Nadine Awume
DARE Project: Insights into Teacher Challenges in Managing and Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
Program(s) of Study: Social Work
Project Supervisor: Dr. Sarah Maiter
My DARE experience strengthened my qualitative research, critical thinking, and academic communication skills. Through thematic analysis and conducting a comprehensive literature review, I learned how to synthesize evidence, identify patterns in qualitative data, and contribute meaningfully to an ongoing research project. I also gained a deeper understanding of the complexities teachers face when reporting suspected child abuse and neglect, particularly through an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens. Working closely with Dr. Sarah Maiter reinforced the importance of collaboration, critical reflection, and rigorous research practices. Overall, this experience increased my confidence as a researcher and deepened my interest in research that can inform more equitable policies and practices in education and child welfare.
Project Description:
During my Dean's Award for Research Excellence (DARE), I contributed to the research project *Insights into Teacher Challenges in Managing and Reducing Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect* under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Maiter. My work built on an ongoing qualitative study exploring teachers' understandings of racialized and immigrant parents in relation to child welfare concerns. My primary responsibilities included reviewing interview transcripts and conducting thematic analysis to identify new patterns and themes that could enhance the study's findings. I also completed a comprehensive literature review examining the challenges teachers face when reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. This involved analyzing peer-reviewed research, synthesizing key findings, identifying gaps in the literature, and proposing evidence-informed directions for future research. Throughout the project, I maintained regular communication with Dr. Maiter to ensure my work aligned with the research objectives and contributed meaningfully to the ongoing study. As the final component of my DARE experience, I created a scholarly research poster that integrated findings from both the literature review and thematic analysis. This project strengthened my qualitative research, critical analysis, and academic communication skills while contributing to research that aims to improve equitable and informed approaches to child welfare reporting in educational settings.The Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) - Undergraduate enables our students to meaningfully engage in research projects supervised by LA&PS faculty members. Find out more about DARE.