Graduate Theses

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A CLASSROOM OF ONE’S OWN? THE RE-DOMESTICATION OF FEMALE TEACHERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022) McKinstry, Renee
Feminist philosophy continues to challenge gendered divisions of labour; however, at this particular moment in time, some female teachers appear to be embracing a re-domestication of the professional space. A preoccupation with traditional feminine stereotypes risks creating an exclusionary profession that further perpetuates the dominant culture. I take up a critical feminist approach through the conceptual analysis of autotheory and a fictional case study to explore the historical, philosophical, and sociological influences of this phenomenon. The feminization, professionalization, and intensification of teaching has left some female educators confused about the roles and responsibilities of the ‘good’ and ‘caring’ teacher. The relatively new trend of social media teacher influencers and hyper commercialized, stylized, and feminized classrooms suggests that, when all else fails, ‘good teaching’ can be bought. We might consider this gender performativity and consumer-oriented culture of education as strategies of survival within an intensified system.
A Critical Assessment of Mental Health Discourse among Young Adults on TikTok
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2023-08) Horridge, Ricardo
In the rapidly evolving digital age, TikTok emerges as a significant platform influencing young adults' perceptions and discourses. This research delves deep into the nuances of how mental health is discussed amongst young adults on TikTok. Despite the recognized relationship between social media and mental health, there exists a large research gap regarding the discourse patterns, especially on newer platforms like TikTok. This study begins to fills that void, setting out to explore more than just the existence of a relationship between social media and mental health, but also the intricacies of the discourse – how it is facilitated, stigmatized, and the role of community-building, education and contrastingly negative elements in the conversation. Through detailed thematic and content analysis of 120 TikToks using hashtags #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters, #DepressionAnxiety, and #MentalIllness and 20 random sampled comments, this research uncovers the multifaceted nature of TikTok as a medium: from sharing personal experiences and seeking advice to challenging the prevalent stigmatization surrounding mental health. The findings shed light on TikTok's potential for both positive and negative influences on mental health discourse, highlighted by instances of misinformation, emotional expression, and the delicate balance between support and negativity in the conversation. The study's conclusions offer actionable insights for researchers and other academics looking to further analyze discussions on the platform. Additionally, by pinpointing existing limitations and gaps, this research sets the stage for future investigations in this critical area of study.
A cross-cultural assessment of the feeding environment and maternal-child interactions during breastfeeding in the first 6 months
(2022-06-22) Hillary Fry
Human milk is the sole recommended food for infants for the first 6 months of life. Despite this, little is known about whether breastfeeding practices, such as feeding responsiveness, differ across cultures. Responsive feeding practices are based on the cues and responses of a caregiver and infant and are associated with more intuitive eating patterns later in life. However, economic, cultural, and sociodemographic differences between high- and lowand middle-income countries may result in differing responsiveness of caregivers. However, there is a lack of cross-cultural research on responsiveness, particularly among infants under six months.
A Currere Journey Towards a Humanizing Curriculum: An Autobiographical Consideration of Culture and Disability
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-08) Jones, Leah M.
This thesis looks at how curriculum can take a humanizing approach through the lens of my own experiences and secondary literature. I specifically use Currere to journey along cycles of time exploring and discovering meaning relating to pedagogical approaches and curriculum theorizing. I use Currere to tell my story and detail my observations within the sphere of education. Using periods of time: past, present and future, I analyze how educators can approach curriculum with an eye towards humanization. I point to the need to acknowledge and embrace the diversity of students and the value of their experiences while being cautious to avoid negative sanctions and dehumanization through politically charged agendas. I discuss the hidden curriculum and its elements along with the need to incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion into pedagogical considerations. I use the stages of Currere, namely regressive, progressive, analytic and synthetic to examine the elements of autobiographical curricular theorizing concluding with both pedagogical and personal considerations. The literature review contained herein discusses some of the key themes that arise during the regressive stage, specifically belonging, control, and loss. I discuss how I believe the education system can be incorporative rather than segregating and integrate the needs of diverse students from both a cultural and disability standpoint.
A mixed-methods exploration of peripartum food taboos and food additions in rural Cambodia
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022-08-25) Labonté, Jocelyne
Food taboos are culturally driven food avoidances that go beyond personal taste or preference. These avoidances are particularly prevalent throughout pregnancy and lactation. In Southeast Asia, common peripartum food taboos include seafood, meats, and various vegetables. Such avoidances could negatively impact the health of women and children if foods of similar nutritional value do not replace avoided foods. There is a paucity of information on dietary modifications during pregnancy and lactation in Cambodia.
A Multi-Tiered System of Support for Teacher Professional Development in Social-Emotional Learning in Nova Scotia
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022) Lewis, Sarah
This thesis will propose a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for sustainable and embedded teacher professional development in social-emotional learning in the province of Nova Scotia. Since teachers in Nova Scotia are now responsible for supporting the well-being of their students after the implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy in Nova Scotia in 2020, there exists a gap in available teacher professional development for social-emotional learning. This thesis will provide an overview of MTSS models, including critical components like being data-driven and using evidence-based practices. After explaining the importance of evidencebased practices, it will provide an overview of the literature on effective professional development and social-emotional learning. The proposed model will consider the resources and structures already in place in Nova Scotia, including the specialization of school psychologists.
A Pan-Canadian Analysis of Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum Outcomes In Elementary Grades
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-09) Hall, Julia
Research over the past few decades has demonstrated the efficacy of tier 1 Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs to improve student outcomes including social skills, mental health, and academic outcomes. However, there has been no analysis or evaluation of the current inclusion of SEL-related outcomes in Canadian public school curricula. While SEL has been shown to be effective when implemented with fidelity, the current inclusion of SEL in Canadian curricula may be too scattered and fragmented to lead to consistent implementation or the positive outcomes associated with SEL reported in literature. The purpose of this study was to identify the SEL-related knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours currently represented in Canadian elementary curriculum documents. The analysis was descriptive and deductive and provided insights into the current state of SEL inclusion in Canadian elementary curricula. Qualitative thematic coding was implemented to identify the themes currently addressed in curricula. Results indicated that despite significant variation in each province/territory’s approach to curricula, emphasis was placed on teaching students social skills such as prosocial behaviour, conflict resolution, and social cues. All provinces placed the least amount of emphasis on teaching or enforcing attitudes such as optimism, enthusiasm, openness, and gratitude.
A SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ANXIETY-RELATED INFORMATION ON PINTEREST
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2022-08) Deveau, Stéphanie
The Internet, including social media sites, is increasingly being used as a health resource for various health conditions. One of the social media sites being used as a source of health information is Pinterest, which uses primarily images to disseminate information. Anxiety disorders are the most common category of mental disorders in the general population and are also discussed on Pinterest. The present study examined the type of anxiety-related information on Pinterest, as well as its accuracy. Results of this study demonstrated that a large proportion of anxiety-related pins presented information on interventions for anxiety disorders, with over half of these referencing alternative or complementary treatments. Intervention-related pins were overwhelmingly positive in tone, regardless of whether the intervention cited was evidencebased. It was found that the sources of information for anxiety-related pins were most often blogs as opposed to more trusted sources of information. Infographics were the most used embedded visual communication tool in anxiety-related pins. The findings of the current study as well as implications for consumers and practitioners are discussed.
A Thematic Content Analysis of Children’s Picture Books that Portray Fairness
(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2024-04) Zhang, Shuo
Considering the essential role fairness plays in the early years and the powerful impacts of picture books on young children, it is necessary the understand how fairness is portrayed in children’s picture books, and how this small sample of picture books might inform children’s understanding of fairness and how it relates to children’s moral compass in relation to their rights and agency. The thematic content analysis is adopted as the research method. This study is based on three children’s picture books that were published over 50-year periods. This research examined the depiction of fairness in those books, addressing questions about how fairness is portrayed, the embedded messages in the depiction of fairness, and whose perspective is represented. This research explored perspectives including Kohlberg’s moral development theory and Gilligan’s ethic of care. Although Kohlberg’s theory explains some aspects of children’s moral reasoning, it undermines children’s agency and puts them in a morally deficient position. This research advocates for the care perspective and children’s agency in their morality development. Recommendations, limitations, and suggestions are included.
Aboriginal children's perceptions of their urban living environments
(2010-04-28T18:15:17Z) Farris, Jillian; Fitzgerald, Michael
Contemporary research in the field of child and youth study continues to examine the experiences of children living within urban environments. This research has tended to examine challenges to child development present within city living, such as freedom of movement and mobility, use of built space, and safety concerns related to strangers. A recent trend within this research has been the increased inclusion of children's voices and perspectives in discussions related to the planning of urban environments, and of municipal programs and services for children and their families. Lacking within recent study, however, has been the inclusion of the perceptions of urban Aboriginal children related to their lived experiences within Canadian urban centres. Given the historical context in which this population exists, as well as the contemporary context including, a relatively young, growing population, increased urbanization and high birth rates, it is apparent that a consideration of the place and space available to Aboriginal children within cities is of growing concern and significance. The present research, utilizing qualitative inquiry, elicited the views and perspectives of Aboriginal children currently residing within the Halifax Regional Municipality, for the purpose of exploring, discovering, and understanding their perceptions of their outdoor living environments. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven children of various First Nation affiliations, between the ages of 8-12 years. Children were given personal, single-use cameras to document their neighbourhoods and outdoor experiences over the course of one week. Photographs were used during individual interviews as a resource for children to describe their thoughts, feelings, meanings and understandings related to their daily living experiences. Interviews were audio-taped and collected data were transcribed and analyzed using systematic, cross-comparative methods that resulted in the identification of four major organizing categories: Neighbourhood Characteristics; Neighbourhood Activities; Neighbourhood Safety; and Neighbourhood Mobility. Recommendations are presented for future research, parents and families, child and youth care providers, governments, and community planners and developers.

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