VIURRSpace (Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University)
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Safety and tolerability of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine for psychiatric treatment in the Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program: A retrospective chart review
No full textThis study reports on adverse effects of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine dosing in a community group psychotherapy setting among 128 participants across four cohorts.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27451/Dames2023.pdf?sequence=
British Columbian novice teachers’ preparedness for inclusion
No full textToday’s classrooms are busy, robust, and diverse spaces. Up to thirty children from all backgrounds and intellectual/physical abilities can be placed in one room with one teacher for the school year. Teachers fresh from graduation are expected to foster inclusive classrooms with the skills to meaningfully engage all learners. This study aims to interview six British Columbian novice teachers’ preparedness for teaching in these diverse classrooms. For the purpose of this study, novice teachers are defined as teachers within the first five years of their careers. Are these teachers adequately prepared for their university and practicum experiences? As many teachers are told within the first few days of their teacher education programs, recent research states that 50% of teachers will quit teaching within the first five years of their careers. Teacher burnout is often discussed in school districts, in professional development workshops, and on social media. This study will explore diversity in today’s classrooms, reveal university education program requirements and standards as mandated by the Ministry of Education, as well as outline first-hand experiences of teachers in our province. As inclusion is mandated by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and is a human right, why are some novice teachers struggling to meaningfully include all their learners, while delivering a socially just education curriculum? Above all, this study will inform both an understanding of novice teachers’ experiences in inclusive classrooms and potential developments in teacher education programs that will be beneficial in ensuring quality education for each individual learner.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27355/Thind.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Strategies and techniques for teachers in India to manage work life balance for their mental well-being
No full textThis project is designed to provide evidence-based practices and resources to assist teachers develop their resilience and improve their personal well-being to enhance their work-life balance along with mental health. Teaching is a multifaceted profession with various commitments, however, in today’s schools, they are even asked to do an increasing number of tasks, which likely are not part of their official job description. This leads to severe impact on teachers’ sense of work-life balance and their mental health. Teacher well-being can have direct consequences on not only educational providers but also on students. The research problem addressed in this study was, many teachers in India are overwhelmed with the tasks that are considered mandatory. This continuous state can lead to diminished mental health and resultant high attrition rates. This project examined various related sources to analyze the main themes related to the improved work-life balance and mental health of teachers. The major applied project followed a meta-analysis research design to collect information from numerous resources to obtain information and present it in a two-day workshop that could help teachers' personal wellbeing. This workshop provided an opportunity to teachers to share their experiences and gain valuable insights and suggestions on self-care and well-being for their own teaching practice. The present study provided six methods to educators that could help them boost their energy, keep their focus, manage their emotions, and improve their work-life balance and their mental health. The workshop is presented in a teacher-friendly interactive format of an MS PowerPoint slide deck.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27357/Singh.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Finding middle ground: Barriers and opportunities to building missing middle housing in Saanich and Victoria
No full textResearch suggests there is a growing demand for medium-density housing such as townhomes and small multiplexes as an alternative to single detached homes (SDHs) and large apartments. This type of housing is commonly referred to as “missing middle housing” (MMH) and has a number of advantages including offering greater affordability, sustainability and efficiency in land use than traditional SDHs. In addition, MMH is typically more attractive to consumers, particularly families, over larger apartment buildings, as it allows a lifestyle that more closely resembles that of a SDH. Despite these advantages, only 16.2% of new housing in the municipalities of Saanich and Victoria is MMH.
This research aims to close the gap between the demand for MMH and the supply if MMH by identifying the barriers and possible solutions to building MMH in the communities of Saanich and Victoria. To achieve this, a number of research methods were used including interviews, policy analysis, case studies and participatory research with a Victoria-based planning and development consulting company. The results built on current academic research findings and identified a number of barriers that were specific to Saanich and Victoria, including those created by policy documents. The research came up with a number of recommendations for encouraging MMH for the municipalities of Saanich and Victoria, as well as recommendations for developers looking to build MMH.Thesis/major project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Community Planning in the Department of Community Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vancouver Island University
Understanding school administrators' and teachers' perceptions of gender-inclusive washroom design: A Canadian case study
No full textThis is an author Accepted Manuscript of a conference paper that was originally published as: McCunn, L.J., Woolley, C., Condon, D. (2023). Understanding school administrators' and teachers' perceptions of gender-inclusive washroom design: A Canadian case study. In: Mostafa, M., Baumeister, R., Thomsen, M.R., Tamke, M. (Eds.) Design for inclusivity. UIA 2023. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36302-3_2Empirical associations between school design attributes and the quality of students’ learning, comfort, and community experience are well-researched. Increasingly, a desire—and a requirement—to provide gender-inclusive washrooms in Canadian schools exists. Yet gaps in knowledge about how to best implement these spaces remain. The firm involved with this case study is a Canadian architecture and design practice that advocates for inclusive, accessible design, and strives to understand the social contexts emerging from built environments. This firm has designed gender-inclusive washrooms for a number of secondary schools and is seeking to understand their social impact on school culture based on the perspectives of teachers, staff, and administrators. Led by a professional environmental psychologist, this study employs interview methodology to examine employees’ attitudes about the design of gender-inclusive washrooms at a particular school in British Columbia, Canada, as well as their perceptions of students’ acceptance of these spaces. The aim to understand these spaces from the perspective of employees will allow architects and school districts to better contribute to the UN’s SDGs related to the promotion of quality education, gender equality, and inequality reduction, and ensure that “no one is left behind”.Conference paper: 2023 UIA World Congress of Architects. Location: Copenhagen. Conference dates: July 2-6, 2023.Accepted manuscrip
Exploring Health Care Aides' Perspectives on Work Life in Long-Term Care
Get PDF2024This inquiry sought to promote positive change in work life for health care aides (HCAs) in long-term care. Participatory action research (Reason & Bradbury, 2008) methodology was used to engage 10 HCA participants in a virtual focus group. The study explored the primary research question: How can we improve health care aides’ work life from their perspective? Thematic analysis revealed five themes: (a) complex resident care, (b) personal safety, (c) communication with leadership, (d) staffing concerns, and (e) training needs. The conclusions are that an ideal work life is characterized by enhanced supports for providing complex resident care, personal safety at work, improved communication with leadership, adequate staffing, and training tailored to HCA needs. Recommendations include: implementing initiatives to enhance HCAs’ work life, such as strengthening supports for delivering complex resident care, prioritizing employee safety, enhancing communication channels and establishing a feedback mechanism, improving staffing allocation, customizing training, and supporting employee well-being. Keywords: health care aides, long-term care, participatory action research (PAR), quality of work life, work environment, work life conditions, care environment, personal support workers, resident care aides, leadership, medically complex patient
Preparing for success : social worker experiences in remote and rural communities in British Columbia
No full textThis action-oriented research study explored the inquiry question: How might the Ministry of Children and Family Development focus on improving how social workers are prepared to work in remote and isolated communities throughout the province? Personal in-depth interviews and small focus groups were used to gather qualitative data based on the personal lived experiences of employees within the partner organization. These methods adhered to the Royal Roads University requirements for research. The findings indicated social workers were often unprepared for the challenges seen in child welfare work in remote and rural communities throughout British Columbia, which had a direct and significant detrimental impact on employee retention, wellness, and client service delivery. Inquiry recommendations support the need to view remote and rural community work as unique and the need for specialized training and systemic support that focuses on remote and rural community practice
The responses and attitudes of elementary school administrators to the vulnerable nature of students with disabilities in inclusive school setting
No full textThe occurrence of bullying opposes the notion that the school is a child’s “second home.” This is a widespread problem in schools all over the country, and even the world. This study aims to understand the perspectives of public elementary school principals in British Columbia regarding how inclusion has impacted their roles as administrators and how they carry out their duties when bullying involving students with disabilities. Four current BC public elementary school principals participated in this study and qualitative data was collected through one-on-one virtual interviews. Using qualitative content analysis, two main themes emerged. First, inclusion has been beneficial for school principals as they lead their schools in a positive path while tackling and correcting social stereotypes. Second, this study found that additional financial support from the government to address the lack of skilled manpower is the missing link to achieving the goals of inclusion.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27247/Cadenas.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=
Concentrations and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Metals in Soils at Urban Green Spaces in Toronto, Ontario
No full text2023This study investigated metal concentrations and pH in 75 soil samples obtained from 25 urban green spaces within the City of Toronto. In vitro bioaccessibility was determined in eight of the samples as a surrogate for bioavailability. The mean concentrations of metals of interest, As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were below the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) soil quality guidelines for residential/parkland use. The incorporation of in vitro bioaccessibility data in the human health risk assessment indicated a generally low risk associated with soil ingestion in the examined urban green spaces. The analysis revealed that 7 out of the 75 sampled sites exceeded the CCME guidelines for Ni, Cr, or Pb underscoring the need for additional investigation to identify potential sources of contamination
Working memory matters: a resource to promote working memory development in primary classrooms
No full textDesign-based research was utilized to investigate how working memory skills are developed in early primary classrooms and sought to create a practical resource for educators. Through surveys and literature reviews, information was gathered to determine current practices and knowledge on working memory and identify resources already in use. Credible theories on working memory were investigated and translated into a fictional story and lesson plans intended to provide an easily implemented, relevant and engaging resource. A resource was created for kindergarten and grade one teachers comprised of eight lesson plans, a teacher guide, a story book, and manipulatives. Four teachers piloted the program in their classrooms and shared their feedback to enrich the resource. The final product was found to be engaging and students and teachers enjoyed using it. For more information on the lessons and resource, please contact the author.https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/26903/Eager.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=