Browsing by Subject "narrative analysis"
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Disciplined intuition: subjective aspects of judgment and decision making in Child Protective Services(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Daniel, Robert S.This qualitative study was aimed at developing an understanding of how persons involved in the investigation or deliberation of child abuse and neglect cases think and feel about the process of weighing evidence and drawing conclusions from it. Twenty investigators, supervisors, and administrators employed by the Child Protective Services agency in Texas were asked to describe cases they had investigated or reviewed that had been particularly difficult because of conflicting or ambiguous evidence. They were also asked opinion questions about the agency's actuarial risk assessment instrument and the concept of preponderance of evidence. Finally, participants were asked to respond to two short case vignettes describing allegations of sexual abuse. Constant comparative and narrative analysis of interview data revealed that the process of case deliberation in CPS makes use of both intuitive and analytic decision-making styles, and there is a general movement from intuition to analysis as a case ascends the decision-making hierarchy. This movement entails a shift from narrative forms of thought and an outcome-oriented ethic to analytic forms of thought and a rule-based ethic. Though intuitive decision making is at least partly guided from personal experience and personal values, and does produce error because of that, it is nonetheless a form of rationality as capable of being guided by scrupulousness and fidelity to truth as analysis is. The personal value and outcome-oriented ethic that intuition brings to the decision making process not only cannot be eliminated, it is necessary to the program's achievement of its mission. It is recommended that the training of new investigators should, first, acknowledge the large role that intuitive thinking plays in CPS decision making and, second, develop ways to help decision makers discipline intuition, in the words of one participant, and to create conditions that foster its optimal functioning.Item The incorporation of World War II experiences in the life stories of alumni from the Vrije University in Amsterdam: an exploration at the crossroads between narrative, identity, and culture(2009-05-15) Visser, Roemer Maarten SanderFor this study, twelve life stories of alumni from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, who were enrolled during the Nazi Occupation between 1940 and 1945, were collected and analyzed. Besides exploring the extent to which the interviews were co-constructed jointly by the interviewer and interviewees, this study addresses three questions. First, it acknowledges methodological concerns associated with an overabundance of narrative data, and suggests a new method for arriving at a core narrative based on the distribution of time. This core narrative can then be analyzed further. Second, it is suggested that early memories serve as identity claims; because of their congruency with the remainder of the story, they appear to foreshadow what is to come. As a result, it is argued that childhood memories merit special attention in the analysis of narratives. Third, and finally, the constraints on narratives imposed by cultural conventions, or master narratives, are explored. Narrators use a variety of strategies in order to satisfy sometimes competing demands on their narratives. It is argued that culture makes its influence felt in ways that are not always obvious, particularly if the interviewee and interviewer share the same culture.Item We All Can Lead Because We All Can Serve: A Narrative and Visual Analysis of The Big Event at Texas A&M University(2014-12-12) Bogue, Patty AnnStudent Affairs professionals at American colleges and universities actively work to link students with meaningful extracurricular opportunities involving citizenship, leadership, and service ideals. Increasingly, institutions of higher education are providing extracurricular educational opportunities for students to respond and contribute to current community needs and concerns. Because of a decline in national civic engagement with American college students, universities have been called to take action and reverse this trend. Undoubtedly, The Big Event at Texas A&M University has created vast opportunities for Aggie students to understand and appreciate the role of community/university partnerships since its creation in 1982. This dissertation evaluates The Big Event as a service and leadership organization. Through narrative and the use of storytelling, this study uncovers how Texas A&M communicates the perceived importance of service and leadership and then translates this message with a day of service for the Bryan/College Station community. During this project, The Big Event student executives were interviewed regarding their leadership experiences. Research question one asked how the student leaders of The Big Event construct a narrative that emphasizes service and leadership as core values at Texas A&M. Coding and analysis of interview data revealed the emergence of four dominant themes. These themes include personal leadership development, individual leadership philosophy, service-mindedness, and the role of Texas A&M traditions. Research question two asked what is the role of narrative and storytelling in the logistics, preparation, and perpetuation of The Big Event for future improvements and expansion. Coding and analysis revealed the emergence of themes related to these three areas. Regarding logistics, the theme reported was the importance of best recruitment practices. Questions regarding preparation revealed the importance of valuable, skill-based experiences and the need for improved internal relations among student executives, committees, and volunteers. Responses relating to perpetuation included the need for articulating the vision for future expansion and strategic campus planning for national and international growth of The Big Event. In the research, the importance of civic learning was connected to current understandings and research regarding the motivations of students who choose to serve. The findings suggested important theoretical and practical implications. Specifically, narrative theory was employed through qualitative research methods to cultivate understanding and recommendations for future best practices. The application of student development theory ultimately remains a critical component of training students to be engaged citizens who co-create a better tomorrow through unity and collaboration. By investigating The Big Event, a contribution is made to current and future scholarship regarding civic engagement and service-learning in American higher education.