title: Luce Viva: From Dante's Paradiso - The Divine Comedy

authors: Williams, Michael F.

subjects: Dante's Paradiso - The Divine Comedy

abstract: A musical composition for contralto, violin, violoncello, and piano, based on Dante Alighieri's 'Paradiso' from The Divine Comedy, dedicated to Martin Lodge

text: Luce Viva: From Dante's Paradiso - The Divine Comedy A musical composition for contralto, violin, violoncello, and piano, based on Dante Alighieri's 'Paradiso' from The Divine Comedy, dedicated to Martin Lodge

year: 2022

title: Development of a mental health recovery module for the WHOQOL

authors: Rowthorn, Melissa J.

subjects: Quality of life

abstract: Purpose
The WHOQOL tools are widely used, multi-faceted, patient-rated, quality of life (QoL) measures, developed by the World Health Organization. The WHOQOL questionnaires are used to assess generic quality of life issues affected by all health problems. This study developed a module to use with the WHOQOL tools to improve their sensitivity to Health Related QoL issues relevant to mental health recovery.

Methods
Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, two research stages occurred. A qualitative stage invited 88 participants with experience of mental health recovery, into focus groups and importance rating activities, to identify candidate items for the new module. Following this, a quantitative stage involved 667 participants with, and without, mental health/addiction issues completing online or paper-based questionnaires to analyze which candidate items differentiated between those with and without mental health/addiction issues. Classical test theory and iterative Partial Credit Rasch Analysis were used to identify the most suitable candidate items for a reliable and valid mental health recovery module to be used with the WHOQOL tools.

Results
Seventeen candidate items captured important HRQoL facets relevant to mental health recovery. Rasch analysis removed 10 misfitting items. The final 7-item module, which demonstrated the best Rasch model fit, enquires about recovery beliefs, identifying strengths, self-awareness, acceptance, capacity to relate, feeling understood, and recovery progress. Ordinal-to-interval conversion tables have been developed to optimize measurement precision when using the module.

Conclusions
Important HRQoL issues central to mental health recovery can be reliably evaluated by using the recovery module with the WHOQOL tools.

text: Development of a mental health recovery module for the WHOQOL Purpose
The WHOQOL tools are widely used, multi-faceted, patient-rated, quality of life (QoL) measures, developed by the World Health Organization. The WHOQOL questionnaires are used to assess generic quality of life issues affected by all health problems. This study developed a module to use with the WHOQOL tools to improve their sensitivity to Health Related QoL issues relevant to mental health recovery.

Methods
Using a sequential mixed-methods approach, two research stages occurred. A qualitative stage invited 88 participants with experience of mental health recovery, into focus groups and importance rating activities, to identify candidate items for the new module. Following this, a quantitative stage involved 667 participants with, and without, mental health/addiction issues completing online or paper-based questionnaires to analyze which candidate items differentiated between those with and without mental health/addiction issues. Classical test theory and iterative Partial Credit Rasch Analysis were used to identify the most suitable candidate items for a reliable and valid mental health recovery module to be used with the WHOQOL tools.

Results
Seventeen candidate items captured important HRQoL facets relevant to mental health recovery. Rasch analysis removed 10 misfitting items. The final 7-item module, which demonstrated the best Rasch model fit, enquires about recovery beliefs, identifying strengths, self-awareness, acceptance, capacity to relate, feeling understood, and recovery progress. Ordinal-to-interval conversion tables have been developed to optimize measurement precision when using the module.

Conclusions
Important HRQoL issues central to mental health recovery can be reliably evaluated by using the recovery module with the WHOQOL tools.

year: 2019

title: Editorial

authors: Clarkin-Phillips, Jeanette

abstract: As New Zealand contemplates wholesale review of the formal schooling system and the leadership implications thereof, the winds of educational change begin to swirl. Not the persistent, yet gentle flutter of change that evolves the educational landscape in almost imperceptible ways, but tumultuous paradigmatic gales that potentially change it beyond all recognition. Heralded by politicians, economists and capitalists, there is little doubt that the 1989 neoliberal tempest wrought havoc on notions of community and profession. The whirlwind shift from social democracy to market competition, managerialism and performativity saw critical voices silenced and educators disparagingly positioned as self-interested providers. In the rush to legislate Tomorrow’s Schools, 18,000 submissions remained unanalysed and therein lies a crucial lesson: we ignore research at our peril. As educators, we have a moral obligation to generate, disseminate and critique understandings of leadership, policy and practice; to remain open to counter perspectives; and to contribute positively and hopefully to research that empowers and emancipates. Consistent with JELPP’s commitment to honouring diversity in leadership focus, setting, and authorship, articles in this year’s general edition offer fresh insight into topics of interconnected and perennial importance: native knowledge, instructional leadership, indigenous teachers, appraisal, professional values, and safe schools.

text: Editorial As New Zealand contemplates wholesale review of the formal schooling system and the leadership implications thereof, the winds of educational change begin to swirl. Not the persistent, yet gentle flutter of change that evolves the educational landscape in almost imperceptible ways, but tumultuous paradigmatic gales that potentially change it beyond all recognition. Heralded by politicians, economists and capitalists, there is little doubt that the 1989 neoliberal tempest wrought havoc on notions of community and profession. The whirlwind shift from social democracy to market competition, managerialism and performativity saw critical voices silenced and educators disparagingly positioned as self-interested providers. In the rush to legislate Tomorrow’s Schools, 18,000 submissions remained unanalysed and therein lies a crucial lesson: we ignore research at our peril. As educators, we have a moral obligation to generate, disseminate and critique understandings of leadership, policy and practice; to remain open to counter perspectives; and to contribute positively and hopefully to research that empowers and emancipates. Consistent with JELPP’s commitment to honouring diversity in leadership focus, setting, and authorship, articles in this year’s general edition offer fresh insight into topics of interconnected and perennial importance: native knowledge, instructional leadership, indigenous teachers, appraisal, professional values, and safe schools.

year: 2019