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The social climate in the classroom can impact students' mental well-being, behaviour and peer-learning opportunities. This article describes one way that elementary teachers can understand students' social networks using a sociogram. Findings show variation in classroom cohesion and reveal groups of students who are at higher risk of social exclusion. Discussion of implications includes possible reasons for students' social exclusion and ways teachers might use information to improve the social climate in the classroom. This article focuses on the role of initial teacher education programmes in building teacher skills to develop a robust and positive social climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Aotearoa-New Zealand and perhaps in other countries, firefighters are increasingly required to attend highly demanding and stressful nonfire incidents. This study used a qualitative descriptive research design to examine the gaps in preparation experienced by firefighters in Aotearoa-New Zealand when responding to nonfire incidents, particularly medical calls. Forty-four firefighters and 12 selected informants were interviewed. Ten Māori firefighters took part in a face-to-face focus group. Results indicate that firefighters equated preparation with training for their role. Training was considered by some to be limited to a specific range of first aid skills and it was felt a higher level of medical training would be beneficial. A need for more training in relation to working cross-culturally was also identified, particularly in relation to Māori and the application of cultural processes and protocols when death occurs. Training to improve firefighters' abilities to console and communicate with families at incidents was also noted. Besides training, participants identified the need to prepare for unfavourable outcomes, this included reframing what 'success' looks like, enhancing psychological wellbeing and encouraging help-seeking behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ensuring men who have sex with men (MSM) adopt and maintain condom use for anal sex is a challenging health education goal. In order to inform the development of social marketing practices to encourage safe-sex practices, the views of MSM about a key HIV health education message ("using a condom every time for anal sex") were sought. Design: Individual and paired interviews were conducted face-to-face and online, with a total of 22 MSM who identified as low users of condoms. Transcripts of interviews were analysed thematically. Setting: Online and various locations in Auckland, New Zealand. Results: Two main themes were identified in relation to the men's views of the condom every time message: (a) awareness and appropriateness of the message; and (b) resistance to the message. The men interviewed reported a contradictory view with respect to the condom every time message. While it is viewed as an appropriate message for MSM as a group, for some individual men, particularly those in relationships, the message has little resonance. One solution offered was for the sexual practices of such men to be recognized and for appropriate and more relevant health education messages to be developed. Conclusion: Addressing the gulf between professional and (some) lay understandings of what is appropriate for messages that seek to encourage men to adopt and to maintain condom use, and therefore reduce the chances of HIV infection, remains a significant challenge for health promotion agencies.

This article provides results from a three semester case study of the pedagogical efficacy of an innovative quality management field exercise. A series of direct and indirect measures were used to assess the extent to which the field exercise met a set of learning objectives. The results indicate that the assessment framework is useful in identifying areas of improvement for course delivery. Finally, the results have been used to devise modifications to the course.

Increasingly, staff members in community and public health programs and projects are required to undertake evaluation activities. There is, however, limited capacity for, and understanding of, evaluation within this workforce. Building the capability of individual workers and thereby contributing to the overall capacity among the community and public health workforce has been advocated as one solution. In this article, the "Easy Evaluation" initiative, which seeks to increase the evaluation capability of individual workers and the capacity of the community and public health workforce in New Zealand, is discussed. The theoretical foundations of the evaluation approach (theory-driven evaluation) taught and of the teaching philosophy (adult learning and experiential learning) used are described, along with course content, teaching activities, and participant activities. Although our observations and experiences are that the workshop model is successful in increasing knowledge and skills of participants (building capability), additional support is required for organizations to build evaluation capacity. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 6 notes.)

Aims and Objectives: The study aimed to explore the perspectives of adult children about late‐life living and care arrangements for their ageing immigrant parents living in New Zealand. Background: Older immigrants' well‐being is closely associated with filial relations and is often reliant on families as a main source of social, financial and emotional support. Research among migrant Asian adults has reported mixed findings regarding intergenerational perspectives of filial practices. Design: Qualitative design using focused ethnographic lens. Methods: Semi‐structured individual interviews were undertaken with 45 adult children of older immigrants living in New Zealand to explore their views about filial piety. The CoREQ checklist was used in reporting methods and findings. Results: Two major themes were identified in this study of adult children's view of filial piety and late‐life care for their ageing parents. The first theme, 'holding on—reconfiguring values', referred to a process described by the participants as upholding the core values and cultural familial expectations, looking after their ageing parents, yet modifying the ways in which they provide care. The second major theme 'letting go—reconfigured expectations', described participants' views of aged care for themselves, which meant they no longer held traditional values that needed to be enacted by their children. Conclusions: Adult children from immigrant families were positioned as intermediaries of these shifting values of their own and within younger generations. The adult children's shift of thinking and acceptance of reconfigured expression of filial duties impact care and living arrangements of older people from immigrant and culturally diverse backgrounds, which also influences health and well‐being in later life. Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare professionals including nurses working in the ageing and aged care sector need to accommodate the changing generational perspectives about filial piety to cater to the unique late‐life care requirements and health needs of older people and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]