Theses - Business and Social Sciences ITShttps://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/1772024-03-29T13:42:46Z2024-03-29T13:42:46ZSocial care placement-based learning : the incorporation story /Byrne, Elizabeth Anne (Lillian)https://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/47142024-01-17T03:02:02Z2021-01-01T00:00:00ZSocial care placement-based learning : the incorporation story /
Byrne, Elizabeth Anne (Lillian)
This study provides contextual knowledge about how social care work students’
professional ontology can be supported during placement. Relativist ontology and social
phenomenological epistemology allows placement to be considered a key site of
professional socialisation. The study had the objectives of identifying placement-based
symbolic growth experiences participants associated with their sense of becoming a social
care worker; ascertaining social infrastructures and pedagogical activities which ‘hooked’
or ‘rebuffed’ participants’ sense of becoming a social care worker, and infer socio-cultural
narratives held within individual experiences of ontological change.
Following first and second placement, 13 social care work newcomers drawn for four Irish
social care work education programmes participated in socio-linguistic interviews. In doing
so, they provided a natives’ ideocratic insight into moments when they gained an
awareness of becoming (or needing to become a) social care worker. Narrative analysis
of becoming stories found disrupting experiences were essential to orientating participants
toward thinking about social care practice or thinking about how their personal biographies
fit with social care work.
The study concludes that immersion in social care work practice, bounded agency, and
support by occupational luminaries are necessary for placement to incorporate students
into social care work. The main recommendation from the research is to supplement the
dominant constructivist view of placement with an anthropological view and consider
placement as a site of socio-cultural learning and human production. Two future research
studies are recommended, with one study testing the validity of narrative typologies
inferred in this study, and the other developing a deeper understanding of how social care
work (re)generates itself through its human production practices.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZDevelopment and delivery of an educational intervention that increased teachers’ awareness, knowledge, and actions related to Developmental Language Disorder(DLD) /Gibbons, Mariahttps://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/45182023-05-26T16:52:04Z2021-01-01T00:00:00ZDevelopment and delivery of an educational intervention that increased teachers’ awareness, knowledge, and actions related to Developmental Language Disorder(DLD) /
Gibbons, Maria
Developmental language disorder (DLD)is a difficulty learning, understanding, and using spoken language with lifelong implications for education and well-being. It is an under-identified disorder, diagnosed in school age children. Teachers are key to early identification, referral to speech and language therapy (SLT), and better outcomes. This study aimed to co-develop an educational intervention to increase teachers’ awareness, knowledge, and actions related to DLD.
Method: It was undertaken within Delivering Equality in Schools (DEIS)primary schools in Ireland. In phase I, children with DLD aged 9-12years (n=7), and teachers (n=7) attended interviews/focus groups to explore their experiences of DLD. In phase II, an educational intervention was developed and deliveredt o teachers. Surveys to assess awareness, knowledge, and actions were completed pre-intervention(n=102), post-intervention(n=78),and 2-3monthspost-intervention (n=37).Referrals to SLT were monitored 3-monthspre-and post-intervention. Results:DLD ‘red-flags’,and facilitators and barriersto functioningwere identifiedand included inthe intervention. The interventionsignificantlyincreasedteachers’ awareness(n=71, p<0.05), knowledge(n=71, p<0.001), andconfidence (n=71, p<0.001) post-intervention. Teachers reported an increaseduse of facilitative communicative strategies 2-3 months post-intervention.There was no significant increase in the number of referrals made to SLT(p=0.732), however teachers identifiedsignificantly more children aspossiblyhaving DLD than the number of referrals they reportedly made to SLT2-3 months post-intervention(n=37, p<0.001).Conclusion: The co-produced intervention increasedteachers’ awareness, knowledge, and some actions supporting them in identifying and teachingchildren with DLD. Further research is required on increasing SLT referrals.
2021-01-01T00:00:00ZAttitudes And Approaches To Sustainable Coastal Adventure Tourism /Wehrheim, Helenhttps://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/40322022-09-09T02:02:10Z2022-01-01T00:00:00ZAttitudes And Approaches To Sustainable Coastal Adventure Tourism /
Wehrheim, Helen
This study explores the attitudes and approaches of adventure tourism providers towards
sustainable practices and coastal preservation. It evaluates existing guidelines on sustainability
for adventure tourism businesses, explores current obstacles observed by adventure tourism
businesses regarding their operations, and includes their perception on responsibility regarding
the environment. The study further discusses what measures are being used or may perhaps be
implemented to minimise erosion caused by adventure tourism and how this would impact
business practices.
The study additionally includes the opinions and attitudes of tourists, who have undertaken
adventure tourism activities along the Irish coastlines, regarding coastal erosion. It examines
the tourists' evaluation of the problem of erosion and their willingness to change behaviour and
spending habits for a more sustainable adventure experience with the Irish tourism field. The
above aims were addressed through research on existing published literature based on
international examples but likewise reviewed domestic literature, focusing on Irish
circumstances, climate, and business practices. The primary research was carried out through
online based questionnaires for both businesses and tourists, and in-depth one on one phone
interviews, providing a comprehensive overview of the attitudes of adventure business
providers.
The primary research displayed the lack of environmental regulations through governmental
institutions and lack of involvement by both business owners and tourists throughout the
adventure tourism industry in Ireland, as well as an absence of awareness of the effects of
coastal erosion. Many of the already limited number of sustainable certifications in place, are
not credible qualifications and not being used by many adventure tourism businesses.
Furthermore, coastal area infrastructures, as well as marketing are not considering the host
communities and future sustainable development.
The conclusion chapter of this thesis presents recommendations, including a framework for
businesses and recommendations for tourists, for more sustainable conduct in the coastal
environment.
2022-01-01T00:00:00ZAn examination of local authority sustainable planning for event management in Ireland /Maguire, Kellyhttps://research.thea.ie/handle/20.500.12065/29312019-12-18T10:26:44Z2018-01-01T00:00:00ZAn examination of local authority sustainable planning for event management in Ireland /
Maguire, Kelly
2018-01-01T00:00:00Z