Announcements
Final Thesis Oral Examination Announcement
Jiun-yi Zullo (Masters of Nursing)
Date: March 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. (MT)
Supervisor: Dr. Lynn Corcoran
Title of Thesis: OCCUPATIONAL DISAPPOINTMENT IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT NURSES AS A RESULT OF VERBAL ABUSE
Final oral defences are considered open examinations. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact fgs@athabascau.ca for more details.
Abstract:
Occupational disappointment is a novel concept in emergency nursing, defined as a feeling of disheartenment with career choice in this group of nurses who enter the profession to help others. It results from prevalent, unaddressed verbal abuse in the emergency department directed towards nurses from patients and/or their visitors. In the limited literature published, it is shown to be conceptually different from nursing burnout syndrome and compassion fatigue, yet it can lead to negative effects for nurses and their patients. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used in this research study to yield a straight description of occupational disappointment. Six emergency department nurses were interviewed to explore the questions: What are the concerns of nurses about occupational disappointment? What are nurses’ responses towards occupational disappointment? From an emic perspective, nurses in this study discussed the prevalence of occupational disappointment in emergency nursing culture and offer their concerns regarding this pervasive issue.
Awards/Scholarships:
- Margaret Stainton Nursing Education Bursary Award - May 2020 - ~$800
- Margaret Stainton Nursing Education Bursary Award - May 2019 - ~$350
- Nursing Education Initiative Grant - June 2019 - $1464
- Nursing Education Initiative Grant - October 2017 - $1464
Conference:
Emergency Nurses Experiences of Occupational Disappointment
Thinking Qualitatively Workshop Series
Edmonton, AB
June 17-21, 2019
Final Doctoral Oral Examination Announcement
Peggy Lynn MacIsaac (EdD Program Candidate)
Date: March 17, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. (MT)
Supervisors: Dr. Mohamed Ally, Dr. George Siemens
Title of Thesis: CHIMING IN: SOCIAL PRESENCE IN AN INTERNATIONAL MULTI-SITE BLENDED LEARNING COURSE
Final oral defences are considered open examinations. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact fgs@athabascau.ca for more details.
Abstract:
This mixed-methods action research study investigates one international multi-site blended learning class comprised of refugee and non-refugee learners. The interventionary action of this study used WhatsApp mobile instant messaging (MIM) to increase and sustain online course discussions, for which no part of the final grade was assigned to online participation. The MIM messages were coded for indicators of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) social presence, and then analyzed for correlations to final grade. For this population of learners living in Canada, Thailand, and Kenya, affective social presence is a negative predictor of final grade and cohesive social presence is a positive predictor. More specifically, learners achieving grades of 85% or higher expressed less self-disclosure and more group references and phatic messages as a percentage of the total messages sent expressing social presence than other learners.
The study uses arts-based first-person reflections to explore the experiences of the researcher in conducting this action research and openly releasing its source data. Writing, mathematics, and visual arts are the three primary modes of documenting, analyzing, and reporting the findings of this study. An innovative presentation of data emerges as mathematically sound. This study shares the successful steps in obtaining ethical approval to preserve data for unlimited secondary use. Obtaining participant consent for their data to be used for unlimited secondary use may have potentially positive ethical consequences for conducting further research involving refugees living in fragile contexts.
Keywords: social presence, refugee, mobile instant messaging, grade, online discussion, higher education in emergencies, community of inquiry, open data, ethics
Conference Presentations
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2019). Breaking into school after hours: One educator's unconventional approach to connecting refugee and non-refugee undergraduate students [Film]. 28th International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), Dublin, IE. https://peggy-lynn-macisaac.ca/portfolio/606/
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2019). Naming conventions for indigenous open educational resources. OpenCon K-12, Toronto Remix, Virtual Conference, Canada.
- Rempel, G., & MacIsaac, P. L. (2018). Predatory practices: Keynote address Athabasca University Faculty of Graduate Studies Conference, Edmonton, CA.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2018). Mobile chats in undergraduate multi-site blended learning [Presentation]. 20 18 Annual Conference of the Comparative & International Education Society, Mexico City, MX.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2017). Ethical concerns in using disruptive innovation for higher education in emergencies. Paper presented at the Canada's Collaboration for Online Higher Education Research Fall Conference, Toronto, ON.
- MacIsaac, P. L., & Doyle, K. (2017). Crossing borders in higher Education: Empowerment Through Internationalized eLearning [Paper presentation]. 27th International Council for Open and Distance Education, Toronto, ON.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2017). Online communications of multi-site blended learning in Toronto, Canada and refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya [Paper presentation]. Twenty-seventh International Council for Open and Distance Education, Toronto, ON.
- Andrews, F., MacLean, M., MacIsaac, P. L. & Rempel, J. (2017). Silo-busting 2.0: Collaborative leadership. Alberta Services for Students Conference, Athabasca, CA. Files arch ived at: https://tinyurl.com/lufacta
- MacIsaac, P! . L., & Rempel, J. (2017) Open and shut case: Tracking down open access resources. Alberta Services for Students Conference, Athabasca, CA.
- Hammershaimb, L., & MacIsaac, P. L. (2016). Research interlude. AU Graduate Student Conference – Research Without Borders, Edmonton, CA.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2014). Going to school without going away [Poster and paper presentation]. Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation Conference, Prince George, CA. Poster and paper are archived at: http://preview.tinyurl.com/rural-DE-Learners
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2012). What a librarian can bring to your open online course development team [Poster and paper presentation]. EDUCAUSE 2012 Conference, Denver, US. Poster and paper are archived at: http://hdl.handle.net/2149/3218
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2011). Maximizing library presence while minimizing online maintenance. International Conference on Computer Supported Education, Noordwijkerhout, NL.
- MacIsaac, P. L. ( 2010) Boole hoops: An interactive classroom game to learn database search concepts. LOEX of the West Conference (Information Literacy Conference), Calgary, CA.
- Fabbro, E., LePage, A., & MacIsaac, P. L. (2010). Information literacy: Case studies and practices. Canadian Library Association Annual Conference, Edmonton, CA.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2009). 2 Weeks to 2.0: A case study of Athabasca University Library's web 2.0 project. First International Conference on Academic Libraries, New Delhi, IN.
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2009). Planes, trains, and tour buses: Libraries in unexpected places 2009. Canadian Library Association Annual Conference, Montreal, CA.
Awards
- 2019 Best Lightning Talk Award at International Council for Open and Distance Education Conference, Dublin, IE.
- 2016 University of Geneva Summer Institute Scholarship recipient, Geneva, CH. ($2,350)
- 2015 Queen Elizabeth II academic scholarship recipient. Athabasca, AB. ($7,500).
- 1992 Graduated on Dean's list, Bachelor of Arts (Interdisciplinary Studies), Carleton University, ON.
Refereed Publications
- MacIsaac, P. L., Martin, S. B., Kubwayo, W., Wah, C., & Nanyenga, S. (2020). Stopped Listening: Perceptions of and by resettled refugees in higher education. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 12(Winter), 154-180. https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v12iWinter.2040
- Parfeniuk, S., Petrovic, K., MacIsaac, P., Cook, K. A., & Rempel, G. R. (2020). Transition readiness measures for emerging adults with chronic disease: A systematic review. Journal of Transition Medicine, 2(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1515/jtm-2020- 0020
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2017). Diaspora higher education: What's next for displaced learners? [Edited article] Interpretations Blog -- Journal of Interrupted Studies, Oxford, UK: University of Oxford. Archived at: https://peggy-lynn-macisaac.ca/portfolio/diaspora-higher- education/
- MacIsaac, P. L. (2016). Finding refuge [Newspaper column]. Athabasca Advocate. Archived at: https://peggy-lynn-macisaac.ca/portfolio/finding-refuge-newspaper-articles/
Final Doctoral Oral Examination Announcement
Carla Tilley (EdD Program)
Date: March 22, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (MT)
Supervisor: Dr. Debra Hoven
Title of Thesis: FINDING THE GATEKEEPER: CHASING A DISTANT DREAM. A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON THE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES IN BC USE TO TRANSITION TO CANADIAN PRACTICE SETTINGS
Final oral defences are considered open examinations. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. If you are interested in attending, please contact fgs@athabascau.ca for more details.
Abstract:
The globalization of nurse migration is an international phenomenon and yet there is a lack of research regarding available education and support for internationally educated nurses during their transitions into Canadian practice settings. Internationally educated nurses must be able to demonstrate the entrance-level competencies in nursing in Canada. They must also meet the provincial or territory regulatory bodies guidelines for licensure and this includes a process of credential assessment, competence, and competency assessment. The outcome of this assessment process for most internationally educated nurses will result in the need for some additional education. In BC, the educational resources available to support internationally educated nurses is minimal. Accessing these educational resources is both problematic and pedagogically challenging. Increasing access to education and infrastructure support specific to internationally educated nurses are two ways to aide in the transition process. In this study, using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, internationally educated nurses in BC, Canada, identify formal, informal, and online and distributed learning supports used to support their transition, how these resources are accessed, and what hidden barriers exist that impede ongoing assistance.
Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision (AEGSS)
Nomination Deadline: March 19, 2021
The Academic Excellence Awards Committee, a standing committee of GFC, invites nominations for the Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision (AEGSS).
In accordance with the Academic Excellence Awards Policy, the Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision (AEGSS) is awarded annually to up to two AU Academics in recognition of excellence in advising, monitoring and mentoring graduate students engaged in project, thesis, or dissertation work.
The criteria for the selection of recipients for the Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision (AEGSS) is contained within the AEGSS Procedure. Please read the AEGSS Procedure carefully before preparing and submitting a nomination.
Nominations must be submitted electronically using the AEGSS Nomination Form. The nomination form must be completed in full and duly signed by the nominator(s), seconder(s) and nominee (electronic signatures are accepted).
The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 19, 2021. Send completed nomination form and supporting documentation electronically to Eileen Hendy, Governance Coordinator by the deadline date.
Governor General’s Gold Medal Award Winner
Congratulations to Chrysoula (Chryssa) Lazou
Master of Education in Distance Education (MEd) Student, on receiving the 2020 Governor General’s Gold Medal Award. This award is to recognize the outstanding performance of a graduate student in an academic institution. The award takes into account overall academic excellence through coursework, research, awards and distinctions. Chryssa accepted the award and gave the student address on the Oct. 2nd virtual convocation.
Check out Chryssa’s story on the Hub.
Canadian Graduate Scholarship – Master’s (CGS-M) Winners
The Faculty of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce Athabasca University’s winners of the Canadian Graduate Scholarship (Masters), who have been awarded $17,500.00 over 12 months. Congratulations and good luck in your continued studies.
Cari Borenko Hoffmann
Is a Master of Health Studies (MHS) student in the Faculty of Health Disciplines and has received an award from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) for her research titled “Advance Care Planning and The Law”
Check out Cari's story on the Hub.
Tamra Ross
Is a Master of Science in Information Systems (MScIS) student in the Faculty of Science and Technology and has received an award from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for her research titled “Design, Development and Evaluation of a Lifestyle-integrated Learning Support Tool”
Check out Tamara's story on the Hub.