University of Cumbria Open Access Journals
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Interpreting Feedback: A Discourse Analysis of Teacher Feedback and Student Identity
Get PDFFeedback has typically been studied as a means of improving academic performance. Few studies inquire into the processes by which feedback shapes student identity. The authors carry out a discourse analysis of written comments to explore how feedback is discursively constructed by both teachers and students. Analysis of written feedback, think-aloud protocols, and semi-structured interviews work to arrive at an understanding of how feedback is interpreted by both teachers and students, paying special attention to how such interpretations contribute to a student’s identity. The following themes emerged as likely interpretations: feedback as a discourse of correction, feedback as a set of ontological metaphors, and feedback as a process of rhetorical listening. The discourse analysis reveals that while teachers tend to interpret feedback as a means of correcting a student’s text, students’ interpretations of feedback contribute to the construction of their selves. Reflecting on these results, the authors suggest teachers construct feedback as a personal conversation that remains sensitive to the immediate personal effects on students
The Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness: a study of the Special Measure Practitioner
Get PDFSpecial Measures (SM) were introduced under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act (YJCEA, 1999), forming part of measures used to assist Vulnerable and Intimidated Witnesses (VIW). Speaking up for Justice (Home Office, 1999) recognised that being a witness in a Criminal proceedings can be a stressful affair; Leveson (2015) highlighted the need for consistent judicial case management where SM are concerned. In the current study of 70 practitioners, it was found that the YJCEA provides sufficient legal gateway for VIW’s. However, there remains an area for development in the early identification of VIW’s, and there is an inefficient infrastructure around case-file management. This results in some SM being denied, applied incorrectly, or forgotten altogether. The majority of practitioners feel there is inadequate training around VIW’s, and a lack of adequately trained specialist investigators for video interview procedures. Witness assessment is shown to be sporadic with some Constabularies excelling where others do not. Funding in this area does not appear to be a hurdle in the application of SM; many practitioners agreed that there is a problem with identification between the two ‘gateways’ (s.16 and s.17) under the 1999 act, and witnesses ‘needs’ are often assumed and not assessed. There appears to be no standardised assessment for witnesses despite the requirement that a ‘needs assessment’ be conducted under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Ministry of Justice, 2015). Although ‘Identifying vulnerability in witnesses and defendants’ (Cooper et al., 2014) does contain a toolkit for collectively assessing vulnerability making reference to a number of key areas of research and law (Bradley, 2010; Bull, 2010; Young, 2013; Gregory & Bryan, 2011; Gudjonsson, 2010; Criminal Practice Directions, 2013) this kind of assessment does not appear to be reflected in practice although practitioners do purport that SM has a positive impact on witnesses.
Systematic Review of Female Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence and Their Treatment.
Get PDFIntimate partner violence (IPV) has received increasing attention over recent years, both in the media and in research (Randle & Graham, 2011). IPV can be an attempt to have power and control over a partner in an intimate relationship (Bowen, 2009), and its effects are far reaching (Cho & Wilke, 2010). The majority of research has investigated male perpetrators with the literature on female perpetrators being somewhat limited (Carney, Buttell & Dutton, 2007). Criminal justice agencies have largely been educated about male perpetrators of IPV (Henning & Feder, 2004), and as a result it is unclear whether treatment options for female perpetrators are effective. This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of the current treatment options for female perpetrators of IPV and the characteristics of this specialist population. This review revealed that there is not enough research on female perpetrators of IPV. The results indicate the effectiveness of treatment programs for female offenders of IPV is varied at best. It was also revealed that female perpetrators tend to have some similarities to their male counterparts, but there were also differences. Implications for future research and the development of treatment programs for partner aggressive women are discussed
“It’s like walking in blindfolded” The Experiences of Patient-facing Volunteers in a UK Hospice, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Get PDFAround 125,000 people volunteer in hospices each year in the UK, and due to the predicted increase in the UK ageing population within the next 20 years (AgeUK, 2016), the recruitment and retention of volunteers is crucial in the future development of palliative care. To date, there is a distinct lack of literature regarding the experiences of hospice volunteers. Therefore, the present qualitative study aims to (a) explore how hospice volunteers’ experiences have influenced their perceptions of palliative care; (b) identify the potential stressors experienced by volunteers and the way in which they cope and adapt; and (c) provide recommendations for the hospice with regards to improving well-being and role satisfaction in volunteers. Six hospice volunteers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were analysed from an interpretative phenomenological framework. Three master themes were identified: 1) psychosocial constructs of death and dying; 2) protection of self; and 3) self-esteem. The analysis revealed that volunteers experienced mortality salience, which stemmed from society’s perceptions of death and dying. This was demonstrated as a perceived role hierarchy within certain areas of the hospice. The way in which volunteers cope with the confrontation of mortality varied dependent upon their levels of self-esteem. Further research into hospice volunteers is discussed and improvements regarding emotional support and staff communication are explored
The discrepancies between staff and students’ perceptions of feedback and assessment practices – analysis of TESTA data from one HE institution
Get PDFStudents’ satisfaction with feedback and assessment has historically been low. This is confirmed by the most recent National Student Survey where feedback and assessment still remain the area of least satisfaction. Such projects as Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment (TESTA) attempt to tackle the issue by providing a channel of communication between staff and students at the programme level. This paper reports on the results of the University of Greenwich version of TESTA and identifies points of tension between staff perceptions of their practice, and students’ perceptions of their assessment experience. Using cross-institutional data we identify common themes where the discrepancies between accounts affecting satisfaction rates emerge, i.e. quantity and quality of feedback, assessment loading and clarity of goals and standards, and provide our impartial explanation of the sources of those discrepancies
Bereavement in the Primary School: A critical consideration of the nature, incidence, impact and possible responses
Get PDFBereavement is an inevitable occurrence in every school and can be a difficult experience that children cannot be shielded from. Although the subject of death and bereavement is often a ‘taboo’ subject, the nature and incidence of bereavement, critically explored in this article, suggests that it is not an issue that practitioners can shy away from. Bereavement has the potential to impact children in a number of harmful ways. In light of the detrimental impact which the experience of bereavement may have upon a child, this article critically considers the potential proactive and reactive strategies that can be employed by schools in order to address such a complex and sensitive issue.
An investigation into the correlation between children’s participation in extra-curricular activities and the characteristics of their class teacher
Get PDFThe main aim of this investigation was to establish whether a correlation exists between a child’s level of participation in extra-curricular activities and the characteristics of their class teacher. The study was conducted using one hundred and sixty-five primary 7 children and eight teachers from primary schools across Northern Ireland. The children are aged 130.6 (+ 3.0) months which is equivalent to 10.9 years; the teachers are aged 40.4 (+ 9.6). Questionnaires were issued to the children in order to gather information as to the amount, type and duration of the extra-curricular activities completed each week. Furthermore a set of questionnaires were completed by each class teacher which detailed their characteristics such as their experience, gender, subject specialism, personal activity choices and extra-curricular activities which they led. All results were then analysed using Microsoft excel in order to draw conclusions as to whether any correlation occurred. The study revealed mixed results, concluding that several teacher characteristics indicated a correlation with participation in active extra-curricular activities while other teacher characteristics displayed no evidence of any correlation with extra-curricular activitie
The effectiveness of reciprocal reading as an intervention for underachieving children
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to focus on the area of reciprocal reading which aims to improve reading comprehension through the use of four reading strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying and summarising. The author researched the effectiveness of reciprocal reading as an intervention strategy on pupils who were identified by the class teacher as underachieving. A six week intervention programme using reciprocal reading was implemented in an attempt to impact on pupil’s comprehension and engagement with text. The findings explore the effectiveness of the intervention programme.
How can we improve mathematical vocabulary comprehension that will allow students to develop higher-order levels of learning?
Get PDFThe style of the mathematics GCSE examinations in England is changing under the new reform (Department for Education, 2013a), which promises to test in problem-solving and worded contexts to a greater degree. This will undoubtedly present a barrier for many students due to the increased need to understand and use mathematical vocabulary. During this enquiry, I aimed to find a teaching strategy that would help students to learn mathematical vocabulary, and so enabling them to access higher-order levels of learning in preparation for the new exams. The strategy used was the Frayer Model, implemented for a 6-week period with a class of 15 participants. Results from pre- and post-instruction testing were analysed, along with the results from a control class. The class who received the instruction showed clear improvements over the control class, however the model appeared to be less effective with those participants with a lower reading age. Also, the questionnaires highlighted that those who were more engaged with the model generally experienced greater improvements in their understanding of mathematical vocabulary in the test
Intimate Partner Violence within LGBTQ+ Samples: A systematic review
Get PDFIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a prominent problem within relationships (Centers for Disease Control, n.d.). As more research is conducted on IPV, it has become apparent that the prevalence of females perpetrating IPV is similar to the rates of males (Archer, 2000), which challenges the feminist theories of men’s IPV that assert it is strongly related to patriarchy. This debate over sex differences in perpetration rates means LGBTQ+ populations become ignored due to contradicting many of the popular theories for IPV perpetration and victimization, creating a gap in research. Therefore, this systematic literature review was conducted in an attempt to highlight the prevalence of IPV within LGBTQ+ relationships. The main aim of this systematic literature review is to investigate the prevalence of IPV within same-sex relationships and its behavioral manifestations. Further implications for research will also be considered