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In this thesis, I explored children’s experiences of role-play in relation to notions of self. The research took place in two pack-away settings in the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The experiences of eight children, aged between three-year-three months and four-years one month, were investigated over a period of seven months. I used an adaptation of The Mosaic Approach (Clark and Moss 2001) combined with a reflective lenses approach (Brookfield 1995) to create a three-dimensional view of the children’s experiences. The children and I used a range of tools to gather data including digital cameras, conferencing, drawing and map-making. Children were conceptualised as agentic and capable of commenting on their lives and experiences (James et al 1998, Qvortrup 2004, Cosaro 2010). The findings revealed that children engage in Wave Play, a fluid form of role-play in which they move both props and ideas from space to space. Practitioners support the children in finding the necessary props and allowing them to move from one area of the setting to another. The children displayed positive self-esteem and effective social behaviours showing an awareness of themselves as social beings. They were confident that their needs will be met when they request support. In their role-play activities, they showed their understanding of themselves as integrated selves; beings, becomings and having beens (Cross 2011). Adults in pack-away settings can support children effectively by adopting a flexible pedagogical approach.

PURPOSE: (1) Investigate supportive care needs and preferences of parents of children with cancer (2) Assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a Parent Support Group Intervention (PSGI). METHODS: One-hundred and eight parents completed the Parent Support Survey (PSS). Data were utilized in the creation of a PSGI. The PSGI consisted of eight 1.5-hour sessions encompassing guided group discussion. As part of feasibility, acceptability, recruitment/retention and preliminary outcomes were assessed. Parents completed outcome measures assessing knowledge of disease/treatment management, community/hospital/family resources, perception of social support and feelings of distress/anxiety. RESULTS: From the PSS, 86/108 (80%) of parents expressed interest in a PSGI. Fourteen parents attended the PSGI only once and 14 parents attended the PSGI more than once. Outcome measure results depict favourable changes after group attendance. Recruitment and retention data highlight challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Information gained from this study will be used to improve planning and delievery of future PSGI’s.

PURPOSE: (1) Investigate supportive care needs and preferences of parents of children with cancer (2) Assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a Parent Support Group Intervention (PSGI). METHODS: One-hundred and eight parents completed the Parent Support Survey (PSS). Data were utilized in the creation of a PSGI. The PSGI consisted of eight 1.5-hour sessions encompassing guided group discussion. As part of feasibility, acceptability, recruitment/retention and preliminary outcomes were assessed. Parents completed outcome measures assessing knowledge of disease/treatment management, community/hospital/family resources, perception of social support and feelings of distress/anxiety. RESULTS: From the PSS, 86/108 (80%) of parents expressed interest in a PSGI. Fourteen parents attended the PSGI only once and 14 parents attended the PSGI more than once. Outcome measure results depict favourable changes after group attendance. Recruitment and retention data highlight challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Information gained from this study will be used to improve planning and delievery of future PSGI’s.

PURPOSE: (1) Investigate supportive care needs and preferences of parents of children with cancer (2) Assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a Parent Support Group Intervention (PSGI). METHODS: One-hundred and eight parents completed the Parent Support Survey (PSS). Data were utilized in the creation of a PSGI. The PSGI consisted of eight 1.5-hour sessions encompassing guided group discussion. As part of feasibility, acceptability, recruitment/retention and preliminary outcomes were assessed. Parents completed outcome measures assessing knowledge of disease/treatment management, community/hospital/family resources, perception of social support and feelings of distress/anxiety. RESULTS: From the PSS, 86/108 (80%) of parents expressed interest in a PSGI. Fourteen parents attended the PSGI only once and 14 parents attended the PSGI more than once. Outcome measure results depict favourable changes after group attendance. Recruitment and retention data highlight challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Information gained from this study will be used to improve planning and delievery of future PSGI’s.

PURPOSE: (1) Investigate supportive care needs and preferences of parents of children with cancer (2) Assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a Parent Support Group Intervention (PSGI). METHODS: One-hundred and eight parents completed the Parent Support Survey (PSS). Data were utilized in the creation of a PSGI. The PSGI consisted of eight 1.5-hour sessions encompassing guided group discussion. As part of feasibility, acceptability, recruitment/retention and preliminary outcomes were assessed. Parents completed outcome measures assessing knowledge of disease/treatment management, community/hospital/family resources, perception of social support and feelings of distress/anxiety. RESULTS: From the PSS, 86/108 (80%) of parents expressed interest in a PSGI. Fourteen parents attended the PSGI only once and 14 parents attended the PSGI more than once. Outcome measure results depict favourable changes after group attendance. Recruitment and retention data highlight challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Information gained from this study will be used to improve planning and delievery of future PSGI’s.

The last 15 years have brought a lot of changes to the upbringing of children with the special disorders. Children with insignificant intellectual disorders, also children having specific learning disorders are started to be taught at secondary schools. Until 1991 the biggest part of these children has been taught at special schools for children with intellectual disorders. At present, children who have not been taught at all came to special schools. Children who have been taught at secondary schools now form majority at secondary schools. In this connection, there was a need to have specialized pedagogues at secondary schools. Their functions and duties have been always discussed at media and in scientific conferences. However, the content of work of specialized pedagogues is not very clear. Object of work - preparedness of specialized pedagogues to work at secondary school. Problem of work - functions of specialized pedagogues at secondary school. Aim of work - to find out how the schedule of specialized pedagogues duties meets the expectations of pedagogues of secondary schools and the expectations of the specialized pedagogues. Goals of work: 1. to study pedagogical and special literature about the content of work and aims of specialized pedagogue at secondary school. 2. to analyze the content and methods of specialized pedagogue who works at secondary school. 3. to find out the priorities of work spheres of specialized pedagogue, how it is perceived by specialized... [to full text]

After the restoration of Lithuanian independence, it has become a necessity to learn the Lithuanian language for many citizens of Lithuania, whose native language is not Lithuanian. In the schools of national minority children with special needs also have to learn the state language. As it is observed in practice, not all children with special needs come to school with perfect knowledge of their native language, so we can presume that these children encounter with a lot of difficulties, arising from their surrounding factors, while learning the state language. This work is performed to reveal the peculiarities of teaching and learning the state language to schoolchildren, having special needs, at national minority school. Two groups of respondents took part in this research: Lithuanian language teachers of national minority schools and children with special needs. Analysis of the research has shown that the number of schoolchildren with special needs integrated into national minority schools is increasing. The Lithuanian language teachers of national minority schools do not have enough knowledge about teaching non-native language to schoolchildren with special needs. However, the educators’ attitude towards these schoolchildren is positive. A lack of special language teaching devices, textbooks is felt while educating children with special needs, so the teachers differentiate and constantly prepare individual tasks for these schoolchildren. The state language learning... [to full text]

Tyrimo klausimas: Kokie yra bendravimo sunkumai tarp slaugytojų ir onkologinėmis ligomis sergančių vaikų ir jų tėvų ? Tyrimo tikslas: nustatyti slaugytojų ir onkologinėmis ligomis sergančių vaikų bei jų tėvų bendravimo poreikį ir pasitenkinimą bendravimo kokybe. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti vaikų, sergančių onkologinėmis ligomis, bendravimo poreikį ir pasitenkinimą bendravimo kokybe gydantis ligoninėje. 2. Įvertinti tėvų, kurių vaikai serga onkologinėmis ligomis, bendravimo poreikį ir pasitenkinimą bendravimo kokybe būnant ligoninėje. 3. Įvertinti slaugytojų pasitenkinimą bendravimo kokybe su onkologinėmis ligomis sergančiais vaikais ir jų tėvais. 4. Nustatyti veiksnius, įtakojančius bendravimą tarp slaugytojų ir onkologinėmis ligomis sergančių vaikų bei jų tėvų. Darbo metodika: Tyrimas buvo atliekamas Kauno medicinos universiteto klinikos, Vaikų II vidaus ligų skyriuje, onkohematologiniame poskyryje, 2010 m. sausio - kovo mėn. gavus skyriaus vedėjos, gydymo įstaigos sutikimus bei KMU Bioetikos centro leidimą. Tyrime dalyvavo 9 respondentai: 3 mamos bei 3 vaikai, sergantys onkologine liga ir 3 bendrosios praktikos slaugytojos, dirbančios su vaikais, sergančiais onkologinėmis ligomis (KMUK Vaikų II vidaus ligų skyriuje, onkohematologiniame poskyryje). Tyrimui atlikti buvo naudojama kokybinis fenomenologinis tyrimo metodas. Tyrimo metodų trianguliacija: giluminis pusiau struktūrizuotas interviu (atskirai sudaryti klausimai slaugytojams, vaikams bei tėvams, dokumentų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Question of the research: What are the difficulties of the communication between the nurses and oncologic desease having children and their parents? Aim of the research: to find out the nurses„, oncologic desease having children and their parents communication needs and satisfaction of the communication quality. Tasks: 5. Find out the communication needs and the satisfaction of the communication quality of the oncologic desease having children during the treatment in the hospital. 6. Find out the parents„ whose children have oncologic desease communication needs and the satisfaction of the communication quality in the hospital. 7. Find out the nurses„ satisfaction of the communication quality with oncologic desease having children and their parents. 8. Find out the factors that are influencing the communication between the nurses and the oncologic desease having children and their parents. Methods: The research was done in Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Department of the Children II Internal Medicine, Onco-hematology subdivision, in January – March of 2010, with the permition of the head of the department and the head of the hospital and KUM Bioethics center. There were 9 respondents: 3 children having the oncological desease, 3 mothers and 3 nurses who are working in the Department of the Children II Internal Medicine, Onco-hematology subdivision. The research was carried out using the triangulation of research methods: deep half-structured 6 interview (separate... [to full text]

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Ecology-Personal Financial Planning / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the factors associated with students’ intentions to not possess and use a credit card. This dissertation focused on exploring a sample of undergraduate college students who do not possess a credit card. There is little known research on this group of students. The dissertation was directed by the following over-arching research question: The goal of this study was to explore college students’ beliefs about not possessing a credit card using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). The research questions for this dissertation were: (a) How is personality (i.e., individual background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, (b) How are education level, age, gender, income level, religiosity, marital status, and ethnicity (i.e., social background factors) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card, and (c) How is financial knowledge (i.e., information background factor) of undergraduate college students associated with their behavioral, normative, and control beliefs to not possess a credit card. This study collected primary data. A pilot study was conducted to set the stage for the data collection of the current study. The data analysis methodology for this study consisted of the following four methods: (a) Factor Analysis, (b) Correlation Analysis, (c) MANOVA, and (d) Discriminant Function Analysis. Factor analysis identified questions were used to develop scales to measure the dependent variables. Strong reliability estimates were obtained, ranging from .84 to .94. The MANOVA test identified seven hypotheses with statistically significant results < .05. Control beliefs were significantly associated with personality. The five personality types, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness, were all found to be significantly associated with either behavioral beliefs, control beliefs, or injunctive normative beliefs. Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism were all found to be associated with control beliefs. While agreeableness was also associated with injunctive normative beliefs, openness was found to be associated with behavioral beliefs. Financial knowledge was found to be associated with control beliefs. Discriminant function analysis was performed as a confirmatory test of the results from the MANOVA test, and supported the results of the MANOVA for six of the hypotheses.