Group items tagged

begins w/ a brief introduction to appreciative inquiry (Ai)...Calls for evaluation of the process are acknowledged, as are the few evaluations/critiques of Ai we have found in literature. discuss how critical theory may be applied to an evaluation of appreciative inquiry bridging an apparent paradox between the negativity associated with the former and the positive focus of the latter. An initial application of Critical Appreciative Process (CAP) is described to illustrate how the integrated use of appreciative inquiry and critical theory deepens insight and recognition of the complexity in human endeavours.

This is a good paper about how teachers can use art criticism as a critical thinking process in the elementary curriculum. Focus is on developing "meaningful dialogue."

This article is actually an interview of Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline, and Margaret Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science; both are also organizational theorists. The two discuss how organizations can be more successful if they can work better with uncertainty, and incorporate meditation, derived from periods of silence in dialogue sessions, into their work. They claim that organizations need to accept that change should be accepted as the reality, and that life is a continuous state of change. The two also discuss the concept of "collective cultivation," wherein Buddhism teaches that cultivation is the practice of meditation, study, and service. Organizations not only need to accept change, but they need to collectively work hard and know how to accept this change. Unfortunately, most organizations don't have the tools or methods to support this idea. This interview allows the reader to think more about the concept of organizations and leaders in general, and how we understand them. We can't blame the hierarchy for the way things are, because we put the hierarchy in place. We are responsible for our own actions when we obey the demands of our leaders. If we can change our own views of organizations and the habits that we have adopted to work in them, then we can potentially change the way that they function from the inside out.

What struck me most about this article is their suggestion that we need to change our concept of what it means to be a leader in an organization. Particularly in the Western world, we look to our leaders, in fact expect our leaders, to have all the answers. As a leader, being comfortable sitting with uncertainty makes those you lead uncomfortable with you. The process of action research incorporates many of the same characteristics Senge and Wheatley identify: listening, being open, engaging in dialogue. Actively using action research in the workplace may help us reform our model of leadership.

I thought this article was very different but also very interesting. I like the combination of a business perspective and a religious one. I never really put too much thought into any similarities between the two. The suggestions on an effective leader and an effective organization are insightful. I agree there needs to be more dialogue as well as more reflection in order for things to work more efficiently.

"Empirically supported treatments (ESTs) are interventions that have been found to be efficacious for one or more psychological conditions, like major depression, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Prior to the 1990s, there were no specific guidelines for either practitioners or mental health consumers regarding which treatments to select for which conditions. " "Because ESTs are manualized, they necessarily constrain clinical creativity. To some extent, this criticism is based on a caricature of manualized therapies. Treatment manuals do not necessarily mandate fixed responses to patients' verbal behaviors in therapy; instead, most manuals provide flexible guidelines for how to proceed at different stages of treatment. Moreover, increasing numbers of treatment manuals afford therapists considerable leeway to respond flexibly to differing patient trajectories within treatment. "

"Carr, W. and S. Kemmis (1986). Becoming Critical: Education, Knowledge and Action Research. Geelong: Deakin University Press., chapters 6 & 7 (up to p. 200)"

Through narrative and reflection, this paper explores how somatic awareness can add to professional development in areas that, historically, have been 'disembodied'. It addresses my subjective experience of a critical incident, a cycle accident, and how it interrupted my habitual sense of embodiment. It explores how the experience presented an opportunity to visit again my body as 'ground of my being' and 'my body as first home' (Halprin 2003), and to listen through silence to the layers that give way to somatic awareness. Reflection offers an opportunity to pause, and explore the space for deep engagement in what it means to be professional. This paper addresses itself to the theme of the embodied professional educator.

This reminded me of discussions we had in the Research Practices class about how to use notebooks to capture ideas, and I thought it might be useful to folks. "Why I Keep an Idea Notebook October 26, 2010, 8:00 am By Natalie Houston The simple practice of keeping an idea notebook has been absolutely essential to my research and writing over the years, and it's something I often recommend to thesis students and others who are starting a large complex project. I designate a small spiral notebook as my idea catcher. It's not for writing notes from texts or critical sources that I'm using, or for writing formal drafts. Instead, it's for capturing my own ideas, which sometimes can seem elusive at certain stages of the writing process. I teach students several forms for distinguishing their own ideas from those of others in the note-taking process (such as writing a precis or using Cornell-style notes), and I use similar strategies myself. But the idea notebook is for those ideas that occur to you at odd moments of the day - usually when you're not at your desk. Of course, your cell phone, smartphone, netbook, tablet, or other mobile device undoubtedly has one or more notepad or notetaking functions. You could also use Evernote to create an always-with-you "notebook." But personally, I find that that the analog notebook works better for me for this purpose, both for quickly capturing my thoughts (I can scribble faster than I can Swype) and for skimming through old entries. Some specific ways I use my idea notebook include: * Jotting down questions, thoughts, and ideas that relate to my current research or possible future projects. I typically get better ideas while I'm cooking or exercising than I do when I sit down at my desk to think about something. * Noting problems, questions, and doubts I have during the research process. Often I find my way to a solution while writing about the problem in just a few minutes. It's also helpful

This article functions as a Press Release of sorts, providing news about important alliances with science and "Rock Stars" for the purpose of informing and funding important science and research programs. This joining of forces with the entertainment industry's foundation provides Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. with a tremendous opportunity to addressw "critical concerns for those affected by ASD including, diagnosis, biology, risk factors, treatment, services and outcomes for the future". The foundation seeks to promote science: "We need to tap into the psyche of a younger generation that is turning away from careers in science," says RSOS™ Executive Producer, Meryl Comer. "If it takes music and rock stars to connect kids to the 'cool' in science, and make researchers the new 'heroes' to emulate.

What stress reduction techniques can I provide and make available for allied health students? Here is a web sites I think anyone can utilize to reduce their stress.This site has a plethora of tools to help students with Attention and Learning ,Encoding and Retrieval, Group and Cooperative Learning, Memory, Monitoring, Motivation, Note Taking, Organization, Problem Solving and Critical Thinking, Questioning, Reading Comprehension, Test Anxiety, Test Preparation, Test Taking, Time Management, Writing, Proofreading and much more. A really nice plan for students and how they can reduce their stress while in school. Enjoy Mary McGurn

The was written in 1997 (by professional development specialists), so it is a little older, however it is a nice overview of the importance of evaluating professional development programs for teachers. Anyone interested in action research related to professional development would find this useful!

This article discusses the use of large-scale randomized trials to evaluate social policy. For decades, policy makers have rolled out changes without taking the time to conduct research to determine if the idea would be effective. One reason policy makers shun trials is the reality that the trials and experiments do not always support the ideas or policies. Rather than taking the time to conduct trials, policy makers prefer to "act swiftly" and propose policy. The article references the efforts of abstinence education, Scared straight programs, drug testing in prison populations, and school driving programs as examples of policies that have not worked--the research and data suggest the programs are not effective, yet policy makers continue to support the efforts.

Julie's point about not taking the time is a good one. This article was somewhat shocking in that it highlighted just how poor the research is behind many of our public policies and programs. Policy makers and politicians rush to gain political capital by moving decisively when they have only a kernel of research in support of their claims, without taking the time or making an effort to test the findings or dig deeper. After a policy or program is in place, it is not in their best interests to support research which may disprove the efficacy of what they have put in place. This could all tie back to our educational system, to whether or not we teach solid critical thinking and research skills.

I found this article to be very interesting. My favorite part was the study done in schools that polled the most influential peers, informed them on dangers of smoking, and attempted to decrease smoking by reverse peer pressure. I think this was a great idea!!!