Reflecting on Health Development Session 12 : Experiencing Conceptualisation

1
Reflecting on Health DevelopmentSession 12
Experiencing Conceptualisation

• Last session Salutogenic Integrative
  concepts of health
• (please ensure you have completed the worksheet
  and the reading on Antonovsky Seedhouse)

2
Session Learning outcomes

• By the end of the session you should be able to
• Reflect on how you have dealt with the demands of
  conceptualising, academic language and jargon so
  far in the course
• Have an action plan for dealing with this
  effectively in the future
• Identify concepts and terms you are unsure of and
  clarified your understanding of these

3
Exercise (a)

• On your own (or in small groups) reflect on some
  of your learning so far in the course.
• Identify and list as many terms, concepts,
  theories etc. that you have come across.
• At this stage, dont pay too much attention to
  your understanding of these things.

4
Session Resource access

• Access the handout
• Reflecting on Facts and Theories
• Go to HOMER www.hcc.uce.ac.uk/students then click
  on Online Module Finder
• Then enter hd_resources.
• Find the handout in the conceptualisation folder.

5
Session Tasks

• Use the handout to categorise some of the terms,
  concepts etc. you have identified.
• In the right hand column, record some
  observations or self-evaluations
• how well have you understood the idea, concept,
  model etc
• in what way did it help your learning and
  thinking
• did it help to make sense of health development
  work
• does it feel like it confuses things
  unnecessarily

6
Exercise (b)

• In small groups
• share some examples of terms, concepts, theories
  etc you are not sure about or dont understand
• (Listing these is like constructing a glossary)
• Identify actions that help you improve
  understanding
• Now share any outstanding problematic terms with
  the whole group
• ( See also White,K (2006) The Sage Dictionary of
  Health Society Sage.)

7
Session Processing

• Your examples of problematic terms ?
• NB
• Various health development terms and concepts are
  used inconsistently or inaccurately
• There is not universal agreement about the
  meaning of terms
• Some people want to tie down meaning by creating
  a definition.
• From a social constructionist perspective,
  definitions are only a partial / temporary /
  crude attempt to encapsulate meaning.

8
If its definitions you want how about
9
Session Processing

• Terms like concept, fact, model theory are
  also subject to inconsistent use and lack of
  agreement about meaning.
• One way of separating out the differences between
  these terms is by reference to a dichotomy
• Concrete -------------------- Abstract

10

• Facts
•  Ideas
•  Concepts
•  Definitions
•  Approaches
•  Taxonomies, Typologies and Maps
• Metaphor
•  Models
• Theory
•  Beliefs and Values
•  Paradigms

Concrete -------------- Abstract
11
Two main Paradigms

• Positivist

• Social Constructionist

• single reality
• universal truths
• cause - effect
• subject-object dualism
• value-free inquiry
• hypothesis testing
• context-free variables

• multiple realities
• local and specific truths
• Complex interplay of multiple C Es
• subject and object interrelated
• creation of inquiry process
• hermeneutic and dialectic
• interaction and synthesis

12
Follow up diary work

• Do a diary entry about your experience of
  conceptualisation on the course.
• Focus on your feelings of dealing with unfamiliar
  terms and ideas.
• Do these feelings change from one concept /
  theory etc. To another?
• How do feel using the new language you are
  currently learning?
• Dont forget to consider using the DEADACRE
  framework to analyse your responses further

13
Follow up reading (i)

• Read the handout Paradigms, Theory, Models and
  Approaches
• Go to www.hcc.uce.ac.uk/students then click on
  Online Module Finder
• Then enter hd_resources.
• Find the handout in the conceptualising folder.

14
Follow up reading (ii)

• Read the McKinlay handout Paradigmatic obstacles
  to improving the health of populations
  -Implications for health policy
• Go to www.hcc.uce.ac.uk/students then click on
  Online Module Finder
• Then enter hd_resources.
• Find the handout in the conceptualising folder.
• Or go to http//www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid
  S0036-36341998000400010scriptsci_arttexttlngen
  

15
? Follow up / Preparatory reading

• Read the handout Delivering the Goods, Showing
  our Stuff The Case for a Constructivist
  Paradigm for Health Promotion Research and
  Practice by Ron Labonte and Ann Robertson.