This is a qualitative study that takes a close look at an exemplary performing group, the Brigham Young University Singers. Using the methods of phenomenology and naturalistic inquiry, the author presents a rich, thick description of the daily activities and unique culture of the choir. Both strengths and weaknesses of the group are identified so that others can have an authentic, vicarious experience through reading the Singers' story. The author also identifies seven principles that contribute to the success of the group so that other choral conductors can adapt them to their own unique situations. Educators in all disciplines can benefit from a deeper understanding of this model community of learners.

The purpose of this study was to explore what it means to be farming in Saskatchewan today. Naturalistic inquiry using open-ended interviews provided the framework for four farmers narratives. The goal was to gain insight into farmers lives, to expand the understanding of farmers experiences, and to explore potential stressors of farming life. The farmers interviews revealed the heart, soul, and spirit of farming today. Although they said they were losing hope in farming, they demonstrated characteristics of determination, perseverance and tenacity that keep them farming. The insights learned from this sample of Saskatchewan farmers are relevant not only to farm families but also to new entrants into farming, professionals who work with farmers in challenging times, and government policy makers. This study may help to provide information, develop understanding of farmers needs, and raise questions that contribute to knowledge and meaning about how it is to farm in Saskatchewan today. Implications for practise and research conclude the study.

The purpose of this study was to explore what it means to be farming in Saskatchewan today. Naturalistic inquiry using open-ended interviews provided the framework for four farmers narratives. The goal was to gain insight into farmers lives, to expand the understanding of farmers experiences, and to explore potential stressors of farming life. The farmers interviews revealed the heart, soul, and spirit of farming today. Although they said they were losing hope in farming, they demonstrated characteristics of determination, perseverance and tenacity that keep them farming. The insights learned from this sample of Saskatchewan farmers are relevant not only to farm families but also to new entrants into farming, professionals who work with farmers in challenging times, and government policy makers. This study may help to provide information, develop understanding of farmers needs, and raise questions that contribute to knowledge and meaning about how it is to farm in Saskatchewan today. Implications for practise and research conclude the study.

No description available.

The concept of home care nursing workload has not been widely studied and no evidence was found that an analysis of the concept had been undertaken. Consequently, there was a knowledge gap regarding the definition and attributes for the concept of home care nursing workload as it is currently experienced. To address that gap, a descriptive, three-phase, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) study was conducted. In Phase One, Rodgers’ (2000) evolutionary method was used to analyze the concept of home care nursing workload based on the empirical literature. Phase Two was situated within the naturalistic inquiry paradigm and involved observation of ten home care registered nurses during their visits to 61 patients. In Phase three a questionnaire was administered to validate the draft definition and attributes for the concept of home care nursing workload. It was completed by 88 home care nursing experts from clinical practice, education, management and research. Qualitative findings were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS. Data triangulation was used extensively within and between the study phases. Of 14 attributes in the phase three draft concept definition, respondents assigned the highest level of relevance to the attribute of cognitive effort and the lowest to physical effort. The final definition contained 20 attributes and includes the following excerpt: “Home care nursing workload is the totality of the cognitive, emotional and physical effort home care nurses expend to meet the expectations of all stakeholders in providing holistic, outcome directed and patient/family focused care within the context of a short or long-term therapeutic relationship.” Respondents reported high levels of agreement with the accuracy and completeness of the definition and the majority indicated the definition would be useful or very useful in their day-to-day work. The comprehensive concept exemplar that emerged from the study includes each of the identified attributes. The study findings provided evidence of the complexity and challenge inherent in quantitatively measuring home care nursing workload. Accordingly, implications of the findings are shared for the management and monitoring of workload and associated outcomes, as well as for nursing practice, education and research.

The concept of home care nursing workload has not been widely studied and no evidence was found that an analysis of the concept had been undertaken. Consequently, there was a knowledge gap regarding the definition and attributes for the concept of home care nursing workload as it is currently experienced. To address that gap, a descriptive, three-phase, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) study was conducted. In Phase One, Rodgers’ (2000) evolutionary method was used to analyze the concept of home care nursing workload based on the empirical literature. Phase Two was situated within the naturalistic inquiry paradigm and involved observation of ten home care registered nurses during their visits to 61 patients. In Phase three a questionnaire was administered to validate the draft definition and attributes for the concept of home care nursing workload. It was completed by 88 home care nursing experts from clinical practice, education, management and research. Qualitative findings were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS. Data triangulation was used extensively within and between the study phases. Of 14 attributes in the phase three draft concept definition, respondents assigned the highest level of relevance to the attribute of cognitive effort and the lowest to physical effort. The final definition contained 20 attributes and includes the following excerpt: “Home care nursing workload is the totality of the cognitive, emotional and physical effort home care nurses expend to meet the expectations of all stakeholders in providing holistic, outcome directed and patient/family focused care within the context of a short or long-term therapeutic relationship.” Respondents reported high levels of agreement with the accuracy and completeness of the definition and the majority indicated the definition would be useful or very useful in their day-to-day work. The comprehensive concept exemplar that emerged from the study includes each of the identified attributes. The study findings provided evidence of the complexity and challenge inherent in quantitatively measuring home care nursing workload. Accordingly, implications of the findings are shared for the management and monitoring of workload and associated outcomes, as well as for nursing practice, education and research.

The purpose of this study was to produce five in-depth case studies of University of Georgia, USA, students who studied abroad for one semester in Spring of 2006. These case studies describe and analyze the students’ self-identified goals and motivations for participating in this study abroad experience. Utilization of Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) naturalistic inquiry method was used to explore the student experiences. In addition to qualitatively analyzing the goals and motivations of these specific cases, descriptive statistics of the student Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) pre- and post-test questions and answers (Intercultural Communication Institute, 2003), taken in Spring 2006 and two years later in Spring 2008, were compared for the purpose of measuring changes in worldview orientations over time. This provided the establishment of convergence or triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data. Further exploration of preferred student learning styles by use of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, v. 3.1 (Kolb, 1999) was initiated in order to analyze whether the study abroad program design matched the students’ learning style. A study abroad preparatory model, Adapt, Adopt, Adept: A Preparatory Model for Study Abroad, is proposed that increases student active engagement abroad, thereby increasing the potential for accomplishing the stated goal of the University of Georgia (UGA) study abroad program, namely to develop “global citizens.” Inquiry into these areas and the results obtained are directly relevant to study abroad program specialists, interested faculty, upper administrators in university policy making, and future students who might desire to participate in an international learning experience. This particular study, in contrast to those discussed in the literature review, indicates a unique approach by focusing on the following: • one specific, experiential study abroad program; • using naturalistic inquiry as the method of obtaining such data; • using IDI scores to triangulate results of qualitative data; • incorporating information measured by the KLSI. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Qualitative data were obtained via Blackboard, email, chat interviews via the internet, face to face interviews, and by means of journal entries. By using naturalistic inquiry, the specific form of data provided and its content was left largely to the students to choose via the options listed above in order to best represent their voices. Scores on the IDI provide the quantitative data used to assess qualitative findings. The intention was that this study would provide an in-depth investigation of the students’ experiences in order to be used by individuals who find the information to be practical, functional, and helpful in improving the learning and cultural environment of study abroad students.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Margaret G. Shroyer / While there has been much quantitative research done in the area of attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs, this study sought hear the voices of the middle school child. Therefore, this qualitative study investigated the attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs of middle school students in one middle school in western Kansas. The conceptual framework for this study is supported by the research of Albert Bandura on Social Cognitive Theory. This study used a naturalistic inquiry approach and data were collected from multiple sources, including short-answer questionnaires, classroom observations, and one-on-one interviews. Coded data were examined for patterns, themes, and relationships. Middle school students in this study exhibited positive, negative, and variable attitudes toward mathematics, and both positive and negative mathematics self-efficacy beliefs. Students attribute their high mathematics self-efficacy beliefs to the teacher or the high grades they receive on daily assignments, as well as the scores they receive on state and local assessments. Conversely, middle school students have low mathematics self-efficacy beliefs when they feel unsuccessful or distressed, and they attribute those beliefs to the low grades they receive on daily assignments and assessments, as well as the distress of not understanding the mathematics. Middle school students told their mathematical stories of the change in attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs, and attributed positive changes to the mathematics teacher. Negative changes in attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs were attributed to the amount of homework expected at the middle school level, as well as the lack of hands-on activities. The influence of the teacher, grades, and hands-on activities impact middle school students’ attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs. There is a relationship between attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy beliefs. Low mathematics self-efficacy beliefs and poor attitudes toward mathematics are related since low mathematics self-efficacy beliefs and poor attitudes toward mathematics are highly connected. Conversely, high mathematics self-efficacy beliefs and good attitudes toward mathematics are highly related. Middle school students’ experiences impact both mathematics self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes toward mathematics. Students’ mathematics self-efficacy beliefs impact their attitudes toward mathematics.

No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Birth mothers of open adoption are not well studied. This inquiry explored birth mothers’ experiences surrounding unintended pregnancy and infant open adoption placement. The focused objective was to describe adolescent birth mothers’ lives following pregnancy and adoption placement. This qualitative study used naturalistic inquiry, with participants giving 1 to 2 hour tape recorded telephone interviews. Verbatim transcripts were de-identified and systematically analyzed. Birth mother samples were at either 1 to 5 years or 5 to 15 years after infant open adoption placement. Overall both samples chronicled stories from preconception through current life. Birth mothers of both samples were unanimous in their support of open adoption. The sample of 10 birth mothers who were interviewed 1 to 5 years postplacement shared life descriptions from prepregnancy; pregnancy with the decision for open adoption placement and choice of adoptive family; birth in context with the adoptive parents and birth child; postpartum and discharge. Postplacing birth mother findings were presented using the acronym AFRESH: A–adoption accomplishments; F–fresh start; R–relationships; E–emotions; S–support; H–healing. Personal, social, and relational benefits of open adoption far outweighed pregnancy, birth, and emotional challenges. Even though the process and outcome were “hard,” and included personal obstacles, the open adoption placement was “best.” Birth children were viewed as thriving, blossoming, and having a wonderful life. Adoptive families were cherished like those of extended family. Birth mothers thought health care providers should share the option, and then provide adoption friendly care. They also would advise pregnant teens to choose open adoption. Results from the 5 to 15 years postplacement sample of 5 birth mothers yielded themes of (1) satisfaction about decision for open adoption, choice of adoptive couple, and seeing a thriving birth child; (2) personal milestone accomplishments in education, finances, work, life, and relationships; (3) a sustaining sense of being a better person with an improved life; and (4) the essential need for support during and after the process.