title: The place and meaning of physical culture in the lives of underserved young women in a Canadian inner-city

authors: Lemoine, Meghan

subjects: interpretive phenomenolgy

abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore underserved young women's experiences and understandings of physical culture (Kirk, 1999).  There is evidence that once young people reach the age of adolescence, patterns of participation in physical activity decline (Humbert, Chad, Burner, Spink, Muhajarine, Anderson, Girolami, Odnokon, & Gryba, 2008)  and in Canada this drop is more significant for young women then young men (Wharf Higgins, Gaul, Gibbons, & Van Gyn, 2003).  While there is a growing body of research indicating that young people’s experiences with physical activity are different across social, cultural and physical locations (Burrows & McCormack, 2011), the perspectives of young women who are situated in marginalized communities are rarely sought (Hill & Azzarito, 2012; Dagkas & Hunter, 2015). What is undoubtedly known about young women in marginalized communities is that they have less access and opportunities to engage in physical culture than their counterparts in affluent communities (Sabo, 2009). This research sought to make sense of this outcome by diving into the lived experiences of the young women who live in these communities, specifically an underserved community in a Canadian city. Data were collected from 6 young women between ages 12 and 18 using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five key themes emerged: (1) Attitudes Towards Physical Activity (2) Supports (3) Constraints (4) Gender Discourse (5) Centrality of the Body in Physical Culture.  While some findings mirrored those present in existing research literature, others suggest there are particular supports and constraints to participation that distinguish these young women's experiences in an underserved community. The neighbourhood community center emerged as a crucial support for these young women's engagement in physical activity. It is important that the programs in these kinds of spaces continue to be supported financially to provide young women with access and opportunities to physical activity. Further, policy makers and teachers must consider the wider circumstance of their lives as underserved young people and actively seek to create equitable opportunities.

text: The place and meaning of physical culture in the lives of underserved young women in a Canadian inner-city The purpose of this study was to explore underserved young women's experiences and understandings of physical culture (Kirk, 1999).  There is evidence that once young people reach the age of adolescence, patterns of participation in physical activity decline (Humbert, Chad, Burner, Spink, Muhajarine, Anderson, Girolami, Odnokon, & Gryba, 2008)  and in Canada this drop is more significant for young women then young men (Wharf Higgins, Gaul, Gibbons, & Van Gyn, 2003).  While there is a growing body of research indicating that young people’s experiences with physical activity are different across social, cultural and physical locations (Burrows & McCormack, 2011), the perspectives of young women who are situated in marginalized communities are rarely sought (Hill & Azzarito, 2012; Dagkas & Hunter, 2015). What is undoubtedly known about young women in marginalized communities is that they have less access and opportunities to engage in physical culture than their counterparts in affluent communities (Sabo, 2009). This research sought to make sense of this outcome by diving into the lived experiences of the young women who live in these communities, specifically an underserved community in a Canadian city. Data were collected from 6 young women between ages 12 and 18 using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five key themes emerged: (1) Attitudes Towards Physical Activity (2) Supports (3) Constraints (4) Gender Discourse (5) Centrality of the Body in Physical Culture.  While some findings mirrored those present in existing research literature, others suggest there are particular supports and constraints to participation that distinguish these young women's experiences in an underserved community. The neighbourhood community center emerged as a crucial support for these young women's engagement in physical activity. It is important that the programs in these kinds of spaces continue to be supported financially to provide young women with access and opportunities to physical activity. Further, policy makers and teachers must consider the wider circumstance of their lives as underserved young people and actively seek to create equitable opportunities.

year: 2020

title: Politeness and face in digitally reconfigured e-learning spaces

authors: Locke, Terry

subjects: online learning environments

abstract: This paper has two starting points. The first is a theorization about the way in which “rhetorical space” is reshaped in asynchronous, online, learning environments. In particular, an asynchronous bulletin- board (ABB) discussion offers both opportunities and constraints for teaching and learning. The learning that occurs will be affected by the affordances implicit in the design of the conversational space itself and the communicative practices engaged in by both teachers and students. The second starting point is a small case study, utilizing action research and discourse analytical strategies, whose research participants were the author and students involved in “delivering” and “receiving” an online education course at post-graduate level using asynchronous discussion. The course, taught in English, had a mix of Chinese students (for whom English was an additional language) and native English speakers. The paper will report on students’ perceptions of what worked for them and what didn’t in respect of this elearning environment. It will also use concepts such as politeness, face and positioning to analyse aspects of the participants’ communicative practices and will draw conclusions from these in respect of how successful learning can occur in elearning environments with multicultural and multilingual students. It will make connections between the findings of this case study and other research on asynchronous, web-based learning and will makes some suggestions about what is needed in respect of the future research agenda.

text: Politeness and face in digitally reconfigured e-learning spaces This paper has two starting points. The first is a theorization about the way in which “rhetorical space” is reshaped in asynchronous, online, learning environments. In particular, an asynchronous bulletin- board (ABB) discussion offers both opportunities and constraints for teaching and learning. The learning that occurs will be affected by the affordances implicit in the design of the conversational space itself and the communicative practices engaged in by both teachers and students. The second starting point is a small case study, utilizing action research and discourse analytical strategies, whose research participants were the author and students involved in “delivering” and “receiving” an online education course at post-graduate level using asynchronous discussion. The course, taught in English, had a mix of Chinese students (for whom English was an additional language) and native English speakers. The paper will report on students’ perceptions of what worked for them and what didn’t in respect of this elearning environment. It will also use concepts such as politeness, face and positioning to analyse aspects of the participants’ communicative practices and will draw conclusions from these in respect of how successful learning can occur in elearning environments with multicultural and multilingual students. It will make connections between the findings of this case study and other research on asynchronous, web-based learning and will makes some suggestions about what is needed in respect of the future research agenda.

year: 2006

title: The digital divide in New Zealand: The position of Maori and Pacific peoples

authors: Gibson, John

subjects: communication

abstract: Information and communication technology plays an ever-growing role in economic, political and social life and those who are unable to access such technologies are increasingly disadvantaged. Hence, what has come to be known as the 'digital divide' is of considerable significance. Here, indicators of that divide as it affects Maori and

text: The digital divide in New Zealand: The position of Maori and Pacific peoples Information and communication technology plays an ever-growing role in economic, political and social life and those who are unable to access such technologies are increasingly disadvantaged. Hence, what has come to be known as the 'digital divide' is of considerable significance. Here, indicators of that divide as it affects Maori and

year: 2002