Study hereGive

Library

OPUS: Open Ulethbridge Scholarship

Open ULeth Scholarship (OPUS) is the University of Lethbridge's open access research repository. It contains a collection of materials related to research and teaching produced by the academic community.

Self-archiving your research in OPUS is one way to meet Open Access policies of granting agencies. It is important to retain your final, post-peer-reviewed drafts for submission to OPUS, as this is often the only version publishers will allow to be archived. Click here for information on the U of L Open Access Policy.

Check here for more information about OPUS.

Deposit your Research

Communities in OPUS

Select a community to browse its collections.

Recent Submissions

  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type:Item,
    From spreadsheets to scalability: databases as a next step for non-profits
    (Canadian Evaluation Society, 2024) Shapiro, Sidney; Oystrick, Vivian; Liu, Alison; Vadlamudi, Naveen K.
    This article discusses the evolution of data management strategies for non-profit organizations, transitioning from spreadsheets to more scalable database systems. As non-profits grow and their data becomes more complex, the need for robust database solutions becomes apparent. The article examines the types of databases suitable for program evaluation, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each. It also explores the challenges non-profits face in implementing these systems, such as infrastructure limitations, lack of full-time IT support, and the need for staff training. Through case studies, successful database implementations are analyzed to derive best practices. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored database solutions, ongoing staff training, and collaborations with IT experts for non-profits to maximize the benefits of database systems in their program evaluations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type:Item,
    Three steps toward sustainability: spreadsheets as a data-analysis system for non-profit organizations
    (Canadian Evaluation Society, 2018) Shapiro, Sidney; Oystrick, Vivian
    Many non-profits face barriers developing systems to collect and analyze data that can leverage the type of information that their funders and stakeholders require. Constraints such as limited evaluation expertise, time, and money make this virtually impossible to achieve without a viable solution. In an increasingly competitive environment, it is imperative that non-profits find innovative ways to track and measure their work within their evaluative capabilities. There are different ways in which evaluators can help even the most constrained non-profit organizations capture their reach and make the most of their existing data. This article proposes a three-step framework for the development of a data-collection and -analysis system through the use of spreadsheets. Not only is this proposed system feasible within the constraints of the non-profit sector, but it is also valuable for the sustainability of their services over time.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type:Item,
    Artificial intelligence in program evaluation: insights and applications
    (Canadian Evaluation Society, 2024) Shapiro, Sidney; Lam, Vinh
    The practice note outlines six approaches to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into program evaluation, enhancing traditional methods with data-driven insights and improved efficiency. These approaches aim to address the growing need for evaluators to analyze complex datasets accurately while reducing manual effort. They include identifying patterns in data to uncover trends and outliers, using predictive models for forecasting outcomes, pinpointing areas for improvement by analyzing performance, simplifying data interpretation through visualizations, automating data analysis for efficiency, and leveraging dashboards for real-time monitoring and decision-making. The note highlights that while it does not offer guidance for evaluators with limited technical expertise, it provides a framework for integrating AI into evaluation practices. Successful implementation requires understanding stakeholder needs, fostering client engagement, ensuring tool usability, and maintaining effective communication. While AI can enhance evaluation quality and innovation, ethical considerations and biases in AI algorithms must be carefully addressed. These AI-powered techniques can enable more robust, evidence-based decision-making, supporting positive social impact.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type:Item,
    Suffering pains: meanings of pain and suffering for people with chronic pain
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2026) Lewis, Emily L.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Luft, Toupey M.
    Chronic pain is a common problem, yet pain and pain-related suffering are vaguely defined and often conflated with one another. This can be confusing and difficult for people with chronic pain who seek treatment from health care providers. Chronic pain is often treated through the medical system which tends to favour biomedical explanations of pain and neglect or under-treat suffering. This study used hermeneutic phenomenology to explore the meaning of pain and suffering in the context of chronic pain. Eight people who experience chronic pain engaged in qualitative interviews investigating their experiences with and perspectives on pain and suffering. This study found a close relationship between the meaning of pain and suffering linguistically, conceptually, and experientially. This close understanding was interpreted through historical understandings of pain and suffering, especially mind-body dualism whereby pain is more commonly associated with the body, and suffering more commonly associated with the mind. Another finding was that the way people think about pain can lead to suffering. The types of thoughts, as well as the relationship people have to those thoughts, can have an impact on the degree of suffering experienced in response to their pain. Suffering related to pain may be eased in part by formal supports such as counselling and psychotherapy. One key implication is that professionals such as counsellors and psychologists can teach skills and provide relational support that can help a person in pain to work with their thoughts and emotions and potentially reduce or eliminate their suffering.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item type:Item,
    Exploring rituals and memorial practices surrounding the death of a companion animal
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2026) Davis, Bronwyn C. P.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education; Luft, Toupey M.
    Research has increasingly recognized the significance of human-companion animal bonds; however, less is understood about how bereaved companion animal (CA) owners experience their grief and the role of memorialization and ritual. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this research explored how four adult women who had experienced the death of their dog or cat made sense of their lived experience. The analysis highlighted three superordinate themes central to the participants' experiences: (1) Holding the Past in the Present, (2) Grief in Social Contexts, and (3) The Ebb and Flow of Grief. Findings illustrate how participants sustain ongoing bonds with their deceased CAs expressed through rituals and acts of memorialization. The study highlights the complex nature of grief after losing a CA, emphasizing the meaningful bonds and unique experiences involved. Participant experiences highlight that social norms surrounding CA grief shape disclosure of grief outside immediate family systems. The current study contributes to, and advocates for, a nuanced understanding of CA grief respecting enduring connections woven into and informed by personal and social meaning.