title: Using appreciative inquiry to explore the professional practice of a midwife lecturer

authors: Chapman, Lynn

subjects: appreciative inquiry

abstract: This paper reports on an exploration into the professional practice of a lecturer using the appreciative inquiry (AI) approach. This facilitated inquiry intentionally sought to apply the AI approach to the practice of an individual, an application that is different to its predominant usage with groups. The context for this research was the professional practice of a lecturer within an innovative narrative curriculum for midwifery. Evidence was gathered through the re-telling of moments of peak performance. The AI process starts from actual practice and returns to the implications for practice. In the process, the inquiry explores questions such as, when am I at my 'best' as a lecturer? What patterns and themes exist across the stories of peak performance? How can my future practice be influenced by these themes. An important aspect of this research was the facilitation of the process which supported the movement of the research process and the critical reflection that is integral to such an inquiry. Such facilitation is particularly critical to the development of provocative propositions and an action plan for future practice. The experience and findings of this research suggest that the AI approach is well suited to a holistic consideration of an individual's professional practice.

text: Using appreciative inquiry to explore the professional practice of a midwife lecturer This paper reports on an exploration into the professional practice of a lecturer using the appreciative inquiry (AI) approach. This facilitated inquiry intentionally sought to apply the AI approach to the practice of an individual, an application that is different to its predominant usage with groups. The context for this research was the professional practice of a lecturer within an innovative narrative curriculum for midwifery. Evidence was gathered through the re-telling of moments of peak performance. The AI process starts from actual practice and returns to the implications for practice. In the process, the inquiry explores questions such as, when am I at my 'best' as a lecturer? What patterns and themes exist across the stories of peak performance? How can my future practice be influenced by these themes. An important aspect of this research was the facilitation of the process which supported the movement of the research process and the critical reflection that is integral to such an inquiry. Such facilitation is particularly critical to the development of provocative propositions and an action plan for future practice. The experience and findings of this research suggest that the AI approach is well suited to a holistic consideration of an individual's professional practice.

year: 2009

title: Primary school teachers' knowledge of phonemic awareness and its importance as a factor in learning to read

authors: Clark, Linda Kaye

subjects: phonemic awareness

abstract: The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of the knowledge that teachers in New Zealand primary school classrooms have in regard to phonemic awareness, their understanding of its importance as a factor in learning to read, and the methods they use to assess and teach it.  International assessments continue to highlight an unacceptably large gap in reading achievement between good and poor readers in New Zealand primary schools (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012; Tunmer, Chapman, Greaney, Prochnow, & Arrow, 2013a).  Up to 20% of children in New Zealand primary school classrooms are struggling to learn to read (Education and Science Committee, 2001, 2008; Education Review Office, 2005).  Research shows that explicit instruction in phonemic awareness will help children struggling with reading to learn to read (Ehri et al., 2001; Hatcher, Hulme, & Snowling, 2004; Nicholson, 2003; Pressley, 2006; Ryder, Tunmer, & Greaney, 2008; Strattman & Hodson, 2005; Torgesen et al., 2001).  Teachers’ knowledge of phonemic awareness becomes important in the context of providing this explicit instruction.  

     An online survey was used to assess 68 in-service teachers’ knowledge of phonemic awareness.  Four semi-structured interviews were also conducted which allowed the survey findings to be investigated further in four local contexts to add depth to the researcher’s understanding.  Results revealed that participants struggled to define phonemic awareness, and did not understand the differences between phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics.  Participants found some tasks more difficult than others, in particular phoneme counting and phoneme identity.  There were also discrepancies between the participants’ perceived knowledge and their actual knowledge.  Participants tended to overestimate their actual knowledge, perceiving themselves as more knowledgeable with regard to phonemic awareness than they actually were.  Phonemic awareness did not appear to be regularly assessed nor explicitly taught in most of the participants’ classrooms.  The findings suggest that the teachers who participated in this study did not typically have the knowledge of phonemic awareness needed to be able to provide the explicit instruction in phonemic awareness children struggling to learn to read need in order to become successful readers.

text: Primary school teachers' knowledge of phonemic awareness and its importance as a factor in learning to read The purpose of this research was to gain an understanding of the knowledge that teachers in New Zealand primary school classrooms have in regard to phonemic awareness, their understanding of its importance as a factor in learning to read, and the methods they use to assess and teach it.  International assessments continue to highlight an unacceptably large gap in reading achievement between good and poor readers in New Zealand primary schools (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012; Tunmer, Chapman, Greaney, Prochnow, & Arrow, 2013a).  Up to 20% of children in New Zealand primary school classrooms are struggling to learn to read (Education and Science Committee, 2001, 2008; Education Review Office, 2005).  Research shows that explicit instruction in phonemic awareness will help children struggling with reading to learn to read (Ehri et al., 2001; Hatcher, Hulme, & Snowling, 2004; Nicholson, 2003; Pressley, 2006; Ryder, Tunmer, & Greaney, 2008; Strattman & Hodson, 2005; Torgesen et al., 2001).  Teachers’ knowledge of phonemic awareness becomes important in the context of providing this explicit instruction.  

     An online survey was used to assess 68 in-service teachers’ knowledge of phonemic awareness.  Four semi-structured interviews were also conducted which allowed the survey findings to be investigated further in four local contexts to add depth to the researcher’s understanding.  Results revealed that participants struggled to define phonemic awareness, and did not understand the differences between phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics.  Participants found some tasks more difficult than others, in particular phoneme counting and phoneme identity.  There were also discrepancies between the participants’ perceived knowledge and their actual knowledge.  Participants tended to overestimate their actual knowledge, perceiving themselves as more knowledgeable with regard to phonemic awareness than they actually were.  Phonemic awareness did not appear to be regularly assessed nor explicitly taught in most of the participants’ classrooms.  The findings suggest that the teachers who participated in this study did not typically have the knowledge of phonemic awareness needed to be able to provide the explicit instruction in phonemic awareness children struggling to learn to read need in order to become successful readers.

year: 2015

title: Inter-propositional semantic relations and semantic relational encoding in written discourse in Maori: an investigation

authors: Houia, Waldo

subjects: Maori

abstract: This thesis is an investigation of the various ways in which relationships of meaning between propositions (such as reason-result and temporal overlap) are encoded (as clauses, sentences and groups of sentences) and signalled in Maori.
In Chapter 1, the overall research topic and research questions are outlined.
Chapter 2 locates the research on inter-propositional semantic relations with reference to the concept of cohesion which is central to inter-propositional relational signalling and encoding. Here, reference is made to a number of relevant publications in the area.
Chapter 3 provides an introductory examination of the role of cohesion in the encoding and signalling of inter-propositional semantic relations in Maori.
Chapter 4 introduces a corpus of written texts and examines that corpus in terms of the ways in which inter-propositional semantic relations are encoded.
Chapter 5 examines a number of textbooks designed for learners of both English and Maori in terms of the extent to which they draw upon insights relating to the operation of inter-propositional semantic relations.
In Chapter 6, the research findings are summarised and their implications for aspects of the teaching and learning of Maori are discussed. In addition, suggestions are made in relation to future research possibilities.
Overall, the conclusion reached is that the study of semantic relational encoding and signalling in Maori texts reveals a number of aspects of language that appear not to be commonly taught and suggests the need for further studies of this type.

text: Inter-propositional semantic relations and semantic relational encoding in written discourse in Maori: an investigation This thesis is an investigation of the various ways in which relationships of meaning between propositions (such as reason-result and temporal overlap) are encoded (as clauses, sentences and groups of sentences) and signalled in Maori.
In Chapter 1, the overall research topic and research questions are outlined.
Chapter 2 locates the research on inter-propositional semantic relations with reference to the concept of cohesion which is central to inter-propositional relational signalling and encoding. Here, reference is made to a number of relevant publications in the area.
Chapter 3 provides an introductory examination of the role of cohesion in the encoding and signalling of inter-propositional semantic relations in Maori.
Chapter 4 introduces a corpus of written texts and examines that corpus in terms of the ways in which inter-propositional semantic relations are encoded.
Chapter 5 examines a number of textbooks designed for learners of both English and Maori in terms of the extent to which they draw upon insights relating to the operation of inter-propositional semantic relations.
In Chapter 6, the research findings are summarised and their implications for aspects of the teaching and learning of Maori are discussed. In addition, suggestions are made in relation to future research possibilities.
Overall, the conclusion reached is that the study of semantic relational encoding and signalling in Maori texts reveals a number of aspects of language that appear not to be commonly taught and suggests the need for further studies of this type.

year: 2001