal that there is a lack of knowledge about breast and

cervical cancer and screening for these cancers among Arabic speaking women.

Results indicated that the health care system in itself presents a number of challenges

for Arabic speaking women to obtain screening. Different factors influence Arabic

women's decisions about going or not going for screening and thus related to the

delay in seeking help for breast and cervical screening. These factors are related to

cultural or other factors such as lack of knowledge, fear, and social influence as well

as language. Strategies to reach Arabic speaking women include a variety of

recommended methods such as through educational sessions at clinics and/or in

community sites. This study will be helpful in planning and delivering screening

services to women in the Arabic community in Halifax and elsewhere.


title: The Historical Formation of Adult Education Discourses in the Shift from Liberalism to Neoliberalism

subject: Adult education, liberalism, neoliberalism

abstract: This dissertation provides the theoretical under-labouring needed for adult education theorists to understand the ways in which adult education has become part of the ideological veil behind which capitalism maneuvers in our contemporary world. To understand the purpose of adult education in the regime of neoliberalism, this dissertation tracks its historical formation in a context of influential liberal discourses that were supportive of the development of capitalism. An in-depth review of key liberal philosophers provides adult education researchers with insights into how liberal theory moved from its roots as a critique of government to be a regime of justification for the growth of modern capitalism. Using Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, as a regional exemplar, the dissertation examines the shifting nature of adult education in response to shifting national and international liberal, capitalist, and, now, neoliberal discourses.


title: A Father's Influence of His Daughter's Perception of Her Body Image and Dieting Practices

subject: Newfoundland and Labrador -- Exploits Valley

subject: Newfoundland and Labrador

subject: Nutrition

subject: Psychological aspects

subject: Psychology

subject: Family relationships

subject: Attitudes

subject: Teenage girls

subject: Nutrition

subject: Body image

subject: Adolescence

abstract:
Body image and diet have been an area of concern in young females for a number

Body image and diet have been an area of concern in young females for a number

of years. In 2000, it was reported that 50% of adolescent girls had dieted and that an even

higher percentage wished that they were thinner 1. Body image, as defined by Stokes et al., is the concept of one's

body that is formed as one begins to observe and compare the self to others. Based on an increase in media awareness and other societal pressures to be

thin, it can be speculated that in the future an even higher percentage of adolescent

females will have dieted. In today's society there is a constant pressure to achieve the

cultural ideal of a thin, pre-pubertal type body. Society portrays this ideal in television

shows, music videos and magazines. Unfortunately, young girls are striving to attain this

ideal body and will often go to extreme measures.Family relationships are one of the main influences on an adolescent girl's

development of self-image including body image perception and dieting habits. The

family is the primary agency for socialization7,8. Parents provide information to their

children as well as act as role models. The literature reports the results of investigations

on both maternal and paternal influences on a daughter's body image and diet; however,

there is more emphasis on the same-sex parent-child relationship. Ample research has

been conducted regarding a mother's influence on her daughter's body image and diet,

while the strength of a father-son relationship has also been studied in detail. It is

important to determine if a daughter feels that her father is influential in her self-image

development as he is the primary male role model in her life and adolescence is when a

daughter needs her father's parenting the most.

The purpose of this study was to determine how adolescent females feel about

their bodies, and what factors influence their body image development. This study

assessed the father-daughter relationship and determined if its influence, if any, on the

development of body image and safe diet habits in young adolescent females.With ethics approval, ten adolescent females were recruited from Exploits Valley

High School via purposive sampling. The researcher gave a brief presentation to random classes, with participants volunteering at their leisure. Once ten participants had

volunteered, and parental consent was obtained, the study began. Each female participated in an in-depth semi-structured interview which allowed participants to share

their experiences in an unbiased setting.Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews organized the data into five major

themes: body image, dieting practices, relationships, influences and pressures andc ommunication. These themes were further broken down into a variety of sub-themes.

The data indicated that overall these young females have a positive sense of self with

minor episodes of body dissatisfaction. Participants identified three major influences on

their body image and diet: peers, parents and the media. This study also indicated that the

majority of participants felt a closer relationship with their father, than with their mother.

The felt a sense of closeness, playfulness and trustworthiness all which lead to their

father's having a positive impact on their lives in various ways.

This research provides a good initial understanding of the father-daughter

relationship and its effect on the daughter's development of body image and dieting

habits. Although this was a small study, results provide solid information which can help

guide Dietitians in their counseling of young females on weight related issues, such as

weight management and eating disorders. It is essential to include both parents in dietetic

counseling with regards to weight management, healthy eating and eating disorders, as it

was determined that both the mother, and the father, have an impact on the overall eating

habits and nutrition knowledge of these young females.

of years. In 2000, it was reported that 50% of adolescent girls had dieted and that an even

higher percentage wished that they were thinner 1. Body image, as defined by Stokes et

al.2, is the concept of oneÃ¢  s body that is formed as one begins to observe and compare the

self to others. Based on an increase in media awareness and other societal pressures to be

thin, it can be speculated that in the future an even higher percentage of adolescent

females will have dieted. In todayÃ¢  s society there is a constant pressure to achieve the

cultural ideal of a thin, pre-pubertal type body. Society portrays this ideal in television

shows, music videos and magazines. Unfortunately, young girls are striving to attain this

ideal body and will often go to extreme measures2,3.

Family relationships are one of the main influences on an adolescent girlÃ¢  s

development of self-image including body image perception and dieting habits4,5,6. The

family is the primary agency for socialization7,8. Parents provide information to their

children as well as act as role models. The literature reports the results of investigations

on both maternal and paternal influences on a daughterÃ¢  s body image and diet; however,

there is more emphasis on the same-sex parent-child relationship. Ample research has

been conducted regarding a motherÃ¢  s influence on her daughterÃ¢  s body image and diet,

while the strength of a father-son relationship has also been studied in detail. It is

important to determine if a daughter feels that her father is influential in her self-image

development as he is the primary male role model in her life and adolescence is when a

daughter needs her fatherÃ¢  s parenting the most

The purpose of this study was to determine how adolescent females feel about

their bodies, and what factors influence their body image development. This study

assessed the father-daughter relationship and determined if its influence, if any, on the

development of body image and safe diet habits in young adolescent females.

With ethics approval, ten adolescent females were recruited from Exploits Valley

High School via purposive sampling. The researcher gave a brief presentation to random

classes, with participants volunteering at their leisure. Once ten participants had

volunteered, and parental consent was obtained, the study began. Each female

participated in an in-depth semi-structured interview which allowed participants to share

their experiences in an unbiased setting.

Thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews organized the data into five major

themes: body image, dieting practices, relationships, influences and pressures and

communication. These themes were further broken down into a variety of sub-themes.

The data indicated that overall these young females have a positive sense of self with

minor episodes of body dissatisfaction. Participants identified three major influences on

their body image and diet: peers, parents and the media. This study also indicated that the

majority of participants felt a closer relationship with their father, than with their mother.

The felt a sense of closeness, playfulness and trustworthiness all which lead to their

fatherÃ¢  s having a positive impact on their lives in various ways.

This research provides a good initial understanding of the father-daughter

relationship and its effect on the daughterÃ¢  s development of body image and dieting

habits. Although this was a small study, results provide solid information which can help

guide Dietitians in their counseling of young females on weight related issues, such as

weight management and eating disorders. It is essential to include both parents in dietetic

counseling with regards to weight management, healthy eating and eating disorders, as it

was determined that both the mother, and the father, have an impact on the overall eating

habits and nutrition knowledge of these young females.


title: Sacred World Outlook and the Curriculum: Ecological Perspectives and Contemplative Practice

subject: Sacred world outlook, contemplative practice, ecological perspective

abstract: This thesis explores an alternative worldview, sacred world outlook, as a foundation for an educational approach that integrates contemplative practice with an ecological perspective. At its heart is a connection to, and a reverence for all life. The importance of place-based and culturally relevant curricula is central to the approach and the thesis acknowledges the significant contribution of Indigenous knowledge to its evolution. The thesis further explores how holistic and contemplative pedagogical practices are a foundation for a curriculum that furthers a profound and heartfelt understanding of the interrelationship and interdependence of all phenomena. It is proposed that such an understanding is vital to the education of current and future generation of students in order to relate to, and begin to resolve, the ecological and humanitarian crises we face in the world at present. It is suggested that the introduction of contemplative practice into the curriculum and its implementation, not only as a personal practice but also as a teacher practice and a pedagogical approach, opens possibilities of a a genuine commitment to action that cuts through the assumptions of mainstream Western culture—assumptions that further the growth economy and consumerism and the destruction of the environment, and which underpin an approach to education that furthers such views and practices. The perspective investigated in this thesis is based on 20 years of teaching experience and curriculum design in various cultural contexts, including a recent curriculum design project in Bhutan for young Buddhist monks. The study employs the structural approach of View, Meditation and Action, derived from Buddhist tradition, as a lens to examine the following questions: In the context of curriculum, what does sacred world outlook as an alternative worldview offer to educators and their students? How is the sacred world outlook in the curriculum informed by an ecological perspective and supported by contemplative practice? And, how has my understanding of the role of place and culture in education been shaped by my experience as an educator in various contexts and as a long time Buddhist practitioner? The importance of storytelling to this approach is highlighted by the insertion of autobiographical “vignettes” throughout the narrative, that illustrate and enrich the theoretical aspect of the study.


title: Learning to Lead in Health Care: A Narrative Inquiry of Physician Leadership

subject: Physician leadership, health care, leadership experience

abstract:
Active physician leadership within health care organizations can shape the way health care is delivered and contribute to improving and strengthening the system. Yet physicians often struggle to be effective in organizational leadership positions due to lack of leadership experience and the preparation that helps develop requisite competencies and skills. Informed by a qualitative narrative approach, this doctoral study explores the question of how physicians who transition into formal leadership positions learn to lead.
Twelve physician leaders based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, were interviewed to gain their perspective on this particular adult learning experience. Categorical content analysis was applied in a multi-stage coding process that yielded four main themes: professional identity, organizational culture, workplace context, and leadership learning, along with relevant sub-themes. Communities of practice, organizational learning and transformative learning theories served as a theoretical framework to inform the analysis.
Findings illustrate that the reality of formal physician leadership in health care organizations is ill-matched to the core values and professional identities of doctors. Physicians move along a path through a social learning landscape, negotiating a sense of identity that spans multimembership in different practice communities. For some, the product of this cross-boundary learning is the creation of a superordinate leader identity. For others, it seems to be the understanding and appreciation of a dual identity — physician and leader — the relative importance and weight of each varying over time and context This study emphasizes that physician leadership development can be enhanced by attending more explicitly to how people learn and, concomitantly, supports the assertion that adult education theories and practices can make a significant and valuable contribution to enhance leadership development in medical contexts.


title: Dueling Clocks: How Women Academics Balance Childcare with the Road to Tenure

abstract:
This study looks at the experience of academic women as they attempt to combine the
demanding roles of motherhood and being an academic seeking tenure. My thesis identifies
several themes related to this notion of role-balancing for women: the gendered division of
childcare and housework, women’s experiences in academe, sources of support for women, the
influence of neoliberalism in academic institutions, and both tenure and family-friendly policies
(Armenti, 2004; Comer & Stites-Doe, 2006; Perna, 2005; Ward & Wolf-Wendel, 2004; Young
& Wright, 2001). Data from five individuals representing both tenure-track and tenured
academics was obtained using a narrative inquiry approach that involved a combination of
interviews, document analysis, and a visual representation of labour tasks. A thematic analysis
was developed using a combination of grounded theory and a critical feminist perspective. The
results from this study may assist in the creation or adaptation of supportive, university-based
policy for academics who are parents, particularly mothers.


title: Wild edible plants in Nova Scotia: Food tourism environmental scan

title: Touring over a new leaf in Nova Scotia

subject:
Wild edible plants
Nova Scotia
Food tourism
Tourism
Ecology

abstract:
Background: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines wild
edible plants (WEP) as “Plants that grow spontaneously in self-maintaining populations in
natural or semi-natural ecosystems and can exist independently of direct human action.” There
is a growing interest in tapping the repertoire of WEP for entrepreneurial initiatives, particularly
within food tourism as a resurgence of local traditional heritage. Food tourism is receiving
growing attention for many reasons, including changing consumer needs, increasing
environmental awareness, enhancing cultural identity and place branding, and economic and
social sustainability. These trends set the stage for WEP to develop into new biological
resources that promote food diversity, crop resilience, and the potential to enhance
connections with nature and conservation of wilderness areas containing WEP.
Purpose: To describe the practices and perspectives of food tourism business
owners/managers involved with WEP in Nova Scotia (NS), for the purpose of exploring how
values attached to WEP shape and are shaped by practices.
Method: Using qualitative descriptive inquiry, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were
conducted with food tourism business owners and operators to examine and describe food
tourism practices involving WEP. Thematic analysis employing a relational framework informed
by political ecology theory provided insight into how food tourism practices involving WEP
influenced participants’ relationships with nature (biophysical and sociocultural), values driving
actions of stewardship and gathering practices for business, and how activities are affected by
and may contribute to local culture.
Results: Interviews with ten food tourism operators (chefs, herbalists, and tour guides) were
conducted in the summer and fall of 2019. Participants used ten to over 200 WEP in a variety of
products and services. Several relational themes emerged from the interviews and captured the
ways that food tourism influenced relationships with nature and the values inherent in
practices: childhood upbringing, education and training, sense of place, promoting regional food heritage, ecological knowledge and awareness, business and WEP sustainability, and
systems of governance. Each theme told a story of a connective web where WEP in diverse
ecosystems (past and present) influences the values and knowledge within food tourism
practices and WEP in diverse ecosystems.
Implications: The participants in this study could be considered early adopters of profit-based
WEP activities in the province of NS. By telling the “story” of WEP utilized through food tourism,
it is possible to use tourism owners’ perspectives and development of products and services to
boost local knowledge, connection, and value of wilderness areas containing WEP. The main
value of this research is the contribution of knowledge to the study of WEP through the
implementation of food tourism practices in NS. This research provides an understanding of
how WEP and values-based experiences connect individuals to their food and environment.
Illuminating knowledge of WEP and transdisciplinary work in nutrition and ecology could help
to inform policy, encourage research and development, and investments in this underexplored
area.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Participation in both formal and informal economic
activities involving WEP revealed some of the motives behind commercial and non-commercial
practices. To varying extents of influence (reaching relatively small audiences and mobilized as
material or immaterial products and services), food tourism practices involving WEP can
contribute to social and ecological resilience. Recommendations focus on reevaluating the way
we understand ourselves, culture, and WEP within the ecological web of nature. Further
research is needed to understand the cultural reaches of niche wild food and tourism markets
for making a difference to the built environments and socio-economics of communities (even if
through a multiplier effect). It could also assist in implementing policies and licensing that
promote conservational strategies for WEP. Additional research is also warranted to explore
guests’ experiences and whether and how they adopt WEP practices.


title: Conveying Mathematical Experiences: The Voice of a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disability

subject:
Mathematics Skill Development
Case Studies
Nonverbal Learning Disability NLD
Nova Scotia

abstract:
This qualitative research study examines a student-participant’s perceptions about mathematics.
Within this case study, one child a nonverbal disability, NLD shares his experiences in a mathematics setting. The child with NLD’s voice is not often reflected in the literature, as clinical research traditionally characterizes the core deficits of this learning disability. Three main questions guided this research: What does a child with NLD experience in a mathematics classroom, how does he or she conceptualize mathematics, and what are some of the strategies he or she employs in a mathematics setting?
The thematic analysis of the qualitative data gathered from observations in a classroom, interviews with the student-participant, as well as mathematics interactions advanced the generation of salient themes. The role of family, school, attitude and conversations about learning, attention and persistence, and the study of error patterns emerged as the main factors influencing the way in which a child with NLD experiences mathematics. I provide a model for conceptualizing the data collected and suggest that a child’s affect around mathematics may provide considerable influence in the development of mathematics skill development. The model is supported by the behaviours exhibited by the child with NLD in an in vivo mathematics setting.


title: A critical discovery analysis of gendered language in online parenting education

subject:
Parenting education
Gender and language

abstract:
Parenting education resources offer concrete skills, information, and support to increase
individuals’ competence as parents (Krafchick, Zimmerman, Haddock, & Banning, 2005).
Increasingly parents are beginning to supplement and even replace print resources with online
material. The internet offers convenience, anonymity to users, and an alternative method for
family life educators to deliver information (Daneback & Plantin, 2009; Duncan & Steimle,
2004).
Given this centrality in parenting education practice, it is important to consider what
information is being presented to parents online. More specifically, how are ideologies
concerning gender and the family reflected in the language of parenting education websites? This
study examined at how gender is embodied in online parenting education through doing a critical
discourse analysis of selected websites. Implications for the practice of critical FLE were
developed through analysis.
The analysis of four parenting education websites found that two of the websites
analyzed (Pampers and Ask. Dr. Sears) presented gender-neutral information and two of the
websites (Parents Connect and Families Online Magazine) presented gender-specific information
to parents. Findings indicated that gender messages were directly mostly at mothers, whereas
there was a lack of information directed at fathers. Overall the website evaluations indicated that
all four parenting websites presented gender-specific messages in one or more of the following
areas: website images, videos, titles, website authors, and marketing.
Analyzing how gender is presented in parenting education is important because gender is
a critical variable in the socialization of children and in the organization of family relationships. In turn, through informing parents on the process and outcomes of gender socialization parents
are equipped with the knowledge that allows them to be aware when raising their children,
critically analyze gender expectations, and help them in making informed choices concerning
how to deal with these expectations.


title: Exploring the Implementation of Outdoor Play in Nova Scotia’s Pre-primary Program

subject: Outdoor play, pre-primary education, early childhood educators

abstract:
Introduction: Research has indicated that outdoor play influences children’s physical, cognitive and social-emotional well-being, but there exist barriers to outdoor play implementation in early learning settings. Given the novelty of Nova Scotia’s Pre-primary Program, little is known about how outdoor play is being implemented. Methods: Focus groups and interviews were conducted with two Pre-primary Program Early Childhood Educators (ECEs), two facilitators, two school teachers, the school principal, and three staff from the Government of Nova Scotia. Data also included photographs of the outdoor play spaces used by the Pre-primary Program taken during a site visit and the collection of relevant documentation. Results: Thematic analysis of all data was completed and resulted in a description of the outdoor play space and practices of the Preprimary Program and factors that may be influencing these identified practices. Six themes or
‘outdoor play influencers’ were identified: 1) Outdoor play, including loose parts and risky play, is valued; 2) outdoor play is promoted and engaged in by others; 3) space and resources are available; 4) communication and engagement happens; 5) leaders are integral; 6) partnerships and collaboration are essential. Significance: This research contributes an understanding of the various perceptions about outdoor play (including loose parts and risky play), and outdoor play implementation strategies that may provide guidance to stakeholders involved in the Pre-primary Program including ECEs and policy makers.


title: Low-alcohol fermented products and their perception by female consumers

subject: Alcohol consumption, Low-alcohol products, consumer perception,


title: From Community College to University: Preparing Community College Business Students for University Success

subject: transformational learning

abstract:
This thesis investigates the impact that a community college diploma has on students’ confidence as well as on their decision to attend and be successful at university. It also looks at the extent to which transformational learning theory can help to explain this transition. There has been considerable research looking at transformational learning at the university level. There is very little research at the community college level looking at transformational learning. Specifically, this thesis explores the hypothesis that pedagogical actions that engage students in transformative learning give students the confidence in themselves and their skills to pursue university education and to feel more successful. The methodology used for this thesis was the personal interview. A series of one hour one on one interviews were conducted with 12 students who have
made the transition from community college to university. All of the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed to form the basis of the findings and discussion of this thesis. The thesis found that all 12 of the participants indicated that their confidence had improved. Additionally, 10 of the 12 participants indicated that this improvement in confidence affected their decision to further their education. Evidence is provided through the use of Mezirow’s 10 phases of transformational learning that a transformational learning experience has occurred during the 2 year diploma program. This thesis has provided evidence that specific pedagogical actions have improved students’ confidence and changed their views on their abilities through transformational learning enabled by critical reflection. This work may help to inform future curriculum development at both community college and university as well as teaching and
learning strategies. The work has also identified other areas of interest that future research may be able to build upon such as confidence improvement at community college vs university in the early years.


title: Advising Parents on How to Confront School Bullying: Analysing Four Guidance Books from Four Canadian Provinces

subject: Bullying, school bullying, Canada,

abstract:
thesis uses discourse analysis and shows the ways in which definitions of bullying are socially constructed. Analyzing four parent guides from four different Canadian provinces, the thesis explores how prevalent bullying prevention programs in schools may only give us one way of understanding bullying and block alternative ways of understanding it. My approach is first to investigate what prevention programs in schools suggest in order to eradicate bullying. I have chosen four guidance books from four provinces in Canada (BC, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia), to understand how bullying is often understood in Canada.
Kress and Van Leeuwen's (2006) concept of visual communication, and Feminist Post-Structuralism (as discussed in the work of Bethune & Gonick 2017) comprise the primary theoretical frameworks of this thesis. The analysis of this thesis is based on textual analysis and image analysis. Additionally, the analysis identifies the connection between the text and the image and how they work together to deliver similar, or differing, messages about bullying. Five themes emerge from the analysis: bullying is defined in terms of gender; bullying is defined in a binary way (in terms of a bully and a victim); neoliberal rationality is invoked in the language of the parents’ guides; bullying is understood to stem from students’ differences; and children are constructed as inferior, in that they have no agency.


title: Teacher Stress: Implications for Teaching, Learning, and Coping

subject:
Stress
New Teachers
Experienced Teachers

abstract:
This study examined the personal experiences of teachers who are new to the field along with teachers who are more experienced in the field with regard to their perceptions of stress in the school setting. Ten teachers were interviewed to discuss their personal experiences with stress.
The teachers worked in high schools in rural settings. Four teachers had less than ten years of experience teaching, while six had more than ten years of experience in the profession. Participants were interviewed and asked questions surrounding causes of stress and coping strategies. Participants were also asked to discuss their feelings toward support they receive for stress. The interviews were tape recorded and the tapes were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using a descriptive, qualitative design.
Three main themes were identified throughout the interviews including, teacher’s perceptions of stress, root causes of stress, and how teachers cope with and are supported when feeling stressed. The interviews indicated that there is an elevated amount of stress in the profession due to changing dynamics and work demands in the profession. Specifically, participants noted the lack of time, additional paper work, the emphasis on meeting provincial testing standards, lack of involvement in policy making, and lack of support in teaching students with diverse abilities as their main stressors. Furthermore, teachers emphasized concern regarding the lack of funding to support students with varying needs and felt that they could not properly support all students without additional programming supports and personnel. Differences in responses between newly experienced and experienced teachers were minimal; however, it was evident that there were slightly different perspectives in some areas. More specifically, newly experienced teachers had slightly different views on causes and supports for stress. There were also many similarities in responses among participants indicating that stress is far reaching in the profession. Lack of supports and effective coping strategies for helping teachers deal with stress emerged as a significant issue.
Results of this study indicate that teacher stress is an area of concern that is in need of significant attention. By identifying causes of stress, it is hoped that supports can be utilized in a preventative manner to help teachers cope with stress on the job. Overall, responses from teachers indicated that in many cases they felt very vulnerable in their teaching roles. Perceived lack of services and supports coupled with other’s attitudes regarding stress left them feeling exposed and unsupported. Given these feelings, it is important that all parties involved begin to collaborate in further efforts to create awareness and support for teacher stress concerns. Within this process, school psychologists can take on an active role by supporting students and teachers through direct and indirect servicing.


title: Affective Decision-Making in School-Aged Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

subject:
Decision making in children
Attention-deficit-disordered children
Attention deficit disorder

abstract:
Children and adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
have been found to make a variety of poor life decisions in comparison to typically
developing children and adolescents. To date, it is difficult to fully understand decisionmaking
and draw firm conclusions from the literature given mixed findings and the
limited application of a variety of decision-making tasks to this clinical population. The
purpose of the present study was to examine the performance of school-aged children
with ADHD in comparison to their typically developing peers on three affective decisionmaking
tasks, the GDT, IGT and BART. The GDT was used to assess probabilistic
discounting and risky decision-making, and the IGT and BART were used to assess both
decisions under ambiguity and risk. As such, the current study asks three questions, (1)
Do children and adolescents with ADHD make risky choices on a probabilistic
discounting decision-making task (i.e., GDT)?, (2) Do children and adolescents with
ADHD choose disadvantageously when making decisions with ambiguous outcomes (i.e.,
BART and IGT)?, and (3) Are comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression in children
and adolescents with ADHD associated with better performance on the GDT, IGT and
BART? Eighteen high functioning individuals (IQ score > 80) between the ages of 8-16
meeting the clinical diagnosis of ADHD, as well as 18 typically developing comparison
participants matched to the clinical sample on age, sex, and IQ participated in the study
(N = 36). Overall, results suggest that school-aged children with ADHD make similar
decisions to typically developing children and adolescents on probabilistic discounting
tasks and tasks with ambiguous outcome, however in some areas their choices tend to be
less advantageous and involve more risk.


title: The future housing preferences and expectations of older adults with unmet housing needs

subject: Older Adults

subject: Aging Populations - Atlantic Canada

abstract:
The housing needs of Canadians are changing and issues such as the supply and nature of
appropriate housing are especially relevant in Atlantic Canada where we boast the highest
proportion of older adults in Canada. In Canada, we identify households in housing need using
the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s criteria of core housing need; affordability,
adequacy and suitability. These criteria do not take into account the health-related gaps that can
exist between a dwelling and its occupants, such as safety and accessibility. These issues could
be of particular concern within the context of an aging population.
Through a secondary analysis of the Atlantic Seniors Housing Research Alliances’
Seniors’ Housing and Support Services Survey, this research examined the future housing
preferences and expectations of 1614 older adults in Atlantic Canada, assessing their level of
housing need and the congruence of their future housing decisions. Variables were selected for
this study to be as comparable as possible to the current CMHC core housing need criteria.
Results showed that both safety and accessibility issues were related to being in self-reported
housing need, supporting the addition of health-related criteria to the CMHC core housing need
definition. In addition it was found that suitability, as defined by CMHC, was not a significant
concern for any of the three housing need groups. Results support the recommendation to expand
the definition of suitability to include dwellings that are too large for their occupants.
It was found that older adults in housing need do indeed differ from those with met or
limited housing needs on a number of socio-demographic characteristics, most notably health
and financial status. The future housing expectations of those with met or limited housing need do differ from those experiencing housing need, with those in need more likely to anticipate
modifications to or moves from their current dwelling. Interestingly, those in housing need do
not differ greatly in their future housing preferences from those with met or limited housing
need, with persons at all levels of housing need most likely to express a preference for a single
family dwelling in the future. Housing decision congruence, a complex construct, seems to be
most strongly related to the current dwelling type of the older adult. Self-reporting housing need,
and thus awareness of a housing need, appears to have a positive impact on future housing
decision congruence.
In the short-term, to address the housing needs of an aging population, it will be
necessary to emphasize the importance of funding to and promotion of home modification
programs. Awareness and availability of such programs, which serve to close the gap between
the dwelling and the individual, may help to maintain older adults in their own homes for longer
periods of time. In the long-term, it is necessary to advocate for building regulations that include
universal design standards to ensure that new housing is built to be accessible for occupants of
all ages. These recommendations will help to keep older adults in their own home as they age,
and could offset future demand on the long term care system.


title: Addressing reading comprehension in elementary-school readers: How do decoding and oral language skills predict performance on two measures, and are the same students identified as having a comprehension difficulty?

subject:
Reading comprehension
Oral language
Decoding
Education
Early elementary
Assessment

abstract: Reading Comprehension draws on multiple skills and knowledge but is frequently assessed as if it were a single skill. There are questions about the validity and differences between measures, with few studies addressing these issues directly. In first through third-grade students, pseudoword decoding accounted for similar amounts of variance in two measures of reading comprehension, while oral language skills contributed more to a multiple-choice test than to a cloze test. The prediction by each oral language skill was similar across grades, except for syntactic awareness which predicted more variance in cloze test scores with each increasing grade. Of students identified as below the 16th and 25th percentile by the multiple-choice test, 34.2% and 36.9% were not identified by the cloze test. This highlights inconsistencies between who is identified between these two measures. Based on these results and previous findings, I propose a change in the assessment of reading comprehension.


title: Exploring the Meaning and Significance of Creativity in Education: A Narrative Inquiry of Saudi Female Graduate Students’ Experiences in a Canadian University

subject: Creativity, education, Saudi Arabia, female students, motivation

abstract: This qualitative study aims to explore the concept of creativity through the narratives of Saudi female graduate students in the Faulty of Education at a university in Eastern Canada. In-depth interviews reveal the participants’ perspectives on home life, culture and educational environments, and the impact these have had on their creative expression and development. Specifically, this study focuses the Saudi female graduate students’ perceptions regarding the definition of creativity, the factors that nurture and hinder creative development and expression, and the role of creativity in education. The participants offer reflections on how certain aspects of their lives—including their education, family, and cultural context—have facilitated or restricted the development of their own creativity and learning process. The data findings reveal that the experience of studying abroad, and observing different cultural contexts and various approaches to education, has offered the participants a unique opportunity to reflect on the interconnections of culture, pedagogy, creativity and learning. The participants describe the impact of culture on their home and school environments, and they describe having limited opportunities and encouragement for creative expression, which they explain has affected their creative development and by extension, their learning processes. Through reflecting on their past and present experiences in Saudi and Canadian education systems, they have gained greater awareness of the significance of creativity in education and why creativity needs to be encouraged within the Saudi home and school environments. The study aims to contribute to the scholarship in the field of education that is developing a better understanding of the importance of using pedagogy in the teaching and learning process that nurtures students’ creativity.


title: Development and Usability Testing of a Web-Based Teacher Intervention for Students with Learning Disabilities

subject:
Learning disabilities
Online teacher interventions

abstract: Access to evidence-based interventions for LDs is limited by a number of factors (e.g., teacher knowledge of LDs, access to interventions). The Internet is becoming a popular medium to host interventions and has the potential to increase access to interventions. The current project aimed to develop and test the usability of an online teacher intervention for LDs, which consisted of evidence-based intervention strategies to help teachers learn to effectively assist children with LDs. The usability study asked LD specialists (n=18) to evaluate the usability of the Teacher Help for LD intervention and provide their feedback. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that participants were very satisfied and found the program highly usable. Positive feedback and content-related feedback were most prominent. These results will help to modify the intervention in the process toward dissemination to classroom teachers.


title: The creative small group – towards a framework of collaborative creativity within the creative sphere

subject:
small group communication
collaborative creativity
ero-epic (free) dialogue
qualitative research methods
ethnography

abstract:
Zur Methode wird nur der getrieben,
dem die Empirie lästig wird.

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Maximen und Reflexionen”)

	Creativity, its manifestations, and its consequences are both nuanced and elusive.
As a “floating participant,” I dashed on a scooter through the Lebenswelt (lifeworld) of my participants and, for a while, abandoned the behaviour of a social researcher, a more or less passive observer of the moment. Grounded in the qualitative paradigm, this ethnographic study explores and interprets the various processes and means of communication used by a creative small group and strives to understand how the group members are influenced by and simultaneously define an environmental space that I call the creative sphere.
This understanding of creativity considers the various interactive and communicative acts and the diverse environmental attributes that constitute the creative sphere. Similar to the overlapping character of the pieces of a kaleidoscope, the interactions within the creative sphere provide colourful interrelations between its social elements. Thus, creativity refers to a contextual capability for meaningful novelty or novel ideas, which emerge from interaction.
The theoretical framework further develops previous understandings of creativity as only the relationship between creative individuals and their social environment. My work stresses the importance of the collaborative aspect of creativity. Consequently, I refer to communication as the driving force of the emergent phenomenon of collaborative creativity.


title: Creating Space for Historical Narratives Through Indigenous Storywork and Unsettling the Settler

subject: Mi’kmaw, Indigenous storywork, Mi’kma’ki

abstract:
The goal of my research was to contribute to the decolonization of education by demonstrating how the practice of Indigenous storywork, according to Principles of Indigenous Storywork: Educating the Heart, Mind, Body and Spirit by JoAnn Archibald, Q’um Q’um Xiiem (2008), can be used as a pedagogical tool. For this study, I have focused on the Mi’kmaw People of Atlantic Canada and their traditional Mi’kmaw territory known as Mi’kma’ki.

The Indigenous storywork approach opens the door for non-Indigenous people to become allies with Indigenous Peoples by “restorying,” or retelling from an Indigenous perspective, the historical narratives that have dominated the official view of the region’s history. This technique introduces decolonizing space to make room for the inclusion of the history and narrative of the L’nu or Mi’kmaw People (Regan, 2010). For this research, general historical Mi’kmaw and settlers (non-Indigenous people who settled Mi’kmaw territory) versions of a specific Eurocentric oral narrative known as “The Island with The Bloody Hand” have been collaboratively shared and analyzed. Through this Indigenous storywork, a truer, more balanced, and just story has emerged.

My investigation has demonstrated how specific components of Eurocentric traditions, as
well as stereotypical perceptions of Indigenous Peoples, are heavily tied to the roots of
colonization in Canada (Regan, 2010). My work included an examination of the myths and stereotypes common in the 18th century, as perpetuated by Europeans, who portrayed the Mi’kmaq as savage warriors in need of civilizing by benevolent settlers (Paul, 2008). As with Battiste (2013, p. 92), my ultimate objective was to provide a basis for “educational reform that synergistically combines Mi’kmaw and Eurocentric epistemologies, ontology, methodology, and axiology.


title: Moral Education and Authority: A Model for Education that Understands Moral Growth as a Consequence of the Teacher-Learner Relationship

subject:
Moral education
Teacher-learner relationships

abstract:
In this thesis, I develop the connection between moral growth of the learner and the teacher-learner relationship. In part one of the thesis, I analyze aspects of moral education
in the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, J. F. Herbart, and John Dewey. My focus on these three thinkers provides a basis for understanding the educative nature of the teacher-learner relationship as one that develops the learner’s critical, reflective self-self relationship. To do this, I focus on developing the notions of self-love, inner censor, and freedom. In part two, I connect the concepts from part one to the work of contemporary theorists David Hansen and Nel Noddings, in order to further explicate the concepts of the teacher and the learner and illuminate what constitutes an educational teacher-learner relation. Furthermore, using these new conceptions of teacher and learner as a basis, I discuss how we can reconceptualize the teacher’s authority. On the understanding of education and teaching that I develop, the teacher is a skilled architect who designs the learning environment of the classroom in such a way that the components of caring, respect, understanding, value, and safety are at the forefront of all pedagogical judgments. Accordingly, as I underscore through-out the thesis, the teacher has the responsibility to create moral learning spaces and guide interactions within these spaces in such a way that the moral development of the learner can flourish. I close the thesis with a critical discussion of current moral education initiatives in schools, and develop three criteria for evaluating future moral education initiatives.


title: Journalling through Motherhood:a Personal Exploration of the Therapeutic and Empowering Potential of Journalling

subject:
Motherhood
Motherhood - Psychological aspects
Diaries
Self-knowledge (theory)

abstract:
Western culture continues to present motherhood as a positive, happy, and thankful time
for women and their families; ignoring the feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety and shock
women may experience in their transition into motherhood, and upon the realisation that
the realities of mothering do not always meet our societal and cultural ideals. Based on my
autoethnographic research, my thesis will present the therapeutic and empowering potential
of using journalling as an added coping mechanism to the diverse stresses and traumas
women may experience in the highly gendered role of mothering. Previous studies on
journalling have demonstrated that disclosure through personal writing may produce longterm
improvements in mood and an overall sense of well-being, as well as allow individuals
to create a coherent explanation of their situation, restore self-efficacy, and find meaning to
their particular situation. While these studies have examined a broad range of stressful
events such as terminal illness, divorce, or job loss, little research has been conducted on
applying methods of journalling or expressive writing to the often difficult, ambiguous and
stressful transitions of motherhood. My research will therefore illustrate that journalling has
the potential to provide women with a space to voice and process their experiences,
opinions and feelings of mothering, as well as challenge societal and cultural ideals regarding
the institution of motherhood.


title: Student Experiences of Social, Cognitive, and Teaching Presence in Online Graduate-Level Communication Courses: A Mixed Methods Study

subject: student experience, online learning, graduate students, communications studies, student satisfaction

abstract:
This exploratory study sought to examine students’ experiences of a social, cognitive, and teaching presence – the three elements comprising the Community of Inquiry framework – in online, graduate-level communication courses at Mount Saint Vincent University. Employing a sequential mixed methods approach, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from two non-probability samples. For each phase of the study, participants were drawn from the population of graduate students enrolled in one or more of four 13-week courses offered by the Department of Communication Studies during the winter 2015 semester. During the first, qualitative phase of the study, a sample of nine students responded to a series of “trigger questions” designed to encourage reflection with respect to students’ experiences of online learning in their current courses. During the quantitative phase, a sample of 14 students responded to the statistically validated Community of Inquiry survey. Designed to measure student experiences of online learning in terms of social, cognitive, and teaching presence, the
survey consists of 34 Likert-scale questions. For this study, the survey included one additional Likert-scale question pertaining to student satisfaction. Qualitative analysis revealed that (1) participants desired a higher level of social presence in their online courses and viewed online learning as a largely independent experience; (2) cognitive
presence at the group level may be stymied by insufficient social presence at the individual level; (3) frustrations surrounding technological limitations did not translate to dissatisfaction with online learning; (4) participants would generally recommend online learning to others; and (5) teaching presence is central to shaping participants’ online learning experiences. Quantitative analysis of the survey responses resulted in high scores across all three presences with social presence receiving the lowest score and teaching presence receiving the highest. Correlations between the three presences and student satisfaction could not be calculated. However, the majority of survey respondents indicated that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their course experiences.


title: Teachers' perceptions of their cultural competencies: An investigation in the relationships among teacher characteristics and cultural competence

subject:
Nova Scotia teachers
Ethnic attitudes
Cultural competence

abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between teacher characteristics and cultural competencies in teachers. Participants were 120 teachers enrolled in graduate courses in the Faculty of Education at Mount Saint Vincent University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They completed a survey designed for this study, titled the Teachers' Perceptions of their Cultural Competence and a demographic survey. Teachers were divided into a number of groups based on the following teacher characteristics: sex (male, female); highest degree obtained (Bachelor, Masters); experience (novice -nine or less years, veteran - ten or more years); school level (elementary, secondary); subject (arts, sciences); courses with a cultural competency focus completed (no courses, at least one course); and professional development workshops with a cultural competency focus completed (no workshops, at least one workshop). Teacher characteristics were compared to the three different types of cultural competencies examined (awareness, knowledge, and skills) (Sue, 1989). Findings indicated significant differences among the types of cultural competencies, when compared with all teacher characteristics and main effects of sex, school level and workshops. Also, it was determined that school level and workshops accounted for most of the variance in total cultural competency scores and skills competency scores.


title: Buying Local at Grocery Stores in Nova Scotia: Implications for Food Security and Healthy Eating

subject:
Food security
Nutrition
Healthy Living
Grocery Stores

abstract:
Background: Food security and fruit and vegetable consumption are two priority action
areas of Healthy Eating Nova Scotia. Through many collaborative efforts this strategic
plan aims to increase the availability of nutritious, locally produced foods in the province
and, in particular, to make fruits and vegetables more accessible and affordable for lowincome
households. In 2010 the Nova Scotia (NS) Food Security Network and Mount
Saint Vincent University partnered with the NS Department of Health and Wellness and
community organizations throughout the province to conduct a food costing survey in
order to determine the cost of a basic nutritious diet.

Purpose: This two-phase, mixed methods study used secondary data analysis and
qualitative methods to: 1) determine the availability and relative cost of nutritious locally
produced foods in grocery stores throughout NS; and 2) to examine, from the
perspectives of key stakeholder groups, the implications of lo
cal food availability and
relative cost for food security and healthy eating in NS.
Methods: In Phase I data collected as part of the 2010 NS Participatory Food Costing
Project were entered into Microsoft® Office Excel® (Microsoft Corporation)
spreadsheets and statistically analyzed to determine the availability and relative cost of
locally produced foods from a stratified random sample of 46 grocery stores. In Phase II
these findings were presented to members of agricultural awareness, health and nutrition
organizations who participated in either focus group or individual interviews to reflect
upon and interpret the research results in light of their mandates. A semi-structured
interview protocol developed to guide the discussion provided a framework for
qualitative data analysis. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim
and content analysis was conducted with the assistance of the qualitative research
software, NVivo (QSR International).

Results: Analysis of the food costing results revealed that 20.7% of the National
Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) items in grocery stores were locally produced in the
Maritime Provinces. Locally produced NNFB items were lowest in price in 75.4% of the
grocery stores with local availability. When presented with these findings, focus group
participants identified limited access to local foods and the perception that local is
expensive as possible barriers to food security and healthy eating, and the lower relative
cost of local foods and the perception that local foods are nutritious as enablers.
Participants suggested that supporting direct delivery of local foods to grocery stores and
investing in rural infrastructure would serve to strengthen local food availability.
Conclusions and Implications: Consumers do not have access to a wide variety of
nutritious, locally produced foods in grocery stores in Nova Scotia in June. Moreover,
some local food items lack sufficient local identifying information. In contrast to
perceptions that local foods cost more, in grocery stores in Nova Scotia NNFB items with
the lowest relative price are usually locally produced. The findings highlight the need to
increase the availability of nutritious, locally produced foods, especially fruits and
vegetables, in grocery stores in order to promote food security and healthy eating.
Implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations provided.


title: Social media, public relations, and the Government of Canada: An analysis of internal organizational texts

subject:
Government Publicity
Canada
Government Information
Social Media
Government Communication Systems

abstract:
This thesis examined an internal policy document surrounding social media as a
medium of public communication by the Government of Canada. It employed qualitative
content analysis to examine an internal policy document titled Considerations for the
Government of Canada’s use of Social Media to Communicate with and Engage the
Public. In conjunction with the key considerations of structuration theory (Giddens,
1984) and structural elements of the institution itself, this qualitative content analysis
endeavoured to examine used the Government of Canada’s (GC) perspective on the
integration of social media into communication strategies, as well as the social and
communicative norms that are demonstrated through this text. Dominant themes were
identified and examined to facilitate the provision of practical advice for the GC with
respect to how they can improve their communication practices and utilize online social
media as a means of effective public communication.


title: Changing the discourse: The fight for gender equality in pop culture blogs

subject: Gender inequality, entertainment, media, blogs

abstract:
Gender inequality in modern, Western society is problematic and strengthened by media
reinforcement. The negative representations of women in media can actively prevent gender equality. Media, and entertainment media in particular, treat women unequally and represent them in harmful ways. Albert Bandura’s Social cognitive theory of mass communication (2001) established that the examples presented in media have a lasting impact on the audience’s values, opinions and behaviours. Using Bandura’s theory as a theoretical framework, this study is grounded in the consequence of media’s unequal representation of women. This study looks at two blogs that treat women, and people of colour, as equals, and actively point out inequality in other media. Lainey Gossip and Awards Daily are challenging a tradition of unequal gender representation in entertainment media. I did a two-case case study of Lainey Gossip and Awards
Daily, which included Critical Discourse Analysis of their blog posts, and interviews with the founders of those blogs, Elaine Lui and Sasha Stone respectively. From the research, several solutions to the existing inequality in media emerged, chiefly that of representation – having women writing about entertainment media, producing media content, and shown on screen, is the first key step in achieving equality in media.