Jacques Chevrier

Conducting Qualitative Metasynthesis Research: Insights from a Metasynthesis Project

The need to synthesize qualitative research in order to inform fields of study has been highlighted as a critical imperative in recent years. Since that time, there have been a number of attempts to identify methodological approaches to achieving such a goal. Despite some notable efforts in this regard, the metasynthesis research approach continues to be somewhat elusive with regard to its steps and procedures. The authors of this article describe their experience conducting a metasynthesis of qualitative research regarding transformation in chronic illness and disability. The particular emphasis of the article will be the practical strategies and procedures that assisted them in conducting the project in a rigorous and meaningful way. The authors emphasize the need for continued dialogue about strategies and procedures in metasynthesis that will aid researchers who are contemplating this complex research approach.

A model of the process of transformation in primary care for people living with chronic illnesses

Objectives: The objective of the research was to construct a conceptual framework that explains the process of personal transformation within a primary care context for people living with chronic illnesses. Methods: A literature search of articles published from 1990 to 2007 in CINAHL, ERIC, Healthstar, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, dissertation abstracts and SocINFO databases, was conducted to identify qualitative research studies investigating personal change in chronic illness or disability. Five hundred and fifty-six articles were identified; the researchers conducted a metasynthesis of a subgroup of these articles whose focus was on transformation in primary care (n = 5). Results: The metasynthesis project presents a model of the conceptualizations of transformation. Transformation in chronic illness is presented as a process of learning about self and the chronic illness in an iterative and continually changing manner. The primary care context has its greatest influence on critical reflection, which occurs in the first phase (initial response). Discussion: This model illustrates the complex processes that occur for someone living with a chronic illness. Health practitioners who understand why and how people transform in living with chronic illnesses will be able to apply this model in determining people’s needs and how to assist people during the transformative process.

Compétence réflexive, carte conceptuelle et webfolio à la formation des maîtres

Dans le cadre de cette recherche, nous avons examine la competence reflexive de futurs maitres de francais langue seconde lors de leur utilisation de deux outils, soit le webfolio et la carte conceptuelle. Notre collecte de donnees a ete effectuee aupres de 18 etudiants de premiere annee de la formation des maitres de francais langue seconde. Ceux-ci ont cree une carte conceptuelle qui representait la structure de leur webfolio. Les cartes conceptuelles ont ete analysees en fonction de leur complexite et de leur structure. La majorite des cartes conceptuelles etaient structurees en toile d’araignee ce qui demontre un niveau de complexite plus eleve que les structures a rayons et a chainons, et par consequent un niveau plus eleve de competence reflexive. L’analyse des commentaires des etudiants sur l’utilisation d’une carte conceptuelle et d’un webfolio demontre une ouverture vers l’utilisation de carte conceptuelle comme outil d’organisation. Les etudiants jugent que la reflexion suscitee par la construction d’une carte conceptuelle et d’un webfolio leur donne l’occasion de reflechir sur eux-memes en tant que futur enseignant, de faire preuve de creativite et d’utiliser leurs competences technique et organisationnelle.

Interactions personnelles et sociales et identité professionnelle

L’objet de cet article est d’examiner la dimension du processus de construction identitaire qui concerne l’identification a autrui. L’analyse des recits de vie d’enseignantes d’experience permet de mettre en evidence des aspects de la structure sociale qui faconnent le devenir des enseignants dans leur appropriation professionnelle, personnelle, singuliere et existentielle de leur identite professionnelle. 1 This study examines the dimension of the identity construction process relating to identification with others. Our analysis of experienced teachers’ life stories reveals aspects of the social structure that shape teachers’ evolution in their personal, professional, particular and existential appropriation of a professional identity.

Depth Perception in Pandora's Box and Size Illusion: Evolution with Age

The aim of the experiment was to study the evolution with age (6, 8, 11 and 14 years) of pictorial depth perception in Pandoras box and to compare it with the evolution of size illusion with the same subjects and the same pictorial backgrounds. In addition to familiar size and relative position, each pictorial stimulus contained one or more of the following depth cues: linear perspective, texture gradient, and interposition. The two kinds of measurements produced different results. Size illusions, although present, did not vary with age but increased with the number of cues. Estimates of distance in Pandoras box increased with age and varied according to the type of cue present: texture gradient seemed to be critical to the amount of depth perceived. The correlation between size adjustments and distance adjustments was significant only for the two oldest groups of subjects (11 and 14 years).