Dr Fiona Munro - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Dr Fiona Munro
Arts & Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice, Jun 20, 2013
"Background: While efforts to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge and behaviours in the prevent... more "Background: While efforts to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge and behaviours in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been considerable, little is known about how staff visualize pathogens and their relationship to HAIs. This study, therefore, sought to explore how healthcare workers envisage pathogens in the context of HAIs.
Method: Ten hospital-based healthcare workers and two patient representatives participated in a workshop combining risk identification, making activities and in-depth interviews. This methodology was informed by Sullivan’s Dimensions of Visualization framework. A descriptive cross-case analysis approach was used to summarize and synthesize the data.
Results: Few of the participants reported actively visualizing pathogens in their mind’s eye; however, the study elicited mental images of pathogens from all participants and all were able to create related models during the making activity. Conceptions appeared to be influenced primarily by microbiology and infection control campaigns.
Conclusion: Our adaptation of Sullivan’s Dimensions of Visualization framework proved useful in structuring this initial enquiry and merits wider application and evaluation by qualitative health researchers."
Advances in Physical Education, Nov 2012
Background: Despite recent UK Governmental policy changes concerning the amount of outdoor, physi... more Background: Despite recent UK Governmental policy changes concerning the amount of outdoor, physical activity children are currently engaged in (LTS, 2010), there is a gap in the academic literature concerning children’s personal preferences for structured play and learning through physical activity in outdoor environments.
Aim and Objectives: This research explores the context of residential outdoor learning; with a particular focus on the contribution this experience may have on children’s preferences for learning and play through healthy physical activity in the outdoors.
Methods: Ecoanalysis and Personal Construct Psychology experiments (Catherine Ward-Thompson, 1995) were conducted with twenty children (aged eleven to twelve years), participating in a five-day residential stay at an outdoor learning center in order to ascertain their play preferences before and after their stay.
Findings: Analysis of the data indicated that children had a preference for outdoor, physical play activity. However, their usual play typically involved only indoor, sedentary activity (e.g. games consoles and television) whilst at home. Evidence suggests that the desired play of children is being ignored in favor of the ‘plugged in environments’ (Louv, 2005) found in the modern family home.
Conclusion: This research highlights the importance of implementing outdoor learning policies and practice into the current UK curriculum on a more regular basis for the benefit of young children's health and physical wellbeing. This article concludes with future recommendations for the implementation of new strategies for outdoor learning providers that would support and extend children’s physical activity in the outdoors without destroying their enjoyment, exploration or play.
The fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) allowed Fiona to visit scho... more The fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) allowed Fiona to visit schools and Outdoor Education Centres in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, observing their activities and methods so that upon her return these could be applied to the field of Outdoor Education in the UK.
This opportunity will enable Fiona to act as a conduit between Australia and the UK, allowing me to provide Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) with a collection of evaluated designs and recommendations for outdoor activities, to the benefit of Scottish children (age 7-12 yrs).
The findings during this fellowship, whilst detailed in this report, will also be referred to in Fiona's thesis, publications and exhibitions in the areas of academic and professional design. This will allow this knowledge to become available at an international level, whilst putting further emphasis on the UK involvement in the move to utilize outdoor education as a tool for developing future sustainable societies. This in turn will allow the knowledge of Australian Outdoor Education providers to be filtered throughout outdoor education organisations for the benefit of young Scottish children.
This paper describes an outdoor game played by children aged 6 - 12 years in urban areas of Scotl... more This paper describes an outdoor game played by children aged 6 - 12 years in urban areas of Scotland in the 1950s. It also describes some of the unfortunate conditions experienced by modern children in childhood despite the major technical and societal advantages in the last 60 years. The paper goes on to suggest some benefits of resurrecting the original game and it describes a possible re-fashioning of the game with a modern aspect. It concludes with some reservations and invitations to take the matter further.
Key words: Children, games, play, learning, outdoors.
Abstract: This paper describes a small experiment conducted in collaboration with Scottish Outdoo... more Abstract: This paper describes a small experiment conducted in collaboration with Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) at one of their Centres to clarify the predisposition of children using the Centre for Outdoor or Indoor play environments. The experiment involved two different schools, A and B, using the Centre at the same time (June 2009). A total of 54 children, aged 11-12 years, were surveyed at the beginning and end of a 5 day residential course. The method of Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) was used to establish the children’s choice of Outdoor or Indoor environments. The method is described and the data analysed for individual schools and also aggregated. The following preliminary conclusions are drawn. Children already have a predisposition for outdoor play and this is enhanced slightly over a 5 day residential course. However, it would seem that the effect does not persist on return to their normal school environment. The paper concludes with a brief discussion for extending this work.
Key words: Play, Learning, Sustainability, Design, Nature, Outdoor Activities.
There is little doubt that the objects and daily patterns of children’s play are changing, often ... more There is little doubt that the objects and daily patterns of children’s play are changing, often to the detriment of outdoor activities. This occurs at a time when we need more understanding and appreciation of the natural world in order to live sustainably. It is now widely acknowledged that outdoor education contributes significantly to children’s physical and mental health as well as enabling them to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society whilst also enhancing environmental awareness (Scottish Executive, 2004).
This research project is at the interface of children’s play, learning, nature and sustainability. It is one of a portfolio of design research projects (MPhil and PhD) being conducted by The Centre for the Study of Natural Design at the University of Dundee and Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC). This paper describes ‘a day in a life’ of children at one site operated by SOEC with a view to understanding the relationships and patterns of child’s play. Based on early findings, the authors reflect on what needs to be done next before moving towards designing and developing a range of outdoor learning activities. The paper concludes with a discussion on the choice of research methods which might prove useful in exploring these active situations in a more holistic manner.
Keywords: play, sustainability, activities, children, outdoor education, design
Arts & Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice, Jun 20, 2013
"Background: While efforts to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge and behaviours in the prevent... more "Background: While efforts to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge and behaviours in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have been considerable, little is known about how staff visualize pathogens and their relationship to HAIs. This study, therefore, sought to explore how healthcare workers envisage pathogens in the context of HAIs.
Method: Ten hospital-based healthcare workers and two patient representatives participated in a workshop combining risk identification, making activities and in-depth interviews. This methodology was informed by Sullivan’s Dimensions of Visualization framework. A descriptive cross-case analysis approach was used to summarize and synthesize the data.
Results: Few of the participants reported actively visualizing pathogens in their mind’s eye; however, the study elicited mental images of pathogens from all participants and all were able to create related models during the making activity. Conceptions appeared to be influenced primarily by microbiology and infection control campaigns.
Conclusion: Our adaptation of Sullivan’s Dimensions of Visualization framework proved useful in structuring this initial enquiry and merits wider application and evaluation by qualitative health researchers."
Advances in Physical Education, Nov 2012
Background: Despite recent UK Governmental policy changes concerning the amount of outdoor, physi... more Background: Despite recent UK Governmental policy changes concerning the amount of outdoor, physical activity children are currently engaged in (LTS, 2010), there is a gap in the academic literature concerning children’s personal preferences for structured play and learning through physical activity in outdoor environments.
Aim and Objectives: This research explores the context of residential outdoor learning; with a particular focus on the contribution this experience may have on children’s preferences for learning and play through healthy physical activity in the outdoors.
Methods: Ecoanalysis and Personal Construct Psychology experiments (Catherine Ward-Thompson, 1995) were conducted with twenty children (aged eleven to twelve years), participating in a five-day residential stay at an outdoor learning center in order to ascertain their play preferences before and after their stay.
Findings: Analysis of the data indicated that children had a preference for outdoor, physical play activity. However, their usual play typically involved only indoor, sedentary activity (e.g. games consoles and television) whilst at home. Evidence suggests that the desired play of children is being ignored in favor of the ‘plugged in environments’ (Louv, 2005) found in the modern family home.
Conclusion: This research highlights the importance of implementing outdoor learning policies and practice into the current UK curriculum on a more regular basis for the benefit of young children's health and physical wellbeing. This article concludes with future recommendations for the implementation of new strategies for outdoor learning providers that would support and extend children’s physical activity in the outdoors without destroying their enjoyment, exploration or play.
The fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) allowed Fiona to visit scho... more The fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) allowed Fiona to visit schools and Outdoor Education Centres in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, observing their activities and methods so that upon her return these could be applied to the field of Outdoor Education in the UK.
This opportunity will enable Fiona to act as a conduit between Australia and the UK, allowing me to provide Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) with a collection of evaluated designs and recommendations for outdoor activities, to the benefit of Scottish children (age 7-12 yrs).
The findings during this fellowship, whilst detailed in this report, will also be referred to in Fiona's thesis, publications and exhibitions in the areas of academic and professional design. This will allow this knowledge to become available at an international level, whilst putting further emphasis on the UK involvement in the move to utilize outdoor education as a tool for developing future sustainable societies. This in turn will allow the knowledge of Australian Outdoor Education providers to be filtered throughout outdoor education organisations for the benefit of young Scottish children.
This paper describes an outdoor game played by children aged 6 - 12 years in urban areas of Scotl... more This paper describes an outdoor game played by children aged 6 - 12 years in urban areas of Scotland in the 1950s. It also describes some of the unfortunate conditions experienced by modern children in childhood despite the major technical and societal advantages in the last 60 years. The paper goes on to suggest some benefits of resurrecting the original game and it describes a possible re-fashioning of the game with a modern aspect. It concludes with some reservations and invitations to take the matter further.
Key words: Children, games, play, learning, outdoors.
Abstract: This paper describes a small experiment conducted in collaboration with Scottish Outdoo... more Abstract: This paper describes a small experiment conducted in collaboration with Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC) at one of their Centres to clarify the predisposition of children using the Centre for Outdoor or Indoor play environments. The experiment involved two different schools, A and B, using the Centre at the same time (June 2009). A total of 54 children, aged 11-12 years, were surveyed at the beginning and end of a 5 day residential course. The method of Discrete Choice Experiments (DCE) was used to establish the children’s choice of Outdoor or Indoor environments. The method is described and the data analysed for individual schools and also aggregated. The following preliminary conclusions are drawn. Children already have a predisposition for outdoor play and this is enhanced slightly over a 5 day residential course. However, it would seem that the effect does not persist on return to their normal school environment. The paper concludes with a brief discussion for extending this work.
Key words: Play, Learning, Sustainability, Design, Nature, Outdoor Activities.
There is little doubt that the objects and daily patterns of children’s play are changing, often ... more There is little doubt that the objects and daily patterns of children’s play are changing, often to the detriment of outdoor activities. This occurs at a time when we need more understanding and appreciation of the natural world in order to live sustainably. It is now widely acknowledged that outdoor education contributes significantly to children’s physical and mental health as well as enabling them to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society whilst also enhancing environmental awareness (Scottish Executive, 2004).
This research project is at the interface of children’s play, learning, nature and sustainability. It is one of a portfolio of design research projects (MPhil and PhD) being conducted by The Centre for the Study of Natural Design at the University of Dundee and Scottish Outdoor Education Centres (SOEC). This paper describes ‘a day in a life’ of children at one site operated by SOEC with a view to understanding the relationships and patterns of child’s play. Based on early findings, the authors reflect on what needs to be done next before moving towards designing and developing a range of outdoor learning activities. The paper concludes with a discussion on the choice of research methods which might prove useful in exploring these active situations in a more holistic manner.
Keywords: play, sustainability, activities, children, outdoor education, design