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In education, practical, experiential, or experimental research is usually based on a number of participants from whom we collect data. We contact them and explain their role in the study and ask them to kindly devote their time to us. Our final dataset (data "useful for our research”) is a portion of our data corpus (all data collected). The story we finally print is the one from the dataset purposefully selected from the data corpus. The myriad of reasons given for not including some of our participants' data in the dataset include the following: participants' lack of enthusiasm, punctuality, timely delivery of audio recorded data, or data quality. The pandemic outbreak impacted my participants' lives, workplaces, and studies. Their practicum experience was impacted too, so some of them could not complete their own teaching rounds. As a consequence, they could not provide enough data to analyse in order to answer my research questions. They tried, but it was not possible for some of them. However, all the data collected, my data corpus, is valuable to me as a teacher educator and as a mentor teacher. This is a twofold story: my participants' troubles and commitment during their practicum, and my own troubles collecting data while not neglecting what my unselected participants did for me. The pandemic's devastating effects in teacher education programmes in Chile is affecting pre-service teachers' practicum experience, their relationship with their students and their relationship with their mentor teachers, both university-based tutors and school-based mentors. Knowing the needs and experiences of pre-service teachers who did not get a completed experience in their allocated university-partner schools may help us to better navigate the practicum experience in the present times. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
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Objective: to explore the empowerment experience of nurses at a Semi-critical Care Unit created during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Fundación Althaia hospital, and to understand the influential factors. Method: a qualitative phenomenologicalstudy conducted from March to May 2020. The 25 nurses who had worked in the unit for continuous periods of at least two weeks were included. There was purposive sampling of different demographic and occupational profiles until data saturation. Participant observation was conducted for eight weeks, andsemistructured interviews after unit closure. The latent contents were analysed with support by the Atlas Ti software, version 8.4, and investigator triangulation. Results: eight nurses were interviewed;37 codes were determined, distributed in nine groups and two final subjects. They reportedan increase in empowerment. The driving factors for this were identified as: teamwork, learning, awareness of the holistic vision of Nursing, impact on organization, social and institutional recognition, and moral duty. The hindering factors found were: initial lack of knowledge, material and structural resources, and the institutional support received. Conclusions: structural, psychological and relational factors were identified as having impact on nursing empowerment. These findings can contribute to improving the organization of health services and nursing care in similar situations. © 2022 DAE Editorial, Grupo Paradigma. All rights reserved.
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Background. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is often associated with people who inject drugs, and with a reduction in quality of life. While earlier forms of HCV treatment had low treatment uptake, newer HCV treatment integrated with opioid maintenance treatment appears to increase treatment uptake among those who inject drugs. The aim was to explore how people who inject drugs perceive changes in quality of life after treatment of HCV infection. Methods. Four focus group discussions, and 19 individual interviews were conducted with people who inject drugs or who had previously injected drugs and received opioid agonist therapy. All participants were successfully treated for and "cured” for HCV. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results. The HCV treatment helped participants to let go of negative thoughts and break destructive patterns of interaction. This facilitated the restoration of social relationships with family and others. Furthermore, some participants reported a general improvement in their health. Feeling healthy meant fewer worries such as infecting others. Also, interactions with health professionals were experienced as less stigmatizing. These physical, social, and psychological improvements led to a form of "awakening” and being treated for HCV gave participants hope for the future. Conclusion. HCV treatment improves the mental and physical health in addition to play an important social function. Successful HCV treatment was associated with a greater sense of hope for the future, reconnection with significant others, and reduced feeling of stigma. Overall, improved health and social relationships contributed to improved quality of life.
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Background: Risk Based internal audit is a control and supervision activity carried out by internal auditors using the output of risk management. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of risk based internal audit at BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Internal auditors need to know about risk management and risk maturity to identify key areas that require immediate supervision and follow-up. Method: This research is a case study qualitative research with a descriptive approach. Data was collected by means of interviews, observation and documentation. The analysis technique using triangulation is to collect data, reduce and draw conclusions. Results and findings: Researchers found that Social Security Agency while in Indonesian term is Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) Ketenagakerjaan as an institution that is mandated to manage labor social security membership fees and implement good governance and manage business risks. The risk management output is then used as the basis for conducting an internal audit. Discussion: BPJS Ketenagakerjaan carries out risk management to identify risks, identify areas that have potential risks and carry out risk profiling. This makes it easier for internal auditors to carry out the internal audit process. Impact: The results of risk management make it easier for auditors to identify risks and identify specific areas so that internal audits can run effectively and efficiently.
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Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States (US) and disproportionately impacts Black individuals. The US Preventive Services Taskforce began recommending CRC screening for individuals aged 45-49 in 2021, however effective strategies to increase screening participation in Black individuals in this age group are unknown. Thus, the National Colorectal RoundTable (NCCRT) used a mixed methods approach to identify barriers and facilitators to CRC screening in Black individuals, with specific focus on those age 45-49. Results informed the development of the 2022 NCCRT Messaging Guidebook for Black & African American People. Method(s): We conducted a mixed-methods study in a large, nationally representative sample of unscreened Black individuals. We first conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with Black individuals over age 45, recruited from the Schlesinger Group qualitative research platform. Findings informed content for a subsequent survey to understand barriers and facilitators, administered broadly via the Prodege online research platform. Messages to encourage screening participation were developed based on learnings from prior ACS and NCCRT work. Message were tested using MaxDiff analytic methods and reviewed by a multidisciplinary advisory committee for inclusion in the Guidebook. Result(s): There were 10 qualitative interview and 490 survey participants. The average age of participants was 52.7 (s.d.56.1) for interviews and 55.3 (s.d.57.3) for surveys. 40.0% were female and 38.2% lived in the Southeast US (Table). The most frequently reported barrier to screening was procrastination (40.0% in age 45-49;42.8% in age 50-65;34.2% in age .55). Procrastination was often attributed to financial concerns (20.8% in age 45-49) and COVID-19 (27.0% in age 50-54;21.8% in age .55) (Figure). Of those age 45-49, the majority preferred to receive screening information from a health care provider (57.5%), however only 31.7% reported that a provider had initiated a screening conversation. Several messages rated as highly effective in encouraging screening were included in the NCCRT Guidebook. Conclusion(s): We identified several age-specific barriers to CRC screening and developed unique messaging to motivate screening among unscreened Black individuals age 45 and over. Messages that tested positively are publicly available as a resource for organizations and institutions that aim to increase screening rates.
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This research has two objectives: 1) examine the average daily time of screen-based activities (SBAs), the most used devices, types of SBAs, and reasons for SBAs use in children;and 2) examine differences in these aspects of SBAs regarding the age of children in Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data came from 60 children's paper-and-pencil media diaries. Children on average spend more time during the day in SBAs than recommended by the literature (up to 1.5 or 2 hours). Older children spend more time in SBAs compared to younger children during the workweek. The most popular devices among children were TVs and smartphones, regardless of age. The most frequent types of children's SBAs were watching content and playing, but watching was more prevalent among younger children and playing among older children during the workweek. The most common reason for SBAs was to have fun, regardless of the children's age. All conclusions mainly apply to children from middle- to upper-socioeconomic- class families and the specific period of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Psychological & Educational Research is the property of University of Oradea Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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To date, the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting the world for three years, and it has greatly impacted the service industry, especially the hotel and the catering industries, which were the first to bear the brunt, as the pandemic changed the previous living habits and consumption patterns of many consumers. This study used in-depth interviews in qualitative research methods to conduct exploratory research of these two service industries and analyzed the changes in marketing environments and consumer behaviors faced by enterprises under this pandemic. The research results show that there were significant impacts and changes in the marketing macroenvironment (political, economic, social and cultural, and technological) and microenvironment (suppliers, competitors, and customers). Meanwhile, this study also put forward possible business opportunities for and threats to enterprises due to this pandemic. Finally, this study proposes strategic marketing implications and practical management suggestions for enterprises to adjust market segmentation and positioning. Furthermore, this study formulates the 7P marketing strategies of Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Physical Evidence, and Process to mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic.
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Higher education worldwide is facing several challenges spanning from economic, social, technological, demographic, environmental, to political tensions. Calls to rethink, reimagine, and reform higher education to respond to such challenges are ongoing, and need to be informed by a wide variety of stakeholders. To inform such efforts, we interviewed thirty-seven faculty members at Canadian colleges and universities to develop a greater understanding of their hopes and anxieties about the future of higher education as they considered what higher education may look like five years into the future. Results centred on four themes: (1) anxieties and hopes are shaped by supports and resources from various sources, (2) faculty members face anxiety over matters that negatively impact them but are beyond their control, (3) faculty members hope that "good” comes from the COVID-19 pandemic, and (4) faculty members hope for a well-rounded education that will enable students to succeed both within and beyond their careers. Implications for these findings suggest a need to direct research efforts and practices toward more hopeful futures for higher education, especially in the context of online and blended learning. © 2022 George Veletsianos, Nicole Johnson.
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PurposeThis study aims to reveal the topic structure and evolutionary trends of health informatics research in library and information science.Design/methodology/approachUsing publications in Web of Science core collection, this study combines informetrics and content analysis to reveal the topic structure and evolutionary trends of health informatics research in library and information science. The analyses are conducted by Pajek, VOSviewer and Gephi.FindingsThe health informatics research in library and information science can be divided into five subcommunities: health information needs and seeking behavior, application of bibliometrics in medicine, health information literacy, health information in social media and electronic health records. Research on health information literacy and health information in social media is the core of research. Most topics had a clear and continuous evolutionary venation. In the future, health information literacy and health information in social media will tend to be the mainstream. There is room for systematic development of research on health information needs and seeking behavior.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the topic structure and evolutionary trends of health informatics research based on the perspective of library and information science. This study helps identify the concerns and contributions of library and information science to health informatics research and provides compelling evidence for researchers to understand the current state of research.
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Many studies have been conducted to prove the threat of violence against children and women during COVID-19. Unlike other studies, this study focuses more on government services in receiving complaints from victims of violence experienced by women and children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using case studies as a qualitative method, documentary studies and in-depth interviews have been conducted on 13 informants from various parties in Bandung Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The results showed that the use of digital technology during the pandemic sometimes hampered the follow-up process for complaints of violence by victims due to a lack of equipment and the inability of officers or victims to use it. In addition, there is still a stereotype that the victim is the "guilty party" or "the party who bears the shame" of making the family cover up or refrain from pressing charges. There needs to be collaboration and coordination among the processing and accompanying officers who handle case management of violence against women and children. These cases are multi-dimensional;therefore, they require multiple approaches from many parties.
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Background/Aims Up to one-third of people with rheumatological conditions were required to 'shield' from COVID-19. This co-produced, qualitative research aimed to understand experiences of the shielding process and the impact of shielding upon people's lives. Methods Adults who shielded due to rheumatological disease participated in audio-recorded interviews and focus groups (FGs). Framework analysis combined inductive and deductive approaches. Creative materials were collected. Two patient contributors proposed the study, are co-investigators, and conducted the research alongside a clinical academic and four-member patient advisory group. COREQ and GRIPP2 guidelines were followed. Full ethical approval was granted by the University of Manchester Research Ethics Committee (2021- 11544-20348). Results Data were generated from 28 interview and 12 FG participants between October 2021-January 2022. 15 people contributed creative materials. Characteristics included 44/48 (85%) female, ages 18-75 years, non-white 10/48 (21%), all UK regions (Table 1). Corbin & Strauss's theory, 'Three lines of work: Managing chronic illness', frames the findings. Shielding increased and shifted the burden of 'illness work' onto patients, e.g., in gaining access to vaccines and navigating risks and uncertainties due to COVID-19. 'Life work' was increased as participants struggled to access food and medicines. Participants' self-identity was re-appraised in the context of their illness. Many feared for their lives because of their diagnosis for the first time, increasing 'biographical work'. Participants' perceived value to society changed over time: feeling equal to the general population at the first UK national lockdown;abandoned by society due to 'freedom day' and formal shielding's end. 'Emotional work' was added to 'Three lines of work'. Shielding notification induced fear, stress, devastation, shock and disbelief, balanced by a feeling of being protected. Emotions experienced include anxiety, guilt, anger and frustration. Mental health problems were experienced, often for the first time. Many continued to shield beyond formal shielding's end. Conclusion This co-produced, qualitative research highlights experiences and impact of shielding including increased illness, life, biographical and emotional work. Clearer, personalised information would help shielders to understand their risk and vaccine response, informing re-integration into society.
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Being a researcher on a highly sensitive issue and an international PhD student in Melbourne, I have faced significant challenges throughout my ongoing PhD journey. Using an autoethnographic approach, this chapter describes the lived experiences of the intense situations that impacted my research activities under the COVID-19 pandemic. Through my PhD, I am committed to contributing my bit toward changing global perceptions of HIV and AIDS. My intrinsic motivations draw from the death of my brother figure and childhood best friend. These motivations have enabled me to fight back against numerous challenges that have appeared within the circle of research opportunities. I dealt with each challenge by returning to my intrinsic motivations, showing resilience, and progressing with my research. In the beginning, I had challenges getting my project approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of my University, which took about two years. Once my research was approved, the COVID-19 pandemic situation pushed me back to square one. Subsequently, I chose an online research methodology due to the state of helplessness I experienced as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. These conditions changed my overall research landscape and introduced several unanticipated challenges to my original plans to conduct an ethnographic study. Based on my reflections, I recommend that all PhD researchers, and international students in particular, pay significant attention to the timeline of their candidature. Researchers need to be flexible and rationalise the importance of continuing their research activities amidst difficult situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
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In this chapter, I describe collaborative autoethnography—the methodology which was chosen for this book. In order to clearly explain this methodology, I explore my own journey as I moved into social science research, discovered autoethnography, and subsequently encountered collaborative autoethnography. Through my reflections, I highlight the knowledge which can be gained through purposeful exploration of personal experience. I also demonstrate how, when multiple autoethnographers work together, the resulting collaboration creates a profound synergy and harmony of voices which cannot be achieved by an individual alone. Finally, I present the specific framework used to apply the collaborative autoethnography methodology in this book. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
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As the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered strict restrictions for traveling and face-to-face meetings, the utilisation of digitally-mediated communication tools to generate interview data in qualitative research during the pandemic was almost inevitable. Employing autoethnography as a research method, this chapter aims to narrate, analyse, and interpret the author's personal experiences generating interview data for a qualitative research project via Zoom video-conferencing during the pandemic. It presents several unique benefits of the use of video-conferencing technology that the author found, as well as some possible challenges that the author anticipated when using the technology. In addition, it also elucidates some distinctive platform-specific features of Zoom video-conferencing that the author utilised to maintain high-quality and secured digital interactions. The information contained in this chapter is significant for researchers who are considering utilising video-conferencing technology, especially Zoom, to generate interview data in the future. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
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We are presenting you this issue of ABAC ODI JOURL Vision . Action. Outcome with ten articles on topics on managing innovation in teaching on various levels and disciplines such as the arts, language, and film ;as well as research articles on organization development interventions that generated change on organizations .Hui Tan and Laura Brahmakasikara's article " A Blended Learning Design to Improve Non-Music Students' Knowledge of Chinese Traditional Music in Hunan Agriculture University” is a quasi-experiment research that determined how blended Chinese Traditional Music Appreciation Course using Superstar Learning Application improves the Chinese traditional music knowledge of non-music majors.The article "Factors Influencing the Use of Ubiquitous Learning in Higher Education in Sichuan, China in the Aftermath of Covid-19 Pandemic” by Meizi Huang utilized confirmation factor analysis and structural equation modeling on data analysis . Results showed that intention to use has the strongest effect on actual system use;effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social influence except performance expectancy has positive affect the intention to use u-learning.Zhao Lina and Laura Brahmakasikara's article " Adopting a Blended Learning Approach for Teaching Chinese Classical Dance” explored the effectiveness of the blended Chinese classical dance course in improving the dance performance of dance students at the College of Art and Design at Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, China."An Application of Video Recording Technology to Enhance the Key Leader Engagement Performance at SWCS” written by Timothy Guy Burgess involved the introduction of video recording technology into a classroom of military students to enhance Key Leader Engagement (KLE) performance. The research determined the effectiveness of using video recording technology in improving the students' level of performance in the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification at the U.S. Army Special Warfare Center and School.Jianjun Xue and Watana Vinitwatanakhun's article " Improving Students' English Proficiency by Enhancing the Motivation through Organization Development Intervention— An Action Research Study of a Local University in China” discusses how organization development interventions enhance students' language learning motivation . Results show that language learning motivation has significant impacts on students' language proficiency.The article " Reflective Coaching for the Development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Biology Teachers in Thailand” by Nunnapat Thilaworrakan and Ladapa Ladachart is qualitative research that explored the effects of reflective coaching on developing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of biology teachers regarding cell biology. The article authored by Thida Tin and Papitchaya Wisankosol on "Enhancing Supportive Leadership, Affective Organizational Commitment, and Work Engagement: A Participatory Action Research Approach” reports how work engagement and affective commitment were enhanced through organizational development interventions (ODI) at the Gold Power Company Limited (GPCL). The results indicate that the use of ODI improved supportive leadership . affective organizational commitment, and work engagement .The article of Mohammad Shazzad Hossain and Chompu Nuangjamnong on the "Development of E-Readiness Scale in Blended Learning in Filmmaking Program for a Private University in Bangladesh – Initial Stage” develop a unified scale to assess the higher education institute's e-readiness that will identify their strengths and weaknesses and formulate a plan for creating an e-learning environment. The results indicated that the compiled instruments are good to excellent and that the institutional e-readiness scale could assess the e-readiness of other universities in Bangladesh.The research " Improving EFL Students' Critical Thinking Skills through Organization Development Inter ention Strategies at Zhejiang Yuexiu Univers ty in China” by Chen Yang and Joanne C. Preston is a quasi-experimental design that determined the effectiveness of Organization Development Intervention(ODI) in developing second-year EFL students' CT skills in a private university in China. The findings reveal that collaborative learning is useful in developing the students' CT skills, while instructors need to utilize various techniques to foster team members' collaboration skills.The 10th article by Thein Than Toe and Somchai Tantasanee on "The Impact of Organizational Learning and Organizational Innovation on Organizational Performance: A Case of an Internet Service Provider in Myanmar " is a mixed method research that showed that organizational innovation has greater impact on organizational performance than organizational learning;organizational learning impacts organizational innovation . The qualitative findings implied that the organization chosen for the research must take on initiatives to promote organizational learning and innovation .The contributions of our authors to this issue are valuable for knowledge sharing of their research on various disciplines and methodologies. We hope that their research will be beneficial to our readers and as support in furthering future related research .
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Background/Aims Cases of new autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions have been reported among COVID-19 survivors. A literature review on newonset autoimmune connective tissue diseases (ACTDs) following infection with COVID-19 is lacking.This systematic literature review aimed to evaluate the potential association between COVID-19 infection and the development of new-onset ACTDs in adults. Methods Articles published until September 2022, investigating the association between COVID-19 infection and new-onset ACTDs were included. The ''population'' searched was patients with disease terms for autoimmune connective tissue diseases, including (but not limited to) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis (SSc), any idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), antisynthetase syndrome, mixed CTD and undifferentiated CTD (and related MeSH terms), with ''intervention'' as COVID-19 and related terms. For terms for COVID-19, a dedicated search strategy developed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence was used.Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched, restricted to English-language articles only. Eligible articles were: case reports and series (of any sample size), observational studies, qualitative studies and randomised controlled trials. Patients developing ACTDs without prior COVID-19 or reporting flares of existing ACTDs were excluded. Information was extracted on patient demographics, new ACTDs' onset time, clinical characteristics, COVID-19 and ACTD treatment, and COVID-19 and ACTDs outcomes. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022358750). Results After deduplication, 2239 articles were identified. After screening title and , 2196 papers were excluded, with 43 proceeding to fulltext screening. Ultimately, 28 articles (all single case reports) were included. Of the 28 included patients, 64.3% were female. The mean age was 51.1 years (range 20-89 years). The USA reported the most cases (9/28). ACTD diagnoses comprised: 11 (39.3%) IIM (including 4 cases of dermatomyositis);7 (25%) SLE;4 (14.3%) anti-synthetase syndrome;4 (14.3%) SSc;2 (7.1%) other ACTD (one diagnosed with lupus/MCTD overlap). Of eight, four (14.3%) patients (including that with lupus/MCTD) were diagnosed with lupus nephritis. The average onset time from COVID-19 infection to ACTD diagnosis was 23.7days. A third of the patients were admitted to critical care, one for ACTD treatment for SLE with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (14 sessions of plasmapheresis, rituximab and intravenous corticosteroids) and nine due to COVID-19. The majority (80%) of patients went into remission of ACTD following treatment, while two (10%) patients died- one due to macrophage activation syndrome associated with anti-synthetase syndrome and two from unreported causes. Conclusion Our results suggest a potential association between COVID-19 infection and new-onset ACTDs, predominantly in young females, reflective of wider CTD epidemiology. The aetiology and mechanisms by which ACTDs arise following COVID-19 infection remain unknown and require more robust epidemiological data.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many aspects of life globally. Similarly, the imposed travel restrictions and border closures in Australia have prevented me from travelling to Indonesia for my Ph.D. fieldwork. Due to this issue, I had to move my interviews, focus groups, and narrative writing online. I conducted my interviews and focus group discussions with English teachers in Indonesia through synchronous platforms such as WhatsApp and Zoom. In addition, I utilised a private Facebook group to facilitate narrative writing activities which were pivotal in my data generation process. Many research studies (see, for example, Archibald et al., 2019;Deakin and Wakefield, 2014;Tuttas, 2015) have documented how online research has afforded both the researcher and participants with flexibility, cost effectiveness, and convenience in a research project with time restraints, geographical distance, and other logistical issues. However, a story about online data generation in the COVID-19 context from a Ph.D. student's perspective remains underexplored. In this autoethnographic account, I will reflect on the process of online data generation in the context of my Ph.D. study. I argue that the online data generation in my research has yielded a "guarded optimism” (Madge and O'Connor, 2004, p. 9) for synchronous online data generation as an equal, rather than secondary option for qualitative research data generation which often uses face-to-face interviews and focus groups as the "gold standard of interviewing” (Hine, 2005, p. 4). Through this story I hope to enrich conversations about the possibilities and challenges of doing online data generation for a Ph.D. study during a global pandemic. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.
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Communities of practice are groups of people united by a passion for something, who deepen their knowledge and experience in their field through ongoing interactions. This article focuses on the importance of institutionalized relationship networks and mutual recognition in preparation for esports competitions. The study represents inductive, qualitative analyses. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with players (n = 12) that have significant achievements in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) competitions. In the social world of MTG enthusiasts, numerous groups reflect the functionality of a community of practice. These groups constitute a fundamental aspect of preparation for top-level MTG tournaments. Examples of the functioning of so-called testing groups among MTG enthusiasts allow the formulation of a new analytical category – the gaming community of practice. Contrary to stereotypes, the presented study supports the thesis about the significant role of video games in the formation of social competencies and the creation of specific communities, which is particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Alternate :Koncepcja wspólnoty praktyków zakłada, że jest to grupa osób, które łączy zamiłowanie do czegoś i które pogłębiają swoją wiedzę oraz doświadczenie w tym obszarze poprzez bieżące interakcje. Prezentowany artykuł skupia się na znaczeniu zinstytucjonalizowanych sieci relacji i wzajemnego uznania w przygotowaniach do rywalizacji w e-sporcie. Badanie stanowi przykład indukcyjnej jakościowej analizy. W jego ramach przeprowadzono indywidualne wywiady pogłębione z osobami (n = 12) mającymi znaczące osiągnięcia we współzawodnictwie w grze Magic: The Gathering (MTG). W społecznym świecie miłośników MTG liczne grupy odzwierciedlają funkcjonalność wspólnoty praktyków. Grupy te konstytuują podstawowy aspekt przygotowań do najważniejszych turniejów MTG. Przykłady funkcjonowania tak zwanych grup testingowych wśród miłośników MTG prowadzą do sformułowania nowej kategorii analitycznej – growych wspólnot praktyków. Wbrew stereotypom, prezentowane badania wspierają tezę o znaczącej roli gier wideo w kształtowaniu kompetencji społecznych i tworzeniu specyficznych wspólnot, co jest szczególnie istotne w kontekście pandemii COVID-19.
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Introduction: Adopting diabetes self-care behaviors to control blood glucose is essential, but adherence to them has been challenged due to restrictions related to Covid-19. These restrictions have negatively impacted the psychosocial condition of individuals with diabetes, which could lead to poor self-care. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals with type 2 diabetes regarding self-care behaviors and diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis, the data of which were collected through interviews with people over 18 years of age with type 2 diabetes who were selected from the Endocrinology Clinic of Erfan Hospital in Tehran. Using telephone and WhatsApp, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants (15 women). Content analysis was done using the constant comparative method, and the open and axial coding method was applied. The data were manually coded, and the main themes and categories emerged from data. Result(s): Two main themes emerged from the data: 1) challenges and limitations toward diabetes self-care and 2) facilitators of efficient self-care. Challenges and limitations included 4 sub-themes: Inevitable lifestyle changes, psychosocial problems, limited/lack of access to health care services and medication, and adverse physical effects. Facilitators had 2 sub-themes: improved individual capability and maintaining social interaction. Conclusion(s): Our findings indicated that inevitable lifestyle changes, limited access to health care, and adverse psychosocial consequences were the most critical challenges for diabetes management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving stress management skills and effective coping strategies can facilitate the adoption of self-care behaviors.Copyright © 2022, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences. All rights reserved.