Grounded Theory and Systems Modelling

Dr Mike Yearworth, Reader In Engineering Systems,  Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, will be presenting the next in our seminar series on:

Wednesday 12th December 2012                                         17:00 – 18:15                                                                               Room 4.10, Graduate School of Education

This seminar aims to explore the relationship between systems modelling for intervention and qualitative data analysis. Specifically I will draw on recent work linking grounded theory with Causal Loop Diagrams and System Dynamics Modelling by describing the approach, the role of Computer Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software, and relevant underpinning theory in multimethodology. I will also draw on a question generated in the review of a recent paper – does a Problem Structuring Method – which defines the form of the output of the intervention (causal maps in this case) – have methodological hegemony over grounded theory? The approach has been used a number of times in an organisational change context and the results seem to suggest two contributions; i) a more rigorous approach to systems modelling grounded in data, and ii) enhancing the capabilities of qualitative data analysis to express dynamic hypotheses.

PARENT YARNS – LEARNING TOGETHER

TESS McPeake The Smith Family

Thursday 20th December 2012 @ 16:30 - 18:00 in Room 4.10                          Graduate School of Education, Berkley Sq. Bristol.  BS8 1JA

Tess McPeake, from Australia’s largest education-oriented charity The Smith Family, will present research on an initiative designed to improve the learning of disadvantaged children from North Territory schools where over 40% of the students were Indigenous.    A series of parent/school engagement activities were conducted aimed to skill parents to confidently communicate with each other and collaborate with school staff to resolve student issues.  Known as Parent Yarns—Learning Together, these sessions were facilitated by ViTaL partners, Julianne Willis and Marilynn Willis, who introduced the concept of ‘effective lifelong learning’ in considering how parents can best support their children to succeed at school