title: Contextual complexities shaping primary teachers' pedagogical practices with digital technologies: An interpretive phenomenological study in the Maldivian ESL context

authors: Mohamed, Zahra

subjects: Pedagogical practices

abstract: Literature on digital technology (DT) integration has revealed a range of complexities around DT use for teaching and learning. Previous research suggests that frequent DT use does not necessarily lead to the pedagogically purposeful use of DTs for student learning. However, the literature overlooks the impact the various contextual and subject content factors may have when exploring teachers’ technological pedagogical practices. This thesis examines teachers’ practices with DTs in relation to the subject content and multilevel context within which teachers’ practices are situated. My study’s context is that of primary education in Maldivian urban and rural schools, with a specific focus on how teachers use DTs in teaching English as a second language (ESL). I also examine the influence of national, school, classroom, and teacher-level factors at play on the participant primary teacher group. The research questions guiding my study are:
1. What impacts do DT use have on ESL pedagogical practices of primary teachers in two Maldivian schools?
2. What contextual factors affect teaching and learning English with and through DTs in two Maldivian schools, and do they differ across schools?
3. What interplay of factors influence Maldivian primary teachers’ DT use in their English lessons?
Adopting an interpretive phenomenological research design meant I could capture the lived experience of nine (four urban and five rural) primary teachers in two Maldivian schools over 8 months. Data collected through lesson observations, postobservation conversations, lesson plans, semistructured interviews, mini surveys and field notes helped in understanding their practices, beliefs, and attitudes about using DTs in ESL lessons. Additionally, other data collected from mini surveys and postobservation conversations with students of the participant teachers, plus interview data and school documents that principals and IT staff provided, helped my understanding of the multilevel contextual factors that influenced teachers’ DT use for teaching and learning.
The findings indicate that an important reason for using DTs was as an attention grabber, perhaps as a set induction, video explanations, form-focused instruction (FFI), and exam-format listening. These findings were examined in relation to the SAMR model to ascertain the pedagogical level of DT use teachers usually applied. The findings also point to the national, school, and classroom factors affecting primary teachers’ practices with DTs in ESL lessons, and these are addressed fully in the Discussion and Conclusion chapters. At the national level, the two factors that have a potential influence on teachers’ DTs use include the development and promulgation of a national educational ICT policy and teacher education, the focus of which needs to move from developing teachers’ technological knowledge to pedagogical applications of tools. While technology leadership and DT-based professional learning and development were factors at the school level, access to DTs and technical support were classroom-level factors that significantly influenced participant teachers’ decisions around DT use. Apart from these external factors, internal or teacher-level factors such as teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and existing pedagogical practices shaped their practices with DTs when teaching English.
This study has contributed to the literature by identifying primary teachers’ ESL pedagogical practices with DTs. For one thing, it fills a significant gap in TPACK research which often considers TPACK to be subject-independent. My research, therefore, contributes by showing the connection between technology, pedagogy, and subject-specific content (English language). Another contribution is the use of classroom observation data to capture teachers’ DT use, as DT integration literature predominantly uses self-reported data. My research also contributes to a TPACK-in-Context framework (Figure 2.4) adapted from the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) to provide a contextually situated understanding of primary teachers’ DT use in ESL lessons. Additionally, the NVivo-enhanced Spiral QDA process (Figure 3.7) I adapted from Seidel’s (1998) qualitative data analysis (QDA) model contributes to understanding the nonlinear, recursive, and iterative nature of the qualitative data analysis process. Finally, my illustration of the complex interplay of factors affecting the pedagogical use of DTs (Figure 5.2) contributes to the understanding of the relationships between TPACK (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), TAM (Davis, 1989), and SAMR (Puentedura, 2012), three dominant models/frameworks in DT literature.

text: Contextual complexities shaping primary teachers' pedagogical practices with digital technologies: An interpretive phenomenological study in the Maldivian ESL context Literature on digital technology (DT) integration has revealed a range of complexities around DT use for teaching and learning. Previous research suggests that frequent DT use does not necessarily lead to the pedagogically purposeful use of DTs for student learning. However, the literature overlooks the impact the various contextual and subject content factors may have when exploring teachers’ technological pedagogical practices. This thesis examines teachers’ practices with DTs in relation to the subject content and multilevel context within which teachers’ practices are situated. My study’s context is that of primary education in Maldivian urban and rural schools, with a specific focus on how teachers use DTs in teaching English as a second language (ESL). I also examine the influence of national, school, classroom, and teacher-level factors at play on the participant primary teacher group. The research questions guiding my study are:
1. What impacts do DT use have on ESL pedagogical practices of primary teachers in two Maldivian schools?
2. What contextual factors affect teaching and learning English with and through DTs in two Maldivian schools, and do they differ across schools?
3. What interplay of factors influence Maldivian primary teachers’ DT use in their English lessons?
Adopting an interpretive phenomenological research design meant I could capture the lived experience of nine (four urban and five rural) primary teachers in two Maldivian schools over 8 months. Data collected through lesson observations, postobservation conversations, lesson plans, semistructured interviews, mini surveys and field notes helped in understanding their practices, beliefs, and attitudes about using DTs in ESL lessons. Additionally, other data collected from mini surveys and postobservation conversations with students of the participant teachers, plus interview data and school documents that principals and IT staff provided, helped my understanding of the multilevel contextual factors that influenced teachers’ DT use for teaching and learning.
The findings indicate that an important reason for using DTs was as an attention grabber, perhaps as a set induction, video explanations, form-focused instruction (FFI), and exam-format listening. These findings were examined in relation to the SAMR model to ascertain the pedagogical level of DT use teachers usually applied. The findings also point to the national, school, and classroom factors affecting primary teachers’ practices with DTs in ESL lessons, and these are addressed fully in the Discussion and Conclusion chapters. At the national level, the two factors that have a potential influence on teachers’ DTs use include the development and promulgation of a national educational ICT policy and teacher education, the focus of which needs to move from developing teachers’ technological knowledge to pedagogical applications of tools. While technology leadership and DT-based professional learning and development were factors at the school level, access to DTs and technical support were classroom-level factors that significantly influenced participant teachers’ decisions around DT use. Apart from these external factors, internal or teacher-level factors such as teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and existing pedagogical practices shaped their practices with DTs when teaching English.
This study has contributed to the literature by identifying primary teachers’ ESL pedagogical practices with DTs. For one thing, it fills a significant gap in TPACK research which often considers TPACK to be subject-independent. My research, therefore, contributes by showing the connection between technology, pedagogy, and subject-specific content (English language). Another contribution is the use of classroom observation data to capture teachers’ DT use, as DT integration literature predominantly uses self-reported data. My research also contributes to a TPACK-in-Context framework (Figure 2.4) adapted from the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) to provide a contextually situated understanding of primary teachers’ DT use in ESL lessons. Additionally, the NVivo-enhanced Spiral QDA process (Figure 3.7) I adapted from Seidel’s (1998) qualitative data analysis (QDA) model contributes to understanding the nonlinear, recursive, and iterative nature of the qualitative data analysis process. Finally, my illustration of the complex interplay of factors affecting the pedagogical use of DTs (Figure 5.2) contributes to the understanding of the relationships between TPACK (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), TAM (Davis, 1989), and SAMR (Puentedura, 2012), three dominant models/frameworks in DT literature.

year: 2023

title: Perspectives and expectations of person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care

authors: Leow, Clara

subjects: Person-centred

abstract: Abstract
Background: The rising prevalence of cancer in New Zealand calls for a need to improve person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care, in order to enhance patient outcomes and alleviate burden on the healthcare system. However, achieving this can prove to be a challenge due to the increase in cultural diversity amongst patients and nurses. Therefore, understanding and embracing the perspectives and expectations of both patients and nurses would be beneficial and crucial to raising awareness and bridging gaps that could jeopardise person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care. With only one inpatient ward within the region, the acute Haematology and Oncology ward within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato is no exception to these challenges. 

Objective: This research aims to explore the perspectives and expectations of patients and nurses in an acute Haematology and Oncology ward within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato.

Participants: Six patients from the inpatient ward were purposefully recruited in the qualitative phase according to the sampling framework, and through the application of inclusion, and exclusion criteria. All 53 registered nurses were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey during the quantitative phase. However, only 15 registered nurses responded. 

Methods: This exploratory sequential mixed methods research consisted of an initial qualitative phase that explored the perspectives and expectations of patients using semi-structured interviews. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to identify themes from the interviews. An anonymous online Likert scale survey was then developed for registered nurses in the quantitative phase. Data from the surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics. 

Findings: Four main themes emerged from patient interviews as important aspects of person-centred and equitable cancer care to patients: (i) Holistic needs and care, (ii) Involving and engaging support system, (iii) Barriers and challenges, and (iv) Nursing roles and patient engagement. However, findings from staff surveys revealed that nurses had varying perspectives and were not consistently providing care that patients valued. When both data sets were compared, it was evident that there were significant misalignments in the perspectives and expectations of person-centred and equitable care between patients and nurses. 

Conclusion: Understanding and embracing the perspectives and expectations of patients and nurses in cancer care is a pivotal aspect to achieving person-centred and equitable care in New Zealand. However, barriers such as misaligned perspectives and expectations between patients and nurses can negatively impact the delivery of individualised care. As a result, this increases the risk for more unfavourable treatment outcomes and complications, thereby also placing more pressure on the already strained healthcare system. While this study has provided valuable insights, further research may be required to increase the generalisability and robustness of this topic. In addition, implementation of strategies, and interventions to encourage the alignment of perspectives and expectations between patients and nurses should also be explored at different levels of cancer care, including the incorporation of policy, educational and clinical support.

text: Perspectives and expectations of person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care Abstract
Background: The rising prevalence of cancer in New Zealand calls for a need to improve person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care, in order to enhance patient outcomes and alleviate burden on the healthcare system. However, achieving this can prove to be a challenge due to the increase in cultural diversity amongst patients and nurses. Therefore, understanding and embracing the perspectives and expectations of both patients and nurses would be beneficial and crucial to raising awareness and bridging gaps that could jeopardise person-centred and equitable cancer nursing care. With only one inpatient ward within the region, the acute Haematology and Oncology ward within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato is no exception to these challenges. 

Objective: This research aims to explore the perspectives and expectations of patients and nurses in an acute Haematology and Oncology ward within Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato.

Participants: Six patients from the inpatient ward were purposefully recruited in the qualitative phase according to the sampling framework, and through the application of inclusion, and exclusion criteria. All 53 registered nurses were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey during the quantitative phase. However, only 15 registered nurses responded. 

Methods: This exploratory sequential mixed methods research consisted of an initial qualitative phase that explored the perspectives and expectations of patients using semi-structured interviews. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to identify themes from the interviews. An anonymous online Likert scale survey was then developed for registered nurses in the quantitative phase. Data from the surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics. 

Findings: Four main themes emerged from patient interviews as important aspects of person-centred and equitable cancer care to patients: (i) Holistic needs and care, (ii) Involving and engaging support system, (iii) Barriers and challenges, and (iv) Nursing roles and patient engagement. However, findings from staff surveys revealed that nurses had varying perspectives and were not consistently providing care that patients valued. When both data sets were compared, it was evident that there were significant misalignments in the perspectives and expectations of person-centred and equitable care between patients and nurses. 

Conclusion: Understanding and embracing the perspectives and expectations of patients and nurses in cancer care is a pivotal aspect to achieving person-centred and equitable care in New Zealand. However, barriers such as misaligned perspectives and expectations between patients and nurses can negatively impact the delivery of individualised care. As a result, this increases the risk for more unfavourable treatment outcomes and complications, thereby also placing more pressure on the already strained healthcare system. While this study has provided valuable insights, further research may be required to increase the generalisability and robustness of this topic. In addition, implementation of strategies, and interventions to encourage the alignment of perspectives and expectations between patients and nurses should also be explored at different levels of cancer care, including the incorporation of policy, educational and clinical support.

year: 2025

title: Māori experiences of bipolar disorder: pathways to recovery

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

abstract: The findings of this research highlighted pathways into mental illness for Maori that could have been avoided earlier. The pathways to recovery however, showed the critical importance of maintaining connections with significant family members over the lifespan. Exposure to varying levels of childhood adversity, such as sexual and physical violence, parental mental illness, multiple and/or abusive foster care, and abandonment issues led to acute levels of post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, poor relationship choices, depression, anxiety and safety issues.

text: Māori experiences of bipolar disorder: pathways to recovery The findings of this research highlighted pathways into mental illness for Maori that could have been avoided earlier. The pathways to recovery however, showed the critical importance of maintaining connections with significant family members over the lifespan. Exposure to varying levels of childhood adversity, such as sexual and physical violence, parental mental illness, multiple and/or abusive foster care, and abandonment issues led to acute levels of post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, poor relationship choices, depression, anxiety and safety issues.

year: 2014