AimsDespite their advantages, longitudinal studies often face high rates of attrition. This study... more AimsDespite their advantages, longitudinal studies often face high rates of attrition. This study documents the extensive efforts associated with retaining a longitudinal cohort last contacted 10 years earlier.MethodWe examine the processes and outcomes of attempts to reach 1736 individuals who have been part of a multiwave study about growing up in Ontario, Canada. Contact methods include email, phone, text, social media, postal mail, announcements in newspapers, subway stations, and music streaming services.ResultsChallenges included a lack of consistent annual communication with participants, children moving out of the parental home, and changes in email addresses and phone numbers. The most effective contact method was phone; text messages and friend referrals were the least effective. Overall, 41.5% of the original sample was reached. Locating former research participants years later necessitated multiple and repeated contact attempts, and intensive human resources.ConclusionTen lessons for effective sample retention are discussed. In summary, reducing attrition depends on a comprehensive study design and an organized and flexible protocol that adapts to a study's ever‐changing needs.
Studies of university students' sense of community (SOC) use various scales, one of which is the ... more Studies of university students' sense of community (SOC) use various scales, one of which is the widely used Sense of Community Index (SCI), conceptualized as a 4-factor model: membership, influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Research has been unable to show a reliable 4-factor solution. One possible explanation may be that negatively worded items contribute to lack of model fit, which would be consistent with the claim that SOC was conceptualized as a unipolar positive construct. Data were collected using a positively worded SCI (N = 794). Four models were tested with confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modeling: 1-factor, theorized four-factor, revised 3-factor, and revised 4-factor. None of the models showed good fit, though the fit of the 1-factor model was improved over the 4-factor. More studies are needed to attempt replication with a positively worded SCI.
This paper reviews literature on the issue of teachers and their relationship with cultural diver... more This paper reviews literature on the issue of teachers and their relationship with cultural diversity. In the first part of the text, we highlight the importance of cultural and ethnic diversity within the teaching force. The second part of the paper focuses on models used ...
Influencers are individuals or entities that meaningfully contribute through a socially construct... more Influencers are individuals or entities that meaningfully contribute through a socially constructed process to the formation of educational aspirations and possibly to their attainment. The effect of a specific influencer may differ within the context of multiple influencers. The aim of the current mixed methods study was to investigate how various influencers shape the development of educational aspirations and may contribute to goal setting and eventual attainment of an early aspiration. One-onone, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 participants who attended high school in Ontario, Canada. Most participants identified as Canadian (54.5%) with a mean age of 29 years and median income of $48,504 Canadian Dollars. Participants were asked about the educational aspirations they had in high school. Retrospective accounts provided the opportunity to ask in the interviews not only who the influencers were but also if aspirations were pursued, changed, or attained. Coding and thematic analysis revealed 11 categories of influencers. Further analysis revealed that individuals with a diverse set of influencers attained their educational goals with an important exception. Young adults with 3-5 types of influencers were the largest percentage (61.9%) who achieved their goals, whereas among those with 1, 2, or more than 5 influencers only 21.7% achieved their aspirations. Two influencers that have received little empirical attention emerged: Self and Society/Culture. Findings have implications for encouraging young people and influencers to consider not only how parents and teachers affect educational aspirations but also the composition and size of socio-educational networks.
Dans cet article, nous aborderons dans un premier temps les raisons qui justifient le développeme... more Dans cet article, nous aborderons dans un premier temps les raisons qui justifient le développement de l’éducation pour la petite enfance sur le continent.Ensuite, nous analyserons les difficultés structurelles empêchant l’essor du secteur. Enfin, nous discuterons des différentes formes d’éducation de la petite enfance existantes et nous tenterons de dresser les caractéristiques de celles qui nous semblent les plus appropriées au contexte africain
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how we learn, work, and live. This qualitative resear... more The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how we learn, work, and live. This qualitative research aimed to study the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational and occupational aspirations of young Canadian adults. All close to 29 years of age, sixteen participants took part in one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted through Zoom. Questions probed participants’ hopes, dreams, and perceived obstacles regarding school and work. Coding was completed using the research software Dedoose. Thematic content analysis was performed using both deductive and inductive approaches. Three themes emerged: the benefits and drawbacks of working and learning from home; financial changes and concerns; and hope and optimism despite challenges posed by the pandemic. Working and learning from home were discussed by 88% of participants, making it the most prominent theme. Participants generally agreed that working and learning from home had many benefits, but some expressed concern about...
In Madagascar, formal systems of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) are in the early stage... more In Madagascar, formal systems of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) are in the early stages of development, mostly as a result of international declarations and efforts of non-governmental organizations, drawing mostly from research findings of studies in developed countries. Reviewing research that investigates the impact of ECCE on cognitive development and school readiness among children in Madagascar provides a critical source of information for national policy makers, international actors and donors interested in fostering optimal child development. In the first part, we provide a brief overview of the global reviews on early childhood development (ECD) research because they provide the context for understanding the universal valuing of formal pre-primary education. Because studies from African countries are lacking in international literature, we have considered relevant a research on subSaharan African countries. These countries share some cultural, colonization and po...
Children of families involved with child welfare services are considered high-risk and are vulner... more Children of families involved with child welfare services are considered high-risk and are vulnerable to developing problems in a number of domains. In particular, educational achievement among this population tends to be lower relative to general population peers. The goal of this qualitative study was to understand the educational aspirations and subsequent pathways of young adults with former child welfare involvement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven young adults (mean age of 31 years) from Ontario, Canada about their educational aspirations in high school and factors that served as facilitators and obstacles to their achievement. The results indicate youth had high hopes and dreams for their future in high school. However, complex challenges impeded the realization of these dreams. Although all seven participants initiated post-secondary programs, only one reached successful completion. None of the young adults achieved the educational and occupational dreams they had in high school. Nevertheless, returning to school remains a prominent future goal for most participants. Despite significant challenges and unrealized educational aspirations, youth with child welfare experiences continue to place high value on education in inspiring hope and optimism for the future. Addressing barriers to educational achievement for youth with child welfare involvement remains an important focus to help educational aspirations become a reality.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2011
Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy optio... more Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy option for Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who live in a culture other than their parents' native cultures such as missionary families and government and non-governmental agency workers located in various countries around the world. One TCK stakeholder (a co-author) decided to practice creating community and research by conducting a participatory action research project with a goal of engaging a subgroup of TCKs called missionary kids (MKs) to meet online and to create a sense of community. Participants (N = 20) ages 16 to 40 joined website discussions and influenced how the website was developed and operated in addition to allowing their online postings to be used as data to study sense of community among MKs. Data were analyzed using McMillan and Chavis's (1986) four dimensions of sense of community: membership, bi-directional influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Findings show that MKs connected through the Internet, developed a sense of community, influenced how the website functioned, took control of online community regulations and norms, and provided social support for one another. The website started in 2004 with two members and in 2011 had 1801 community members. Findings have implications for expanding theories of sense of community and for practices to create and sustain online communities.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2012
Graduate programs aim to train future researchers and practitioners in the values, skills and too... more Graduate programs aim to train future researchers and practitioners in the values, skills and tools of their trade. This paper reports on the experiences of a graduate student, a youth co-researcher and a faculty supervisor while conducting thesis research within a community psychology master's degree program. In a program that values research, action and social justice we reflect on our struggles to exemplify these values throughout the thesis process while complying with departmental norms and institutional constraints. We begin by summarizing the research project and how the co-researchers became involved. Next each of us (the coauthors) provides our reflections on processes that occurred while conducting a participatory research project with attention to how it impacted us individually, each other and the research itself.
Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 2021
In studies on educational leadership across African countries, researchers are using different co... more In studies on educational leadership across African countries, researchers are using different concepts that do not have the same meanings or similar histories, including variations in involvement by local, national, and international leaders. In the first part of this article, we problematize conceptualizing globally minded school leadership in Africa and attempt to understand the way local and global actors apply these concepts to and from within African contexts. In the second part, we present research working at the intersection of the NGO-Postcolonial border working with educational leaders in Madagascar. The findings show that early childhood education makes a difference on school readiness and that quality matters. In the third part, we propose a multilateral model for decolonising educational leadership in Africa by working on the past-present continuum and holding the tension between "border-specific" and "cross-border" perspectives.
Among state and international actors there is consensus that early childhood education (ECE) is i... more Among state and international actors there is consensus that early childhood education (ECE) is important for future well-being of the child and that parent participation in various school activities is relevant. The willingness of actors in formal education to encourage parents to participate in their school activities varies. There remains a challenge of how to take the will of parents and mobilize it into participation in the field of ECE. In this paper we focus on parents’ participation in ECE in Madagascar, placing that participation within an existing complex context of poverty, former colonialism, contemporary political instability, and international cooperation. We report on data gathered in Anatanarivo, Sakaraha, Toliera, and Betioky to show that there is suspicion between the state and parents in general and that unless current actors (parents, teachers, administrators, NGOs, and government) value parents’ resources and create new ways for parent participation in the extra...
This chapter examines the historical and current uses of global citizenship education (GCE) in Ca... more This chapter examines the historical and current uses of global citizenship education (GCE) in Canada and the U.S. in public schools from primary through secondary levels, with attention to Canada as well as similarities and differences within and across the two countries. We assess how social and political contexts have influenced the definition and operationalization of multiculturalism, civic studies, and global studies in curricula, noting that the neo-liberal perspective has focused on making people an economic powerhouse rather than socially concerned global citizens. In our examination of educational approaches that relate to GCE, we present decolonizing pedagogies, the multiculturalism approach in Canada, as well as culturally responsive and anti-racist pedagogies. To illustrate these issues, we offer an example in the Canadian context and raise the need to prevent GCE from becoming yet another tool for hegemony by the Global North on the Global South, as dominant groups have long defined citizenship. We conclude by proposing that to realize GCE in these two countries, teacher/practitioner and local, national, and international actors must engage youth, and in doing so, power imbalances that prohibit becoming global citizens will be addressed.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2011
Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy optio... more Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy option for Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who live in a culture other than their parents' native cultures such as missionary families and government and non-governmental agency workers located in various countries around the world. One TCK stakeholder (a co-author) decided to practice creating community and research by conducting a participatory action research project with a goal of engaging a subgroup of TCKs called missionary kids (MKs) to meet online and to create a sense of community. Participants (N = 20) ages 16 to 40 joined website discussions and influenced how the website was developed and operated in addition to allowing their online postings to be used as data to study sense of community among MKs. Data were analyzed using McMillan and Chavis's (1986) four dimensions of sense of community: membership, bi-directional influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Findings show that MKs connected through the Internet, developed a sense of community, influenced how the website functioned, took control of online community regulations and norms, and provided social support for one another. The website started in 2004 with two members and in 2011 had 1801 community members. Findings have implications for expanding theories of sense of community and for practices to create and sustain online communities.
AimsDespite their advantages, longitudinal studies often face high rates of attrition. This study... more AimsDespite their advantages, longitudinal studies often face high rates of attrition. This study documents the extensive efforts associated with retaining a longitudinal cohort last contacted 10 years earlier.MethodWe examine the processes and outcomes of attempts to reach 1736 individuals who have been part of a multiwave study about growing up in Ontario, Canada. Contact methods include email, phone, text, social media, postal mail, announcements in newspapers, subway stations, and music streaming services.ResultsChallenges included a lack of consistent annual communication with participants, children moving out of the parental home, and changes in email addresses and phone numbers. The most effective contact method was phone; text messages and friend referrals were the least effective. Overall, 41.5% of the original sample was reached. Locating former research participants years later necessitated multiple and repeated contact attempts, and intensive human resources.ConclusionTen lessons for effective sample retention are discussed. In summary, reducing attrition depends on a comprehensive study design and an organized and flexible protocol that adapts to a study's ever‐changing needs.
Studies of university students' sense of community (SOC) use various scales, one of which is the ... more Studies of university students' sense of community (SOC) use various scales, one of which is the widely used Sense of Community Index (SCI), conceptualized as a 4-factor model: membership, influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Research has been unable to show a reliable 4-factor solution. One possible explanation may be that negatively worded items contribute to lack of model fit, which would be consistent with the claim that SOC was conceptualized as a unipolar positive construct. Data were collected using a positively worded SCI (N = 794). Four models were tested with confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modeling: 1-factor, theorized four-factor, revised 3-factor, and revised 4-factor. None of the models showed good fit, though the fit of the 1-factor model was improved over the 4-factor. More studies are needed to attempt replication with a positively worded SCI.
This paper reviews literature on the issue of teachers and their relationship with cultural diver... more This paper reviews literature on the issue of teachers and their relationship with cultural diversity. In the first part of the text, we highlight the importance of cultural and ethnic diversity within the teaching force. The second part of the paper focuses on models used ...
Influencers are individuals or entities that meaningfully contribute through a socially construct... more Influencers are individuals or entities that meaningfully contribute through a socially constructed process to the formation of educational aspirations and possibly to their attainment. The effect of a specific influencer may differ within the context of multiple influencers. The aim of the current mixed methods study was to investigate how various influencers shape the development of educational aspirations and may contribute to goal setting and eventual attainment of an early aspiration. One-onone, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 participants who attended high school in Ontario, Canada. Most participants identified as Canadian (54.5%) with a mean age of 29 years and median income of $48,504 Canadian Dollars. Participants were asked about the educational aspirations they had in high school. Retrospective accounts provided the opportunity to ask in the interviews not only who the influencers were but also if aspirations were pursued, changed, or attained. Coding and thematic analysis revealed 11 categories of influencers. Further analysis revealed that individuals with a diverse set of influencers attained their educational goals with an important exception. Young adults with 3-5 types of influencers were the largest percentage (61.9%) who achieved their goals, whereas among those with 1, 2, or more than 5 influencers only 21.7% achieved their aspirations. Two influencers that have received little empirical attention emerged: Self and Society/Culture. Findings have implications for encouraging young people and influencers to consider not only how parents and teachers affect educational aspirations but also the composition and size of socio-educational networks.
Dans cet article, nous aborderons dans un premier temps les raisons qui justifient le développeme... more Dans cet article, nous aborderons dans un premier temps les raisons qui justifient le développement de l’éducation pour la petite enfance sur le continent.Ensuite, nous analyserons les difficultés structurelles empêchant l’essor du secteur. Enfin, nous discuterons des différentes formes d’éducation de la petite enfance existantes et nous tenterons de dresser les caractéristiques de celles qui nous semblent les plus appropriées au contexte africain
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how we learn, work, and live. This qualitative resear... more The COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how we learn, work, and live. This qualitative research aimed to study the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational and occupational aspirations of young Canadian adults. All close to 29 years of age, sixteen participants took part in one-on-one semi-structured interviews conducted through Zoom. Questions probed participants’ hopes, dreams, and perceived obstacles regarding school and work. Coding was completed using the research software Dedoose. Thematic content analysis was performed using both deductive and inductive approaches. Three themes emerged: the benefits and drawbacks of working and learning from home; financial changes and concerns; and hope and optimism despite challenges posed by the pandemic. Working and learning from home were discussed by 88% of participants, making it the most prominent theme. Participants generally agreed that working and learning from home had many benefits, but some expressed concern about...
In Madagascar, formal systems of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) are in the early stage... more In Madagascar, formal systems of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) are in the early stages of development, mostly as a result of international declarations and efforts of non-governmental organizations, drawing mostly from research findings of studies in developed countries. Reviewing research that investigates the impact of ECCE on cognitive development and school readiness among children in Madagascar provides a critical source of information for national policy makers, international actors and donors interested in fostering optimal child development. In the first part, we provide a brief overview of the global reviews on early childhood development (ECD) research because they provide the context for understanding the universal valuing of formal pre-primary education. Because studies from African countries are lacking in international literature, we have considered relevant a research on subSaharan African countries. These countries share some cultural, colonization and po...
Children of families involved with child welfare services are considered high-risk and are vulner... more Children of families involved with child welfare services are considered high-risk and are vulnerable to developing problems in a number of domains. In particular, educational achievement among this population tends to be lower relative to general population peers. The goal of this qualitative study was to understand the educational aspirations and subsequent pathways of young adults with former child welfare involvement. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven young adults (mean age of 31 years) from Ontario, Canada about their educational aspirations in high school and factors that served as facilitators and obstacles to their achievement. The results indicate youth had high hopes and dreams for their future in high school. However, complex challenges impeded the realization of these dreams. Although all seven participants initiated post-secondary programs, only one reached successful completion. None of the young adults achieved the educational and occupational dreams they had in high school. Nevertheless, returning to school remains a prominent future goal for most participants. Despite significant challenges and unrealized educational aspirations, youth with child welfare experiences continue to place high value on education in inspiring hope and optimism for the future. Addressing barriers to educational achievement for youth with child welfare involvement remains an important focus to help educational aspirations become a reality.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2011
Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy optio... more Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy option for Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who live in a culture other than their parents' native cultures such as missionary families and government and non-governmental agency workers located in various countries around the world. One TCK stakeholder (a co-author) decided to practice creating community and research by conducting a participatory action research project with a goal of engaging a subgroup of TCKs called missionary kids (MKs) to meet online and to create a sense of community. Participants (N = 20) ages 16 to 40 joined website discussions and influenced how the website was developed and operated in addition to allowing their online postings to be used as data to study sense of community among MKs. Data were analyzed using McMillan and Chavis's (1986) four dimensions of sense of community: membership, bi-directional influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Findings show that MKs connected through the Internet, developed a sense of community, influenced how the website functioned, took control of online community regulations and norms, and provided social support for one another. The website started in 2004 with two members and in 2011 had 1801 community members. Findings have implications for expanding theories of sense of community and for practices to create and sustain online communities.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2012
Graduate programs aim to train future researchers and practitioners in the values, skills and too... more Graduate programs aim to train future researchers and practitioners in the values, skills and tools of their trade. This paper reports on the experiences of a graduate student, a youth co-researcher and a faculty supervisor while conducting thesis research within a community psychology master's degree program. In a program that values research, action and social justice we reflect on our struggles to exemplify these values throughout the thesis process while complying with departmental norms and institutional constraints. We begin by summarizing the research project and how the co-researchers became involved. Next each of us (the coauthors) provides our reflections on processes that occurred while conducting a participatory research project with attention to how it impacted us individually, each other and the research itself.
Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 2021
In studies on educational leadership across African countries, researchers are using different co... more In studies on educational leadership across African countries, researchers are using different concepts that do not have the same meanings or similar histories, including variations in involvement by local, national, and international leaders. In the first part of this article, we problematize conceptualizing globally minded school leadership in Africa and attempt to understand the way local and global actors apply these concepts to and from within African contexts. In the second part, we present research working at the intersection of the NGO-Postcolonial border working with educational leaders in Madagascar. The findings show that early childhood education makes a difference on school readiness and that quality matters. In the third part, we propose a multilateral model for decolonising educational leadership in Africa by working on the past-present continuum and holding the tension between "border-specific" and "cross-border" perspectives.
Among state and international actors there is consensus that early childhood education (ECE) is i... more Among state and international actors there is consensus that early childhood education (ECE) is important for future well-being of the child and that parent participation in various school activities is relevant. The willingness of actors in formal education to encourage parents to participate in their school activities varies. There remains a challenge of how to take the will of parents and mobilize it into participation in the field of ECE. In this paper we focus on parents’ participation in ECE in Madagascar, placing that participation within an existing complex context of poverty, former colonialism, contemporary political instability, and international cooperation. We report on data gathered in Anatanarivo, Sakaraha, Toliera, and Betioky to show that there is suspicion between the state and parents in general and that unless current actors (parents, teachers, administrators, NGOs, and government) value parents’ resources and create new ways for parent participation in the extra...
This chapter examines the historical and current uses of global citizenship education (GCE) in Ca... more This chapter examines the historical and current uses of global citizenship education (GCE) in Canada and the U.S. in public schools from primary through secondary levels, with attention to Canada as well as similarities and differences within and across the two countries. We assess how social and political contexts have influenced the definition and operationalization of multiculturalism, civic studies, and global studies in curricula, noting that the neo-liberal perspective has focused on making people an economic powerhouse rather than socially concerned global citizens. In our examination of educational approaches that relate to GCE, we present decolonizing pedagogies, the multiculturalism approach in Canada, as well as culturally responsive and anti-racist pedagogies. To illustrate these issues, we offer an example in the Canadian context and raise the need to prevent GCE from becoming yet another tool for hegemony by the Global North on the Global South, as dominant groups have long defined citizenship. We conclude by proposing that to realize GCE in these two countries, teacher/practitioner and local, national, and international actors must engage youth, and in doing so, power imbalances that prohibit becoming global citizens will be addressed.
Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, 2011
Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy optio... more Having physical access to a community and having a sense of community is not always an easy option for Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who live in a culture other than their parents' native cultures such as missionary families and government and non-governmental agency workers located in various countries around the world. One TCK stakeholder (a co-author) decided to practice creating community and research by conducting a participatory action research project with a goal of engaging a subgroup of TCKs called missionary kids (MKs) to meet online and to create a sense of community. Participants (N = 20) ages 16 to 40 joined website discussions and influenced how the website was developed and operated in addition to allowing their online postings to be used as data to study sense of community among MKs. Data were analyzed using McMillan and Chavis's (1986) four dimensions of sense of community: membership, bi-directional influence, needs fulfillment, and shared emotional connection. Findings show that MKs connected through the Internet, developed a sense of community, influenced how the website functioned, took control of online community regulations and norms, and provided social support for one another. The website started in 2004 with two members and in 2011 had 1801 community members. Findings have implications for expanding theories of sense of community and for practices to create and sustain online communities.
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Papers by Colleen LOOMIS