I'm doing a talk on Monday to my School on qualitative research, and my big theme is that qualitative research far too much qualitative research is saying far too little. Ideas, theory and philosophy are being squeezed out by an unhealthy concern for research methods. This point is made far more elegantly here which, if I'd had it when I was writing my talk, would have saved me a lot of time. http://chronicle.com/article/Neuroscience-Is-Ruining-the/150141/ … [Read more...] about The shrinking world of ideas
Re-blogging 'Critical digital pedagogy: a definition'
Apologies for appropriating this blogpost from the brilliant Jesse Stommel and the Hybrid Pedagogy site in its entirety, but it says so many things about the critical project that is required in our physiotherapy teaching and learning that I wanted to promote it. It says some things about our embryonic Critical Physiotherapy Network project that are also worth reflecting on as well. You can link to the original source here. “Pedagogy is not ideologically neutral.” This line has been for me almost a mantra over the last several years. I’ve said variations of it on , on the page of , on the site for the Hybrid Pedagogy Inc. non-profit, and in our recent CFP focused on Critical Digital … [Read more...] about Re-blogging 'Critical digital pedagogy: a definition'
Critical physiotherapy curios – updates, ideas and new postings
Research We have to start with this. WCPT has published a list of the 15 most influential trials in physical therapy. I loved the fact that they used a qualitative process to ascertain which blinded, controlled and randomised clinical trial they found most influential. No hint of irony there then! Fatemeh Rabiee, Anne Robbins and Maryam Khan's article in Health Education Journal Gym for Free: The short-term impact of an innovative public health policy on the health and wellbeing of residents in a deprived constituency in Birmingham, UK is well worth a look if you're interested in how community-based health interventions might work for people in marginalised communities. A paper … [Read more...] about Critical physiotherapy curios – updates, ideas and new postings
Metaphors in medicine
The Twitter post on Wednesday from Mike Stewart (@knowpainmike) followed on from our Tweet chat on philosophy and physiotherapy on Monday night, and quite a lot of work from people like Jack Chew (http://chewshealth.co.uk) to explore the role of metaphors in health care. It reminded me of a meeting I had some years ago with Alan Bleakley, Professor of Medical Education and Medical Humanities at the Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine in England (click here to read his profile on the International Health & Humanities Network website). We met in Reykjavik at my first In Sickness and In Health Conference and his presentation blew me away. Alan was talking about the power … [Read more...] about Metaphors in medicine
Idea 15: Explain how philosophy links to physiotherapy (4 mins)
Every day during September we will post up an idea for you to vote on. The most popular ideas will become the things that the inaugural Organizing Committee of the Critical Physiotherapy Network focuses on in 2015. So please make sure you cast your vote at the bottom of each post. Alain de Botton certainly has his critics. His books sell in the millions and offer the kinds of homespun wisdom usually frowned upon by serious academics. I love his work though and have found books like Status Anxiety, How Proust Can Change Your Life and The Consolations of Philosophy to offer all the insight of a really good teacher - making things clear without ever decending becoming patronizing - … [Read more...] about Idea 15: Explain how philosophy links to physiotherapy (4 mins)
Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom
There has been a lot of interest in the problems of anxiety in the media recently. About a month ago, Scott Stossel - editor of the high profile Atlantic Magazine - appeared on the Kim Hill Saturday morning radio show here in New Zealand having written a very moving account of his lifelong battle with crippling anxiety. Scott is a very successful editor and well known personality, so it came as a shock to many people that he had suffered so long (and seemingly managed) with this condition. (You can hear the full interview with Kim Hill here). More recently, Australian writer, singer and broadcaster Sian Prior spoke candidly about her own battle with anxiety. A few days ago, the … [Read more...] about Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom