Browsing by Author "Dharan V"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Conducting ethical research
    Haworth PA; Dharan V
    In this workshop we will identify and apply ethical principles for conducting research. We will also look at differentiating low and high risk projects and making an application for MUHEC approval.
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    Continual disobedience - Are we singing from the same song sheet?
    Dharan V
    Background: Internationally students identified for discipline tend to have emotional and behavioural challenges. Research suggests that this phenomenon occurs due to teacher/administrator interpretation of the under specified definitions of emotional and behaviour problems leading to a significantly large number of them being excluded from their peers and normal learning environments. Rationale: In New Zealand, the Ministry of Education suspension and stand-down data consistently indicate that the disciplinary term "continual disobedience" (CD) constitutes the single largest category for high school students being suspended and the second largest category for students being stood -down. Yet this term is not clearly defined in their documents and guidelines to schools. The aim of the study was to understand how schools define and operationalise the the term "continual disobedience". Methodology: This presentation draws from focus groups held in five high schools across New Zealand with staff involved in disciplinary matters that explored the understandings of teachers and school staff regarding their school policies and behaviours considered as “continual disobedience”. Findings: The term CD was under-defined, with schools having different ways to define and respond to continually disobedient behaviours that resulted in the term being applied to a group of behaviours with a range of consequences.
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    Hearing from the experts – Parents’ knowledge of what works for their children
    (22/07/2015) Dharan V
    Given that children and young persons with ASD require support both at home and school, one of the fundamental factors for the success of all types of supports, services and interventions is the effective collaboration and open communication between families, schools, other professionals and organisations. This inextricable nature of partnership has its own complexities, and if interventions and supports are to be successful, there needs to be a better understanding of ways in which the supports are perceived to be usefuland effective by families. This presentation is drawn from a small researchproject undertaken for the first time in New Zealand in the form of a nationalsurvey to understand parents’/caregivers’ of children and young persons with ASD aged 0-21 of what works for their children and whānau. Particularly the research focused on the supports at home, out of home/after school carearrangements and educational settings. Data was gathered using an e-survey sent to parents using the Autism NZ database, followed by a small number of families participating in Focus Groups and five case studies. This presentation will report on the e-survey findings of 335 families who participated in the survey that was distributed through Autism NZ database. Broadly, themes that emerged from parent responses to key questionsindicate that parents were accessing a range of services for supporting the communication, behaviour and social difficulties of their children with ASD. These supports were provided either by individuals or organisations, but often their access was dictated by what was available than what is needed.. While specific therapy needs were identified by some, there was an overarching desire for their children to be in educational settings alongside their peers supported by adequate and appropriate resources. More training and support for classroom teachers as well as parents was emphasised strongly. This presentation will share these findings and more. The topic of presentation aligns well with the conference themes and will be of interest to all those who work with and support families, children and young persons.
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    Teacher and Student Well-being in the Covid-19 pandemic - Full report
    (2022-04-30) Dharan V; Pond R; Mincher N; Muralidharan V
    This project sought to understand the perspectives of teachers and students in the lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand at the time of the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in March 2020 and during the following several months. Thirteen teachers from seven schools in the Manawatū-Horowhenua and Greater Wellington area and seven focus groups of Year 4 to 8 students from four of the schools participated in this project. This final report includes the findings from teachers and students’ perspectives of the affordances and challenges of lockdown and subsequent return to school, and their perspectives on helpful strategies in the event of similar situations given the unpredictable times. Analysis of teachers’ perspectives highlighted three interrelated themes –Stepping up Ngāwhiringatanga; Building Resilience and Reflecting and Recalibrating. The lockdown provided teachers time for introspection and have some time for their own personal well-being and growth. Although the challenge of adapting to online teaching sessions was stressful, the increased knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on families and communities, had a profound impact on ongoing pedagogy of teachers. Teachers were resilient to the challenges and supported the resilience and well-being of students both during lockdown and on their return to school. They were supported by their school systems to ease pressure on academic learning and focus on holistic well-being of students such as spending quality time with their families. The lockdown highlighted the importance of work life balance, with teachers experiencing the benefits of having the time and space to focus on their personal well-being, which is critical for the well- being of their students, enabling them to support their students becoming resilient in the face of adversities caused by the ongoing presence of the pandemic. The students’ on the other hand while feeling isolated from their peers and anxious about the effects of the virus on their near and dear ones, appreciated the quality time that they could spend with their families and pets, and more importantly the flexibility that lockdown offered in terms of their learning. The key inter-related themes from their perspectives were: worry about safety and changes; restrictions and isolation; freedom and autonomy; friendship and connection; and quality family time.
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    The Impact of Innovative Learning Environments on Sensory Processing Difficulties: Students’ Perspectives.
    (Pennsylvania State University, 2021-10-01) Busch R; Dharan V
    New Zealand’s education policy and practice is fast moving towards innovative and collaborative approaches to learning, to improve outcomes for all students. One of the ways to achieve this has been creating learning environments that foster acceptance of diversity, build relationships, and enable the active participation of students through Innovative or Flexible learning environments. Current literature, however, suggests that the move to collaborative learning spaces and the introduction of Innovative Learning Environments (ILEs) has been inconsistent, with a lack of understanding of the pedagogical nuances to fully realise their inclusive capacity. This article draws from a study that examined students' participatory rights under the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) with a focus on Article 23.1 in enabling students with Sensory Processing Difficulties (SPD) to actively participate in their learning. Using a qualitative design, the study explored the perspectives and experiences of 10 secondary school students with SPD in an ILE setting. The findings highlighted the positive impact of ILE and the social benefits of schooling. The students showed a strong preference for ILE over traditional classrooms, as it created a learning environment that afforded more opportunities to work with their peers. These social affordances were at times constrained in ways the physical spaces were utilised, without due consideration to their acoustic sensitivities. One of the key implications of this study was the need for a more sophisticated pedagogy that would maximise the benefits that ILEs offer, to enhance the participation of students with SPD. The study demonstrated a high level of perceptiveness and insightfulness of the students that must be heard and acted upon as a matter of their rights to actively participate in their learning communities.