Looked after children (LAC) have been identified as one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our education system (Sempik, Ward, & Darker, 2008); they are at risk of failing to achieve the Every Child Matters outcomes (DFES, 2004), and, there are particular concerns regarding low levels of academic achievement (DCSF, 2009). Much of the research regarding LAC is from a deficit perspective and attempts to justify the poor outcomes reported; only recently has attention been paid to identifying what works well in schools to promote achievement. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) proposed by Cooperrider & Srivastva (1987) is an affirmatively focused method of research and development which challenges traditional problem-solving approaches (Grant & Humphries, 2006); it seeks to discover the existing strengths and successes within an organisation to inspire change (Espinosa, Roebuck, & Rohe, 2002). Whilst the efficacy of AI has been demonstrated within organisational and healthcare settings there is a dearth of literature evidencing the efficacy of AI in educational settings. AI has not been used with LAC, or the professionals who work with them, and this approach has the potential to provide a new lens on this historically problematic area. This thesis proposed to identify key factors which have the greatest positive impact on the school experience of LAC, in secondary schools, through the use of AI. In doing so, this thesis also sought to explore the efficacy of AI as a research tool for working with LAC and school staff, and, to explore its potential for creating change. A single case study design was used involving one local authority secondary school. Participants attended semi-structured interviews aligned with the AI 4-D cycle; this was followed by a workshop session to explore findings and agree future actions. Further data was also collated through content analysis of the research interviews, participant evaluations and a research diary. Key themes were identified including: effective adult support, engaging learning opportunities, rewarding school systems, a safe and secure environment, good quality relationships, and the importance of normalising the school experience. A number of supplementary themes were also identified. AI was found to be an effective method of research; it appears to be an interactive and enabling approach, which considers both organisational successes and concerns. During the workshop a number of actions were identified to further improve the school experience and there is a high likelihood that change will occur. Implications for EP practice and areas for future research are also considered.

The aim of this study was to ensure that the Sefton Educational Psychology and Portage Service (SEPPS) maintained a high quality service to very young children, their families and settings while responding to the national changes in Children’s Services prompted by Every Child Matters (ECM) (DfES, 2003) and changes in team structure and personnel at a local level. The methodology used was based on the appreciative inquiry (AI) 4-D cycle described by Coghlan, Preskill and Catsambas, (2003) and consisted of four phases which were implemented over a period of eighteen months: Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny. During the Discovery phase of the project, three educational psychologists (EPs) provided rich narratives illustrating what drives them to work with very young children, families and settings and the contribution that they think EPs make to this area of work. Individual EP’s views of their own skills were corroborated by interviews with parents and analysis of all seven parental stories confirmed that the service that they received met the EPs’ expectations of best practice. In Phase Two, (Discovery/Dream) a workshop was held with representatives of the EP team’s other early years stakeholders to introduce them to AI and to elicit their perceptions of best practice in partnership working. The findings from the inquiry were then used to inform the work of the team during the period from April 2009 to February 2010 (Design/Destiny). Progress was tracked both formally and informally. At the end of the Destiny phase, the stakeholders involved in Phase Two of the project were interviewed to gather evidence on whether they had been able to apply AI in their own work and whether they had noticed any differences in the early years’ work of EPs since attending the initial workshop. The data collected by the author and other members of the EP team (who acted as co-researchers) included interview transcripts, worksheets, flipcharts, reflection/evaluation sheets and minutes of meetings. Each of these elements was analysed individually and collectively by the author according to the principles of thematic analysis, as described by Attride-Stirling (2001), Carter (2004) and Braun and Clarke (2006).At the end of the project, some of the stakeholders interviewed reported that the AI workshop had transformed their way of working from a deficit model to a strengths based model. There was also evidence that attendance at the workshop had changed participants’ perceptions of the role of the EP, facilitating improved channels of communication and the development of a shared vision. Each member of the early years EP team was mentioned in at least one positive story, indicating that high standards of service delivery were maintained during a period of considerable change. The extent to which AI contributed to this process and the challenges presented by this methodology are also discussed.

The purpose of this case study is to evaluate two methods of strategic planning within organizational visioning: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis and Appreciative inquiry (Ai).  SWOT analysis is a method of strategic planning that is popular within companies and organizations due to its simple, yet thorough, approach.  Ai has recently emerged as an approach to strategic visioning and planning within organizational development.  However, little research has been conducted to evaluate either approach to organizational visioning, and there is a growing need to compare the two techniques.  In this case study, participants within one organization were divided, with half of the staff participating in Ai and the other half participating in SWOT.  Data for this mixed methods study was gathered through observation, focus group interviews, and pre-test, post-test, and delayed post assessments tests.  Through the explanatory sequential design, quantitative data evaluated the change in organizational commitment and vision clarity as a result of the interventions; while, qualitative data further explored participants\' perception of the intervention process and resulting effects.  The study found a statistically significant interaction between intervention treatments and the pre-test and post-test scores within the organizational commitment construct.  Seven themes emerged from the qualitative data; however, only two themes were specifically associated with an intervention treatment.  Participants in the SWOT intervention described the visioning process to be frustrating and negative; while, Ai participants found that the visioning process confirmed many of their beliefs and values about the department.  Recommendations for future practice suggest the use of Strengths, Opportunities, Aspiration, Results (SOAR) as an approach that combines and maximizes Ai and SWOT.  Suggestions for future research are to explore SWOT as a precursor to di-visioning within the Visioning Process Model. / Master of Science in Life Sciences

Spirituality has been identified as vital to client-centred, holistic occupational therapy (OT) practice. Attending to mind, body and spirit are essential for health and wellbeing. Spiritual beliefs have a significant impact on everyday routines and habits and give meaning and an additional dimension to everyday activities. Occupational therapists recognise the potential to make spirituality tangible through the use of deeply meaningful occupations. Many occupational therapists avow that they are unclear on how to integrate spirituality into treatment. They lack the confidence, knowledge and skill to address spirituality. Many argue that preparation for such a role should be embedded in the curricula. This study aimed to explore how spirituality is being addressed in OT practice by educators and clinicians in Gauteng, South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive, explorative research design using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as an approach was conducted. The participants’ understanding of spirituality, their current successes, and their wishes concerning spirituality, as well as recommendations on how to address spirituality in OT were investigated. Purposive sampling resulted in a total of 24 participants. Data was collected by means of an AI workshop that consisted of self-report, AI interview schedules and focus group inquiries. Data was analysed through thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged from this study, namely 1) understanding spirituality as a construct, 2) client-centred practice/approach, 3) envisioned practice enablers of spirituality, and 4) nurturing spirituality within the therapist. Participants clearly articulated how spirituality is defined and understood in their practice. Current successes in spirituality were attributed to client-centred practice. Strategies to address, sustain and implement spirituality in education and practice were identified. These findings may contribute to the current discussion on spirituality in OT. Literature on the utilisation of the AI approach in OT and in healthcare is limited, thus this study may also serve to contribute to the existing body of knowledge. / Dissertation (MOccTher)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Occupational Therapy / MOccTher / Unrestricted

Leadership is an important part of creating effective public organizations. Effective leaders have the potential to produce social change through positive follower and organizational outcomes, the development of important policies, and efficiently implementing public policy. The scholarly literature lacks research concerning how leadership styles translate to the public sector. The theoretical framework used to guide and support this study was Cooperrider and Whitney's appreciative inquiry. The research question explored in what ways public sector leaders affect how followers perceive themselves as social change agents in a local city-county health department. For this phenomenological study, 10 followers employed by a local city-county health department in central Oklahoma provided perception data regarding details of their lived experiences with public sector leadership. Thematic coding was utilized to analyze the data. Key findings included support for transformational and servant leadership theories. Elements of these theories that followers found important included supporting, empowering, and valuing followers. Through good public leadership, important public policies goals can be attained which have the potential to produce positive social change through dynamic public organizations focused on social responsibility, trust in government, and customer service. Public organizations can use the findings to build a motivated, inspired, and committed public workforce.

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Research has shown that, worldwide the nursing profession is faced with image-related challenges impacting on its status, prestige, power and the ability to attract more young and suitably qualified students to nursing. There is adequate evidence of a link between the image of nursing and the number of young people entering and leaving the profession. A positive image of nursing attracts applicants and the intention to leave nursing correlates positively with holding a negative image of nursing. There is also evidence of poor perception of the image of nursing among student nurses. The study aimed at exploring the potential of appreciative inquiry (AI) as a teaching strategy to transform the image of nursing among 3rd and 4th year, college and university student nurses in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The second aim was to describe student nurses’ experiences regarding their participation in the process of AI. A qualitatively dominant, sequentially embedded, mixed methods design with explorative-descriptive and quasi-experimental features was utilised. Sequential data collection and analysis were conducted during five stages comprising: a pre-test survey, intervention (appreciative inquiry), a post-test, description of the experiences of student nurses of AI and an integration stage. The pre-test results showed more positive than negative perceptions of the image of nursing among student nurses. The negative perceptions of the image of nursing among student nurses that needed intervention included the working conditions of nurses and the perception of nursing as a profession that was not respected and appreciated. The student nurses who took part in appreciative inquiry showed a significant and positive change in their perception of the image of nursing as a respected and appreciated profession. From the individual interviews on the student nurses’ experiences of AI, the themes “experience of positive emotions” and “experiential learning” emerged. The student nurses experiences described their engagement in AI as a positive and enjoyable experience from which multidimensional learning resulted. / Health Studies / Ph. D. (Health Studies)

Research has shown that, worldwide the nursing profession is faced with image-related challenges impacting on its status, prestige, power and the ability to attract more young and suitably qualified students to nursing. There is adequate evidence of a link between the image of nursing and the number of young people entering and leaving the profession. A positive image of nursing attracts applicants and the intention to leave nursing correlates positively with holding a negative image of nursing. There is also evidence of poor perception of the image of nursing among student nurses. The study aimed at exploring the potential of appreciative inquiry (AI) as a teaching strategy to transform the image of nursing among 3rd and 4th year, college and university student nurses in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The second aim was to describe student nurses’ experiences regarding their participation in the process of AI. A qualitatively dominant, sequentially embedded, mixed methods design with explorative-descriptive and quasi-experimental features was utilised. Sequential data collection and analysis were conducted during five stages comprising: a pre-test survey, intervention (appreciative inquiry), a post-test, description of the experiences of student nurses of AI and an integration stage. The pre-test results showed more positive than negative perceptions of the image of nursing among student nurses. The negative perceptions of the image of nursing among student nurses that needed intervention included the working conditions of nurses and the perception of nursing as a profession that was not respected and appreciated. The student nurses who took part in appreciative inquiry showed a significant and positive change in their perception of the image of nursing as a respected and appreciated profession. From the individual interviews on the student nurses’ experiences of AI, the themes “experience of positive emotions” and “experiential learning” emerged. The student nurses experiences described their engagement in AI as a positive and enjoyable experience from which multidimensional learning resulted. / Health Studies / Ph. D. (Health Studies)

såväl vårdens lagstiftning som i utveckling av vården får patienten allt mer central ställning och roll. Ur ett patientperspektiv pekar dock uppföljningar av lagstiftning som reglerar samverkan vid utskrivning från sluten hälso- och sjukvård på bristande kunskapsläge på nationell nivå. Syftet med denna studie var att genom patientens egen berättelse söka insikter om upplevelser av utskrivningsprocessen från somatisk sluten hälso- och sjukvård och tiden efter, där behov funnits av fortsatt vård och omsorg efter utskrivning. Syftet var också att söka förståelse för huruvida Appreciative Inquiry kan bidra till insikter till ständiga förbättringar ur ett patientperspektiv. Med kvalitativ design och narrativ ansats genomfördes nio värdeskapande intervjuer med vuxna personer som vårdats på sjukhus 1 januari 2018. Dessa personer hade även behov av vård och/eller omsorg efter utskrivning. Intervjuguiden innehöll två huvudfrågor; “Berätta din berättelse om när du senast låg inne på sjukhus och tiden efter när du kom hem” och “Kan du berätta om en situation eller händelse som sticker ut som fungerade riktigt bra?”. Släktskapsdiagram grupperade och sorterade intervjuernas innehåll varvid fem indikatorer identifierades som viktiga i utskrivningsprocessen; Bemötande, att bli Lyssnad på, vara Informerad, uppleva att det Klaffar och upplevelse av Delaktighet. Ålder, allvarlighetsgrad på sjukdom eller behovsnivå av kommunal vård och omsorg efter utskrivning verkar inte vara faktorer som påverkar vad som är viktigt i samband med utskrivning från sluten vård. Befintlig lagstiftad process harmoniserar delvis med patientens uttryckta behov av vad som är viktigt. Patientens egen berättelse ingår i personcentrerat förhållningssätt där Appreciative Inquirys grundfilosofi såväl som värdeskapande verktyg kan bidra till processutveckling. / In both healthcare legislation and in the development of healthcare, the role of the patient is obtaining an increasingly central position. However, from a patient perspective, there appears to be a lack of knowledge at the national level about what is important during the discharge process from the hospital. The study aimed to gain insights through the patient's own story about experiences of the discharge process from closed somatic health care, including the time following discharge when additional care was needed. The purpose was also to develop understanding about in what ways the Appreciative Inquiry method can contribute to insights about the patients perspective that could serve continuous improvements. With qualitative design, and a narrative approach based on appreciative inquiry, nine interviews were conducted with adults who had been hospitalized after January 1th 2018. These individuals were also in need for care after discharge. The interview guide contained two main questions; “Tell me your story of when you were last hospitalized and the time after when you came home” and “ Can you tell me about a certain situation or event which stands out, that worked really well?”. The content from the interviews was sorted and categorized using a relationship diagram that identified five indicators as important to the discharge process; Empathetic response, being listened to, being informed, experiencing flow and experience of participation. Age, severity of illness or level of need for municipal care after discharge does not appear to be factors of importance in context of the discharge process from hospitalized care. Existing legislative process are partially in harmony with the needs expressed by patients about what is important. The patient’s own story is part of the person-centered approach where Appreciative Inquiry’s philosophy, as well as its value-creating tools, can contribute to process development. / <p>2020-06-26</p>

Traditionellt inom området för kvalitetsteknik har fokus legat på de så kallat "hårdare delarna" såsom statistisk uppföljning av processer, mätningar och problemlösningsmetoder. Tidigare forskning har identifierat att en av de huvudsakliga orsakerna till att kvalitetsinitiativ inte når framgång är att organisationen misslyckas med att skapa en kultur som stödjer förbättringsarbetet. Trots att kultur identifierats som en nyckel till framgång finns det en kunskapslucka kring hur och om kultur, och då kanske främst kvalitetskultur, kan skapas. Kultur består till stor del av dess värderingar och att dessa är accepterade av medarbetarna. Den här studien syftar till att bidra med kunskapsutveckling kring hur metoden Appreciative Inquiry (AI) kan användas i praktiken i organisationers arbete med värderingar och kultur, och identifiera möjliga effekter av detta. En deskriptiv fallstudie genomfördes inom en organisation i södra Sverige, genom två dialogbaserade workshops, en enkätstudie och dokumentstudie. Resultatet visar att AI är en metod som möjliggör strukturerad dialog gällande värderingar och beteenden kopplade till dessa. Vidare bidrar metoden till att levandegöra en organisations värderingar genom att medarbetare både upplever och uppvisar en förändring gällande enighet och förståelse för värderingarna inom den studerade organisationen. / Through tradition there has been a focus on "hard values" within total quality management, for an example statistical process measurements and problem-solving techniques. Research identifies the failure to create a supportive culture for improvements as one of the main reasons why organizations fail in their quality management initiatives. Despite the knowledge that culture is a mayor key to success, there is a gap of knowledge to how, and even if, it is possible to create a supportive quality culture. What defines culture is to a large extent the values it is based up on, and that the coworkers within an organization take ownership of these values. The purpose of this research is to contribute with knowledge towards how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be used within organizational work with values, culture, and to identify possible effects, if any, of the method. An explanatory case study at an organization in the south of Sweden was conducted through two dialogue-based workshops, an online survey, and a document study. The result shows that AI creates a structured dialogue about values and value-related behaviors and succeeds in bringing organizational values to life. This is shown though both the perceived and demonstrated changes within coworkers, towards being in agreement and understanding the values within an organization. / <p>20180627</p>