PRISM :: Browsing by Author "Burns, Amy"

Browsing by Author "Burns, Amy"

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Open Access
A Qualitative Case Study Exploring the Learning Experiences of Self-Directed Social Work Practicum Students
(2024-05-23) Judge-Stasiak, Angela; Eaton, Sarah Elaine; Burns, Amy; Danyluk, Patricia
A qualitative case study methodology was implemented to explore the learning experiences of self-directed social work practicum students within real-world settings. Eight social work students and seven practicum supervisors were included in this study. The research objective focused on a comprehensive understanding of self-directed practicum learning, including the factors that influence, facilitate, and restrict these experiences. The study underscored how these experiences impact students as they acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for future social work practice. The research design, supported by a constructivist paradigm, draws from learning theories relevant to experiential and self-directed learning within social work education and incorporates insights from scholarship on the ethics of care, emphasizing the significance of compassionate and ethical considerations in social work education and practice. This study highlighted the crucial role of reflection in the learning process and within the research itself. The research findings are relevant for field educators, social work students, and other allied professionals. Examining student and supervisor responses about supervised, self-directed social work practicum yielded insights that could inform and enhance educational practices embodying a compassionate, reflective, and self-directed approach to learning and professional development.
Open Access
ADHD Does not Define me: Parent-Child Reported Strengths in Children with ADHD
(2022-08) Miller, Courtney; Climie, Emma; Andrews, Jac; Burns, Amy
A strength-based approach to childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research highlights children’s positive attributes that can support their areas of difficulty (Climie et al., 2015). However, research on perceptions of a child’s positive attributes is understudied. Specifically, there is little research that examines strength-based perceptions of children with ADHD, and only one known article addresses parent perceptions of their children with ADHD (Mastoras et al., 2018). As such, this study analyzed parent and child reported strengths in children with ADHD. Parent and child reported strengths were measured using the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale – 2nd edition, Parent Form and Child Form (BERS-2; Epstein, 2004). Results indicated that parents and children perceived strengths in the interpersonal, intrapersonal, and affective domains to be similar, falling in the Average range. However, children indicated their family involvement and school functioning fell within the Average range, whereas parents rated these domains in the Below Average range. Positive parental perspectives of their children may promote positive parent-child interactions and serve as an overall protective factor for children (Sabapathy et al., 2017) with ADHD. Additionally, parents and children categorized ADHD descriptions and attitudes towards ADHD, similarly. Domains which parents and children see as strengths should be utilized to support areas of weakness. Strength-based research for children with ADHD and positive interventions utilizing strengths, may benefit families with ADHD, as well as classroom teachers and school psychologists.
Open Access
Catholic Teacher Preparation and Faith Permeation: An Exploratory Case Study
(2024-09-12) Fawcett, Brett Graham; Burns, Amy; Kawalilak, Collen; Winchester, Ian
The purpose of this exploratory case study was to explore the ways that Catholic postsecondary institutions were perceived by their Catholic educator graduates to prepare Catholic teachers for the work of faith permeation in Catholic schools. Faith permeation is the process of integrating Catholicism into every aspect of a Catholic school. Church teaching suggests that a sort of permeation should also exist in Catholic postsecondary institutions and that their graduates should be equipped with qualities that are similar to those the Church expects of its teachers. This study therefore set out to explore the ways that Catholic teachers felt they were prepared for permeation by Catholic postsecondary institutions using qualitative methods and a critical realist ontology. The case studied was Alberta Catholic educators who hold an education-relevant qualification from a Catholic postsecondary institution and have worked in a Catholic school for at least one full school year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven such educators to explore how they practice permeation and how the Catholic postsecondary institutions they attended informed their practice. Document analysis was also conducted into the standards used to assess Catholic teachers in Alberta, which found that they align with the Church’s expectations for teachers. The findings suggested that permeation is a structure that operates through both the implicit and the explicit curriculum of a school and that the Catholic postsecondary institution is a concrete universal with the causal power to effectively prepare teacher graduates for permeation through its explicit and implicit curriculum, including graduates who were not well-formed when they entered the institution. However, this power can be mitigated if instructors are perceived to contradict Church teaching either in their overt instruction or in the way they live their lives, as well as by other ways the postsecondary institution is mediated. Recommendations are made regarding Catholic postsecondary teacher preparation based on the research. The findings of this study provide a foundation for future research into the ways that Catholic teachers can be formed to effect faith permeation in Catholic schools.
Open Access
Crisis and Opportunity: How Canadian Bachelor of Education Programs Responded to the Pandemic
(Canadian Association for Teacher Education (CATE), 2022) Danyluk, Patricia; Burns, Amy; Hill, S. Laurie; Crawford, Kathryn
This collection examines how Bachelor of Education programs across Canada adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, covering the period immediately after the pandemic was declared and the year following (March 2020 to March 2021). The collection is divided into four sections focused on programmatic changes, pedagogical developments, practicum adaptations, and equity with an overall consistent concern for preservice teacher learning and well-being.
Open Access
Emotional Intelligence and Social Skills in Adolescents with ASD with Intact Intellectual Functioning after the Participation in PEERS
(2019-11-15) Rodgers, Andrea; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Brandon, Jim; Burns, Amy
The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between social skills and two main frameworks of Emotional Intelligence (EI): Ability Emotional Intelligence (AEI) and Trait Emotional Intelligence (TEI) among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intact intellectual functioning after participating in the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS; Laugeson & Frankel, 2010). PEERS is an evidence-based social skills intervention for adolescents with ASD to help them learn skills to make and keep friends. Both a caregiver and teen participated in PEERS, once per week for 90 minutes, over the duration of 14 weeks. Measures of EI and social skills as reported by teens and a caregiver were examined one week prior to the start of the intervention (pre-test), one-week post intervention (post-test), and 14 weeks after completion of the program (follow-up). Results of the study indicate significant improvements in social skills as rated by caregivers from pre-test to post-test, with large effect sizes. Further, treatment gains appeared to be maintained at 14-week follow-up. Self-reported AEI and TEI measures at pre-test indicated average abilities and no improvements were found from pre-test to post-test. Additionally, only self-reported TEI was found to correlate with both pre- and post-test self-reported social skills. The implications of these results for practice, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Open Access
Evaluation of the Millennium Development Goal on Universal Primary Education in Nigeria
(2020-06-12) Edino, Rachael Ileh; Gereluk, Dianne T.; Burns, Amy; Larsen, Marianne A.; Gereluk, Dianne T.; Stapleton, Timothy J.; Eaton, Sarah Elaine
This research addressed the question: What have been the constraints and supports to enable Nigeria to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2 on universal primary education? This second of eight MDG goals is concerned with achieving universal primary education and ensuring that by 2015, children everywhere will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. The MDG launched by the United Nations in 2000 was the largest global human development mobilization. The focus of this research was on primary schools in Nigeria in alignment with MDG 2. Primary education is an important component in the educational system of every nation as it is the institution upon which all other levels of education and educational achievements are built. Epistemologically, the research was guided by the interpretivist’s worldview, and a case study methodology, with interviews and document analysis as methods. The participant sample comprised of 24 purposefully selected administrators of public primary schools to understand their views on the drivers and constraints associated with the implementation of the MDG 2. They were selected as leaders responsible for teacher supervision, facilitating teaching and learning, stakeholder management, and implementation of government programs. The study finds, and argues that the relationship between the drivers and constraints to the implementation of the MDG on universal primary education is complex. Four overarching findings emerged from the study. First, the implementation of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2 on universal primary education in Nigeria was influenced by a disconnect between policy and practice at different levels. Second, sociocultural factors also influenced the effectiveness of implementation. Third, there were several socioeconomic drivers and constraints to the implementation of the MDG 2. Finally, sociopolitical factors equally emerged among the findings from the data. Taken together, the nature of the findings suggests that the official policy of the MDG 2 is inextricably tied to the political, economic, and local lived experiences in both urban and rural Nigeria. While policy and programme initiatives established to facilitate the implementation of the MDG 2 are commendable, there appears to be a disconnect in practice. This is because some of the information gathered from research participants in relation to realities on ground do not reflect the content and spirit of the initiatives. That notwithstanding, the research found that the initiatives made certain positive contributions to the implementation of the MDG. The findings of this study could help to situate the condition of primary education in Nigeria within the global context, while informing policy on universal primary education.
Open Access
Examining Variables Associated with Successful Treatment Outcomes of Autistic Youth Enrolled in PEERS ©
(2021-09) McLeod, Justin; Adam, McCrimmon; Burns, Amy; Makarenko, Erica; McCrimmon, Adam
The present study sought to examine how certain variables of autistic youth who completed a formal social intervention program (PEERS) predicted social skill improvement post intervention. Specifically, this research aimed to determine if age, gender, emotional intelligence (EI), intellectual ability, and/or social cognition would predict social skill outcomes. Using extant data from parent and self-report batteries, change scores and multiple regressions were employed to examine which variables accounted for significant social skill improvement. Age, gender, EI, and social cognition did not predict change; however, higher intellectual ability paired with higher verbal ability and lower perceptual reasoning significantly predicted social skill outcomes for the self-report group. These findings suggest that autistic youth with specific cognitive profiles may be more successful in PEERS. This research also exemplifies the heterogeneous nature of autism symptomology and the continued need for research examining social skill interventions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Open Access
Experiencing the shift: How postsecondary contract and continuing faculty moved to online course delivery
(Brock University, 2021-07-13) Danyluk, Patricia; Burns, Amy
The shift to online learning that occurred in March of 2020 created an unprecedented period of intense work for faculty and sessional instructors at the postsecondary level. This shift necessitated courses be adapted under short timelines, new technology be integrated into course design, and teaching strategies and assessment methods be adapted for an online environment (Van Nuland et al., 2020). This study examines how sessional instructors, referred to in this article as contract faculty, and continuing full-time faculty members delivering the same online courses experienced this shift. While the demands of a continuing faculty position call for balancing of teaching, research, and service responsibilities, contract instructors have their own unique stressors (Karram Stephenson et al., 2020). Contract faculty lack job security, are paid by the course, and often receive their teaching assignments with short notice. By examining their perspectives on delivering the same courses online, we learn that the shift to online teaching resulted in additional work in order to adapt courses to the online environment, with faculty describing the challenges of balancing the additional work with other responsibilities of their position. Concerns of participants focused on a perceived inability to develop relationships with students in an online environment.
Open Access
Exploring Resources Provided to General Education Teachers to Enhance Their Understanding and Capacity When Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
(2020-12-22) Pagaling, Rachel Jean; McCrimmon, Adam W.; Andrews, Jac J. W.; Burns, Amy
The purpose of this study is to investigate learning leaders’ perspectives on the most effective resources and strategies provided to general education [GE] teachers to enhance their understanding of autism, as well as build their capacity when working with students with autism in an inclusive classroom. A qualitative design was used, whereby five semi-structured interviews were conducted with learning leaders from a large urban school board in Alberta. Interviews were transcribed and data was analyzed with thematic analysis, with four themes arising: (1) Having conversations around building knowledge; (2) Working relationships; (3) Professional development; and (4) Providing teacher with specific strategies that produce results in the classroom. The present study identifies resources that are most effective in supporting GE teachers’ work with students with autism in inclusive classrooms and will inform programs and services provided to teachers to improve their educational practice. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.
Open Access
Exploring the Effectiveness of Various Delivery Models Within Ontario’s School Within a College (SWAC) Dual Credit Programs: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective
(2021-09) Coulter, Anne; Scott, Shelley Ann; Scott, Donald; Burns, Amy
The Ontario School Within a College (SWAC) dual credit program aims to support disengaged, or at-risk, high school students who have the potential to succeed. The purpose of this research was to examine the leadership and delivery of Ontario SWAC programs to determine their effectiveness in preparing students for persistence into PSE and how they could be made more effective. To determine effectiveness, a review of Ontario SWAC programs was conducted, highlighting the various delivery models, including successes and challenges program leaders and staff face in supporting students, and exploring leadership factors which could impact student persistence. By utilizing a mixed-methods research design, multiple stakeholders were included through a focus group, semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire, and a review of pre-existing provincial statistics. Through triangulation, five common themes were identified. First – both students and those supporting students required a focus on community building and sense of belonging in their teaching and learning environment, with the opportunity to share experiences and learning. Second – SWAC students experienced various levels of support and advocacy across the province; there was a need for social work and financial support. Third – across SWAC stakeholders, differences in views regarding the definition of persistence were found, highlighting variances in perceived program goals, especially between high school and college delivery staff. Fourth – the delivery of curriculum and classroom experiences varied, however, a blend of traditional teaching with course recovery methods with inclusion of life skill development was found to be ideal. Fifth – program leadership and oversight from the provincial level was perceived positively, but a lack integration and collaboration between colleges and school boards was identified, with inconsistent program delivery provincially found to be a challenge, as well as high rates of staff turnover. Based on findings, a proposed model for SWAC delivery was developed. Core to the proposed model, a student-centred, collective approach must be foundational and, once established, a focus on: adult learning principles, holistic student experiences and supports, and thoughtful on-boarding, training, and professional development of staff can be achieved. Throughout all program aspects, continuous evaluation must be conducted with a focus on student perspectives and voice.
Open Access
Finding 'I' in University: Effects of Psychosocial Intervention on Undergraduates with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms
(2020-01-28) Gordon, Laura L.; Climie, Emma A.; Burns, Amy; Backenson, Erica M.; Climie, Emma A.
Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are less likely to use academic coping strategies effectively (DuPaul et al., 2009; Kaminski et al., 2006) and less likely to graduate from college (Barkley et al., 2008; Kuriyan et al., 2013). Given that students’ sense of belonging to their college is associated with academic persistence/student retention (Hausmann et al., 2007; Morrow & Ackermann, 2012; O’Keeffe, 2013; Tinto, 1999), the current study sought to investigate the effects of a six-week group psychosocial intervention, adapted from an adult ADHD cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) manual (Safren et al., 2005) on two forms of problem-focused coping (planning/self-management and seeking support from institutional resources) and five components of sense of belonging (perceived faculty support, perceived empathetic faculty understanding, classroom comfort, perceived peer support, and feelings of isolation) among undergraduate students with ADHD symptoms. An ancillary purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationships between these two problem-focused coping strategies and these five sense of belonging components among undergraduate students with ADHD symptoms. Results indicated that participants reported significantly heightened perceived peer support and significantly lessened feelings of isolation post-intervention. However, no significant differences were indicated on the remaining three sense of belonging components (perceived faculty support, perceived empathetic faculty understanding, and classroom comfort) or either of the problem-focused subscales (planning/self-management and seeking support from institutional resources). Moreover, no associations were found between problem-focused coping and sense of belonging. It was concluded that the group psychosocial intervention significantly improved perceived peer support and reduced feelings of isolation among undergraduates with ADHD symptoms. Implications and limitations of the current study as well as future directions for research are discussed.
Open Access
Helping, Hurting, and Hoping in Inclusive Education: Exploring Teachers’ Experiences on Inclusive Education in Alberta
(2021-04-16) Craig, Heather L.; Wilcox, Gabrielle; Gereluk, Dianne; Nordstokke, David; Burns, Amy; Andrews, John (Jac); Borgen, William
Inclusive education classrooms serve over 100,000 students in Alberta who have disabilities (Alberta Education, 2021). From a Canadian context, limited information is known about factors that support and impede the implementation of inclusive education (Lyons et al., 2016; McGhie-Richmond et al., 2013). Twelve teachers across Alberta with an average of 14 years of experience participated in this study. Using Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT), many critical incidents were identified regarding what helps or hinders the implementation of inclusive education and factors teachers wish they had. Across all critical incidents and wish list factors, the notion of additional support from personnel was distinctive. From these critical incidents and wish list factors, four underlying assumptions emerged. Much like the literature, this study found that teachers had a diverse understanding of the meaning of inclusive education and what a successful inclusive education classroom looked like. Teachers' descriptions of parental involvement were viewed as transactional in inclusive education rather than a collaborative process like research suggests. The teachers also described the role of teacher training programs as insufficient in building their knowledge and described the additional sources they sought out in their teaching practice. Teachers emphasized the crucial role personnel play in implementing inclusive education, noting that without this support, inclusive education may not meet all students' needs. Notably, some aspects were missing from the interviews, including a lack of dialogue and general understanding about inclusive education pedagogy, promotion of general education strategies as inclusive education practices, and a lack of self-reflection of teaching practices. Together, this information suggests that providing additional support without at least minimal shifts to the education system and teaching practices may not benefit inclusive education; rather, it may perpetuate questionable teaching practices that do not support the learning of students with exceptionalities. Implications of this study are discussed in the context of educational shifts, which add to the current system of inclusive education and educational restructuring, which suggests a fundamental change to the current education system in Alberta. Considerations of study strengths, limitations, and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
Open Access
Implementation of Universal Design for Learning
(2016) Senechal, Megan Alyce; Lock, Jennifer; Kinash, Shelley; Spencer, Brenda; Friesen, Sharon; Burns, Amy
This study involves one school in an urban context that implemented the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework in order to help educators in providing successful learning experiences for all students. Using Rogers’ (2003) theory of Diffusion of Innovations as the theoretical framework and Fullan’s (2007) change process as the conceptual framework, this study examines the factors that influence the change process when the UDL framework is implemented. This study is a descriptive case study that employed different types of data collection: documentation, interviews, and observations. The data analysis used Saldana’s (2013) two-cycled approach. Factors that challenged the implementation of UDL and affected the current and sustained implementation of UDL aligned with Fullan’s (2007) local factors, external factors, and characteristics of change. Local factors included leadership, time, teacher beliefs, professional development, resources, and students. External factors were the success for all students in one education system, professional development/training/coaching, time, the amount of curriculum to teach, funding, and resources. Characteristics of change included the practicality of UDL and how difficult it is to implement. The implications of these findings are important for various educational stakeholders, as they provide insight into the implementation of a novel framework in an urban learning context, which may be extended to other learning contexts. Future research directions are discussed.
Open Access
Integral Analysis of Alberta Registered Nurses' Mandated Professional Learning
(2019-12-18) LaRiviere, Meagan; Clarke, Veronika Bohac; Davis, Andrew Brent; Winchester, Ian; Burns, Amy; Austin, Zubin
This research explores the influences of continuing professional development (CPD) in nursing as a regulatory requirement for continuing competence. Ken Wilber’s Integral theory is the conceptual framework in the development of research questions, methodology, and data analysis concerning the phenomenon of mandatory CPD. Integral methodological pluralism is both the "view through," and "view from," therefore methodological pluralism best informed the research design of this study. The data from the phenomenological interviews anchored the other research methods to holistically reveal the experiences of nurses and nurse administrators in mandatory CPD. The goal of this research is a comprehensive understanding of nurses' experiences of regulated CPD situated in a hospital context. The themes revealed oppression, heavy workload, avoidance, and hostile work culture undermining the access to, and need and desire for CPD and continual (real-time) competence in nursing. The experiences and perceptions of CPD are significantly influenced by the regulatory continuing competence program, union, and work context. The explored lived experiences of registered nurses and nurse leaders in a medical-surgical unit of a major tertiary hospital show many instances of CPD, though not 'acceptable' within the regulatory regime. The analysis revealed that participation in CPD, healthy work teams, and effective continuing competence programming are critical for continuing competence in nursing. While the regulator focuses on their own compliance with the law, this research provides numerous implications and recommendations regarding nurses' compliance with CPD requirements. Nurses’ access to and participation in CPD would improve with shared understandings and collaborative approaches between nurses, employers and regulators.
Open Access
Interpreting 21st Century Educational Reform in Alberta: A Pilot Study
(University of Calgary, 2017-05) Burns, Amy; Gereluk, Dianne; Werklund School of Education
This paper will highlight the unique findings of a pilot study designed to understand the interpretations made by classroom teachers of 21st century educational reform, with particular attention on the effects of these findings for pre-service teacher education. The study was conducted with two teachers and two school-based leaders in one Alberta school division known for its commitment to 21st century educational ideals. It was found that both teachers and school-based leaders are interpreting 21st century education in very different ways. Most interestingly is the propensity for 21st century education to become hallmarked by one aspect that then becomes foundational.
Open Access
An Investigation of the Self-Critical Tendencies, Self-Compassionate Practices, and Employed Coping Mechanisms in Mothers of Gifted Children
(2021-08-26) Ingstrup, Meghan Sinead; Mendaglio, Salvatore; Zhao, Xu; Burns, Amy
Many parents of gifted children have reported parenting challenges due to their child’s developmental trajectory which may result in difficult emotional responses. There has been little empirical insight provided into these experiences or how this population of parents is coping with these challenges. In order to gain a deeper understanding of these experiences, the purpose of this study was to investigate parenting challenges that mothers of gifted children experience, self-critical and self-compassionate responses to these challenges, and other coping mechanisms employed. Ten mothers of gifted children completed the Self-Compassion Scale (Neff, 2003b) and participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis to identify shared parenting experiences (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The mothers reported a variety of parenting challenges that included: misconceptions of giftedness, covid-19, asynchronous development, and twice-exceptional abilities. These parenting challenges sometimes resulted in self-critical responses such as self-judgement, isolation, or over-identification (repetitive thought processes). However, mothers also reported experiences of self-compassion such as self- kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness in response to challenging parenting situations. Finally, mothers discussed receiving informal support from partners, family, and friends, in addition to formal support from teachers and mental health professionals as useful forms of external support. These findings provide insight into the parenting challenges mothers in this study experienced, in addition to self-critical and self-compassionate ways of coping with those challenges. Furthermore, mothers provided examples of external sources of support they found helpful. This study provided new insight into experiences of self-judgement, isolation, and over- identification, in addition to self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness in response to parenting challenges, which may be useful in future resource development for mothers of gifted children.
Open Access
Leaders with Class: A Case Study on the Role of K-12 Teaching Principals in Rural Alberta
(2019-07-24) Dennis, Jody L.; Burns, Amy; Brandon, Jim; Eaton, Sarah Elaine
The purpose of this research inquiry was to gain a deeper understanding of the work performed to fulfil the duties of the teaching principal in a K-12 public education system. The study used a qualitative case study methodology and involved six participant teaching principals in semi-structured interviews, who held the position of teaching principal in Alberta for a period of five or more years. Key findings revealed that teaching principals have a complex workload. The participants shared examples of their duties in three areas: managing the school, instructional leadership, and teaching. While the teaching principals in this study subscribed to the qualities of servant leadership and were able to build relationships with staff and students, this added to the teaching principals multifaceted workload. Additionally, the teaching principals in this study believed they were well supported from their district office through teaching support, role modelling instructional leadership, and mentorship. They also created boundaries to save time and help support them in their daily work. It was also found that shrinking school budgets continued to decrease each year and the teaching principals in this study absorbed the reduced funding within their role, thereby, increasing their workload. Teaching principals in this study were found to enjoy teaching and used teaching to role model which strengthened trust and credibility with staff and students. Finally, teaching flattened the hierarchy of the school for the teaching principals in this study through their humble, servant attitude.
Open Access
Learning to Teach on a Construction Site: Applying Kolb's Model to the Student Teaching Practicum
(University of Calgary, 2016-05) Burns, Amy; Danyluk, Patricia; Werklund School of Education
This study examines the pre-professional development of two pre-service teachers during a non-traditional student teaching placement on a housing construction site. The findings are analyzed from the perspective of Kolb’s (1984) model and examined against the Teaching Effectiveness Framework by Friesen (2009) to outline a powerful opportunity for field-based teacher education. Initial findings point to an enriched pre-service teaching environment that provided the opportunity to create rich inquiry based interdisciplinary lessons related to the building project, the potential to build pre-service teacher conversational and workplace skills through interaction with community stakeholders and the opportunity to develop competencies in peer feedback and collaboration.
Open Access
Pre-service Teacher Attitudes Relevant to Trauma-Informed Practice
(2021-08) Howorun, Nina; Burns, Amy; Boz, Umit; Groen, Janet
Childhood trauma is widely acknowledged to be a leading cause of a diverse range of physical, biological, psychological, and social-emotional impairments, and these factors undoubtedly have an impact on students’ abilities to thrive academically and socially. However, while pre-service teachers are an important stakeholder group as future teachers, there is limited research on their perceptions of students demonstrating symptoms of traumatic stress and related trauma-informed practices/care (TIP/TIC). This study focused on pre-service teacher familiarity and attitudes regarding childhood trauma and TIP, through two main research questions: 1) What are pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards TIP? and 2) Amongst the variables of age, gender, racial/ethnic identity, knowledge/familiarity with childhood trauma, knowledge/familiarity with TIP, and support for TIP, are there statistical group differences in ARTIC-35 mean scores? This study utilized the Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care (ARTIC) scale, an instrument developed to evaluate TIC-relevant attitudes of staff working in settings serving individuals with histories of trauma. Online survey data was gathered from (N = 70) participants recruited from the Bachelor of Education programs of four Alberta universities. Overall ARTIC-35 mean scores were calculated, and a series of one-way Analysis of Variances (ANOVAs), a Mann-Whitney U test, and independent samples t-tests were run using SPSS Version 26. Results showed that pre-service teachers demonstrated favourable attitudes towards TIC, 100% wanted to learn more about TIP, and there were statistically significant group differences between the variables of “familiarity with childhood trauma” and “familiarity with TIP” with overall ARTIC-35 mean scores. Additionally, four interconnected themes were developed using open-ended question data, including: 1) teachers should understand the underlying/root cause of students’ behaviours to improve their teaching practices; 2) knowledge of trauma and TIP could enhance empathic responses to problematic behaviour; 3) knowledge of trauma and TIP could contribute to teachers feeling better prepared to support students who exhibit symptoms of trauma; and 4) trauma in the classroom is inevitable, and teachers must have the knowledge and skills to address symptoms of trauma and create a safe learning environment. The study concludes with a discussion of ethical considerations, implications related to the findings, and directions for further research.
Open Access
Pre-service teachers at risk: Intervention strategies for and by teachers. Research Project Brief
(University of Calgary, 2017-06-01) Burns, Amy; Eaton, Sarah E.; Gereluk, Dianne; Mueller, Katherine
Pre-service teachers may face challenges in field experience that have a real impact on both them and their partner teachers. Sometimes these challenges arise as a result of the field experience and sometimes they present themselves before the field experience begins. Current legislation prevents postsecondary institutions from divulging potential challenges pre-service teachers may face. As a result, successfully supporting struggling pre-service teachers in their field experience is a challenge. This research will follow a multiple site case study methodology where the case is bounded by the identified examples of placements in which a pre-service teacher has struggled and either succeeded or failed the field experience placement.