Search results
1 – 10 of 134The purpose of this paper is to describe the therapeutic benefits of a community-based creative artists support group. The author is also the participant/facilitator of the group…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the therapeutic benefits of a community-based creative artists support group. The author is also the participant/facilitator of the group, which has been ongoing for the past eight months. The relevant experiences of three participants in the group have been chosen, to briefly illustrate the diverse kinds of social and therapeutic value that people with creative artistic inclinations may benefit from.
Design/methodology/approach
The philosophy of the author's facilitation of this creative artist support group is based upon the humanistic psychology foundations of Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, as well as the author's previous work on the relationship of the creative artist to mental disturbance and mental health.
Findings
The pragmatic illustrations of therapeutic benefit from participation in this creative artist support group are directly related to the humanistic supportive atmosphere that is described in this paper as a cornerstone of the Artistic Theory of Psychology.
Originality/value
This paper is highly original in the context of the author's description of his Artistic Theory of Psychology, which utilizes the foundation for the “successful creative artist” as being successful in both one's chosen artistic realm as well as making a satisfactory adjustment to day-to-day life. It should also be noted that this paper has been written in the context of a “brief case study” as discussed in August 2013 with the Journal of Public Mental Health editor.
Lisa B. Elliot, Benjamin Rubin, James J. DeCaro, E. William Clymer, Kathy Earp and Michele D. Fish
The purpose of this paper is to describe synchronous, remote tutoring for the Deaf STEM Community Alliance's virtual academic community (VAC). The alliance addresses critical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe synchronous, remote tutoring for the Deaf STEM Community Alliance's virtual academic community (VAC). The alliance addresses critical barriers for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) in postsecondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method approach (qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics) documents project activities.
Findings
Google+ Hangouts was used for remote tutoring. Participants completed 57 tutoring sessions. Participants found tutoring beneficial, especially for its convenience. Technical assistance and feedback systems were created to support participants. Grade point averages (GPA) and retention remained stable.
Research limitations/implications
Research on this project continues. Small sample size is a limitation of the study. Ongoing research investigates how remote technology and social media impact learning for students who are D/HH.
Practical implications
Scholarship on social media for educational purposes is minimal. While specifics of particular social media platforms vary, recruitment, technical assistance, and establishing feedback mechanisms are common issues for VACs. Outcomes from this study will be used to improve this VAC and create documentation for replication.
Social implications
The Deaf STEM Community Alliance provides supportive resources to underrepresented students in STEM majors. Improved GPA and retention in STEM majors will generate more individuals qualified for STEM careers. Research on VACs creates opportunities to understand how technology and networked communities change knowledge and learning.
Originality/value
The Deaf STEM Community Alliance is a unique project for postsecondary students in STEM fields who are D/HH. The information is valuable to educators interested in using social media for instruction.
Details
Keywords
Esi Abbam Elliot, Benjamin Ngugi and Charles A. Malgwi
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how technological innovations mitigate inefficiencies in marketing channels in the context of microfinance markets in emerging markets…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how technological innovations mitigate inefficiencies in marketing channels in the context of microfinance markets in emerging markets. By examining in detail, specific market inefficiencies that inhibit the efforts of micro and small enterprises to access microfinance in emerging markets and the use of technology to alleviate these failures, the authors bridge the literatures on marketing channel inefficiencies and technological innovation relevant to emerging markets.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a qualitative method in the form of phenomenological interviews and participant observation in Ghana, West Africa, to investigate the research question.
Findings
The three themes that arise from the findings are: channel structure and structure selection; power-dependence relationships and relational outcomes; and conflict mechanisms and control behaviors. Customerization of technology is observed to mitigate inefficiencies in mobile marketing channels by facilitating data sharing, reminders, peer referencing and other marketing strategies of awareness, affordability, access and scalability.
Research limitations/implications
The limitations of this study are the fact that the context of the study is only one emerging market country – Ghana. This market is however experiencing dynamic changes in mobile technology innovations that is revolutionizing the microfinance industry.
Practical implications
Mobile money innovations have advanced the scope of marketing channels to the point that an updated perspective of the role of mobile technology in mitigating marketing channels inefficiency is both appropriate and timely.
Originality/value
The authors make the contribution of customerization as an aspect of mobile technology that is a key enabler in microfinance marketing channels, serving to mitigate microfinance market inefficiencies. Additionally, the study augments theories on the marketing channels framework by contributing perspectives on mobile technology.
Details
Keywords
Benjamin Kücherer, Markus Dresel and Martin Daumiller
Professional training courses play an important role for higher education instructors and their teaching quality. However, participants strongly differ in how much they learn in…
Abstract
Purpose
Professional training courses play an important role for higher education instructors and their teaching quality. However, participants strongly differ in how much they learn in these courses. The present study seeks to explain these differences by focusing on attention as a central aspect of their behavioral engagement that can stem from participants' achievement motivations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors investigated the attention of participants in full-day higher education professional training courses and how differences therein are associated with their achievement goals. Prior to course participation, 117 university instructors (49.6% male, 79.5% with PhD, average age 31.4 years) reported their achievement goals. Using an adapted observational instrument (Hommel, 2012a), two raters subsequently observed and coded the participants' attention during the course (ICC2 = 0.83).
Findings
The results documented very high attention levels, although with substantial interindividual differences. Multilevel analyses indicated that learning goals positively and work avoidance goals negatively predicted observed attention.
Originality/value
The findings provide insight into the value of an observational approach to measuring a fundamental aspect of learning engagement, and contribute to the understanding of interindividual differences in an important higher education learning environment. The study illuminates the relevance of personal predictors for university instructors' successful learning. Specifically, the findings point to the significance of goals as a relevant, but surprisingly hitherto uninvestigated, premise of learning engagement.
Details
Keywords
The British North American colonies were the first western economies to rely on legislature-issued paper monies as an important internal media of exchange. This system arose…
Abstract
The British North American colonies were the first western economies to rely on legislature-issued paper monies as an important internal media of exchange. This system arose piecemeal. In the absence of banks and treasuries that exchanged paper monies at face value for specie monies on demand, colonial governments experimented with other ways to anchor their paper monies to real values in the economy. These mechanisms included tax-redemption, land-backed loans, sinking funds, interest-bearing notes, and legal tender laws. I assess and explain the structure and performance of these mechanisms. This was monetary experimentation on a grand scale.
Details
Keywords
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are…
Abstract
Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.
Avi Kaplan, Joanna K. Garner and Benjamin Brock
Current motivation theory and research face serious theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges. One central challenge is the fact that research has focused mainly on…
Abstract
Current motivation theory and research face serious theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges. One central challenge is the fact that research has focused mainly on motivation for traditional achievement tasks such as graded assignments and normative educational trajectories. Arguably, current motivation theory and research may be inadequate to characterize adaptive motivation in the uncertain, changing, and unpredictable environments of the twenty-first century. How might motivation researchers conceptualize students’ motivation in such dynamic and complex contexts? How can motivational research inform educators, administrators, and policymakers in designing curricula, pedagogy, and evaluation and accountability systems to prepare students for such a world? In the current chapter, we address these challenges with a perspective on motivation as a complex dynamic system (CDS) that is based in the person’s identity. We begin with a brief review of the challenges to the current prevalent approach to motivation research, highlighting the need for a new paradigm. We then review assumptions of the CDSs approach that render it useful for understanding motivation in continuously changing and unpredictable environments. We then present a CDS conceptual model of identity and motivation that incorporates constructs and processes from a variety of identity and motivational theories – the Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity (DSMRI). We follow with a conceptualization of the characteristics of the identity-motivation system most adaptive for growth in changing and unpredictable environments. We end by considering the implications of this perspective for motivational theory and research and for educational practice and policy.
Details
Keywords
Aude d’Andria, Ines Gabarret and Benjamin Vedel
The purpose of this paper is to explore how resilience can support entrepreneurs in uncertain environments. The study’s objective is to show how different dimensions of resilience…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how resilience can support entrepreneurs in uncertain environments. The study’s objective is to show how different dimensions of resilience (emotional/cognitive) are dynamically connected to different logics of actions (causation/effectuation) allowing the development of a successful entrepreneurial project.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a qualitative analysis of a blog written by an entrepreneur during the first 17 months of a search, negotiation, and financing process for a company takeover.
Findings
The results highlight that in high uncertainty, strong entrepreneurial resilience and shift of logics of action can contribute to the success of a business takeover. This study identifies forms of resilience during the business takeover process that helped the entrepreneur overcome adversity and succeed. Moreover, these forms of resilience seem to be related to effectual and causal logics.
Practical implications
This study could help future entrepreneurs succeed in the creation or takeover of an organization by improving knowledge of the relationship between resilience and logics of actions.
Originality/value
This study proposes a different approach to the study of entrepreneurial resilience by analyzing it in relation with the logics of action (causation/effectuation). Moreover, the study offers a modern methodological approach by using an internet blog as a data source.
Details
Keywords
OPTIMISM as to the outlook is shown by the report from Sheffield of a book‐moving day, or perhaps returning‐day would be a better phrase, which involved the return from safe…
Abstract
OPTIMISM as to the outlook is shown by the report from Sheffield of a book‐moving day, or perhaps returning‐day would be a better phrase, which involved the return from safe storage to the Central Library of 10,000 books, 5,000 manuscripts and plans, and 10 tons of newspaper files. This probably is the first record of a homeward pilgrimage for hundreds of thousands of volumes of books as well as artistic and other treasures from bomb‐proof concealment. It is, however, yet too early for the districts in southern England to undertake the risk involved in such return. The newspapers are wisely silent about the areas in which there is still risk, but they are quite inarticulate as to the nature of the risk and it is clear that it covers a large area. The recent mobilization of air defences at Edinburgh suggests too that the particular type of attack to which Great Britain is still subject may not be confined to the south of England—from the nature of the weapon there appears to be no reason why it should be. Nevertheless, the risk that we think Sheffield takes is a legitimate one. People have returned in large numbers to their own homes; they need libraries and within reasonable limits they should have them. Our best work cannot be done when the valuable part of our stock is in inaccessible places. This return of books will create in many towns a serious storage problem: we can point to libraries which distributed their stock and which through accessions, gifts from evacuated people and other sources of accession, have filled most of the space occupied by their ordinary stock. Most of us need new buildings and our priority for them must be low. The ingenuity of librarians will be severely taxed in this as in many other matters.