Good Teaching: What Matters to University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hwee Hoon; Kim, Grace May Lin; Chan, Ling Ling

2015-01-01

Institutions assess teaching effectiveness in various ways, such as classroom observation, peer evaluation and self-assessment. In higher education, student feedback continues to be the main teaching evaluation tool. However, most of such forms include characteristics of good teaching that the institutions deem important and may not adequately…

Assessing Distributed Leadership for Learning and Teaching Quality: A Multi-Institutional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carbone, Angela; Evans, Julia; Ross, Bella; Drew, Steve; Phelan, Liam; Lindsay, Katherine; Cottman, Caroline; Stoney, Susan; Ye, Jing

2017-01-01

Distributed leadership has been explored internationally as a leadership model that will promote and advance excellence in learning and teaching in higher education. This paper presents an assessment of how effectively distributed leadership was enabled at five Australian institutions implementing a collaborative teaching quality development…

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banta, Trudy W.; And Others

1986-01-01

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has successfully integrated a program for assessing student outcomes in the ongoing institutional processes of peer review, strategic planning, and internal resource allocation. Students are tested in general education and their major fields and participate in curriculum and instructional evaluations.…

Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment Across the Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maki, Peggy L.

2004-01-01

This book offers colleges and universities a framework and tools to design an effective and collaborative assessment process appropriate for their culture and institution. It encapsulates the approach that Peggy Maki has developed and refined through the hundreds of successful workshops she has presented nationally and internationally. Maki starts…

It Effectiveness and Flexibility versus Strategic Alignment: Assessing the Correlative Effects in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Michael F.

2011-01-01

Fiscal challenges are forcing institutions of higher education to do more with less, while retaining the quality of service that the institution has established. The net result is that these institutions need to prepare themselves to achieve a sustained competitive advantage. In business, the focus has been on strategic alignment of IT to provide…

Threat Assessment and Targeted Violence at Institutions of Higher Education: Implications for Policy and Practice Including Unique Considerations for Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Laura; Bates, Michael

2015-01-01

This article provides an overview of the research on targeted violence, including campus violence, and the implications for policy and practice at institutions of higher education. Unique challenges of threat assessment in the community college setting are explored, and an overview of an effective threat assessment policy and team at William…

78 FR 64228 - National Institutes of Health

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel Assessment of Toxic and Carcinogenic Effects from Exposure to...

Assessing the Impact of Grant Managers on the Success of Grant Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidal, Sheila; Laureano, Raul; Trindade, Margarida

2015-01-01

Grant Managers contribute to the mission of research-intensive institutions by helping them to obtain competitive funding. However, their effectiveness in helping institutions and individuals secure funding is poorly studied. In this study, we provide an assessment of the contribution of Grant Managers in attracting competitive funding for…

The effects of health education on knowledge and attitudes to emergency contraception by female students of a tertiary educational institution in Enugu, South East Nigeria.

PubMed

Arinze-Onyia, S U; Onwasigwe, C N; Uzochukwu, B S C; Nwobi, E A; Ndu, A C; Nwobodo, Ed

2010-11-28

This was an intervention study to assess the effects of health education on the knowledge and attitudes to emergency contraception (EC) by female students of University of Nigeria in southeast Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 337 female students of a tertiary educational institution (150 in the study group and 187 from the control group) who were selected by multistage sampling. Subsequently, health education was conducted only among students in the study institution. Three months after this intervention, its effects were assessed through a survey using the same structured questionnaire employed in the baseline survey. Unlike the pre-intervention results, knowledge of EC was significantly higher among the study group than the controls. Attitudes to EC were also more favourable at the post- intervention survey among the study group. Health education can effectively improve knowledge and attitudes to EC among female students of tertiary institutions and this should be encouraged.

Making Metrics Matter: How to Use Indicators to Govern Effectively

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Clyde; Bacow, Lawrence S.; Trombley, Laura Skandera

2011-01-01

Many institutions develop specific measures or indicators--often called "dashboards"--to inform boards and top administrators about the college or university's current situation and performance and assist them in moving the institution ahead strategically. And, increasingly, institutions are using metrics not only to assess internal…

Metrics-based assessments of research: incentives for 'institutional plagiarism'?

PubMed

Berry, Colin

2013-06-01

The issue of plagiarism--claiming credit for work that is not one's own, rightly, continues to cause concern in the academic community. An analysis is presented that shows the effects that may arise from metrics-based assessments of research, when credit for an author's outputs (chiefly publications) is given to an institution that did not support the research but which subsequently employs the author. The incentives for what is termed here "institutional plagiarism" are demonstrated with reference to the UK Research Assessment Exercise in which submitting units of assessment are shown in some instances to derive around twice the credit for papers produced elsewhere by new recruits, compared to papers produced 'in-house'.

Organizational Effectiveness through Assessing Institutional Outcomes: Measuring the Transfer Function at CCTC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammadi, John; Danek, Kim

This study assesses the academic performance of Capital Community-Technical College (CCTC) students who transferred to senior institutions in Connecticut and neighboring states between the academic years of 1993-94 and 1996-97. It was designed to address the students' experience at CCTC as compared to the students' experiences at their senior…

A Model for Effectively Assessing Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohia, Uche O.

2011-01-01

This paper describes a model proven to be effective for assessing and documenting evidence of student learning outcomes. Specifically, it will share a model, F.A.M.O.U.S. Copyright ©2008, which is an acronym exemplifying six effective steps for complying with institutional accountability and eternal assessment requirements proscribed by the…

Toward enhanced learning of science: An educational scheme for informal science institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Midori

Current educational operation for informal science institutions tend to be based on the staff's experience and intuition rather than on educational theories or research findings. This status study sought research evidence for an educational scheme to give informal science institutions. Evidence for this scheme came from surveys to determine specific circumstances of educational operations and visitor behaviors. The Provus discrepancy model, seeking gaps between the actual and desired states, guided this investigation of how informal science education institution staff view the nature and status of educational operations. Another investigation sought visitors' views of the effectiveness of the main idea for exhibit understanding (n=68 for each group of with the main idea and without the main idea), effective labels (n=68), expectations toward on-site lessons(n=22 and 65 for student groups, and n=2 for teachers), and possibilities for assessments of museum operations. Institutional data were collected via a web portal, with a separate site created for administrators (n=41), exhibit developers (n=21), and program planners (n=35). The survey asked about actual and desired states in terms of goals and roles of staff, contents of exhibits and programs, assessment, and professional development. The four visitor surveys were administered individually at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The institutional survey found that most institutions focus on attitudinal reinforcement rather than visitor learning, do not overtly value research or long-term assessment, and value partnerships with K-12 schools more than other groups. It is also clarified that the staff do not have a clear vision of the nature or function of an operations manuals. Large gaps were found between the actual and desired states in terms of assessment (administrators, exhibit developers, and program planners), professional development (exhibit developers and program planners), and partnerships (program planners), indicating that their current visions and attempts are not consistent and may need improvement. The survey of effective labels did not find a preference for any one particular type of label, and although visitors prefer concise labels, they perceive "being concise" in a variety of ways. Student visitor expectations toward on-site lessons closely matched that of their teachers, which is for science learning beyond the classroom. Assessment of daily operation indicated that a tailored design for long-term assessments could overcome perceived drawbacks of feasibility (for the staff to interpret the results and for the visitors to fill in the survey) and measurement of visitor learning. No statistically significant difference was found between respondents who were provided the main exhibit ideas those who were not. Four notions were generated from these five surveys: (1) Assessment instruments must include evaluation of visitor learning as well as their state of mind of them; (2) Staff professional development sessions must include acquisition of assessment skills and general knowledge in science and science education; (3) K-12 partnerships can be an initial step in bridging between institutions and their visitors; and (4) An operations manual could help direct an informal science institutions to more effective educational operations. The importance of a fair and systematic assessment system would help achieve all these notions.

Seattle Central Questions: Institutional and Educational Effectiveness, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bystrom, Valerie, Ed.; Kempen, Laurie, Ed.

2001-01-01

The aim of this newsletter, published twice a year by the office of Institutional Planning and Research at Seattle Central Community College (Washington), is to help Seattle Central faculty and staff gain access to the institutional data they need, and to help them link and integrate their various planning and assessment activities without…

Assessing the College Mission: An Excellent Starting Point for Institutional Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinley, John W.

A community college's mission statement is a beacon that provides strategic direction for the institution and the conceptual framework for the entire organization. The principal tasks in drafting a new mission statement include matching the current mission to actual institutional functioning, and judging whether the statement is adequate to lead…

Can a Higher Education Institution's Marketing Strategy Improve the Student-Institution Match?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moogan, Yvonne J.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Issues such as managing brand image, assessing advertising medium effectiveness and collecting market intelligence are common practice for higher education institutions (HEIs). Consequently, understanding the information needs of potential students to the HEI when they make their decisions is paramount. The aim of this survey is to…

Assessing the Measures of and Defining Community College Institutional Effectiveness: A President's Perspective Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughlin, Juliet Adair

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study included two main goals. The first was to provide a common definition for community college institutional effectiveness through a review of the literature and from the personal definitions of a panel of community colleges presidents leading notably effective community colleges. The second purpose was to review the…

Improved representation of investment decisions in assessments of CO2 mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyer, Gokul C.; Clarke, Leon E.; Edmonds, James A.; Flannery, Brian P.; Hultman, Nathan E.; McJeon, Haewon C.; Victor, David G.

2015-05-01

Assessments of emissions mitigation patterns have largely ignored the huge variation in real-world factors--in particular, institutions--that affect where, how and at what costs firms deploy capital. We investigate one such factor--how national institutions affect investment risks and thus the cost of financing. We use an integrated assessment model (IAM; ref. ) to represent the variation in investment risks across technologies and regions in the electricity generation sector--a pivotally important sector in most assessments of climate change mitigation--and compute the impact on the magnitude and distribution of mitigation costs. This modified representation of investment risks has two major effects. First, achieving an emissions mitigation goal is more expensive than it would be in a world with uniform investment risks. Second, industrialized countries mitigate more, and developing countries mitigate less. Here, we introduce a new front in the research on how real-world factors influence climate mitigation. We also suggest that institutional reforms aimed at lowering investment risks could be an important element of cost-effective climate mitigation strategies.

Organizational Climate: The Overlooked Dimension of Institutional Effectiveness. AIR 1999 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, J. David; VanWagoner, Randall J.

This paper reports on an ongoing organizational climate assessment used as one of 10 indicators of institutional effectiveness at a midsize suburban community college. Organizational climate is thought to allow more precise specifications than the overall organizational culture and facilitates, a more comprehensive comparison of change in both…

Anchoring Effects in World University Rankings: Exploring Biases in Reputation Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowman, Nicholas A.; Bastedo, Michael N.

2011-01-01

Despite ongoing debates about their uses and validity, university rankings are a popular means to compare institutions within a country and around the world. Anchoring theory suggests that these rankings may influence assessments of institutional reputation, and this effect may be particularly strong when a new rankings system is introduced. We…

Effects of organizational justice on organizational citizenship behaviors: mediating effects of institutional trust and affective commitment.

PubMed

Guh, Wei-Yuan; Lin, Shang-Ping; Fan, Chwei-Jen; Yang, Chin-Fang

2013-06-01

This study investigated the mediating role of institutional trust and affective commitment on the relationship between organizational justice and organizational citizenship behaviors. The study participants were 315 faculty members at 67 public/private universities of technology and vocational colleges in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships between the variables and assess the goodness of fit of the overall model. Organizational justice was positively related to institutional trust and there was an indirect effect of organizational justice on affective commitment through institutional trust. In addition, the relation between institutional trust and affective commitment was positive and affective commitment was shown to have a positive relation to organizational citizenship behaviors. Institutional trust was found to indirectly affect organizational citizenship behaviors through affective commitment. Most importantly, this study suggested a mediating effect of institutional trust and affective commitment on the relation between organizational justice and organizational citizenship behaviors. Implications, limitations, and future research were also discussed.

Assessment of anatomical knowledge: Approaches taken by higher education institutions.

PubMed

Choudhury, Bipasha; Freemont, Anthony

2017-04-01

Assessment serves the primary function of determining a student's competence in a subject. Several different assessment formats are available for assessing anatomical skills, knowledge and understanding and, as assessment can drive learning, a careful selection of assessments can help to engender the correct deep learning facility required of the safe clinical practitioner. The aim of this review was to survey the published literature to see whether higher education institutions are taking an andragogical approach to assessment. Five databases (EMBASE, ERIC, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Knowledge) were searched using standardized search terms with two limits applied (English language, and 2000 to the present). Among the 2,094 papers found, 32 were deemed suitable for this review. Current literature on assessment can be categorized into the following themes: assessment driven learning, types of assessments, frequency of assessments, and use of images in assessments. The consensus is to use a variety of methods, written and practical, to assess anatomical knowledge and skill in different domains. Institutions aim for different levels of Bloom's taxonomy for students at similar stages of their medical degree. Formative assessments are used widely, in differing formats, with mostly good effects on the final examination grade. In conclusion, a wide variety of assessments, each aimed at a different level of Bloom's taxonomy, are used by different institutions. Clin. Anat. 30:290-299, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

FROM UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TO PROFESSIONAL TEACHER. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NDEA INSTITUTES FOR UNDERGRADUATES PREPARING TO BECOME ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY TEACHERS OF MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AXELROD, JOSEPH

A STUDY WAS MADE OF SEVEN NDEA INSTITUTES, GIVEN IN THE SUMMERS OF 1965 AND 1966 FOR UNDERGRADUATES PREPARING TO BE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS, TO DETERMINE IF THESE INSTITUTES ARE AN EFFECTIVE SUPPLEMENT TO COLLEGE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS. INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THE STUDY WERE INSTITUTE DIRECTORS AND THEIR STAFF, VISITORS' OBSERVATIONS, AND…

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Diversity and Inclusion Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Establish accountability for successful diversity efforts through the USAFA Institutional Effectiveness Program ( IEP ) and senior leader oversight to...Plan is aligned with USAFA’s strategic planning process. The USAFA Institutional Effectiveness Program ( IEP ) will assess the effectiveness of the USAFA...Diversity and Inclusion Plan in achieving USAFA’s strategic goals and objectives. The IEP will also help highlight gaps to be addressed in future

Towards a Strength-Based Juvenile Correctional Facility: Sustainability and Effects of an Institutional Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, William H.; Mackin, Juliette R.

2012-01-01

In 2006, the administration of a state-run, secure juvenile correctional facility initiated an attempt to transform its institutional culture using a strength-based approach to assessment and case planning. This resulted in a rapid improvement in institutional climate. The current study revisits this setting several years later to see if those…

The Compass Rose Effectiveness Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spiers, Cynthia E.; Kiel, Dorothy; Hohenrink, Brad

2008-01-01

The effectiveness model focuses the institution on mission achievement through assessment and improvement planning. Eleven mission criteria, measured by key performance indicators, are aligned with the accountability interest of internal and external stakeholders. A Web-based performance assessment application supports the model, documenting the…

On the Validity of Validity Scales: The Importance of Defensive Responding in the Prediction of Institutional Misconduct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edens, John F.; Ruiz, Mark A.

2006-01-01

This study examined the effects of defensive responding on the prediction of institutional misconduct among male inmates (N = 349) who completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (L. C. Morey, 1991). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses demonstrated significant main effects for the Antisocial Features (ANT) scale as well as main effects…

Direct assessment as a measure of institutional effectiveness in a dental hygiene distance education program.

PubMed

Olmsted, Jodi L

2014-10-01

This ten-year, longitudinal examination of a dental hygiene distance education (DE) program considered student performance on standard benchmark assessments as direct measures of institutional effectiveness. The aim of the study was to determine if students face-to-face in a classroom with an instructor performed differently from their counterparts in a DE program, taking courses through the alternative delivery system of synchronous interactive television (ITV). This study used students' grade point averages and National Board Dental Hygiene Examination scores to assess the impact of ITV on student learning, filling a crucial gap in current evidence. The study's research population consisted of 189 students who graduated from one dental hygiene program between 1997 and 2006. One hundred percent of the institution's data files for these students were used: 117 students were face-to-face with the instructor, and seventy-two received instruction through the ITV system. The results showed that, from a year-by-year perspective, no statistically significant performance differences were apparent between the two student groups when t-tests were used for data analysis. The DE system examined was considered effective for delivering education if similar performance outcomes were the evaluation criteria used for assessment.

Transparency & Accountability: An Evaluation of the VSA College Portrait Pilot. A Special Report from the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment for the Voluntary System of Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jankowski, Natasha A.; Ikenberry, Stanley O.; Kinzie, Jillian; Kuh, George D.; Shenoy, Gloria F.; Baker, Gianina R.

2012-01-01

The Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) is a vehicle for public four-year universities to report comparable information about the undergraduate student experience via the College Portrait, a common web reporting template. The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) was asked by the VSA to evaluate the effectiveness of the…

Security Implications Of Italian Nationalism

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

NATO enlargement, and the ongoing immigration crisis. This thesis also examines Italy’s role in the major Euro-Atlantic security institutions and...immigration crisis. This thesis also examines Italy’s role in the major Euro- Atlantic security institutions and assesses how nationalist movements may...79 B. ITALY’S ROLE IN EU SECURITY COOPERATION ......................82 C. THE EFFECT OF EURO-ATLANTIC INSTITUTIONS ON ITALIAN

Assessing the Effectiveness of Targeted Intrusive Advising and Student Success Using an Early Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Jesse

2015-01-01

The institution in this study is a medium size, public liberal arts institution located in a rural setting. At the beginning of Fall 2012 term, 5,366 undergraduate and 922 graduate students were enrolled in the university's ten-week quarter system. In an attempt to increase student success and retention, the institution implemented a student…

The Benefits of Guided Facility Self-Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Keith

2012-01-01

A growing number of educational institutions have discovered that a guided self-assessment solution helps them to consistently and cost-effectively obtain facility condition information and make better-informed capital planning decisions. Facility self-assessment employs a consistent, repeatable process for internal staff to quickly assess assets…

Importance of investigating epigenetic alterations for industry and regulators: An appraisal of current efforts by the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute.

PubMed

Miousse, Isabelle R; Currie, Richard; Datta, Kaushik; Ellinger-Ziegelbauer, Heidrun; French, John E; Harrill, Alison H; Koturbash, Igor; Lawton, Michael; Mann, Derek; Meehan, Richard R; Moggs, Jonathan G; O'Lone, Raegan; Rasoulpour, Reza J; Pera, Renee A Reijo; Thompson, Karol

2015-09-01

Recent technological advances have led to rapid progress in the characterization of epigenetic modifications that control gene expression in a generally heritable way, and are likely involved in defining cellular phenotypes, developmental stages and disease status from one generation to the next. On November 18, 2013, the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) held a symposium entitled "Advances in Assessing Adverse Epigenetic Effects of Drugs and Chemicals" in Washington, D.C. The goal of the symposium was to identify gaps in knowledge and highlight promising areas of progress that represent opportunities to utilize epigenomic profiling for risk assessment of drugs and chemicals. Epigenomic profiling has the potential to provide mechanistic information in toxicological safety assessments; this is especially relevant for the evaluation of carcinogenic or teratogenic potential and also for drugs that directly target epigenetic modifiers, like DNA methyltransferases or histone modifying enzymes. Furthermore, it can serve as an endpoint or marker for hazard characterization in chemical safety assessment. The assessment of epigenetic effects may also be approached with new model systems that could directly assess transgenerational effects or potentially sensitive stem cell populations. These would enhance the range of safety assessment tools for evaluating xenobiotics that perturb the epigenome. Here we provide a brief synopsis of the symposium, update findings since that time and then highlight potential directions for future collaborative efforts to incorporate epigenetic profiling into risk assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metrics for Success: Strategies for Enabling Core Facility Performance and Assessing Outcomes

PubMed Central

Hockberger, Philip E.; Meyn, Susan M.; Nicklin, Connie; Tabarini, Diane; Auger, Julie A.

2016-01-01

Core Facilities are key elements in the research portfolio of academic and private research institutions. Administrators overseeing core facilities (core administrators) require assessment tools for evaluating the need and effectiveness of these facilities at their institutions. This article discusses ways to promote best practices in core facilities as well as ways to evaluate their performance across 8 of the following categories: general management, research and technical staff, financial management, customer base and satisfaction, resource management, communications, institutional impact, and strategic planning. For each category, we provide lessons learned that we believe contribute to the effective and efficient overall management of core facilities. If done well, we believe that encouraging best practices and evaluating performance in core facilities will demonstrate and reinforce the importance of core facilities in the research and educational mission of institutions. It will also increase job satisfaction of those working in core facilities and improve the likelihood of sustainability of both facilities and personnel. PMID:26848284

Metrics for Success: Strategies for Enabling Core Facility Performance and Assessing Outcomes.

PubMed

Turpen, Paula B; Hockberger, Philip E; Meyn, Susan M; Nicklin, Connie; Tabarini, Diane; Auger, Julie A

2016-04-01

Core Facilities are key elements in the research portfolio of academic and private research institutions. Administrators overseeing core facilities (core administrators) require assessment tools for evaluating the need and effectiveness of these facilities at their institutions. This article discusses ways to promote best practices in core facilities as well as ways to evaluate their performance across 8 of the following categories: general management, research and technical staff, financial management, customer base and satisfaction, resource management, communications, institutional impact, and strategic planning. For each category, we provide lessons learned that we believe contribute to the effective and efficient overall management of core facilities. If done well, we believe that encouraging best practices and evaluating performance in core facilities will demonstrate and reinforce the importance of core facilities in the research and educational mission of institutions. It will also increase job satisfaction of those working in core facilities and improve the likelihood of sustainability of both facilities and personnel.

Impact of quality of research on patient outcomes in the Institute of Medicine 2013 report on dietary sodium.

PubMed

Lucko, Aaron; Doktorchik, Chelsea Ta; Campbell, Norm Rc

2018-02-01

The 2013 Institute of Medicine report entitled "Sodium Intake in Populations: Assessment of Evidence" found inconsistent evidence of health benefit with dietary sodium intake <2300 mg/d. Different studies reported benefit and harm of population dietary intake <2300 mg/d. The Institute of Medicine committee, however, did not assess whether the methodology used in each of the studies was appropriate to examine dietary sodium and health outcomes. This review investigates the association of methodological rigor and outcomes of studies in the Institute of Medicine report. For the 13 studies that met all methodological criteria, nine found a detrimental impact of high sodium consumption on health, one found a health benefit, and in three the effect was unclear (P = .068). For the 22 studies that failed to meet all criteria, 11 showed a detrimental impact, four a health benefit, and seven had unclear effects from increasing dietary sodium (P = .42). ©2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of the Teaching Practices at a Colombian Foreign Language Institute and Their Effects on Students' Communicative Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaime Osorio, María Fernanda; Insuasty, Edgar Alirio

2015-01-01

This research report is an account of a study carried out at the Foreign Language Institute of a Colombian public university. Its main purposes were to analyze the teaching practices the participating teachers used in their English lessons, and to assess the effects of these practices on the development of students' communicative competence. A…

Faculty Engagement with Integrative Assignment Design: Connecting Teaching and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Kimberly; Hutchings, Pat

2018-01-01

Building on an initiative of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, Washington State University faculty have worked to develop more effective integrative capstone assignments in ways that support ongoing improvement.

Managing Workforce Diversity in South African Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemann, Rita

2006-01-01

An attempt is made to assess the effect of human resource diversity in South Africa and provide strategies for managing such diverse institutions. A pilot study using questionnaires was conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding workforce diversity in a number of educational institutions. Thereafter, qualitative interviews provided…

Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Online Learning System in Improving Student Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttner, E. Holly; Black, Aprille Noe

2014-01-01

Colleges and universities, particularly public institutions, are facing higher enrollments and declining resources from state and federal governments. In this resource-constrained environment, faculty are seeking more efficient and effective teaching strategies to improve student learning and test performance. The authors assessed an online…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slunge, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.slunge@economics.gu.se; Tran, Trang Thi Huyen, E-mail: trang2k@yahoo.com

Building on new institutional theory, this paper develops an analytical framework for analyzing constraints to the institutionalization of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) at four different institutional levels. The framework is tested in an empirical analysis of the environmental assessment system in Vietnam, which is a frontrunner among developing countries regarding the introduction and use of SEA. Building on interviews with Vietnamese and international experts, as well as an extensive literature review, we identify institutional constraints which challenge the effective use of SEA in Vietnam. We conclude that commonly identified constraints, such as inadequate training, technical guidelines, baseline data and financialmore » resources, are strongly linked to constraints at higher institutional levels, such as incentives to not share information between ministries and severe restrictions on access to information and public participation. Without a thorough understanding of these institutional constraints, there is a risk that attempts to improve the use of SEA are misdirected. Thus, a careful institutional analysis should guide efforts to introduce and improve the use of SEA in Vietnam and other developing countries. The analytical framework for analyzing constraints to institutionalization of SEA presented in this paper represents a systematic effort in this direction. - Highlights: • A framework for analyzing constraints to institutionalizing SEA is developed • Empirical analysis of the strategic environmental assessment system in Vietnam • Constraints in the action arena linked to deeper institutional constraints • Institutional analysis needed prior to introducing SEA in developing countries.« less

Citations to papers from Brazilian institutions: a more effective indicator to assess productivity and the impact of research in graduate programs.

PubMed

Meneghini, R

2011-08-01

A recent assessment of 4400 postgraduate courses in Brazil by CAPES (a federal government agency dedicated to the improvement of the quality of and research at the postgraduate level) stimulated a large amount of manifestations in the press, scientific journals and scientific congresses. This gigantic effort to classify 16,400 scientific journals in order to provide indicators for assessment proved to be puzzling and methodologically erroneous in terms of gauging the institutions from a metric point of view. A simple algorithm is proposed here to weigh the scientometric indicators that should be considered in the assessment of a scientific institution. I conclude here that the simple gauge of the total number of citations accounts for both the productivity of scientists and the impact of articles. The effort spent in this exercise is relatively small, and the sources of information are fully accessible. As an exercise to estimate the value of the methodology, 12 institutions of physics (10 from Brazil, one from the USA and one from Italy) have been evaluated.

12 CFR 611.1211 - Special requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Institution Status § 611.1211 Special requirements. (a) Special assessments, analyses, studies, and rulings... assessments, analyses, or studies, or to request rulings, including, but not limited to: (1) Assessments of fair value; (2) Analyses and rulings on tax implications; and (3) Studies of the effect of your...

12 CFR 611.1211 - Special requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Institution Status § 611.1211 Special requirements. (a) Special assessments, analyses, studies, and rulings... assessments, analyses, or studies, or to request rulings, including, but not limited to: (1) Assessments of fair value; (2) Analyses and rulings on tax implications; and (3) Studies of the effect of your...

Monitoring Shifts in Campus Image and Recruitment Efforts in Small Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, David

1991-01-01

Without an institutional research office to look at recruitment and retention programs, DePauw University (Indiana) relies heavily on institutional trend data and comparative information to assess the effectiveness of three initiatives: recruitment of large numbers of minority students, strategic use of financial aid, and use of market…

42 CFR 93.412 - Making decisions on institutional noncompliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Making decisions on institutional noncompliance. 93.412 Section 93.412 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE...

Little River Experimental Watershed, Georgia: National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Conservation Effects Assessment Project

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In September 2007, USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), now the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) jointly funded two integrated research and outreach grants to conduct a synthesis of resul...

Effective Strategies for Enhancing Waste Management at University Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahimi, Kianoosh; North, Leslie A.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the waste management strategies that should be priorities for higher education institutions. The role of policy instruments (i.e. purchasing policies and recycling initiatives) in implementing sustainable zero-waste management programs at higher education institutions was investigated…

National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education: An Assessment. White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodeur, Jason; Daniels, Morgan; Johnson, Annie; Nicholls, Natsuko; Pickle, Sarah; Waraksa, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

In 2001, the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE) was created to "stimulate collaboration between selected liberal arts colleges and to act as a catalyst for the effective integration of emerging and newer digital technologies into teaching, learning, scholarship, and information management." In July 2015, NITLE…

42 CFR 93.313 - Institutional investigation report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Institutional investigation report. 93.313 Section 93.313 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH MISCONDUCT Responsibilities...

42 CFR 93.313 - Institutional investigation report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Institutional investigation report. 93.313 Section 93.313 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH MISCONDUCT Responsibilities...

Assessing Alumni Success: Income Is NOT the Only Outcome!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumford, Amber D.; Miller, Angie L.

2017-01-01

Institutions may be interested in using alumni career success as evidence of institutional effectiveness, but the current study suggests that using income as the sole outcome may not be entirely capturing the occupational experience of graduates. Utilising data from the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project, exploratory and confirmatory factor…

Maximizing Enrollment Yield through Financial Aid Packaging Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaulding, Randy; Olswang, Steven

2005-01-01

Using institutional data, this paper presents a model to enable researchers and enrollment managers to assess the effectiveness of financial aid packaging policies in light of student characteristics and institutional market position. The model uses discriminant analysis and a series of hypothetical financial aid award scenarios to predict the…

Minding Our "P's" and "Q's": Indications of Productivity and Quality in South Carolina's Public Colleges and Universities. Reports on Act 255 of 1992 and Summary Report on Institutional Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Columbia.

The reports in this document assess the effectiveness of South Carolina's public postsecondary institutions for the 1995-96 academic year. Ten tables provide data as required by Act 255 on accreditation, graduation rates, percent change in enrollment, sources of undergraduate degrees, transfers, and professional examination rates. Summary reports…

Self Assessment: Increasing the Effectiveness of Postsecondary Coordination. A Companion to "On Balance: Lessons in Effective Coordination from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges--An Organizational Perspective"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirlin, Mary; Shulock, Nancy

2012-01-01

Public organizations charged with coordinating higher education institutions face a complex set of tasks. Whether coordinating institutions within one sector or across sectors, such organizations play vital roles in promoting a state's capacity for policy leadership to meet the growing need for an educated citizenry. National experts have…

Leadership development in dental education: report on the ADEA Leadership Institute, 2000-08.

PubMed

Haden, N Karl; Ranney, Richard R; Weinstein, George; Breeding, Larry C; Bresch, Jack E; Valachovic, Richard W

2010-03-01

This report describes participants' assessment of their experiences in the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute program. The ADEA Leadership Institute is designed for mid-career faculty members who desire to attain administrative roles within their own or other institutions or enhance their effectiveness in these roles. This year-long program, conducted in four phases, is ADEA's flagship career enhancement program and provides dental educators with perspectives about oral health policy and legislation, organization and financing of higher education, the dental school's role within the parent institution, financial management, legal issues, recruiting faculty, and opportunities to acquire and practice skills associated with effective leadership. ADEA Leadership Institute Fellows also explore team-building, personality preferences, leadership styles, emotional intelligence, stress management, work-life balance, strategies for leading change, and giving and receiving feedback, as well as engaging in self- and peer assessment throughout the year. Each year up to twenty-one fellows are selected to participate in the institute in a competitive application process. In 2009, 149 fellows who participated in the institute from 2000 to 2008 were invited to take part in a survey to establish their profiles and academic leadership roles, determine their perceptions of the benefits from the institute curriculum, and elicit their suggestions for improvement. The survey response rate was 73 percent (n=109). Ninety-nine percent of respondents gave an overall positive assessment of their experiences. The most beneficial experiences, according to respondents, included networking with the program participants, advisors, and instructors (78 percent); self-discovery through self-assessments and evaluations (44 percent); and a 360 degree feedback process to provide additional reflection about areas for improvement (17 percent). Least beneficial experiences identified by survey respondents included sessions devoted to oral health legislation (33 percent), group projects (28 percent), and mentorship received during the institute year (12 percent). In the final part of the survey, participants provided suggestions for improvements and new areas for program planners to consider. Additions to the current curriculum (30 percent)-such as how to recruit and retain faculty-and advanced leadership training (15 percent)-including behavioral change theory-topped the improvement list. The results of this study indicate that the ADEA Leadership Institute is fulfilling its mission. Fellows are advancing in their careers and assuming administrative leadership roles within their home institutions while making scholarly contributions to the literature and undertaking leadership positions in ADEA.

Assessment Update: Progress, Trends, and Practices in Higher Education. Volume 24, Issue 1, January-February 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banta, Trudy W., Ed.

2012-01-01

This issue of "Assessment Update" presents the following articles: (1) Expectations for Assessment Reports: A Descriptive Analysis (Keston H. Fulcher, Matthew Swain, and Chris D. Orem); (2) Editor's Notes: A Surprising Reaction (Trudy W. Banta); (3) Getting SMART with Assessment: ACTION Steps to Institutional Effectiveness (Eric Daffron…

"We talk of AIDS because we love life": a stakeholder assessment of HIV/AIDS organizations in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

PubMed

Spaulding, Alicen B; Brieger, William R

This stakeholder assessment of HIV/AIDS service providing institutions in Argentina offers insights into the HIV/AIDS crisis in Spanish-speaking Latin America from an institutional level and makes recommendations for strengthening the work and functioning of these institutions. This stakeholder assessment was conducted to determine how HIV/AIDS prevention and management in Argentina affects and is affected by relevant HIV/AIDS institutions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 key leaders of organizations working in HIV/AIDS prevention in Buenos Aires including non-governmental, governmental, and academic institutions. Analyses of interviewee comments are presented according to four major themes: network connections, program resources, perceptions of success, and challenges. Key findings include the need for strengthening formal networks, increasing the involvement of other non-AIDS related social institutions in promoting HIV prevention, finding more sustainable funding options, working more effectively with the public sector to create policies and regulations favorable to the HIV/AIDS field, and addressing the lack of perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS in Argentine culture. From leaders' comments, recommendations are made for strengthening the HIV/AIDS network among key institutions including adapting the UNAIDS "Three Ones" principal to create one crosssector office responsible for coordinating HIV/AIDS work, formalizing agreements with institutions outside of Buenos Aires, increasing the role of schools in HIV/AIDS awareness, and designing programs that address lack of perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS among Argentines.

Assessing the Relationship of Knowledge Management Effectiveness and Assessment Quality Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ringhand, Darlene Gail

2009-01-01

Administrators at post-secondary institutions have found that national or regional accreditation is necessary to remain competitive in the higher education market with evidence of assessment considered a positive measure for accreditation. This quantitative study examined the correlation between the ranked levels of knowledge management within…

Assessor Training: Its Effects on Criterion-Based Assessment in a Medical Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pell, Godfrey; Homer, Matthew S.; Roberts, Trudie E.

2008-01-01

Increasingly, academic institutions are being required to improve the validity of the assessment process; unfortunately, often this is at the expense of reliability. In medical schools (such as Leeds), standardized tests of clinical skills, such as "Objective Structured Clinical Examinations" (OSCEs) are widely used to assess clinical…

Institutional Advancement: Using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria for Self-Study and Accreditation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, Brian

The criteria used for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award can provide community colleges with a strategic tool for college planning, management, assessment, and accreditation. The Criteria focus on two measurable objectives for institutional effectiveness: the delivery of educational value to current and future students through instruction…

78 FR 17219 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-20

... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel, Assessment of Adverse Genetic Effects From Exposure to Compounds... Program Nos. 93.115, Biometry and Risk Estimation--Health Risks from Environmental Exposures; 93.142... Research and Testing, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: March 14, 2013. Carolyn Baum, Program...

The Influence of Organisational Identification on Employee Attitudes and Behaviours in Multinational Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkins, Stephen; Butt, Muhammad Mohsin; Annabi, Carrie Amani

2018-01-01

In order to operate effectively and efficiently, most higher education institutions depend on employees performing extra-role behaviours and being committed to staying with the organisation. This study assesses the extent to which organisational identification and employee satisfaction are antecedents of these two important behaviours. Key…

Does agreement on institutional values and leadership issues between deans and surgery chairs predict their institutions' performance?

PubMed

Souba, Wiley W; Mauger, David; Day, David V

2007-03-01

To gain a better understanding of the values that medical school deans and surgery chairs consider most essential for effective leadership, to assess their perceptions of the values and leadership climate in their institutions, and to test the premise that agreement on leadership values and climate predict greater organizational effectiveness and performance. From June 2005 through March 2006, questionnaires designed to assess leadership core values and organizational leadership climate were mailed to medical school deans and surgery chairs of the 125 U.S. academic health centers. Institutional performance measures used were the National Institutes of Health (NIH) standing and U.S. News and World Report ranking of each institution. Sixty-eight surgery chairs (54%) and 60 deans (48%) returned surveys. Q-sort results on 38 positive leadership values indicated that integrity, trust, and vision were considered the most important core values for effective leadership by both chairs and deans. Both groups ranked business acumen, authority, and institutional reputation as least important. Deans consistently ranked the leadership climate as being healthier (more positive) than did their surgery chairs on multiple scale items: leadership is widely shared (P = .005), information is widely shared (P = .002), missions are aligned (P = .003), open communication is the norm (P = .009), good performance is rewarded (P = .01), teamwork is widely practiced (P = .01), and leaders are held accountable (P = 002). Tighter alignment between chairs and deans on core values and on the leadership climate scale correlated with higher school and department NIH standing and higher U.S. News and World Report medical school and hospital ranking (P < .05). Although surgery chairs and deans espouse similar core leadership values, deans believe that a healthier leadership climate exists in their institutions than their surgery chairs do. The study findings suggest that tighter leadership alignment between deans and surgery chairs may predict a higher level of institutional performance in the clinical and academic arenas.

Electronic Assessment Issues and Practices in Pakistan: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangi, Nazir A.

2008-01-01

Electronic assessment (e-assessment) methods are at an early stage of development at various levels of education in South East Asian region. Until the primary resource requirements of the various educational institutions have been met in terms of providing an effective and efficient e-assessment system, a range of problems will arise for the…

Assessment of a Statewide Palliative Care Team Training Course: COMFORT Communication for Palliative Care Teams.

PubMed

Wittenberg, Elaine; Ferrell, Betty; Goldsmith, Joy; Ragan, Sandra L; Paice, Judith

2016-07-01

Despite increased attention to communication skill training in palliative care, few interprofessional training programs are available and little is known about the impact of such training. This study evaluated a communication curriculum offered to interprofessional palliative care teams and examined the longitudinal impact of training. Interprofessional, hospital-based palliative care team members were competitively selected to participate in a two-day training using the COMFORT(TM SM) (Communication, Orientation and options, Mindful communication, Family, Openings, Relating, Team) Communication for Palliative Care Teams curriculum. Course evaluation and goal assessment were tracked at six and nine months postcourse. Interprofessional palliative care team members (n = 58) representing 29 teams attended the course and completed course goals. Participants included 28 nurses, 16 social workers, 8 physicians, 5 chaplains, and one psychologist. Precourse surveys assessed participants' perceptions of institution-wide communication performance across the continuum of care and resources supporting optimum communication. Postcourse evaluations and goal progress monitoring were used to assess training effectiveness. Participants reported moderate communication effectiveness in their institutions, with the weakest areas being during bereavement and survivorship care. Mean response to course evaluation across all participants was greater than 4 (scale of 1 = low to 5 = high). Participants taught an additional 962 providers and initiated institution-wide training for clinical staff, new hires, and volunteers. Team member training improved communication processes and increased attention to communication with family caregivers. Barriers to goal implementation included a lack of institutional support as evidenced in clinical caseloads and an absence of leadership and funding. The COMFORT(TM SM) communication curriculum is effective palliative care communication training for interprofessional teams.

The Effect of Portfolio Assessment on Learning Idioms in Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tahriri, Abdorreza; Sabet, Masoud Khalili; Aeineh, Afrouz

2014-01-01

The present study sought to investigate the effect of portfolio assessment on idiom competence of Iranian EFL learners. For the purpose of this study, 30 students from upper-intermediate level of English proficiency took part in this study. They were chosen through convenience sampling from a language institute in Rasht, Iran. They were randomly…

Assessment of Alternative Student and Delivery Systems: Assessment of the Current Delivery System. Supplement I to the Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Advanced Technology, Inc., Reston, VA.

The effects of the current student financial aid delivery system on five major participant groups are examined: federal government, states/guarantee agencies, postsecondary institutions, lenders and secondary markets, and applicants and families. Attention is directed to effects of the current system, including: administrative costs, fund…

A rapid evidence review on the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships.

PubMed

Kelly, Ema; Doyle, Vicki; Weakliam, David; Schönemann, Yvonne

2015-12-14

Institutional Health Partnerships are long-term, institution to institution partnerships between high income and low and middle income countries which seek to build capacity and strengthen health institutions in order to improve health service delivery and outcomes. Funding for Institutional Health Partnerships has increased in recent years. This paper outlines a rapid evidence review on the effectiveness of this modality. A rapid evidence review of published and grey literature was conducted. Content relating to the effectiveness of working in partnership and methods and frameworks used were extracted and analysed. The results of this analysis were used to structure a discussion regarding the next steps to strengthen the evidence base for the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. The evidence review, including citation mapping, returned 27 published papers and 17 grey literature documents that met all of the inclusion criteria. Most of the literature did not meet the high standards of formal academic rigour and there was no original research amongst this literature that specifically addressed the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. This was not surprising given institutional health partnerships do not lend themselves easily to case control studies and randomised control trials due to their high level of diversity and operation in complex social systems. There was, however, a body of practice based knowledge and experience. Evidence for the effectiveness of Institutional Health Partnerships is thin both in terms of quantity and academic rigour. There is a need to better define and differentiate Institutional Health Partnerships in order to measure and compare effectiveness across such a diverse group. Effectiveness needs to be measured at the level of individual partnerships, the bodies that facilitate partnership programmes and the level of health service delivery. There is a need to develop indicators and frameworks that specifically address the benefits and values of partnership working and how these relate to effectiveness. These indicators need to be content neutral of specific interventions which are already measured through routine project monitoring and evaluation. This will allow the development of methodological pathways to assess the effectiveness of institutional health partnerships. Until more primary research is conducted or published there is little benefit in further systematic reviews.

Impact of referral transport system on institutional deliveries in Haryana, India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Jeet, Gursimer; Kaur, Manmeet; Aggarwal, Arun Kumar; Manchanda, Neha; Kumar, Rajesh

2014-06-01

Creation of a strong referral transport network across the country is necessary for improving physical access to public sector health facilities. In this study we evaluated the referral transport services in Haryana, i.e. Haryana Swasthya Vaahan Sewa (HSVS), now known as National Ambulance Service (NAS), to assess the extent and pattern of utilization, and to ascertain its effect on public sector institutional deliveries. Secondary data on 116,562 patients transported during April to July 2011 in Haryana state were analysed to assess extent and pattern of NAS utilization. Exit interviews were conducted with 270 consecutively selected users and non- users of referral services respectively in Ambala (High NAS utilization), Hisar (medium utilization) and Narnaul (low utilization) districts. Month-wise data on institutional deliveries in public facilities during 2005-2012 were collected in these three districts, and analysed using interrupted time series analysis to assess the impact of NAS on institutional deliveries. Female gender (OR=77.7), rural place of residence (OR=5.96) and poor socio-economic status (poorest wealth quintile OR=2.64) were significantly associated with NAS ambulance service usage. Institutional deliveries in Haryana rose significantly after the introduction of NAS service in Ambala (OR=137.4, 95% CI=22.4-252.4) and Hisar (OR=215, 95% CI=88.5-341.3) districts. No significant increase was observed in Narnaul (OR=4.5, 95% CI=-137.4 to 146.4) district. The findings of the present study showed a positive effect of referral transport service on increasing institutional deliveries. However, this needs to be backed up with adequate supply of basic and emergency obstetric care at hospitals and health centres.

Strengthening expertise for health technology assessment and priority-setting in Africa

PubMed Central

Doherty, Jane E; Wilkinson, Thomas; Edoka, Ijeoma; Hofman, Karen

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Achieving sustainable universal health coverage depends partly on fair priority-setting processes that ensure countries spend scarce resources wisely. While general health economics capacity-strengthening initiatives exist in Africa, less attention has been paid to developing the capacity of individuals, institutions and networks to apply economic evaluation in support of health technology assessment and effective priority-setting. Objective: On the basis of international  lessons, to identify how research organisations and partnerships could contribute to capacity strengthening for health technology assessment and priority-setting in Africa. Methods: A rapid scan was conducted of international formal and grey literature and lessons extracted from the deliberations of two international and regional workshops relating to capacity-building for health technology assessment. ‘Capacity’ was defined in broad terms, including a conducive political environment, strong public institutional capacity to drive priority-setting, effective networking between experts, strong research organisations and skilled researchers. Results: Effective priority-setting requires more than high quality economic research. Researchers have to engage with an array of stakeholders, network closely other research organisations, build partnerships with different levels of government and train the future generation of researchers and policy-makers. In low- and middle-income countries where there are seldom government units or agencies dedicated to health technology assessment, they also have to support the development of an effective priority-setting process that is sensitive to societal and government needs and priorities. Conclusions: Research organisations have an important role to play in contributing to the development of health technology assessment and priority-setting capacity. In Africa, where there are resource and capacity challenges, effective partnerships between local and international researchers, and with key government stakeholders, can leverage existing skills and knowledge to generate a critical mass of individuals and institutions. These would help to meet the priority-setting needs of African countries and contribute to sustainable universal health coverage. PMID:29035166

Integrating human health into environmental impact assessment: an unrealized opportunity for environmental health and justice.

PubMed

Bhatia, Rajiv; Wernham, Aaron

2008-08-01

The National Environmental Policy Act and related state laws require many public agencies to analyze and disclose potentially significant environmental effects of agency actions, including effects on human health. In this paper we review the purpose and procedures of environmental impact assessment (EIA), existing regulatory requirements for health effects analysis, and potential barriers to and opportunities for improving integration of human health concerns within the EIA process. We use statutes, regulations, guidelines, court opinions, and empirical research on EIA along with recent case examples of integrated health impact assessment (HIA)/EIA at both the state and federal level. We extract lessons and recommendations for integrated HIA/EIA practice from both existing practices as well as case studies. The case studies demonstrate the adequacy, scope, and power of existing statutory requirements for health analysis within EIA. The following support the success of integrated HIA/EIA: a proponent recognizing EIA as an available regulatory strategy for public health; the openness of the agency conducting the EIA; involvement of public health institutions; and complementary objectives among community stakeholders and health practitioners. We recommend greater collaboration among institutions responsible for EIA, public health institutions, and affected stakeholders along with guidance, resources, and training for integrated HIA/EIA practice.

Integrating Human Health into Environmental Impact Assessment: An Unrealized Opportunity for Environmental Health and Justice

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Rajiv; Wernham, Aaron

2008-01-01

Objectives The National Environmental Policy Act and related state laws require many public agencies to analyze and disclose potentially significant environmental effects of agency actions, including effects on human health. In this paper we review the purpose and procedures of environmental impact assessment (EIA), existing regulatory requirements for health effects analysis, and potential barriers to and opportunities for improving integration of human health concerns within the EIA process. Data sources We use statutes, regulations, guidelines, court opinions, and empirical research on EIA along with recent case examples of integrated health impact assessment (HIA)/EIA at both the state and federal level. Data synthesis We extract lessons and recommendations for integrated HIA/EIA practice from both existing practices as well as case studies. Conclusions The case studies demonstrate the adequacy, scope, and power of existing statutory requirements for health analysis within EIA. The following support the success of integrated HIA/EIA: a proponent recognizing EIA as an available regulatory strategy for public health; the openness of the agency conducting the EIA; involvement of public health institutions; and complementary objectives among community stakeholders and health practitioners. We recommend greater collaboration among institutions responsible for EIA, public health institutions, and affected stakeholders along with guidance, resources, and training for integrated HIA/EIA practice. PMID:18709140

The Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute: partnerships that demonstrate the role of silviculture in forest management

Treesearch

James McIver; Andrew Youngblood

1997-01-01

The research program of the Blue Mountains Natural Resources Institute (BMNRI) aims to understand the ecological effects of current management practices. In forest systems, this amounts to silvicultural research. We describe how the BMNRl fosters partnerships to carry out and showcase silvicultural research leading to information that allows assessment of economic/...

Connecting the Dots: Threat Assessment, Depression and the Troubled Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwood, Valerie

2011-01-01

One of the numerous responses to the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in April 2007 has been the call for higher education institutions in the United States to take an increased role in identifying troubled students. This has had widely felt effects, with educational institutions across the United States developing mechanisms such as Threat…

Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Evidence and Improvement: How Can Integrating Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leimer, Christina

2009-01-01

Regional accrediting agencies today require higher education institutions to develop and demonstrate a culture of evidence-based decision-making and improvement as part of its emphasis on effectiveness. However, scant literature or examples exist to guide colleges and universities in developing such a culture. Cultural change is usually prompted…

Investigating Students' Satisfaction with eLearning Courses: The Effect of Learning Environment and Social Presence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Robert; Irby, Travis L.; Wynn, J. Thomas; McClure, Megan M.

2012-01-01

Student demand and budget shortages have influenced the need for land-grant institutions to offer online courses. Research has identified that online courses broaden the reach of land-grant institutions to students who may not have access to campus. Literature indicated student satisfaction in online courses should be routinely assessed in order…

Miami-Dade Community College 1984 Institutional Self-Study. Volume VIII: Medical Center Campus Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miami-Dade Community Coll., FL.

Part of a systematic, in-depth assessment of Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) educational programs, student support systems, and selected campus-level activities, this volume of the college's institutional self-study report examines the impact and effectiveness of the Medical Center Campus. The report contains the results of a campus study…

Student Satisfaction with Learning Management Systems: A Lens of Critical Success Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naveh, Gali; Tubin, Dorit; Pliskin, Nava

2012-01-01

Institutions of higher education have invested heavily in learning management systems (LMS) for creating course websites. Yet, how to assess LMS effectiveness is not fully agreed upon. Based on institutional theory, this article considers student satisfaction as indicative of LMS success and proposes a lens of critical success factors (CSF) as a…

An Empirical Study on Alleviating Career English Writing Anxiety through Cooperative Learning in a Chinese Polytechnic Institute

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Dongmei

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effect of cooperative learning on writing anxiety alleviation through a pre-test/post-test assessment. 120 EFL learners from a Chinese polytechnic institute were assigned into two groups: one experimental (cooperative writing) and the other comparison (solitary writing). Results revealed that cooperative learning…

How Sound Is NSSE? Investigating the Psychometric Properties of NSSE at a Public, Research-Extensive Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Corbin M.; Cabrera, Alberto F.

2011-01-01

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Benchmarks has emerged as a competing paradigm for assessing institutional effectiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. News & World Report. However, Porter (2009) has critiqued it for failing to meet validity and reliability standards. This study investigated whether the NSSE five benchmarks had construct…

Assessing the Effectiveness of the Internationalization Process in Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Florida International University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iuspa, Flavia Eleonora

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine a Higher Education Institution's (HEI) process of internationalization. The theoretical model developed by Van Dijk and Miejer (1997) was used to review Florida International University (FIU)'s policy, support, and implementation dimensions and determine its position on the Internationalization Cube, and…

From Piloting e-Submission to Electronic Management of Assessment (EMA): Mapping Grading Journeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vergés Bausili, Anna

2018-01-01

The increasing interest in electronic management of assessment is a sign of a gradual institutionalisation of e-submission and e-marking technologies in UK Higher Education. The effective adoption of these technologies requires a managed approach, especially a detailed understanding of current assessment practices within the institution and the…

Measurement of Instrumental and Vocal Undergraduate Performance Juries Using a Multidimensional Assessment Rubric

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciorba, Charles R.; Smith, Neal Y.

2009-01-01

Recent policy initiatives instituted by major accrediting bodies require the implementation of specific assessment tools to provide evidence of student achievement in a number of areas, including applied music study. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of a multidimensional assessment rubric, which was administered to…

A Review of Cloud Application Assessment Practices at the University of Ballarat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilmott, Deirdre; Knox, Ian

2012-01-01

It has been suggested that traditional assessment practices in tertiary institutions tend not to equip students well for the processes of effective learning in a learning society [1]. This paper reviews alternative Internet based assessment practices used in Library, Business and Education courses at the University of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia…

Developing an Effective Instrument for Assessing the Performance of Public University Presidents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Dennis

2010-01-01

Conducting a worthwhile assessment of the performance of senior leaders such as university presidents poses unique challenges for public institutions of higher education. One of the most difficult issues is determining the "content" and "format" of the assessment instrument. Due to the breadth and complexity of the job, the…

The Use of a Formative Assessment in Progressive Leader Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ira H.; Goulet, Laurel; Martin, JennyMae K.; Owens, Jake

2015-01-01

As institutions continue to place value on developing leaders, it becomes increasingly important to effectively assess students' leadership skills. The development and subsequent use of a formative competency based leader assessment was used with (N = 124) sophomore students at a small military college in the Northeast United States with a mission…

Developing an Information Literacy Assessment Rubric: A Case Study of Collaboration, Process, and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gola, Christina H.; Ke, Irene; Creelman, Kerry M.; Vaillancourt, Shawn P.

2014-01-01

A team of four librarians at the University of Houston (UH) Libraries partnered with the UH Office of Institutional Effectiveness and its Director of Assessment and Accreditation Services for General Education to conduct a campus-wide, exploratory assessment of undergraduate information literacy skills. The project evaluated a selection of…

What Are Institutions Spending on Assessment? Is It Worth the Cost? Occasional Paper #18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Tammi; Terrell, Trent

2013-01-01

Assessment activities have proliferated over the last decade at institutions of higher education. While assessment is useful for institutional improvement, this proliferation has in part been due to greater pressures from regional accreditors on institutions to meet assessment requirements. These higher expectations have led to new expenditures on…

A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and Institutional Improvement, 2003. Volume 3: Promoting Student Learning and Effective Teaching. 2003 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Kollenburg, Susan E., Ed.

Papers in this collection were prepared for the annual meeting of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. This volume contains papers related to promoting student learning and effective teaching. Chapter 1, "Developing and Sustaining a Culture of Assessment," contains: (1) "Developing the Scholarship of Assessment" (Thomas Anthony…

Institutions, Parasites and the Persistence of In-group Preferences

PubMed Central

Hruschka, Daniel J.; Henrich, Joseph

2013-01-01

Much research has established reliable cross-population differences in motivations to invest in one’s in-group. We compare two current historical-evolutionary hypotheses for this variation based on (1) effective large-scale institutions and (2) pathogen threats by analyzing cross-national differences (N = 122) in in-group preferences measured in three ways. We find that the effectiveness of government institutions correlates with favoring in-group members, even when controlling for pathogen stress and world region, assessing reverse causality, and providing a check on endogeneity with an instrumental variable analysis. Conversely, pathogen stress shows inconsistent associations with in-group favoritism when controlling for government effectiveness. Moreover, pathogen stress shows little to no association with in-group favoritism within major world regions whereas government effectiveness does. These results suggest that variation in in-group preferences across contemporary nation-states is more consistent with a generalized response to institutions that meet basic needs rather than an evolved response dedicated to pathogens. PMID:23704926

[Drug assessment: IQWiG, G-BA, and an international comparison].

PubMed

Glaeske, G

2016-01-01

Since the Pharmaceutical Market Restructuring Act (Arzneimittelmarktneuordnungsgesetz-AMNOG) went into effect on 1 January 2011, new medicinal products provided under statutory health insurance have to undergo an early benefit assessment, prepared on the basis of scientific dossiers drawn up by the German Institute for Quality and Cost Effectiveness in the Health Care Sector (Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen-IQWiG) and adopted by the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss-G-BA). These assessments, in which the additional benefit of a product is compared with existing standard therapy and ultimately has a bearing on price negotiations with the pharmaceutical companies, are carried out on the basis of clinical trial data presented by the latter. Results so far, however, show that the IQWIG's and the G-BA's assessments often vary, although both bodies have the same documentation. Such differences can also be observed on an international level. Using selected examples, the differences in the assessments of new pharmaceuticals are presented and reasons for national and international deviations are discussed. As yet, no systematic comparative analysis has been made of assessments of medicinal products by the respective institutions. For this reason, it was not possible to make a systematic selection of pharmaceuticals, and the cases were instead selected according to available information. An overview of the results shows that the diverging assessments-both national and international-are not always scientifically justifiable, but rather appear to be influenced by the-not always transparent-framework parameters of the respective health system. Assessments are always shaped by certain perspectives on the data and results under scrutiny. It would undoubtedly be worthwhile to evaluate these influences to gain a better understanding of the reasons for national and international discrepancies in the assessment of additional therapeutic value of new pharmaceutical products.

Assessing Financial Health in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bers, Trudy H.; Head, Ronald B.

2014-01-01

In this age of educational accountability, there is an increasing emphasis on assessment and institutional effectiveness, not only in the academic arena but also in other aspects of community college operation, such as fiscal health and stability, revenue generation, resource allocation, facilities, workforce development, and community enrichment…

The ICER Value Framework: Integrating Cost Effectiveness and Affordability in the Assessment of Health Care Value.

PubMed

Pearson, Steven D

2018-03-01

What should be the relationship between the concepts of cost effectiveness and affordability in value assessments for health care interventions? This question has received greater attention in recent years given increasing financial pressures on health systems, leading to different views on how assessment reports and decision-making processes can provide the best structure for considering both elements. In the United States, the advent of explicit value frameworks to guide drug assessments has also focused attention on this issue, driven in part by the prominent inclusion of affordability within the value framework used to guide reports from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review. After providing a formal definition of affordability for health care systems, this article argues that, even after using empirical estimates of true health system opportunity cost, cost-effectiveness thresholds cannot by themselves be set in a way that subsumes questions about short-term affordability. The article then presents an analysis of different approaches to integrating cost effectiveness and budget impact assessments within information to guide decision making. The evolution and experience with the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review value framework are highlighted, providing lessons learned and guiding principles for future efforts to bring measures of affordability within the scope of value assessment. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Undoing Racism Through Genesee County's REACH Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative.

PubMed

Kruger, Daniel J; Carty, Denise C; Turbeville, Ashley R; French-Turner, Tonya M; Brownlee, Shannon

2015-01-01

Genesee County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health Program (REACH) is a Community-Based Public Health partnership for reducing African American infant mortality rates that hosts the Undoing Racism Workshop (URW). Assess the URW's effectiveness in promoting an understanding of racism, institutional racism, and how issues related to race/ethnicity can affect maternal and infant health. Recent URW participants (n=84) completed brief preassessment and postassessment forms; participants (n=101) also completed an on-line, long-term assessment (LTA). URWs promoted understanding of racism and institutional racism, although they were less effective in addressing racism as related to maternal and infant health. The URWs were most effective in the domains related to their standard content. Additional effort is necessary to customize URWs when utilized for activities beyond their original purpose of community mobilization.

Institutional Retention Strategies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Their Effects on Cohort Default Rates: 1987-1995. Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galloway, Fred J.; Swail, Watson Scott

This study analyzed institutional factors that significantly affect cohort default rates at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and assessed the potential for reducing these rates. It has been hypothesized that the HBCUs most successful in lowering student cohort default rates are those that have also succeeded in increasing…

Staff Group Unanimity in the Care of Juveniles in Institutional Treatment: Routines, Rituals, and Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahonen, Lia; Degner, Jurgen

2013-01-01

One prerequisite for effective institutional care is that staff agree on how to deliver treatment and have a unified view of how to achieve change--in other words, to have staff group unanimity (SGU). This study used the Correctional Program Assessment Inventory (CPAI) 2000, interviews with key staff, and observations of daily activities to…

Development of an Institutional Framework to Guide Transitions into Enhanced Blended Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adekola, Josephine; Dale, Vicki H. M.; Gardiner, Kerr

2017-01-01

The rapidly changing digital landscape is having a significant influence on learning and teaching. Our study assesses the response of one higher education institution (HEI) to the changing digital landscape and its transition into enhanced blended learning, which seeks to go beyond the early implementation stage to make the most effective use of…

The Effect of Healthcare Transformation in a Turkish Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aktan, Ahmet O.; Gulluoglu, Bahadir M.

2017-01-01

In Turkey there are 83 medical schools and the oldest six are regarded as the best institutions. Marmara University School of Medicine (MUSM) is one of the 6 leading institutions. MUSM Hospital was delivered to Turkish Ministry of Health (TMoH) for its operational management in 2010. In this study, we aim to assess the current status and trend of…

Pennsylvania College of Technology Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) Survey Report, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Coll. of Technology, Williamsport. Office of Strategic Planning and Research.

This report provides the results of the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey at the Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College). The instrument was designed by the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness at North Carolina State University. The primary purpose of the survey is to assess the…

Assessing Long-Term Effects of Inquiry-Based Learning: A Case Study from College Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, Marina; Laursen, Sandra L.

2014-01-01

As student-centered approaches to teaching and learning are more widely applied, researchers must assess the outcomes of these interventions across a range of courses and institutions. As an example of such assessment, this study examined the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in college mathematics on undergraduates' subsequent grades…

The Effect of Classroom-Based Assessment and Language Processing on the Second Language Acquisition of EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrone, Michael

2011-01-01

This study investigated the notions of washback and classroom-based assessment within the context of the "First Certificate of English (FCE)" examination and the students at the British Institute of Florence (BIF). A review of the literature examining classroom-based assessment revealed several limitations in previous research. This…

Assessing needs and assets for building a regional network infrastructure to reduce cancer related health disparities.

PubMed

Wells, Kristen J; Lima, Diana S; Meade, Cathy D; Muñoz-Antonia, Teresita; Scarinci, Isabel; McGuire, Allison; Gwede, Clement K; Pledger, W Jack; Partridge, Edward; Lipscomb, Joseph; Matthews, Roland; Matta, Jaime; Flores, Idhaliz; Weiner, Roy; Turner, Timothy; Miele, Lucio; Wiese, Thomas E; Fouad, Mona; Moreno, Carlos S; Lacey, Michelle; Christie, Debra W; Price-Haywood, Eboni G; Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Coppola, Domenico; Sodeke, Stephen O; Green, B Lee; Lichtveld, Maureen Y

2014-06-01

Significant cancer health disparities exist in the United States and Puerto Rico. While numerous initiatives have been implemented to reduce cancer disparities, regional coordination of these efforts between institutions is often limited. To address cancer health disparities nation-wide, a series of regional transdisciplinary networks through the Geographic Management Program (GMaP) and the Minority Biospecimen/Biobanking Geographic Management Program (BMaP) were established in six regions across the country. This paper describes the development of the Region 3 GMaP/BMaP network composed of over 100 investigators from nine institutions in five Southeastern states and Puerto Rico to develop a state-of-the-art network for cancer health disparities research and training. We describe a series of partnership activities that led to the formation of the infrastructure for this network, recount the participatory processes utilized to develop and implement a needs and assets assessment and implementation plan, and describe our approach to data collection. Completion, by all nine institutions, of the needs and assets assessment resulted in several beneficial outcomes for Region 3 GMaP/BMaP. This network entails ongoing commitment from the institutions and institutional leaders, continuous participatory and engagement activities, and effective coordination and communication centered on team science goals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing Needs and Assets for Building a Regional Network Infrastructure to Reduce Cancer Related Health Disparities

PubMed Central

Wells, Kristen J.; Lima, Diana S.; Meade, Cathy D.; Muñoz-Antonia, Teresita; Scarinci, Isabel; McGuire, Allison; Gwede, Clement K.; Pledger, W. Jack; Partridge, Edward; Lipscomb, Joseph; Matthews, Roland; Matta, Jaime; Flores, Idhaliz; Weiner, Roy; Turner, Timothy; Miele, Lucio; Wiese, Thomas E.; Fouad, Mona; Moreno, Carlos S.; Lacey, Michelle; Christie, Debra W.; Price-Haywood, Eboni G.; Quinn, Gwendolyn P.; Coppola, Domenico; Sodeke, Stephen O.; Green, B. Lee; Lichtveld, Maureen Y.

2015-01-01

Significant cancer health disparities exist in the United States and Puerto Rico. While numerous initiatives have been implemented to reduce cancer disparities, regional coordination of these efforts between institutions is often limited. To address cancer health disparities nationwide, a series of regional transdisciplinary networks through the Geographic Management Program (GMaP) and the Minority Biospecimen/Biobanking Geographic Management Program (BMaP) were established in six regions across the country. This paper describes the development of the Region 3 GMaP/BMaP network composed of over 100 investigators from nine institutions in five Southeastern states and Puerto Rico to develop a state-of-the-art network for cancer health disparities research and training. We describe a series of partnership activities that led to the formation of the infrastructure for this network, recount the participatory processes utilized to develop and implement a needs and assets assessment and implementation plan, and describe our approach to data collection. Completion, by all nine institutions, of the needs and assets assessment resulted in several beneficial outcomes for Region 3 GMaP/BMaP. This network entails ongoing commitment from the institutions and institutional leaders, continuous participatory and engagement activities, and effective coordination and communication centered on team science goals. PMID:24486917

Army Junior Officer Education: An Assessment of Institutional Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

EDUCATION : AN ASSESSMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING by Christopher S. Landers December 2007 Thesis Advisor: Douglas Borer Second Reader...TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Army Junior Officer Education : An Assessment of Institutional Learning 6. AUTHOR(S...Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited ARMY JUNIOR OFFICER EDUCATION : AN ASSESSMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING Christopher S

12 CFR 327.15 - Emergency special assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... basis points on each insured depository institution based on the institution's assessment base... level which shall be close to zero or negative at the end of a calendar quarter, an emergency special... institutions based on each institution's assessment base calculated pursuant to § 327.5 for the corresponding...

The Role of Learner-Centred Assessment in Postsecondary Organisational Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webber, Karen L.; Tschepikow, Kyle

2013-01-01

For postsecondary institutions, organisational change is an inevitable and ongoing process. Institutions face a growing need to assess student learning assessment as part of an institution's comprehensive assessment plan. While a growing body of literature suggests that learner-centred assessment is a best practice in higher education pedagogy, it…

Assessment of graduate public health education in Nepal and perceived needs of faculty and students

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Despite the large body of evidence suggesting that effective public health infrastructure is vital to improving the health status of populations, many universities in developing countries offer minimal opportunities for graduate training in public health. In Nepal, for example, only two institutions currently offer a graduate public health degree. Both institutions confer only a general Masters in Public Health (MPH), and together produce 30 graduates per year. The objective of this assessment was to identify challenges in graduate public health education in Nepal, and explore ways to address these challenges. Methods The assessment included in-person school visits and data collection through semi-structured in-depth interviews with primary stakeholders of Nepal’s public health academic sector. The 72 participants included faculty, students, alumni, and leaders of institutions that offered MPH programs, and the leadership of one government-funded institution that is currently developing an MPH program. Data were analyzed through content analysis to identify major themes. Results Six themes characterizing the challenges of expanding and improving graduate public health training were identified: 1) a shortage of trained public health faculty, with consequent reliance on the internet to compensate for inadequate teaching resources; 2) teaching/learning cultures and bureaucratic traditions that are not optimal for graduate education; 3) within-institution dominance of clinical medicine over public health; 4) a desire for practice–oriented, contextually relevant training opportunities; 5) a demand for degree options in public health specialties (for example, epidemiology); and 6) a strong interest in international academic collaboration. Conclusion Despite an enormous need for trained public health professionals, Nepal’s educational institutions face barriers to developing effective graduate programs. Overcoming these barriers will require: 1) increasing the investment in public health education and 2) improving the academic environment of educational institutions. Long term, committed academic collaborations with international universities may be a realistic way to: 1) redress immediate inadequacies in resources, including teachers; 2) encourage learning environments that promote inquiry, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking; and 3) support development of the in-country capacity of local institutions to produce a cadre of competent, well-trained public health practitioners, researchers, teachers, and leaders. PMID:23621945

The course of Neuropsychological Performance and Functional Capacity in Older Patients with Schizophrenia: Influences of Previous history of long-term institutional Stay

PubMed Central

Harvey, Philip D.; Reichenberg, Abraham; Bowie, Christopher R.; Patterson, Thomas L.; Heaton, Robert K.

2010-01-01

Background Chronically institutionalized patients with schizophrenia have been reported to manifest cognitive and functional decline. Previous studies were limited by the fact that current environment could not be separated from life-time illness course. The present study examined older outpatients who varied in their lifetime history of long-term psychiatric inpatient stay. Methods Community dwelling patients with schizophrenia (n=111) and healthy comparison subjects (n=76) were followed up to 45 months and examined two or more times with a neuropsychological (NP) battery and performance-based measures of everyday living skills (UCSD Performance-based skills assessment; UPSA) and social competence. A mixed-effects model repeated-measures method was used to examine changes. Results There was a significant effect of institutional stay on the course of the UPSA. When the schizophrenia patients who completed all three assessments were divided on the basis of length of institutional stay and compared to healthy comparison subjects, patients with longer stays worsened on the UPSA and social competence while patients with shorter stays improved. For NP performance, both patient samples worsened slightly while the HC group manifested a practice effect. Reliable change index (RCI) analyses showed that worsening on the UPSA for longer stay patients was definitely nonrandom. Conclusions Life-time history of institutional stay was associated with worsening on measures of social and everyday living skills. NP performance in schizophrenia did not evidence the practice effect seen in the HC sample. These data suggest that schizophrenia patients with a history of long institutional stay may worsen even if they are no longer institutionalized. PMID:20202624

Assessment of Professional Training Programmes in International Agricultural Research Institutions: The Case of ICRAF

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanjiku, Julliet; Mairura, Franklin; Place, Frank

2010-01-01

The following survey was undertaken in 2005 to assess the effectiveness of professional training activities in international agricultural research organizations that were undertaken between 1999 and 2002 at ICRAF (International Centre for Research in Agroforestry), now World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi. Trainees were randomly selected from…

78 FR 26646 - Office of Health Assessment and Translation Evaluation of the State of the Science for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-07

... and Translation Evaluation of the State of the Science for Transgenerational Inheritance of Health Effects; Request for Information SUMMARY: The Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) of the Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences...

Assessment Program Technical Progress Report, 1995-1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eickmeyer, Barbara; McCown, Laurie

Prepared in response to a recommendation from a 1995 accreditation visit, this report describes efforts undertaken at Arizona's Coconino Community College (CCC) to assess student achievement and institutional effectiveness in 1995-96. Following introductory materials on the purpose of the report and an executive summary, a graph of assessment…

Improving Success in Developmental Mathematics: An Interview with Paul Nolting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan, Hunter R.

2011-01-01

This article presents an interview with Dr. Paul Nolting, a national expert in assessing individual math learning problems, developing effective student learning strategies, and assessing institutional variables that affect math success. Since his dissertation in 1986 on improving math success with study skills Dr. Nolting has consulted with over…

SADA: A FREEWARE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL INTEGRATING GIS, SAMPLE DESIGN, SPATIAL MODELING AND RISK ASSESSMENT (SLIDE PRESENTATION)

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a Windows freeware program that incorporates tools from environmental assessment into an effective problem-solving environment. SADA was developed by the Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and inc...

MEETING IN CHICAGO: SADA: A FREEWARE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL INTEGRATING GIS, SAMPLE DESIGN, SPATIAL MODELING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a Windows freeware program that incorporates tools from environmental assessment into an effective problem-solving environment. SADA was developed by the Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and inc...

MEETING IN CZECH REPUBLIC: SADA: A FREEWARE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL INTEGRATING GIS, SAMPLE DESIGN, SPATIAL MODELING, AND RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a Windows freeware program that incorporates tools from environmental assessment into an effective problem-solving environment. SADA was developed by the Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and inc...

Environmental Scanning: Assessing Local Business Training Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clagett, Craig A.; Huntington, Robin B.

Environmental scanning (ES) is a formal process of assessing trends and forecasting events which can influence an institution so that the potential challenges and opportunities can be effectively anticipated during strategic planning activities. The goal of ES is the implementation of proactive, anticipatory policies that will be robust under a…

31 CFR 203.12 - EFTPS interest assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Circumstances subject to interest assessments. Treasury may assess interest on a financial institution in... tax payment instructions to the financial institution was timely and that the taxpayer satisfied the conditions imposed by the financial institution pursuant to § 203.10(b). Treasury also may assess interest...

Assessing the Organizational and Administrative Context for Teaching and Learning: An Institutional Self-Study Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Marvin W.; And Others

This self-assessment manual is intended to help institutions examine their academic management process to assess how they create and foster a climate that promotes undergraduate teaching and learning. It contains three instruments for self-administration. The "Institutional Case Study Guide" helps users analyze their institution's educational…

Use of Social Media and Its Impact on Academic Performance of Tertiary Institution Students: A Study of Students of Koforidua Polytechnic, Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owusu-Acheaw, M.; Larson, Agatha Gifty

2015-01-01

The study sought to assess students' use of social media and its effect on academic performance of tertiary institutions students in Ghana with a focus on Koforidua Polytechnic students. Questionnaire was used for collecting data. Out of one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight copies of the questionnaire distributed, one thousand five hundred…

Assessment of Program Impact Through First Grade, Volume II: Impact on Institutions. An Evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity. Interim Report X.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosario, Jose; And Others

As part of a longitudinal study evaluating program effects, this report, the second in a series of six, describes the impact of Project Developmental Continuity (PDC) on the institutional policies and procedures of participating Head Start centers and elementary schools up to the time the evaluation study's cohort of children had completed grade…

What the Army Needs to Know to Align Its Operational and Institutional Activities

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

127 Where Accessioning Fits in Institutional Personnel Activities...assess how well short-term acquisition operates relative to their goals. Their goals can be framed in terms of output attributes, such as the following...ments.” In effect, the evaluation of value chains can provide a higher- level context in which to frame Lean Six Sigma initiatives, which can then pursue

Miami-Dade Community College 1984 Institutional Self-Study. Volume IV: Student Information and Performance Standards (Advisement and Graduation Information System, Academic Alert, Standards of Academic Progress).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miami-Dade Community Coll., FL.

Part of a systematic, in-depth assessment of Miami-Dade Community College's (MDCC's) educational programs, student support systems, and selected campus-level activities, this volume of the college's institutional self-study report examines the impact and effectiveness of student information systems and performance standards. This report presents…

Secondary Analysis and Large-Scale Assessments. Monograph in the Faculty of Education Research Seminar and Workshop Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobin, Kenneth; Fraser, Barry J.

Large scale assessments of educational progress can be useful tools to judge the effectiveness of educational programs and assessments. This document contains papers presented at the research seminar on this topic held at the Western Australian Institute of Technology in November, 1984. It is the fifth in a series of publications of papers…

Feedback Survey of the Effect, Burden, and Cost of the National Endoscopic Quality Assessment Program during the Past 5 Years in Korea.

PubMed

Cho, Yu Kyung; Moon, Jeong Seop; Han, Dong Su; Lee, Yong Chan; Kim, Yeol; Park, Bo Young; Chung, Il-Kwun; Kim, Jin-Oh; Im, Jong Pil; Cha, Jae Myung; Kim, Hyun Gun; Lee, Sang Kil; Lee, Hang Lak; Jang, Jae Young; Kim, Eun Sun; Jung, Yunho; Moon, Chang Mo

2016-11-01

In Korea, the nationwide gastric cancer screening program recommends biennial screening for individuals aged 40 years or older by way of either an upper gastrointestinal series or endoscopy. The national endoscopic quality assessment (QA) program began recommending endoscopy in medical institutions in 2009. We aimed to assess the effect, burden, and cost of the QA program from the viewpoint of medical institutions. We surveyed the staff of institutional endoscopic units via e-mail. Staff members from 67 institutions replied. Most doctors were endoscopic specialists. They responded as to whether the QA program raised awareness for endoscopic quality (93%) or improved endoscopic practice (40%). The percentages of responders who reported improvements in the diagnosis of gastric cancer, the qualifications of endoscopists, the quality of facilities and equipment, endoscopic procedure, and endoscopic reprocessing were 69%, 60%, 66%, 82%, and 75%, respectively. Regarding reprocessing, many staff members reported that they had bought new automated endoscopic preprocessors (3%), used more disinfectants (34%), washed endoscopes longer (28%), reduced the number of endoscopies performed to adhere to reprocessing guidelines (9%), and created their own quality education programs (59%). Many responders said they felt that QA was associated with some degree of burden (48%), especially financial burden caused by purchasing new equipment. Reasonable quality standards (45%) and incentives (38%) were considered important to the success of the QA program. Endoscopic quality has improved after 5 years of the mandatory endoscopic QA program.

Integration of health and environment through health impact assessment: cases from three continents.

PubMed

Negev, Maya; Levine, Hagai; Davidovitch, Nadav; Bhatia, Rajiv; Mindell, Jennifer

2012-04-01

Despite the strong linkage between environment and health, institutions responsible for these fields operate in largely fragmented ways with limited interaction. As illustrated in the recent engagement between health and urban planning institutions, inter-institutional cooperation could support more effective and politically acceptable solutions for both local and global problems. Analysis of three case-studies, from three different continents, shows that HIA might serve to promote synergies among health and environmental disciplines in different local contexts, and could lead to institutional and procedural changes that promote health. Case examples provided supportive evidence for these effects, despite differences in approaches to HIA and governance levels. Obstacles to the use of HIA for inter-institutional integration also differed between countries. Lessons learned could support cooperation in other common interests of health and environment disciplines such as research, training and preparedness, and mitigation of public health emergencies related to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficient and resilient governance of social-ecological systems.

PubMed

Erickson, Adam

2015-09-01

New institutions are critically needed to improve the resilience of social-ecological systems globally. Watershed management offers an important model due to its ability to govern mixed-ownership landscapes through common property regimes, translating national goals into local action. Here, I assess the efficacy of state watershed management institutions in the Pacific Northwest, based on their ability to support local watershed groups. I use document analysis to describe and compare state institutions in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Results indicate that state institutional efficiency and resilience are the key factors determining watershed group activity and stability. The primary drivers of institutional efficiency and resilience were institutional unification, robust funding portfolios, low agency conflict, and strong support for economic multiplier effects, creative partnerships, and scholarly research. My findings elucidate the critical role of institutional efficiency and resilience in governing dynamic and complex social-ecological systems, enabling the flexibility to address emergent transformations.

Identifying and Assessing Interaction Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes for Future Force Soldiers

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) SBIR request, the Army Interpersonal Skills Assessment ( AISA ) battery consists of five...Army evolves over the coming years, Soldiers will be placed in positions that require increasing interaction effectiveness. The goal of the AISA is...effective interpersonal KSAs may improve performance. In Phase II of this SBIR effort, the AISA battery underwent a full development cycle

The Effectiveness of Regulatory Disclosure Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weil, David; Fung, Archon; Graham, Mary; Fagotto, Elena

2006-01-01

Regulatory transparency--mandatory disclosure of information by private or public institutions with a regulatory intent--has become an important frontier of government innovation. This paper assesses the effectiveness of such transparency systems by examining the design and impact of financial disclosure, nutritional labeling, workplace hazard…

Using Habitat Equivalency Analysis to Assess the Cost Effectiveness of Restoration Outcomes in Four Institutional Contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scemama, Pierre; Levrel, Harold

2016-01-01

At the national level, with a fixed amount of resources available for public investment in the restoration of biodiversity, it is difficult to prioritize alternative restoration projects. One way to do this is to assess the level of ecosystem services delivered by these projects and to compare them with their costs. The challenge is to derive a common unit of measurement for ecosystem services in order to compare projects which are carried out in different institutional contexts having different goals (application of environmental laws, management of natural reserves, etc.). This paper assesses the use of habitat equivalency analysis (HEA) as a tool to evaluate ecosystem services provided by restoration projects developed in different institutional contexts. This tool was initially developed to quantify the level of ecosystem services required to compensate for non-market impacts coming from accidental pollution in the US. In this paper, HEA is used to assess the cost effectiveness of several restoration projects in relation to different environmental policies, using case studies based in France. Four case studies were used: the creation of a market for wetlands, public acceptance of a port development project, the rehabilitation of marshes to mitigate nitrate loading to the sea, and the restoration of streams in a protected area. Our main conclusion is that HEA can provide a simple tool to clarify the objectives of restoration projects, to compare the cost and effectiveness of these projects, and to carry out trade-offs, without requiring significant amounts of human or technical resources.

Using Habitat Equivalency Analysis to Assess the Cost Effectiveness of Restoration Outcomes in Four Institutional Contexts.

PubMed

Scemama, Pierre; Levrel, Harold

2016-01-01

At the national level, with a fixed amount of resources available for public investment in the restoration of biodiversity, it is difficult to prioritize alternative restoration projects. One way to do this is to assess the level of ecosystem services delivered by these projects and to compare them with their costs. The challenge is to derive a common unit of measurement for ecosystem services in order to compare projects which are carried out in different institutional contexts having different goals (application of environmental laws, management of natural reserves, etc.). This paper assesses the use of habitat equivalency analysis (HEA) as a tool to evaluate ecosystem services provided by restoration projects developed in different institutional contexts. This tool was initially developed to quantify the level of ecosystem services required to compensate for non-market impacts coming from accidental pollution in the US. In this paper, HEA is used to assess the cost effectiveness of several restoration projects in relation to different environmental policies, using case studies based in France. Four case studies were used: the creation of a market for wetlands, public acceptance of a port development project, the rehabilitation of marshes to mitigate nitrate loading to the sea, and the restoration of streams in a protected area. Our main conclusion is that HEA can provide a simple tool to clarify the objectives of restoration projects, to compare the cost and effectiveness of these projects, and to carry out trade-offs, without requiring significant amounts of human or technical resources.

The management of technology assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayo, L. H.

1972-01-01

The total problem concept of technology assessment, involving a comprehensive information management activity with an objective orientation to the assessment function is discussed. A brief overview of the technology assessment function and some past experiences are given. Fragmentation of assessment systems, optimum social subsystem for examination in particular assessments, and adequacy of assessments are studied. The magnitude of the technology assessment function and the level of support required for the effective performance of this function are also discussed. One type of institutional arrangement which might produce a close approximation to the total problem assessment approach is suggested.

Procedures and methods of benefit assessments for medicines in Germany.

PubMed

Bekkering, Geertruida E; Kleijnen, Jos

2008-11-01

The Federal Joint Committee (FJC; Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA) defines the health-care elements that are to be reimbursed by sickness funds. To define a directive, the FJC can commission benefit assessments, which provide an overview of the scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and benefits of an intervention. This paper describes the operational implementation of the legal requirements with regard to the benefit assessments of medicines. Such benefit assessments are sometimes referred to as "isolated benefit assessments," to distinguish them from benefit assessments as part of a full economic evaluation.The FJC has the freedom to commission these assessments from any agency; however, to date the majority have commissioned the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Nevertheless, the content of this paper applies integrally to any institute commissioned for such assessments. In this report, 'the institute' is used when the text refers to any of these institutes.The legal framework for benefit assessments is laid out in the German Social Code Book version V ( http://www.sozialgesetzbuch.de ), Sects. 35b ( section 1), 139a ( section 4-6) and Sect. 139b ( section 3). It is specified that: The institute must guarantee high transparency. The institute must provide appropriate participation of relevant parties for the commission-related development of assessments, and opportunity for comment on all important segments of the assessment procedure. The institute has to report on the progress and results of the work at regular intervals. The institute is held to giving the commission to external experts. Based on the legal framework, the institute must guarantee a high procedural transparency. Transparency of the whole process should be achieved, which is evidenced by clear reporting of procedures and criteria in all phases undertaken in the benefit assessment. The most important means of enhancing transparency are: 1. To implement a scoping process to support the development of the research question. 2. To separate the work of the external experts performing the evidence assessment from that of the institute formulating recommendations. Therefore, the preliminary report as produced by external experts needs to be public, and published separately from any subsequent amendments or (draft-)reports made by the institute, which includes the institute's recommendations. 3. To implement open peer review by publishing both the comments of the reviewers and their names. Based on the legal framework, the institute must provide for adequate participation of relevant parties. These include organisations representing the interests of patients; experts of medical, pharmaceutical and health economic science and practice; the professional organisations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies; and experts on alternative therapies. Patients and health care professionals bring in new insights with respect to research priorities, treatment and outcomes.The relevant parties should be identified and contacted whenever the global scope of the assessment has been drafted. Subsequently, the relevant parties should be involved in defining the research question, developing the protocol and commenting on the preliminary report. To implement the involvement of relevant parties in defining the research question a scoping process is suggested. For the other phases, written comments followed by an oral discussion should be used. Finally, the relevant parties should have the right to appeal the final decision on judicial grounds. None of these steps mean that the institute would lose any part of its scientific independence.From the relevant sections of the legal framework with respect to the assessment methods, it can be concluded that: 1. The institute must ensure that the assessment is made in accordance with internationally recognised standards of evidence-based medicine (EBM). 2. The assessment is conducted in comparison with other medicines and treatment forms under consideration of the additional therapeutic benefit for the patients. 3. The minimum criteria for assessing patient benefit are improvements in the state of health, shortening the duration of illness, extension of the duration of life, reduction of side effects and improvements in quality of life. EBM refers to the application of the best available evidence to answer a research question, which can inform questions about the care of patients. The optimal design, even for effectiveness questions, is not always the randomised, controlled trial (RCT) but depends on the research question and the outcomes of interest. To increase transparency for each question, the levels of evidence examined should be made explicit. There is no empirical evidence to support the use of cutoff points with respect to the number of studies before making recommendations. To get the best available evidence for the research question(s), all relevant evidence should be considered for each question, and the best available evidence should be used to answer the question. Separate levels of evidence may have to be used for each outcome.There are many ways in which bias can be introduced in systematic reviews. Some types of bias can be prevented, other types can only be reported and, for some, the influence of the bias can be investigated. Reviews must show that potential sources of bias have been dealt with adequately.Methods used by other agencies that perform benefit assessments are useful to interpret the term 'international standards' to which the institute must comply. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a good example in this respect. NICE shows that it is possible to have transparent procedures for benefit assessments but that this requires detailed documentation. NICE has implemented an open procedure with respect to the comments of reviewers, which makes the procedure transparent. Although the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) in Germany invites comments on their protocol and preliminary report by posting them on their website, and comments are made public, the individual comments are not evaluated openly, and therefore it remains uncertain whether or not they lead to changes in the reports. The participation of relevant parties in the assessment process as implemented by NICE guarantees a process that is transparent to all relevant parties.Transparency of the whole process is assured by clear reporting of procedures and criteria in all phases undertaken in the benefit assessment. In a scoping process, a draft scope is commented on first in writing and subsequently in the form of a scoping workshop. In this way, all relevant aspects can be heard and included in the final scope. The protocol is then developed, followed by evidence assessment. The methods used should be completely reported to show readers that the assessment has been performed with scientific rigour and that bias has been prevented where possible. All relevant parties should have the opportunity to comment on the draft protocol and the draft preliminary report. Each comment should be evaluated as to whether or not it will lead to changes, and both the comments and the evaluation should be made public to ensure transparency of this process. The same procedure should be used for the peer-review phase. Based on the final report of the evidence assessment, the institute forms recommendations and the FJC appraises the evidence.During the writing of the final report, a separation between the evidence assessment and the evidence-appraisal phase should be implemented. Ideally, this separation should be legally enforced to prevent any confusion about conflict of interests.Such a process guarantees a feasible combination of the legal requirements for transparency and involvement of relevant parties with international standards of EBM to ensure that the benefit assessments of medicines in Germany are performed according to the highest standards.

[Procedures and methods of benefit assessments for medicines in Germany].

PubMed

Bekkering, G E; Kleijnen, J

2008-12-01

The Federal Joint Committee (FJC; Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA) defines the health-care elements that are to be reimbursed by sickness funds. To define a directive, the FJC can commission benefit assessments, which provide an overview of the scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and benefits of an intervention. This paper describes the operational implementation of the legal requirements with regard to the benefit assessments of medicines. Such benefit assessments are sometimes referred to as "isolated benefit assessments," to distinguish them from benefit assessments as part of a full economic evaluation. The FJC has the freedom to commission these assessments from any agency; however, to date the majority have commissioned the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Nevertheless, the content of this paper applies integrally to any institute commissioned for such assessments. In this report, "the institute"' is used when the text refers to any of these institutes. The legal framework for benefit assessments is laid out in the German Social Code Book version V (http://www. sozialgesetzbuch.de), Sects. 35b ( section sign 1), 139a ( section sign 4-6) and Sect. 139b ( section sign 3). It is specified that: The institute must guarantee high transparency. The institute must provide appropriate participation of relevant parties for the commission-related development of assessments, and opportunity for comment on all important segments of the assessment procedure. The institute has to report on the progress and results of the work at regular intervals. The institute is held to giving the commission to external experts. Based on the legal framework, the institute must guarantee a high procedural transparency. Transparency of the whole process should be achieved, which is evidenced by clear reporting of procedures and criteria in all phases undertaken in the benefit assessment. The most important means of enhancing transparency are: 1. To implement a scoping process to support the development of the research question. 2. To separate the work of the external experts performing the evidence assessment from that of the institute formulating recommendations. Therefore, the preliminary report as produced by external experts needs to be public, and published separately from any subsequent amendments or (draft-)reports made by the institute, which includes the institute's recommendations. 3. To implement open peer review by publishing both the comments of the reviewers and their names. Based on the legal framework, the institute must provide for adequate participation of relevant parties. These include organisations representing the interests of patients; experts of medical, pharmaceutical and health economic science and practice; the professional organisations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies; and experts on alternative therapies. Patients and health care professionals bring in new insights with respect to research priorities, treatment and outcomes. The relevant parties should be identified and contacted whenever the global scope of the assessment has been drafted. Subsequently, the relevant parties should be involved in defining the research question, developing the protocol and commenting on the preliminary report. To implement the involvement of relevant parties in defining the research question a scoping process is suggested. For the other phases, written comments followed by an oral discussion should be used. Finally, the relevant parties should have the right to appeal the final decision on judicial grounds. None of these steps mean that the institute would lose any part of its scientific independence. From the relevant sections of the legal framework with respect to the assessment methods, it can be concluded that: 1. The institute must ensure that the assessment is made in accordance with internationally recognised standards of evidence-based medicine (EBM). 2. The assessment is conducted in comparison with other medicines and treatment forms under consideration of the additional therapeutic benefit for the patients. 3. The minimum criteria for assessing patient benefit are improvements in the state of health, shortening the duration of illness, extension of the duration of life, reduction of side effects and improvements in quality of life. EBM refers to the application of the best available evidence to answer a research question, which can inform questions about the care of patients. The optimal design, even for effectiveness questions, is not always the randomised, controlled trial (RCT) but depends on the research question and the outcomes of interest. To increase transparency for each question, the levels of evidence examined should be made explicit. There is no empirical evidence to support the use of cutoff points with respect to the number of studies before making recommendations. To get the best available evidence for the research question(s), all relevant evidence should be considered for each question, and the best available evidence should be used to answer the question. Separate levels of evidence may have to be used for each outcome. There are many ways in which bias can be introduced in systematic reviews. Some types of bias can be prevented, other types can only be reported and, for some, the influence of the bias can be investigated. Reviews must show that potential sources of bias have been dealt with adequately. Methods used by other agencies that perform benefit assessments are useful to interpret the term 'international standards' to which the institute must comply. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a good example in this respect. NICE shows that it is possible to have transparent procedures for benefit assessments but that this requires detailed documentation. NICE has implemented an open procedure with respect to the comments of reviewers, which makes the procedure transparent. Although the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) in Germany invites comments on their protocol and preliminary report by posting them on their website, and comments are made public, the individual comments are not evaluated openly, and therefore it remains uncertain whether or not they lead to changes in the reports. The participation of relevant parties in the assessment process as implemented by NICE guarantees a process that is transparent to all relevant parties. Transparency of the whole process is assured by clear reporting of procedures and criteria in all phases undertaken in the benefit assessment. In a scoping process, a draft scope is commented on first in writing and subsequently in the form of a scoping workshop. In this way, all relevant aspects can be heard and included in the final scope. The protocol is then developed, followed by evidence assessment. The methods used should be completely reported to show readers that the assessment has been performed with scientific rigour and that bias has been prevented where possible. All relevant parties should have the opportunity to comment on the draft protocol and the draft preliminary report. Each comment should be evaluated as to whether or not it will lead to changes, and both the comments and the evaluation should be made public to ensure transparency of this process. The same procedure should be used for the peer-review phase. Based on the final report of the evidence assessment, the institute forms recommendations and the FJC appraises the evidence. During the writing of the final report, a separation between the evidence assessment and the evidence appraisal phase should be implemented. Ideally, this separation should be legally enforced to prevent any confusion about conflict of interests. Such a process guarantees a feasible combination of the legal requirements for transparency and involvement of relevant parties with international standards of EBM to ensure that the benefit assessments of medicines in Germany are performed according to the highest standards.

Transfer Credit Assessment: A Survey of Institutional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer, 2015

2015-01-01

Assessing credits that transfer students bring to an institution may require a significant amount of institutional resources. The increased mobility of students among post-secondary institutions in British Columbia (BC), and the need to ensure efficient admission processes for both the student and the institution, makes transfer credit assessment…

An Assessment of the Effectiveness of the AGATE Program Management Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warner, Timothy P. (Technical Monitor); Masson, Paul

2005-01-01

This report describes the collaborative program model chosen to implement an aeronautics research and technology program from 1994 through 2001: the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE) Program. The Program had one primary objective: to improve the ability of the General Aviation industry to adopt technology as a solution to fulfill public benefit objectives. The primary objective of this report is to assess the program s ability to meet a combination of "effectiveness measures" from multiple stakeholders. The "effectiveness" of any model forms the foundation of legitimate questions for policy makers and professional federal managers. The participants rated AGATE as achieving its primary objectives and rating well on effectiveness in most areas, with high measures for relevance, cost, speed and public benefit, but lower measures for institutional fit and flexibility at dealing with the larger NASA organizational structure. This pattern mirrors private sector surveys and represents a tradeoff between the benefits of tailoring a program using partnering, versus the changes necessary within the institutional structure to support such tailoring.

Higher Education and the Panopticon Paradigm: Quality Assessment as "Disciplinary Technology."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shore, Cris; Roberts, Stephen

This paper explores the function and effects of recent government reform of higher education in the United Kingdom particularly on quality assurance and quality assessment. The reforms have aimed to make institutions more akin to business and have used the language and techniques of "management." It is argued, in agreement with Michel…

Horry-Georgetown Technical College Summary Report on Institutional Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, H. Neyle

This document is the Horry-Georgetown Technical College comprehensive assessment of missions, goals, and objectives. The assessment addressed the mission statement of the college as well as its long-term goals. The mission statement was unchanged. In regards to long-term goals for the college, the college deleted one goal that had already been…

Adaptation of Kirkpatrick's Four Level Model of Training Criteria to Assessment of Learning Outcomes and Program Evaluation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praslova, Ludmila

2010-01-01

Assessment of educational effectiveness provides vitally important feedback to Institutions of Higher Education. It also provides important information to external stakeholders, such as prospective students, parents, governmental and local regulatory entities, professional and regional accrediting organizations, and representatives of the…

Research and Teaching: Assessment of Graduate Teaching Assistants Enrolled in a Teaching Techniques Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehnder, Caralyn

2016-01-01

At the authors' public liberal arts institution, biology masters students are required to enroll in BIOL 5050: Teaching Techniques. Course topics include designing effective lectures, assessment, classroom management, diversity in the classroom, and active learning strategies. The impact of this type of training on graduate students' attitudes and…

Walnut Creek and Squaw Creek Watersheds, Iowa: National Institute of Food and Agriculture-Conservation Effects Assessment Project

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Walnut Creek Watershed NIFA-CEAP Watershed project was designed to assess water quality benefits and economic costs from the adoption of a prairie ecosystem (conservation practice implementation) at a watershed scale. This chapter describes and summarizes the paired watershed (Walnut Creek and S...

Assessing the Role of College as a Sustainability Communication Channel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lertpratchya, Alisa P.; Besley, John C.; Zwickle, Adam; Takahashi, Bruno; Whitley, Cameron Thomas

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of higher education institution as a sustainability communication channel. The theory of planned behavior was used to examine the degree to which a student's tenure at a large university with active and visible sustainability initiatives is associated with changes in views about…

The Effect of Self-Assessment on EFL Learners' Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baleghizadeh, Sasan; Masoun, Atieh

2013-01-01

This study investigated the continuous influence of self-assessment on EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' self-efficacy. The participants, divided into an experimental and a control group, were 57 Iranian EFL learners in an English-language institute. The participants' self-efficacy was measured through a questionnaire that was the same…

Beyond Compliance: Making Assessment Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuh, George D.; Ikenberry, Stanley O.; Jankowski, Natasha A.; Cain, Timothy Reese; Ewell, Peter T.; Hutchings, Pat; Kinzie, Jillian

2015-01-01

The expectation for accountability is legitimate. In order to have the desired effects, evidence of what students know and can do must respond to genuine institutional needs and priorities. Far too often, that condition is not met. On too many campuses, assessment activity is mired in a culture of compliance rather than driven by collective…

Evaluation of anesthetic technique on surgical site infections (SSIs) at a single institution.

PubMed

Curry, Craig S; Smith, Kahsi A; Allyn, John W

2014-12-01

To determine whether the previously published relationship between anesthetic technique and rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) was influenced by institution specific effects. Retrospective Review of Quality Assurance and Hospital Epidemiology databases. Metropolitan medical center. The records of 7,751 patients who underwent knee or hip joint replacement from 2004 to 2010 were analyzed. Data regarding anesthetic technique, age, ASA status, gender, postoperative temperature, duration of anesthesia and type of surgery were from the department of anesthesiology quality assurance database and SSI cases were identified from the department of epidemiology database. The impact of anesthetic technique and other variables was assessed using bivariate and multivariate techniques. There was no association of anesthetic technique on the rate of SSI. Duration of anesthesia and ASA status were associated with effects on the rate of SSI. The impact of anesthetic technique on SSI following hip and knee replacement surgery may be site specific and using locally gathered quality data may assist in assessing specific institutional impact. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of health education and behavioral intervention for tobacco de-addiction among degree students: A clinical trial

PubMed Central

Reddy, Uday Kumar; Siyo, Rasool Karim Nizaro; Ul Haque, Mohamed Abrar; Basavaraja, Harsha; Acharya, Bailore Lakshmikantha Guruprasanna; Divakar, Darshan Devang

2015-01-01

Background: Objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of tobacco use among the degree students of Oxford institutions in Bangalore city, offer a tobacco cessation intervention for tobacco users among the degree students, and assess the effectiveness of intervention by comparing with the control group. Materials and Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and the effectiveness of tobacco cessation behavioral intervention offered to degree students of Oxford institutions in Bangalore city. Then were randomly selected and divided into 55 students in the study group (group A) and 60 students in the control group (group B). Results: The effect of intervention of tobacco cessation in group A showed an increase of 29.1% students who stopped using tobacco completely after intervention compared to 15% in group B, and the highest reduction of 21.8% change was noticed in the students using one to five tobacco products per day and the least reduction in percentage (1.8%) change was noticed in the students using one tobacco product per day. Conclusion: Findings from the present study suggest that the intervention has suggestive significance on tobacco intervention. PMID:26942124

Empowering your institution through assessment

PubMed Central

Joubert, Douglas J.; Lee, Tamera P.

2007-01-01

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to describe the process of linking Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) data with 2002 LibQUAL+ data and to address four analytical questions created by the AAHSL Task Force on Quality Assessment that relate both to user satisfaction and to services provided by AAHSL libraries. Methods: For the thirty-five AAHSL libraries that participated in the 2002 LibQUAL+ survey, nested-effect of variance was analyzed using a linear mixed model. Using the Pearson correlation coefficient, this study explored four questions about the effect of user demographics on perceived levels of satisfaction with library services. Results: The supposition that library user satisfaction may differ according to library institutional reporting structure was unsupported. Regarding effect on mean overall satisfaction, size of library staff is not significant (P = 0.860), number of constituents is slightly significant (P = 0.027), and ratio of staff to constituents has a moderate and significant effect (P = 0.004). Conclusions: From a demographic perspective, the 2002 LibQUAL+ survey represents the largest cross section of AAHSL libraries. Increased understanding of how qualitative assessment can supplement quantitative data supports evidence-based decision-making and practice. It also could promote changes in data collection and usage. PMID:17252066

Empowering your institution through assessment.

PubMed

Joubert, Douglas J; Lee, Tamera P

2007-01-01

The objectives of this study are to describe the process of linking Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) data with 2002 LibQUAL+ data and to address four analytical questions created by the AAHSL Task Force on Quality Assessment that relate both to user satisfaction and to services provided by AAHSL libraries. For the thirty-five AAHSL libraries that participated in the 2002 LibQUAL+ survey, nested-effect of variance was analyzed using a linear mixed model. Using the Pearson correlation coefficient, this study explored four questions about the effect of user demographics on perceived levels of satisfaction with library services. The supposition that library user satisfaction may differ according to library institutional reporting structure was unsupported. Regarding effect on mean overall satisfaction, size of library staff is not significant (P = 0.860), number of constituents is slightly significant (P = 0.027), and ratio of staff to constituents has a moderate and significant effect (P = 0.004). From a demographic perspective, the 2002 LibQUAL+ survey represents the largest cross section of AAHSL libraries. Increased understanding of how qualitative assessment can supplement quantitative data supports evidence-based decision-making and practice. It also could promote changes in data collection and usage.

Global Education Implications of the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination

PubMed Central

Clauson, Kevin A.; Latif, David A.; Al-Rousan, Rabaa M.

2010-01-01

Although the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) is not intended to measure educational outcomes or institutional effectiveness, it may be a reliable and valid criterion to assess the quality or success of international pharmacy programs. This comprehensive review describes the evolution and historical milestones of the FPGEE, along with trends in structure, administration, and passing rates, and the impact of country of origin on participant performance. Similarities between the FPGEE and the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) are also explored. This paper aims to provide a global prospective and insight for foreign academic institutions into parameters for evaluating their students' educational capabilities. PMID:20798798

Global University Rankings--Impacts and Unintended Side Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kehm, Barbara M.

2014-01-01

In this article, global and other university rankings are critically assessed with regard to their unintended side effects and their impacts on the European and national landscape of universities, as well as on individual institutions. An emphasis is put on the effects of ranking logics rather than on criticising their methodology. Nevertheless,…

Report Card on the Effectiveness of Teacher Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee State Board of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated 49-5-108 requires the state to develop a report card or assessment on the effectiveness of teacher training programs. This report includes data on the performance of each institution's graduates in the following areas required by state statute: placement and retention rates, Praxis results, and teacher effect data based on…

How to improve medical education website design.

PubMed

Sisson, Stephen D; Hill-Briggs, Felicia; Levine, David

2010-04-21

The Internet provides a means of disseminating medical education curricula, allowing institutions to share educational resources. Much of what is published online is poorly planned, does not meet learners' needs, or is out of date. Applying principles of curriculum development, adult learning theory and educational website design may result in improved online educational resources. Key steps in developing and implementing an education website include: 1) Follow established principles of curriculum development; 2) Perform a needs assessment and repeat the needs assessment regularly after curriculum implementation; 3) Include in the needs assessment targeted learners, educators, institutions, and society; 4) Use principles of adult learning and behavioral theory when developing content and website function; 5) Design the website and curriculum to demonstrate educational effectiveness at an individual and programmatic level; 6) Include a mechanism for sustaining website operations and updating content over a long period of time. Interactive, online education programs are effective for medical training, but require planning, implementation, and maintenance that follow established principles of curriculum development, adult learning, and behavioral theory.

Empowerment and assessment: a dichotomy?

PubMed

Massey, Debbie; Osborne, Debora

2004-07-01

Institutions of higher education are sites where the rhetoric of learning increasingly collides with the diverse needs of both learners and educators. Demands on tertiary institutions from the workplace, students themselves and the increasing demand for skilled graduates in the face of diminishing resources strongly suggest that intelligent and creative approaches to learning play a pivotal role in the success of higher education. Throughout tertiary education the subject of assessment is central to the complex processes involved in student learning. Therefore, it is important that nursing academics and practitioners involved in assessing student learning develop insight and awareness of the theories and philosophies that underpin different assessment strategies. This will inform teaching and learning practice to the benefit of all stakeholders. This paper examines issues of assessment in higher education; it will locate and deconstruct some principles underpinning traditional and innovative methods associated with assessment and suggest that creative approaches that embrace adult learning principles will empower students and ultimately facilitate more effective learning.

E-Portfolio Assessment: A Mixed Methods Study of an Instructional Leadership Program's Assessment System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardin, James; Wright, Vivian H.

2017-01-01

Institutions of higher education face demands to provide evidence of institutional and student achievement. Many institutions utilize standards-based e-portfolio assessment practices to meet these demands. The assessment data derived from the studied program's e-portfolio process were not originally intended to serve as a data source for…

INTEGRATING HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT PRINCIPLES IN FORMULARY MANAGEMENT.

PubMed

Teng, Monica; Khoo, Ai Leng; Zhao, Ying Jiao; Lin, Liang; Lim, Boon Peng

2016-01-01

Effective formulary management in healthcare institutions safeguards rational drug use and optimizes health outcomes. We implemented a formulary management program integrating the principles of health technology assessment (HTA) to improve the safe, appropriate, and cost-effective use of medicine in Singapore. A 3-year formulary management program was initiated in 2011 in five public healthcare institutions. This program was managed by a project team comprising HTA researchers. The project team worked with institutional pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committees to: (i) develop tools for formulary drug review and decision making; (ii) enhance the HTA knowledge and skills of formulary pharmacists and members of P&T committees; (iii) devise a prioritization framework to overcome resource constraints and time pressure; and (iv) conceptualize and implement a framework to review existing formulary. Tools that facilitate drug request submission, drug review, and decision making were developed for formulary drug inclusion. A systematic framework to review existing formulary was also developed and tested in selected institutions. A competency development plan was rolled out over 2 years to enhance formulary pharmacists' proficiency in systematic literature search and review, meta-analysis, and pharmacoeconomic evaluation. The plan comprised training workshops and on-the-job knowledge transfer between the project team and institutional formulary pharmacists through collaborating on selected drug reviews. A resource guide that consolidated the tools and templates was published to encourage the adoption of best practices in formulary management. Based on the concepts of HTA, we implemented an evidence-based approach to optimize formulary management.

The measurement of outcomes in the assessment of educational program effectiveness.

PubMed

Kassebaum, D G

1990-05-01

Postsecondary accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation, including the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), are required to evaluate educational program effectiveness by determining that institutions and programs document the achievement of their students and graduates in verifiable and consistent ways, indicating that institutional and program purposes are met. For the assessment of medical education programs this represents a departure from the traditional method of inferring quality from institutional compliance with standards for program organization and function. In the new assessment calculus, success is measured as the integrated product of the outcomes, the indicators of achievement that medical schools already are collecting from many sources, for instance, data on premedical achievement and attributes, medical school performance, graduate education ratings and test results, specialty certification, licensure, and practice. Although a recent LCME enquiry showed that 80% of U.S. medical schools were collecting outcome data on students and graduates, there was a lack of coherence and system, little integrated analysis, rare longitudinal study, and limited use of the information to evaluate and revise the curriculum or to validate admissions, promotion, and graduation criteria. The longitudinal study of the quantified results of educational programs need not resurrect old controversies about the linkage between learning in medical school and the quality of doctors' later practice. The purpose of examining outcomes is to gain sharper focus on the achievement of distinctive institutional goals, to facilitate program improvement and renewal, and to better assure the competence of graduates within the boundaries of achievement that schools have drawn as their educational objectives.

Evaluating disparities in the U.S. technology transfer ecosystem to improve bench to business translation.

PubMed

Weis, James; Bashyam, Ashvin; Ekchian, Gregory J; Paisner, Kathryn; Vanderford, Nathan L

2018-01-01

Background: A large number of highly impactful technologies originated from academic research, and the transfer of inventions from academic institutions to private industry is a major driver of economic growth, and a catalyst for further discovery. However, there are significant inefficiencies in academic technology transfer. In this work, we conducted a data-driven assessment of translational activity across United States (U.S.) institutions to better understand how effective universities are in facilitating the transfer of new technologies into the marketplace. From this analysis, we provide recommendations to guide technology transfer policy making at both the university and national level. Methods: Using data from the Association of University Technology Managers U.S. Licensing Activity Survey, we defined a commercialization pipeline that reflects the typical path intellectual property takes; from initial research funding to startup formation and gross income. We use this pipeline to quantify the performance of academic institutions at each step of the process, as well as overall, and identify the top performing institutions via mean reciprocal rank. The corresponding distributions were visualized and disparities quantified using the Gini coefficient. Results: We found significant discrepancies in commercialization activity between institutions; a small number of institutions contribute to the vast majority of total commercialization activity. By examining select top performing institutions, we suggest improvements universities and technology transfer offices could implement to emulate the environment at these high-performing institutions. Conclusion: Significant disparities in technology transfer performance exist in which a select set of institutions produce a majority share of the total technology transfer activity. This disparity points to missed commercialization opportunities, and thus, further investigation into the distribution of technology transfer effectiveness across institutions and studies of policy changes that would improve the effectiveness of the commercialization pipeline is warranted.

Evaluating disparities in the U.S. technology transfer ecosystem to improve bench to business translation

PubMed Central

Paisner, Kathryn; Vanderford, Nathan L.

2018-01-01

Background: A large number of highly impactful technologies originated from academic research, and the transfer of inventions from academic institutions to private industry is a major driver of economic growth, and a catalyst for further discovery. However, there are significant inefficiencies in academic technology transfer. In this work, we conducted a data-driven assessment of translational activity across United States (U.S.) institutions to better understand how effective universities are in facilitating the transfer of new technologies into the marketplace. From this analysis, we provide recommendations to guide technology transfer policy making at both the university and national level. Methods: Using data from the Association of University Technology Managers U.S. Licensing Activity Survey, we defined a commercialization pipeline that reflects the typical path intellectual property takes; from initial research funding to startup formation and gross income. We use this pipeline to quantify the performance of academic institutions at each step of the process, as well as overall, and identify the top performing institutions via mean reciprocal rank. The corresponding distributions were visualized and disparities quantified using the Gini coefficient. Results: We found significant discrepancies in commercialization activity between institutions; a small number of institutions contribute to the vast majority of total commercialization activity. By examining select top performing institutions, we suggest improvements universities and technology transfer offices could implement to emulate the environment at these high-performing institutions. Conclusion: Significant disparities in technology transfer performance exist in which a select set of institutions produce a majority share of the total technology transfer activity. This disparity points to missed commercialization opportunities, and thus, further investigation into the distribution of technology transfer effectiveness across institutions and studies of policy changes that would improve the effectiveness of the commercialization pipeline is warranted. PMID:29721313

Making a Difference: Outcomes of a Decade of Assessment in Higher Education. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banta, Trudy W.; And Others

This five-part volume presents a comprehensive collection of 24 accounts of campus assessment practices by the individuals who developed and implemented them. Part 1 presents the stories of five institutions in which assessment has effected a marked change in the way faculty and staff do their work. Part 2 describes some of the broad approaches to…

Health Impact Assessment practice and potential for integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy.

PubMed

Linzalone, Nunzia; Assennato, Giorgio; Ballarini, Adele; Cadum, Ennio; Cirillo, Mario; Cori, Liliana; De Maio, Francesca; Musmeci, Loredana; Natali, Marinella; Rieti, Sabrina; Soggiu, Maria Eleonora; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2014-12-01

Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population's health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA andSEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health,significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection ofthe environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest.

Environmental management assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-08-01

This report documents the results of the environmental management assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (NIPER), located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The assessment was conducted August 15-26, 1994, by the DOE Office of Environmental Audit (EH-24), located within the Office of Environment, Safety and Health. The assessment included reviews of documents and reports, as well as inspections and observations of selected facilities and operations. Further, the team conducted interviews with management and staff from the Bartlesville Project Office (BPO), the Office of Fossil Energy (FE), the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC), state and local regulatory agencies, andmore » BDM Oklahoma (BDM-OK), which is the management and operating (M&O) contractor for NIPER. Because of the transition from a cooperative agreement to an M&O contract in January 1994, the scope of the assessment was to evaluate (1) the effectiveness of BDM-OK management systems being developed and BPO systems in place and under development to address environmental requirements; (2) the status of compliance with DOE Orders, guidance, and directives; and (3) conformance with accepted industry management practices. An environmental management assessment was deemed appropriate at this time in order to identify any systems modifications that would provide enhanced effectiveness of the management systems currently under development.« less

Teachers' Attitudes toward Assessment of Student Learning and Teacher Assessment Practices in General Educational Institutions: The Case of Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitiashvili, Anastasia

2014-01-01

The aim of this article is to study teachers' attitudes toward assessment of students' learning and their assessment practices in Georgia's general educational institutions. Georgia is a country in the South Caucasus with a population of 4.5 million people, with 2300 general educational institutions and about 559,400 students. The research…

Training Pediatric Fellows in Palliative Care: A Pilot Comparison of Simulation Training and Didactic Education.

PubMed

Brock, Katharine E; Cohen, Harvey J; Sourkes, Barbara M; Good, Julie J; Halamek, Louis P

2017-10-01

Pediatric fellows receive little palliative care (PC) education and have few opportunities to practice communication skills. In this pilot study, we assessed (1) the relative effectiveness of simulation-based versus didactic education, (2) communication skill retention, and (3) effect on PC consultation rates. Thirty-five pediatric fellows in cardiology, critical care, hematology/oncology, and neonatology at two institutions enrolled: 17 in the intervention (simulation-based) group (single institution) and 18 in the control (didactic education) group (second institution). Intervention group participants participated in a two-day program over three months (three simulations and videotaped PC panel). Control group participants received written education designed to be similar in content and time. (1) Self-assessment questionnaires were completed at baseline, post-intervention and three months; mean between-group differences for each outcome measure were assessed. (2) External reviewers rated simulation-group encounters on nine communication domains. Within-group changes over time were assessed. (3) The simulation-based site's PC consultations were compared in the six months pre- and post-intervention. Compared to the control group, participants in the intervention group improved in self-efficacy (p = 0.003) and perceived adequacy of medical education (p < 0.001), but not knowledge (p = 0.20). Reviewers noted nonsustained improvement in four domains: relationship building (p = 0.01), opening discussion (p = 0.03), gathering information (p = 0.01), and communicating accurate information (p = 0.04). PC consultation rate increased 64%, an improvement when normalized to average daily census (p = 0.04). This simulation-based curriculum is an effective method for improving PC comfort, education, and consults. More frequent practice is likely needed to lead to sustained improvements in communication competence.

Has NICE got it right? An international perspective considering the case of Technology Appraisal No. 98 by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

PubMed

Schlander, Michael

2008-04-01

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been widely recognised as setting an international standard for high-quality health technology assessments (HTAs) including economic evaluation. A previous critical analysis of NICE Technology Appraisal No. 98 (TA98), evaluating methylphenidate, dexamphetamine and atomoxetine for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, revealed a number of issues, which must cast doubt on the robustness of the NICE approach when addressing a complex clinical decision problem. The exploration of potential underlying problems will be followed by a discussion of lessons for international healthcare policy-makers, and is intended to be an invitation to further debate and inquiry, not a presentation of definitive conclusions. Pertaining to the technology assessment report, potential problems were identified relating to an unnecessarily narrow scope, data search and selection strategy, the distinction between efficacy and effectiveness, data synthesis across studies and clinical effect measures, and limitations of the economic model. The appraisal process moderated the asserted 'clear conclusions' of the assessment but could not compensate for some of its gaps. It is suggested that key issues contributing to these problems may have included a separation of clinical and economic perspectives, a highly standardised reference case analysis that was followed schematically, the absence of an effective system for quality assurance of technology assessments, and transparency deficits of the economic evaluation. Further considerations for international policy-makers looking at NICE as a potential role model for HTAs are discussed, such as institutional context, the objectives of collectively financed healthcare and related value judgments, the reliance on QALYs as a universal and comprehensive measure of health benefits, the appropriate perspective for analysis, and process-related implications.

Incidence and etiology of mortality in polytrauma patients in a Dutch level I trauma center.

PubMed

El Mestoui, Zainab; Jalalzadeh, Hamid; Giannakopoulos, Georgios F; Zuidema, Wietse P

2017-02-01

Earlier studies assessing mortality in polytrauma patients have focused on improving trauma care and reducing complications during hospital stay. The same studies have shown that the complication rate in these patients is high, often resulting in death. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and causes of mortality in polytrauma patients in our institute. Secondarily, we assessed the donation and autopsy rates and outcome in these patients. All polytrauma patients (injury severity score≥16) transported to and treated in our institute during a period of 6 years were retrospectively analyzed. We included all patients who died during hospital stay. Prehospital and in-hospital data were collected on patients' condition, diagnostics, and treatment. The chance of survival was calculated according to the TRISS methodology. Patients were categorized according to the complications during treatment and causes of death. Logistic regression analysis was used to design a prediction model for mortality in major trauma. A statistical analysis was carried out. Of the 1073 polytrauma patients who were treated in our institute during the study period, 205 (19.1%) died during hospital stay. The median age of the deceased patients was 58.8 years and 125 patients were men. Their mean injury severity score was 30.4. The most common mechanism of injury involved fall from height, followed by bicycle accidents. Almost 50% of the patients underwent an emergency intervention. Almost 92% of the total population died because of the effects of the accident (primary trauma). Of these, 24% died during primary assessment in the emergency department. Most patients died because of the effects of severe head injury (63.4%), followed by exsanguination (17.6%). The most common type of complications causing death during treatment was respiratory failure (6.3%), followed by multiple organ failure (1.5%). Autopsy was performed in 10.4%. Organ donation procedure was performed in 14.5%. Permission for donation was not provided in almost 20% of the population. The mortality rate in polytrauma patients in our institute is considerable and comparable with the international literature. Most patients die because of the effects of the accident (primary trauma). Autopsy and organ donation rates are low in our institution and leave room for substantial improvements in the future.

Building an Efficient and Effective Test Management System in an ODL Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yusof, Safiah Md; Lim, Tick Meng; Png, Leo; Khatab, Zainuriyah Abd; Singh, Harvinder Kaur Dharam

2017-01-01

Open University Malaysia (OUM) is progressively moving towards implementing assessment on demand and online assessment. This move is deemed necessary for OUM to continue to be the leading provider of flexible learning. OUM serves a very large number of students each semester and these students are vastly distributed throughout the country. As the…

Assessing Honor Code Effectiveness: Results of a Multipronged Approach from a Five Year Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sledge, Sally; Pringle, Pam

2010-01-01

This paper describes an ongoing study at a small public university to assess student, faculty and alumni perceptions of academic integrity and business ethics. The phases of the research are detailed for application or replication by other institutions of higher education. The study involves anonymous surveys and academic integrity-based…

Groupwork as a Form of Assessment: Common Problems and Recommended Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, W. Martin

2009-01-01

This paper reviews some of the literature on the use of groupwork as a form of assessment in tertiary institutions. It outlines the considerable advantages of groupwork but also its systemic associated problems. In discussing the problems, the paper considers issues such as "free riding" and the "sucker effect", issues associated with ethnic mix…

Departmental Assessment: How Some Campuses Are Effectively Evaluating the Collective Work of Faculty.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wergin, Jon F.; Swingen, Judi N.

This study assessed the ways in which academic departments in U.S. colleges and universities are evaluated through a survey of about 130 institutions across the Carnegie university categories. This survey and literature review were supplemented by site visits to eight universities. The authors were surprised to find a great amount of departmental…

Analyzing the Implementation of an ERP System by Self-Assessment in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Máté, Domicián; Bács, Zoltán; Takács, Viktor László

2017-01-01

Over the last few decades, not only organizations but also Higher Education Institutions should be more responsive to the demands of the changed global business environment and improve their effectiveness. Our motivation to write this paper is to assess the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in higher education and…

Dilemmas Faced Establishing Portfolio Assessment of Pre-Service Teachers in the Southeastern United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Sickle, Meta; Bogan, Margaret B.; Kamen, Michael; Baird, William; Butcher, Carolyn

2005-01-01

There is increasing pressure to evaluate and document the capabilities of students exiting teacher education programs. A professional portfolio can serve as an effective tool for documenting this process. Faculty wishing to institute portfolios in pre-service teacher assessment should be aware of the difficulties that arise during discourse and…

The Assessment on the Application of School Administrator Selection in Turkey Related to Competency and Career Principles of Human Resource Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özyildirim, Gülnar; Kayikçi, Kemal

2017-01-01

Administrators are the most responsible people for achieving goals of educational institution. That administration fulfills schools' aims effectively and efficiently depends on whether administrative functions are carried out according to scientific principles. The aim of the study was the assessment on school administrators' selection done as…

Soaring to Excellence. Proceedings of the Annual North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR) Conference (33rd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 4-7, 2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvord, Catherine, Ed.

2006-01-01

The NEAIR 2006 Conference Proceedings is a compilation of papers presented at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania conference. Topics include: Policy Analysis, Grading Policy, State Higher Education Accountability Program, Performance Assessment, Freshmen Transfer Risk, Assessment, Degree Completion, First-Year Academic Success, Effectiveness in…

Standards of Competence: A Multi-Site Case Study of School Reform. Project: Effects of Testing Reforms and Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellwein, Mary Catherine; Glass, Gene V.

A qualitative case study involving five educational institutions assessed the use of competency testing as a prerequisite for high school graduation, criterion for admission into college, criterion for teacher certification, and statewide assessment tool. Focus was on persons and processes involved in setting educational standards associated with…

The Contribution of International Large-Scale Assessments to Educational Research: Combining Individual and Institutional Data Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strietholt, Rolf; Scherer, Ronny

2018-01-01

The present paper aims to discuss how data from international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) can be utilized and combined, even with other existing data sources, in order to monitor educational outcomes and study the effectiveness of educational systems. We consider different purposes of linking data, namely, extending outcomes measures,…

Workshop on effects management on forest soil carbon: A report. Held in Fort Collins, Colorado on December 5-7, 1994. Forest Service general technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frey, S.D.

1996-03-01

The Health Effects Institute`s (HEI) Diesel Working Group recently completed an evaluation of the carcinogenic risks associated with exposure to diesel engine emission. Part I of this report, `Critical Issues In Assessing the Carcinogenicity of Diesel Exhaust: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge,` by Kathleen M. Nauss and the HEI Diesel Working Group presents the consensus views of the Group. Part II contains four background papers that address emissions and exposure issues and five papers that consider biological responses.

PUBLIC HEALTH EFFECTS FROM INDUSTRIAL AMINES PRODUCTION, A PRELIMINARY EVALUATIVE APPROACH. VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of a study to assess the degree to which available data on health effects of chemical exposure, data from the National Cancer Institute, and information on production and use of classes of chemicals suspected of being carcinogenic might be used to identif...

The Effect of Leadership on the Delivery of Information Technology Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daly, Edward William

2012-01-01

Effective leadership is an important factor contributing to the successful implementation and operation of information products and services. The quantitative study examined the thoughts of IT upper management and employees in the private, public, and nonprofits institutions. The study assessed the memberships of the Association of Information…

Atypical EEG Power Correlates with Indiscriminately Friendly Behavior in Internationally Adopted Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarullo, Amanda R.; Garvin, Melissa C.; Gunnar, Megan R.

2011-01-01

While effects of institutional care on behavioral development have been studied extensively, effects on neural systems underlying these socioemotional and attention deficits are only beginning to be examined. The current study assessed electroencephalogram (EEG) power in 18-month-old internationally adopted, postinstitutionalized children (n = 37)…

Understanding the Institutional-Level Factors of Urban School Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfried, Michael A.

2012-01-01

Background/Context: This article addresses which school-level factors contribute to school quality. Previous research has focused on assessing the effects of school-level variables on student-level quality (e.g., achievement). However, the field has been limited in not evaluating the effects of school-level factors directly on measured…

Variation in Relevance Judgments and the Measurement of Retrieval Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voorhees, Ellen M.

2000-01-01

Discusses the test collections developed in the TREC (Text REtrieval Conference) workshops for information retrieval research and describes a study by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) that verified their reliability by investigating the effect changes in the relevance assessments have on the evaluation of retrieval results.…

Cost-effectiveness assessment in outpatient sinonasal surgery.

PubMed

Mortuaire, G; Theis, D; Fackeure, R; Chevalier, D; Gengler, I

2018-02-01

To assess the cost-effectiveness of outpatient sinonasal surgery in terms of clinical efficacy and control of expenses. A retrospective study was conducted from January 2014 to January 2016. Patients scheduled for outpatient sinonasal surgery were systematically included. Clinical data were extracted from surgical and anesthesiology computer files. The cost accounting methods applied in our institution were used to evaluate logistic and technical costs. The standardized hospital fees rating system based on hospital stay and severity in diagnosis-related groups (Groupes homogènes de séjours: GHS) was used to estimate institutional revenue. Over 2years, 927 outpatient surgical procedures were performed. The crossover rate to conventional hospital admission was 2.9%. In a day-1 telephone interview, 85% of patients were very satisfied with the procedure. All outpatient cases showed significantly lower costs than estimated for conventional management with overnight admission, while hospital revenue did not differ between the two. This study confirmed the efficacy of outpatient surgery in this indication. Lower costs could allow savings for the health system by readjusting the rating for the procedure. More precise assessment of cost-effectiveness will require more fine-grained studies based on micro costing at hospital level and assessment of impact on conventional surgical activity and post-discharge community care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing institutional support for Hispanic nursing student retention: a study to evaluate the psychometric properties of two self-assessment inventories.

PubMed

Bond, Mary Lou; Cason, Carolyn L

2014-01-01

To assess the content validity and internal consistency reliability of the Healthcare Professions Education Program Self-Assessment (PSA) and the Institutional Self-Assessment for Factors Supporting Hispanic Student Retention (ISA). Health disparities among vulnerable populations are among the top priorities demanding attention in the United States. Efforts to recruit and retain Hispanic nursing students are essential. Based on a sample of provosts, deans/directors, and an author of the Model of Institutional Support, participants commented on the perceived validity and usefulness of each item of the PSA and ISA. Internal consistency reliability was calculated by Cronbach's alpha using responses from nursing schools in states with large Hispanic populations. The ISA and PSA were found to be reliable and valid tools for assessing institutional friendliness. The instruments highlight strengths and identify potential areas of improvement at institutional and program levels.

42 CFR 93.201 - Allegation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS... through any means of communication. The disclosure may be by written or oral statement or other communication to an institutional or HHS official. ...

[Investigation of non-ionizing radiation hazards from physiotherapy equipment in 16 medical institutions].

PubMed

He, Jia-xi; Zhou, Wei; Qiu, Hai-li; Yang, Guang-tao

2013-12-01

To investigate the non-ionizing radiation hazards from physiotherapy equipment in medical institutions and to explore feasible control measures for occupational diseases. On-site measurement and assessment of ultra-high-frequency radiation, high-frequency electromagnetic field, microwave radiation, and laser radiation were carried out in 16 medical institutions using the methods in the Measurement of Physical Agents in Workplace (GBZ/T189-2007). All the investigated medical institutions failed to take effective protective measures against non-ionizing radiation. Of the 17 ultra-short wave therapy apparatus, 70.6%, 47.1%, and 17.64% had a safe intensity of ultra-high-frequency radiation on the head, chest, and abdomen, respectively. Of the 4 external high-frequency thermotherapy apparatus, 100%, 75%, and 75%had a safe intensity of high-frequency electromagnetic field on the head, chest, and abdomen, respectively. In addition, the intensities of microwave radiation and laser radiation produced by the 18 microwave therapy apparatus and 12 laser therapeutic apparatus met national health standards. There are non-ionizing radiation hazards from physiotherapy equipment in medical institutions, and effective prevention and control measures are necessary.

Development of a medical information system that minimizes staff workload and secures system safety at a small medical institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haneda, Kiyofumi; Koyama, Tadashi

2005-04-01

We developed a secure system that minimizes staff workload and secures safety of a medical information system. In this study, we assess the legal security requirements and risks occurring from the use of digitized data. We then analyze the security measures for ways of reducing these risks. In the analysis, not only safety, but also costs of security measures and ease of operability are taken into consideration. Finally, we assess the effectiveness of security measures by employing our system in small-sized medical institution. As a result of the current study, we developed and implemented several security measures, such as authentications, cryptography, data back-up, and secure sockets layer protocol (SSL) in our system. In conclusion, the cost for the introduction and maintenance of a system is one of the primary difficulties with its employment by a small-sized institution. However, with recent reductions in the price of computers, and certain advantages of small-sized medical institutions, the development of an efficient system configuration has become possible.

Assessing the utility of an institutional publications officer: a pilot assessment.

PubMed

Cobey, Kelly D; Galipeau, James; Shamseer, Larissa; Moher, David

2017-01-01

The scholarly publication landscape is changing rapidly. We investigated whether the introduction of an institutional publications officer might help facilitate better knowledge of publication topics and related resources, and effectively support researchers to publish. In September 2015, a purpose-built survey about researchers' knowledge and perceptions of publication practices was administered at five Ottawa area research institutions. Subsequently, we publicly announced a newly hired publications officer (KDC) who then began conducting outreach at two of the institutions. Specifically, the publications officer gave presentations, held one-to-one consultations, developed electronic newsletter content, and generated and maintained a webpage of resources. In March 2016, we re-surveyed our participants regarding their knowledge and perceptions of publishing. Mean scores to the perception questions, and the percent of correct responses to the knowledge questions, pre and post survey, were computed for each item. The difference between these means or calculated percentages was then examined across the survey measures. 82 participants completed both surveys. Of this group, 29 indicated that they had exposure to the publications officer, while the remaining 53 indicated they did not. Interaction with the publications officer led to improvements in half of the knowledge items (7/14 variables). While improvements in knowledge of publishing were also found among those who reported not to have interacted with the publications officer (9/14), these effects were often smaller in magnitude. Scores for some publication knowledge variables actually decreased between the pre and post survey (3/14). Effects for researchers' perceptions of publishing increased for 5/6 variables in the group that interacted with the publications officer. This pilot provides initial indication that, in a short timeframe, introducing an institutional publications officer may improve knowledge and perceptions surrounding publishing. This study is limited by its modest sample size and temporal relationship between the introduction of the publications officer and changes in knowledge and perceptions. A randomized trial examining the publications officer as an effective intervention is needed.

Assessing the utility of an institutional publications officer: a pilot assessment

PubMed Central

Galipeau, James; Shamseer, Larissa; Moher, David

2017-01-01

Background The scholarly publication landscape is changing rapidly. We investigated whether the introduction of an institutional publications officer might help facilitate better knowledge of publication topics and related resources, and effectively support researchers to publish. Methods In September 2015, a purpose-built survey about researchers’ knowledge and perceptions of publication practices was administered at five Ottawa area research institutions. Subsequently, we publicly announced a newly hired publications officer (KDC) who then began conducting outreach at two of the institutions. Specifically, the publications officer gave presentations, held one-to-one consultations, developed electronic newsletter content, and generated and maintained a webpage of resources. In March 2016, we re-surveyed our participants regarding their knowledge and perceptions of publishing. Mean scores to the perception questions, and the percent of correct responses to the knowledge questions, pre and post survey, were computed for each item. The difference between these means or calculated percentages was then examined across the survey measures. Results 82 participants completed both surveys. Of this group, 29 indicated that they had exposure to the publications officer, while the remaining 53 indicated they did not. Interaction with the publications officer led to improvements in half of the knowledge items (7/14 variables). While improvements in knowledge of publishing were also found among those who reported not to have interacted with the publications officer (9/14), these effects were often smaller in magnitude. Scores for some publication knowledge variables actually decreased between the pre and post survey (3/14). Effects for researchers’ perceptions of publishing increased for 5/6 variables in the group that interacted with the publications officer. Discussion This pilot provides initial indication that, in a short timeframe, introducing an institutional publications officer may improve knowledge and perceptions surrounding publishing. This study is limited by its modest sample size and temporal relationship between the introduction of the publications officer and changes in knowledge and perceptions. A randomized trial examining the publications officer as an effective intervention is needed. PMID:28584700

Institutional Assessment and the Intellectual Work of Teaching and Learning in First-Year Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelli-Sallee, Emily

2013-01-01

Institutional assessment initiatives can provide opportunities to make the intellectual work of teaching and learning in composition studies more visible. Reciprocally, the scholarship of teaching and learning's situatedness within disciplinary norms and values can enhance institutional assessments, providing a check on the tendency to rely…

Examining Institutional Support for Student Learning Assessment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overton, Doris Anntoinette

2010-01-01

This study examined institutional support for student learning assessment initiatives at accredited four-year historically Black colleges and universities. Three domains and one construct of institutional support for learning assessment were the foci of this two-part study (i.e., organizational and administrative practices and policies, the…

Risk for Sleep Disorder Measured during Students' First College Semester May Predict Institutional Retention and Grade Point Average over a 3-Year Period, with Indirect Effects through Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaultney, Jane F.

2016-01-01

The present study used a validated survey to assess freshmen college students' sleep patterns and risk for sleep disorders and then examined associations with retention and grade point average (GPA) over a 3-year period. Students at risk for a sleep disorder were more likely to leave the institution over the 3-year period, although this…

Military deployment toxicology: a program manager's perspective.

PubMed

Knechtges, P L

2000-02-01

The Persian Gulf War drew attention to the potential hazards of chemicals that personnel may encounter during military operations and deployments overseas. During the War, the oil well fires of Kuwait highlighted the military threat of industrial chemicals in the area of operations. Following the War, the occurrence of Gulf War Illnesses brought home concerns and suspicions regarding "low level" and "mixed" exposures to chemicals. The public's concern and attention resulted in numerous institutional responses to the real and perceived problems of health risks during military deployments. These institutional responses ranged in scope from a Presidential Review Directive to the initiative known as the Deployment Toxicology Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) Program. Most institutions, however, seem to agree that additional research is needed to assess the health risks from chemical exposures during military deployments. Establishing and managing an effective RDT&E program in risk assessment for deployed forces is a challenging enterprise. The Deployment Toxicology RDT&E Program was conceived utilizing the military's acquisition framework, an effective methodology with a proven record of fielding of new technologies. Based on a series of structured meetings with military representatives that would utilize new risk assessment tools, a hierarchical set of plans was developed to identify and prioritize end products. The challenge ahead for the Deployment Toxicology RDT&E Program is to execute these plans, provide the necessary oversight, and transition the results into successful product development.

Institutional capacity for health systems research in East and Central African schools of public health: experiences with a capacity assessment tool.

PubMed

Jessani, Nasreen; Lewy, Daniela; Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth; Bennett, Sara

2014-06-02

Despite significant investments in health systems research (HSR) capacity development, there is a dearth of information regarding how to assess HSR capacity. An alliance of schools of public health (SPHs) in East and Central Africa developed a tool for the self-assessment of HSR capacity with the aim of producing institutional capacity development plans. Between June and November 2011, seven SPHs across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda implemented this co-created tool. The objectives of the institutional assessments were to assess existing capacities for HSR and to develop capacity development plans to address prioritized gaps. A mixed-method approach was employed consisting of document analysis, self-assessment questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and institutional dialogues aimed at capturing individual perceptions of institutional leadership, collective HSR skills, knowledge translation, and faculty incentives to engage in HSR. Implementation strategies for the capacity assessment varied across the SPHs. This paper reports findings from semi-structured interviews with focal persons from each SPH, to reflect on the process used at each SPH to execute the institutional assessments as well as the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the assessment process. The assessment tool was robust enough to be utilized in its entirety across all seven SPHs resulting in a thorough HSR capacity assessment and a capacity development plan for each SPH. Successful implementation of the capacity assessment exercises depended on four factors: (i) support from senior leadership and collaborators, (ii) a common understanding of HSR, (iii) adequate human and financial resources for the exercise, and (iv) availability of data. Methods of extracting information from the results of the assessments, however, were tailored to the unique objectives of each SPH. This institutional HSR capacity assessment tool and the process for its utilization may be valuable for any SPH. The self-assessments, as well as interviews with external stakeholders, provided diverse sources of input and galvanized interest around HSR at multiple levels.

Reducing the Burden of Price.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Janet S.

1984-01-01

Setting prices for undergraduate education and assessing their effects on consumers and institutions is complicated by widespread price discounting. Student aid programs, credit, subsidized employment, and tax policy can reduce the actual costs paid by students and their families. (MSE)

Agricultural Health Study

MedlinePlus

... members of the farming community. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health joined the study in 2000. The AHS is also providing an opportunity to assess the effects of diet, cooking methods, and other lifestyle and genetic factors on the ...

12 CFR Appendix A to Part 364 - Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safety and Soundness

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... An institution's asset growth should be prudent and consider: 1. The source, volatility and use of... and operations; 3. Assess the source, volatility, and sustainability of earnings, including the effect...

Contingency planning for electronic health record-based care continuity: a survey of recommended practices.

PubMed

Sittig, Dean F; Gonzalez, Daniel; Singh, Hardeep

2014-11-01

Reliable health information technology (HIT) in general, and electronic health record systems (EHRs) in particular are essential to a high-performing healthcare system. When the availability of EHRs are disrupted, alternative methods must be used to maintain the continuity of healthcare. We developed a survey to assess institutional practices to handle situations when EHRs were unavailable for use (downtime preparedness). We used literature reviews and expert opinion to develop items that assessed the implementation of potentially useful practices. We administered the survey to U.S.-based healthcare institutions that were members of a professional organization that focused on collaboration and sharing of HIT-related best practices among its members. All members were large integrated health systems. We received responses from 50 of the 59 (84%) member institutions. Nearly all (96%) institutions reported at least one unplanned downtime (of any length) in the last 3 years and 70% had at least one unplanned downtime greater than 8h in the last 3 years. Three institutions reported that one or more patients were injured as a result of either a planned or unplanned downtime. The majority of institutions (70-85%) had implemented a portion of the useful practices we identified, but very few practices were followed by all organizations. Unexpected downtimes related to EHRs appear to be fairly common among institutions in our survey. Most institutions had only partially implemented comprehensive contingency plans to maintain safe and effective healthcare during unexpected EHRs downtimes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Well-Being and Institutional Care in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional and Time Effects of Provided and Received Support

PubMed Central

Kroemeke, Aleksandra; Gruszczynska, Ewa

2016-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of provided and received support on older adults’ subjective well-being (positive affect and depression) and to examine whether being a recipient of institutional care moderates these effects. Methods Social support (provided and received), positive affect, and depressive symptoms were assessed twice (at baseline and 1 month later) for 277 older adults (age 77.39 ± 9.20 years, 67.50% women, 65% residents of an institutional care facility). Findings Two structural equation models were analyzed: cross-sectional (at baseline) and longitudinal (after 1 month). The first model revealed a significant positive relationship between providing and receiving support and positive affect, and a negative relationship between receiving support and depression. However, being a recipient of institutional care appeared to be a significant moderator in the longitudinal model. Specifically, the findings indicated effects of both providing and receiving support on positive affect but only for noninstitutionalized older adults. Discussion Although both types of support may be beneficial for older adults, their effects depend on the nature of social exchange and the dimensions of well-being. This suggests that such factors should be systematically investigated in future research. PMID:27548721

An Assessment of a Freshmen Learning Community at a Rural, Public Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankenstein, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

The problem facing many higher education institutions is the ability to engage freshmen students during the first semester of college in order to sustain their enrollment. This study assessed the effectiveness of a freshmen learning community as a retention strategy at a small, rural, and public community college. The purpose of this ex post facto…

State Programs for the Differential Assessment of Farm and Open Space Land. Agricultural Economic Report No. 256.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hady, Thomas F.; Sibold, Ann Gordon

Property taxes relate directly to rural education finance. This bulletin discusses differential tax assessment laws and the reasons states choose to institute them in 1970s. The first part of the report discusses the different types of tax laws and offers available evidence of their effects. More detailed summaries of individual state assessment…

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Management Development Institutions of Higher Education on the Basis of the Factor and Criterion Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badrtdinov, Nail N.; Gorobets, Daniil V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the investigated problem is conditioned by absence of the single approach to the common criteria and mechanisms of a pedagogical educational establishment's assessment; the current assessment principles of planning and management are out-of-date. The aim of this article is to analyze theoretical approaches and concepts of…

Scaring the Students Away? Institutional Selection through Assessment Practices in the Danish Vocational and Educational Training System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grønborg, Lisbeth

2013-01-01

This paper sheds light on how competence assessment takes place in the Danish Vocational and Educational Training System. It discusses how intentions formulated by the government have unintentional effects when implemented in practice. The qualitative methods used in this study consist of participant observations from my field study of dropouts in…

The Effective Integration of the ICGLR Towards Sustainable Security and Economic Development in the GLR of Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, and control of corruption (World Bank Institute 2010). These aggregates are...Accountability Political stability and absence of violence Government Effectiveness Control of Corruption Period in Years 2007-2010 in % Period in...of political stability and levels of violence, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and control of corruption. The assessment goes

UAVEMI Project: Numerical and Experimental EM Immunity Assessment of UAV for HIRF and Lightning Indirect Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Salvador G.; Silvia, Ferran; Escot, David; Pascual, Enrique; Pantoja, Mario F.; Riu, Pere; Anon, Manuel; Alvarez, Jesus; Cabello, M.; Pous, Marc; Fernandez, Sergio; Trallero, Rafael; Poyatos, David; Nuno, Luis

2016-05-01

The UAVEMI project, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, gathers a consortium formed by several research and development institutions and one industrial partner. The main goal is to develop innovative experimental and numerical approaches for the assessment of the electromagnetic compatibility of unmanned air vehicles, under high intensity radiated fields, lightning indirect effects and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulses. This contribution describes the capabilities currently being developed under the project.

Assessments of the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology from 1994 to 2011.

PubMed

Cho, Hee Ju; Chung, Jae Hoon; Jo, Jung Ki; Kang, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Jeong Man; Yoo, Tag Keun; Lee, Seung Wook

2013-12-01

Randomized controlled trials are one of the most reliable resources for assessing the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments. Low quality randomized controlled trials carry a large bias that can ultimately impair the reliability of their conclusions. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology by using multiple quality assessment tools. Randomized controlled trials articles published in International Journal of Urology were found using the PubMed MEDLINE database, and qualitative analysis was carried out with three distinct assessment tools: the Jadad scale, the van Tulder scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of randomized controlled trials was analyzed by publication year, type of subjects, intervention, presence of funding and whether an institutional review board reviewed the study. A total of 68 randomized controlled trial articles were published among a total of 1399 original articles in International Journal of Urology. Among these randomized controlled trials, 10 (2.70%) were from 1994 to 1999, 23 (4.10%) were from 2000 to 2005 and 35 (4.00%) were from 2006 to 2011 (P = 0.494). On the assessment with the Jadad and van Tulder scale, the numbers and percentage of high quality randomized controlled trials increased over time. The studies that had institutional review board reviews, funding resources or that were carried out in multiple institutions had an increased percentage of high quality articles. The numbers and percentage of high-quality randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology have increased over time. Furthermore, randomized controlled trials with funding resources, institutional review board reviews or carried out in multiple institutions have been found to be of higher quality compared with others not presenting these features. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association.

PUBLIC HEALTH EFFECTS FROM INDUSTRIAL AMINES PRODUCTION, A PRELIMINARY EVALUATIVE APPROACH. VOLUME 2: APPENDICES

EPA Science Inventory

The volume gives five appendices in support of a report giving results of a study to assess the degree to which available data on health effects of chemical exposure, data from the National Cancer Institute, and information on production and use of classes of chemicals suspected ...

Evaluation Utilization by Leaders in Student Affairs Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvert, Jennifer Joy

2011-01-01

While strong evidence exists that the use of data in decision-making is critical for quality improvement and effective student outcomes at the university, institutions of higher education are not using the data from assessments to inform their decision-making processes. The disconnect between what current research describes as the effective use of…

The Effectiveness of Mandatory-Random Student Drug Testing. NCEE 2010-4025

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James-Burdumy, Susanne; Goesling, Brian; Deke, John; Einspruch, Eric

2010-01-01

To help assess the effects of school-based random drug testing programs, the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) contracted with RMC Research Corporation and Mathematica Policy Research to conduct an experimental evaluation of the Mandatory-Random Student Drug Testing (MRSDT) programs in 36 high schools within…

What Incentives Can Teach Us about Missing Data in Longitudinal Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Georgianna L.; Loes, Chad N.

2010-01-01

In this chapter, the authors explore the effect of incentives on attrition and nonresponse in a multi-institutional longitudinal study. They organize this chapter into three sections. First, they review the literature regarding nonresponse among students and the effects of incentives on attrition and nonresponse in studies that employ…

E-recruitment based clinical research: notes for Research Ethics Committees/Institutional Review Boards.

PubMed

Refolo, P; Sacchini, D; Minacori, R; Daloiso, V; Spagnolo, A G

2015-01-01

Patient recruitment is a critical point of today's clinical research. Several proposals have been made for improving it, but the effectiveness of these measures is actually uncertain. The use of Internet (e-recruitment) could represent a great chance to improve patient enrolment, even though the effectiveness of this implementation is not so evident. E-recruitment could bring some advantages, such as better interaction between clinical research demand and clinical research supply, time and resources optimization, and reduction of data entry errors. It raises some issues too, such as sampling errors, validity of informed consent, and protection of privacy. Research Ethics Committees/Institutional Review Boards should consider these critical points. The paper deals with Internet recruitment for clinical research. It also attempts to provide Research Ethics Committees/Institutional Review Boards with notes for assessing e-recruitment based clinical protocols.

Effect of two Howard Hughes Medical Institute research training programs for medical students on the likelihood of pursuing research careers.

PubMed

Fang, Di; Meyer, Roger E

2003-12-01

To assess the effect of Howard Hughes Medical Institute's (HHMI) two one-year research training programs for medical students on the awardees' research careers. Awardees of the HHMI Cloister Program who graduated between 1987 and 1995 and awardees of the HHMI Medical Fellows Program who graduated between 1991 and 1995 were compared with unsuccessful applicants to the programs and MD-PhD students who graduated during the same periods. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess research career outcomes while controlling for academic and demographic variables that could affect selection to the programs. Participation in both HHMI programs increased the likelihood of receiving National Institutes of Health postdoctoral support. Participation in the Cloister Program also increased the likelihood of receiving a faculty appointment with research responsibility at a medical school. In addition, awardees of the Medical Fellows Program were not significantly less likely than Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and non-MSTP MD-PhD program participants to receive a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral award, and awardees of the Cloister Program were not significantly less likely than non-MSTP MD-PhD students to receive a faculty appointment with research responsibility. Women and underrepresented minority students were proportionally represented among awardees of the two HHMI programs whereas they were relatively underrepresented in MD-PhD programs. The one-year intensive research training supported by the HHMI training programs appears to provide an effective imprinting experience on medical students' research careers and to be an attractive strategy for training physician-scientists.

Technology assessment network building: The International Association of Technology Assessment and Forecasting Institutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, G.; Andersen, J.

1996-01-01

With the globalization of trade and the increased understanding of transboundary problems such as global climate change, the need for understanding the consequences of technological change has never been higher. Institutional arrangements necessary to assess these changes and make decision makers aware of the consequences have not necessarily adapted to these world conditions. In response to this leading technology assessment and forecasting institutions formed an international association of technology assessment and forecasting institutions to assist in the diffusion of technology assessment in the decision-making process. This paper discusses the origins of the International Association of Technology Assessment and Forecasting Institutionsmore » (IATAFI) and the goals and the vision for the organization. The articles cited represent some of the topics discussed at the first IATAFI conference in Bergen, Norway in May 1994.« less

Assessment Measures Showing Institutional Effectiveness in Relation to External Stakeholder Expectations for Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clites, Mona Lynn

2013-01-01

Community colleges face a growing demand from a wide range of stakeholders for more transparent accountability but struggle to select appropriate measures and to use them in effective ways. The multiple demands of various stakeholders, and the calls to respond to those demands in effective and appropriate ways, are leading to a confusing array of…

Policies for Use of Real-World Data in Health Technology Assessment (HTA): A Comparative Study of Six HTA Agencies.

PubMed

Makady, Amr; Ham, Renske Ten; de Boer, Anthonius; Hillege, Hans; Klungel, Olaf; Goettsch, Wim

2017-04-01

Randomized controlled trials provide robust data on the efficacy of interventions rather than on effectiveness. Health technology assessment (HTA) agencies worldwide are thus exploring whether real-world data (RWD) may provide alternative sources of data on effectiveness of interventions. Presently, an overview of HTA agencies' policies for RWD use in relative effectiveness assessments (REA) is lacking. To review policies of six European HTA agencies on RWD use in REA of drugs. A literature review and stakeholder interviews were conducted to collect information on RWD policies for six agencies: the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency (Sweden), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (United Kingdom), the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (Germany), the High Authority for Health (France), the Italian Medicines Agency (Italy), and the National Healthcare Institute (The Netherlands). The following contexts for RWD use in REA of drugs were reviewed: initial reimbursement discussions, pharmacoeconomic analyses, and conditional reimbursement schemes. We identified 13 policy documents and 9 academic publications, and conducted 6 interviews. Policies for RWD use in REA of drugs notably differed across contexts. Moreover, policies differed between HTA agencies. Such variations might discourage the use of RWD for HTA. To facilitate the use of RWD for HTA across Europe, more alignment of policies seems necessary. Recent articles and project proposals of the European network of HTA may provide a starting point to achieve this. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the quality of the volume-outcome relationship in uro-oncology.

PubMed

Mayer, Erik K; Purkayastha, Sanjay; Athanasiou, Thanos; Darzi, Ara; Vale, Justin A

2009-02-01

To assess systematically the quality of evidence for the volume-outcome relationship in uro-oncology, and thus facilitate the formulating of health policy within this speciality, as 'Implementation of Improving Outcome Guidance' has led to centralization of uro-oncology based on published studies that have supported a 'higher volume-better outcome' relationship, but improved awareness of methodological drawbacks in health service research has questioned the strength of this proposed volume-outcome relationship. We systematically searched previous relevant reports and extracted all articles from 1980 onwards assessing the volume-outcome relationship for cystectomy, prostatectomy and nephrectomy at the institution and/or surgeon level. Studies were assessed for their methodological quality using a previously validated rating system. Where possible, meta-analytical methods were used to calculate overall differences in outcome measures between low and high volume healthcare providers. In all, 22 studies were included in the final analysis; 19 of these were published in the last 5 years. Only four studies appropriately explored the effect of both the institution and surgeon volume on outcome measures. Mortality and length of stay were the most frequently measured outcomes. The median total quality scores within each of the operation types were 8.5, 9 and 8 for cystectomy, prostatectomy and nephrectomy, respectively (possible maximum score 18). Random-effects modelling showed a higher risk of mortality in low-volume institutions than in higher-volume institutions for both cystectomy and nephrectomy (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.54-2.29, and 1.28, 1.10-1.49, respectively). The methodological quality of volume-outcome research as applied to cystectomy, prostatectomy and nephrectomy is only modest at best. Accepting several limitations, pooled analysis confirms a higher-volume, lower-mortality relationship for cystectomy and nephrectomy. Future research should focus on the development of a quality framework with a validated scoring system for the bench-marking of data to improve validity and facilitate rational policy-making within the speciality of uro-oncology.

42 CFR 93.101 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH MISCONDUCT General... Office of Research Integrity (ORI), and institutions in responding to research misconduct issues; (b...

42 CFR 93.101 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND HEALTH EFFECTS STUDIES OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES RELEASES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE POLICIES ON RESEARCH MISCONDUCT General... Office of Research Integrity (ORI), and institutions in responding to research misconduct issues; (b...

SPATIAL ANALYSIS AND DECISION ASSISTANCE (SADA) TRAINING COURSE

EPA Science Inventory

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is a Windows freeware program that incorporates tools from environmental assessment into an effective problem-solving environment. SADA was developed by the Institute for Environmental Modeling at the University of Tennessee and inc...

12 CFR Appendix D-1 to Part 208 - Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safety and Soundness

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... An institution's asset growth should be prudent and consider: 1. The source, volatility and use of... and operations; 3. Assess the source, volatility, and sustainability of earnings, including the effect...

Environmental impact assessment in higher education institutions in East Africa: the case of Rwanda.

PubMed

Kabera, Telesphore

2017-03-01

Due to the pressure on limited resources produced by a growing population and due to a decade of war, Rwanda is facing a major problem in environmental protection. Because of such problems, it seems only reasonable that environment-related courses should play an important role in the curricula of institutions of higher learning. The main aim of this research is to present a comprehensive picture of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) integration in graduate and undergraduate programs in Rwandese higher education institutions and to make recommendations for its improvement. During this study, two surveys were conducted: the first survey targeted Environmental Impact Assessment lecturers and the second survey was for Environmental Impact Assessment practitioners (including EIA certified experts and competent authorities). The study found that Environmental Impact Assessment is not well established in these institutions and it is not taught in some programs; civil engineering, for example, has no Environmental Impact Assessment courses. Recommendations to improve EIA education are proposed, such as requiring that a common core course in Environmental Impact Assessment be made available in Rwandese higher learning institutions.

A Quality Framework for Continuous Improvement of e-Learning: The e-Learning Maturity Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephen

2010-01-01

The E-Learning Maturity Model (eMM) is a quality improvement framework designed to help institutional leaders assess their institution's e-learning maturity. This paper reviews the eMM, drawing on examples of assessments conducted in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the USA to show how it helps institutional leaders assess and compare their…

[Research on competency building standards of institutions of schistosomiasis prevention and control in Hubei Province I Investigation of institution management].

PubMed

Liu, Han-cheng; Zhong, Chen-hui; Liao, Si-qi; He, Hui

2014-08-01

To investigate the current situation of management of institutions of schistosomiasis prevention and control in Hubei Province, so as to explore the probable competency building standards for these institutions at the county and township levels. By using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, the institutions of schistosomiasis prevention and control at county and township levels were investigated for the institutional setup, staffing and fulfillment functions since the reform of 2004. Among 63 schistosomiasis endemic counties (cities, districts) of Hubei Province, there were 26 independent schistosomiasis control institutions (41.27%), there were 24 institutions which were incorporated into CDC (38.10%), and there were no institutions in 13 counties (20.63%). Among 518 endemic towns, there were 299 institutions (57.72%). The total staffing size were 1 932, but there were 1 586 (82.09%) people actually working in the post, and therefore there were 346 (17.91%) empty positions. The average rates of carrying out the six functions were 91.48%-71.19%, but only 19.23% of the institutions participated in the comprehensive schistosomiasis control management project and its effect assessment. According to the management model for schistosomiasis control institutions under the current institutional mechanisms, we need a rigorous industry standard to constrain, guide and standardize the management and capacity-building of the institutions in different historical periods.

Health Impact Assessment Practice and Potential for Integration within Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Italy

PubMed Central

Linzalone, Nunzia; Assennato, Giorgio; Ballarini, Adele; Cadum, Ennio; Cirillo, Mario; Cori, Liliana; De Maio, Francesca; Musmeci, Loredana; Natali, Marinella; Rieti, Sabrina; Soggiu, Maria Eleonora; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2014-01-01

Avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impact is the driving idea behind protecting a population’s health via Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). However, both are often carried out without any systematic approach. This paper describes the findings of a review of HIA, EIA and SEA experiences carried out by the authors, who act as institutional competent subjects at the national and regional levels in Italy. The analysis of how health is tackled in EIA and SEA procedures could support the definition of a protocol for the integration of HIA with EIA and SEA. Although EIA and SEA approaches include the aim of protecting health, significant technical and methodological gaps are present when assessing health systematically, and their basic principles regarding assessment are unsatisfactory for promoting and addressing healthcare concepts stated by the WHO. HIA is still poorly integrated into the decision-making process, screening and monitoring phases are only occasionally implemented, and operational details are not well-defined. The collaborative approach of institutions involved in environment and health is a core element in a systematic advancement toward supporting effective decisions and effective protection of the environment and health. At the Italian national level, the definition of guidelines and tools for HIA, also in relation with EIA and SEA, is of great interest. PMID:25493391

Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) Institutional and Policy Issues Assessment : Task 6: Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-16

This report summarizes the research and findings of the Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) Institutional and Policy Assessment. The objective of this project is to identify and analyze the policy, institutional, and le...

Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) Institutional and Policy Issues Assessment : Task 6 : Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-16

This report summarizes the research and findings of the Accessible Transportation Technologies Research Initiative (ATTRI) Institutional and Policy Assessment. The objective of this project is to identify and analyze the policy, institutional, and le...

Rule of Law Assistance: DOD Should Assess Workforce Size of Defense Institute of International Legal Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

conduct an assessment of a country’s legal system , it could take about 2 months of study for DIILS officials to learn everything they can about the...RULE OF LAW ASSISTANCE DOD Should Assess Workforce Size of Defense Institute of International Legal Studies Report to the Committee on...ASSISTANCE DOD Should Assess Workforce Size of Defense Institute of International Legal Studies What GAO Found For fiscal years 2013 through 2016, the

A One-Day Dental Faculty Workshop in Writing Multiple-Choice Questions: An Impact Evaluation.

PubMed

AlFaris, Eiad; Naeem, Naghma; Irfan, Farhana; Qureshi, Riaz; Saad, Hussain; Al Sadhan, Ra'ed; Abdulghani, Hamza Mohammad; Van der Vleuten, Cees

2015-11-01

Long training workshops on the writing of exam questions have been shown to be effective; however, the effectiveness of short workshops needs to be demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a one-day, seven-hour faculty development workshop at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, on the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model was used. Participants' satisfaction (Kirkpatrick's Level 1) was evaluated with a post-workshop questionnaire. A quasi-experimental, randomized separate sample, pretest-posttest design was used to assess the learning effect (Kirkpatrick's Level 2). To evaluate transfer of learning to practice (Kirkpatrick's Level 3), MCQs created by ten faculty members as a result of the training were assessed. To assess Kirkpatrick's Level 4 regarding institutional change, interviews with three key leaders of the school were conducted, coded, and analyzed. A total of 72 course directors were invited to and attended some part of the workshop; all 52 who attended the entire workshop completed the satisfaction form; and 22 of the 36 participants in the experimental group completed the posttest. The results showed that all 52 participants were highly satisfied with the workshop, and significant positive changes were found in the faculty members' knowledge and the quality of their MCQs with effect sizes of 0.7 and 0.28, respectively. At the institutional level, the interviews demonstrated positive structural changes in the school's assessment system. Overall, this one-day item-writing faculty workshop resulted in positive changes at all four of Kirkpatrick's levels; these effects suggest that even a short training session can improve a dental school's assessment of its students.

76 FR 10671 - Assessments, Large Bank Pricing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

...The FDIC is amending its regulations to implement revisions to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank'') by modifying the definition of an institution's deposit insurance assessment base; to change the assessment rate adjustments; to revise the deposit insurance assessment rate schedules in light of the new assessment base and altered adjustments; to implement Dodd-Frank's dividend provisions; to revise the large insured depository institution assessment system to better differentiate for risk and better take into account losses from large institution failures that the FDIC may incur; and to make technical and other changes to the FDIC's assessment rules.

Institutional Assessment of Research and Studies: Inevitable Feature of a Modern State or One More Bureaucratic Whim in Lithuania?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dienys, Vincentas; Pukelis, Kestutis; Ziliukas, Pranas

2005-01-01

A number of small countries face similar problems while organising external assessment of higher education institutions: how to select proper experts, how to prepare them and maintain? How to avoid bias or interest conflict between experts who evaluate the institution and the institution being evaluated? How to reduce the financial costs of…

Accrual and recruitment practices at Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) institutions: a call for expectations, expertise, and evaluation.

PubMed

Kost, Rhonda G; Mervin-Blake, Sabrena; Hallarn, Rose; Rathmann, Charles; Kolb, H Robert; Himmelfarb, Cheryl Dennison; D'Agostino, Toni; Rubinstein, Eric P; Dozier, Ann M; Schuff, Kathryn G

2014-08-01

To respond to increased public and programmatic demand to address underenrollment of clinical translational research studies, the authors examined participant recruitment practices at Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) sites and make recommendations for performance metrics and accountability. The CTSA Recruitment and Retention taskforce in 2010 invited representatives at 46 CTSAs to complete an online 48-question survey querying accrual and recruitment outcomes, practices, evaluation methods, policies, and perceived gaps in related knowledge/practice. Descriptive statistical and thematic analyses were conducted. Forty-six respondents representing 44 CTSAs completed the survey. Recruitment conducted by study teams was the most common practice reported (78%-91%, by study type); 39% reported their institution offered recruitment services to investigators. Respondents valued study feasibility assessment as a successful practice (39%); desired additional resources included feasibility assessments (49%) and participant registries (44%). None reported their institution systematically required justification of feasibility; some indicated relevant information was considered prior to institutional review board (IRB) review (30%) or contract approval (22%). All respondents' IRBs tracked study progress, but only 10% of respondents could report outcome data for timely accrual. Few reported written policies addressing poor accrual or provided data to support recruitment practice effectiveness. Many CTSAs lack the necessary frame work to support study accrual. Recom men dations to enhance accrual include articulating institutional expectations and policy for routine recruitment plan ning; providing recruitment expertise to inform feasibility assessment and recruit ment planning; and developing interdepartmental coordination and integrated informatics infrastructure to drive the conduct, evaluation, and improvement of recruitment practices.

It's All about Student Learning: Assessing Teacher Candidates' Ability to Impact P-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, A. E., Ed.; Ehrenberg, P., Ed.; Leibbrand, J., Ed.

2010-01-01

"It's All About Student Learning Assessing Teacher Candidates' Ability to Impact P-12 Students", provides practical assistance for institutions designing or revising assessment systems or individual assessments for use by units or programs. The publication includes performance assessments currently used by teacher preparation institutions and…

Assessment Leaders' Perspectives of Institutional Cultures of Assessment: A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Matthew; Henderson, Susan; Bustamante, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Institutional cultures of assessment are praised as beneficial to student learning. Yet, extant studies have not explored the theoretical foundations and pragmatic approaches to shaping cultures of assessment. The researchers used the Delphi method to explore 10 higher education assessment leaders' attitudes and theoretical perspectives regarding…

Comparing Institution Nitrogen Footprints: Metrics for Assessing and Tracking Environmental Impact

EPA Science Inventory

When multiple institutions with strong sustainability initiatives use a new environmental impact assessment tool, there is an impulse to compare. The first seven institutions to calculate their nitrogen footprints using the nitrogen footprint tool have worked collaboratively to i...

Jointness for the Rest of Us: Reforming Joint Professional Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

October 2006), 907. 20 Foley, 1. 21 Gene A. Brewer and Sally Coleman Selden, “Why Elephants Gallop: Assessing and Predicting Organizational...22 Hal Rainey and Paula Steinbauer, “Galloping Elephants : Developing Elements of a Theory of Effective Government Organizations,” Journal of...Washington DC: Brookings Institute Press, 2009. Brewer, Gene A. and Sally Coleman Selden. “Why Elephants Gallop: Assessing and Predicting Organizational

The Effect of Dynamic Assessment on Adult Learners of Arabic: A Mixed-Method Study at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahmy, Mohsen M.

2013-01-01

Dynamic assessment (DA) is based on Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory and his Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). ZPD is the range of abilities bordered by the learner's assisted and independent performances. Previous studies showed promising results for DA in tutoring settings. However, they did not use proficiency-based rubrics to measure…

Welfare Reform's Effect on Child Welfare Caseloads. Discussion Papers 01-04. Assessing the New Federalism: An Urban Institute To Assess Changing Social Policies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geen, Rob; Fender, Lynn; Leos-Urbel, Jacob; Markowitz, Teresa

Advocates, policymakers, and researchers have predicted that changes in the welfare system brought about by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 would increase the number of children who are abused and neglected, referred to child protective services, and placed in foster care. This study examined how welfare…

Determinants of Part-Time Work of High School Seniors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotchkiss, Lawrence

1986-01-01

Assesses effects on student part-time employment outcomes of personal characteristics (i.e., gender, race) and institutional characteristics (i.e., vocational high school, participation in cooperative education). Reports that supply theory explains student employment outcomes better than demand theory. (CH)

Public assessment of new surveillance-oriented security technologies: Beyond the trade-off between privacy and security.

PubMed

Pavone, Vincenzo; Esposti, Sara Degli

2012-07-01

As surveillance-oriented security technologies (SOSTs) are considered security enhancing but also privacy infringing, citizens are expected to trade part of their privacy for higher security. Drawing from the PRISE project, this study casts some light on how citizens actually assess SOSTs through a combined analysis of focus groups and survey data. First, the outcomes suggest that people did not assess SOSTs in abstract terms but in relation to the specific institutional and social context of implementation. Second, from this embedded viewpoint, citizens either expressed concern about government's surveillance intentions and considered SOSTs mainly as privacy infringing, or trusted political institutions and believed that SOSTs effectively enhanced their security. None of them, however, seemed to trade privacy for security because concerned citizens saw their privacy being infringed without having their security enhanced, whilst trusting citizens saw their security being increased without their privacy being affected.

Improving Anatomic Pathology in Sub-Saharan Africa to Support Cancer Care.

PubMed

Wilson, Michael L; Ayers, Stephanie; Berney, Daniel; Eslan, Alexia; Guarner, Jeannette; Lester, Susan; Masia, Ricard; Moloo, Zahir; Mutuku, Angela; Roberts, Drucilla; Stall, Jennifer; Sayed, Shahin

2018-03-07

Cancer care requires both accurate pathologic diagnosis as well as pathologic cancer staging. We evaluated three approaches to training pathologists in sub-Saharan Africa to perform pathologic cancer staging of breast, cervix, prostate, and colorectal cancers. One of three training methods was used at each workshop: didactic, case-based testing (CBT), or a blended approach. The project involved 52 participants from 16 pathology departments in 11 countries in East, Central, and Southern Africa. Evaluation of each method included pre- and postworkshop knowledge assessments, online pre- and postworkshop surveys of practice changes at the individual and institutional levels, and selected site visits. While CBT resulted in the highest overall average postassessment individual scores, both CBT and blended approaches resulted in 19% increases in average scores from pre- to postworkshop assessments. Institutions that participated in the blended workshop had increased changes in practice as indicated by the institutional survey. Both CBT and a blended approach are effective methods for training pathologists in pathologic cancer staging. Both are superior to traditional lectures alone.

Gulf Coast Deep Water Port Facilities Study. Environmental Assessment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-04-01

contributions of our consultants - Dr. George L. Clarke, Harvard Univer- sity; Dr. Bostwick H. Ketchum, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; and Dr...NATURE OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS A. TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION Rounsefell (1972) has recently reviewed the potential ecological effects of offshore...area for a variety of avian and mammalian forms, the effects of oil spills on these regions are particularly severe. The ecological chain of depen

The Effects of Early Institutionalization on the Discrimination of Facial Expressions of Emotion in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeon, Hana; Moulson, Margaret C.; Fox, Nathan; Zeanah, Charles; Nelson, Charles A., III

2010-01-01

The current study examined the effects of institutionalization on the discrimination of facial expressions of emotion in three groups of 42-month-old children. One group consisted of children abandoned at birth who were randomly assigned to Care-as-Usual (institutional care) following a baseline assessment. Another group consisted of children…

Instructional Technology in Higher Education: A Case of Selected Universities in the Niger Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ololube, Nwachukwu Prince; Eke, Paul; Uzorka, Michael Chukwuwieke; Ekpenyong, Nkereuwem Stephen; Nte, Ngboawaji Daniel

2009-01-01

This article examines the effectiveness of instructional technology in higher education institutions in relation to the role and usage of Information Communication Technology (ICT), its effectiveness in faculty teaching and its impact on student learning in universities in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. This study applied the Need Assessment Approach…

New directions in orphan and vulnerable children policy and research: A focus on supporting "suitable" institutions when placement is "necessary" for a child.

PubMed

Huynh, Hy V

2014-07-01

As the number of children without parental care continues to increase in resource-poor countries, it is important not to discount institutional care as an option before conclusively assessing whether these structures have systematic negative impacts on the millions of children for which they provide care. An almost universal emphasis and focus on deinstitutionalizing children in the face of the urgent necessity for large-scale measures to care for the global orphaned population puts millions of children at risk of deprivation, degradation, and early death. Deinstitutionalizing children in underresourced countries without alternate systems in place could leave many children behind. This article proposes an equal assessment of suitability and necessity of all alternative care options, without relegating institutions as a last resort. Institutional care should be considered as no less suitable in certain cases and for certain children than other options, especially when there is a serious need for such an option in some parts of the world. In addition, recent research challenges early conclusions, shows variability in international institutions, and also documents positive effects of interventions seeking to improve institutions. The Convention of the Rights of the Child and its implicit "last resort" language, as well as subsequent global policies that also use this language, do not create a constructive way of approaching alternative care solutions for any children without parental care. Instead, policymakers and practitioners should establish individualized care plans for all children without parental care, regulate their admission to institutions with periodic reviews of the necessity and appropriateness of their placement, and develop standards for "suitability" of institutions to improve conditions.

An assessment of the impact of the JSY cash transfer program on maternal mortality reduction in Madhya Pradesh, India

PubMed Central

Ng, Marie; Misra, Archana; Diwan, Vishal; Agnani, Manohar; Levin-Rector, Alison; De Costa, Ayesha

2014-01-01

Background The Indian Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) program is a demand-side program in which the state pays women a cash incentive to deliver in an institution, with the aim of reducing maternal mortality. The JSY has had 54 million beneficiaries since inception 7 years ago. Although a number of studies have demonstrated the effect of JSY on coverage, few have examined the direct impact of the program on maternal mortality. Objective To study the impact of JSY on maternal mortality in Madhya Pradesh (MP), one of India's largest provinces. Design By synthesizing data from various sources, district-level maternal mortality ratios (MMR) from 2005 to 2010 were estimated using a Bayesian spatio-temporal model. Based on these, a mixed effects multilevel regression model was applied to assess the impact of JSY. Specifically, the association between JSY intensity, as reflected by 1) proportion of JSY-supported institutional deliveries, 2) total annual JSY expenditure, and 3) MMR, was examined. Results The proportion of all institutional deliveries increased from 23.9% in 2005 to 55.9% in 2010 province-wide. The proportion of JSY-supported institutional deliveries rose from 14% (2005) to 80% (2010). MMR declines in the districts varied from 2 to 35% over this period. Despite the marked increase in JSY-supported delivery, our multilevel models did not detect a significant association between JSY-supported delivery proportions and changes in MMR in the districts. The results from the analysis examining the association between MMR and JSY expenditure are similar. Conclusions Our analysis was unable to detect an association between maternal mortality reduction and the JSY in MP. The high proportion of institutional delivery under the program does not seem to have converted to lower mortality outcomes. The lack of significant impact could be related to supply-side constraints. Demand-side programs like JSY will have a limited effect if the supply side is unable to deliver care of adequate quality. PMID:25476929

Increasing women's leadership in academic medicine: report of the AAMC Project Implementation Committee.

PubMed

Bickel, Janet; Wara, Diane; Atkinson, Barbara F; Cohen, Lawrence S; Dunn, Michael; Hostler, Sharon; Johnson, Timothy R B; Morahan, Page; Rubenstein, Arthur H; Sheldon, George F; Stokes, Emma

2002-10-01

The AAMC's Increasing Women's Leadership Project Implementation Committee examined four years of data on the advancement of women in academic medicine. With women comprising only 14% of tenured faculty and 12% of full professors, the committee concludes that the progress achieved is inadequate. Because academic medicine needs all the leaders it can develop to address accelerating institutional and societal needs, the waste of most women's potential is of growing importance. Only institutions able to recruit and retain women will be likely to maintain the best housestaff and faculty. The long-term success of academic health centers is thus inextricably linked to the development of women leaders. The committee therefore recommends that medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic societies (1) emphasize faculty diversity in departmental reviews, evaluating department chairs on their development of women faculty; (2) target women's professional development needs within the context of helping all faculty maximize their faculty appointments, including helping men become more effective mentors of women; (3) assess which institutional practices tend to favor men's over women's professional development, such as defining "academic success" as largely an independent act and rewarding unrestricted availability to work (i.e., neglect of personal life); (4) enhance the effectiveness of search committees to attract women candidates, including assessment of group process and of how candidates' qualifications are defined and evaluated; and (5) financially support institutional Women in Medicine programs and the AAMC Women Liaison Officer and regularly monitor the representation of women at senior ranks.

Age at adoption from institutional care as a window into the lasting effects of early experiences

PubMed Central

Julian, Megan M.

2013-01-01

One of the major questions of human development is how early experience impacts the course of development years later. Children adopted from institutional care experience varying levels of deprivation in their early life followed by qualitatively better care in an adoptive home, providing a unique opportunity to study the lasting effects of early deprivation and its timing. The effects of age at adoption from institutional care are discussed for multiple domains of social and behavioral development within the context of several prominent developmental hypotheses about the effects of early deprivation (cumulative effects, experience-expectant developmental programming, and experience-adaptive developmental programming). Age at adoption effects are detected in a majority of studies, particularly when children experienced global deprivation and were assessed in adolescence. For most outcomes, institutionalization beyond a certain age is associated with a step-like increase in risk for lasting social and behavioral problems, with the step occurring at an earlier age for children who experienced more severe levels of deprivation. Findings are discussed in terms of their concordance and discordance with our current hypotheses, and speculative explanations for the findings are offered. PMID:23576122

The State of Assessment in Maryland: Responses from Postsecondary Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Melissa Kesler; And Others

This study describes the state of postsecondary assessment in Maryland, identifies cognitive or noncognitive areas assessed, investigates perceptions about the role of the institutional researcher in assessment activities, and analyzes information to guide the formation of an assessment consortium. The paper serves as a case study of the types of…

Understanding Students' Perceptions and Challenges of Computer-Based Assessments: A Case of UKZN

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faniran, Victor Temitayo; Ajayi, Nurudeen A.

2018-01-01

Assessments are important to academic institutions because they help in evaluating students' knowledge. The conduct of assessments nowadays has been influenced by the continuous evolution of information technology. Hence, academic institutions now use computers for assessments, often known as Computer-Based Assessments (CBAs), in tandem with…

The Effects of Training Institution Practice Costs, Quality, and Other Characteristics on Future Practice

PubMed Central

Phillips, Robert L.; Petterson, Stephen M.; Bazemore, Andrew W.; Wingrove, Peter; Puffer, James C.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE Medicare beneficiary spending patterns reflect those of the 306 Hospital Referral Regions where physicians train, but whether this holds true for smaller areas or for quality is uncertain. This study assesses whether cost and quality imprinting can be detected within the 3,436 Hospital Service Areas (HSAs), 82.4 percent of which have only 1 teaching hospital, and whether sponsoring institution characteristics are associated. METHODS We conducted a secondary, multi-level, multivariable analysis of 2011 Medicare claims and American Medical Association Masterfile data for a random, nationally representative sample of family physicians and general internists who completed residency between 1992 and 2010 and had more than 40 Medicare patients (3,075 physicians providing care to 503,109 beneficiaries). Practice and training locations were matched with Dartmouth Atlas HSAs and categorized into low-, average-, and high-cost spending groups. Practice and training HSAs were assessed for differences in 4 diabetes quality measures. Institutional characteristics included training volume and percentage of graduates in rural practice and primary care. RESULTS The unadjusted, annual, per-beneficiary spending difference between physicians trained in high- and low-cost HSAs was $1,644 (95% CI, $1,253–$2,034), and the difference remained significant after controlling for patient and physician characteristics. No significant relationship was found for diabetes quality measures. General internists were significantly more likely than family physicians to train in high-cost HSAs. Institutions with more graduates in rural practice and primary care produced lower-spending physicians. CONCLUSIONS The “imprint” of training spending patterns on physicians is strong and enduring, without discernible quality effects, and, along with identified institutional features, supports measures and policy options for improved graduate medical education outcomes. PMID:28289113

Assessment and determinants of aggression in a forensic psychiatric institution in Hong Kong, China.

PubMed

Chan, Oliver; Chow, Kavin Kit-wan

2014-12-15

Institutional aggression in forensic psychiatric setting is an under-researched subject, despite the magnitude of the problem. No studies have been conducted on the assessment of risk and the examination of predictors of aggression among the Chinese forensic psychiatric population. Our study aimed to examine the determinants of aggression in the only forensic psychiatric institution in Hong Kong, and to test the psychometric properties of a risk-assessment instrument, the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression (DASA). We recruited a representative sample of 530 consecutively admitted detainees. Qualified nurses completed two risk-assessment instruments, the DASA and the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC), once daily during the participants׳ first 14 days of admission. Aggressive incidents were recorded using the revised Staff Observation Aggression Scale (SOAS-R), and participants׳ data were collected for multivariate analyses. We showed that female gender, diagnoses of personality disorder and substance-related disorder, and admission at other correctional institutions were associated with institutional aggression. Aggression was perpetrated by 17.7% of the participants, and the DASA was demonstrated to have good psychometric properties in assessing and predicting aggressive incidents. Our findings preliminarily support the use of daily in-patient risk-assessment and affirm the role of dynamic factors in institutional aggression. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Studio Physics in Introductory-Level Courses at Georgia State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upton, Brianna; Evans, John; Morrow, Cherilynn; Thoms, Brian

2009-11-01

Previous studies have shown that many students have misconceptions about basic concepts in physics. Moreover, it has been concluded that one of the challenges lies in the teaching methodology. To address this, Georgia State University has begun teaching studio algebra-based physics. Although many institutions have implemented studio physics, most have done so in calculus-based sequences. The effectiveness of the studio approach in an algebra-based introductory physics course needs further investigation. A 3-semester study assessing the effectiveness of studio physics in an algebra-based physics sequence has been performed. This study compares the results of student pre- and post-tests using the Force Concept Inventory. Using the results from this assessment tool, we will discuss the effectiveness of the studio approach to teaching physics at GSU.

Assessing Alumni Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volkwein, J. Fredericks

2010-01-01

Evaluative statements from alumni have legitimacy with both internal and external stakeholders. Thus, alumni studies can provide valuable evidence of institutional effectiveness and lend themselves to both locally designed and commercial survey instruments for data collection. Under ideal conditions, the results of alumni studies equip faculty and…

Transformational Leadership Plans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguas, Pedro P.; Zapata, Liliana Valle; Arellano, Danilsa Lorduy

2017-01-01

Higher education institutions are aware of the need to incorporate learning-driven assessment artifacts into their doctoral programs to ensure successful leadership development. However, in attempting to integrate learning into students' future performance, it appears that there is no general agreement upon the most effective assignments. The…

REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL PHARMACOKINETIC AND MECHANISTIC RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

In 1993, an expert panel convened by the EPA and the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) decided that: 1) screening studies should be implemented to fill critical data gaps; 2) fertility assessments should be enhanced; and 3) biomarkers of effect should be developed. Mor...

Social impact evaluation: Some implications of the specific decisional context approach for Anticipatory Project Assessment (ARA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayo, L. H.

1975-01-01

An anticipatory project assessment is discussed which is characterized as the capacity to perform, and the disposition to take into account in relevant decisional areas, the following operations: identification of the significant effects which will result from the introduction of a specified project configuration into alternative projected future social environments during the planning, implementation, and operational states; evaluation of such effects in terms of social impacts on affected participants and social value-institutional processes in accord with specified concepts of social justice.

Cognitive social capital and mental illness during economic crisis: a nationwide population-based study in Greece.

PubMed

Economou, Marina; Madianos, Michael; Peppou, Lily Evangelia; Souliotis, Kyriakos; Patelakis, Athanasios; Stefanis, Costas

2014-01-01

The ongoing financial crisis in Greece has yielded adverse effects on the mental health of the population. In this context, the particular study investigates the link between two indices of cognitive social capital; namely interpersonal and institutional trust, and the presence of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. A random and representative sample of 2256 respondents took part in a cross-sectional nationwide telephone survey the time period February-April 2011 (Response Rate = 80.5%), after being recruited from the national phone number databank. Major depression and generalized anxiety disorder were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview, while for interpersonal and institutional trust the pertinent questions of the European Social Survey were utilized. Socio-demographic variables were also encompassed in the research instrument, while participants' degree of financial strain was assessed through the Index of Personal Economic Distress. Both interpersonal and institutional trust were found to constitute protective factors against the presence of major depression, but not against generalized anxiety disorder for people experiencing low economic hardship. Nonetheless, in people experiencing high financial strain, interpersonal and institutional trust were not found to bear any association with the presence of the two disorders. Consistent with these, the present study shows that the effect of social capital on mental health is not uniform, as evident by the different pattern of results for the two disorders. Furthermore, cognitive social capital no longer exerts its protective influence on mental health if individuals experience high economic distress. As a corollary of this, interventions aiming at mitigating the mental health effects of economic downturns cannot rely solely on the enhancement of social capital, but also on alleviating economic burden. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative effectiveness: its role in the healthcare system.

PubMed

Brown, Melissa M; Luo, Betsy; Brown, Heidi C; Brown, Gary C

2009-05-01

To describe comparative effectiveness and assess its role in crafting new healthcare policy. Senate Bill S.3408 would establish a nongovernment-affiliated Healthcare Comparative Effectiveness Research Institute that would work with healthcare experts and stakeholders in healthcare to prioritize interventions and services to be studied. A value-based medicine system of standardized comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness data using utilities would allow physicians to assess the total value (improvement in quality of life and/or length of life) conferred by interventions. Standardized comparativeness and cost-effectiveness data will give physicians an information system to identify the interventions that confer the greatest value to patients, and thus deliver higher quality care than possible with evidence-based data alone while allowing the most cost-effective care.

Assessment of Institutional Strategic Goal Realization: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holwick, Jana W.

2009-01-01

Strategic planning is a common tool utilized at colleges and universities to assist in achieving institutional goals. Leaders in higher education have taken best practices from corporate management and adapted them in an effort to develop comprehensive approaches to institutional planning, assessment and accountability. Various models for planning…

12 CFR 327.9 - Assessment risk categories and pricing methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... institution's financial condition and the risk posed to the Deposit Insurance Fund. The three Supervisory... method. Under the financial ratios method for Risk Category I institutions, each of six financial ratios... the Board under § 327.10(c), will equal an institution's assessment rate. The six financial ratios are...

Quality Assessment Parameters for Student Support at Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajiene, Laima; Tamuliene, Rasa

2012-01-01

The research presented in this article aims to validate quality assessment parameters for student support at higher education institutions. Student support is discussed as the system of services provided by a higher education institution which helps to develop student-centred curriculum and fulfils students' emotional, academic, social needs, and…

Assessing Institutional Ineffectiveness: A Strategy for Improvement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, Kim S.

1984-01-01

Based on the theory that institutional change and improvement are motivated more by knowledge of problems than by knowledge of successes, a fault tree analysis technique using Boolean logic for assessing institutional ineffectiveness by determining weaknesses in the system is presented. Advantages and disadvantages of focusing on weakness rather…

Rubric Authoring Tool Supporting Cognitive Skills Assessment across an Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simper, Natalie

2018-01-01

This paper explores a method to support instructors in assessing cognitive skills in their course, designed to enable aggregation of data across an institution. A rubric authoring tool, "BASICS" (Building Assessment Scaffolds for Intellectual Cognitive Skills) was built as part of the Queen's University Learning Outcomes Assessment (LOA)…

The Development of Technology for Higher Education Institution's Administrative Personnel Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakhtina, Olga Yurevna; Kirillov, Andrey Vladimirovich; Matyash, Sergey Askoldovich; Urzha, Olga Aleksandrovna

2015-01-01

The main approaches for development of assessment technology of higher education institution's administrative personnel are considered in this article. Alongside with it the following is defined: purposes, formation principles, indicators and criteria of the assessment system, rating scale, the procedure and order of assessment process of higher…

Better Assessment of Operational Suitability. Volume 2. Case Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

August to 25 October 1988. Although declared operationally effective and suitable by OTEA, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) was instituted on 5 December 1988...to correct performance deficiencies encountered in FOT&E. The option year 3 procureiaent was exercised on 8 December 1988. An OTEA assessment of the...Hughes developed and tested airframe design modifications to correct deficiencies noted in DT POT I, to improve flight handling characteristics, and to

Prior Learning Assessment: How Institutions Use Portfolio Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein-Collins, Becky; Hain, Patrick

2009-01-01

The term Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) refers not to a single kind of assessment but rather an entire family of assessment methods that can be used by institutions. Some of these methods are exam-based. In addition, there are other methods of PLA. One of the more innovative methods of offering PLA, however, is through the development of student…

E-Assessment: Institutional Development Strategies and the Assessment Life Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Carmen; Borg, Michaela; McNeil, Jane

2015-01-01

E-assessment is an umbrella term that comprises a complex array of tools of varying capacities. This paper focuses on the topic of e-assessment from the perspective of its strategic institutional development in higher education. The paper argues that research on e-assessment has been dominated by a focus on investigating benefits of use and…

Assessing the Library Homepages of COPLAC Institutions for Section 508 Accessibility Errors: Who's Accessible, Who's Not, and How the Online WebXACT Assessment Tool Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huprich, Julia; Green, Ravonne

2007-01-01

The Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) libraries websites were assessed for Section 508 errors using the online WebXACT tool. Only three of the twenty-one institutions (14%) had zero accessibility errors. Eighty-six percent of the COPLAC institutions had an average of 1.24 errors. Section 508 compliance is required for institutions…

International Collaboration for Strengthening Capacity to Assess Earthquake Hazard in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummins, P. R.; Hidayati, S.; Suhardjono, S.; Meilano, I.; Natawidjaja, D.

2012-12-01

Indonesia has experienced a dramatic increase in earthquake risk due to rapid population growth in the 20th century, much of it occurring in areas near the subduction zone plate boundaries that are prone to earthquake occurrence. While recent seismic hazard assessments have resulted in better building codes that can inform safer building practices, many of the fundamental parameters controlling earthquake occurrence and ground shaking - e.g., fault slip rates, earthquake scaling relations, ground motion prediction equations, and site response - could still be better constrained. In recognition of the need to improve the level of information on which seismic hazard assessments are based, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Indonesia's National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), through the Australia-Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction, have initiated a 4-year project designed to strengthen the Government of Indonesia's capacity to reliably assess earthquake hazard. This project is a collaboration of Australian institutions including Geoscience Australia and the Australian National University, with Indonesian government agencies and universities including the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics, the Geological Agency, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and Bandung Institute of Technology. Effective earthquake hazard assessment requires input from many different types of research, ranging from geological studies of active faults, seismological studies of crustal structure, earthquake sources and ground motion, PSHA methodology, and geodetic studies of crustal strain rates. The project is a large and diverse one that spans all these components, and these will be briefly reviewed in this presentation

Effect of a Clinical and Translational Science Award institute on grant funding in a major research university.

PubMed

Kabo, Felichism W; Mashour, George A

2017-04-01

Previous studies have examined the impact of Clinical and Translational Science Awards programs on other outcomes, but not on grant seeking. The authors examined the effects on grant seeking of the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research (MICHR), a Clinical and Translational Science Awards institute at the University of Michigan. We assessed over 63,000 grant proposals submitted at the University of Michigan in the years 2002-2012 using data from the university and MICHR's Tracking Metrics and Reporting System. We used a retrospective, observational study of the dynamics of grant-seeking success and award funding. Heckman selection models were run to assess MICHR's relationship with a proposal's success (selection), and subsequently the award's size (outcome). Models were run for all proposals and for clinical and translational research (CTR) proposals alone. Other covariates included proposal classification, type of grant award, academic unit, and year. MICHR had a positive and statistically significant relationship with success for both proposal types. For all grants, MICHR was associated with a 29.6% increase in award size. For CTR grants, MICHR had a statistically nonsignificant relationship with award size. MICHR's infrastructure, created to enable and enhance CTR, has also created positive spillovers for a broader spectrum of research and grant seeking.

Effect Sizes and Primary Outcomes in Large-Budget, Cardiovascular-Related Behavioral Randomized Controlled Trials Funded by NIH Since 1980

PubMed Central

Irvin, Veronica L.; Kaplan, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Purpose We reviewed large-budget, National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with behavioral interventions to assess (1) publication rates, (2) trial registration, (3) use of objective measures, (4) significant behavior and physiological change, and (5) effect sizes. Methods We identified large-budget grants (>$500,000/year) funded by NIH (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) or National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)) for cardiovascular disease (dates January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2012). Among 106 grants that potentially met inclusion criteria, 20 studies were not published and 48 publications were excluded, leaving 38 publications for analysis. ClinicalTrials.gov abstracts were used to determine whether outcome measures had been pre-specified. Results Three fourths of trials were registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and all published pre-specified outcomes. Twenty-six trials reported a behavioral outcome with 81 % reporting significant improvements for the target behavior. Thirty-two trials reported a physiological outcome. All were objectively measured, and 81 % reported significant benefit. Seventeen trials reported morbidity outcomes, and seven reported a significant benefit. Nine trials assessed mortality, and all were null for this outcome. Conclusions Behavioral trials complied with trial registration standards. Most reported a physiological benefit, but few documented morbidity or mortality benefits. PMID:26507906

The Annual Research Report, 1990-1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Von Wald, Stephen C.

An overview of Minnesota's Arrowhead Community College Region's (ACCR's) comprehensive student outcomes program is provided in this annual research report, reviewing activities and data for the 1990-91 academic year. First, introductory material discusses the national movement to measure institutional effectiveness, ACCR's efforts to assess both…

Institutional and economic influences on quality of nursing documentation.

PubMed

Parker, L E; Wells, K B; Buchanan, J L; Benjamin, B

1994-01-01

This study evaluates the quality of nursing documentation within the hospital record for a particularly vulnerable group of patients, the depressed aged. Specifically, the effects of prospective payment, unit type, hospital type, and nurse staffing levels on nursing documentation within hospital charts were assessed.

Effective Knowledge Development in Secondary Schools Educational Level in Contemporary Information Age: Assessment of Availability of Electronic Information Resources in Nigerian School Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bello, Stephen Adeyemi; Ojo, Funmilayo Roseline; Ocheje, Charles Bala

2015-01-01

Relevant electronic information resources in contemporary information age are necessity to buttress teaching and learning for effective knowledge development in educational institutions. The purpose of the study is to know the state of availability of electronic information resources in government owned secondary school libraries in Ijumu Local…

Assessing the Effectiveness of One Approach to the Teaching of Thematic Unit Construction of Literature Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitchener, John; Turner, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Despite the availability of practitioner advice on the characteristics of a literature review, students often report that they are unclear about what content should be included and how it can be most effectively organised. To assist them, some institutions provide courses that are specially tailored to the writing of thesis part-genres but very…

A Review of Models for Cost and Training Effectiveness Analysis (CTEA)

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

Harold F. O’Neil, Jr., Director DTIC ELECTt AU6 1 6 1985 E U. S . Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences March 1985...8217*’’’ ■ i ^ »•»»^•■v U S ARMY RESEARCH INSTITUTE IOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES A Field Operating Agency under the Jurisdiction of... Behavioral and Social Science, October 1977. Temkin, S ., Connally, J. A., Marvin, M. D., Valdes, A. L., and Cavlness, J. A. A cost assessment of Army

Assessment of Institutional Capacities of Flood Management Institution in Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Noor M.

2009-03-01

Pakistan is frequently devastated by floods. The flood impacts can be reduced if the flood management institutional capacities are improved. This paper reviews and assesses the capacities of flood management institution in Pakistan. Citing a number of case studies about the flood management practices in Pakistan, the study estimates the weaknesses and strengths of the institution with respect to various phases of flood management, namely, mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and also with respect to various characteristics of institutions, namely, deliberation, coordination, implementation, and evaluation, using an improved capacity assessment framework. It has been found that the performance of the mitigation and rehabilitation phases is not satisfactory and that of preparedness and response is satisfactory. It is concluded that the functions of deliberation need to be improved while the other three characteristics of institution namely, coordination, implementation, and evaluation are performing well. The study will help the policy makers to concentrate on the identified weak capacities.

Modifying the clinical research infrastructure at a dedicated clinical trials unit: assessment of trial development, activation, and participant accrual

PubMed Central

Tang, Chad; Hess, Kenneth R.; Sanders, Dwana; Davis, Suzanne; Buzdar, Aman; Kurzrock, Razelle; Lee, J. Jack; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Hong, David

2017-01-01

Purpose Information on processes for trials assessing investigational therapeutics is sparse. We assessed the trial development processes within the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (ICT) at MD Anderson Cancer Center and analyzed their effects on the trial activation timeline and enrollment. Experimental Design Data were from a prospectively maintained registry that tracks all clinical studies at MD Anderson. From this database we identified 2,261 activated phase I-III trials; 221 were done at the ICT. ICT trials were matched to trials from other MD Anderson departments by phase, sponsorship, and submission year. Trial performance metrics were compared with paired Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results We identified 3 facets of the ICT research infrastructure: parallel processing of trial approval steps; a physician-led research team; and regular weekly meetings to foster research accountability. Separate analyses were conducted stratified by sponsorship (industry [133 ICT and 133 non-ICT trials] or institutional [68 ICT and 68 non-ICT trials]). ICT trial development was faster from IRB approval to activation (median difference of 1.1 months for industry-sponsored trials vs. 2.3 months for institutional) and from activation to first enrollment (median difference of 0.3 months for industry vs. 1.2 months for institutional) (all matched P<0.05). ICT trials also accrued more patients (median difference of 8 participants for industry vs. 33.5 for institutional) quicker (median difference 4.8 participants/year for industry vs. 11.1 for institutional) (all matched P<0.05). Conclusions Use of a clinical research–focused infrastructure within a large academic cancer center was associated with efficient trial development and participant accrual. PMID:27852698

Modifying the Clinical Research Infrastructure at a Dedicated Clinical Trials Unit: Assessment of Trial Development, Activation, and Participant Accrual.

PubMed

Tang, Chad; Hess, Kenneth R; Sanders, Dwana; Davis, Suzanne E; Buzdar, Aman U; Kurzrock, Razelle; Lee, J Jack; Meric-Bernstam, Funda; Hong, David S

2017-03-15

Purpose: Information on processes for trials assessing investigational therapeutics is sparse. We assessed the trial development processes within the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (ICT) at MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) and analyzed their effects on the trial activation timeline and enrolment. Experimental Design: Data were from a prospectively maintained registry that tracks all clinical studies at MD Anderson. From this database, we identified 2,261 activated phase I-III trials; 221 were done at the ICT. ICT trials were matched to trials from other MD Anderson departments by phase, sponsorship, and submission year. Trial performance metrics were compared with paired Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results: We identified three facets of the ICT research infrastructure: parallel processing of trial approval steps; a physician-led research team; and regular weekly meetings to foster research accountability. Separate analyses were conducted stratified by sponsorship [industry (133 ICT and 133 non-ICT trials) or institutional (68 ICT and 68 non-ICT trials)]. ICT trial development was faster from IRB approval to activation (median difference of 1.1 months for industry-sponsored trials vs. 2.3 months for institutional) and from activation to first enrolment (median difference of 0.3 months for industry vs. 1.2 months for institutional; all matched P < 0.05). ICT trials also accrued more patients (median difference of 8 participants for industry vs. 33.5 for institutional) quicker (median difference 4.8 participants/year for industry vs. 11.1 for institutional; all matched P < 0.05). Conclusions: Use of a clinical research-focused infrastructure within a large academic cancer center was associated with efficient trial development and participant accrual. Clin Cancer Res; 23(6); 1407-13. ©2016 AACR . ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

An Integrated Framework for Gender Equity in Academic Medicine.

PubMed

Westring, Alyssa; McDonald, Jennifer M; Carr, Phyllis; Grisso, Jeane Ann

2016-08-01

In 2008, the National Institutes of Health funded 14 R01 grants to study causal factors that promote and support women's biomedical careers. The Research Partnership on Women in Biomedical Careers, a multi-institutional collaboration of the investigators, is one product of this initiative.A comprehensive framework is needed to address change at many levels-department, institution, academic community, and beyond-and enable gender equity in the development of successful biomedical careers. The authors suggest four distinct but interrelated aspects of culture conducive to gender equity: equal access to resources and opportunities, minimizing unconscious gender bias, enhancing work-life balance, and leadership engagement. They review the collection of eight articles in this issue, which each address one or more of the four dimensions of culture. The articles suggest that improving mentor-mentee fit, coaching grant reviewers on unconscious bias, and providing equal compensation and adequate resources for career development will contribute positively to gender equity in academic medicine.Academic medicine must adopt an integrated perspective on culture for women and acknowledge the multiple facets essential to gender equity. To effect change, culture must be addressed both within and beyond academic health centers (AHCs). Leaders within AHCs must examine their institutions' processes, resources, and assessment for fairness and transparency; mobilize personnel and financial resources to implement evidence-based initiatives; and assign accountability for providing transparent progress assessments. Beyond AHCs, organizations must examine their operations and implement change to ensure parity of funding, research, and leadership opportunities as well as transparency of assessment and accreditation.

Institutional Assessment Tools for Sustainability in Higher Education: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Implications for Practice and Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriberg, Michael

2002-01-01

This paper analyzes recent efforts to measure sustainability in higher education across institutions. The benefits of cross-institutional assessments include: identifying and benchmarking leaders and best practices; communicating common goals, experiences, and methods; and providing a directional tool to measure progress toward the concept of a…

Quantitative Procedures for the Assessment of Quality in Higher Education Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Tom; Rowse, Glenwood

The development of procedures designed to provide quantitative assessments of quality in higher education institutions are reviewed. These procedures employ a systems framework and utilize quantitative data to compare institutions or programs of similar types with one another. Three major elements essential in the development of models focusing on…

Quality Control in Christian Higher Education: The Importance of Evaluating What We Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatia, Sukhwant S.

2009-01-01

In contrast to the long-standing history of assessment in secular higher education, religious institutions have not been at the cutting edge of assessment, evaluation, and research. However, external pressures on institutions have led to a self-examined life, use of reliable indicators of institutional performance, and development of comprehensive…

The intersection of need and opportunity: assessing and capitalizing on opportunities to expand hospital-based palliative care services.

PubMed

Rabow, Michael W; Pantilat, Steven Z; Kerr, Kathleen; Enguidanos, Susan; Ferrell, Bruce; Goldstein, Rebecca; Pankratz, Charles; Picchi, Tina; Rosenfeld, Kenneth E; Stone, Susan C

2010-10-01

To develop and grow most effectively, palliative care programs must consider how best to align their mission with that of their institution. To do so, programs must identify their institutional mission and needs, what palliative care can do to address those needs given available resources, and how the palliative care team can measure and document its value. Such an approach encourages the palliative care team to think strategically and to see themselves and their service as a solution to issues and concerns within the institution. It also helps a palliative care team decide which, among many potential opportunities and possible initiatives, is the one most likely to be supported by the institution and have a recognized and significant impact. We present five case studies to demonstrate how successful programs identify and address institutional needs to create opportunities for palliative care program growth. These case studies can serve as models for other programs seeking to develop or expand their palliative care services.

Individual and institutional factors associated with functional disability in nursing home residents: An observational study with multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Serrano-Urrea, Ramón; Gómez-Rubio, Virgilio; Palacios-Ceña, Domingo; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; García-Meseguer, María José

2017-01-01

High prevalence of functional limitations has been previously observed in nursing homes. Disability may depend not only on the characteristics of the residents but also on the facility characteristics. The aims of this study were: 1, to describe the prevalence of functional disability in older people living in Spanish nursing homes; and 2, to analyze the relationships between individual and nursing home characteristics and residents' functional disability. A cross-sectional study with data collected from 895 residents in 34 nursing homes in the province of Albacete (Spain) was conducted. Functional status was assessed by the Barthel Index. Taking into account both levels of data (individual and institutional characteristics) we resorted to a multilevel analysis in order to take different sources of variability in the data. The prevalence of functional disability of the total sample was 79.8%. The best fitting multilevel model showed that female gender, older age, negative self-perception of health, and living in private nursing homes were factors significantly associated with functional disability. After separating individual and institutional effects, the institutions showed significant differences. In line with previous findings, our study found high levels of functional dependence among institutionalized elders. Gender, age, self-perception of health, and institution ownership were associated with functional status. Disentangling individual and institutional effects by means of multilevel models can help evaluate the quality of the residences.

Patterns of Resistance in Managing Assessment Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deneen, Christopher; Boud, David

2014-01-01

Achieving change in assessment practices in higher education is difficult. One of the reasons for this is resistance among those responsible for teaching and assessing. This paper seeks to explore this resistance through an analysis of staff dialogue during a major attempt to change the assessment practices at one institution. An institution-wide…

Credit allocation for research institutes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.-P.; Guo, Q.; Yang, K.; Han, J.-T.; Liu, J.-G.

2017-05-01

It is a challenging work to assess research performance of multiple institutes. Considering that it is unfair to average the credit to the institutes which is in the different order from a paper, in this paper, we present a credit allocation method (CAM) with a weighted order coefficient for multiple institutes. The results for the APS dataset with 18987 institutes show that top-ranked institutes obtained by the CAM method correspond to well-known universities or research labs with high reputation in physics. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of the CAM method when citation links are added or rewired randomly quantified by the Kendall's Tau and Jaccard index. The experimental results indicate that the CAM method has better performance in robustness compared with the total number of citations (TC) method and Shen's method. Finally, we give the first 20 Chinese universities in physics obtained by the CAM method. However, this method is valid for any other branch of sciences, not just for physics. The proposed method also provides universities and policy makers an effective tool to quantify and balance the academic performance of university.

Negotiating authority: a comparative study of reform in medical training regimes.

PubMed

Wallenburg, Iris; Helderman, Jan-Kees; de Bont, Antoinette; Scheele, Fedde; Meurs, Pauline

2012-06-01

Recently the medical profession has faced increased outside pressure to reform postgraduate medical training programs to better equip young doctors for changing health care needs and public expectations. In this article we explore the impact of reform on professional self-governance by conducting a comparative historical-institutional analysis of postgraduate medical training reform in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In both countries the medical training regime has shifted from professional self-regulation to coregulation. Yet there are notable differences in each country that cannot be explained solely by diverging institutional contexts. They also result from the strategic actions by the actors involved. Based on an assessment of the recent literature on institutional transformation, this article shows how strategic actions set negotiating authority processes into motion, producing new and sometimes surprising institutional arrangements that can have profound effects on the distribution and allocation of authority in the medical training regime. It stresses the need to study the interactions among political context, the properties of institutions, and negotiating authority processes, as they are crucially important to understanding institutional transformation.

31 CFR 203.12 - EFTPS interest assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE PAYMENT OF FEDERAL TAXES AND THE TREASURY...) Circumstances subject to interest assessments. Treasury may assess interest on a financial institution in... tax payment instructions to the financial institution was timely and that the taxpayer satisfied the...

31 CFR 203.12 - EFTPS interest assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE PAYMENT OF FEDERAL TAXES AND THE TREASURY...) Circumstances subject to interest assessments. Treasury may assess interest on a financial institution in... tax payment instructions to the financial institution was timely and that the taxpayer satisfied the...

31 CFR 203.12 - EFTPS interest assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE PAYMENT OF FEDERAL TAXES AND THE TREASURY...) Circumstances subject to interest assessments. Treasury may assess interest on a financial institution in... tax payment instructions to the financial institution was timely and that the taxpayer satisfied the...

Enhancing Institutional Assessment Efforts through Qualitative Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Note Chism, Nancy; Banta, Trudy W.

2007-01-01

Qualitative methods can do much to describe context and illuminate the why behind patterns encountered in institutional assessment. Alone, or in combination with quantitative methods, they should be the approach of choice for many of the most important assessment questions. (Contains 1 table.)

Developing nursing capacity for health systems and services research in Cuba, 2008-2011.

PubMed

Martínez, Nelcy

2012-07-01

Health systems and services research by nursing personnel could inform decision-making and nursing care, providing evidence concerning quality of and patient satisfaction. Such studies are rather uncommon in Cuban research institutes, where clinical research predominates. Assess the results of a strategy implemented between 2008 and 2011 to develop nursing capacity for health systems and services research in 14 national research institutes based in Havana. The study comprised four stages: description of approaches to health systems and services research by nurses worldwide and in Cuba; analysis of current capacities for such research in Cuba; intervention design and implementation; and evaluation. Various techniques were used including: literature review, bibliometric analysis, questionnaire survey, consultation with experts, focus groups, and workshops for participant orientation and design and followup of research projects. Qualitative information reduction and quantitative information summary methods were used. Initially, 32 nursing managers participated; a further 105 nurses from the institutes were involved in research teams formed during intervention implementation. Of all published nursing research articles retrieved, 8.9% (185 of 2081) concerned health systems and services research, of which 26.5% (49 of 185) dealt with quality assessment. At baseline, 75% of Cuban nurses surveyed had poor knowledge of health systems and services research. Orientation, design and followup workshops for all institute teams developed individual and institutional capacity for health systems and services research. Post-intervention, 84.7% (27) of nurses reached good knowledge and 14.3% (5) fair; institutional research teams were formed and maintained in 9 institutes, and 13 projects designed and implemented (11 institutional, 2 addressing ministerial-level priorities) to research nursing issues at selected centers. A systematic strategy to build nursing capacity for health systems and services research can be effective in involving nurses in such research and in developing institutional support for it, fostering compliance with Cuban and international professional development priorities for nursing, as well as contributing to quality of patient services.

Production technology readiness assessment of surfactant in the research center for Chemistry-Indonesian Institute of Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiawan, Arief Ameir Rahman; Sulaswatty, Anny

2017-11-01

The common problem faced by the institution working on research, innovation and technology development is lack of quantitative measures to determine the technology readiness of research. No common communication language between R & D Institutions and industry about the level of preparedness of a research resulting a barrier to technology diffusion interaction. This lack of connection between R & D institutes with industry may lead to "sluggishness" occurs in innovating. For such circumstance, assessing technology readiness of research is very important. One of wide spread methods for the assessment is Technology Readiness Level (TRL, also known as Technometer), which is introduced by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). TRL is a general guide that provides an overview of maturity level of a technology. This study aims to identify and demonstrate the implementation of TRL to assess a number of surfactant researches in the Research Center for Chemistry, Indonesian Institute of Sciences. According to the assessment, it has been obtained the surfactant recommended for further development towards commercialization of R & D results, i.e. Glycerol Mono Stearate (GMS), which has reached the level of TRL 7.

12 CFR 615.5131 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... AND OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING OPERATIONS Investment Management § 615.5131 Definitions. For purposes of... loans during the quarter. (g) Market risk means the risk to the financial condition of your institution... market risk is measured by assessing the effect of changing rates and prices on either the earnings or...

Financial Accounting and Reporting by Institutionally Owned and Operated College Stores.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

College Store Journal, 1984

1984-01-01

A National Association of College Stores (NACS) guide to practices is provided. These practices were designed to furnish administrators with data on store operations and to provide administrators and store managers with data required to assess the quality and effectiveness of store performance. (MLW)

Designing Effective Classroom Assignments: Intellectual Work Worth Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchings, Pat; Jankowski, Natasha A.; Schultz, Kathryn E.

2016-01-01

The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment's (NILOA's) online library of faculty-created assignments that both produce and demonstrate learning makes pedagogical work visible and available for colleagues to learn from, build on, and reward. This online library allows faculty to collaborate in sharing, critiquing, and improving…

Using Real-World Data in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Practice: A Comparative Study of Five HTA Agencies.

PubMed

Makady, Amr; van Veelen, Ard; Jonsson, Páll; Moseley, Owen; D'Andon, Anne; de Boer, Anthonius; Hillege, Hans; Klungel, Olaf; Goettsch, Wim

2018-03-01

Reimbursement decisions are conventionally based on evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs), which often have high internal validity but low external validity. Real-world data (RWD) may provide complimentary evidence for relative effectiveness assessments (REAs) and cost-effectiveness assessments (CEAs). This study examines whether RWD is incorporated in health technology assessment (HTA) of melanoma drugs by European HTA agencies, as well as differences in RWD use between agencies and across time. HTA reports published between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2016 were retrieved from websites of agencies representing five jurisdictions: England [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)], Scotland [Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC)], France [Haute Autorité de santé (HAS)], Germany [Institute for Quality and Efficacy in Healthcare (IQWiG)] and The Netherlands [Zorginstituut Nederland (ZIN)]. A standardized data extraction form was used to extract information on RWD inclusion for both REAs and CEAs. Overall, 52 reports were retrieved, all of which contained REAs; CEAs were present in 25 of the reports. RWD was included in 28 of the 52 REAs (54%), mainly to estimate melanoma prevalence, and in 22 of the 25 (88%) CEAs, mainly to extrapolate long-term effectiveness and/or identify drug-related costs. Differences emerged between agencies regarding RWD use in REAs; the ZIN and IQWiG cited RWD for evidence on prevalence, whereas the NICE, SMC and HAS additionally cited RWD use for drug effectiveness. No visible trend for RWD use in REAs and CEAs over time was observed. In general, RWD inclusion was higher in CEAs than REAs, and was mostly used to estimate melanoma prevalence in REAs or to predict long-term effectiveness in CEAs. Differences emerged between agencies' use of RWD; however, no visible trends for RWD use over time were observed.

Value congruence in health care priority setting: social values, institutions and decisions in three countries.

PubMed

Landwehr, Claudia; Klinnert, Dorothea

2015-04-01

Most developed democracies have faced the challenge of priority setting in health care by setting up specialized agencies to take decisions on which medical services to include in public health baskets. Under the influence of Daniels and Sabin's seminal work on the topic, agencies increasingly aim to fulfil criteria of procedural justice, such as accountability and transparency. We assume, however, that the institutional design of agencies also and necessarily reflects substantial value judgments on the respective weight of distributive principles such as efficiency, need and equality. The public acceptance of prioritization decisions, and eventually of the health care system at large, will ultimately depend not only on considerations of procedural fairness, but also on the congruence between a society's values and its institutions. We study social values, institutions and decisions in three countries (France, Germany and the United Kingdom) in order to assess such congruence and formulate expectations on its effects.

Institutional design and regime effectiveness in transboundary river management - the Elbe water quality regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dombrowsky, I.

2007-06-01

The literature on transboundary river management suggests that institutions play an important role in bringing cooperation about. However, the knowledge on how they should be designed in order to do so remains limited. One way to learn more about adequate institutional design is to assess the effectiveness of existing regimes, and to trace the causal relationships leading to the respective outcomes. In order to gain further insights into the relationship of institutional design and regime effectiveness, this paper presents a study on the water quality regime of the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe (ICPE). The analysis is based on a review of pertinent documents and ten qualitative interviews with Czech and German Commission members and NGO representatives. Particular emphasis has been put on determining the ICPE's specific contribution and the no-regime counterfactual as well as on the perceived expedience of the institutional arrangements. The study shows that overall due to external as well as internal institutional factors the ICPE proved relatively successful, and as such it also provides insights into how institutions matter: The commission served as platform for joint problem solving by identifying priorities for action. These international obligations increased the power of national administrations and their access to funds. At the same time, the Commission's reporting to the public served as an enforcement mechanism. However, the ICPE's contribution towards achieving the various goals varied significantly between the different areas of activity. It was high where the main responsibility for action was with the public authorities, such as in the area of wastewater treatment and the establishment of an international alarm plan and model. It was practically non existent in the reduction of non-point pollution from agriculture, where the success depended on the behavior of individual private actors (farmers). From a methodological point of view, the paper shows opportunities and limits of a combined quantitative and qualitative approach in determining regime effectiveness.

A Comparison of Assessment Tools: Is Direct Observation an Improvement Over Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for Communications Skills Evaluation?

PubMed

Goch, Abraham M; Karia, Raj; Taormina, David; Kalet, Adina; Zuckerman, Joseph; Egol, Kenneth A; Phillips, Donna

2018-04-01

Evaluation of resident physicians' communications skills is a challenging task and is increasingly accomplished with standardized examinations. There exists a need to identify the effective, efficient methods for assessment of communications skills. We compared objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and direct observation as approaches for assessing resident communications skills. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of orthopaedic surgery resident physicians at a single tertiary care academic institution, using the Institute for Healthcare Communication "4 Es" model for effective communication. Data were collected between 2011 and 2015. A total of 28 residents, each with OSCE and complete direct observation assessment checklists, were included in the analysis. Residents were included if they had 1 OSCE assessment and 2 or more complete direct observation assessments. There were 28 of a possible 59 residents (47%) included. A total of 89% (25 of 28) of residents passed the communications skills OSCE; only 54% (15 of 28) of residents passed the direct observation communications assessment. There was a positive, moderate correlation between OSCE and direct observation scores overall ( r  = 0.415, P  = .028). There was no agreement between OSCE and direct observation in categorizing residents into passing and failing scores (κ = 0.205, P  = .16), after adjusting for chance agreement. Our results suggest that OSCE and direct observation tools provide different insights into resident communications skills (simulation of rare and challenging situations versus real-life daily encounters), and may provide useful perspectives on resident communications skills in different contexts.

Mileage-based user fees : defining a path toward implementation phase 2, an assessment of institutional issues, final report, November 2009

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-11-01

This report documents the activities of a twophase research effort composed of three interrelated : components: 1) a technology assessment, 2) an institutional assessment, and 3) a oneday implementationfocused : symposium. Each component builds...

Student Assessment in Portugal: Academic Practice and Bologna Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sin, Cristina; Manatos, Maria

2014-01-01

This paper investigates institutional policies and academic practices of student assessment in four Portuguese higher education institutions (HEIs) in the wake of European policy developments driven by the Bologna Process. Specifically, it examines the correspondence between European policy recommendations related to student assessment (promotion…

Tiger Team Assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-05-01

This report documents the Tiger Team Assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (NIPER) and the Bartlesville Project Office (BPO) of the Department of Energy (DOE), co-located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The assessment investigated the status of the environmental, safety, and health (ES H) programs of the two organizations. The Tiger Team Assessment was conducted from April 6 to May 1, 1992, under the auspices of DOE's Office of Special Projects (OSP) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health (EH). The assessment was comprehensive, encompassing environmental, safety, and health issues; management practices; qualitymore » assurance; and NIPER and BPO self-assessments. Compliance with Federal, state, and local regulations; DOE Orders; best management practices; and internal IITRI requirements was assessed. In addition, an evaluation was conducted of the adequacy and effectiveness of BPO and IITRI management of the ES H and self-assessment processes. The NIPER/BPO Tiger Team Assessment is part of a larger, comprehensive DOE Tiger Team Independent Assessment Program planned for DOE facilities. The objective of the initiative is to provide the Secretary with information on the compliance status of DOE facilities with regard to ES H requirements, root causes for noncompliance, adequacy of DOE and contractor ES H management programs, response actions to address the identified problem areas, and DOE-wide ES H compliance trends and root causes.« less

Tiger Team Assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-05-01

This report documents the Tiger Team Assessment of the National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (NIPER) and the Bartlesville Project Office (BPO) of the Department of Energy (DOE), co-located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The assessment investigated the status of the environmental, safety, and health (ES&H) programs of the two organizations. The Tiger Team Assessment was conducted from April 6 to May 1, 1992, under the auspices of DOE`s Office of Special Projects (OSP) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health (EH). The assessment was comprehensive, encompassing environmental, safety, and health issues; management practices; quality assurance;more » and NIPER and BPO self-assessments. Compliance with Federal, state, and local regulations; DOE Orders; best management practices; and internal IITRI requirements was assessed. In addition, an evaluation was conducted of the adequacy and effectiveness of BPO and IITRI management of the ES&H and self-assessment processes. The NIPER/BPO Tiger Team Assessment is part of a larger, comprehensive DOE Tiger Team Independent Assessment Program planned for DOE facilities. The objective of the initiative is to provide the Secretary with information on the compliance status of DOE facilities with regard to ES&H requirements, root causes for noncompliance, adequacy of DOE and contractor ES&H management programs, response actions to address the identified problem areas, and DOE-wide ES&H compliance trends and root causes.« less

Vulnerability assessments as a political creation: tsunami management in Portugal.

PubMed

Pronk, Maartje; Maat, Harro; Crane, Todd A

2017-10-01

Vulnerability assessments are a cornerstone of contemporary disaster research. This paper shows how research procedures and the presentation of results of vulnerability assessments are politically filtered. Using data from a study of tsunami risk assessment in Portugal, the paper demonstrates that approaches, measurement instruments, and research procedures for evaluating vulnerability are influenced by institutional preferences, lines of communication, or lack thereof, between stakeholder groups, and available technical expertise. The institutional setting and the pattern of stakeholder interactions form a filter, resulting in a particular conceptualisation of vulnerability, affecting its operationalisation via existing methods and technologies and its institutional embedding. The Portuguese case reveals a conceptualisation that is aligned with perceptions prevalent in national government bureaucracies and the exclusion of local stakeholders owing to selected methodologies and assessment procedures. The decisions taken by actors involved in these areas affect how vulnerability is assessed, and ultimately which vulnerability reduction policies will be recommended in the appraisal. © 2017 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2017.

Perspectives on Climate Effects on Agriculture: The International Efforts of AgMIP in Sub-Saharan Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kihara, Job; MacCarthy, Dilys S.; Bationo, Andre; Koala, Saidou; Hickman, Jonathon; Koo, Jawoo; Vanya, Charles; Adiku, Samuel; Beletse, Yacob; Masikate, Patricia;

The influence of institutional characteristics on length of stay for psychiatric patients: a national database study in South Korea.

PubMed

Chung, Woojin; Cho, Woo Hyun; Yoon, Chung Won

2009-03-01

The institutionalization of psychiatric patients has put a tremendous burden on many societies, but few studies have examined the effects of institutional characteristics on patient length of stay (LOS). This paper investigated the association between institutional characteristics and LOS for 160,517 psychiatric patients in South Korea by applying a two-level modeling technique to administrative claims databases covering the entire patient population. Patient LOS, expressed in terms of days, was analyzed by taking account of institutional type, ownership, location, inpatient capacity, staffing, and patient demographics. The characteristics of inpatients were used as control variables and consisted of gender, age, sub-diagnosis, and the type of national health security program. The main findings of this study are: (1) patient LOS was 69% longer at psychiatric hospitals than at tertiary-care hospitals; (2) neither location nor inpatient capacity was associated with LOS; (3) larger staffs reduced LOS; and (4), LOS increased with a higher proportion of male inpatients, inpatients > or =65 years old, or inpatients diagnosed with organic or schizophrenic disorders, possibly through contextual effects. The results of this study suggest that researchers and policy makers could improve their assessment of psychiatric patient LOS and its association with health outcome by taking into account institutional characteristics and using multi-level analyses.

76 FR 11800 - National Cancer Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute... Cancer Institute Special Emphasis Panel; Biosensors for Early Cancer Detection and Risk Assessment. Date... Logistics Branch, Division of Extramural Activities, National Cancer Institute, 6116 Executive Boulevard...

From market access to patient access: overview of evidence-based approaches for the reimbursement and pricing of pharmaceuticals in 36 European countries.

PubMed

Panteli, Dimitra; Eckhardt, Helene; Nolting, Alexandra; Busse, Reinhard; Kulig, Michael

2015-09-25

Coverage decisions determining the benefit baskets of health systems have been increasingly relying on evidence regarding patient benefit and costs. Relevant structures, methodologies, and processes have especially been established for pharmaceuticals but approaches differ. The objective of this work was thus to identify institutions in a broad range of European countries (n = 36) in charge of determining the value of pharmaceuticals for pricing and reimbursement purposes and to map their decision-making process; to examine the different approaches and consider national and supranational possibilities for best practice. Institutions were identified through websites of international networks, ministries, and published literature. Details on institutional practices were supplemented with information from institution websites and linked online sources. The type and extent of information available varied considerably across countries. Different types of public regulatory bodies are involved in pharmaceutical coverage decisions, assuming a range of responsibilities. As a rule, the assessment of scientific evidence is kept structurally separate from its appraisal. Recommendations on value are uniformly issued by specific committees within or commissioned by responsible institutions; these institutions often also act as decision-makers on reimbursement status and level or market price. While effectiveness and costs are important criteria in all countries, the latter are often considered on a case-by-case basis. In all countries, manufacturer applications, including relevant evidence, are used as one of the main sources of information for the assessment. Transparency of evidence-based coverage decisions should be enhanced. International collaboration can facilitate knowledge exchange, improve efficiency of information production, and strengthen new or developing systems.

Assessment of Student Learning: The Experience of Two European Institutions where Outcomes-Based Assessment Has Been Implemented

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodridge, Melvyn; Kassinopoulos, Marios

2003-01-01

The programmes offered by both institutions are geared to the application of current technology. All the University of Derby programmes, including the BSc(Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and the Higher Technical Institute Diploma in Electrical Engineering, are accredited in the UK at Incorporated Engineer level by the…

Predicting Sex Offender Institutional Adjustment and Treatment Compliance Using the Personality Assessment Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caperton, Jennifer D.; Edens, John F.; Johnson, Judy K.

2004-01-01

This study examined the utility of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to identify prison inmates in a mandatory sex offender treatment program prone to engage in institutional misconduct. Archival PAI and institutional disciplinary data were coded for 137 inmates in treatment for an average of 1.59 years. The Antisocial Features scale…

Assessing Readiness for Integration of Electronic Learning into Business Education Programmes in Tertiary Institutions in Ebonyi State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nwagwu, Lazarus; Azih, Nonye

2015-01-01

The study was conducted to assess readiness for integration of electronic learning into business education programmes in tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population was 37 business education lecturers and 748 Business Education Students in tertiary institutions that offer…

Assessment of Social Media Utilization and Study Habit of Students of Tertiary Institutions in Katsina State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olutola, Adekunle Thomas; Olatoye, Olufunke Omotoke; Olatoye, Rafiu Ademola

2016-01-01

This study investigated assessment of social media utilization and study habits of students of tertiary institutions in Katsina State. The descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Three hundred and eighty-one (381) students' of tertiary institutions in Katsina State were randomly selected for the study. Researchers'-designed…

Assessing the Research Efficiency of Higher Education Institutions in Chile: A Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, David Andres

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the research efficiency of the Chilean higher education institutions (HEIs). As it has been argued in the literature, universities in Chile are far from being considered research-oriented institutions. Current governmental reforms have put pressures on the efficient use of public resources,…

Cost-effectiveness analysis for joint pain treatment in patients with osteoarthritis treated at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS): Comparison of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) vs. cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors.

PubMed

Contreras-Hernández, Iris; Mould-Quevedo, Joaquín F; Torres-González, Rubén; Goycochea-Robles, María Victoria; Pacheco-Domínguez, Reyna Lizette; Sánchez-García, Sergio; Mejía-Aranguré, Juan Manuel; Garduño-Espinosa, Juan

2008-11-12

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the main causes of disability worldwide, especially in persons >55 years of age. Currently, controversy remains about the best therapeutic alternative for this disease when evaluated from a cost-effectiveness viewpoint. For Social Security Institutions in developing countries, it is very important to assess what drugs may decrease the subsequent use of medical care resources, considering their adverse events that are known to have a significant increase in medical care costs of patients with OA. Three treatment alternatives were compared: celecoxib (200 mg twice daily), non-selective NSAIDs (naproxen, 500 mg twice daily; diclofenac, 100 mg twice daily; and piroxicam, 20 mg/day) and acetaminophen, 1000 mg twice daily. The aim of this study was to identify the most cost-effective first-choice pharmacological treatment for the control of joint pain secondary to OA in patients treated at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). A cost-effectiveness assessment was carried out. A systematic review of the literature was performed to obtain transition probabilities. In order to evaluate analysis robustness, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. Estimations were done for a 6-month period. Treatment demonstrating the best cost-effectiveness results [lowest cost-effectiveness ratio $17.5 pesos/patient ($1.75 USD)] was celecoxib. According to the one-way sensitivity analysis, celecoxib would need to markedly decrease its effectiveness in order for it to not be the optimal treatment option. In the probabilistic analysis, both in the construction of the acceptability curves and in the estimation of net economic benefits, the most cost-effective option was celecoxib. From a Mexican institutional perspective and probably in other Social Security Institutions in similar developing countries, the most cost-effective option for treatment of knee and/or hip OA would be celecoxib.

Cost-effectiveness analysis for joint pain treatment in patients with osteoarthritis treated at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS): Comparison of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) vs. cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors

PubMed Central

Contreras-Hernández, Iris; Mould-Quevedo, Joaquín F; Torres-González, Rubén; Goycochea-Robles, María Victoria; Pacheco-Domínguez, Reyna Lizette; Sánchez-García, Sergio; Mejía-Aranguré, Juan Manuel; Garduño-Espinosa, Juan

2008-01-01

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the main causes of disability worldwide, especially in persons >55 years of age. Currently, controversy remains about the best therapeutic alternative for this disease when evaluated from a cost-effectiveness viewpoint. For Social Security Institutions in developing countries, it is very important to assess what drugs may decrease the subsequent use of medical care resources, considering their adverse events that are known to have a significant increase in medical care costs of patients with OA. Three treatment alternatives were compared: celecoxib (200 mg twice daily), non-selective NSAIDs (naproxen, 500 mg twice daily; diclofenac, 100 mg twice daily; and piroxicam, 20 mg/day) and acetaminophen, 1000 mg twice daily. The aim of this study was to identify the most cost-effective first-choice pharmacological treatment for the control of joint pain secondary to OA in patients treated at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). Methods A cost-effectiveness assessment was carried out. A systematic review of the literature was performed to obtain transition probabilities. In order to evaluate analysis robustness, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. Estimations were done for a 6-month period. Results Treatment demonstrating the best cost-effectiveness results [lowest cost-effectiveness ratio $17.5 pesos/patient ($1.75 USD)] was celecoxib. According to the one-way sensitivity analysis, celecoxib would need to markedly decrease its effectiveness in order for it to not be the optimal treatment option. In the probabilistic analysis, both in the construction of the acceptability curves and in the estimation of net economic benefits, the most cost-effective option was celecoxib. Conclusion From a Mexican institutional perspective and probably in other Social Security Institutions in similar developing countries, the most cost-effective option for treatment of knee and/or hip OA would be celecoxib. PMID:19014495

The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarime, Masaru; Tanaka, Yuko

2012-01-01

Assessment tools influence incentives to higher education institutions by encouraging them to move towards sustainability. A review of 16 sustainability assessment tools was conducted to examine the recent trends in the issues and methodologies addressed in assessment tools quantitatively and qualitatively. The characteristics of the current…

An Observation of Classroom Assessment Practices among Lecturers in Selected Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Charanjit Kaur Swaran; Lebar, Othman; Kepol, Napisah; Rahman, Rafiah Abdul; Mukhtar, Kurotol Aini Muhammad

2017-01-01

Purpose: The study was aimed at exploring and analysing the current assessment practices of lecturers in selected Malaysian higher learning institution classrooms. The focus was the different modes of assessment used in the classroom and to make recommendations on using a variety of assessment modes that would be well-aligned with the intended…

A multicenter survey of contraceptive knowledge among adolescents in North America.

PubMed

Sokkary, Nancy; Mansouri, Roshanak; Yoost, Jennie; Focseneanu, Mariel; Dumont, Tania; Nathwani, Meera; Allen, Lisa; Hertweck, S Paige; Dietrich, Jennifer E

2013-10-01

To assess knowledge about contraceptive efficacy and side effects in an adolescent population seen in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology referral centers. This is a multisite cross-sectional survey study. A 23-question survey assessing knowledge of contraception and demographic information was administered. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, simple paired t tests, and chi-square analyses using SAS 9.3. Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology clinics in 4 tertiary care centers. The study was conducted in 3 institutions in the United States and 1 institution in Canada. A convenience sample of 354 female patients aged 10-24 y seeking reproductive healthcare at participating institutions. None The percentage of correct answers to questions assessing general knowledge about contraception, familiarity with different contraceptive methods, and comparison of results between study sites. The mean percentage of correct answers among all participants was 55.8% ± 17%. Younger participants (age 10-13 years) scored significantly lower than their older counterparts (49%, 55%, and 60% respectively, P < .05). There was no correlation between score and ethnicity or location of the participating site. Subjects reporting the internet as a source of information, those who were sexually active, and those familiar with long acting reversible contraceptives scored significantly higher. Of all contraceptive methods, participants were least likely to have heard of etonogestrel implants (18%), rhythm method/natural family planning (28%), and IUDs (32%). Adolescents and young adults performed poorly overall demonstrating both the lack of overall knowledge regarding methods of contraception and misinformation about side effects. Copyright © 2013 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Challenges of Designing and Implementing Effective Professional Development for Out-of-Field High School Physics Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escalada, Lawrence T.; Moeller, Julia K.

2006-02-01

With the existing shortage of qualified high school physics teachers and the current mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act requiring teachers to be "highly qualified" in all subjects they teach, university physics departments must offer content courses and programs that would allow out-of-field high school physics teachers to meet this requirement. This paper will identify how the University of Northern Iowa Physics Department is attempting to address the needs of the high school physics teacher through its course offerings and professional development programs for teachers. The effectiveness of one such physics professional development program, the UNI Physics Institute (UNI-PI), on secondary science teachers' and their students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and the teachers' instructional practices was investigated. Twenty-one Iowa out-of-field high school physics teachers participating in the program were able to complete the physics coursework required to obtain the State of Iowa 7-12 Grade Physics Teaching endorsement. Twelve of the participants completed a two-year program during the 2002 and 2003 summers. Background information, pre- and post-test physics conceptual assessments and other data was collected from participants throughout the Institute. Participants collected pre and post-test conceptual assessment data from their students during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 academic years. This comprehensive assessment data revealed the Institute's influence on participants' and students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian Mechanics. The results of this investigation, the insights we have gained, and possible future directions for professional development will be shared.

Assessing Learning Quality: Reconciling Institutional, Staff and Educational Demands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, John

1996-01-01

Two frameworks for educational assessment distinguished, which is quantitative, adequate for construing some kinds of learning, and qualitative, which is more appropriate for most objectives in higher education. The paper argues that institutions implicitly encourage quantitative assessment, thus encouraging a surface approach to learning although…

Clinical Trials Methods for Evaluation of Potential Reduced Exposure Products

PubMed Central

Hatsukami, Dorothy K.; Hanson, Karen; Briggs, Anna; Parascandola, Mark; Genkinger, Jeanine M.; O'Connor, Richard; Shields, Peter

2009-01-01

Potential reduced exposure tobacco products (PREPs) may have promise in reducing tobacco-related morbidity or mortality or may promote greater harm to individuals or the population. Critical to determining the risks or benefits from these products are valid human clinical trial PREP assessment methods. Assessment involves determining the effects of these products on biomarkers of exposure and of effect, which serve as proxies for harm, and assessing the potential for consumer uptake and abuse of the product. This article raises the critical methodological issues associated with PREP assessment, reviews the methods that have been used to assess PREPs, and describes the strengths and limitations of these methods. Additionally, recommendations for clinical trials PREP assessment methods and future research directions in this area based on this review and on the deliberations from a National Cancer Institute sponsored Clinical Trials PREP Methods Workshop are provided. PMID:19959672

Assessment of institutional barriers to the use of natural gas fuel in automotive vehicle fleets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jablonski, J.; Lent, L.; Lawrence, M.; White, L.

1983-01-01

Institutional barriers to the use of natural gas as a fuel for motor vehicle fleets were identified. Recommendations for barrier removal were developed. Eight types of institutional barriers were assessed: (1) lack of a national standard for the safe design and certification of natural gas vehicles and refueling stations; (2) excessively conservative or misapplied state and local regulations, including bridge and tunnel restrictions, restrictions on types of vehicles that may be fueled by natural gas, zoning regulations that prohibit operation of refueling stations, parking restrictions, application of LPG standards to LNG vehicles, and unintentionally unsafe vehicle or refueling station requirements; (3) need for clarification of EPA's tampering enforcement policy; (4) the U.S. hydrocarbon standard; (5) uncertainty concerning state utility commission jurisdiction; (6) sale for resale prohibitions imposed by natural gas utility companies or state utility commissions; (7) uncertainty of the effects of conversions to natural gas on vehicle manufactures warranties; and (8) need for a natural gas to gasoline equivalent units conversion factor for use in calculation of state road use taxes.

[An assessment of the Family Health Program in municipalities of Northeast Brazil: old and new challenges].

PubMed

Rocha, Paulo de Medeiros; Uchoa, Alice da Costa; Rocha, Nadja de Sá Pinto Dantas; Souza, Elizabethe Cristina Fagundes de; Rocha, Marconi de Lima; Pinheiro, Themis Xavier de Albuquerque

2008-01-01

This article presents part of the results from the Baseline Studies, an evaluative research conducted in 21 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants each, in three States of Northeast Brazil. The overall objective was to assess experiences in the implementation of the Family Health Program (FHP), with a focus on inductions in the PROESF. An implementation analysis was performed, using the case study method. The analysis focused on these dimensions: political-institutional, health organization, and comprehensive care. Outstanding advances included: prioritize the FHP in high-risk areas; institutional learning, with qualification of managers and teams; definition of institutional levels for regulating the FHP; and health team-user bonds and positive perceptions concerning the program. Challenges included: strengthening of local policy and decision-making capacity; allocation of primary care resources; greater employment security for human resources; effective implementation of the health care network; strengthening of social participation; upgrading of monitoring and evaluation for decision-making; receptivity; waiting lines for tests, appointments, and hospital admissions; implementation of teamwork; health promotion and inter-sector activities.

Analysis of state-energy-program capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatar, J.; Clifford, D.; Gunnison, F.; Humphrey, B.

1981-05-01

The potential effects on state energy programs of a reduction in the financial assistance available through the state and local assistance programs and the distribution of those effects are assessed. The assessment is based on a survey of nine state energy offices (SEOs), which were selected on the basis of state support of energy programs weighted by state energy consumption. The nine SEOs surveyed were the Arizona Energy Office, Arkansas Department of Energy, California Energy Commission, Florida Governor's Energy Office, Illinois Institute of Natural Resources, Minnesota Energy Agency, New Jersey Department of Energy, South Carolina Governor's Division of Energy Resources, and Washington State Energy Office.

Did Your Evidence-Base Program Work? Share the News! CLUES #5/6: Assess and Alert.

PubMed

Yonkaitis, Catherine F; Maughan, Erin D

2018-07-01

The work of the school nurse does not end with the institution of an evidence-based intervention. The steps of EBP tell us that we must "Assess" the effectiveness of an intervention to determine if it is having the desired effect. When we find success in our EBP changes we must come full circle and share or "Alert" stakeholders and other school nurses by disseminating our work. School nurses can share their success through written and oral presentations to insure that we add to our collective school nursing knowledge.

Democracy and Higher Education: The Nature of the Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Lauren

2009-01-01

This study examines the pedagogical conditions that contribute to political learning in American National Government courses, using data from classes taught at universities and colleges in Utah. The purpose of this research is to assess the relative effect of course content, classroom climate, textbook, institutional ranking and class size on…

Assessing Skills from Placement to Completion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Judy

A system to provide objective measures of institutional effectiveness was implemented at the Roswell branch of Eastern New Mexico University to determine whether the college was accountable to students, staff, and taxpayers; to improve the curriculum and programs; and to prepare for accreditation review in 1991. A task force spent the summer of…

Are They Learning? A College Trustee's Guide to Assessing Academic Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Council of Trustees and Alumni, 2013

2013-01-01

The most urgent task of colleges and universities is to prepare graduates for the challenges of career, community, and citizenship. Responsible institutions will be diligent and proactive in determining whether their academic programs increase core collegiate skills in analytical reasoning, mathematics, critical thinking, and writing. This…

An Online Adult-Learner Focused Program: An Assessment of Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd, Curtis L.; Ravi, Kokila; Akoh, Harry; Gray, Vance

2015-01-01

The landscape of higher education has significantly changed. Methods of instructional delivery, student profiles and degree offerings have transformed traditional brick and mortar institutions. Distance educational courses and programs, either fully online or hybrid, have been a major contributing factor in this shift. While a high percentage of…

Assessing the Social and Environmental Costs of Institutional Nitrogen Footprints.

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/Methods: Release of N to air, land and water has a host of effects on human health, ecosystems and the economy, many of which scientists and economists are just beginning to develop methods to quantify. In order to understand the broader connections to sustai...

Institutional Effectiveness: A Five-Year Profile, 1996-2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, James E.; Rasor, Richard A.; Grill, Cathie

This report examines American River College (ARC), California, over a 5-year period from 1996-2001. It looks specifically at access, student assessment, overall student academic success, freshman success, performance in sequence courses, persistence, and rates for degrees, certificates, and transfer. ARC has experienced a 35.9% increase in…

Procedures and Standards Handbook. Version 2.1. What Works Clearinghouse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2011

2011-01-01

With its critical assessments of scientific evidence on the effectiveness of education programs, policies, and practices (referred to as "interventions"), and a range of products summarizing this evidence, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is an important part of the Institute of Education Sciences' strategy to use rigorous and relevant…

The Investment Committee. Effective Committees. Board Basics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, John H.

1997-01-01

The investment committee of the college or university governing board is charged with determining, overseeing, and assessing the policies and processes by which institutional funds are invested. The committee has fiduciary duty to ensure that the terms of investment of donors' gifts are met and to maximize investment returns within an appropriate…

Assessing Student Learning: A Work in Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekman, Richard; Pelletier, Stephen

2008-01-01

In recent years, an acrimonious debate has broken out in higher-education circles about institutional accountability and performance. Efforts to alter federal policy in particular have been flashpoints for often heated discourse about the ways that colleges and universities could--and should--demonstrate their effectiveness to skeptical outsiders.…

Assessment of Internship Effectiveness in South Italy Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

della Volpe, Maddalena

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the way internships are currently evaluated in Campania Universities by host institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The author collected and described questionnaires used by the universities of the Regional Observatory of Campania University System. These questionnaires are given by…

Career Status of Graduates: Implications for Human Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Dorothy J.

Graduates' perceptions of their education and their success in the marketplace can provide measures of institutional effectiveness. To assess graduates' attitudes towards their education and to determine their career status and vocational success, 1,213 University of Houston graduates were sent a survey questionnaire. An analysis of the results…

Assessment of Institutional Impact and Long-Term Strategies Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community Colleges, Washington, DC.

If community colleges are to expand their roles in delivering workforce training, they must develop long-term strategies that respond effectively to changes in society and workforce needs. In rendering these change strategies, colleges should define their internal and external environments, as well as their service areas. Internally, instructional…

Perspectives on Veterinary Medical Education: The Tuskegee Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, E. W.; Habtemariam, T.

The extent to which Veterinary Aptitude Test (VAT) scores are valid predictors of veterinary student performance and the effect of a summer enrichment program were assessed for Tuskegee Institute and Auburn University students. In addition, attention was directed to predictors of specialty choices and patterns of specialty choices and employment…

Restructuring to Sustain Excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Richard S.

1996-01-01

The process of restructuring a higher education institution does not end with creation of a strategic plan; the plan's objectives and strategies must be monitored for effectiveness. Phases of creative strategy-making and plan formulation should be alternated with periods of assessment. The process is not a direct course, but dynamic progression…

Tracking Developmental Students into Their First College Level Mathematics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waycaster, Pansy

2011-01-01

A recent SACS review at the author's institution prompted an assessment of the school's developmental mathematics program. The author needed to examine the effectiveness of the developmental mathematics courses in preparing students for their first college level mathematics course. Rather than just examine success rates in developmental…

Multiculturalism in Higher Education: An Organizational Framework for Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tierney, William G.

This article suggests that a critical postmodern organizational perspective offers significant ways to assess an institution of higher education's effectiveness. The first part of the article outlines what is meant by "critical postmodernism" and then delineates a definition of multiculturalism in higher education based on the work of…

76 FR 32238 - Detroit Edison Company, Fermi 2; Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-03

..., to M. S. Fertel, Nuclear Energy Institute (ADAMS Accession No. ML091410309)). The licensee's request... Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (76 FR 187) for the treatment of..., the Commission) now or hereafter in effect. The facility consists of one boiling-water reactor located...

Intercultural Competence in Short-Term Study Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Annie

2017-01-01

Assessment is growing for short-term study abroad as the majority of students (63.1%) continue to choose this option (Institute of International Education, 2016). This study uses the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) to examine the impact of short-term study abroad programs on students' overall intercultural competency and the connections…

Benefits of the NADE Certification Process: Self-Knowledge, Informed Choices & Programmatic Strength

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greci, Dana

2016-01-01

Research shows that systematic, ongoing program evaluation is needed to adequately assess the effectiveness of developmental programs. Ongoing evaluation provides both (1) validation of programs to educational institutions and legislators; and (2) impetus for program improvement. The author of this article works in the Developmental Education…

Quality of Instruction Improved by Evaluation and Consultation of Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rindermann, Heiner; Kohler, Jurgen; Meisenberg, Gerhard

2007-01-01

One aim of student evaluation of instruction is the improvement of teaching quality, but there is little evidence that student assessment of instruction alone improves teaching. This study tried to improve the effects of evaluation by combining evaluation with individual counselling in an institutional development approach. Evaluation was…

Evaluating a Development Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frantzreb, Arthur C.

Problems in evaluating the success of an institutional resource development program are examined and suggestions are offered for effective assessment. Such a program is seen as a sequence of events in the artful management of people, from the planning stage to obtaining a financial commitment in writing from persons who want to share their assets…

Performance Assessment Institute-NV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lombardo, Joesph

2012-12-31

The National Supercomputing Center for Energy and the Environment’s intention is to purchase a multi-purpose computer cluster in support of the Performance Assessment Institute (PA Institute). The PA Institute will serve as a research consortium located in Las Vegas Nevada with membership that includes: national laboratories, universities, industry partners, and domestic and international governments. This center will provide a one-of-a-kind centralized facility for the accumulation of information for use by Institutions of Higher Learning, the U.S. Government, and Regulatory Agencies and approved users. This initiative will enhance and extend High Performance Computing (HPC) resources in Nevada to support critical nationalmore » and international needs in "scientific confirmation". The PA Institute will be promoted as the leading Modeling, Learning and Research Center worldwide. The program proposes to utilize the existing supercomputing capabilities and alliances of the University of Nevada Las Vegas as a base, and to extend these resource and capabilities through a collaborative relationship with its membership. The PA Institute will provide an academic setting for interactive sharing, learning, mentoring and monitoring of multi-disciplinary performance assessment and performance confirmation information. The role of the PA Institute is to facilitate research, knowledge-increase, and knowledge-sharing among users.« less

Governing for the Common Good.

PubMed

Ruger, Jennifer Prah

2015-12-01

The proper object of global health governance (GHG) should be the common good, ensuring that all people have the opportunity to flourish. A well-organized global society that promotes the common good is to everyone's advantage. Enabling people to flourish includes enabling their ability to be healthy. Thus, we must assess health governance by its effectiveness in enhancing health capabilities. Current GHG fails to support human flourishing, diminishes health capabilities and thus does not serve the common good. The provincial globalism theory of health governance proposes a Global Health Constitution and an accompanying Global Institute of Health and Medicine that together propose to transform health governance. Multiple lines of empirical research suggest that these institutions would be effective, offering the most promising path to a healthier, more just world.

Faculty Perspectives on Programme Curricular Assessment: Individual and Institutional Characteristics That Influence Participation Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emil, Serap; Cress, Christine

2014-01-01

Driven by issues of accountability, the assessment movement in higher education has gained significant momentum in recent years. However, successful implementation of assessment processes varies radically across institutions. A key issue is faculty engagement. This qualitative inquiry explored factors that impact faculty participation in a…

Community College Strategies: Building a Model for Assessment within Student Affairs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haney, Richard; McClellan, Debralee

2009-01-01

Frederick Community College's assessment of student learning within student affairs has evolved as a result of the confluence of three transformative initiatives: (1) the institution's decision to shape itself into a learning college; (2) the revision of accreditation standards, placing increased emphasis on institutional assessment and assessment…

Guiding Principles to Impact an Institution-Wide Assessment Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinerichs, Scott; Bernotsky, R. Lorraine; Danner, Loretta Rieser

2015-01-01

Institutions of higher education are faced with challenges when implementing an assessment initiative. These challenges include constraints on time and resources, the demands of specialized accreditation, and faculty motivation to comply. In addition, the communication of the expectations around assessment must be clear to all constituents in…

Values as a Bridge between Sustainability and Institutional Assessment: A Case Study from BOKU University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribeiro, Maria Miguel; Hoover, Elona; Burford, Gemma; Buchebner, Julia; Lindenthal, Thomas

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that values-focused assessment can provide a useful lens for integrating sustainability and institutional performance assessment in universities. Design/methodology/approach: This study applies a values elicitation methodology for indicator development, through thematic analysis of…

Strategies for Increasing Faculty Involvement in Institutional or Program Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caudle, LeAnn; Hammons, James O.

2018-01-01

This narrative research study was conducted to explore the experiences of full-time community college faculty members involved in student learning outcomes assessment. Prior research documented the need for more community college faculty involvement with assessment at the program and institutional levels (Grunwald & Peterson, 2003; Kinzie,…

The Scaling-Up of Assessment in One Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Dyke, Ray

2013-01-01

Given increasing emphasis on assessment and accountability across the globe in higher education, it is clear that individual institutions must take action and provide evidence in response to these concerns. This article provides an example of how one university has developed a central office for assessment, facilitated the development of an…

Environmental impact assessment and environmental audit in large-scale public infrastructure construction: the case of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

PubMed

He, Guizhen; Zhang, Lei; Lu, Yonglong

2009-09-01

Large-scale public infrastructure projects have featured in China's modernization course since the early 1980s. During the early stages of China's rapid economic development, public attention focused on the economic and social impact of high-profile construction projects. In recent years, however, we have seen a shift in public concern toward the environmental and ecological effects of such projects, and today governments are required to provide valid environmental impact assessments prior to allowing large-scale construction. The official requirement for the monitoring of environmental conditions has led to an increased number of debates in recent years regarding the effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Governmental Environmental Audits (GEAs) as environmental safeguards in instances of large-scale construction. Although EIA and GEA are conducted by different institutions and have different goals and enforcement potential, these two practices can be closely related in terms of methodology. This article cites the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway as an instance in which EIA and GEA offer complementary approaches to environmental impact management. This study concludes that the GEA approach can serve as an effective follow-up to the EIA and establishes that the EIA lays a base for conducting future GEAs. The relationship that emerges through a study of the Railway's construction calls for more deliberate institutional arrangements and cooperation if the two practices are to be used in concert to optimal effect.

In blind pursuit of racial equality?

PubMed

Apfelbaum, Evan P; Pauker, Kristin; Sommers, Samuel R; Ambady, Nalini

2010-11-01

Despite receiving little empirical assessment, the color-blind approach to managing diversity has become a leading institutional strategy for promoting racial equality, across domains and scales of practice. We gauged the utility of color blindness as a means to eliminating future racial inequity--its central objective--by assessing its impact on a sample of elementary-school students. Results demonstrated that students exposed to a color-blind mind-set, as opposed to a value-diversity mind-set, were actually less likely both to detect overt instances of racial discrimination and to describe such events in a manner that would prompt intervention by certified teachers. Institutional messages of color blindness may therefore artificially depress formal reporting of racial injustice. Color-blind messages may thus appear to function effectively on the surface even as they allow explicit forms of bias to persist.

Situating Arab-Israeli artisanal fishermen's perceptions of marine litter in a socio-institutional and socio-cultural context.

PubMed

Brennan, Ruth E; Portman, Michelle E

2017-02-15

Understanding the mental constructs underlying people's social responses, decisions and behaviors is crucial to defining the governance challenges faced in dealing with marine anthropogenic litter. Using interactive governance theory, this study provides qualitative insights into how a small group of Arab-Israeli artisanal fishermen perceive marine litter and its impact (system to be governed) in the context of the socio-institutional structures (governing system) which manage waste and aim to protect the surrounding environment. It demonstrates that, until the relationships between local people and the various governing institutions are transformed, there is little hope for citizen cooperation in reducing marine litter long-term in the case-study site. More generally, underlying narratives and politics playing out at a local level need to be understood in order to identify which interventions are likely to be effective and which are not. An intervention checklist to assess the potential effectiveness of a marine litter intervention is proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Search for Integration of Theory and Practice: The Early History and Analysis of Three Innovative Graduate Institutions. ASHE 1986 Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betters-Reed, Bonita L.

The origin and establishment of three innovative graduate institutions in the Boston, Massachusetts, area were assessed: The Arthur D. Little Management Education Institute, The Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, and the Wang Institute of Graduate Studies. These institutions started in non-educational institutions and…

Exploring Institutional Mechanisms for Scientific Input into the Management Cycle of the National Protected Area Network of Peru: Gaps and Opportunities.

PubMed

López-Rodríguez, M D; Castro, H; Arenas, M; Requena-Mullor, J M; Cano, A; Valenzuela, E; Cabello, J

2017-12-01

Understanding how to improve decision makers' use of scientific information across their different scales of management is a core challenge for narrowing the gap between science and conservation practice. Here, we present a study conducted in collaboration with decision makers that aims to explore the functionality of the mechanisms for scientific input within the institutional setting of the National Protected Area Network of Peru. First, we analyzed institutional mechanisms to assess the scientific information recorded by decision makers. Second, we developed two workshops involving scientists, decision makers and social actors to identify barriers to evidence-based conservation practice. Third, we administered 482 questionnaires to stakeholders to explore social perceptions of the role of science and the willingness to collaborate in the governance of protected areas. The results revealed that (1) the institutional mechanisms did not effectively promote the compilation and application of scientific knowledge for conservation practice; (2) six important barriers hindered scientific input in management decisions; and (3) stakeholders showed positive perceptions about the involvement of scientists in protected areas and expressed their willingness to collaborate in conservation practice. This collaborative research helped to (1) identify gaps and opportunities that should be addressed for increasing the effectiveness of the institutional mechanisms and (2) support institutional changes integrating science-based strategies for strengthening scientific input in decision-making. These insights provide a useful contextual orientation for scholars and decision makers interested in conducting empirical research to connect scientific inputs with operational aspects of the management cycle in other institutional settings around the world.

Exploring Institutional Mechanisms for Scientific Input into the Management Cycle of the National Protected Area Network of Peru: Gaps and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Rodríguez, M. D.; Castro, H.; Arenas, M.; Requena-Mullor, J. M.; Cano, A.; Valenzuela, E.; Cabello, J.

2017-12-01

Understanding how to improve decision makers' use of scientific information across their different scales of management is a core challenge for narrowing the gap between science and conservation practice. Here, we present a study conducted in collaboration with decision makers that aims to explore the functionality of the mechanisms for scientific input within the institutional setting of the National Protected Area Network of Peru. First, we analyzed institutional mechanisms to assess the scientific information recorded by decision makers. Second, we developed two workshops involving scientists, decision makers and social actors to identify barriers to evidence-based conservation practice. Third, we administered 482 questionnaires to stakeholders to explore social perceptions of the role of science and the willingness to collaborate in the governance of protected areas. The results revealed that (1) the institutional mechanisms did not effectively promote the compilation and application of scientific knowledge for conservation practice; (2) six important barriers hindered scientific input in management decisions; and (3) stakeholders showed positive perceptions about the involvement of scientists in protected areas and expressed their willingness to collaborate in conservation practice. This collaborative research helped to (1) identify gaps and opportunities that should be addressed for increasing the effectiveness of the institutional mechanisms and (2) support institutional changes integrating science-based strategies for strengthening scientific input in decision-making. These insights provide a useful contextual orientation for scholars and decision makers interested in conducting empirical research to connect scientific inputs with operational aspects of the management cycle in other institutional settings around the world.

Risk assessment in infrastructure in educational institution: A study in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasdan Ismail, Ahmad; Adilah Hamzah, Noor; Kamilah Makhtar, Nor; Azhar Mat Daud, Khairul; Zulkarnaen Khidzir, Nik; Husna Che Hassan, Nurul; Arifpin Mansor, Muhamad

2017-10-01

This particular study was conducted to assess the hazard exposure in education institution and to highlight the possible risk level available. The assessment utilised is Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC). There was a 2008’s form in order to determine the risk level of the hazard. There were over 111 of education institutions were selected around Malaysia to perform this assessment. Area chosen for each institution was office, playing field, canteen, classroom, toilet and drainage. By referring HIRARC Guideline 2008, the determination of risk rank is measure based on the formula likelihood multiply severity and the rank need to refer from risk matrix standard. There are several hazard have be found and shows the high, medium and low of risk level. The higher level of risk was discussed in the study which is hazard found in playing field and hazard in office. There several hazard that need to be control by education management to avoid increase of case accident in Education Sector, Malaysia. As conclusion, the exposure hazard among the staff and educators is high and further action and control are needed. Further study need to explore the best recommendation for control measure of the hazard exposed by education institution.

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF MEDICAL DEVICES IN EUROPE: PROCESSES, PRACTICES, AND METHODS.

PubMed

Fuchs, Sabine; Olberg, Britta; Panteli, Dimitra; Busse, Reinhard

2016-01-01

To review and compare current Health Technology Assessment (HTA) activities for medical devices (MDs) across European HTA institutions. A comprehensive approach was adopted to identify institutions involved in HTA in European countries. We systematically searched institutional Web sites and other online sources by using a structured tool to extract information on the role and link to decision making, structure, scope, process, methodological approach, and available HTA reports for each included institution. Information was obtained from eighty-four institutions, forty-seven of which were analyzed. Fifty-four methodological documents from twenty-three agencies in eighteen countries were identified. Only five agencies had separate documents for the assessment of MDs. A few agencies made separate provisions for the assessment of MDs in their general methods. The amount of publicly available HTA reports on MDs varied by device category and agency remit. Despite growing consensus on their importance and international initiatives, such as the EUnetHTA Core Model®, specific tools for the assessment of MDs are rarely developed and implemented at the national level. Separate additional signposts incorporated in existing general methods guides may be sufficient for the evaluation of MDs.

An investigation of air transportation technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990-1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Robert W.

1991-01-01

Brief summaries are given of research activities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under the sponsorship of the FAA/NASA Joint University Program. Topics covered include hazard assessment and cockpit presentation issues for microburst alerting systems; the situational awareness effect of automated air traffic control (ATC) datalink clearance amendments; a graphical simulation system for adaptive, automated approach spacing; an expert system for temporal planning with application to runway configuration management; deterministic multi-zone ice accretion modeling; alert generation and cockpit presentation for an integrated microburst alerting system; and passive infrared ice detection for helicopter applications.

Accrual and Recruitment Practices at Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Institutions: A Call for Expectations, Expertise, and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kost, Rhonda G.; Mervin-Blake, Sabrena; Hallarn, Rose; Rathmann, Charles; Kolb, H. Robert; Himmelfarb, Cheryl Dennison; D’Agostino, Toni; Rubinstein, Eric P.; Dozier, Ann M.; Schuff, Kathryn G.

2014-01-01

Purpose To respond to increased public and programmatic demand to address underenrollment of clinical translational research studies, the authors examine participant recruitment practices at Clinical and Translational Science Award sites (CTSAs) and make recommendations for performance metrics and accountability. Method The CTSA Recruitment and Retention taskforce developed and, in 2010, invited representatives at 46 CTSAs to complete an online 48-question survey querying CTSA accrual and recruitment outcomes, practices, evaluation methods, policies, and perceived gaps in related knowledge/practice. Descriptive statistical and thematic analyses were conducted. Results Forty-six respondents representing 44 CTSAs completed the survey. Recruitment conducted by study teams was the most common practice reported (78–91%, by study type); 39% reported their institution offered recruitment services to investigators. Respondents valued study feasibility assessment as a successful practice (39%); their desired additional resources included feasibility assessments (49%) and participant registries (44%). None reported their institution systematically required justification of feasibility; some indicated relevant information was considered prior to IRB review (30%) or contract approval (22%). All respondents’ IRBs tracked study progress, but only 10% of respondents could report outcome data for timely accrual. Few reported written policies addressing poor accrual or provided data to support recruitment practice effectiveness. Conclusions Many CTSAs lack the necessary framework to support study accrual. Recommendations to enhance accrual include articulating institutional expectations and policy for routine recruitment planning; providing recruitment expertise to inform feasibility assessment and recruitment planning; and developing interdepartmental coordination and integrated informatics infrastructure to drive the conduct, evaluation, and improvement of recruitment practices. PMID:24826854

The SAFER guides: empowering organizations to improve the safety and effectiveness of electronic health records.

PubMed

Sittig, Dean F; Ash, Joan S; Singh, Hardeep

2014-05-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) have potential to improve quality and safety of healthcare. However, EHR users have experienced safety concerns from EHR design and usability features that are not optimally adapted for the complex work flow of real-world practice. Few strategies exist to address unintended consequences from implementation of EHRs and other health information technologies. We propose that organizations equipped with EHRs should consider the strategy of "proactive risk assessment" of their EHR-enabled healthcare system to identify and address EHR-related safety concerns. In this paper, we describe the conceptual underpinning of an EHR-related self-assessment strategy to provide institutions a foundation upon which they could build their safety efforts. With support from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), we used a rigorous, iterative process to develop a set of 9 self-assessment tools to optimize the safety and safe use of EHRs. These tools, referred to as the Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) guides, could be used to self-assess safety and effectiveness of EHR implementations, identify specific areas of vulnerability, and create solutions and culture change to mitigate risks. A variety of audiences could conduct these assessments, including frontline clinicians or care teams in different practices, or clinical, quality, or administrative leaders within larger institutions. The guides use a multifaceted systems-based approach to assess risk and empower organizations to work with internal or external stakeholders (eg, EHR developers) on optimizing EHR functionality and using EHRs to drive improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare.

Assessment and the Quality of Educational Programmes: What Constitutes Evidence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shay, Sueellen; Jawitz, Jeff

2005-01-01

In a climate of growing accountability for Higher Education, there is an increased demand on assessment to play an evaluative role. National, professional and institutional quality assurance systems expect that the assessment of student performance can be used to evaluate the quality of teachers, learners, programmes and even institutions for the…

Action Research, Assessment, and Institutional Review Boards (IRB): Conflicting Demands or Productive Tension for the Academic Librarian?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Robert

2014-01-01

This article puts forward an "assessment/action research/publication" cycle that integrates aspects of the assessment, research, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes to provide academic librarians with a systematic approach for balancing competing workplace demands and give library managers a roadmap for creating a…

Writing Assessment in the Department of Mathematics at Rochester Institute of Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birken, Marcia

The goal of writing assessment in the Department of Mathematics at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is to assure that students can communicate about mathematics or statistics in a manner appropriate to their future careers. A five-member writing committee, composed of mathematics faculty, assess students at three different times during…

Various Assessments Utilized in California Preliminary Administrative Services Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Deborah E.

2016-01-01

Every two years, institutions sponsoring credentialing programs in California are required to submit a detailed biennial report, which includes data on at least four key assessments showing 1) candidate competence and/or 2) program efficacy. This article reports the types of assessments used from 25 institutions that completed biennial reports for…

Institutional Assessment: Between Political Pressing Needs and School Improvement Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Méndez, Juan Manuel Álvarez

2014-01-01

This article presents, through a critical analysis, a reflection on a noticeable change that focuses on some aspects related to the assessment of different parts of the educational system. In particular, it concentrates on the assessment of teaching institutions which has been considered by authorities that are distant from the school life and…

12 CFR 327.11 - Special assessments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... basis points based on the institution's total assets less Tier 1 capital as reported on the report of... exceed 10 basis points times the institution's assessment base for the second quarter 2009 risk-based... or below zero at the end of a calendar quarter, a special assessment of up to 5 basis points on total...

Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Patterns, Predictions, and Implications for Informing Policy Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Vasti; Zerquera, Desiree

2012-01-01

This article seeks to identify and assess the readiness of "Potential" Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)--institutions located within Latino communities projected to increase the number of Latino/a high school graduates. Institutions are described based on evaluation of institutional missions, planning documents, programs, and marketing…

DEFINING THE RELEVANT OUTCOME MEASURES IN MEDICAL DEVICE ASSESSMENTS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEFINITION PROCESS IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT.

PubMed

Jacobs, Esther; Antoine, Sunya-Lee; Prediger, Barbara; Neugebauer, Edmund; Eikermann, Michaela

2017-01-01

Defining relevant outcome measures for clinical trials on medical devices (MD) is complex, as there is a large variety of potentially relevant outcomes. The chosen outcomes vary widely across clinical trials making the assessment in evidence syntheses very challenging. The objective is to provide an overview on the current common procedures of health technology assessment (HTA) institutions in defining outcome measures in MD trials. In 2012-14, the Web pages of 126 institutions involved in HTA were searched for methodological manuals written in English or German that describe methods for the predefinition process of outcome measures. Additionally, the institutions were contacted by email. Relevant information was extracted. All process steps were performed independently by two reviewers. Twenty-four manuals and ten responses from the email request were included in the analysis. Overall, 88.5 percent of the institutions describe the type of outcomes that should be considered in detail and 84.6 percent agree that the main focus should be on patient relevant outcomes. Specifically related to MD, information could be obtained in 26 percent of the included manuals and email responses. Eleven percent of the institutions report a particular consideration of MD related outcomes. This detailed analysis on common procedures of HTA institutions in the context of defining relevant outcome measures for the assessment of MD shows that standardized procedures for MD from the perspective of HTA institutions are not widespread. This leads to the question if a homogenous approach should be implemented in the field of HTA on MD.

Assessment: Fad or Fact of Life? Proceedings of the North East Association for Institutional Research Annual Conference (14th, Rochester, New York, October 25-27, 1987).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North East Association for Institutional Research.

Assessment in higher education is addressed in these proceedings of the 1987 conference of the North East Association for Institutional Research. Papers and authors include: "Assessing the Status of Assessment" (Peter T. Ewell); "Has the Middle Class Been Pressured the Most? Multivariate Analysis of Parental Contributions to Higher…

Introduction of Core Based Subjects in the Curriculum of Technical and Vocational Institutions in Ghana: Assessment of Its Effect on Practical Training Sessions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

William, Otu

2015-01-01

Technical education among other things focuses on training the skill manpower needs of the youth in most countries of which Ghana is no exception. This study looks at Ghana Education Service technical and vocational sector reform programme introduced in 2010 with emphasis on the introduction of compulsory core based subjects and its effect on…

An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.

PubMed

Dusek, Wolfgang A; Pierscionek, Barbara K; McClelland, Julie F

2011-08-11

The present study investigates two different treatment options for convergence insufficiency CI for a group of children with reading difficulties referred by educational institutes to a specialist eye clinic in Vienna. One hundred and thirty four subjects (aged 7-14 years) with reading difficulties were referred from an educational institute in Vienna, Austria for visual assessment. Each child was given either 8Δ base-in reading spectacles (n=51) or computerised home vision therapy (HTS) (n=51). Thirty two participants refused all treatment offered (clinical control group). A full visual assessment including reading speed and accuracy were conducted pre- and post-treatment. Factorial analyses demonstrated statistically significant changes between results obtained for visits 1 and 2 for total reading time, reading error score, amplitude of accommodation and binocular accommodative facility (within subjects effects) (p<0.05). Significant differences were also demonstrated between treatment groups for total reading time, reading error score and binocular accommodative facility (between subjects effects) (p<0.05). Reading difficulties with no apparent intellectual or psychological foundation may be due to a binocular vision anomaly such as convergence insufficiency. Both the HTS and prismatic correction are highly effective treatment options for convergence insufficiency. Prismatic correction can be considered an effective alternative to HTS.

Automated size-specific CT dose monitoring program: assessing variability in CT dose.

PubMed

Christianson, Olav; Li, Xiang; Frush, Donald; Samei, Ehsan

2012-11-01

The potential health risks associated with low levels of ionizing radiation have created a movement in the radiology community to optimize computed tomography (CT) imaging protocols to use the lowest radiation dose possible without compromising the diagnostic usefulness of the images. Despite efforts to use appropriate and consistent radiation doses, studies suggest that a great deal of variability in radiation dose exists both within and between institutions for CT imaging. In this context, the authors have developed an automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT and used this program to assess variability in size-adjusted effective dose from CT imaging. The authors radiation dose monitoring program operates on an independent health insurance portability and accountability act compliant dosimetry server. Digital imaging and communication in medicine routing software is used to isolate dose report screen captures and scout images for all incoming CT studies. Effective dose conversion factors (k-factors) are determined based on the protocol and optical character recognition is used to extract the CT dose index and dose-length product. The patient's thickness is obtained by applying an adaptive thresholding algorithm to the scout images and is used to calculate the size-adjusted effective dose (ED(adj)). The radiation dose monitoring program was used to collect data on 6351 CT studies from three scanner models (GE Lightspeed Pro 16, GE Lightspeed VCT, and GE Definition CT750 HD) and two institutions over a one-month period and to analyze the variability in ED(adj) between scanner models and across institutions. No significant difference was found between computer measurements of patient thickness and observer measurements (p = 0.17), and the average difference between the two methods was less than 4%. Applying the size correction resulted in ED(adj) that differed by up to 44% from effective dose estimates that were not adjusted by patient size. Additionally, considerable differences were noted in ED(adj) distributions between scanners, with scanners employing iterative reconstruction exhibiting significantly lower ED(adj) (range: 9%-64%). Finally, a significant difference (up to 59%) in ED(adj) distributions was observed between institutions, indicating the potential for dose reduction. The authors developed a robust automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT. Using this program, significant differences in ED(adj) were observed between scanner models and across institutions. This new dose monitoring program offers a unique tool for improving quality assurance and standardization both within and across institutions.

Automated size-specific CT dose monitoring program: Assessing variability in CT dose

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christianson, Olav; Li Xiang; Frush, Donald

2012-11-15

Purpose: The potential health risks associated with low levels of ionizing radiation have created a movement in the radiology community to optimize computed tomography (CT) imaging protocols to use the lowest radiation dose possible without compromising the diagnostic usefulness of the images. Despite efforts to use appropriate and consistent radiation doses, studies suggest that a great deal of variability in radiation dose exists both within and between institutions for CT imaging. In this context, the authors have developed an automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT and used this program to assess variability in size-adjusted effective dose from CTmore » imaging. Methods: The authors radiation dose monitoring program operates on an independent health insurance portability and accountability act compliant dosimetry server. Digital imaging and communication in medicine routing software is used to isolate dose report screen captures and scout images for all incoming CT studies. Effective dose conversion factors (k-factors) are determined based on the protocol and optical character recognition is used to extract the CT dose index and dose-length product. The patient's thickness is obtained by applying an adaptive thresholding algorithm to the scout images and is used to calculate the size-adjusted effective dose (ED{sub adj}). The radiation dose monitoring program was used to collect data on 6351 CT studies from three scanner models (GE Lightspeed Pro 16, GE Lightspeed VCT, and GE Definition CT750 HD) and two institutions over a one-month period and to analyze the variability in ED{sub adj} between scanner models and across institutions. Results: No significant difference was found between computer measurements of patient thickness and observer measurements (p= 0.17), and the average difference between the two methods was less than 4%. Applying the size correction resulted in ED{sub adj} that differed by up to 44% from effective dose estimates that were not adjusted by patient size. Additionally, considerable differences were noted in ED{sub adj} distributions between scanners, with scanners employing iterative reconstruction exhibiting significantly lower ED{sub adj} (range: 9%-64%). Finally, a significant difference (up to 59%) in ED{sub adj} distributions was observed between institutions, indicating the potential for dose reduction. Conclusions: The authors developed a robust automated size-specific radiation dose monitoring program for CT. Using this program, significant differences in ED{sub adj} were observed between scanner models and across institutions. This new dose monitoring program offers a unique tool for improving quality assurance and standardization both within and across institutions.« less

Web-Based Programs Assess Cognitive Fitness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, based in Houston and funded by NASA, began funding research for Harvard University researchers to design Palm software to help astronauts monitor and assess their cognitive functioning. The MiniCog Rapid Assessment Battery (MRAB) was licensed by the Criteria Corporation in Los Angeles and adapted for Web-based employment testing. The test battery assesses nine different cognitive functions and can gauge the effect of stress-related deficits, such as fatigue, on various tasks. The MRAB can be used not only for pre-employment testing but also for repeat administrations to measure day-to-day job readiness in professions where alertness is critical.

Rangeland management and fluvial geomorphology in northern Tanzania.

PubMed

Miller, Brian W; Doyle, Martin W

2014-06-01

Researchers have independently documented the effects of land use on rivers and threats to river management institutions, but the relationship between changes in institutional context and river condition is not well described. This study assesses the connections between resource management institutions, land use, and rivers by integrating social science, geospatial analysis, and geomorphology. In particular, we measured hydraulic geometry, sediment size distributions, and estimated sediment yield for four rivers in northern Tanzania and conducted semistructured interviews that assessed corresponding resource management institutions. Communities managed rivers through both customary (traditional, nonstate) and government institutions, but the differences in the resource management policies and practices of the study rivers themselves were fairly subtle. Clearer differences were found at broader scales; the four watersheds exhibited substantial differences in land cover change and sediment yield associated with the location of settlements, roadways, and cultivation. Unexpectedly, these recent land use changes did not initiate a geomorphic response in rivers. The long history of grazing by domestic and wild ungulates may have influenced water and sediment supplies such that river channel dimensions are more resistant to changes in land use than other systems or have already adjusted to predominant changes in boundary conditions. This would suggest that not all rivers will have the anticipated responses to contemporary land use changes because of antecedent land use patterns; over long time scales (centuries to millennia), the presence of grazers may actually increase the ability of rivers to withstand changes in land use. Our findings point to a need for further interdisciplinary study of dryland rivers and their shifts between system states, especially in areas with a long history of grazing, relatively recent changes in land use, and a dynamic social and institutional context.

Rangeland management and fluvial geomorphology in northern Tanzania

PubMed Central

Miller, Brian W.; Doyle, Martin W.

2014-01-01

Researchers have independently documented the effects of land use on rivers and threats to river management institutions, but the relationship between changes in institutional context and river condition is not well described. This study assesses the connections between resource management institutions, land use, and rivers by integrating social science, geospatial analysis, and geomorphology. In particular, we measured hydraulic geometry, sediment size distributions, and estimated sediment yield for four rivers in northern Tanzania and conducted semistructured interviews that assessed corresponding resource management institutions. Communities managed rivers through both customary (traditional, nonstate) and government institutions, but the differences in the resource management policies and practices of the study rivers themselves were fairly subtle. Clearer differences were found at broader scales; the four watersheds exhibited substantial differences in land cover change and sediment yield associated with the location of settlements, roadways, and cultivation. Unexpectedly, these recent land use changes did not initiate a geomorphic response in rivers. The long history of grazing by domestic and wild ungulates may have influenced water and sediment supplies such that river channel dimensions are more resistant to changes in land use than other systems or have already adjusted to predominant changes in boundary conditions. This would suggest that not all rivers will have the anticipated responses to contemporary land use changes because of antecedent land use patterns; over long time scales (centuries to millennia), the presence of grazers may actually increase the ability of rivers to withstand changes in land use. Our findings point to a need for further interdisciplinary study of dryland rivers and their shifts between system states, especially in areas with a long history of grazing, relatively recent changes in land use, and a dynamic social and institutional context. PMID:24932057

Approaches to preparing young scholars for careers in interdisciplinary team science.

PubMed

Begg, Melissa D; Crumley, Gene; Fair, Alecia M; Martina, Camille A; McCormack, Wayne T; Merchant, Carol; Patino-Sutton, Cecilia M; Umans, Jason G

2014-01-01

To succeed as a biomedical researcher, the ability to flourish in interdisciplinary teams of scientists is becoming ever more important. Institutions supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) from the National Institutes of Health have a specific mandate to educate the next generation of clinical and translational researchers. While they strive to advance integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to education and career development in clinical and translational science, general approaches and evaluation strategies may differ, as there is no single, universally accepted or standardized approach. It is important, therefore, to learn about the different approaches used to determine what is effective. We implemented a Web-based survey distributed to education leaders at the 60 funded CTSA institutions; 95% responded to the survey, which included questions on the importance of preparation for interdisciplinary team science careers, methods used to provide such training, and perceived effectiveness of these training programs. The vast majority (86%) of education leaders reported that such training is important, and about half (52%) of the institutions offer such training. Methods of training most often take the form of courses and seminars, both credit bearing and noncredit. These efforts are, by and large, perceived as effective by the training program leaders, although long-term follow-up of trainees would be required to fully evaluate ultimate effectiveness. Results from the survey suggest that CTSA education directors believe that specific training in interdisciplinary team science for young investigators is very important, but few methodologies are universally practiced in CTSA institutions to provide training or to assess performance. Four specific recommendations are suggested to provide measurable strategic goals for education in team science in the context of clinical and translational research.

Institutional deliveries weakly associated with improved neonatal survival in developing countries: evidence from 192 Demographic and Health Surveys.

PubMed

Fink, Günther; Ross, Rebecca; Hill, Kenneth

2015-12-01

Child and maternal mortality remain high in many developing countries. A principal strategy used in low- and middle-income countries is increasing the proportion of pregnancies delivered at facilities. Although this strategy is reasonable with high quality facilities, evidence for the protective effects of facility deliveries is mixed. We pooled 1.47 million birth records collected by the Demographic and Health Surveys to estimate the association between institutional deliveries and early neonatal mortality. Subsample analysis and instrumental variable estimation were used to assess and correct the extent to which mortality differentials are biased by an increased likelihood of facility attendance for high-risk deliveries. No associations between institutional deliveries and early neonatal mortality were found in the pooled sample [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.995, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.966-1.025)]. When stratified by facility type, protective effects were found for private facilities (aOR 0.876, 95% CI 0.840-0.914), but not for public hospitals or health centres. Significant protective effects were found when past behaviour was used to eliminate selection bias generated by short-term responses to medical need (aOR 0.884, 95% CI 0.814-0.961). At the community and country levels, strong positive associations were found between early neonatal mortality among facility deliveries and the prevalence of institutional deliveries. Facility deliveries have the potential to reduce early neonatal mortality in developing countries. The results presented suggest that the quality, utilization and protective effects of institutional deliveries vary widely across countries; major improvements in both utilization and quality of care will be needed to achieve further improvements in maternal and child health. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Understanding factors that influence stakeholder trust of natural resource science and institutions.

PubMed

Gray, Steven; Shwom, Rachael; Jordan, Rebecca

2012-03-01

Building trust between resource users and natural resource institutions is essential when creating conservation policies that rely on stakeholders to be effective. Trust can enable the public and agencies to engage in cooperative behaviors toward shared goals and address shared problems. Despite the increasing attention that trust has received recently in the environmental management literature, the influence that individual cognitive and behavioral factors may play in influencing levels of trust in resource management institutions, and their associated scientific assessments, remains unclear. This paper uses the case of fisheries management in the northeast to explore the relationships between an individual's knowledge of the resource, perceptions of resource health, and participatory experience on levels of trust. Using survey data collected from 244 avid recreational anglers in the Northeast U.S., we test these relationships using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that participation in fisheries management is associated with increased trust across all aspects of fisheries management. In addition, higher ratings of resource health by anglers are associated with higher levels of trust of state and regional institutions, but not federal institutions or scientific methods.

Understanding Factors That Influence Stakeholder Trust of Natural Resource Science and Institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Steven; Shwom, Rachael; Jordan, Rebecca

2012-03-01

Building trust between resource users and natural resource institutions is essential when creating conservation policies that rely on stakeholders to be effective. Trust can enable the public and agencies to engage in cooperative behaviors toward shared goals and address shared problems. Despite the increasing attention that trust has received recently in the environmental management literature, the influence that individual cognitive and behavioral factors may play in influencing levels of trust in resource management institutions, and their associated scientific assessments, remains unclear. This paper uses the case of fisheries management in the northeast to explore the relationships between an individual's knowledge of the resource, perceptions of resource health, and participatory experience on levels of trust. Using survey data collected from 244 avid recreational anglers in the Northeast U.S., we test these relationships using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that participation in fisheries management is associated with increased trust across all aspects of fisheries management. In addition, higher ratings of resource health by anglers are associated with higher levels of trust of state and regional institutions, but not federal institutions or scientific methods.

Evaluation of the effects of comprehensive reform on primary healthcare institutions in Anhui Province

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In 2009, the Chinese Central Communist Party and the China State Council started to implement comprehensive healthcare reforms. The first round of reforms, involving Anhui province, was from 2009 to 2011, and focused on primary healthcare institutions. This study conducts an initial assessment of the effects of specific parts of the reforms in Anhui. Methods Mixed quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted for data collection. Seven hundred and three health institutions from 15 counties were randomly chosen. The practices, development, effects, problems, and other relevant information related to the reform were classified into four aspects: medicine management; personnel systems and income distribution mechanisms; compensation mechanisms for primary healthcare institutions; and strengthening the primary healthcare system. The effects of reform were analyzed by evaluating changes in compensation channels, visit costs, diagnosis and treatment structure, hardware, structures, efficiency, and behavior. Results A new system for authorizing drugs resulted in a total of 857 new drugs being accessible at agreed prices through primary healthcare institutions in Anhui. The cost of the average outpatient visit decreased from 35.29 RMB to 31.64 RMB, although for inpatients, the average cost increased from 799.05 RMB to 992.60 RMB. The number of healthcare personnel decreased, but their workloads increased. The total revenue from government sources increased by 41.09%, and the proportion of revenue from drugs decreased by 25.19%. The rate of diagnosis and treatment visits and outpatient visits to primary healthcare institutions increased. Finally, between 2008 and 2010, 1,195 standardized township hospitals, 14,134 village clinics, and 1,234 community health service institutions were constructed. Conclusion The reform of primary healthcare institutions in Anhui has improved the personnel structures surrounding frontline healthcare workers, increased their incomes, improved work efficiency, and changed the compensation patterns of primary healthcare institutions, improved hardware, reduced drug prices, and, to some extent, improved the diagnosis and treatment structure. However, the reforms have not radically changed the behavior of medical workers or the visit patterns of patients. Approaches such as strengthening performance evaluation, and carrying out initiatives to further mobilize frontline healthcare workers, enhance rational drug use through improved training and educate patients, should be undertaken in the future. PMID:24942901

Theoretical Foundations and a Research Agenda to Validate Measures of Intercultural Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowd, Alicia C.; Sawatzky, Misty; Korn, Randi

2011-01-01

The concept of "student effort" is foundational to such commonly used assessments of institutional effectiveness as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). However, the current measure of student effort omits intercultural effort, which is particularly salient to the academic…

Outcome Data for MICA Clients after Participation in an Institutional Therapeutic Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Stelle, Kit R.; Moberg, D. Paul

2004-01-01

The current study assessed the effectiveness of a prison-based substance abuse treatment therapeutic community (TC) providing treatment to male inmates dually diagnosed with both substance abuse and mental health disorders. The findings show a short-term impact of the program on arrest after release, with program participants significantly less…

Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Process, 1993-94. Executive Summary. Hospitality and Service Occupations Division, Floristry Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Seattle Community Coll., Washington.

A study was conducted to determine current and former students' and local employers' satisfaction with South Seattle Community College's (SSCC's) Floristry Department. Specifically, the study gathered data related to four outcomes: that students receive an education allowing them to meet goals; that students be satisfied with facilities,…

Achieving Universal Primary Education by 2015: A Chance for Every Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruns, Barbara; Mingat, Alain; Rakotomalala, Ramahatra

Achievement of the second of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)--universal primary education by 2015--is crucial, as education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and for laying the foundation for sustained economic growth, effective institutions, and sound governance. This study assesses whether…

Comparative Education. ASHE Reader Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kempner, Ken, Ed.; Mollis, Marcela, Ed.; Tierney, William G., Ed.

The chapters in this collection explore why particular national higher education systems operate as they do and the effects these systems have on one another, on national and global development, and on the production of knowledge. The works included in this reader address the assessment of inputs and outputs of institutions and the meaning these…

The Impact of Internet Knowledge on College Students' Intention to Continue to Use the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Lu; Zhang, Mingxin

2008-01-01

Introduction: Examines the effect of Internet knowledge on college students' intention to continue using the Internet. Method: Students at four public institutions in Wuhan, China, were surveyed. They completed a questionnaire during the class hours. Analysis: Psychometric analysis was performed to assess the internal consistency, convergent and…

A Student Environment Model: A Measure of Institutional Effectiveness. AIR 1998 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris-Baldwin, Darline

This study traces the development of a student environment model (SEM) at Texas State Technical College (Waco) that is used to assess students' perceptions of their college environment outside the formal classroom, provides baseline data for comparative analyses, establishes goals for student support services, measures program and process…

Contingency Planning for Natural Disasters: The Mount St. Helens Experience. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, James A.; Concordia, Louis R.

The effectiveness of existing contingency planning efforts at five community colleges, three colleges, and five universities during the Mount St. Helens eruptions in 1980 in Washington state was assessed. Planning efforts in the areas of institutional policy, academic policy, business office, physical plant, residence halls, financial aid, and…

Update on Research and Leadership, Fall 2001-Spring 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Elisabeth, Ed.

2001-01-01

This issue of On Research and Leadership Update (v13 n1) focuses on the concerns surrounding dual enrollment and dual credit. "Dual Enrollment Programs: Assessing the American Dream," by Katherine Boswell, addresses the problems inherent in development of these programs when institutions fail to collaborate with one another in an effective way.…

Agroforestry adoption in the Calakmul biosphere reserve, Campeche, Mexico

Treesearch

D. Evan Mercer; Jeremy Haggar; Ann Snook; Mauricio Sosa

2005-01-01

Since farmers engage in a complex, dynamic process of learning-by-doing, evaluating economic incentives, and assessing risks in deciding whether to adopt agroforestry systems, a multi-pronged research approach is required for a complete analysis of adoption potential and to develop effective technological and institutional interventions. A case study is presented for...

Using Participatory Action Research to Increase Learning Transfer of Recovery-Based Principles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barish, Diane J.

2009-01-01

This study questions whether or not participatory action research is an effective and practical method for increasing learning transfer of recovery-based principles. The participants (N = 250) were ethnically and educationally diverse clinicians, in an urban state mental health institute. The Self-Assessment of Recovery-Based Behaviors survey ( n…

Web-Based Analysis of Internationalization in Israeli Teaching Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Anat; Yemini, Miri; Sadeh, Efrat

2014-01-01

The international activities of academic institutions dramatically expanded in volume, scope, and complexity during the past three decades. This expansion raised the need to monitor and assess the process at various levels and ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of internationalization. This study has two main aims: first, to present a model…

Impact of Orientation Programs on Nontraditional Students' Perceived Academic Success in Adult Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Marsha

2016-01-01

Many administrators and faculty within higher education institutions have grappled with identifying and employing effective strategies to facilitate student success and persistence. The current study focuses on assessing nontraditional students' self-efficacy beliefs and their perception of the orientation program at a 2-year continuing education…

Conversations about Careers: Engaging Students in and out of the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Beth M.; Gregg, Virginia R.; McKee, Mark

2018-01-01

Providing career preparation for our students continues to be a focus for faculty, departments, and institutions. Professional development is most effective when accessible to students in a number of ways. This article presents how career preparation can be incorporated in advising, through programming and assessment in a career center, and in the…

Factors Related to Community Residents' Evaluation of Local Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Raghu Naath; Webb, Billy R.

The extent to which citizens are knowledgeable about and satisfied with major services in their communities is important in effective community development. Quantities as well as quality of services need to be assessed to make a meaningful evaluation of quality of life. To investigate selected institutional services in Hopkins County, Texas, in…

75 FR 16517 - Dominion Nuclear Connecticut, Inc.; Millstone Power Station, Unit Nos 1, 2, and 3; Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

.... Borchardt, NRC, to M. S. Fertel, Nuclear Energy Institute, ADAMS Accession No. ML091410309). The licensee's... effect. The facility consists of one boiling water reactor and two pressurized water reactors located in... public. The supplemental January 12, 2010, letter contains, as an attachment, an environmental assessment...

The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sax, Linda J.; Astin, Alexander W.; Korn, William S.; Mahoney, Kathryn M.

This 35th annual report of national normative data on college freshmen is part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) longitudinal study to assess the effects of college on students. The freshman data reported here are weighted to provide a normative profile of the U.S. freshman population for use in policy analysis, human…

[Health Impact Assessment: opportunity for participative decision-making or persuasive tool for decisions already taken?].

PubMed

Sturloni, Giancarlo

2016-01-01

The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has already been tested in dozens of nations, including Italy, and the reflection is now mature enough to allow a first evaluation of its effective capacity to offer an inclusive tool for prevention. The analysis focuses in particular on the HIA ability to address, through a participatory approach, one of its founding values: the democratic nature of decisions with an impact on public health. In most cases, the experiments carried out so far seem to be disappointing: the participation is often absent or performed in a rhetorical form. Sometimes the HIA has even been used in an instrumental way to justify decisions already taken, with the only result to further erode the credibility of experts and institutions. In this work, however, the author will try to show how, on the contrary, a greater involvement in the evaluation and decision-making processes could improve the effectiveness of HIA in terms of prevention, while at the same time promoting a relationship of trust between experts, institutions, and citizens on which to establish an ecologically and socially sustainable development.

An Institutional Assessment of Ethnic Conflict in China

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

from minority groups is forecasted under the institutional theory of ethnic conflict. Institutional theorists assert that when minorities are...outcome however, does align with the predictions made under an institutional theory of ethnic conflict. Two, during the Great Leap Forward and Cultural...intended. However, this exact response from minority groups is forecasted under the institutional theory of ethnic conflict. Institutional theorists

Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Assessing the Effect of Chocolate Consumption in Subjects with a History of Acne Vulgaris.

PubMed

Caperton, Caroline; Block, Samantha; Viera, Martha; Keri, Jonette; Berman, Brian

2014-05-01

To assess the effect of chocolate on acne exacerbation in males between the ages of 18 and 35 with a history of acne vulgaris. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, controlled trial. Single-site, outpatient, research, clinical facility at an academic research institution. Fourteen men between the ages of 18 and 35 were assigned to swallow capsules filled with either unsweetened 100-percent cocoa, hydrolyzed gelatin powder, or a combination of the two, at baseline. Lesions were assessed and photographs were taken at baseline, Day 4, and Day 7. Of the 14 subjects, 13 completed this Institutional Review Board approved study. A statistically significant increase in the mean number of total acneiform lesions (comedones, papules, pustules, nodules) was detected on both Day 4 (p=0.006) and Day 7 (p=0.043) compared to baseline. A small-strength positive Pearson's correlation coefficient existed between the amount of chocolate each subject consumed and the number of lesions each subject developed between baseline and Day 4 (r=0.250), while a medium-strength positive correlation existed between baseline and Day 7 (r=0.314). No serious adverse events occurred. It appears that in acne-prone, male individuals, the consumption of chocolate correlates to an increase in the exacerbation of acne.

Beneficial effects of multisensory and cognitive stimulation on age-related cognitive decline in long-term-care institutions

PubMed Central

De Oliveira, Thaís Cristina Galdino; Soares, Fernanda Cabral; De Macedo, Liliane Dias E Dias; Diniz, Domingos Luiz Wanderley Picanço; Bento-Torres, Natáli Valim Oliver; Picanço-Diniz, Cristovam Wanderley

2014-01-01

The aim of the present report was to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of multisensory and cognitive stimulation on improving cognition in elderly persons living in long-term-care institutions (institutionalized [I]) or in communities with their families (noninstitutionalized [NI]). We compared neuropsychological performance using language and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test scores before and after 24 and 48 stimulation sessions. The two groups were matched by age and years of schooling. Small groups of ten or fewer volunteers underwent the stimulation program, twice a week, over 6 months (48 sessions in total). Sessions were based on language and memory exercises, as well as visual, olfactory, auditory, and ludic stimulation, including music, singing, and dance. Both groups were assessed at the beginning (before stimulation), in the middle (after 24 sessions), and at the end (after 48 sessions) of the stimulation program. Although the NI group showed higher performance in all tasks in all time windows compared with I subjects, both groups improved their performance after stimulation. In addition, the improvement was significantly higher in the I group than the NI group. Language tests seem to be more efficient than the MMSE to detect early changes in cognitive status. The results suggest the impoverished environment of long-term-care institutions may contribute to lower cognitive scores before stimulation and the higher improvement rate of this group after stimulation. In conclusion, language tests should be routinely adopted in the neuropsychological assessment of elderly subjects, and long-term-care institutions need to include regular sensorimotor, social, and cognitive stimulation as a public health policy for elderly persons. PMID:24600211

Characteristics of a " Teaching Institution": Administrative Objectives, Actions, Activities and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keefe, Robert D.; Hamer, Lawrence O.; Kemp, Philip R.

2015-01-01

All institutions of higher learning offer courses. In that sense all institutions of higher learning can designate themselves as teaching institutions. In this article we point out that, while stated objectives may be similar or even identical, there are differences in the level of commitment to teaching that characterizes institutions of higher…

Assessing Manual and Online Course Registration in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oladunjoye, Patrick; Omemu, Felix

2013-01-01

The study is aimed at assessing the perceptions of male and female students on manual and online course registration systems in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. One research question was formulated to guide the study. A questionnaire containing 20 items on assessing the perceptions of students on manual and online course registration was drawn.…

When Rubrics Collide: One Undergraduate Writing Tutor's Experience Negotiating Faculty and Institutional Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Kelli

2013-01-01

This article recounts one undergraduate writing tutor's experience helping a fellow peer navigate an institutional assessment rubric that seemed to contrast the assessment criteria provided by the student's instructor. This article presents a reflection on that experience, framed by Hutchings, Huber, and Ciccone's (2011) work on…

Formative Assessment in Confucian Heritage Culture Classrooms: Activity Theory Analysis of Tensions, Contradictions and Hybrid Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thanh Pham, Thi Hong; Renshaw, Peter

2015-01-01

Formative assessment has recently become a preferred assessment strategy in educational institutions worldwide. However, it is not easy to implement in Asian classrooms, because local cultures and institutional constraints potentially hinder the practice. This one-semester study aimed to use the "third space", as the core of the third…

Environmental Assessment Addressing the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC), and the Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA) Area Development Plan at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Heat island” refers to built up areas that have hotter surface and air temperatures than nearby rural areas. Heat island effect occurs when...Summary of Environmental Effects The public and regulatory agency scoping process focused the analysis on the following environmental resources... effects of implementing the DLIELC and IAAFA ADP are not significant, that preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is unnecessary, and that a

India's Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (the JSY) to Promote Institutional Birth: Is There an Association between Institutional Birth Proportion and Maternal Mortality?

PubMed

Randive, Bharat; Diwan, Vishal; De Costa, Ayesha

2013-01-01

India accounts for 19% of global maternal deaths, three-quarters of which come from nine states. In 2005, India launched a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme, Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), to reduce maternal mortality ratio (MMR) through promotion of institutional births. JSY is the largest CCT in the world. In the nine states with relatively lower socioeconomic levels, JSY provides a cash incentive to all women on birthing in health institution. The cash incentive is intended to reduce financial barriers to accessing institutional care for delivery. Increased institutional births are expected to reduce MMR. Thus, JSY is expected to (a) increase institutional births and (b) reduce MMR in states with high proportions of institutional births. We examine the association between (a) service uptake, i.e., institutional birth proportions and (b) health outcome, i.e., MMR. Data from Sample Registration Survey of India were analysed to describe trends in proportion of institutional births before (2005) and during (2006-2010) the implementation of the JSY. Data from Annual Health Survey (2010-2011) for all 284 districts in above- mentioned nine states were analysed to assess relationship between MMR and institutional births. Proportion of institutional births increased from a pre-programme average of 20% to 49% in 5 years (p<0.05). In bivariate analysis, proportion of institutional births had a small negative correlation with district MMR (r = -0.11).The multivariate regression model did not establish significant association between institutional birth proportions and MMR [CI: -0.10, 0.68]. Our analysis confirmed that JSY succeeded in raising institutional births significantly. However, we were unable to detect a significant association between institutional birth proportion and MMR. This indicates that high institutional birth proportions that JSY has achieved are of themselves inadequate to reduce MMR. Other factors including improved quality of care at institutions are required for intended effect.

Pasteur Institute of Iran--an evaluation model.

PubMed

Dejman, Masoumeh; Habibi, Elham; Baradarn Eftekhari, Monir; Falahat, Katayoun; Malekafzali, Hossein

2014-07-01

Pasteur Institute of Iran was established in 1919 with the aim to produce vaccines and prevent communicable diseases in Iran. Over time, their activities extended into areas of research, education and services. Naturally, such a vast development begs establishment of a comprehensive management and monitoring system. With this outlook, the present study was carried out with the aim to design a performance assessment model for Pasteur Institute of Iran that, in addition to determining evaluation indicators, it could prepare the necessary grounds for providing a unified assessment model for the global network of the Pasteur Institutes. This study was designed and performed in 4 stages: first; design of indicators and determining their scores. Second; editing indicators according to the outcome of discussions and debates held with members of Research Council of Pasteur Institute of Iran. Third; implementation of a pilot model based on the Institute's activities in 2011. Fourth; providing the pilot model feedback to the stakeholders and finalizing the model according to an opinion survey. Based on the results obtained, the developed indicators for Pasteur Institute of Iran evaluation were designed in 10 axes and 18 sub-axes, which included 101 major and 58 minor indicators. The axes included governance and leadership, resources and facilities, capacity building, knowledge production and collaborations, reference services, economic value of products and services, participation in industrial exhibitions, status of the institute, satisfaction and institute's role in health promotion. The indicators presented in this article have been prepared based on the balance in the Institute's four missions, to provide the basis for assessment of the Institute's activities in consecutive years, and possibility of comparison with other institutes worldwide.

Friction Stir Welding of Magnesium Alloy Type AZ 31

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupec, Tomáš; Behúlová, Mária; Turňa, Milan; Sahul, Miroslav

The paper deals with welding of Mg alloy of the type AZ 31 by Friction Stir Welding technology (FSW). The FSW technology is at present predominantly used for welding light metals and alloys, as aluminium, magnesium and their alloys. Experimental part consists of performing the simulation and fabrication of welded joints on a new-installed welding equipment available at the Welding Research Institute — Industrial Institute of SR Bratislava. Welding tools made of tool steel type H 13 were used for welding experiments. Geometry of welding tools was designed on the base of literature knowledge. Suitable welding parameters and conditions were determined using numerical simulation. Main emphasis was laid upon the tool revolutions, welding speed and tool bevel angle. The effect of welding parameters on the quality of welded joints was assessed. Assessment of welded joints was carried out by radiography, light microscopy, hardness measurement and EDX microanalysis. Static tensile test was employed for mechanical testing.

Implementation of a panel of service users for the evaluation of mental health outpatient services.

PubMed

Perreault, Michel; Renaud, Jeff; Bourassa, Francine; Beauchesne, Louise; Mpiana, André; Bernier, Sylvain; Milton, Diana

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of a standing panel of psychiatric outpatients over a period of five years. The procedure is used as a complementary method to assess client satisfaction regarding services provided by a Montreal psychiatric institute. During this period, 13 meetings were held, involving a total of 22 patients as active members of the panel. These sessions allowed 11 decision makers of the institute to consult the panel regarding various topics such as service organization, quality of services, and client information. In a context of internal evaluation, by giving direct and rapid access to service users' perspectives on key issues regarding service provision, the panel appeared to be a practical procedure for use in complement with other satisfaction assessment methods. Unplanned effects included the recruitment of participants as patient representatives on different hospital committees and associations, and as presenters in conferences and congresses.

Organizational cultural competence consultation to a mental health institution.

PubMed

Fung, Kenneth; Lo, Hung-Tat Ted; Srivastava, Rani; Andermann, Lisa

2012-04-01

Cultural competence is increasingly recognized as an essential component of effective mental health care delivery to address diversity and equity issues. Drawing from the literature and our experience in providing cultural competence consultation and training, the paper will discuss our perspective on the foundational concepts of cultural competence and how it applies to a health care organization, including its programs and services. Based on a recent consultation project, we present a methodology for assessing cultural competence in health care organizations, involving mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. Key findings and recommendations from the resulting cultural competence plan are discussed, including core principles, change strategies, and an Organizational Cultural Competence Framework, which may be applicable to other health care institutions seeking such changes. This framework, consisting of eight domains, can be used for organizational assessment and cultural competence planning, ultimately aiming at enhancing mental health care service to the diverse patients, families, and communities.

Sponsorship networks. A new model for preserving congregations' presence in the Catholic healthcare ministry.

PubMed

Gillis, V

1993-04-01

A renewal of vision is necessary today as healthcare shifts from an acute care to a community health focus. In regions where there are multiple sponsors, they can foster this renewed vision by forming sponsorship networks. A sponsorship network begins when sponsors in a region come together to discuss collaboration and explore ways to motivate the leaders of their institutions to better meet their community's healthcare needs. A sponsorship network would focus on community health through more effective resource use and integration of resources among providers. Such a network encourages providers to assess community needs and collaborate to meet them, provides criteria for maintaining quality and mission, and explores sponsorship responsibilities within institutions and beyond. The collaborative process involves five stages: preplanning, foundation building, problem setting, implementing, and assessing. A group of sponsors in St. Louis provides an example of how sponsors can initiate such a process.

Developing Electronic Institutional Portfolios for Program and Institutional Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borden, Victor M. H.

2002-01-01

Summarizes the lessons learned by the institutions participating in the Urban Universities Portfolio Project regarding the functional and technological requirements for creating and sustaining Web-based institutional portfolios. The most pressing issues were those of aligning technology resources with analytical, evaluative, academic, and design…

Research Networking Systems: The State of Adoption at Institutions Aiming to Augment Translational Research Infrastructure

PubMed Central

Obeid, Jihad S; Johnson, Layne M; Stallings, Sarah; Eichmann, David

2015-01-01

Fostering collaborations across multiple disciplines within and across institutional boundaries is becoming increasingly important with the growing emphasis on translational research. As a result, Research Networking Systems that facilitate discovery of potential collaborators have received significant attention by institutions aiming to augment their research infrastructure. We have conducted a survey to assess the state of adoption of these new tools at the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) funded institutions. Survey results demonstrate that most CTSA funded institutions have either already adopted or were planning to adopt one of several available research networking systems. Moreover a good number of these institutions have exposed or plan to expose the data on research expertise using linked open data, an established approach to semantic web services. Preliminary exploration of these publically-available data shows promising utility in assessing cross-institutional collaborations. Further adoption of these technologies and analysis of the data are needed, however, before their impact on cross-institutional collaboration in research can be appreciated and measured. PMID:26491707

Research Networking Systems: The State of Adoption at Institutions Aiming to Augment Translational Research Infrastructure.

PubMed

Obeid, Jihad S; Johnson, Layne M; Stallings, Sarah; Eichmann, David

Fostering collaborations across multiple disciplines within and across institutional boundaries is becoming increasingly important with the growing emphasis on translational research. As a result, Research Networking Systems that facilitate discovery of potential collaborators have received significant attention by institutions aiming to augment their research infrastructure. We have conducted a survey to assess the state of adoption of these new tools at the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) funded institutions. Survey results demonstrate that most CTSA funded institutions have either already adopted or were planning to adopt one of several available research networking systems. Moreover a good number of these institutions have exposed or plan to expose the data on research expertise using linked open data, an established approach to semantic web services. Preliminary exploration of these publically-available data shows promising utility in assessing cross-institutional collaborations. Further adoption of these technologies and analysis of the data are needed, however, before their impact on cross-institutional collaboration in research can be appreciated and measured.

Human Performance Assessment Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

K.M.Goeters *Dr Ei c Farmer l)LR Dept. of Aviatioit and RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine Space Psycholog Farnborough. I lants (it T14 6SZ Sportallee 54...Roth, Tinklenberg, and Kopell (1977) studied ethanol and marihuana , and reported that the amplitude of the P300 component of the evoked cortical...potential showed a drug effect and a set size effect. Both drugs differed significantly from placebo but not from each other, and marihuana increased the

A Technical Assessment of Seismic Yield Estimation. Appendix. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Heamberger, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena "Near Source Effects on P-Waves" 14. John G. Trulio, Applied Theory, Inc.., Los Angeles...to be reported - hence users may apply their own techniques. We expect the NEIS to report several additional magnitudes, where applicable, in the...and there is still uncertainty concerning the effectiveness of such corrections if applied to various aseismic regions. (I don’t know if anyone has even

Dimensions of antenatal care service and the alacrity of mothers towards institutional delivery in South and South East Asia.

PubMed

Dixit, Priyanka; Khan, Junaid; Dwivedi, Laxmi Kant; Gupta, Amrita

2017-01-01

A number of studies have assessed the effectiveness of antenatal care (ANC) on uptake of institutional delivery care. However, none address the issue of association between the different components of ANC i.e. ANC component which is independent of health care delivery systems (timing and number of ANC visits), ANC components which depends on health care delivery systems (specific ANC procedures that women receive) with institutional delivery. Data for the study has been taken from the DHS conducted in the six selected South and South-East Asian countries during 1998-2013. The two dimensions of ANC are the key predictors. The outcome variable is a binary variable, where zero '0' denotes a home delivery and one '1' denotes an institutional delivery. In addition to probit estimation biprobit estimation method has been used to correct for the possible endogeneity. Analysis suggests that both the factors show a positive effect on institutional delivery but the level of associations are different. Probit estimation for each country suggests that the association is higher for the factor- which depends on health care delivery systems than the other factor. After correction of endogeneity through biprobit estimation we get the true associations for both the dimensions and it confirms that the ANC components which depends on health care delivery systems is more associated with the utilization of institutional delivery than the other factor. The content of care may fulfill the women's need and expectations while visiting for ANC care. The study suggests that the quality of antenatal care must be improved which depends on health care delivery systems to motivates the women to utilize the institutional delivery.

Dimensions of antenatal care service and the alacrity of mothers towards institutional delivery in South and South East Asia

PubMed Central

Dixit, Priyanka; Khan, Junaid; Dwivedi, Laxmi Kant; Gupta, Amrita

2017-01-01

Background A number of studies have assessed the effectiveness of antenatal care (ANC) on uptake of institutional delivery care. However, none address the issue of association between the different components of ANC i.e. ANC component which is independent of health care delivery systems (timing and number of ANC visits), ANC components which depends on health care delivery systems (specific ANC procedures that women receive) with institutional delivery. Methods Data for the study has been taken from the DHS conducted in the six selected South and South-East Asian countries during 1998–2013. The two dimensions of ANC are the key predictors. The outcome variable is a binary variable, where zero '0' denotes a home delivery and one '1' denotes an institutional delivery. In addition to probit estimation biprobit estimation method has been used to correct for the possible endogeneity. Findings Analysis suggests that both the factors show a positive effect on institutional delivery but the level of associations are different. Probit estimation for each country suggests that the association is higher for the factor- which depends on health care delivery systems than the other factor. After correction of endogeneity through biprobit estimation we get the true associations for both the dimensions and it confirms that the ANC components which depends on health care delivery systems is more associated with the utilization of institutional delivery than the other factor. Conclusions The content of care may fulfill the women’s need and expectations while visiting for ANC care. The study suggests that the quality of antenatal care must be improved which depends on health care delivery systems to motivates the women to utilize the institutional delivery. PMID:28742809

Recommendations from the Investigational New Drug/Investigational Device Exemption Task Force of the clInical and Translational Science Award Consortium: developing and implementing a sponsor-investigators training program.

PubMed

Holbein, M E Blair; Berglund, Jelena Petrovic; O'Reilly, Erin K; Hartman, Karen; Speicher, Lisa A; Adamo, Joan E; O'Riordan, Gerri; Brown, Jennifer Swanton; Schuff, Kathryn G

2014-06-01

The objective of this study was to provide recommendations for provision of training for sponsor and investigators at Academic Health Centers. A subgroup of the Investigational New Drug/Investigational Device Exemption (IND/IDE) Task Force of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program Regulatory Knowledge Key Function Committee was assembled to specifically address how clinical investigators who hold an IND/IDE and thus assume the role of sponsor-investigators are adequately trained to meet the additional regulatory requirements of this role. The participants who developed the recommendations were representatives of institutions with IND/IDE support programs. Through an informal survey, the task force determined that a variety and mix of models are used to provide support for IND/IDE holders within CTSA institutions. In addition, a CTSA consortium-wide resources survey was used. The participants worked from the models and survey results to develop consensus recommendations to address institutional support, training content, and implementation. The CTSA IND/IDE Task Force recommendations are as follows: (1) Institutions should assess the scope of Food and Drug Administration-regulated research, perform a needs analysis, and provide resources to implement a suitable training program; (2) The model of training program should be tailored to each institution; (3) The training should specifically address the unique role of sponsor-investigators, and the effectiveness of training should be evaluated regularly by methods that fit the model adopted by the institution; and (4) Institutional leadership should mandate sponsor-investigator training and effectively communicate the necessity and availability of training.

The 2nd State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR-2): Process, Progress and Institutional Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, G.; Cavallaro, N.; Zhu, Z.; Larson, E. K.; Butler, J. H.

2017-12-01

Over 200 scientists and program managers from U.S., Mexican and Canadian government and non-government institutions have been collaborating on SOCCR-2 since 2015. Responding to the U.S. Global Change Research Act (1990) and the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan (2011), this special Sustained National Climate Assessment report covers many of the GCRA mandated sectors such as agriculture, energy, forestry, aquatic systems, coasts, wetlands, atmospheric and human social systems, integrating the scientific uncertainties and analyzing the effects of global change on the carbon cycle and vice versa, including projections for both human- induced and natural changes. This presentation covers the SOCCR-2 process, progress and institutional context, providing a historical perspective on the interagency instruments and mechanisms that have facilitated the last decades of carbon cycle science reflected in SOCCR-2.

Financial Support for Institutional Research, 1969-70.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pieper, W. C., Jr.

The Association for Institutional Research conducted a survey of all institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada in order to assess the number, size, and financial support of institutional research offices. Data were requested for the 1969-70 academic year. This report is based on the responses of 1,444 institutions that returned the…

Promoting Inquiry-Based Teaching in Laboratory Courses: Are We Meeting the Grade?

PubMed Central

Butler, Amy; Burke da Silva, Karen

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, repeated calls have been made to incorporate more active teaching and learning in undergraduate biology courses. The emphasis on inquiry-based teaching is especially important in laboratory courses, as these are the courses in which students are applying the process of science. To determine the current state of research on inquiry-based teaching in undergraduate biology laboratory courses, we reviewed the recent published literature on inquiry-based exercises. The majority of studies in our data set were in the subdisciplines of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. In addition, most exercises were guided inquiry, rather than open ended or research based. Almost 75% of the studies included assessment data, with two-thirds of these studies including multiple types of assessment data. However, few exercises were assessed in multiple courses or at multiple institutions. Furthermore, assessments were rarely based on published instruments. Although the results of the studies in our data set show a positive effect of inquiry-based teaching in biology laboratory courses on student learning gains, research that uses the same instrument across a range of courses and institutions is needed to determine whether these results can be generalized. PMID:25185228

Impact of a maternal health voucher scheme on institutional delivery among low income women in Pakistan.

PubMed

Agha, Sohail

2011-05-03

Only 39% of deliveries in Pakistan are attended by skilled birth attendants, while Pakistan's target for skilled birth attendance by 2015 is > 90%. A 12-month maternal health voucher intervention was implemented in Dera Ghazi Khan City, located in Southern Punjab, Pakistan in 2009. A pre-test/post-test non-experimental study was conducted to assess the impact of the intervention. Household interviews were conducted with randomly selected women who delivered in 2008 (the year prior to the voucher intervention), and with randomly selected women who delivered in 2009. A strong outreach model was used and voucher booklets valued at $50, containing redeemable coupons for three antenatal care (ANC) visits, a postnatal care (PNC) visit and institutional delivery, were sold for $1.25 to low-income women targeted by project workers. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the impact of the voucher scheme on ANC, PNC, and institutional delivery. Marginal effects estimated from logistic regression analyses were used to assess the magnitude of the impact of the intervention. The women targeted by voucher outreach workers were poorer, less educated, and at higher parity. After adjusting for these differences, women who delivered in 2009 and were sold voucher booklets were significantly more likely than women who delivered in 2008 to make at least three ANC visits, deliver in a health facility, and make a postnatal visit. Purchase of a voucher booklet was associated with a 22 percentage point increase in ANC use, a 22 percentage point increase in institutional delivery, and a 35 percentage point increase in PNC use. A voucher intervention implemented for 12 months was associated with a substantial increase in institutional delivery. A substantial scale-up of maternal health vouchers that focus on institutional delivery is likely to bring Pakistan closer to achieving its 2015 target for institutional delivery.

Institutional capacity for health systems research in East and Central African schools of public health: knowledge translation and effective communication.

PubMed

Ayah, Richard; Jessani, Nasreen; Mafuta, Eric M

2014-06-02

Local health systems research (HSR) provides policymakers and practitioners with contextual, evidence-based solutions to health problems. However, producers and users of HSR rarely understand the complexities of the context within which each operates, leading to the "know-do" gap. Universities are well placed to conduct knowledge translation (KT) integrating research production with uptake. The HEALTH Alliance Africa Hub, a consortium of seven schools of public health (SPHs) in East and Central Africa, was formed to build capacity in HSR. This paper presents information on the capacity of the various SPHs to conduct KT activities. In 2011, each member of the Africa Hub undertook an institutional HSR capacity assessment using a context-adapted and modified self-assessment tool. KT capacity was measured by several indicators including the presence of a KT strategy, an organizational structure to support KT activities, KT skills, and institutional links with stakeholders and media. Respondents rated their opinions on the various indicators using a 5-point Likert scale. Averages across all respondents for each school were calculated. Thereafter, each school held a results validation workshop. A total of 123 respondents from all seven SPHs participated. Only one school had a clear KT strategy; more commonly, research was disseminated at scientific conferences and workshops. While most respondents perceived their SPH as having strong institutional ties with organizations interested in HSR as well as strong institutional leadership, the organizational structures required to support KT activities were absent. Furthermore, individual researchers indicated that they had little time or skills to conduct KT. Additionally, institutional and individual links with policymakers and media were reported as weak. Few SPHs in Africa have a clear KT strategy. Strengthening the weak KT capacity of the SPHs requires working with institutional leadership to develop KT strategies designed to guide organizational structure and development of networks with both the media and policymakers to improve research uptake.

Institutional capacity for health systems research in East and Central African schools of public health: knowledge translation and effective communication

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Local health systems research (HSR) provides policymakers and practitioners with contextual, evidence-based solutions to health problems. However, producers and users of HSR rarely understand the complexities of the context within which each operates, leading to the “know–do” gap. Universities are well placed to conduct knowledge translation (KT) integrating research production with uptake. The HEALTH Alliance Africa Hub, a consortium of seven schools of public health (SPHs) in East and Central Africa, was formed to build capacity in HSR. This paper presents information on the capacity of the various SPHs to conduct KT activities. Methods In 2011, each member of the Africa Hub undertook an institutional HSR capacity assessment using a context-adapted and modified self-assessment tool. KT capacity was measured by several indicators including the presence of a KT strategy, an organizational structure to support KT activities, KT skills, and institutional links with stakeholders and media. Respondents rated their opinions on the various indicators using a 5-point Likert scale. Averages across all respondents for each school were calculated. Thereafter, each school held a results validation workshop. Results A total of 123 respondents from all seven SPHs participated. Only one school had a clear KT strategy; more commonly, research was disseminated at scientific conferences and workshops. While most respondents perceived their SPH as having strong institutional ties with organizations interested in HSR as well as strong institutional leadership, the organizational structures required to support KT activities were absent. Furthermore, individual researchers indicated that they had little time or skills to conduct KT. Additionally, institutional and individual links with policymakers and media were reported as weak. Conclusions Few SPHs in Africa have a clear KT strategy. Strengthening the weak KT capacity of the SPHs requires working with institutional leadership to develop KT strategies designed to guide organizational structure and development of networks with both the media and policymakers to improve research uptake. PMID:24890939

Assessment as a Strategic Weapon.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfred, Richard L.

2000-01-01

Sets forth eight rules for using assessment to allow community colleges to create a distinctive image: create a "brand identity," differentiate the institution from competitors, big picture goals, total institution performance, priority assigned to stakeholders, measuring intangible benefits, continuous customer touch, and urgency for action.…

Downsizing in the public sector: Metro-Toronto's hospitals.

PubMed

Flint, Douglas H

2003-01-01

This study has two objectives. First, to predict the outcomes of a public sector downsizing; second to measure effects of downsizing at organizational and inter-organizational levels. Primary data to assess the organizational level effects was collected through interviews with senior executives at two of Metro-Toronto's hospitals. Secondary data, to assess the inter-organizational effects, was collected from government documents and media reports. Due to the exploratory nature of the study's objectives a case study method was employed. Most institutional downsizing practices aligned with successful outcomes. Procedures involved at the inter-organizational level aligned with unsuccessful outcomes and negated organizational initiatives. This resulted in an overall alignment with unsuccessful procedures. The implication, based on private sector downsizings, is that the post-downsized hospital system was more costly and less effective.

The Impact of Re-Accreditation Processes and Institutional Environment upon a Community College's Efforts to Meet Minimum Standards for Assessing General Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattingly, R. Scott

2012-01-01

As one result of the accountability movement in American postsecondary education, accrediting agencies have increased their emphasis on student learning outcomes assessment. Among other consequences, this change has impacted the manner in which institutions of higher education (IHEs) plan, implement, assess, and revise the general education…

The Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders Intervention: Falls Risk Factor Assessment and Management, Patient Engagement, and Nurse Co-management.

PubMed

Reuben, David B; Gazarian, Priscilla; Alexander, Neil; Araujo, Katy; Baker, Dorothy; Bean, Jonathan F; Boult, Chad; Charpentier, Peter; Duncan, Pamela; Latham, Nancy; Leipzig, Rosanne M; Quintiliani, Lisa M; Storer, Thomas; McMahon, Siobhan

2017-12-01

In response to the epidemic of falls and serious falls-related injuries in older persons, in 2014, the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the National Institute on Aging funded a pragmatic trial, Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop confidence in Elders (STRIDE) to compare the effects of a multifactorial intervention with those of an enhanced usual care intervention. The STRIDE multifactorial intervention consists of five major components that registered nurses deliver in the role of falls care managers, co-managing fall risk in partnership with patients and their primary care providers (PCPs). The components include a standardized assessment of eight modifiable risk factors (medications; postural hypotension; feet and footwear; vision; vitamin D; osteoporosis; home safety; strength, gait, and balance impairment) and the use of protocols and algorithms to generate recommended management of risk factors; explanation of assessment results to the patient (and caregiver when appropriate) using basic motivational interviewing techniques to elicit patient priorities, preferences, and readiness to participate in treatments; co-creation of individualized falls care plans that patients' PCPs review, modify, and approve; implementation of the falls care plan; and ongoing monitoring of response, regularly scheduled re-assessments of fall risk, and revisions of the falls care plan. Custom-designed falls care management software facilitates risk factor assessment, the identification of recommended interventions, clinic note generation, and longitudinal care management. The trial testing the effectiveness of the STRIDE intervention is in progress, with results expected in late 2019. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Quality assurance, benchmarking, assessment and mutual international recognition of qualifications.

PubMed

Hobson, R; Rolland, S; Rotgans, J; Schoonheim-Klein, M; Best, H; Chomyszyn-Gajewska, M; Dymock, D; Essop, R; Hupp, J; Kundzina, R; Love, R; Memon, R A; Moola, M; Neumann, L; Ozden, N; Roth, K; Samwel, P; Villavicencio, J; Wright, P; Harzer, W

2008-02-01

The aim of this report is to provide guidance to assist in the international convergence of quality assurance, benchmarking and assessment systems to improve dental education. Proposals are developed for mutual recognition of qualifications, to aid international movement and exchange of staff and students including and supporting developing countries. Quality assurance is the responsibility of all staff involved in dental education and involves three levels: internal, institutional and external. Benchmarking information provides a subject framework. Benchmarks are useful for a variety of purposes including design and validation of programmes, examination and review; they can also strengthen the accreditation process undertaken by professional and statutory bodies. Benchmark information can be used by institutions as part of their programme approval process, to set degree standards. The standards should be developed by the dental academic community through formal groups of experts. Assessment outcomes of student learning are a measure of the quality of the learning programme. The goal of an effective assessment strategy should be that it provides the starting point for students to adopt a positive approach to effective and competent practice, reflective and lifelong learning. All assessment methods should be evidence based or based upon research. Mutual recognition of professional qualifications means that qualifications gained in one country (the home country) are recognized in another country (the host country). It empowers movement of skilled workers, which can help resolve skills shortages within participating countries. These proposals are not intended to be either exhaustive or prescriptive; they are purely for guidance and derived from the identification of what is perceived to be 'best practice'.

Basic Skills Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Alexander C.; Volkwein, J. Fredericks

2010-01-01

After surveying 1,827 students in their final year at eighty randomly selected two-year and four-year public and private institutions, American Institutes for Research (2006) reported that approximately 30 percent of students in two-year institutions and nearly 20 percent of students in four-year institutions have only basic quantitative…

Organizational resilience: Sustained institutional effectiveness among smaller, private, non-profit US higher education institutions experiencing organizational decline.

PubMed

Moran, Kenneth A

2016-06-04

Recent changes in the United States (US) economy have radically disrupted revenue generation among many institutions within higher education within the US. Chief among these disruptions has been fallout associated with the financial crisis of 2008-2009, which triggered a change in the US higher education environment from a period of relative munificence to a prolonged period of scarcity. The hardest hit by this disruption have been smaller, less wealthy institutions which tend to lack the necessary reserves to financially weather the economic storm. Interestingly, a review of institutional effectiveness among these institutions revealed that while many are struggling, some institutions have found ways to not only successfully cope with the impact of declining revenue, but have been able to capitalize on the disruption and thrive. Organizational response is an important factor in successfully coping with conditions of organizational decline. The study examined the impacts of organizational response on institutional effectiveness among higher education institutions experiencing organizational decline. The study's research question asked why some US higher educational institutions are more resilient at coping with organizational decline than other institutions operating within the same segment of the higher education sector. More specifically, what role does organizational resilience have in helping smaller, private non-profit institutions cope and remain effective during organizational decline? A total of 141 US smaller, private non-profit higher educational institutions participated in the study; specifically, the study included responses from participant institutions' key administrators. 60-item survey evaluated administrator responses corresponding to organizational response and institutional effectiveness. Factor analysis was used to specify the underlying structures of rigidity response, resilience response, and institutional effectiveness. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the direct and interaction effects between organizational decline, organizational rigidity response, organizational resilience response, and institutional effectiveness, controlling for age of institution and level of endowment. The study validated previous threat-rigidity response findings that organizational decline alone does not adversely impact institutional effectiveness. The direct effect of Goal-Directed Solution Seeking and Role Dependency organizational resilience factors had a positive, significant correlation with the Student Personal Development institutional effectiveness factor. The interactive effect of Goal-Directed Solution Seeking organizational resilience factor during organizational decline had a positive, significant correlation with the Professional Development and Quality of Faculty institutional effectiveness factor. The interactive effect of Avoidance during organizational decline had a positive, significant correlation with the Faculty and Administrator Employment Satisfaction institutional effectiveness factor. The interactive effect of Diminished Innovation, Morale, and Leader Credibility rigidity response factor and Avoidance organizational resilience factor during organizational decline had a positive, significant correlation with the Professional Development and Quality of Faculty institutional effectiveness factor. Lastly, the interactive effect of Increased Scapegoating of Leaders, Interest group Activities, and Conflict rigidity response factor and Avoidance organizational resilience factor during organizational decline had a positive, significant correlation with the Faculty and Administrator Employment Satisfaction institutional effectiveness factor. Factors of organizational resilience were found to have a positive effect among smaller, private non-profit higher educational institutions associated with this study toward sustaining institutional effectiveness during organizational decline. Specifically, the organizational resilience factors of Goal-Directed Solution Seeking (i.e., mission-driven solutions) and Avoidance (i.e., skepticism toward new ideas) play a significant, collaborative role among smaller, private non-profit higher educational institutions when it comes to sustaining institutional effectiveness during organizational decline.

A National Study Assessing the Teaching and Learning of Introductory Astronomy; Part I: The Effect of Interactive Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prather, E. E.; Rudolph, A. L.; Brissenden, G.; Schlingman, W. M.

2011-09-01

We present the results of a national study on the teaching and learning of astronomy taught in general education, non-science major, introductory astronomy courses (Astro 101). Nearly 4000 students enrolled in 69 sections of Astro 101 taught at 31 institutions completed (pre- and post- instruction) the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI) from Fall 2006 to Fall 2007. The classes varied in size from very small (N < 10) to large (N˜180) and were from all types of institutions, including both 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities. To study how the instruction in different classrooms affected student learning, we developed and administered an Interactivity Assessment Instrument (IAI). This short survey, completed by instructors, allowed us to estimate the fraction of classroom time spent on learner- centered, active-engagement instruction such as Peer Instruction and collaborative tutorials. Pre-instruction LSCI scores were clustered around ˜25% (24 ± 2%), independent of class size and institution type; however, the gains measured varied from about (-)0.07-0.50. The distribution of gain scores indicates that differences were due to instruction in the classroom, not the type of class or institution. Interactivity Assessment Scores (IAS's) ranged from 0%-50%, showing that our IAI was able to distinguish between classes with higher and lower levels of interactivity. A comparison of class-averaged gain score to IAS showed that higher interactivity classes (IAS > 25%) were the only instructional environments capable of reaching the highest gains ( > 0.30). However, the range of gains seen for both groups of classes was quite wide, suggesting that the use of interactive learning strategies is not sufficient by itself to achieve high student gain.

Toxicology: a discipline in need of academic anchoring--the point of view of the German Society of Toxicology.

PubMed

Gundert-Remy, U; Barth, H; Bürkle, A; Degen, G H; Landsiedel, R

2015-10-01

The paper describes the importance of toxicology as a discipline, its past achievements, current scientific challenges, and future development. Toxicological expertise is instrumental in the reduction of human health risks arising from chemicals and drugs. Toxicological assessment is needed to evaluate evidence and arguments, whether or not there is a scientific base for concern. The immense success already achieved by toxicological work is exemplified by reduced pollution of air, soil, water, and safer working places. Predominantly predictive toxicological testing is derived from the findings to assess risks to humans and the environment. Assessment of the adversity of molecular effects (including epigenetic effects), the effects of mixtures, and integration of exposure and biokinetics into in vitro testing are emerging challenges for toxicology. Toxicology is a translational science with its base in fundamental science. Academic institutions play an essential part by providing scientific innovation and education of young scientists.

Practical Approaches for Assessment of Daily and Post-discharge Room Disinfection in Healthcare Facilities.

PubMed

Deshpande, Abhishek; Donskey, Curtis J

2017-09-01

Cleaning and disinfection in healthcare facilities is essential to ensure patient safety. This review examines practical strategies used to assess and improve the effectiveness of daily and post-discharge manual cleaning in healthcare facilities. Effective implementation of cleaning interventions requires objective monitoring of staff performance with regular feedback on performance. Use of fluorescent markers to assess thoroughness of cleaning and measurement of residual ATP can provide rapid and objective feedback to personnel and have been associated with improved cleaning. Direct observation of cleaning and interviews with front-line staff are useful to identify variations and deficiencies in practice that may not be detected by other methods. Although not recommended for routine monitoring, cultures can be helpful for outbreak investigations. Monitoring and feedback can be effective in improving cleaning and disinfection in healthcare facilities. Ongoing commitment within institutions is needed to sustain successful cleaning and disinfection programs.

Examining Part-Time Faculty Utilization and Its Impact on Student Retention at a Public Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Iryna Y.

2006-01-01

The important concern surrounding growing reliance on part-time faculty is its effect on student retention. Existing studies explored the relationship between part-time faculty utilization and retention of entering cohorts. The study herein assesses retention of the entire population of degree-seeking undergraduates at a single institution. The…

Assessing the Impact of Educational Development through the Lens of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoessler, Carolyn; Britnell, Judy; Stockley, Denise

2010-01-01

In this article, the authors convey what scholarship of teaching and learning is and is not, and how educational developers can and do engage in such scholarship to grow as individual providers, units, and academic institutions seeking to continue improving teaching and learning. Further, the advancement of effective teaching techniques, expansion…

A Quantitative Correlational Study of the Interaction between Assignment Response Times and Online Students' Final Grades and Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrites, Taralynn Wells

2017-01-01

This quantitative correlational study included an investigation of potential factors effecting high attrition rates in postsecondary online courses. Online learner-instructor interaction was examined by assessing instructor response times (RTs), student satisfaction, and final course grades at an online two-year postsecondary institution. A sample…

The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sax, Linda J.; Astin, Alexander W.; Korn, William S.; Mahoney, Kathryn M.

This 34th annual report of national normative data on college freshmen is part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's (CIRP) longitudinal study to assess the effects of college on students. Data for this study is based on 261,217 entering students at 462 U.S. two- and four-year colleges and universities, and is statistically adjusted…

75 FR 4431 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-27

.... (the ``Exchange'') proposes to amend the Fee Schedule of the Boston Options Exchange Group, LLC (``BOX... upon filing.\\5\\ The Exchange proposes to amend the BOX Fee Schedule to institute a new transaction... that registers an options principal and/or representative who is conducting business on BOX is assessed...

The Effect of Student Collaboration in Solving Physics Problems Using an Online Interactive Response System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balta, Nuri; Awedh, Mohammad Hamza

2017-01-01

Advanced technology helps educational institutes to improve student learning performance and outcomes. In this study, our aim is to measure and assess student engagement and collaborative learning in engineering classes when using online technology in solving physics problems. The interactive response system used in this study is a collaborative…

Should Students Assessed as Needing Remedial Mathematics Take College-Level Quantitative Courses Instead? A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logue, A. W.; Watanabe-Rose, Mari; Douglas, Daniel

2016-01-01

Many college students never take, or do not pass, required remedial mathematics courses theorized to increase college-level performance. Some colleges and states are therefore instituting policies allowing students to take college-level courses without first taking remedial courses. However, no experiments have compared the effectiveness of these…

Making Sense of Quality Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Ethiopia: Unfolding Existing Realities for Future Promises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tadesse, Tefera; Manathynga, Catherine E.; Gillies, Robyn M.

2018-01-01

Current approaches for assessing the quality of teaching and learning in higher education focus solely on compliance and accountability, and use quantitative measures that serve as indicators of institutional effectiveness and efficiency, yet whether such approaches have linked to instructional activities or students learning in universities are…

The Role of a Research Administration Program in Adverse Event Reporting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedor, Carol; Cola, Philip; Polites, Stephanie

2007-01-01

The reporting, analysis, and management of adverse events (AEs) provide an ongoing assessment of risk in the context of a clinical trial and enhance the protection of human research participants and the informed consent process. Effective and efficient review of AEs has been a long-standing challenge for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and…

Project MAINSTREAM'S First Fellowship Cohort: Pilot Test of a National Dissemination Model to Enhance Substance Abuse Curriculum at Health Professions Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browna, Richard L.; Marcus, Marianne T.; Lal, S.; Straussner, A.; Graham, Antonette V.; Madden, Theresa; Schoener, Eugene; Henry, Rebecca

2006-01-01

Objective: Generalist health professional training on substance abuse prevention is patchy. This study assessed the effects of Project MAINSTREAM, a national interdisciplinary faculty development fellowship program, whose principal objective was to enhance curriculum on basic substance abuse services at health professions training institutions.…

Effectiveness of a Career Development Course on Students' Job Search Skills and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDow, Lauren W.; Zabrucky, Karen M.

2015-01-01

In the current economic landscape, most college students' primary goal for obtaining an undergraduate degree is an increase in job opportunities and salary potential. Additionally, the average combined result of graduates' job searches is one of the primary factors in rankings of higher education institutions. In this study we assessed the…

Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Process, 1993-94 Executive Summary. Hospitality and Service Occupations Division, Landscape and Environmental Horticulture Department.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Seattle Community Coll., Washington.

A study was conducted to determine current and former students' and local employers' satisfaction with South Seattle Community College's (SSCC's) Landscape and Environmental Horticulture Department. Specifically, the study gathered data on four outcomes: that students receive an education allowing them to meet goals; that students be satisfied…

Assessment, Accountability, and Educational Quality in the United States and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culver, Steven M.; Warfvinge, Per

2013-01-01

In both Europe and the United States, accountability pressures have continued to increase, spurred by the higher-level policy groups represented by the EC in Europe and by the federal government in the US, forcing institutions to measure their effectiveness in ways that are more transparent to governmental bodies and the general public. These ways…

Developing a Cancer Survivorship Curriculum for Family Medicine Residents: A Needs Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schubart, Jane R.; Gusani, Niraj J.; Kass, Rena; Lewis, Peter

2013-01-01

With the increasing survival of cancer patients, primary care residents must be familiar with the late effects of cancer treatment and be able to offer appropriate survivorship care in partnership with cancer care specialists. To address these paired public health and educational needs, an interdisciplinary group at our institution is developing,…

Implementation of a Learning Assistant Program Improves Student Performance on Higher-Order Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellami, Nadia; Shaked, Shanna; Laski, Frank A.; Eagan, Kevin M.; Sanders, Erin R.

2017-01-01

Learning assistant (LA) programs have been implemented at a range of institutions, usually as part of a comprehensive curricular transformation accompanied by a pedagogical switch to active learning. While this shift in pedagogy has led to increased student learning gains, the positive effect of LAs has not yet been distinguished from that of…

Experiential Learning around the World: Employability and the Global Economy. Higher Education Policy Series, 52.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Norman, Ed.

This comprehensive study explores the chronological and geographical expansion of the assessment of adult and experiential learning--known as AP(E)L--around the world. The authors describe and compare initiatives in their own countries and their effectiveness at the levels of government, educational institutions, and employment. They highlight…

Depressive Symptoms among College Students: An Assessment of the Influence of Environmental Factors on Retention Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudric, Mary Beth

2012-01-01

Depressive symptoms among college students have major implications for higher education institutions across the country. First-year college students are particularly susceptible to the various impacts that the college experience may produce during the transitional first year of college. The effects of depressive symptoms among college students in…

Pattern of extemporaneous prescriptions and preparations in a tertiary health institution: a five-year assessment.

PubMed

Aghahowa, S E; Egharevba, J O; Erhagbe, B E; Okoh, F

2013-01-01

Due to the increasing rate in the demand of extemporaneous formulations, it became necessary to assess the pattern of prescription and preparation in a developing institution. The purpose of this study was to assess the pattern of extemporaneous prescription and preparation in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Records of prescription and preparation of extemporaneous formulations were assessed retrospectively between 2007 and 2011. Fifty-nine different types of drugs were prescribed with a frequency of 6,882 times during the period. These were indicated for eight classes of systemic disease. Eighteen drugs were indicated for central nervous diseases, followed by 16 drugs for cardiovascular diseases. Of the 18 drugs indicated for central nervous diseases, pyridoxine was the most common. Rifampicin for tuberculosis was the most frequently formulated, followed by spironolactone for cardiovascular disorders. Most preparations were labeled to be used for a maximum of two weeks. They were all liquid preparations packaged in amber-colored bottles. Distilled water was the most common vehicle utilized for trituration; while ascorbic acid syrup was commonly used to bulk the solution and as a sweetening agent. None of the patients reported with any form of pharmaceutical degradation or toxicity within two weeks of expected use. There were reports of spillages due to poor handling. Maximum volume prepared was 75 mL. The study suggests an adequate setup of a quality-control unit in the institution to meet the increasing demand for specific agents. This will enhance an effective healthcare delivery among patients.

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations

PubMed Central

John, Ann M.; John, Elizabeth S.; Hansberry, David R.

2016-01-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23–28.) PMID:27878059

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations.

PubMed

John, Ann M; John, Elizabeth S; Hansberry, David R; Lambert, William Clark

2016-09-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23-28.).

The effects of culture on guideline discordant gestational weight gain: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Manyanga, Taru; da Silva, Danilo F; Ferraro, Zachary M; Harvey, Alysha L J; Wilson, Shanna; Ockenden, Holly N; Adamo, Kristi B

2015-11-03

A significant proportion of women exceeds or does not meet the Institute of Medicine's gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines. Inadequate, excessive GWG or weight loss during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of negative maternal and fetal outcomes. Among the many determinants of GWG identified in the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines, culture was named as one of the few whose influence has not been fully explored. Some cultural beliefs may erroneously promote overeating as "eating for two" and discourage physical activity during pregnancy, but there is lack of empirical evidence on how culture affects GWG. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the effects of culture on GWG. Ten electronic databases will be searched to identify studies reporting on the effects of culture on GWG. Grey literature, published conference abstracts, websites of relevant organizations and reference lists of included studies will also be searched. Studies that report on effects of culture, acculturation, ethnicity, race, nationality, ancestry and identity on GWG in adult women will be included. Quality of evidence will be evaluated using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) approach to rating evidence. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by two independent reviewers, with disagreements being resolved by consensus or third party adjudication as needed. Formal meta-analyses will be conducted among included studies that are sufficiently statistically and clinically homogeneous. This review will provide a comprehensive assessment and synthesis of current evidence and will draw attention to potential gaps where future research on the effects of culture on guideline discordant gestational weight gain remains to be conducted. PROSPERO CRD42015023399.

Assessing the Scientific Research Productivity of a Brazilian Healthcare Institution: A Case Study at the Heart Institute of São Paulo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Tess, Beatriz Helena; Furuie, Sérgio Shiguemi; Castro, Regina Célia Figueiredo; do Carmo Cavarette Barreto, Maria; Nobre, Moacyr Roberto Cuce

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The present study was motivated by the need to systematically assess the research productivity of the Heart Institute (InCor), Medical School of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To explore methodology for the assessment of institutional scientific research productivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bibliometric indicators based on searches for author affiliation of original scientific articles or reviews published in journals indexed in the databases Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and SciELO from January 2000 to December 2003 were used in this study. The retrieved records were analyzed according to the index parameters of the journals and modes of access. The number of citations was used to calculate the institutional impact factor. RESULTS: Out of 1253 records retrieved from the five databases, 604 original articles and reviews were analyzed; of these, 246 (41%) articles were published in national journals and 221 (90%) of those were in journals with free online access through SciELO or their own websites. Of the 358 articles published in international journals, 333 (93%) had controlled online access and 223 (67%) were available through the Capes Portal of Journals. The average impact of each article for InCor was 2.224 in the period studied. CONCLUSION: A simple and practical methodology to evaluate the scientific production of health research institutions includes searches in the LILACS database for national journals and in MEDLINE and the Web of Science for international journals. The institutional impact factor of articles indexed in the Web of Science may serve as a measure by which to assess and review the scientific productivity of a research institution. PMID:19578662

Trends in United States Biological Materials Oversight and Institutional Biosafety Committees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Chris

2014-01-01

Biological materials oversight in life sciences research in the United States is a challenging endeavor for institutions and the scientific, regulatory compliance, and federal communities. In order to assess biological materials oversight at Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) registered with the United States National Institutes of Health,…

"Red-Yellow-Green": Effect of an Initiative to Guide Surgeon Choice of Orthopaedic Implants.

PubMed

Okike, Kanu; Pollak, Rachael; O'Toole, Robert V; Pollak, Andrew N

2017-04-05

Orthopaedic procedures are expensive, and devices account for a large proportion of the overall costs. Hospitals have employed a variety of strategies to decrease implant costs, but many center on restricting surgeon choice. At our institution, we developed an implant selection tool that guides surgeons toward more cost-effective implants, while minimally restricting choice. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of this tool on preferred implant usage rates, vendor attitudes toward pricing structure, and hospital implant expenditures. For 6 commonly used orthopaedic trauma devices, similar constructs were created for the 4 vendors used at our hospital, and the costs were determined. On the basis of these costs, the available options for each device type were categorized as "green" (preferred vendor), "yellow" (midrange), or "red" (used for patient-specific requirements). The "Red-Yellow-Green" chart was posted on the wall of each orthopaedic trauma operating room. To assess the effect of the tool, we compared implant usage patterns before and after implementation of the implant selection tool. We also assessed changes in vendor contract prices, as well as overall savings to our institution. Implant usage changed significantly from 30% "red," 56% "yellow," and 14% "green" prior to the intervention, to 9% "red," 21% "yellow," and 70% "green" after the intervention (p < 0.0001). As a result of price renegotiation with vendors following implementation, we observed average price decreases that ranged from 1.1% to 22.4%. Average expenditures on these 6 implants decreased 20% during the study period, which represented a savings of $216,495 per year. At our institution, we designed and implemented "Red-Yellow-Green," a simple tool that guides surgeons toward the selection of lower-cost implants without violating vendor confidentiality clauses, limiting the implants from which surgeons can choose, or requiring surgeons to discern the prices of complex constructs. Following implementation, hospital implant expenditures decreased as a result of a combination of increased preferred vendor usage by surgeons, as well as increased competition among vendors, which resulted in lower overall prices.

Risk assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology petroleum crude oil standard water accommodated fraction: further application of a copepod-based, full life-cycle bioassay.

PubMed

Bejarano, Adriana C; Chandler, G Thomas; He, Lijian; Cary, Tawnya L; Ferry, John L

2006-07-01

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) petroleum crude oil was used to generate NIST water-accommodated hydrocarbon fractions (WAFs) for standardized assessment of crude oil effects on the copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis. Effects were assessed using a 96-well microplate, full life-cycle test. Briefly, nauplii (age, 24 h) were reared individually to adults (n > or =120 nauplii/treatment) in microplate wells containing 200 microl of treatment solution (seawater control [0%] or 10, 30, 50, or 100% NIST-WAF). Nauplii were monitored through development to adulthood, and mature virgin male:female pairs mated in wells containing original treatments (<30 d). A second bioassay using 0, 10, 30, and 50% WAFs (n > or =60 nauplii/treatment) was conducted to assess the effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on naupliar endpoints (<16 d). In the first experiment, nauplius-to-copepodite survival in exposures to 100% WAF was 27% +/- 6% lower than in controls (92% +/- 1%), but copepodite-to-adult survival was greater than 90% across all treatments. Analysis of development curves showed that nauplii in the 10% WAF developed into copepodites 25% faster, whereas nauplii in the 50 and 100% WAFs developed 17% slower, than controls. Copepodite development into male and female copepods was significantly delayed (2 and 4 d, respectively) in the 100% WAF compared to controls. Although none of the WAF exposures had significant effects on fertilization success or total viable production (p > 0.05), embryo hatching in the 100% WAF was significantly less (70.0% +/- 21.2%) than that in controls (87.0% +/- 19.4%). Results from the UV bioassay showed that relatively short exposures (<14 d) to 30 and 50% WAFs in the presence of UV light caused negative effects on copepod survival and development. Naupliar-stage survival and developmental endpoints were the most sensitive indicators of exposure to the NIST crude oil WAF

Assessment of quality and relevance of curricula development in health training institutions: a case study of Kenya.

PubMed

Mumbo, Hazel M; Kinaro, Joyce W

2015-08-13

The World Health Organization lists Kenya among African countries experiencing health workforce crisis catalysed through immigration, underproduction, inconsistent quality of production and unequal distribution. Strengthening health training institutions to increase production of high-quality health workers is acknowledged as a measure to mitigate the crisis.IntraHealth International's USAID-funded FUNZOKenya Project (2012-2017) undertook an assessment to identify the bottlenecks to increasing the number and quality of pre-service graduates in Kenya. The assessment, a cross-sectional descriptive study, collected data through structured respondent interviews among faculty, students in health training institutions, key informants and desk review. The assessment purposively selected 14 institutions from 18 institutions identified for initial collaboration with the project towards strengthening health workforce training. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) application helped analyse quantitative data and quotes used to illustrate perceptions on the quality of curricula.The findings revealed major gaps in quality and adequacy of curricula in the training institutions. A national standard framework to guide curricula review process is lacking. Further, curricula did not adequately prepare students for clinical placement, as most failed to directly respond to national health needs. The study recommended reviews of curricula to ensure their responsiveness to emerging issues in the health sector, the formation of curriculum committees to review curricula, development of official curricula review standards and an integrated mechanism to disseminate policies and guidelines.

Satisfaction Surveys as Mechanisms to Assess the Success of an Institution of Higher Learning as an "Inviting Institution": A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brits, H. J.

2011-01-01

This study reflects on an institution of higher learning's study to determine the satisfaction and importance values of questions that relate to services rendered by the institution. This institution's Academic Plan and its teaching and learning strategies underpin theoretically socio-constructivism. This study was conducted from an invitational…

Authentic Assessment and Student Performance in Inclusive Schools. Research Institute on Secondary Education Reform (RISER) for Youth with Disabilities Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, M. Bruce; Schroeder, Jennifer; Chawszczewski, David

This research brief explores the extent to which teacher-designed assessments are authentic in inclusive secondary schools and how students with and without disabilities perform on these assessments. Data come from three high schools that are participating in a 5-year national study conducted by the Research Institute on Secondary Education Reform…

Model I & II Organizations: Examining Organizational Learning in Institutions Participating in the Academy for the Assessment of Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haywood, Antwione Maurice

2012-01-01

The Academy was an assessment enhancement program created by the HLC to help institutions strengthen and improve the assessment of student learning. Using a multiple case study approach, this study applies Argyis and Schon's (1976) Theory of Action to explore the espoused values and existence of Model I and II behavior characteristics. Argyis…

Teaching Goes On: Assessment Models and the Case of an Internally Displaced Higher Education Institution in the Somali Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nur, Yusuf Ahmed; Grabner-Hagen, Melissa; Saam, Julie Reinhardt

2013-01-01

The metric for assessing the quality of a university within a traditional Western setting is well established. Evaluation of higher education institutions within developing countries, however, is not as clear-cut. In this paper the efficacy of quality assessment measures are examined through the case study of a university in the Somali Republic,…

The Effects of General System Justification on Corruption Perception and Intent

PubMed Central

Tan, Xuyun; Liu, Li; Huang, Zhenwei; Zheng, Wenwen; Liang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Previous research stresses that system justifying belief can weaken corruption perception, by this possibly fostering unjust behaviors. However, general results of the effect of general system justification on corruption are ambiguous, indicating also a lessening impact. We conducted a line of studies trying to elucidate these circumstances by testing the effect of general system justification on corruption perception and intention. In addition, we explored institutional trust as a possible mediator in this process. For this purpose, we conducted three studies. The first two studies examined the association between general system justification and corruption. In Study 1, a correlational design was run using questionnaires to assess the relation between general system justification and corruption perception as well as corruption intention. In Study 2, an experimental design was conducted manipulating general system justification via exposure to high or low system threat condition, then measuring its effect on corruption perception and corrupt intention. In Study 3, two sub-studies using correlational and experimental designs were run to explore the mediating role of institutional trust, respectively. Results replicated former studies showing that general system justification is negatively associated with corruption perception. However, they also showed a negative correlation with corrupt intention. Furthermore, they showed that institutional trust mediated the relation between general system justification and corruption. We suggest to consider these findings to further elucidate the psychological basis underlying different effects of general system justification on human behaviors. PMID:27507954

The Effects of General System Justification on Corruption Perception and Intent.

PubMed

Tan, Xuyun; Liu, Li; Huang, Zhenwei; Zheng, Wenwen; Liang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Previous research stresses that system justifying belief can weaken corruption perception, by this possibly fostering unjust behaviors. However, general results of the effect of general system justification on corruption are ambiguous, indicating also a lessening impact. We conducted a line of studies trying to elucidate these circumstances by testing the effect of general system justification on corruption perception and intention. In addition, we explored institutional trust as a possible mediator in this process. For this purpose, we conducted three studies. The first two studies examined the association between general system justification and corruption. In Study 1, a correlational design was run using questionnaires to assess the relation between general system justification and corruption perception as well as corruption intention. In Study 2, an experimental design was conducted manipulating general system justification via exposure to high or low system threat condition, then measuring its effect on corruption perception and corrupt intention. In Study 3, two sub-studies using correlational and experimental designs were run to explore the mediating role of institutional trust, respectively. Results replicated former studies showing that general system justification is negatively associated with corruption perception. However, they also showed a negative correlation with corrupt intention. Furthermore, they showed that institutional trust mediated the relation between general system justification and corruption. We suggest to consider these findings to further elucidate the psychological basis underlying different effects of general system justification on human behaviors.

Development of indicators for measuring outcomes of water safety plans

PubMed Central

Lockhart, Gabriella; Oswald, William E.; Hubbard, Brian; Medlin, Elizabeth; Gelting, Richard J.

2015-01-01

Water safety plans (WSPs) are endorsed by the World Health Organization as the most effective method of protecting a water supply. With the increase in WSPs worldwide, several valuable resources have been developed to assist practitioners in the implementation of WSPs, yet there is still a need for a practical and standardized method of evaluating WSP effectiveness. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a conceptual framework for the evaluation of WSPs, presenting four key outcomes of the WSP process: institutional, operational, financial and policy change. In this paper, we seek to operationalize this conceptual framework by providing a set of simple and practical indicators for assessing WSP outcomes. Using CDC’s WSP framework as a foundation and incorporating various existing performance monitoring indicators for water utilities, we developed a set of approximately 25 indicators of institutional, operational, financial and policy change within the WSP context. These outcome indicators hold great potential for the continued implementation and expansion of WSPs worldwide. Having a defined framework for evaluating a WSP’s effectiveness, along with a set of measurable indicators by which to carry out that evaluation, will help implementers assess key WSP outcomes internally, as well as benchmark their progress against other WSPs in their region and globally. PMID:26361540

Assessing the Community College Transfer Market: A Metamarketing Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leister, Douglas V.; MacLachlan, Douglas L.

1976-01-01

A conceptual model is proposed for strategic assessment of potential clientele groups of higher educational institutions. Market segmentation, a modern marketing tool for planning and strategy development, is illustrated with a particular four-year institution's analysis of its regional community college transfer market. (Author/LBH)

The Delphi: Education and Assessment in Institutional Goal Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fazio, Linda S.

1985-01-01

The use of delphi techniques in a school of osteopathic medicine is described to assess and change faculty perceptions of institutional goals and needs such as curriculum orientation, campus design and location, faculty personnel policy, teaching and instructional evaluation, student characteristics and admission policies, and administrative…

Assessing Employee Potentials for Abuse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddock, M. Dean; McQueen, William M.

1983-01-01

Administered questionnaires to abusive (N=21) and nonabusive (N=21) employees to identify potential for institutional child abuse. Results corroborated earlier findings of institutional child abuse and demonstrated an attempt at developing an assessment tool needed to screen staff who are working with the developmentally disabled and children in…