3,323 research outputs found
Blood lead levels increase, but remain in normal range with severe weight reduction.
No full textHigh bone turnover states are known to raise blood lead levels (BPb). Caloric restriction will increase bone turnover, yet it remains unknown if weight reduction increases BPb due to mobilization of skeletal stores. We measured whole blood Pb levels (²⁰⁶Pb) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 73 women (age 24–75 years; BMI 23– 61 kg/m²) before and after 6 months of severe weight loss (S-WL), moderate weight loss (M-WL), or weight maintenance (WM). Baseline BPb levels were relatively low at 0.2–6.0 μg/dl, and directly associated with age (r=0.49, P<0.0001). After severe WL (-37.4±9.3 kg, n=17), BPb increased by 2.1±3.9 μg/dl (P<0.05), resulting in BPb levels of 1.3–12.5 μg/dl. M-WL (-5.6±2.7 kg, n=39) and WM (0.3±1.3 kg, n=17) did not result in an increase in BPb levels (0.5±3.2 and 0.0±0.7 μg/dl, M-WL and WM, respectively). BPb levels increased more with greater WL (r=0.24, P<0.05). Bone turnover markers increased only with severe WL and were directly correlated with WL. At baseline, higher calcium intake was associated with lower BPb (r=-0.273, P<0.02), however, this association was no longer present after 6 months. Severe weight reduction in obese women increases skeletal bone mobilization and BPb, but values remain well below levels defined as Pb overexposure.This research was supported by the NIEHS sponsored UMDNJ Center for Environmental Exposures and Disease, Grant number: NIEHS P30ES005022, in part by NIH-AG12161, and a Busch Biomedical Award to SA Shapses.National Institutes of Health: AG12161, to S.A. ShapsesCharles & Johanna Busch Biomedical Grant, to S.A. ShapsesThe published version of this paper is available at: http://www.nature.com/je
The influence of school matrons on girls’ educational experience and social participation in Tanzania
No full textA commitment to gender equity is reflected in Tanzania’s educational development policies many of which are geared towards preparing all citizens to participate fully in the civic and economic life of the nation. Despite these government aspirations, the social, economic and educational status of women remains low. In this study, I seek answers for these ongoing inequalities by investigating girls’ experiences of education, focusing specifically on the influence of school matrons on educational outcomes and social participation for girls.
This qualitative case study was informed by a combination of theoretical frameworks associated with African transformative feminism and social justice philosophies. Interview and focus group data were collected from multiple sites in rural and urban areas in the Manyara and Dodoma regions of Tanzania. In the course of the study, the perspectives of key players in the education contexts of these areas were sought. These included secondary school girls and their school matrons as well as School Principals and members of women’s local community groups and national organisations. In addition, data were drawn from key educational policy documents and reports relating to the education of girls.
The findings identify school matrons as having a major influence in the education of Tanzanian girls. In particular, these women are responsible for creating safe educational environments for girls and many do this by assuming a nurturing role, known in Kiswahili as ‘Malezi.’ However, the significant structural challenges facing girls and young women combined with a severe and widespread shortage of educational resources and facilities places constraints on the ability of matrons to provide the sort of ongoing care that girls need. The matrons’ role is further complicated by socio-cultural and traditional expectations placed on girls and women in Tanzanian society.
In light of these findings, I critique neoliberal approaches to Tanzanian education, arguing that understanding the impact of the psychosocial support systems on the engagement of learners within the nation’s educational institutions cannot be under-estimated, I conclude that it is time to develop a new way of thinking about gender equity and educational quality that departs from current human rights and human capital approaches
Stories of Young Migrants' Cross-Cultural Educational Transitions
No full textNew Zealand society can benefit socially, culturally and economically when migrants feel as if they belong and are included. Given that Aotearoa/New Zealand is becoming increasingly multicultural, it is important that the education system meets the needs of migrants and makes them feel that they are included. Previous research has shown that this is not always the case – that migrants do not always feel that they belong at school in New Zealand.
Much of the literature that has investigated migrants’ educational transition experiences has conceptualised “belonging” and “identity” as fixed states. This research took a different approach and used a narrative inquiry method underpinned by social constructionism.
The purpose of this research was to contribute to our understandings of migrants’ transitions into the New Zealand education system. The study had three aims. The first was to investigate the stories young migrants told about their transition to secondary school in New Zealand; the second was to look at how belonging and inclusion were narrated by the participants; the third was to examine how the education system could better develop a culture of inclusion.
Seven young migrants who moved to New Zealand when they were secondary school age took part in this research. The participants were from countries in South East Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Their stories were gathered through narrative interviews.
The interviews were initially analysed individually and were presented as summaries. Next, analysis across the interviews was conducted, with a particular focus on looking at how the stories were performed. Based on my interaction with the stories, I described three of the stories as “opening up” stories and four as “closing down” stories. Those who told “opening up” stories had many connections to people and opportunities to tell their stories. They positioned themselves as belonging at school. Those who told “closing down” stories appeared to have had fewer opportunities to share their stories with others compared to those who told “opening up” stories. These individuals positioned themselves as socially isolated. The way the participants’ stories were performed in the interviews was also related to the previous storytelling opportunities the participants had access to. Some of the stories participants told about their lives in their home countries became unavailable to tell in the New Zealand context and, as a result, these stories had to change when they migrated. This study suggests that, in order to tell new stories, migrants need opportunities to interact with other New Zealanders to create and practise new storylines. Furthermore, New Zealanders also need to be able to tell new stories about themselves and find ways to connect with migrants in order to promote a culture of belonging.
A relational view of identity and belonging is presented, in which these are conceptualised as negotiated processes that can occur through stories. It is suggested that it would be beneficial if spaces within the education system were created in order to allow new possible storylines to emerge which support a culture of belonging
The Implementation of an Educational Re-Entry Policy for Girls after Teenage Pregnancy: A Case Study of Public Secondary Schools in the Kuria District, Kenya
No full textA new policy was introduced in Kenya in 1994 that enabled teenage mothers to continue schooling after delivery. The re-entry policy for girls who drop out of school after becoming pregnant while still at school is of international concern. The Kenyan government has already signed numerous international and regional declarations guaranteeing all children the right to education. However, it is not well known to what extent girls are taking advantage of the policy, how aware school mangers are of the policy, and what challenges they meet in its implementation. Little is known in the international literature about the girls‟ experiences in attempting or succeeding in being able to re-enter school. This study investigated the implementation of the re-entry policy for girls after school pregnancy. This study used critical theory in identifying the importance of the study which also aimed to sensitise stakeholders to the issues involved in teenage pregnancy by raising them for discussion. A qualitative method using a case study approach was chosen. Standard open-ended interviews were used to obtain in-depth information from the Ministry of Education (MOE) officials, head teachers, current students, teenage mothers and parents. Data were analysed thematically, using a social constructivist lens. Particular attention was given to the young girls‟ experiences by presenting them as narratives. The study revealed that there are conflicting views as to the value, nature and implementation of the policy. There was a concerning lack of awareness and understanding of both the policy and the guidelines. The findings further showed that many socio-cultural factors were important in preventing young mothers from returning to school. Hence there was a strong desire from the participants to be involved in any discussions about the policy. Findings from this study will help in creating awareness of the policy among all Kenyan stakeholders. The findings provide insights into inclusive policies, valuing and listening to voices not typically heard with an objective to enhancing the education of young mothers in Kenyan schools. They will also help in understanding the challenges in policy implementation in the context of limited resources, diverse viewpoints and expectations, and in studying the problems of pregnancy policy implementation in specific cultural settings. They will also contribute to the literature that calls for more understanding of the experiences of the young mothers
The challenges of ethical leadership: a case study of secondary school leader's experiences in Kenya
No full textResearch has shown that school leaders today face more numerous ethical challenges than before, however little is known about the ethical challenges school leaders in Africa, and more specifically Kenya, encounter. This single case study investigated the nature of the ethical challenges that secondary school leaders face in conforming to the demands for ethical leadership and professionalism. It explores the perspectives of school leaders using semi-structured individual interviews: five school principals, 16 heads of department, five school boards of governors, and five school bursars, in five categories of secondary schools. The views and perspectives of nine parents on the leaders' ethical decision-making were also sought through interviews, because as stakeholders they are recipients of decisions made by the leaders. Drawing on a social constructivist theoretical framework and Eurocentric and Afrocentric paradigms for analysis and interpretation, the study revealed that the school leaders' ethical problems emanated from dealing with the realities of the context which creates conflicting demands for ethical conduct. A critical analysis of these themes using Foucauldian concepts of subjectification, power and governmentality illustrated that school leaders' ethical challenges were intensified because of their forced accommodation to Euro-western global policies. These policies, in particular the Structural Adjustment Programmes policy, the Education For All policy and the Good Governance Agenda are geared towards attaining the utopian dream of development. In view of this goal, the Kenyan state and school leaders are exposed to global interventions propagated on terms of discourses of improvement. The thesis argues that ethical challenges are intensified and persist because school leaders and the State have failed to critically reflect on these external influences, and allowed international global bodies to define the nation's needs, values and destiny. This study recommends that the State and education policy makers need to take a lead in developing their own value systems and policies, taking into account local Kenyan contextual needs and giving greater valence to Afrocentric values
Sue Eastland pictured with unidentified female student
No full text(Sue\u27s Pictures)https://egrove.olemiss.edu/joephoto_f/1091/thumbnail.jp
Portrait of Sue Eastland outside on steps
No full text(Sue\u27s Pictures)https://egrove.olemiss.edu/joephoto_f/1090/thumbnail.jp
'Making a Difference': University Teachers' Narratives of Student Diversity
No full textAn increasing diversity of students in higher education has prompted much research investigating diverse students' learning needs and experiences; however there is little research investigating teachers' experiences of student diversity. This thesis reports on a study aimed at helping to redress this imbalance. Twenty-two New Zealand university teachers were interviewed and asked what 'diversity' means to them and invited to talk about their experiences of student diversity in small-group teaching contexts.
The study had two aims. The first was to examine the meanings study participants make of the notion 'diversity' and of their experiences of teaching diverse students. The second aim was to problematize the notion of 'diversity' by exploring how these teachers position themselves and are positioned within classroom relationships and institutional contexts, and by considering the narrative and discursive resources they draw on to talk about their experiences. The study was underpinned by a relational ontology and used narrative and post-structural methods of data analysis. A review of the literature on diversity in higher education identified ways that diversity is conceptualized. Because teaching diverse students involves relations of power and care, analysis of the meanings of 'power' and 'care' in the literature provided further conceptual tools for data analysis.
Analysis of participants' narratives finds that 'diversity' is not an innocent concept but a powerful way of positioning people within or outside categories of difference, in relation to dominant norms, or in ways that challenge such positioning. Study participants described diversity positively when talking about it as a concept but their narratives of experience often portrayed it as problematic, and they employed various narrative strategies to reconcile the tension between these positions. Participants' narratives often conflicted with the public narratives of their universities, suggesting that the challenges participants face and the practical knowledge they have acquired teaching diverse students are not adequately recognized or valued. This study shows that there are multiple ways to 'speak and do' diversity that are embedded in relations of power and care, and constructed within and from larger social, political and educational narratives. This study challenges those in higher education to think reflexively about diversity, and offers suggestions for constructing alternative narratives of diverse educational relations
Developing post-ableist music therapy: An autoethnography exploring the counterpoint of a therapist experiencing illness/disability
No full textThis PhD examined a therapist’s experience of illness/disability to see if any new light could be shed on music therapy whilst also finding ways to navigate disability as a practitioner. There has not been adequate research attention given to the experiences of music therapists who have an illness/disability. The position is often negotiated in isolation with minimal tools and resources. An arts-based autoethnography was used to determine how the close examination of one’s personal experience with illness/disability can impact on practice, how the work can be negotiated, and to uncover any new practical or theoretical meanings. Furthermore, it looked to determine what arts-based autoethnography could offer one’s practice. A poststructural lens was used that drew on social constructionism, feminism, and the work of Michel Foucault. Data generated from a music therapist’s practice, experiences of illness/disability, literature, and professional documents were analysed using Foucault’s “critical ontology of ourselves” (Foucault, 1984b, p. 47).
Hidden processes of problematic ableism were found within the practice examined as well as in some educational and professional encounters. These regimes of ableism were supported by universalising and dichotomising discourses, namely humanism, western normativity, limited observable understandings of disability, and the enforcement of able/disabled divide through many binaries. The methodology provided the tools to reposition the practice to politicise disability and address ableism.
Addressing ableism was found to be more complex than simply incorporating disability issues into existing contemporary frameworks. The analysis led to the development of Post-Ableist Music Therapy (PAMT). PAMT extended the relational ethic beyond what was present in the prior practice by drawing on aspects of posthumanism, agonistic plurality, and increasing the visibility of disability studies and crip theory. Therefore, PAMT offers a different lens to the critical orientations’ apparatus: a social justice practice not based on empowerment and humanism but on agonism and posthumanism instead. As there is a lag in the theorisation of ableism, PAMT provides an alternative framework that can be applied to current approaches to increase our professional consciousness of ableism.
By repositioning the practice and exploring alternative subjectivities, the professional and personal narratives of a therapist experiencing illness/disability became more integrated, working with–not against–each other in a shared activism. The methodology fostered an increased ethical care of the self; offered tools that critiqued what we are; experimented with going beyond the limits imposed on us. The use of such tools could have wider application in the everyday practices of therapists. The findings have significant implications for practice and training, as the challenges people and societies face cannot be adequately dealt with without tools to explicitly uncover and address normalisation and ableism
Buy, Lobby or Sue: Interest Groups' Participation in Policy Making - A Selective Survey
Get PDFThe participation of interest groups in public policy making is unavoidable. Its unavoidable nature is only matched by the universal suspicion with which it has been seen by both policy makers and the public. Recently, however, there has been a growing literature that examines the participation of interest groups in public policy making from a New Institutional Economics perspective. The distinguishing feature of the New Institutional Economics Approach is its emphasis in opening up the black box of decision-making, whether in understanding the rules of the game, or the play of the game. In this paper we do not attempt to fairly describe the vast literature on interest group's behavior. Instead, the purpose of this essay for the New Institutional Economics Guide Book is to review recent papers that follow the NIE mantra. That is, they attempt to explicate the micro-analytic features of the way interest groups actually interact with policy-makers, rather than providing an abstract high-level representation. We emphasize the role of the institutional environment in understanding interest groups' strategies.
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