Search results
1 – 5 of 5Jeroen Pronk, Sui Lin Goei, Tirza Bosma and Wilma Jongejan
Despite their pivotal role in classroom social dynamics, teachers are not always aware of, and/or do not know how to respond to, bottlenecks in these dynamics. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite their pivotal role in classroom social dynamics, teachers are not always aware of, and/or do not know how to respond to, bottlenecks in these dynamics. This study investigated the effectiveness of the Social Classroom Dynamics Intervention with Lesson Study (SKILS, acronym of the Dutch program name) in supporting teachers with regards to improving their classrooms' social dynamics.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of Dutch secondary school classrooms was divided into five SKILS classrooms (n = 86; 53.5% boys; Mage-T0 = 13.62 years and SD = 1.02 years) and nine control classrooms (n = 156; 50.6% boys; Mage-T0 = 13.55 years and SD = 0.89 years). Involvement in bullying and social cohesion was assessed pre- and post-intervention using student peer reports. Teachers of SKILS classrooms formed SKILS teams of five teachers (N = 25; 60% male; Mage-T0 = 42.45 years and SD = 12.81 years; teacher's experience: MT0 = 11.35 years and SD = 8.36 years). Teachers were interviewed post-intervention.
Findings
While SKILS had little effect on classroom bullying dynamics, it had a positive effect on student social cohesion. Teachers indicated a learning effect with regard to identifying bottlenecks within classroom dynamics and felt more competent to intervene in response to bottlenecks due to SKILS.
Originality/value
The findings suggest that teachers can successfully impact classroom social cohesion by increasing their knowledge of classroom dynamics and working in Lesson Study (LS) teams with colleagues to develop tailored interventions for these dynamics.
Details
Keywords
Francisco Guzmán, Fayez Ahmad and Ross W. Johnson
Business organizations are evermore expected to behave conscientiously, but a lack of clarity remains regarding this strategy for business-to-business (B2B) brands. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
Business organizations are evermore expected to behave conscientiously, but a lack of clarity remains regarding this strategy for business-to-business (B2B) brands. This paper aims to develop and validate a B2B brand conscientiousness model that identifies what factors are driving this approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The research model is validated through a three-stage study that collects insights from high-level executives, mid-level managers and employees in B2B firms. Whereas the first two exploratory stages follow a qualitative approach to identify what factors motivate B2B firms to be conscientious and develop a model, the third stage empirically tests the proposed model through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results suggest that brand conscientiousness is viewed as an important strategy by B2B stakeholders. Whereas perceived risk discourages, external and internal stakeholder expectations and a firm’s financial commitment to a cause encourage, brands to pursue a conscientious approach. Furthermore, a B2B conscientious strategy must be perceived as authentic. Long-term commitment to the cause, strategic alignment of brand values with the cause and a congruent delivery of the brand’s promise are the drivers of this perceived authenticity.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the emerging knowledge on B2B conscientious brands by confirming the importance of this approach in a B2B context, identifying the factors that B2B stakeholders – executives, managers and employees – believe are driving it and highlighting the importance and identifying the factors that drive its perceived authenticity.
Details
Keywords
Saemi Lee, Janaina Lima Fogaca, Natalie Papini, Courtney Joseph, Nikole Squires, Dawn Clifford and Jonathan Lee
Research shows peer health education programs on university campuses can support students in pursuing sustainable health-related behavior changes. However, few programs deliver…
Abstract
Purpose
Research shows peer health education programs on university campuses can support students in pursuing sustainable health-related behavior changes. However, few programs deliver peer health education through a nondiet, weight-inclusive framework. Research shows that health educators who challenge the status quo of diet culture and weight-focused health interventions may face unique challenges when sharing this perspective with others. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of peer educators who provided critical health education by introducing a nondiet, weight-inclusive approach to health.
Design/methodology/approach
Five health coaches from a university health coaching program at a mid-sized southwestern university participated in a semi-structured interview. The data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Findings
Peer educators faced numerous challenges when introducing nondiet, weight-inclusive approaches such as lacking credibility as a peer to challenge weight-centric messages, feeling conflicted about honoring clients’ autonomy when clients are resistant to a weight-inclusive approach and feeling uncomfortable when discussing client vulnerabilities. Peer educators also identified several strategies that helped them navigate these challenges such as being intentional with social media, using motivational interviewing to unpack clients’ concerns about weight, and seeking group supervision.
Originality/value
Given the reality that health coaches will face challenges sharing weight-inclusive health approaches, educators and supervisors should explicitly incorporate strategies and training methods to help peer health coaches prepare for and cope with such challenges. More research is also needed to examine effective ways to introduce weight-inclusive approaches to college students.
Details
Keywords
Caroline Heiniger, Joan-Carles Suris and Yara Barrense-Dias
Three years after the COVID epidemic and the measures put in place by governments, the authors still cannot measure the full impact of them on the well-being and mental health of…
Abstract
Purpose
Three years after the COVID epidemic and the measures put in place by governments, the authors still cannot measure the full impact of them on the well-being and mental health of adolescents. This population was particularly impacted by this crisis, and some subgroups of young people, such as those from migration backgrounds, have been confronted with additional challenges. This paper aims to explore and describe the perspective and experience of migrant adolescents during the lockdown period
Design/methodology/approach
The authors performed 13 semi-structured interviews with migrant adolescents (nine females, median age 16) at the pediatric policlinic of Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland between November 2020 and January 2021. Participants had been living in Switzerland for an average of 2.3 years. Three of them were staying in a refugee reception centre. A thematic content analysis was carried out to extract themes and topics.
Findings
Participants had difficulty understanding information about COVID-19 in general. Remote learning was described as stressful due to various factors and lockdown had an impact on their future plans, such as finding an apprenticeship. Some young people were already socially isolated, but families were generally supportive. They expressed particular concerns, such as the family’s financial situation and the difficulty of living in refugee reception centres.
Practical implications
In the event of further lockdown, special attention must be paid to these adolescents to ensure their proper development and integration. Comprehensive follow-up of this population during and after the pandemic is essential.
Originality/value
This study provides a better understanding of the pandemic experience of migrant adolescents and underlines their difficulties.
Details
Keywords
Akilimali Ndatabaye Ephrem and McEdward Murimbika
As good as existing measurements of entrepreneurial potential (EP) may appear in the literature, they are fragmented, suffer from the lack of theory integration and clarity, are…
Abstract
Purpose
As good as existing measurements of entrepreneurial potential (EP) may appear in the literature, they are fragmented, suffer from the lack of theory integration and clarity, are inadequately specified and assessed and the dimensions are unordered by importance. These limitations of EP metrics have hindered entrepreneurial practice and theory advancement. There is a risk of atomistic evolution of the topic among “siloed” scholars and room for repetitions without real progress. The purpose of this paper was to take stock of existing measurements from which the authors developed a new instrument that is brief and inclusive.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors followed several steps to develop and validate the new instrument, including construct domain name specification, literature review, structured interviews with entrepreneurs, face validation by experts, semantic validation and statistical validation after two waves of data collected on employee and entrepreneur samples.
Findings
A clear operational definition of EP is proposed and serves as a starting point towards a unified EP theory. The new EP instrument is made up of 34 items classified into seven dimensions, which in order of importance are proactive innovativeness, management skill, calculated risk-taking, social skill, financial literacy, entrepreneurial competencies prone to cognitive and heuristic biases and bricolage. The authors provide evidence for reliability and validity of the new instrument.
Research limitations/implications
Although a model is not the model, the authors discuss several ways in which the new measurement model can be used by different stakeholders to promote entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
The authors discuss the domain representativeness of the new scale and argue that the literature can meaningfully benefit from a non-fuzzy approach to what makes the EP of an individual. By developing a new EP instrument, the authors set an important pre-condition for advancing entrepreneurial theory and practice.
Details