Teacher Enthusiasm: Reviewing and Redefining a Complex Construct

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Melanie M.; Hoy, Anita Woolfolk; Goetz, Thomas; Frenzel, Anne C.

2016-01-01

The last review on teacher enthusiasm was 45 years ago, and teacher enthusiasm remains a compelling yet complex variable in the educational context. Since Rosenshine's ("School Review" 78:499-514, 1970) review, the conceptualizations, definitions, methodology, and results have only become more scattered, and several related constructs…

Freehand Sketching as a Catalyst for Developing Concept Driven Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Diarmaid; Seery, Niall

2011-01-01

At a time when concept driven competencies are perceived to be critical in redefining effective technological education, the introduction of Design and Communication Graphics at senior cycle in Irish high schools has broad implications. Students now have the potential to explore applied geometries, integrated with conceptual thinking in addition…

A New Academic Compact: Revisioning the Relationship between Faculty and Their Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillin, Linda A., Ed.; Berberet, William G., Ed.

The chapters of this collection highlight the Associated New American Colleges' Faculty Work Project as they examine the call for redefining faculty roles and institutional relationships. The goal of the Project has been to lay the conceptual groundwork for bringing educational practices into alignment with the institutional mission. In the first…

(Re-)Defining the Egalitarian Partnership: A Model of Male-Female Interdependence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maier, J. Marcus

Researchers investigating marital egalitarianism have defined that concept in diverse ways, examining such factors as marital power, equal role sharing, and status and resource factors. Data from a series of 12 workshops held between 1982 and 1985 were used to develop an alternate means of conceptualizing an egalitarian partnership between spouses…

Leveraging Experiential Learning to Encourage Role Transition from "Student" to "Professional": Insights from Identity Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewing, Douglas R.; Ewing, Randall L.

2017-01-01

Drawing on identity theory, this conceptual inquiry posits a need to redefine the standard that individuals use to judge themselves as a "business student." Learners will be more likely to succeed in a corporate context if they experience daily interactions throughout a curriculum that approximate a professional environment. These social…

"Where Are Their Parents?" Re-Thinking, Re-Defining and Re-Conceptualizing African American and Latino Parental Involvement, Engagement and Empowerment in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Fatima H.

2011-01-01

Traditional and current parental involvement programs can be challenging, debilitating and disenfranchising for African American and Latino school-parents. This qualitative study explores the issue of parental involvement, engagement and empowerment for African American and Latino parents. It provides an overview of hegemonic underpinnings,…

Changing Science Education to Meet the Demands of a Changing Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fensham, Peter J.

2017-01-01

Changes in society can, on occasion, lead to new demands on schooling, and on science education in particular. A major such demand in the 1960s led to a conceptual form of science that has dominated school science education ever since. Subsequent major societal demands have usually not been nearly as successful in redefining school science…

Leveraging Social Computing for Personalized Crisis Communication using Social Media.

PubMed

Leykin, Dmitry; Aharonson-Daniel, Limor; Lahad, Mooli

2016-03-24

The extensive use of social media in modern life redefines social interaction and communication. Communication plays an important role in mitigating, or exacerbating, the psychological and behavioral responses to critical incidents and disasters. As recent disasters demonstrated, people tend to converge to social media during and following emergencies. Authorities can then use this media and other computational methods to gain insights from the public, mainly to enhance situational awareness, but also to improve their communication with the public and public adherence to instructions. The current review presents a conceptual framework for studying psychological aspects of crisis and risk communication using the social media through social computing. Advanced analytical tools can be integrated in the processes and objectives of crisis communication. The availability of the computational techniques can improve communication with the public by a process of Hyper-Targeted Crisis Communication. The review suggests that using advanced computational tools for target-audience profiling and linguistic matching in social media, can facilitate more sensitive and personalized emergency communication.

The complexity of the discussion on effectiveness and evidence in health promotion practices.

PubMed

Bodstein, Regina

2007-01-01

This article discusses an evaluation framework based on an understanding of the constitutive elements and multistrategic characteristics of health promotion (HP) programs. Health promotion presents an ongoing challenge for traditional evaluation frameworks (Rootman et al., 2001; Potvin, 2006; Barnes et al., 2003) when it redefines its actions as empowerment, community participation, local development, health literacy and intersectorial activities for the purpose of reducing inequalities for individuals, organizations, and public policies (Kickbush, 1994). This challenge also applies to the discussion on effectiveness of H P practice; what is at stake is the knowledge about how health promotion actions generate changes and outcomes. In short, this article proposes to discuss this redefined HP perspective and identify its usefulness in terms of the debate on effectiveness and evidence of HP in Brazil.

A conceptual design of an unmanned test vehicle using an airbreathing propulsion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

According to Aviation Week and Space Technology (Nov. 16, 1992), without a redefined approach to the problem of achieving single stage-to-orbit flight, the X-30 program is virtually assured of cancellation. One of the significant design goals of the X-30 program is to achieve single stage to low-earth orbit using airbreathing propulsion systems. In an attempt to avoid cancellation, the NASP Program has decided to design a test vehicle to achieve these goals. This report recommends a conceptual design of an unmanned test vehicle using an airbreathing propulsion system.

Reflections on Conceptual Tempo: Relationship Between Cognitive Style and Performance as a Function of Task Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Ellen S.; Dweck, Carol S.

1975-01-01

Children classified as high-anxious reflective in cognitive style were found to perform as well on speeded tasks as low-anxious reflective children and both groups were found to be faster and more accurate than impulsive children. This suggests redefining cognitive style to stress the strategies used rather than predispositions for particular…

When Five Words Are Not Enough: A Conceptual and Terminological Discussion of English as a Lingua Franca

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrich, Patricia; Matsuda, Aya

2010-01-01

The goal of this article is to (re)define key terminology in the study of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Although the diverse perspectives and ideological standpoints represented in competing definitions of terms is appreciated, a critical conversation on definition and interpretation of ELF and other related concepts is crucial in providing a…

Pedagogy Redefined: Frameworks of Learning Approaches Prevalent in the Current Digital Information Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlFuqaha, Isam Najib

2013-01-01

This paper attempts to delineate the frameworks of learner-centered vis-à-vis teacher-centered processes of learning prevalent in the second decade of the twenty-first century. It defines the pedagogical changes that have emerged due to the development of delivery technologies, and the interrelations among teachers, students, and knowledge. The…

The Nature and Nurture of Giftedness: A New Framework for Understanding Gifted Education. Education & Psychology of the Gifted Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dai, David Yun

2010-01-01

With unprecedented scope and vision, Dr. Dai systematically redefines giftedness and proposes a new framework for the field of gifted education. He identifies nine essential tensions, revolving around three core questions: What do we know about the respective roles of natural ability, environment and experiences, and personal effort in talent…

Use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks in qualitative research.

PubMed

Green, Helen Elise

2014-07-01

To debate the definition and use of theoretical and conceptual frameworks in qualitative research. There is a paucity of literature to help the novice researcher to understand what theoretical and conceptual frameworks are and how they should be used. This paper acknowledges the interchangeable usage of these terms and researchers' confusion about the differences between the two. It discusses how researchers have used theoretical and conceptual frameworks and the notion of conceptual models. Detail is given about how one researcher incorporated a conceptual framework throughout a research project, the purpose for doing so and how this led to a resultant conceptual model. Concepts from Abbott (1988) and Witz ( 1992 ) were used to provide a framework for research involving two case study sites. The framework was used to determine research questions and give direction to interviews and discussions to focus the research. Some research methods do not overtly use a theoretical framework or conceptual framework in their design, but this is implicit and underpins the method design, for example in grounded theory. Other qualitative methods use one or the other to frame the design of a research project or to explain the outcomes. An example is given of how a conceptual framework was used throughout a research project. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks are terms that are regularly used in research but rarely explained. Textbooks should discuss what they are and how they can be used, so novice researchers understand how they can help with research design. Theoretical and conceptual frameworks need to be more clearly understood by researchers and correct terminology used to ensure clarity for novice researchers.

The trouble with 'Categories': Rethinking men who have sex with men, transgender and their equivalents in HIV prevention and health promotion.

PubMed

Parker, Richard; Aggleton, Peter; Perez-Brumer, Amaya G

2016-01-01

This double Special Issue of Global Public Health presents a collection of articles that seek more adequately to represent sexual and gender diversities and to begin to rethink the relationship to HIV prevention and health promotion - in both the resource rich nations of the global North, as well as in the more resource constrained nations of the global South. Reckoning with the reality that today the global response to HIV has failed to respond to the needs of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and transgender persons, we turn our attention to processes and practices of categorisation and classification, and the entanglement of the multiple social worlds that constitute our understanding of each of these categories and people within the categories. Jointly, these articles provide critical perspectives on how defining and redefining categories may impact the conceptual frameworks and empirical evidence that inform global understandings of HIV infection, those communities most vulnerable, and our collective response to the evolving HIV epidemic.

Leveraging Social Computing for Personalized Crisis Communication using Social Media

PubMed Central

Leykin, Dmitry; Aharonson-Daniel, Limor; Lahad, Mooli

2016-01-01

Introduction: The extensive use of social media in modern life redefines social interaction and communication. Communication plays an important role in mitigating, or exacerbating, the psychological and behavioral responses to critical incidents and disasters. As recent disasters demonstrated, people tend to converge to social media during and following emergencies. Authorities can then use this media and other computational methods to gain insights from the public, mainly to enhance situational awareness, but also to improve their communication with the public and public adherence to instructions. Methods: The current review presents a conceptual framework for studying psychological aspects of crisis and risk communication using the social media through social computing. Results: Advanced analytical tools can be integrated in the processes and objectives of crisis communication. The availability of the computational techniques can improve communication with the public by a process of Hyper-Targeted Crisis Communication. Discussion: The review suggests that using advanced computational tools for target-audience profiling and linguistic matching in social media, can facilitate more sensitive and personalized emergency communication. PMID:27092290

Beyond protection: Expanding "conservation opportunity" to redefine conservation planning in the 21st century.

PubMed

Liberati, Marjorie R; Rittenhouse, Chadwick D; Vokoun, Jason C

2016-12-01

The protected lands estate increased dramatically during the 20th century and forms the backbone of current fisheries and wildlife conservation in North America. However, there is increasing evidence that modern conservation goals cannot be achieved by only focusing on adding new acreage, particularly with opportunistic protection. In the 21st century, flexibility and adaptability of conservation options can be accomplished by expanding the vocabulary of conservation planning beyond protection. We suggest a conceptual framework that considers suites of objectives to translate the broad goal of "conservation" into multiple implementation-specific objectives. These objectives form the "PCRM-PI" approach: protect, connect, restore, manage, partner, and inform. We use a case study to illustrate the limitations of protection-centric planning and how expanding the definition of conservation opportunity can help planners do more on the landscape. We suggest that the PCRM-PI approach with implementation-specific objectives is an effective way to bridge planning-implementation gaps and translate broad, landscape-level conservation goals into implementable actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance: a systematic review.

PubMed

Koopmans, Linda; Bernaards, Claire M; Hildebrandt, Vincent H; Schaufeli, Wilmar B; de Vet Henrica, C W; van der Beek, Allard J

2011-08-01

Individual work performance is differently conceptualized and operationalized in different disciplines. The aim of the current review was twofold: (1) identifying conceptual frameworks of individual work performance and (2) integrating these to reach a heuristic conceptual framework. A systematic review was conducted in medical, psychological, and management databases. Studies were selected independently by two researchers and included when they presented a conceptual framework of individual work performance. A total of 17 generic frameworks (applying across occupations) and 18 job-specific frameworks (applying to specific occupations) were identified. Dimensions frequently used to describe individual work performance were task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behavior, and adaptive performance. On the basis of the literature, a heuristic conceptual framework of individual work performance was proposed. This framework can serve as a theoretical basis for future research and practice.

Conceptual Frameworks in the Doctoral Research Process: A Pedagogical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Jeanette; Smyth, Robyn

2015-01-01

This paper contributes to consideration of the role of conceptual frameworks in the doctoral research process. Through reflection on the two authors' own conceptual frameworks for their doctoral studies, a pedagogical model has been developed. The model posits the development of a conceptual framework as a core element of the doctoral…

Crafting and retelling everyday lives--disabled people's contribution to bioethical concerns.

PubMed

Matthews, Nicole; Ellem, Kathleen; Chenoweth, Lesley

2013-01-01

This commentary draws out themes from the narrative symposium on "living with the label "disability" from the perspective of auto/biography and critical disability studies in the humanities. It notes the disconnect between the experiences discussed in the stories and the preoccupations of bioethicists. Referencing Rosemarie Garland-Thompson's recent work, it suggests that life stories by people usually described as "disabled" offer narrative, epistemic and ethical resources for bioethics. The commentary suggests that the symposium offers valuable conceptual tools and critiques of taken-for-granted terms like "dependency". It notes that these narrators do not un-problematically embrace the term "disability", but emphasize the need to redefine, strategically deploy or reject this term. Some accounts are explicitly critical of medical practitioners while others redefine health and wellbeing, emphasizing the need for reciprocity and respect for the knowledge of people with disability, including knowledge from their experience of "the variant body" (Leach Scully, 2008).

A Framework for Fundamental Change in the Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo, Albert L.; LeCroy, Nancy Armes

1994-01-01

Examines the underlying forces prompting fundamental change in community colleges to meet the requirements of the Information Age. Recommends that community colleges direct institutional energy toward thinking holistically, streamlining governance, redefining faculty roles, diversifying funding, increasing student options, assuring educational…

The Learning Virus: An Affective, Constructivist Movement Shaped by Ultrasociality in the Age of Social Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ershler, Jeff; Stabile, Chris

2015-01-01

Redefining the discourse toward a "better fit" cultural framework of beliefs, thought, language, and action through ultrasociality, a constructivist meme can help nurture an epistemological break (or rupture) from the traditional objectivist paradigm in education.

Towards a capability approach to child growth: A theoretical framework.

PubMed

Haisma, Hinke; Yousefzadeh, Sepideh; Boele Van Hensbroek, Pieter

2018-04-01

Child malnutrition is an important cause of under-5 mortality and morbidity around the globe. Despite the partial success of (inter)national efforts to reduce child mortality, under-5 mortality rates continue to be high. The multidimensional approaches of the Sustainable Development Goals may suggest new directions for rethinking strategies for reducing child mortality and malnutrition. We propose a theoretical framework for developing a "capability" approach to child growth. The current child growth monitoring practices are based on 2 assumptions: (a) that anthropometric and motor development measures are the appropriate indicators; and (b) that child growth can be assessed using a single universal standard that is applicable around the world. These practices may be further advanced by applying a capability approach to child growth, whereby growth is redefined as the achievement of certain capabilities (of society, parents, and children). This framework is similar to the multidimensional approach to societal development presented in the seminal work of Amartya Sen. To identify the dimensions of healthy child growth, we draw upon theories from the social sciences and evolutionary biology. Conceptually, we consider growth as a plural space and propose assessing growth by means of a child growth matrix in which the context is embedded in the assessment. This approach will better address the diversities and the inequalities in child growth. Such a multidimensional measure will have implications for interventions and policy, including prevention and counselling, and could have an impact on child malnutrition and mortality. © 2017 The Authors. Maternal and Child Nutrition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Testing a Conceptual Change Model Framework for Visual Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finson, Kevin D.; Pedersen, Jon E.

2015-01-01

An emergent data analysis technique was employed to test the veracity of a conceptual framework constructed around visual data use and instruction in science classrooms. The framework incorporated all five key components Vosniadou (2007a, 2007b) described as existing in a learner's schema: framework theory, presuppositions, conceptual domains,…

Self-Regulated Learning: The Continuous-Change Conceptual Framework and a Vision of New Paradigm, Technology System, and Pedagogical Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huh, Yeol; Reigeluth, Charles M.

2017-01-01

A modified conceptual framework called the Continuous-Change Framework for self-regulated learning (SRL) is presented. Common elements and limitations among the past frameworks are discussed in relation to the modified conceptual framework. The iterative nature of the goal setting process and overarching presence of self-efficacy and motivational…

The Conceptual Framework of Thematic Mapping in Case Conceptualization.

PubMed

Ridley, Charles R; Jeffrey, Christina E

2017-04-01

This article, the 3rd in a series of 5, introduces the conceptual framework for thematic mapping, a novel approach to case conceptualization. The framework is transtheoretical in that it is not constrained by the tenets or concepts of any one therapeutic orientation and transdiagnostic in that it conceptualizes clients outside the constraints of diagnostic criteria. Thematic mapping comprises 4 components: a definition, foundational principles, defining features, and core concepts. These components of the framework, deemed building blocks, are explained in this article. Like the foundation of any structure, the heuristic value of the method requires that the building blocks have integrity, coherence, and sound anchoring. We assert that the conceptual framework provides a solid foundation, making thematic mapping a potential asset in mental health treatment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Acting and Reacting: Youth's Behavior in Corrupt Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabic-El-Rayess, Amra

2014-01-01

With its broader employability to the issues of underperformance that may emerge in educational systems internationally, this empirical study redefines and expands Albert Hirschman's theory of voice, exit, and loyalty within higher education. The article formulates a new education-embedded theoretical framework that explains reactionary behaviors…

Schools, Technology, and Educational Leadership: A Framework for Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Christene K.

1996-01-01

If technology is to be integrated into the school curriculum, the meaning of educational leadership and the role of principals within a technical paradigm must be redefined. Principals are responsible for defining and communicating a mission, managing curriculum and instruction, training and evaluating teachers, monitoring student progress,…

Redefining External Stakeholders in Nordic Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musial, Kazimierz

2010-01-01

Present higher education reforms in the Nordic countries diminish the role and influence of the state on the governance of higher education institutions. While still providing a framework for the management of higher education, in general, the state supervises rather than controls higher education institutions (HEIs). The rhetoric of change…

Defining and Measuring Literacy: Facing the Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Manzoor

2011-01-01

Increasing recognition of a broadened concept of literacy challenges policy-makers and practitioners to re-define literacy operationally, develop and apply appropriate methods of assessing literacy and consider and act upon the consequent policy implications. This task is given a new urgency by the call of the Belem Framework for Action to…

Teacher Education: Considerations for a Knowledge Base Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tumposky, Nancy

Traditionally, the knowledge base has been defined more as product than process and has encompassed definitions, principles, values, and facts. Recent reforms in teaching and teacher education have brought about efforts to redefine the knowledge base. The reconceptualized knowledge base builds upon the earlier model but gives higher priority to…

(Re)Defining Masculinity through Peer Interactions: Latino Men in Texas Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sáenz, Victor B.; Mayo, Jeff R.; Miller, Ryan A.; Rodriguez, Sarah L.

2015-01-01

This study uses a phenomenological approach to examine how Latino male students at community colleges engage with their male peers. The analysis utilizes a male gender role conflict (MGRC) framework and employs cultural conceptions of masculinity, specifically machismo and caballerismo. Practitioners and researchers might leverage positive aspects…

Composing across Modes: A Comparative Analysis of Adolescents' Multimodal Composing Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Blaine E.

2017-01-01

Although the shift from page to screen has dramatically redefined conceptions of writing, very little is known about how youth compose with multiple modes in digital environments. Integrating multimodality and multiliteracies theoretical frameworks, this comparative case study examined how urban twelfth-grade students collaboratively composed…

Emerging HRD Issues: A Conceptual Framework for Corporate University in the Context of Chinese Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jie; Alagaraja, Meera

2007-01-01

The authors suggest a conceptual framework for developing CU's in the Chinese organizational context. We reviewed literature on existing conceptual frameworks and chose the CU wheel as proposed by Prince and Stewart. Four core processes identified in the CU wheel were realigned and readjusted in developing our framework of Corporate University in…

A new pressure ulcer conceptual framework.

PubMed

Coleman, Susanne; Nixon, Jane; Keen, Justin; Wilson, Lyn; McGinnis, Elizabeth; Dealey, Carol; Stubbs, Nikki; Farrin, Amanda; Dowding, Dawn; Schols, Jos M G A; Cuddigan, Janet; Berlowitz, Dan; Jude, Edward; Vowden, Peter; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Bader, Dan L; Gefen, Amit; Oomens, Cees W J; Nelson, E Andrea

2014-10-01

This paper discusses the critical determinants of pressure ulcer development and proposes a new pressure ulcer conceptual framework. Recent work to develop and validate a new evidence-based pressure ulcer risk assessment framework was undertaken. This formed part of a Pressure UlceR Programme Of reSEarch (RP-PG-0407-10056), funded by the National Institute for Health Research. The foundation for the risk assessment component incorporated a systematic review and a consensus study that highlighted the need to propose a new conceptual framework. Discussion Paper. The new conceptual framework links evidence from biomechanical, physiological and epidemiological evidence, through use of data from a systematic review (search conducted March 2010), a consensus study (conducted December 2010-2011) and an international expert group meeting (conducted December 2011). A new pressure ulcer conceptual framework incorporating key physiological and biomechanical components and their impact on internal strains, stresses and damage thresholds is proposed. Direct and key indirect causal factors suggested in a theoretical causal pathway are mapped to the physiological and biomechanical components of the framework. The new proposed conceptual framework provides the basis for understanding the critical determinants of pressure ulcer development and has the potential to influence risk assessment guidance and practice. It could also be used to underpin future research to explore the role of individual risk factors conceptually and operationally. By integrating existing knowledge from epidemiological, physiological and biomechanical evidence, a theoretical causal pathway and new conceptual framework are proposed with potential implications for practice and research. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new pressure ulcer conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Coleman, Susanne; Nixon, Jane; Keen, Justin; Wilson, Lyn; McGinnis, Elizabeth; Dealey, Carol; Stubbs, Nikki; Farrin, Amanda; Dowding, Dawn; Schols, Jos MGA; Cuddigan, Janet; Berlowitz, Dan; Jude, Edward; Vowden, Peter; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Bader, Dan L; Gefen, Amit; Oomens, Cees WJ; Nelson, E Andrea

2014-01-01

Aim This paper discusses the critical determinants of pressure ulcer development and proposes a new pressure ulcer conceptual framework. Background Recent work to develop and validate a new evidence-based pressure ulcer risk assessment framework was undertaken. This formed part of a Pressure UlceR Programme Of reSEarch (RP-PG-0407-10056), funded by the National Institute for Health Research. The foundation for the risk assessment component incorporated a systematic review and a consensus study that highlighted the need to propose a new conceptual framework. Design Discussion Paper. Data Sources The new conceptual framework links evidence from biomechanical, physiological and epidemiological evidence, through use of data from a systematic review (search conducted March 2010), a consensus study (conducted December 2010–2011) and an international expert group meeting (conducted December 2011). Implications for Nursing A new pressure ulcer conceptual framework incorporating key physiological and biomechanical components and their impact on internal strains, stresses and damage thresholds is proposed. Direct and key indirect causal factors suggested in a theoretical causal pathway are mapped to the physiological and biomechanical components of the framework. The new proposed conceptual framework provides the basis for understanding the critical determinants of pressure ulcer development and has the potential to influence risk assessment guidance and practice. It could also be used to underpin future research to explore the role of individual risk factors conceptually and operationally. Conclusion By integrating existing knowledge from epidemiological, physiological and biomechanical evidence, a theoretical causal pathway and new conceptual framework are proposed with potential implications for practice and research. PMID:24684197

Buddhism-as-a-meaning-system for coping with late-life stress: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Xu, Jianbin

2018-01-01

Religion is increasingly conceptualized as a meaning system for adjustment and coping. Most of the conceptualizations are grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. They may thus not be applicable to Buddhism, which provides a distinct tenor of meaning for coping. This article seeks to construct a conceptual framework of Buddhism-as-a-meaning-system for coping with late-life stress. Literature review and conceptualization were employed. Under this framework, Buddhism functions as a meaning system involving existential meaning, cognitive meaning, and behavioral meaning. There is reason to believe that this framework promises to offer a holistic conceptual map of Buddhist coping in late life. Thus, it could serve as a guide for further empirical and theoretical exploration in the uncharted terrains of Buddhist coping in old age. In addition, gerontological practitioners could use this framework as a frame of reference when working with elderly Buddhist clients who are in stressful circumstances.

The transformative potential of realigning Agape and Eros in the continued development of nursing's role.

PubMed

Valentine-Maher, Sarah

2008-01-01

Nursing may reach its highest potential when there is an integration of Agape love and Eros love within nursing. That is, an ontological framework from which service and giving of the self are aligned with creative power and development of the self. The concepts of Eros and Agape give the nurse tools to understand the contradictions of nursing and to find increased purpose, peace, and strength in her own work. For the field of nursing, the concepts of Eros and Agape offer a pathway to redefining a heroic role of service. Such a redefined role may help nursing become increasingly responsive to the true reality of human needs, from direct contact with a patient to involvement in international health.

Overlooking the Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leshem, Shosh; Trafford, Vernon

2007-01-01

The conceptual framework is alluded to in most serious texts on research, described in some and fully explained in few. However, examiners of doctoral theses devote considerable attention to exploring its function within social science doctoral vivas. A literature survey explores how the conceptual framework is itself conceptualised and explained.…

Ecological restoration should be redefined for the twenty-first century.

PubMed

Martin, David M

2017-09-24

Forty years ago, ecological restoration was conceptualized through a natural science lens. Today, ecological restoration has evolved into a social and scientific concept. The duality of ecological restoration is acknowledged in guidance documents on the subject but is not apparent in its definition. Current definitions reflect our views about what ecological restoration does but not why we do it. This viewpoint does not give appropriate credit to contributions from social sciences, nor does it provide compelling goals for people with different motivating rationales to engage in or support restoration. In this study, I give a concise history of the conceptualization and definition of ecological restoration, and I propose an alternative definition and corresponding viewpoint on restoration goal-setting to meet twenty-first century scientific and public inquiry.

The Instrumental Value of Conceptual Frameworks in Educational Technology Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonenko, Pavlo D.

2015-01-01

Scholars from diverse fields and research traditions agree that the conceptual framework is a critically important component of disciplined inquiry. Yet, there is a pronounced lack of shared understanding regarding the definition and functions of conceptual frameworks, which impedes our ability to design effective research and mentor novice…

A Conceptual Framework for Monitoring Children's Services. Discussion Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiene, Richard

This discussion draft of a conceptual framework for monitoring children's services was prepared by Peat, Marwick and Co. for the Children's Services Monitoring Transfer Consortium (CFMCS), an organization spanning five states: California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. The primary purpose of this conceptual framework was to…

Concepts in gravel beach dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscombe, Daniel; Masselink, Gerhard

2006-11-01

The dominant processes in gravel beach dynamics are reviewed, highlighting some common themes which unify the various components of the gravel beach system, the repercussions of which impart on how gravel beach dynamics might be understood conceptually. In particular, gravel beach dynamics are thought to be highly dependent on the temporal and spatial variation in grain size, and the continual adjustments made by an active beach step, both of which act not only as the expression of changing morphodynamic conditions, but also as a controlling influence. Morphodynamics, the notion that the exchanges on beaches between the hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphological change takes the form of reciprocal relationships which are mediated through feedback mechanisms (in such a way that they cannot be thought of or studied independently) is not a new one. Yet it appears that for the gravel beach, morphodynamics must be re-defined to describe conditions where variations in sediment size are thought to deserve parity, rather than as merely a sequent entity or boundary condition. 'Morpho-sedimentary-dynamics' is a phrase coined to intuit such cause and effect, detailing the co-evolution of morphology, hydro-hydraulics and sediment properties whilst acknowledging causative pluralism, feedbacks and multiplier effects. This is the recommended conceptual framework within which to crystallise thought and organise further research for the gravel beach. Essentially, it increases the minimum number of parameters needed to describe the state of the gravel beach as a physical system. Therefore, it is advised that simplicity will be most expedient in our future modelling efforts, if complexity is to be adequately encapsulated.

Redefining community based on place attachment in a connected world.

PubMed

Gurney, Georgina G; Blythe, Jessica; Adams, Helen; Adger, W Neil; Curnock, Matthew; Faulkner, Lucy; James, Thomas; Marshall, Nadine A

2017-09-19

The concept of community is often used in environmental policy to foster environmental stewardship and public participation, crucial prerequisites of effective management. However, prevailing conceptualizations of community based on residential location or resource use are limited with respect to their utility as surrogates for communities of shared environment-related interests, and because of the localist perspective they entail. Thus, addressing contemporary sustainability challenges, which tend to involve transnational social and environmental interactions, urgently requires additional approaches to conceptualizing community that are compatible with current globalization. We propose a framing for redefining community based on place attachment (i.e., the bonds people form with places) in the context of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Area threatened by drivers requiring management and political action at scales beyond the local. Using data on place attachment from 5,403 respondents residing locally, nationally, and internationally, we identified four communities that each shared a type of attachment to the reef and that spanned conventional location and use communities. We suggest that as human-environment interactions change with increasing mobility (both corporeal and that mediated by communication and information technology), new types of people-place relations that transcend geographic and social boundaries and do not require ongoing direct experience to form are emerging. We propose that adopting a place attachment framing to community provides a means to capture the neglected nonmaterial bonds people form with the environment, and could be leveraged to foster transnational environmental stewardship, critical to advancing global sustainability in our increasingly connected world.

Learning to live well with chronic fatigue: the personal perspective.

PubMed

Wilson, Lynere; Whitehead, Lisa; Burrell, Beverley

2011-10-01

Persistent fatigue is recognized as an integral and significantly disabling aspect of the experience of living with a long-term health condition. Acute medical care models have limited applicability when seeking to provide health care to meet the needs of those living with chronic fatigue. This article is a report of a study that sought to understand how people can live well in spite of the presence of chronic fatigue. A thematic analysis was conducted on 43 narratives provided by people living with chronic fatigue during 2007 as part of an internet-based study. This report focuses on the two themes that appeared of most relevance to participants: managing energy and redefining self. Two particular approaches to energy management were noted. In the first, the focus is upon moderating and avoiding excess to manage energy. In the second approach, the body was conceptualized as a machine so that energy becomes a limited resource to be managed. Work to redefine the sense of self appeared to be focused upon the desire to seek normality, to see oneself as rational and come to terms with change. People can and do find ways to live well with chronic fatigue. Understanding how the person with chronic fatigue has come to conceptualize his/her experiences will be a more fruitful starting point than providing recipes for successful living if nurses are to work effectively with this group of people. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Outputs as Educator Effectiveness in the United States: Shifting towards Political Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piro, Jody S.; Mullen, Laurie

2013-01-01

The definition of educator effectiveness is being redefined by econometric modeling to evidence student achievement on standardized tests. While the reasons that econometric frameworks are in vogue are many, it is clear that the strength of such models lie in the quantifiable evidence of student learning. Current accountability models frame…

Scholarship in Occupational Therapy Faculty: The Interaction of Cultural Forces in Academic Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dow-Royer, Cathy A.

2010-01-01

Over the last two decades there has been heightened interest in redefining faculty scholarship in higher education (Boyer, 1990). Trends have included the development of cultural frameworks for understanding how disciplines and institutions influence faculty work and how socialization processes impact academic career development. Despite the fact…

Redefining School Health Services: Comprehensive Child Health Care as the Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silver, George A.

Recognizing the needs, deficiencies, and diversity of school health services is prerequisite to any analysis of need. More uniform programs and more equitable access for all school children to whatever minimal standard of health services should be provided: periodic examination, some limited medical care on the school grounds, intensive health…

(Re)Defining the Narrative: High-Achieving Nontraditional Black Male Undergraduates at a Historically Black College and University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goings, Ramon B.

2016-01-01

Using Harper's anti-deficit achievement framework as a theoretical guide, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the academic and social experiences of four nontraditional, high-achieving, Black male undergraduates attending one historically Black university. Findings show that the participants were intrinsically motivated…

Discussion as Exploration: Literature and the Horizon of Possibilities. Report Series 6.3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langer, Judith A.

Concerned with redefining instructional theory related to the teaching and learning processes in literature, this paper concentrates on articulating principles underlying literature instruction that can be taught in methods courses and that can become the framework that teachers internalize and use to make daily decisions about their teaching and…

Utility of a Conceptual Framework within Doctoral Study: A Researcher's Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Jeanette

2013-01-01

The author of this paper provides an example of a conceptual framework that supported her doctoral study and written dissertation in the field of educational psychology. The study was carried out prior to the more recent explicit emphasis on conceptual frameworks in postgraduate research texts and academic literature. The instigation for the…

Connecting Practice, Theory and Method: Supporting Professional Doctoral Students in Developing Conceptual Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Antonenko, Pavlo

2014-01-01

From an instrumental view, conceptual frameworks that are carefully assembled from existing literature in Educational Technology and related disciplines can help students structure all aspects of inquiry. In this article we detail how the development of a conceptual framework that connects theory, practice and method is scaffolded and facilitated…

A Conceptual Framework for Responsive Global Engagement in Communication Sciences and Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyter, Yvette D.

2014-01-01

The field of speech-language pathology needs a conceptual framework to guide the provision of services in a globalized world. Proposed in this article is a conceptual framework designed to facilitate responsive global engagement for professionals such as speech-language pathologists, who are increasingly serving diverse populations around the…

Conceptualizing Programme Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassan, Salochana

2013-01-01

The main thrust of this paper deals with the conceptualization of theory-driven evaluation pertaining to a tutor training programme. Conceptualization of evaluation, in this case, is an integration between a conceptualization model as well as a theoretical framework in the form of activity theory. Existing examples of frameworks of programme…

Philosophy and conceptual framework: collectively structuring nursing care systematization.

PubMed

Schmitz, Eudinéia Luz; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; Bruggmann, Mario Sérgio; Luz, Susian Cássia Liz

2017-03-30

To build the Nursing Philosophy and Conceptual Framework that will support the Nursing Care Systematization in a hospital in southern Brazil with the active participation of the institution's nurses. Convergent Care Research Data collection took place from July to October 2014, through two workshops and four meetings, with 42 nurses. As a result, the nursing philosophy and conceptual framework were created and the theory was chosen. Data analysis was performed based on Morse and Field. The philosophy involves the following beliefs: team nursing; team work; holistic care; service excellence; leadership/coordination; interdisciplinary team commitment. The conceptual framework brings concepts such as: human being; nursing; nursing care, safe care. The nursing theory defined was that of Wanda de Aguiar Horta. As a contribution, it brought the construction of the institutions' nursing philosophy and conceptual framework, and the definition of a nursing theory.

An expanded conceptual framework for solution-focused management of chemical pollution in European waters.

PubMed

Munthe, John; Brorström-Lundén, Eva; Rahmberg, Magnus; Posthuma, Leo; Altenburger, Rolf; Brack, Werner; Bunke, Dirk; Engelen, Guy; Gawlik, Bernd Manfred; van Gils, Jos; Herráez, David López; Rydberg, Tomas; Slobodnik, Jaroslav; van Wezel, Annemarie

2017-01-01

This paper describes a conceptual framework for solutions-focused management of chemical contaminants built on novel and systematic approaches for identifying, quantifying and reducing risks of these substances. The conceptual framework was developed in interaction with stakeholders representing relevant authorities and organisations responsible for managing environmental quality of water bodies. Stakeholder needs were compiled via a survey and dialogue. The content of the conceptual framework was thereafter developed with inputs from relevant scientific disciplines. The conceptual framework consists of four access points: Chemicals, Environment, Abatement and Society, representing different aspects and approaches to engaging in the issue of chemical contamination of surface waters. It widens the scope for assessment and management of chemicals in comparison to a traditional (mostly) perchemical risk assessment approaches by including abatement- and societal approaches as optional solutions. The solution-focused approach implies an identification of abatement- and policy options upfront in the risk assessment process. The conceptual framework was designed for use in current and future chemical pollution assessments for the aquatic environment, including the specific challenges encountered in prioritising individual chemicals and mixtures, and is applicable for the development of approaches for safe chemical management in a broader sense. The four access points of the conceptual framework are interlinked by four key topics representing the main scientific challenges that need to be addressed, i.e.: identifying and prioritising hazardous chemicals at different scales; selecting relevant and efficient abatement options; providing regulatory support for chemicals management; predicting and prioritising future chemical risks. The conceptual framework aligns current challenges in the safe production and use of chemicals. The current state of knowledge and implementation of these challenges is described. The use of the conceptual framework, and addressing the challenges, is intended to support: (1) forwarding sustainable use of chemicals, (2) identification of pollutants of priority concern for cost-effective management, (3) the selection of optimal abatement options and (4) the development and use of optimised legal and policy instruments.

A conceptual framework for homeostasis: development and validation

PubMed Central

Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Michael, Joel; Cliff, William; Wright, Ann; Modell, Harold

2016-01-01

We have developed and validated a conceptual framework for understanding and teaching organismal homeostasis at the undergraduate level. The resulting homeostasis conceptual framework details critical components and constituent ideas underlying the concept of homeostasis. It has been validated by a broad range of physiology faculty members from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, research universities, and medical schools. In online surveys, faculty members confirmed the relevance of each item in the framework for undergraduate physiology and rated the importance and difficulty of each. The homeostasis conceptual framework was constructed as a guide for teaching and learning of this critical core concept in physiology, and it also paves the way for the development of a concept inventory for homeostasis. PMID:27105740

The Bobath (NDT) concept in adult neurological rehabilitation: what is the state of the knowledge? A scoping review. Part I: conceptual perspectives.

PubMed

Vaughan-Graham, Julie; Cott, Cheryl; Wright, F Virginia

2015-01-01

The study's purpose was to describe the range of knowledge pertaining to the Bobath concept/NDT in adult neurological rehabilitation, synthesize the findings, identify knowledge gaps and develop empirically based recommendations for future research. This article explores the conceptual literature. A scoping review of research and non-research articles published from 2007 to 2012. Two independent reviewers selected studies based on a systematic procedure. Inclusion criteria for studies were: electronically accessible English language literature with Bobath and/or neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) as the subject heading in the title/keyword/abstract/intervention comparison with respect to adult neurological conditions. Data were abstracted and summarized with respect to study purpose, defining and operationalizing the Bobath concept, therapist demographics, recruitment, discussion and conclusions. Of the 33 publications identified, 14 publications sought to define the theoretical foundations and identify key aspects of clinical practice of the contemporary Bobath concept. The publications comprised three theoretical papers, four surveys, a Delphi reported through two papers, one qualitative study, three letters to the editor and one editorial. Knowledge derived from review of the conceptual literature provides clinicians with an updated Bobath clinical framework as well as identifying aspects of Bobath clinical practice that require careful consideration in future effectiveness studies. Implications for Rehabilitation The integration of posture and movement with respect to the quality of task performance remains a cornerstone of the redefined Bobath concept. A key fundamental principle of the clinical application of the Bobath concept since its inception is the selective manipulation of sensory information, namely, facilitation, to positively affect motor control and perception in persons post-central nervous system lesion. This is an aspect of Bobath clinical practice that requires further investigation. Study and treatment fidelity issues such as therapist expertise, the use of treatment logs to document individualized clinical practice, as well as therapist supervision and evaluation require careful consideration in the implementation of Bobath effectiveness studies such that causality can be determined.

78 FR 70354 - Conceptual Example of a Proposed Risk Management Regulatory Framework Policy Statement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0254] Conceptual Example of a Proposed Risk Management... issuing a document entitled: ``White Paper on a Conceptual Example of a Proposed Risk Management... ``openness,'' a white paper on a Conceptual Example of a Proposed Risk Management Regulatory Framework (RMRF...

Validity of instruments to measure physical activity may be questionable due to a lack of conceptual frameworks: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Guidance documents for the development and validation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) advise the use of conceptual frameworks, which outline the structure of the concept that a PRO aims to measure. It is unknown whether currently available PROs are based on conceptual frameworks. This study, which was limited to a specific case, had the following aims: (i) to identify conceptual frameworks of physical activity in chronic respiratory patients or similar populations (chronic heart disease patients or the elderly) and (ii) to assess whether the development and validation of PROs to measure physical activity in these populations were based on a conceptual framework of physical activity. Methods Two systematic reviews were conducted through searches of the Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cinahl databases prior to January 2010. Results In the first review, only 2 out of 581 references pertaining to physical activity in the defined populations provided a conceptual framework of physical activity in COPD patients. In the second review, out of 103 studies developing PROs to measure physical activity or related constructs, none were based on a conceptual framework of physical activity. Conclusions These findings raise concerns about how the large body of evidence from studies that use physical activity PRO instruments should be evaluated by health care providers, guideline developers, and regulatory agencies. PMID:21967887

Surgical wound dehiscence: a conceptual framework for patient assessment.

PubMed

Sandy-Hodgetts, Kylie; Carville, Keryln; Leslie, Gavin D

2018-03-02

This paper presents a conceptual framework which outlines the risk factors associated with surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) as identified in the literature. The purpose for the development of the conceptual framework was to derive an evidence-based, informed understanding of factors associated with SWD, in order to inform a programme of research on the aetiology and potential risk factors of SWD. Incorporated within the patient-centric conceptual framework are patient related comorbidities, intraoperative and postoperative risk factors related to SWD. These are categorised as either 'mechanical' or 'physiological mechanisms' posited to influence these relationships. The use of the conceptual model for assessment of patients has particular clinical relevance for identification of risk and the management of patients in the pre-, intra- and postoperative period.

Validating a Conceptual Framework for the Core Concept of "Cell-Cell Communication"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michael, Joel; Martinkova, Patricia; McFarland, Jenny; Wright, Ann; Cliff, William; Modell, Harold; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2017-01-01

We have created and validated a conceptual framework for the core physiology concept of "cell-cell communication." The conceptual framework is composed of 51 items arranged in a hierarchy that is, in some instances, four levels deep. We have validated it with input from faculty who teach at a wide variety of institutional types. All…

The Role of Conceptual Frameworks in Collecting Multisite Qualitative Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotto, Linda S.

1983-01-01

Examines the use of conceptual frameworks in collecting qualitative data from multiple sites. Presents strategies for devising frameworks that are flexible and general without sacrificing specificity. (JOW)

Towards a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework of Active Travel Behavior: a Review and Synthesis of Published Frameworks.

PubMed

Götschi, Thomas; de Nazelle, Audrey; Brand, Christian; Gerike, Regine

2017-09-01

This paper reviews the use of conceptual frameworks in research on active travel, such as walking and cycling. Generic framework features and a wide range of contents are identified and synthesized into a comprehensive framework of active travel behavior, as part of the Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches project (PASTA). PASTA is a European multinational, interdisciplinary research project on active travel and health. Along with an exponential growth in active travel research, a growing number of conceptual frameworks has been published since the early 2000s. Earlier frameworks are simpler and emphasize the distinction of environmental vs. individual factors, while more recently several studies have integrated travel behavior theories more thoroughly. Based on the reviewed frameworks and various behavioral theories, we propose the comprehensive PASTA conceptual framework of active travel behavior. We discuss how it can guide future research, such as data collection, data analysis, and modeling of active travel behavior, and present some examples from the PASTA project.

A conceptual modeling framework for discrete event simulation using hierarchical control structures.

PubMed

Furian, N; O'Sullivan, M; Walker, C; Vössner, S; Neubacher, D

2015-08-01

Conceptual Modeling (CM) is a fundamental step in a simulation project. Nevertheless, it is only recently that structured approaches towards the definition and formulation of conceptual models have gained importance in the Discrete Event Simulation (DES) community. As a consequence, frameworks and guidelines for applying CM to DES have emerged and discussion of CM for DES is increasing. However, both the organization of model-components and the identification of behavior and system control from standard CM approaches have shortcomings that limit CM's applicability to DES. Therefore, we discuss the different aspects of previous CM frameworks and identify their limitations. Further, we present the Hierarchical Control Conceptual Modeling framework that pays more attention to the identification of a models' system behavior, control policies and dispatching routines and their structured representation within a conceptual model. The framework guides the user step-by-step through the modeling process and is illustrated by a worked example.

A conceptual modeling framework for discrete event simulation using hierarchical control structures

PubMed Central

Furian, N.; O’Sullivan, M.; Walker, C.; Vössner, S.; Neubacher, D.

2015-01-01

Conceptual Modeling (CM) is a fundamental step in a simulation project. Nevertheless, it is only recently that structured approaches towards the definition and formulation of conceptual models have gained importance in the Discrete Event Simulation (DES) community. As a consequence, frameworks and guidelines for applying CM to DES have emerged and discussion of CM for DES is increasing. However, both the organization of model-components and the identification of behavior and system control from standard CM approaches have shortcomings that limit CM’s applicability to DES. Therefore, we discuss the different aspects of previous CM frameworks and identify their limitations. Further, we present the Hierarchical Control Conceptual Modeling framework that pays more attention to the identification of a models’ system behavior, control policies and dispatching routines and their structured representation within a conceptual model. The framework guides the user step-by-step through the modeling process and is illustrated by a worked example. PMID:26778940

Describing the impact of health research: a Research Impact Framework

PubMed Central

Kuruvilla, Shyama; Mays, Nicholas; Pleasant, Andrew; Walt, Gill

2006-01-01

Background Researchers are increasingly required to describe the impact of their work, e.g. in grant proposals, project reports, press releases and research assessment exercises. Specialised impact assessment studies can be difficult to replicate and may require resources and skills not available to individual researchers. Researchers are often hard-pressed to identify and describe research impacts and ad hoc accounts do not facilitate comparison across time or projects. Methods The Research Impact Framework was developed by identifying potential areas of health research impact from the research impact assessment literature and based on research assessment criteria, for example, as set out by the UK Research Assessment Exercise panels. A prototype of the framework was used to guide an analysis of the impact of selected research projects at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Additional areas of impact were identified in the process and researchers also provided feedback on which descriptive categories they thought were useful and valid vis-à-vis the nature and impact of their work. Results We identified four broad areas of impact: I. Research-related impacts; II. Policy impacts; III. Service impacts: health and intersectoral and IV. Societal impacts. Within each of these areas, further descriptive categories were identified. For example, the nature of research impact on policy can be described using the following categorisation, put forward by Weiss: Instrumental use where research findings drive policy-making; Mobilisation of support where research provides support for policy proposals; Conceptual use where research influences the concepts and language of policy deliberations and Redefining/wider influence where research leads to rethinking and changing established practices and beliefs. Conclusion Researchers, while initially sceptical, found that the Research Impact Framework provided prompts and descriptive categories that helped them systematically identify a range of specific and verifiable impacts related to their work (compared to ad hoc approaches they had previously used). The framework could also help researchers think through implementation strategies and identify unintended or harmful effects. The standardised structure of the framework facilitates comparison of research impacts across projects and time, which is useful from analytical, management and assessment perspectives. PMID:17049092

A conceptual framework for homeostasis: development and validation.

PubMed

McFarland, Jenny; Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Michael, Joel; Cliff, William; Wright, Ann; Modell, Harold

2016-06-01

We have developed and validated a conceptual framework for understanding and teaching organismal homeostasis at the undergraduate level. The resulting homeostasis conceptual framework details critical components and constituent ideas underlying the concept of homeostasis. It has been validated by a broad range of physiology faculty members from community colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, research universities, and medical schools. In online surveys, faculty members confirmed the relevance of each item in the framework for undergraduate physiology and rated the importance and difficulty of each. The homeostasis conceptual framework was constructed as a guide for teaching and learning of this critical core concept in physiology, and it also paves the way for the development of a concept inventory for homeostasis. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Urbanicity and Urban Education: A New Look. ERIC/CUE Disadvantaged Series, Number 52, Fall 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education, New York, NY.

This volume contains speeches made by educators, civil servants and administrators who attended a conference devoted to redefining the problems of education in the context of urban life. Edmund W. Gordon's presentation provides a basic framework of urbanicity, its environmental and social characteristics, and three broad categories which have…

Family Literacy and Digital Literacies: A Redefined Approach to Examining Social Practices of an African-American Family

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Tisha Y.

2009-01-01

This dissertation examines the digital literacy practices of an urban African-American family. Using an ethnographic case study approach (Stake, 2000), this qualitative study explores the multiple ways a mother (Larnee) and son (Gerard) interacted with digital literacies in the home. Situated within the framework of sociocultural traditions from…

Development of a conceptual framework toward an integrated transportation system : final report, April 10, 2009.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-04-10

This report documents research on the conceptual framework of an integrated transportation system with a prototype application under the framework. Three levels of control are involved in this framework: at the global level (an entire transportation ...

Implementing Value-Based Payment Reform: A Conceptual Framework and Case Examples.

PubMed

Conrad, Douglas A; Vaughn, Matthew; Grembowski, David; Marcus-Smith, Miriam

2016-08-01

This article develops a conceptual framework for implementation of value-based payment (VBP) reform and then draws on that framework to systematically examine six distinct multi-stakeholder coalition VBP initiatives in three different regions of the United States. The VBP initiatives deploy the following payment models: reference pricing, "shadow" primary care capitation, bundled payment, pay for performance, shared savings within accountable care organizations, and global payment. The conceptual framework synthesizes prior models of VBP implementation. It describes how context, project objectives, payment and care delivery strategies, and the barriers and facilitators to translating strategy into implementation affect VBP implementation and value for patients. We next apply the framework to six case examples of implementation, and conclude by discussing the implications of the case examples and the conceptual framework for future practice and research. © The Author(s) 2015.

The development of a conceptually based nursing curriculum: an international experiment.

PubMed

Meleis, A I

1979-11-01

Nursing programmes in the United States of America are based on a conceptual framework. Not only do faculty and students ascribe to the necessity of such programmes but the national accreditation agency also provides its accreditation approval for the institution only after all criteria are met, including the requirement of a well-defined, operationalized and implemented framework. Can a nursing programme be developed in other nations utilizing the esoteric, American-based idea of the necessity for a conceptually based curriculum? The author answers this question. The manuscript presents both the process utilized in selecting a conceptual framwork for a new junior college programme in Kuwait and discusses the selected framework. The idea of a conceptual framework to guide the curriculum was as foreign in Kuwait as it was to nursing curricula in the United States 15 years ago. Though initially rejected by the faculty in Kuwait, the idea of a conceptual framework was reintroduced after much faculty discussion and questions related to nursing knowledge vis-a-vis medical knowledge, and what should be included in and excluded from the programme. By the end of the second year, a definite framework had been operationalized into courses and content. The selection of the framework evolved from faculty participation in the operationalization of the framework. This point is quite significant particularly in an international assignment, as it is the faculty who are left with the monumental task of supporting and continuing the work which has been done. Strategies used to develop and implement a conceptual framework included confrontation of faculty of the existing situation, lectures, seminars, workshops, and the identification of a critical review board.

Book Club Plus: A Conceptual Framework To Organize Literacy Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raphael, Taffy E.; Florio-Ruane, Susan; George, MariAnne

2001-01-01

Notes that finding time for skills instruction without replacing literature discussion and writers' workshop requires a strong organizational framework for literacy instruction. Suggests that teachers need principled, conceptual frameworks to guide their thoughts and actions. Describes a framework, Book Club Plus, designed by a practitioner…

Conceptual frameworks in astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pundak, David

2016-06-01

How to evaluate students' astronomy understanding is still an open question. Even though some methods and tools to help students have already been developed, the sources of students' difficulties and misunderstanding in astronomy is still unclear. This paper presents an investigation of the development of conceptual systems in astronomy by 50 engineering students, as a result of learning a general course on astronomy. A special tool called Conceptual Frameworks in Astronomy (CFA) that was initially used in 1989, was adapted to gather data for the present research. In its new version, the tool included 23 questions, and five to six optional answers were given for each question. Each of the answers was characterized by one of the four conceptual astronomical frameworks: pre-scientific, geocentric, heliocentric and sidereal or scientific. The paper describes the development of the tool and discusses its validity and reliability. Using the CFA we were able to identify the conceptual frameworks of the students at the beginning of the course and at its end. CFA enabled us to evaluate the paradigmatic change of students following the course and also the extent of the general improvement in astronomical knowledge. It was found that the measure of the students’ improvement (gain index) was g = 0.37. Approximately 45% of the students in the course improved their understanding of conceptual frameworks in astronomy and 26% deepened their understanding of the heliocentric or sidereal conceptual frameworks.

Redefining the school nurse role: an organizational perspective.

PubMed

Chabot, Guylaine; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Godin, Gaston

2012-01-01

This paper aims to identify organizational readiness for change towards adoption of a redefined role of the school nurse as a strategic option in the context of a health promoting school approach. This new role is consistent with planned change directed at life habits and life conditions. A questionnaire based on a modified version of the organizational readiness for change (ORC) framework was e-mailed to 122 top and middle managers (response rate of 74 percent) in 42 local health organizations in the Province of Quebec, Canada, during the fall of 2009. In total, 90 percent of participants perceived the proposed role as a solution to fulfil their school health program needs, especially to plan and integrate health promotion projects. The lack of resources and nursing support emerged as factors hampering the capacity of school nurses to play such a role. Additional implications of the ORC framework are needed in order to better address organizational readiness for complex changes in specific health-related settings. Access to information technology and the development of computer skills would help enhance this encompassing role in health promotion. Findings have the potential to better inform health authorities regarding the new role of the school nurse as a strategic option in health promotion. This study also provides an application of the theoretical framework showing the need for additional empirical tests.

A multidimensional framework of conceptual change for developing chemical equilibrium learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanyoo, Wassana; Suwannoi, Paisan; Treagust, David F.

2018-01-01

The purposes of this research is to investigate the existing chemical equilibrium lessons in Thailand based on the multidimensional framework of conceptual change, to determine how the existing lessons could enhance students' conceptual change. This research was conducted based on qualitative perspective. Document, observations and interviews were used to collect data. To comprehend all students conceptions, diagnostic tests were applied comprised of The Chemical Equilibrium Diagnostic Test (the CEDT) and The Chemical Equilibrium Test for Reveal Conceptual Change (the CETforRCC). In addition, to study students' motivations, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (the MSLQ) and students' task engagement were applied. Following each perspective of conceptual change - ontological, epistemological, and social/affective - the result showed that the existing chemical equilibrium unit did not enhance students' conceptual change, and some issues were found. The problems obstructed students conceptual change should be remedy under the multidimensional framework of conceptual change. Finally, some suggestions were provided to enhance students' conceptual change in chemical equilibrium effectively

Redefining community based on place attachment in a connected world

PubMed Central

Gurney, Georgina G.; Blythe, Jessica; Adger, W. Neil; Curnock, Matthew; Faulkner, Lucy; James, Thomas

2017-01-01

The concept of community is often used in environmental policy to foster environmental stewardship and public participation, crucial prerequisites of effective management. However, prevailing conceptualizations of community based on residential location or resource use are limited with respect to their utility as surrogates for communities of shared environment-related interests, and because of the localist perspective they entail. Thus, addressing contemporary sustainability challenges, which tend to involve transnational social and environmental interactions, urgently requires additional approaches to conceptualizing community that are compatible with current globalization. We propose a framing for redefining community based on place attachment (i.e., the bonds people form with places) in the context of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Area threatened by drivers requiring management and political action at scales beyond the local. Using data on place attachment from 5,403 respondents residing locally, nationally, and internationally, we identified four communities that each shared a type of attachment to the reef and that spanned conventional location and use communities. We suggest that as human–environment interactions change with increasing mobility (both corporeal and that mediated by communication and information technology), new types of people–place relations that transcend geographic and social boundaries and do not require ongoing direct experience to form are emerging. We propose that adopting a place attachment framing to community provides a means to capture the neglected nonmaterial bonds people form with the environment, and could be leveraged to foster transnational environmental stewardship, critical to advancing global sustainability in our increasingly connected world. PMID:28874573

Decoding the "CoDe": A Framework for Conceptualizing and Designing Help Options in Computer-Based Second Language Listening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardenas-Claros, Monica Stella; Gruba, Paul A.

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the conceptualization and design of help options in computer-based second language (L2) listening. Based on four empirical studies, it aims at clarifying both conceptualization and design (CoDe) components. The elements of conceptualization consist of a novel four-part classification of help options:…

Evaluation of Conceptual Frameworks Applicable to the Study of Isolation Precautions Effectiveness

PubMed Central

Crawford, Catherine; Shang, Jingjing

2015-01-01

Aims A discussion of conceptual frameworks applicable to the study of isolation precautions effectiveness according to Fawcett and DeSanto-Madeya’s (2013) evaluation technique and their relative merits and drawbacks for this purpose Background Isolation precautions are recommended to control infectious diseases with high morbidity and mortality, but effectiveness is not established due to numerous methodological challenges. These challenges, such as identifying empirical indicators and refining operational definitions, could be alleviated though use of an appropriate conceptual framework. Design Discussion paper Data Sources In mid-April 2014, the primary author searched five electronic, scientific literature databases for conceptual frameworks applicable to study isolation precautions, without limiting searches by publication date. Implications for Nursing By reviewing promising conceptual frameworks to support isolation precautions effectiveness research, this paper exemplifies the process to choose an appropriate conceptual framework for empirical research. Hence, researchers may build on these analyses to improve study design of empirical research in multiple disciplines, which may lead to improved research and practice. Conclusion Three frameworks were reviewed: the epidemiologic triad of disease, Donabedian’s healthcare quality framework and the Quality Health Outcomes model. Each has been used in nursing research to evaluate health outcomes and contains concepts relevant to nursing domains. Which framework can be most useful likely depends on whether the study question necessitates testing multiple interventions, concerns pathogen-specific characteristics and yields cross-sectional or longitudinal data. The Quality Health Outcomes model may be slightly preferred as it assumes reciprocal relationships, multi-level analysis and is sensitive to cultural inputs. PMID:26179813

The Contribution of Conceptual Frameworks to Knowledge Translation Interventions in Physical Therapy

PubMed Central

Gervais, Mathieu-Joël; Hunt, Matthew

2015-01-01

There is growing recognition of the importance of knowledge translation activities in physical therapy to ensure that research findings are integrated into clinical practice, and increasing numbers of knowledge translation interventions are being conducted. Although various frameworks have been developed to guide and facilitate the process of translating knowledge into practice, these tools have been infrequently used in physical therapy knowledge translation studies to date. Knowledge translation in physical therapy implicates multiple stakeholders and environments and involves numerous steps. In light of this complexity, the use of explicit conceptual frameworks by clinicians and researchers conducting knowledge translation interventions is associated with a range of potential benefits. This perspective article argues that such frameworks are important resources to promote the uptake of new evidence in physical therapist practice settings. Four key benefits associated with the use of conceptual frameworks in designing and implementing knowledge translation interventions are identified, and limits related to their use are considered. A sample of 5 conceptual frameworks is evaluated, and how they address common barriers to knowledge translation in physical therapy is assessed. The goal of this analysis is to provide guidance to physical therapists seeking to identify a framework to support the design and implementation of a knowledge translation intervention. Finally, the use of a conceptual framework is illustrated through a case example. Increased use of conceptual frameworks can have a positive impact on the field of knowledge translation in physical therapy and support the development and implementation of robust and effective knowledge translation interventions that help span the research-practice gap. PMID:25060959

The contribution of conceptual frameworks to knowledge translation interventions in physical therapy.

PubMed

Hudon, Anne; Gervais, Mathieu-Joël; Hunt, Matthew

2015-04-01

There is growing recognition of the importance of knowledge translation activities in physical therapy to ensure that research findings are integrated into clinical practice, and increasing numbers of knowledge translation interventions are being conducted. Although various frameworks have been developed to guide and facilitate the process of translating knowledge into practice, these tools have been infrequently used in physical therapy knowledge translation studies to date. Knowledge translation in physical therapy implicates multiple stakeholders and environments and involves numerous steps. In light of this complexity, the use of explicit conceptual frameworks by clinicians and researchers conducting knowledge translation interventions is associated with a range of potential benefits. This perspective article argues that such frameworks are important resources to promote the uptake of new evidence in physical therapist practice settings. Four key benefits associated with the use of conceptual frameworks in designing and implementing knowledge translation interventions are identified, and limits related to their use are considered. A sample of 5 conceptual frameworks is evaluated, and how they address common barriers to knowledge translation in physical therapy is assessed. The goal of this analysis is to provide guidance to physical therapists seeking to identify a framework to support the design and implementation of a knowledge translation intervention. Finally, the use of a conceptual framework is illustrated through a case example. Increased use of conceptual frameworks can have a positive impact on the field of knowledge translation in physical therapy and support the development and implementation of robust and effective knowledge translation interventions that help span the research-practice gap. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

A metasynthesis study of family caregivers' transition experiences caring for community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer at the end of life.

PubMed

Duggleby, Wendy; Tycholiz, Jamie; Holtslander, Lorraine; Hudson, Peter; Nekolaichuk, Cheryl; Mirhosseini, Mehrnoush; Parmar, Jasneet; Chambers, Thane; Alook, Angele; Swindle, Jennifer

2017-07-01

Family caregivers (broadly defined as family and friends) experience multiple concurrent transitions when caring for a person with advanced cancer. To (a) explore the transition experience of family caregivers caring for persons with advanced cancer living in the community, (b) describe potential triggers for transitions, (c) identify what influences this experience, and (d) develop a conceptual framework of their transition experience. Sandelowski and Barroso's methodology for synthesizing qualitative research included (a) a comprehensive search of empirical literature, (b) quality appraisal of qualitative studies, (c) classification of studies, and (d) synthesis of the findings. Literature was sourced from six electronic data bases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) published qualitative studies (and mixed-method designs) of the caregiving experience of family caregivers of community-living persons with advanced cancer at the end of life, (b) participants (caregivers and care recipients) of 18 years of age and above, (c) studies published in English in any country, and (d) studies published between 2004 and 2014. A total of 72 studies were included in the metasynthesis. Family caregivers experience a "life transition" whereby their lives are permanently altered. The participants described the process of redefining normal which consisted of coming to terms with their situation and connecting with others. Outcomes of these processes were as follows: (a) maintaining a sense of personhood, (b) reframing hope, (c) maintaining self-efficacy, (d) finding meaning, and (e) preparing for the death of their care recipient. The findings provide a framework to guide the development of supportive programs and future research.

A Conceptual and Measurement Framework to Guide Policy Development and Systems Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schalock, Robert L.; Verdugo, Miguel Angel

2012-01-01

The authors describe a conceptual and measurement framework that provides a template for guiding policy development and systems change. The framework is built on the concepts of vertical and horizontal alignment, system-level processes, and organization-level practices. Application of the framework can structure the thinking and analytic…

An empirically based conceptual framework for fostering meaningful patient engagement in research.

PubMed

Hamilton, Clayon B; Hoens, Alison M; Backman, Catherine L; McKinnon, Annette M; McQuitty, Shanon; English, Kelly; Li, Linda C

2018-02-01

Patient engagement in research (PEIR) is promoted to improve the relevance and quality of health research, but has little conceptualization derived from empirical data. To address this issue, we sought to develop an empirically based conceptual framework for meaningful PEIR founded on a patient perspective. We conducted a qualitative secondary analysis of in-depth interviews with 18 patient research partners from a research centre-affiliated patient advisory board. Data analysis involved three phases: identifying the themes, developing a framework and confirming the framework. We coded and organized the data, and abstracted, illustrated, described and explored the emergent themes using thematic analysis. Directed content analysis was conducted to derive concepts from 18 publications related to PEIR to supplement, confirm or refute, and extend the emergent conceptual framework. The framework was reviewed by four patient research partners on our research team. Participants' experiences of working with researchers were generally positive. Eight themes emerged: procedural requirements, convenience, contributions, support, team interaction, research environment, feel valued and benefits. These themes were interconnected and formed a conceptual framework to explain the phenomenon of meaningful PEIR from a patient perspective. This framework, the PEIR Framework, was endorsed by the patient research partners on our team. The PEIR Framework provides guidance on aspects of PEIR to address for meaningful PEIR. It could be particularly useful when patient-researcher partnerships are led by researchers with little experience of engaging patients in research. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring Conceptual Frameworks of Models of Atomic Structures and Periodic Variations, Chemical Bonding, and Molecular Shape and Polarity: A Comparison of Undergraduate General Chemistry Students with High and Low Levels of Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chia-Yu; Barrow, Lloyd H.

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore students' conceptual frameworks of models of atomic structure and periodic variations, chemical bonding, and molecular shape and polarity, and how these conceptual frameworks influence their quality of explanations and ability to shift among chemical representations. This study employed a purposeful sampling…

Patient-reported outcomes in insomnia: development of a conceptual framework and endpoint model.

PubMed

Kleinman, Leah; Buysse, Daniel J; Harding, Gale; Lichstein, Kenneth; Kalsekar, Anupama; Roth, Thomas

2013-01-01

This article describes qualitative research conducted with patients with clinical diagnoses of insomnia and focuses on the development of a conceptual framework and endpoint model that identifies a hierarchy and interrelationships of potential outcomes in insomnia research. Focus groups were convened to discuss how patients experience insomnia and to generate items for patient-reported questionnaires on insomnia and associated daytime consequences. Results for the focus group produced two conceptual frameworks: one for sleep and one for daytime impairment. Each conceptual framework consists of hypothesized domains and items in each domain based on patient language taken from the focus group. These item pools may ultimately serve as a basis to develop new questionnaires to assess insomnia.

Expertise, Task Complexity, and Artificial Intelligence: A Conceptual Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckland, Michael K.; Florian, Doris

1991-01-01

Examines the relationship between users' expertise, task complexity of information system use, and artificial intelligence to provide the basis for a conceptual framework for considering the role that artificial intelligence might play in information systems. Cognitive and conceptual models are discussed, and cost effectiveness is considered. (27…

[Development of a Conceptual Framework for the Assessment of Chronic Care in the Spanish National Health System].

PubMed

Espallargues, Mireia; Serra-Sutton, Vicky; Solans-Domènech, Maite; Torrente, Elena; Moharra, Montse; Benítez, Dolors; Robles, Noemí; Domíngo, Laia; Escarrabill Sanglas, Joan

2016-07-07

The aim was to develop a conceptual framework for the assessment of new healthcare initiatives on chronic diseases within the Spanish National Health System. A comprehensive literature review between 2002 and 2013, including systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and reports with evaluation frameworks and/or assessment of initiatives was carried out; integrated care initiatives established in Catalonia were studied and described; and semistructured interviews with key stakeholders were performed. The scope and conceptual framework were defined by using the brainstorming approach.Of 910 abstracts identified, a total of 116 studies were included. They referred to several conceptual frameworks and/or assessment indicators at a national and international level. An overall of 24 established chronic care initiatives were identified (9 integrated care initiatives); 10 in-depth interviews were carried out. The proposed conceptual framework envisages: 1)the target population according to complexity levels; 2)an evaluation approach of the structure, processes, and outcomes considering the health status achieved, the recovery process and the maintenance of health; and 3)the dimensions or attributes to be assessed. The proposed conceptual framework will be helpful has been useful to develop indicators and implement them with a community-based and result-oriented approach and a territorial or population-based perspective within the Spanish Health System. This will be essential to know which are the most effective strategies, what are the key elements that determine greater success and what are the groups of patients who can most benefit.

Revised Conceptual Framework of Parent-to-Parent Support for Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Modified Delphi Study.

PubMed

Henderson, Rebecca J; Johnson, Andrew M; Moodie, Sheila T

2016-06-01

A scoping review of the literature was conducted, resulting in the development of a conceptual framework of parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are Deaf or hard of hearing. This is the 2nd stage of a dual-stage scoping review. This study sought stakeholder opinion and feedback with an aim to achieve consensus on the constructs, components, and design of the initial conceptual framework. A modified electronic Delphi study was completed with 21 handpicked experts from 7 countries who have experience in provision, research, or experience in the area of parent-to-parent support. Participants completed an online questionnaire using an 11-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) and open-ended questions to answer various questions related to the descriptor terms, definitions, constructs, components, and overall design of the framework. Participant responses led to the revision of the original conceptual framework. The findings from this dual-stage scoping review and electronic Delphi study provide a conceptual framework that defines the vital contribution of parents in Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programs that will be a useful addition to these programs.

Analyzing prospective teachers' images of scientists using positive, negative and stereotypical images of scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramaniam, Karthigeyan; Esprívalo Harrell, Pamela; Wojnowski, David

2013-04-01

Background and purpose : This study details the use of a conceptual framework to analyze prospective teachers' images of scientists to reveal their context-specific conceptions of scientists. The conceptual framework consists of context-specific conceptions related to positive, stereotypical and negative images of scientists as detailed in the literature on the images, role and work of scientists. Sample, design and method : One hundred and ninety-six drawings of scientists, generated by prospective teachers, were analyzed using the Draw-A-Scientist-Test Checklist (DAST-C), a binary linear regression and the conceptual framework. Results : The results of the binary linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant difference for two DAST-C elements: ethnicity differences with regard to drawing a scientist who was Caucasian and gender differences for indications of danger. Analysis using the conceptual framework helped to categorize the same drawings into positive, stereotypical, negative and composite images of a scientist. Conclusions : The conceptual framework revealed that drawings were focused on the physical appearance of the scientist, and to a lesser extent on the equipment, location and science-related practices that provided the context of a scientist's role and work. Implications for teacher educators include the need to understand that there is a need to provide tools, like the conceptual framework used in this study, to help prospective teachers to confront and engage with their multidimensional perspectives of scientists in light of the current trends on perceiving and valuing scientists. In addition, teacher educators need to use the conceptual framework, which yields qualitative perspectives about drawings, together with the DAST-C, which yields quantitative measure for drawings, to help prospective teachers to gain a holistic outlook on their drawings of scientists.

E-learning process maturity level: a conceptual framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmah, A.; Santoso, H. B.; Hasibuan, Z. A.

2018-03-01

ICT advancement is a sure thing with the impact influencing many domains, including learning in both formal and informal situations. It leads to a new mindset that we should not only utilize the given ICT to support the learning process, but also improve it gradually involving a lot of factors. These phenomenon is called e-learning process evolution. Accordingly, this study attempts to explore maturity level concept to provide the improvement direction gradually and progression monitoring for the individual e-learning process. Extensive literature review, observation, and forming constructs are conducted to develop a conceptual framework for e-learning process maturity level. The conceptual framework consists of learner, e-learning process, continuous improvement, evolution of e-learning process, technology, and learning objectives. Whilst, evolution of e-learning process depicted as current versus expected conditions of e-learning process maturity level. The study concludes that from the e-learning process maturity level conceptual framework, it may guide the evolution roadmap for e-learning process, accelerate the evolution, and decrease the negative impact of ICT. The conceptual framework will be verified and tested in the future study.

Conceptual Frameworks in Didactics--Learning and Teaching: Trends, Evolutions and Comparative Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ligozat, Florence; Almqvist, Jonas

2018-01-01

This special issue of the "European Educational Research Journal" presents a series of research papers reflecting the trends and evolutions in conceptual frameworks that took place within the EERA 27 "Didactics--Learning and Teaching" network during its first ten years of existence. Most conceptual tools used in this field were…

Conceptualization of Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge with Academic Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasan, Md. Kamrul; Shabdin, Ahmad Affendi

2016-01-01

The present study embodies a conceptual framework, and it studies the concept regarding the depth of vocabulary knowledge. Literature review is employed as a foundation for developing the conceptual framework for the present study. The current study suggests that different dimensions of depth of vocabulary knowledge, namely paradigmatic relations,…

Recommendations for Replication Research in Special Education: A Framework of Systematic, Conceptual Replications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Michael D.; Cook, Bryan G.; Therrien, William J.

2016-01-01

Special education researchers conduct studies that can be considered replications. However, they do not often refer to them as replication studies. The purpose of this article is to consider the potential benefits of conceptualizing special education intervention research within a framework of systematic, conceptual replication. Specifically, we…

Conceptualizing the Science Curriculum: 40 Years of Developing Assessment Frameworks in Three Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kind, Per Morten

2013-01-01

The paper analyzes conceptualizations in the science frameworks in three large-scale assessments, Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The assessments have a shared history, but have developed different conceptualizations. The…

Guidance for Organisational Strategy on Knowledge to Action from Conceptual Frameworks and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Cameron; Riley, Barbara; Lewis, Mary; Stockton, Lisa; Yessis, Jennifer

2017-01-01

This paper aims to provide public health organisations involved in chronic disease prevention with conceptual and practical guidance for developing contextually sensitive knowledge-to-action (KTA) strategies. Methods involve an analysis of 13 relevant conceptual KTA frameworks, and a review of three case examples of organisations with active KTA…

Along the way to developing a theory of the program: a re-examination of the conceptual framework as an organizing strategy.

PubMed

Helitzer, Deborah L; Sussman, Andrew L; Hoffman, Richard M; Getrich, Christina M; Warner, Teddy D; Rhyne, Robert L

2014-08-01

Conceptual frameworks (CF) have historically been used to develop program theory. We re-examine the literature about the role of CF in this context, specifically how they can be used to create descriptive and prescriptive theories, as building blocks for a program theory. Using a case example of colorectal cancer screening intervention development, we describe the process of developing our initial CF, the methods used to explore the constructs in the framework and revise the framework for intervention development. We present seven steps that guided the development of our CF: (1) assemble the "right" research team, (2) incorporate existing literature into the emerging CF, (3) construct the conceptual framework, (4) diagram the framework, (5) operationalize the framework: develop the research design and measures, (6) conduct the research, and (7) revise the framework. A revised conceptual framework depicted more complicated inter-relationships of the different predisposing, enabling, reinforcing, and system-based factors. The updated framework led us to generate program theory and serves as the basis for designing future intervention studies and outcome evaluations. A CF can build a foundation for program theory. We provide a set of concrete steps and lessons learned to assist practitioners in developing a CF. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intercultural Historical Learning: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordgren, Kenneth; Johansson, Maria

2015-01-01

This paper outlines a conceptual framework in order to systematically discuss the meaning of intercultural learning in history education and how it could be advanced. We do so by bringing together theories of historical consciousness, intercultural competence and postcolonial thinking. By combining these theories into one framework, we identify…

A Conceptual Framework for Evolving, Recommender Online Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peiris, K. Dharini Amitha; Gallupe, R. Brent

2012-01-01

A comprehensive conceptual framework is developed and described for evolving recommender-driven online learning systems (ROLS). This framework describes how such systems can support students, course authors, course instructors, systems administrators, and policy makers in developing and using these ROLS. The design science information systems…

A Conceptual Framework for Primary Source Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensminger, David C.; Fry, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

This article introduces a descriptive conceptual framework to provide teachers with a means of recognizing and describing instructional activities that use primary sources. The framework provides structure for professional development programs that have been established to train teachers to access and integrate primary sources into lessons. The…

A Framework for Concept-Based Digital Course Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dicheva, Darina; Dichev, Christo

2004-01-01

This article presents a general framework for building conceptbased digital course libraries. The framework is based on the idea of using a conceptual structure that represents a subject domain ontology for classification of the course library content. Two aspects, domain conceptualization, which supports findability and ontologies, which support…

Graduate Employability: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Employers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Yuzhuo

2013-01-01

This study provides a conceptual framework for understanding what employers think about the value of graduates with similar educational credentials in the workplace (their employability), using insights from the new institutionalism. In this framework, the development of employers' beliefs about graduates' employability is broken into a number of…

Intergenerational Practice: Contributing to a Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vieira, Sacha; Sousa, Liliana

2016-01-01

The ageing of the European population is creating a new demographic mix, increasing the relevance of intergenerational practice (IGP). To date, however, this field lacks an appropriate conceptual framework. This study aims to contribute to such a framework through an integrative review of peer-reviewed papers reporting on IGPs. Fifteen papers were…

Organizational Learning and Innovation Performance: A Review of the Literature and the Development of a Conceptual Framework and Research Hypotheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yu-Lin; Ellinger, Andrea D.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework and research hypotheses based upon a thorough review of the conceptual and limited published empirical research in the organizational learning and innovation performance literatures. Hypotheses indicate the relationships between organizational learning, its antecedent, perception of…

Variables to Consider in Planning Research for Effective Instruction: A Conceptual Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uprichard, A. Edward

In this paper the belief is stated that researchers need to develop some type of conceptual frame for improving continuity of studies and specificity of treatment. This paper describes such a conceptual frame and its implications for research. The paper states that the framework was designed to help researchers identify, classify, and/or quantify…

Conceptualizing Debates in Learning and Educational Research: Toward a Complex Systems Conceptual Framework of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Michael J.; Kapur, Manu; Reimann, Peter

2016-01-01

This article proposes a conceptual framework of learning based on perspectives and methodologies being employed in the study of complex physical and social systems to inform educational research. We argue that the contexts in which learning occurs are complex systems with elements or agents at different levels--including neuronal, cognitive,…

A Conceptual Framework for the Indirect Method of Reporting Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Ting J.

2010-01-01

This paper describes the fundamental concept of the reconciliation behind the indirect method of the statement of cash flows. A conceptual framework is presented to demonstrate how accrual and cash-basis accounting methods relate to each other and to illustrate the concept of reconciling these two accounting methods. The conceptual framework…

The TRIO Framework: Conceptual insights into family caregiver involvement and influence throughout cancer treatment decision-making.

PubMed

Laidsaar-Powell, Rebekah; Butow, Phyllis; Charles, Cathy; Gafni, Amiram; Entwistle, Vikki; Epstein, Ronald; Juraskova, Ilona

2017-11-01

Family caregivers are regularly involved in cancer consultations and treatment decision-making (DM). Yet there is limited conceptual description of caregiver influence/involvement in DM. To address this, an empirically-grounded conceptual framework of triadic DM (TRIO Framework) and corresponding graphical aid (TRIO Triangle) were developed. Jabareen's model for conceptual framework development informed multiple phases of development/validation, incorporation of empirical research and theory, and iterative revisions by an expert advisory group. Findings coalesced into six empirically-grounded conceptual insights: i) Caregiver influence over a decision is variable amongst different groups; ii) Caregiver influence is variable within the one triad over time; iii) Caregivers are involved in various ways in the wider DM process; iv) DM is not only amongst three, but can occur among wider social networks; v) Many factors may affect the form and extent of caregiver involvement in DM; vi) Caregiver influence over, and involvement in, DM is linked to their everyday involvement in illness care/management. The TRIO Framework/Triangle may serve as a useful guide for future empirical, ethical and/or theoretical work. This Framework can deepen clinicians's and researcher's understanding of the diverse and varying scope of caregiver involvement and influence in DM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The conceptual framework and assessment methodology for the systematic reviews of community-based interventions for the prevention and control of infectious diseases of poverty.

PubMed

Lassi, Zohra S; Salam, Rehana A; Das, Jai K; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2014-01-01

This paper describes the conceptual framework and the methodology used to guide the systematic reviews of community-based interventions (CBIs) for the prevention and control of infectious diseases of poverty (IDoP). We adapted the conceptual framework from the 3ie work on the 'Community-Based Intervention Packages for Preventing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality and Improving Neonatal Outcomes' to aid in the analyzing of the existing CBIs for IDoP. The conceptual framework revolves around objectives, inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes, and impacts showing the theoretical linkages between the delivery of the interventions targeting these diseases through various community delivery platforms and the consequent health impacts. We also describe the methodology undertaken to conduct the systematic reviews and the meta-analyses.

EUReKA! A Conceptual Model of Emotion Understanding

PubMed Central

Castro, Vanessa L.; Cheng, Yanhua; Halberstadt, Amy G.; Grühn, Daniel

2015-01-01

The field of emotion understanding is replete with measures, yet lacks an integrated conceptual organizing structure. To identify and organize skills associated with the recognition and knowledge of emotions, and to highlight the focus of emotion understanding as localized in the self, in specific others, and in generalized others, we introduce the conceptual framework of Emotion Understanding in Recognition and Knowledge Abilities (EUReKA). We then categorize fifty-six existing methods of emotion understanding within this framework to highlight current gaps and future opportunities in assessing emotion understanding across the lifespan. We hope the EUReKA model provides a systematic and integrated framework for conceptualizing and measuring emotion understanding for future research. PMID:27594904

School Culture and Teenage Substance Use: A Conceptual and Operational Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Wolfgang A.

2015-01-01

This paper outlines a conceptual and operational framework for understanding the relationships between school culture and teenage substance use (smoking, drinking and illicit drug use). The framework draws upon Bernstein's theory of cultural transmission, a theory of health promoting schools and a frame for understanding the effects of place on…

Developing and Implementing a Framework of Participatory Simulation for Mobile Learning Using Scaffolding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Chengjiu; Song, Yanjie; Tabata, Yoshiyuki; Ogata, Hiroaki; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2013-01-01

This paper proposes a conceptual framework, scaffolding participatory simulation for mobile learning (SPSML), used on mobile devices for helping students learn conceptual knowledge in the classroom. As the pedagogical design, the framework adopts an experiential learning model, which consists of five sequential but cyclic steps: the initial stage,…

Upward Transfer in STEM Fields of Study: A New Conceptual Framework and Survey Instrument for Institutional Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xueli

2016-01-01

This chapter describes a new conceptual framework that informs research on factors influencing transfer in STEM fields of study from 2-year to 4-year institutions, presents a new survey instrument based on the framework, and offers directions for future research in this area.

Equitable Access by Design. A Conceptual Framework for Integrated Student Supports within Linked Learning Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Velasco, Jorge Ruiz; Newman, Elizabeth; Borsato, Graciela

2016-01-01

This report proposes a conceptual framework for defining and implementing a system of integrated student supports that provides equitable access to college and career readiness via Linked Learning pathways in high schools. The framework emphasizes the central commitment of the Linked Learning approach to challenge prevailing norms of…

Towards a Novel Conceptual Framework for Understanding Mergers in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Yuzhuo; Pinheiro, Rómulo; Geschwind, Lars; Aarrevaara, Timo

2016-01-01

This paper tries to develop a conceptual framework for a comprehensive understanding of the merger process, which is regarded as a matter of institutionalization of organizational innovation. In the framework, a number of factors affecting merger process or institutionalization of merger are identified, such as those related to environmental…

Building a Framework for Engineering Design Experiences in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denson, Cameron D.; Lammi, Matthew

2014-01-01

In this article, Denson and Lammi put forth a conceptual framework that will help promote the successful infusion of engineering design experiences into high school settings. When considering a conceptual framework of engineering design in high school settings, it is important to consider the complex issue at hand. For the purposes of this…

Synthesizing Middle Grades Research on Cultural Responsiveness: The Importance of a Shared Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Brianna L.; Brinegar, Kathleen; Hurd, Ellis; Harrison, Lisa

2016-01-01

In conducting a literature review of 133 articles on cultural responsiveness in middle level education, we identified a lack of shared definitions, theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and foci, which made it difficult to synthesize across articles. Using a conceptual framework that required: a) clear definitions of terms; b) a…

Safe, Positive and Queering Moments in Teaching Education and Schooling: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Tara; Russell, Vanessa; Daley, Andrea

2007-01-01

This article introduces a conceptual framework for thinking about the development of anti-homophobia education in teacher education and schooling contexts. We bring the safe, positive, and queering moments framework to bear on three distinct anti-homophobia education practices: coming out stories, homophobic name-calling analysis, and Pride Week…

Toward Global Comparability of Sexual Orientation Data in Official Statistics: A Conceptual Framework of Sexual Orientation for Health Data Collection in New Zealand's Official Statistics System

PubMed Central

Gray, Alistair; Veale, Jaimie F.; Binson, Diane; Sell, Randell L.

2013-01-01

Objective. Effectively addressing health disparities experienced by sexual minority populations requires high-quality official data on sexual orientation. We developed a conceptual framework of sexual orientation to improve the quality of sexual orientation data in New Zealand's Official Statistics System. Methods. We reviewed conceptual and methodological literature, culminating in a draft framework. To improve the framework, we held focus groups and key-informant interviews with sexual minority stakeholders and producers and consumers of official statistics. An advisory board of experts provided additional guidance. Results. The framework proposes working definitions of the sexual orientation topic and measurement concepts, describes dimensions of the measurement concepts, discusses variables framing the measurement concepts, and outlines conceptual grey areas. Conclusion. The framework proposes standard definitions and concepts for the collection of official sexual orientation data in New Zealand. It presents a model for producers of official statistics in other countries, who wish to improve the quality of health data on their citizens. PMID:23840231

Social exclusion of older persons: a scoping review and conceptual framework.

PubMed

Walsh, Kieran; Scharf, Thomas; Keating, Norah

2017-03-01

As a concept, social exclusion has considerable potential to explain and respond to disadvantage in later life. However, in the context of ageing populations, the construct remains ambiguous. A disjointed evidence-base, spread across disparate disciplines, compounds the challenge of developing a coherent understanding of exclusion in older age. This article addresses this research deficit by presenting the findings of a two-stage scoping review encompassing seven separate reviews of the international literature pertaining to old-age social exclusion. Stage one involved a review of conceptual frameworks on old-age exclusion, identifying conceptual understandings and key domains of later-life exclusion. Stage two involved scoping reviews on each domain (six in all). Stage one identified six conceptual frameworks on old-age exclusion and six common domains across these frameworks: neighbourhood and community; services, amenities and mobility; social relations; material and financial resources; socio-cultural aspects; and civic participation. International literature concentrated on the first four domains, but indicated a general lack of research knowledge and of theoretical development. Drawing on all seven scoping reviews and a knowledge synthesis, the article presents a new definition and conceptual framework relating to old-age exclusion.

Governing the quality and safety of healthcare: A conceptual framework.

PubMed

Brown, Alison; Dickinson, Helen; Kelaher, Margaret

2018-04-01

Recent research has advanced understanding of corporate governance of healthcare quality, highlighting the need for future empirical work to develop beyond a focus on board composition to a more detailed exploration of the internal workings of governance that influence board engagement and activities. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to guide empirical research examining the work of board and senior management in governing healthcare quality. To generate this framework, existing conceptual approaches and key constructs influencing effectiveness are identified in the governance literature. Commonalities between governance and team effectiveness literature are mapped and suggest a number of key constructs in the team effectiveness literature are applicable to, but not yet fully explored, within the governance literature. From these we develop a healthcare governance conceptual framework encompassing both literatures, that outlines input and mediating factors influencing governance. The mapping process highlights gaps in research related to board dynamics and external influences that require further investigation. Organizing the multiple complex factors that influence governance of healthcare quality in a conceptual framework brings a new perspective to structuring theory-led research and informing future policy initiatives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of a Conceptual Framework and Tools to Assess Undergraduates' Principled Use of Models in Cellular Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Gail; Merritt, Brett; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Parker, Joyce

2010-01-01

Recent science education reform has been marked by a shift away from a focus on facts toward deep, rich, conceptual understanding. This requires assessment that also focuses on conceptual understanding rather than recall of facts. This study outlines our development of a new assessment framework and tool--a taxonomy--which, unlike existing…

Clarifying the Conceptualization, Dimensionality, and Structure of Emotion: Response to Barrett and Colleagues

PubMed Central

Cowen, Alan S.; Keltner, Dacher

2018-01-01

We present a mathematically based framework distinguishing the dimensionality, structure, and conceptualization of emotion-related responses. Our recent findings indicate that reported emotional experience is highdimensional, involves gradients between categories traditionally thought of as discrete (e.g., ‘fear’, ‘disgust’), and cannot be reduced to widely used domain-general scales (valence, arousal, etc.). In light of our conceptual framework and findings, we address potential methodological and conceptual confusions in Barrett and colleagues’ commentary on our work. PMID:29477775

Understanding integrated care: a comprehensive conceptual framework based on the integrative functions of primary care

PubMed Central

Valentijn, Pim P.; Schepman, Sanneke M.; Opheij, Wilfrid; Bruijnzeels, Marc A.

2013-01-01

Introduction Primary care has a central role in integrating care within a health system. However, conceptual ambiguity regarding integrated care hampers a systematic understanding. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that combines the concepts of primary care and integrated care, in order to understand the complexity of integrated care. Methods The search method involved a combination of electronic database searches, hand searches of reference lists (snowball method) and contacting researchers in the field. The process of synthesizing the literature was iterative, to relate the concepts of primary care and integrated care. First, we identified the general principles of primary care and integrated care. Second, we connected the dimensions of integrated care and the principles of primary care. Finally, to improve content validity we held several meetings with researchers in the field to develop and refine our conceptual framework. Results The conceptual framework combines the functions of primary care with the dimensions of integrated care. Person-focused and population-based care serve as guiding principles for achieving integration across the care continuum. Integration plays complementary roles on the micro (clinical integration), meso (professional and organisational integration) and macro (system integration) level. Functional and normative integration ensure connectivity between the levels. Discussion The presented conceptual framework is a first step to achieve a better understanding of the inter-relationships among the dimensions of integrated care from a primary care perspective. PMID:23687482

Understanding integrated care: a comprehensive conceptual framework based on the integrative functions of primary care.

PubMed

Valentijn, Pim P; Schepman, Sanneke M; Opheij, Wilfrid; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

2013-01-01

Primary care has a central role in integrating care within a health system. However, conceptual ambiguity regarding integrated care hampers a systematic understanding. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that combines the concepts of primary care and integrated care, in order to understand the complexity of integrated care. The search method involved a combination of electronic database searches, hand searches of reference lists (snowball method) and contacting researchers in the field. The process of synthesizing the literature was iterative, to relate the concepts of primary care and integrated care. First, we identified the general principles of primary care and integrated care. Second, we connected the dimensions of integrated care and the principles of primary care. Finally, to improve content validity we held several meetings with researchers in the field to develop and refine our conceptual framework. The conceptual framework combines the functions of primary care with the dimensions of integrated care. Person-focused and population-based care serve as guiding principles for achieving integration across the care continuum. Integration plays complementary roles on the micro (clinical integration), meso (professional and organisational integration) and macro (system integration) level. Functional and normative integration ensure connectivity between the levels. The presented conceptual framework is a first step to achieve a better understanding of the inter-relationships among the dimensions of integrated care from a primary care perspective.

Evaluating the Impact of Educational Interventions on Patients and Communities: A Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Bzowyckyj, Andrew S; Dow, Alan; Knab, Mary S

2017-11-01

Health professions education programs can have direct effects on patients and communities as well as on learners. However, few studies have examined the patient and community outcomes of educational interventions. To better integrate education and health care delivery, educators and researchers would benefit from a unifying framework to guide the planning of educational interventions and evaluation of their impact on patients.The authors of this Perspective mirrored approaches from Miller's pyramid of educational assessment and Moore and colleagues' framework for evaluating continuing professional development to propose a conceptual framework for evaluating the impact of educational interventions on patients and communities. This proposed framework, which complements these existing frameworks for evaluating the impact of educational interventions on learners, includes four levels: (1) interaction; (2) acceptability; (3) individual outcomes (i.e., knowledge, skills, activation, behaviors, and individual health indicators); and (4) population outcomes (i.e., community health indicators, capacity, and disparities). The authors describe measures and outcomes at each level and provide an example of the application of their new conceptual framework.The authors encourage educators and researchers to use this conceptual framework to evaluate the impact of educational interventions on patients and to more clearly identify and define which educational interventions strengthen communities and enhance overall health outcomes.

Re-imagining occupational therapy clients as communities: Presenting the community-centred practice framework.

PubMed

Hyett, Nerida; Kenny, Amanda; Dickson-Swift, Virginia

2018-01-09

Occupational therapists' are increasingly working with communities and providing services at the community level. There is, however, a lack of conceptual frameworks to guide this work. The aim of this article is to present a new conceptual framework for community-centered practice in occupational therapy. The conceptual framework was developed from qualitative multi-case research on exemplars of community participation. The first was, a network of Canadian food security programs, and the second, a rural Australian community banking initiative. Key themes were identified from across the case studies, and cross-case findings interpreted using occupational therapy and occupational science knowledge, and relevant social theory. The outcome is a four-stage, occupation-focused, community-centered practice framework. The Community-Centred Practice Framework can be used by occupational therapists to understand and apply a community-centered practice approach. The four stages are: (1) Community Identity, (2) Community Occupations, (3) Community Resources and Barriers, and (4) Participation Enablement. Further research is needed to trial and critically evaluate the framework, to assess its usefulness as a robust, occupation-focused, frame of reference to guide community-centered practice in occupational therapy. The proposed framework should assist occupational therapists to conceptualize community-centered practice, and to utilize and apply theory.

Fit for purpose? Validation of a conceptual framework for personal recovery with current mental health consumers.

PubMed

Bird, Victoria; Leamy, Mary; Tew, Jerry; Le Boutillier, Clair; Williams, Julie; Slade, Mike

2014-07-01

Mental health services in the UK, Australia and other Anglophone countries have moved towards supporting personal recovery as a primary orientation. To provide an empirically grounded foundation to identify and evaluate recovery-oriented interventions, we previously published a conceptual framework of personal recovery based on a systematic review and narrative synthesis of existing models. Our objective was to test the validity and relevance of this framework for people currently using mental health services. Seven focus groups were conducted with 48 current mental health consumers in three NHS trusts across England, as part of the REFOCUS Trial. Consumers were asked about the meaning and their experience of personal recovery. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis applying a constant comparison approach was used to analyse the data. The analysis aimed to explore the validity of the categories within the conceptual framework, and to highlight any areas of difference between the conceptual framework and the themes generated from new data collected from the focus groups. Both the inductive and deductive analysis broadly validated the conceptual framework, with the super-ordinate categories Connectedness, Hope and optimism, Identity, Meaning and purpose, and Empowerment (CHIME) evident in the analysis. Three areas of difference were, however, apparent in the inductive analysis. These included practical support; a greater emphasis on issues around diagnosis and medication; and scepticism surrounding recovery. This study suggests that the conceptual framework of personal recovery provides a defensible theoretical base for clinical and research purposes which is valid for use with current consumers. However, the three areas of difference further stress the individual nature of recovery and the need for an understanding of the population and context under investigation. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.

Virtue ethics, positive psychology, and a new model of science and engineering ethics education.

PubMed

Han, Hyemin

2015-04-01

This essay develops a new conceptual framework of science and engineering ethics education based on virtue ethics and positive psychology. Virtue ethicists and positive psychologists have argued that current rule-based moral philosophy, psychology, and education cannot effectively promote students' moral motivation for actual moral behavior and may even lead to negative outcomes, such as moral schizophrenia. They have suggested that their own theoretical framework of virtue ethics and positive psychology can contribute to the effective promotion of motivation for self-improvement by connecting the notion of morality and eudaimonic happiness. Thus this essay attempts to apply virtue ethics and positive psychology to science and engineering ethics education and to develop a new conceptual framework for more effective education. In addition to the conceptual-level work, this essay suggests two possible educational methods: moral modeling and involvement in actual moral activity in science and engineering ethics classes, based on the conceptual framework.

Extended evolution: A conceptual framework for integrating regulatory networks and niche construction

PubMed Central

Renn, Jürgen

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT This paper introduces a conceptual framework for the evolution of complex systems based on the integration of regulatory network and niche construction theories. It is designed to apply equally to cases of biological, social and cultural evolution. Within the conceptual framework we focus especially on the transformation of complex networks through the linked processes of externalization and internalization of causal factors between regulatory networks and their corresponding niches and argue that these are an important part of evolutionary explanations. This conceptual framework extends previous evolutionary models and focuses on several challenges, such as the path‐dependent nature of evolutionary change, the dynamics of evolutionary innovation and the expansion of inheritance systems. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 324B: 565–577, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26097188

Learning in Physics by Doing Laboratory Work: Towards a New Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danielsson, Anna Teresia; Linder, Cedric

2009-01-01

Drawing on a study that explores university students' experiences of doing laboratory work in physics, this article outlines a proposed conceptual framework for extending the exploration of the gendered experience of learning. In this framework situated cognition and post-structural gender theory are merged together. By drawing on data that aim at…

How to Deal with Emotional Abuse and Neglect--Further Development of a Conceptual Framework (FRAMEA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glaser, Danya

2011-01-01

Objective: To develop further the understanding of emotional abuse and neglect. Methods: Building on previous work, this paper describes the further development of a conceptual framework for the recognition and management of emotional abuse and neglect. Training in this framework is currently being evaluated. The paper also briefly reviews more…

A Conceptual Framework of Corporate and Business Ethics across Organizations: Structures, Processes and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svensson, Goran; Wood, Greg

2011-01-01

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to introduce and describe a conceptual framework of corporate and business ethics across organizations in terms of ethical structures, ethical processes and ethical performance. Design/methodology/approach: A framework is outlined and positioned incorporating an ethical frame of reference in the field of…

A Strategic Approach to Curriculum Design for Information Literacy in Teacher Education--Implementing an Information Literacy Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klebansky, Anna; Fraser, Sharon P.

2013-01-01

This paper details a conceptual framework that situates curriculum design for information literacy and lifelong learning, through a cohesive developmental information literacy based model for learning, at the core of teacher education courses at UTAS. The implementation of the framework facilitates curriculum design that systematically,…

A Conceptual Framework for Exploring the Role of Studies Abroad in Nurturing Global Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarrant, Michael Andrew

2010-01-01

A conceptual framework, adapted from the Value-Belief-Norm theory, is proposed for understanding the role of studying abroad in nurturing global citizenship. The framework is oriented in concepts of justice, the environment, and civic obligations as key issues in the predictive validity of values, beliefs, and norms. The VBN approach is then…

Teachers' Knowing How to Use Technology: Exploring a Conceptual Framework for Purposeful Learning Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Tony; Denning, Tim; Higgins, Chris; Loveless, Avril

2012-01-01

This article describes a project to apply and validate a conceptual framework of clusters of purposeful learning activity involving ICT tools. The framework, which is based in a socio-cultural perspective, is described as "DECK", and comprises the following major categories of the use of digital technologies to support learning:…

A Conceptual Framework for Error Remediation with Multiple External Representations Applied to Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Maici Duarte; Marczal, Diego; Pimentel, Andrey Ricardo; Direne, Alexandre Ibrahim

2014-01-01

This paper presents the application of some concepts of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to elaborate a conceptual framework that uses the remediation of errors with Multiple External Representations (MERs) in Learning Objects (LO). To this is demonstrated a development of LO for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem through this framework. This…

Teaching for clinical reasoning - helping students make the conceptual links.

PubMed

McMillan, Wendy Jayne

2010-01-01

Dental educators complain that students struggle to apply what they have learnt theoretically in the clinical context. This paper is premised on the assumption that there is a relationship between conceptual thinking and clinical reasoning. The paper provides a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between conceptual learning and clinical reasoning. A review of current literature is used to explain the way in which conceptual understanding influences clinical reasoning and the transfer of theoretical understandings to the clinical context. The paper argues that the connections made between concepts are what is significant about conceptual understanding. From this point of departure the paper describes teaching strategies that facilitate the kinds of learning opportunities that students need in order to develop conceptual understanding and to be able to transfer knowledge from theoretical to clinical contexts. Along with a variety of teaching strategies, the value of concept maps is discussed. The paper provides a framework for understanding the difficulties that students have in developing conceptual networks appropriate for later clinical reasoning. In explaining how students learn for clinical application, the paper provides a theoretical framework that can inform how dental educators facilitate the conceptual learning, and later clinical reasoning, of their students.

A conceptual framework to facilitate the mental health of student nurses working with persons with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

van Rensburg, Elsie S Janse; Poggenpoel, Marie; Myburgh, Chris

2015-11-25

Student nurses (SNs) experience emotional discomfort during placement in the clinical psychiatric learning environment. This may negatively influence their mental health. Limited support is available to assist both SNs working with persons with intellectual disabilities and nurse educators during clinical accompaniment. This article aims to discuss the generation of this framework to enhance student support. A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, contextual design was utilised to develop the framework by applying four steps. In step 1 concept analysis identified the central concept through field work. Data were collected from 13 SNs purposively selected from a specific higher educational institution in Gauteng through two focus group interviews, reflective journals, a reflective letter, naïve sketches, drawings and field notes and analysed with thematic coding. The central concept was identified from the results, supported by a literature review and defined by essential attributes. The central concept was classified through a survey list and demonstrated in a model case. In step 2 the central concepts were placed into relationships with each other. The conceptual framework was described and evaluated in step 3 and guidelines for implementation were described in step 4. The focus of this article will be on generating the conceptual framework. The central concept was 'the facilitation of engagement on a deeper emotional level of SNs'. The conceptual framework was described and evaluated. The conceptual framework can enhance the educational practices of nurse educators and can SN's practices of care for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Specification and Preliminary Validation of IAT (Integrated Analysis Techniques) Methods: Executive Summary.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-03-01

conceptual framwork , and preliminary validation of IAT concepts. Planned work for FY85, including more extensive validation, is also described. 20...Developments: Required Capabilities .... ......... 10 2-1 IAT Conceptual Framework - FY85 (FEO) ..... ........... 11 2-2 Recursive Nature of Decomposition...approach: 1) Identify needs & requirements for IAT. 2) Develop IAT conceptual framework. 3) Validate IAT methods. 4) Develop applications materials. To

Analysis of Physical Science Textbooks for Conceptual Frameworks on Acids, Bases and Neutralization: Implications for Students' Conceptual Understanding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erduran, Sibel

Eight physical science textbooks were analyzed for coverage on acids, bases, and neutralization. At the level of the text, clarity and coherence of statements were investigated. The conceptual framework for this topic was represented in a concept map which was used as a coding tool for tracing concepts and links present in textbooks. Cognitive…

Conceptual frameworks, geomorphic interpretation and storytelling: Tales from Lockyer Creek , Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croke, Jacky; Phillips, Jonathan; Van Dyke, Chris

2017-04-01

Earth science knowledge and insight begins with case studies, and theories should be derived from and ultimately evaluated against empirical, case study evidence. However, isolated case studies not linked conceptually to other locations or embedded within a broader framework are often of limited use beyond the study site. Geomorphic evidence and phenomena may be interpreted using a variety of conceptual frameworks (theories, models, laws, methodologies, etc.). The evidence may be, or at least appear to be, consistent with multiple frameworks, even when those constructs are derived from entirely different assumptions or frames of reference. Thus different interpretations and stories can be derived from the same evidence. Our purpose here is to illustrate this phenomenon via a case study from Lockyer Creek, southeast Queensland, Australia. Lockyer Creek is fast becoming one of Australia's most studied catchments with a wealth of data emerging following two extreme flood events in 2011 and 2013. Whilst the initial objective of the Big Flood project was to provide information on the frequency and magnitude of these extreme events, in essence the project revealed a rich 'story' of river evolution and adjustment which at first glance did not appear to 'fit' many established conceptual frameworks and theories. This presentation tells the tale of Lockyer Creek as it relates to selected key conceptual frameworks and importantly how this information can then be used for more effective catchment and flood management.

Conceptual framework and trend analysis of water-level responses to hydrologic stresses, Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley groundwater basin, Nevada, 1966-2016

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, Tracie R.; Fenelon, Joseph M.

2018-05-31

This report identifies water-level trends in wells and provides a conceptual framework that explains the hydrologic stresses and factors causing the trends in the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley (PMOV) groundwater basin, southern Nevada. Water levels in 79 wells were analyzed for trends between 1966 and 2016. The magnitude and duration of water-level responses to hydrologic stresses were analyzed graphically, statistically, and with water-level models.The conceptual framework consists of multiple stress-specific conceptual models to explain water-level responses to the following hydrologic stresses: recharge, evapotranspiration, pumping, nuclear testing, and wellbore equilibration. Dominant hydrologic stresses affecting water-level trends in each well were used to categorize trends as nonstatic, transient, or steady state.The conceptual framework of water-level responses to hydrologic stresses and trend analyses provide a comprehensive understanding of the PMOV basin and vicinity. The trend analysis links water-level fluctuations in wells to hydrologic stresses and potential factors causing the trends. Transient and steady-state trend categorizations can be used to determine the appropriate water-level data for groundwater studies.

High-speed surface transportation corridor : a conceptual framework, final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-08

Efficient transportation is indispensable for economic growth and prosperity. In this study we propose the development of a high-speed surface corridor and compatible vehicles. We present a conceptual framework for this corridor and vehicle. This pro...

The Frontier Framework (and its eight Frontier Archetypes): A new conceptual approach to representing staff and patient well-being in health systems.

PubMed

Baines, Darrin L

2018-05-04

This paper proposes a new conceptual framework for jointly analysing the production of staff and patient welfare in health systems. Research to date has identified a direct link between staff and patient well-being. However, until now, no one has produced a unified framework for analysing them concurrently. In response, this paper introduces the "Frontier Framework". The new conceptual framework is applicable to all health systems regardless of their structure or financing. To demonstrate the benefits of its use, an empirical example of the Frontier Framework is constructed using data from the UK's National Health Service. This paper also introduces eight "Frontier Archetypes", which represent common patterns of welfare generation observable in health organisations involved in programmes of change. These archetypes may be used in planning, monitoring or creating narratives about organisational journeys. Copyright © 2018 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A Conceptual Framework for Educational Design at Modular Level to Promote Transfer of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Botma, Yvonne; Van Rensburg, G. H.; Coetzee, I. M.; Heyns, T.

2015-01-01

Students bridge the theory-practice gap when they apply in practice what they have learned in class. A conceptual framework was developed that can serve as foundation to design for learning transfer at modular level. The framework is based on an adopted and adapted systemic model of transfer of learning, existing learning theories, constructive…

Exploring the Application of a Conceptual Framework in a Social MALL App

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Read, Timothy; Bárcena, Elena; Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes

2016-01-01

This article presents a prototype social Mobile Assisted Language Learning (henceforth, MALL) app based on Kukulska-Hulme's (2012) conceptual framework. This research allows the exploration of time, place and activity type as key factors in the design of MALL apps, and is the first step toward a systematic analysis of such a framework in this type…

Teaching Statistics with Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prodromou, Theodosia

2015-01-01

The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) conceptual framework for teaching mathematics, developed by Mishra and Koehler (2006), emphasises the importance of developing integrated and interdependent understanding of three primary forms of knowledge: technology, pedagogy, and content. The TPACK conceptual framework is based upon the…

An introduction to the multisystem model of knowledge integration and translation.

PubMed

Palmer, Debra; Kramlich, Debra

2011-01-01

Many nurse researchers have designed strategies to assist health care practitioners to move evidence into practice. While many have been identified as "models," most do not have a conceptual framework. They are unidirectional, complex, and difficult for novice research users to understand. These models have focused on empirical knowledge and ignored the importance of practitioners' tacit knowledge. The Communities of Practice conceptual framework allows for the integration of tacit and explicit knowledge into practice. This article describes the development of a new translation model, the Multisystem Model of Knowledge Integration and Translation, supported by the Communities of Practice conceptual framework.

Clarifying the Conceptualization, Dimensionality, and Structure of Emotion: Response to Barrett and Colleagues.

PubMed

Cowen, Alan S; Keltner, Dacher

2018-04-01

We present a mathematically based framework distinguishing the dimensionality, structure, and conceptualization of emotion-related responses. Our recent findings indicate that reported emotional experience is high-dimensional, involves gradients between categories traditionally thought of as discrete (e.g., 'fear', 'disgust'), and cannot be reduced to widely used domain-general scales (valence, arousal, etc.). In light of our conceptual framework and findings, we address potential methodological and conceptual confusions in Barrett and colleagues' commentary on our work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are deaf or hard of hearing: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Henderson, Rebecca J; Johnson, Andrew; Moodie, Sheila

2014-12-01

Parent-to-parent support for parents with children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) is identified as an important component of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs for children with hearing loss. The specific aim of this review was to identify the constructs and components of parent-to-parent support for parents of children who are D/HH. An extensive scoping literature review identified 39 peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to 2014. Studies were selected and reviewed based on standardized procedures. Data were identified, extracted, and organized into libraries of thematic and descriptive content. A conceptual framework of parent-to-parent support for parents of children who are D/HH was developed and presented in a comprehensive, bidirectional informational graphic. The constructs and components of the conceptual framework are (a) well-being: parent, family, and child; (b) knowledge: advocacy, system navigation, and education; and (c) empowerment: confidence and competence. The findings from this scoping review led to the development of a structured conceptual framework of parent-to-parent support for parents of children who are D/HH. The conceptual framework provides an important opportunity to explore and clearly define the vital contribution of parents in EHDI programs.

Conceptual Framework for Developing a Diabetes Information Network.

PubMed

Riazi, Hossein; Langarizadeh, Mostafa; Larijani, Bagher; Shahmoradi, Leila

2016-06-01

To provide a conceptual framework for managing diabetic patient care, and creating an information network for clinical research. A wide range of information technology (IT) based interventions such as distance learning, diabetes registries, personal or electronic health record systems, clinical information systems, and clinical decision support systems have so far been used in supporting diabetic care. Previous studies demonstrated that IT could improve diabetes care at its different aspects. There is however no comprehensive conceptual framework that defines how different IT applications can support diverse aspects of this care. Therefore, a conceptual framework that combines different IT solutions into a wide information network for improving care processes and for research purposes is widely lacking. In this study we describe the theoretical underpin of a big project aiming at building a wide diabetic information network namely DIANET. A literature review and a survey of national programs and existing regulations for diabetes management was conducted in order to define different aspects of diabetic care that should be supported by IT solutions. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. In addition to the results of a previous systematic literature review, two brainstorming and three expert panel sessions were conducted to identify requirements of a comprehensive information technology solution. Based on these inputs, the requirements for creating a diabetes information network were identified and used to create a questionnaire based on 9-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was finalized after removing some items based on calculated content validity ratio and content validity index coefficients. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was also calculated (αTotal= 0.98, P<0.05, CI=0.95). The final questionnaire was containing 45 items. It was sent to 13 clinicians at two diabetes clinics of endocrine and metabolism research institute in order to assess the necessity level of the requirements for diabetes information network conceptual framework. The questionnaires were returned by 10 clinicians. Each requirement item was labeled as essential, semi-essential, or non-essential based on the mean of its scores. All requirement items were identified as essential or semi-essential. Thus, all of them were used to build the conceptual framework. The requirements were allocated into 11 groups each one representing a module in the conceptual framework. Each module was described separately. We proposed a conceptual framework for supporting diabetes care and research. Integrating different and heterogeneous clinical information systems of healthcare facilities and creating a comprehensive diabetics data warehouse for research purposes, would be possible by using the DIANET framework.

A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research

PubMed Central

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen R.; Ridgway, Judith; Gardner, Grant E.; Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Wischusen, E. William

2016-01-01

Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are significant contributors to the educational mission of universities, particularly in introductory courses, yet there is a lack of empirical data on how to best prepare them for their teaching roles. This essay proposes a conceptual framework for biology GTA teaching professional development (TPD) program evaluation and research with three overarching variable categories for consideration: outcome variables, contextual variables, and moderating variables. The framework’s outcome variables go beyond GTA satisfaction and instead position GTA cognition, GTA teaching practice, and undergraduate learning outcomes as the foci of GTA TPD evaluation and research. For each GTA TPD outcome variable, key evaluation questions and example assessment instruments are introduced to demonstrate how the framework can be used to guide GTA TPD evaluation and research plans. A common conceptual framework is also essential to coordinating the collection and synthesis of empirical data on GTA TPD nationally. Thus, the proposed conceptual framework serves as both a guide for conducting GTA TPD evaluation at single institutions and as a means to coordinate research across institutions at a national level. PMID:27193291

Validating a conceptual framework for the core concept of "cell-cell communication".

PubMed

Michael, Joel; Martinkova, Patricia; McFarland, Jenny; Wright, Ann; Cliff, William; Modell, Harold; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

2017-06-01

We have created and validated a conceptual framework for the core physiology concept of "cell-cell communication." The conceptual framework is composed of 51 items arranged in a hierarchy that is, in some instances, four levels deep. We have validated it with input from faculty who teach at a wide variety of institutional types. All items making up the framework were deemed essential to moderately important. However, some of the main ideas were clearly judged to be more important than others. Furthermore, the lower in the hierarchy an item is, the less important it is thought to be. Finally, there was no significant difference in the ratings given by faculty at different types of institutions. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

A conceptual framework for implementation fidelity

PubMed Central

Carroll, Christopher; Patterson, Malcolm; Wood, Stephen; Booth, Andrew; Rick, Jo; Balain, Shashi

2007-01-01

Background Implementation fidelity refers to the degree to which an intervention or programme is delivered as intended. Only by understanding and measuring whether an intervention has been implemented with fidelity can researchers and practitioners gain a better understanding of how and why an intervention works, and the extent to which outcomes can be improved. Discussion The authors undertook a critical review of existing conceptualisations of implementation fidelity and developed a new conceptual framework for understanding and measuring the process. The resulting theoretical framework requires testing by empirical research. Summary Implementation fidelity is an important source of variation affecting the credibility and utility of research. The conceptual framework presented here offers a means for measuring this variable and understanding its place in the process of intervention implementation. PMID:18053122

The health impacts of globalisation: a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Huynen, Maud MTE; Martens, Pim; Hilderink, Henk BM

2005-01-01

This paper describes a conceptual framework for the health implications of globalisation. The framework is developed by first identifying the main determinants of population health and the main features of the globalisation process. The resulting conceptual model explicitly visualises that globalisation affects the institutional, economic, social-cultural and ecological determinants of population health, and that the globalisation process mainly operates at the contextual level, while influencing health through its more distal and proximal determinants. The developed framework provides valuable insights in how to organise the complexity involved in studying the health effects resulting from globalisation. It could, therefore, give a meaningful contribution to further empirical research by serving as a 'think-model' and provides a basis for the development of future scenarios on health. PMID:16078989

A conceptual framework of clinical nursing care in intensive care.

PubMed

da Silva, Rafael Celestino; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Apostolidis, Thémistoklis; Brandão, Marcos Antônio Gomes

2015-01-01

to propose a conceptual framework for clinical nursing care in intensive care. descriptive and qualitative field research, carried out with 21 nurses from an intensive care unit of a federal public hospital. We conducted semi-structured interviews and thematic and lexical content analysis, supported by Alceste software. the characteristics of clinical intensive care emerge from the specialized knowledge of the interaction, the work context, types of patients and nurses characteristic of the intensive care and care frameworks. the conceptual framework of the clinic's intensive care articulates elements characteristic of the dynamics of this scenario: objective elements regarding technology and attention to equipment and subjective elements related to human interaction, specific of nursing care, countering criticism based on dehumanization.

Time, rate, and conditioning.

PubMed

Gallistel, C R; Gibbon, J

2000-04-01

The authors draw together and develop previous timing models for a broad range of conditioning phenomena to reveal their common conceptual foundations: First, conditioning depends on the learning of the temporal intervals between events and the reciprocals of these intervals, the rates of event occurrence. Second, remembered intervals and rates translate into observed behavior through decision processes whose structure is adapted to noise in the decision variables. The noise and the uncertainties consequent on it have both subjective and objective origins. A third feature of these models is their timescale invariance, which the authors argue is a very important property evident in the available experimental data. This conceptual framework is similar to the psychophysical conceptual framework in which contemporary models of sensory processing are rooted. The authors contrast it with the associative conceptual framework.

Conceptual framework of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) cost of service (COS) model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainudin, WNRA; Ishak, WWM; Sulaiman, NA

2017-09-01

One of Malaysia Electricity Supply Industry (MESI) objectives is to ensure Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) economic viability based on a fair economic electricity pricing. In meeting such objective, a framework that investigates the effect of cost of service (COS) on revenue is in great need. This paper attempts to present a conceptual framework that illustrate the distribution of the COS among TNB’s various cost centres which are subsequently redistributed in varying quantities among all of its customer categories. A deep understanding on the concepts will ensure optimal allocation of COS elements between different sub activities of energy production processes can be achieved. However, this optimal allocation needs to be achieved with respect to the imposed TNB revenue constraint. Therefore, the methodology used for this conceptual approach is being modelled into four steps. Firstly, TNB revenue requirement is being examined to ensure the conceptual framework addressed the requirement properly. Secondly, the revenue requirement is unbundled between three major cost centres or business units consist of generation, transmission and distribution and the cost is classified based on demand, energy and customers related charges. Finally, the classified costs are being allocated to different customer categories i.e. Household, Commercial, and Industrial. In summary, this paper proposed a conceptual framework on the cost of specific services that TNB currently charging its customers and served as potential input into the process of developing revised electricity tariff rates. On that purpose, the finding of this COS study finds cost to serve customer varies with the voltage level that customer connected to, the timing and the magnitude of customer demand on the system. This COS conceptual framework could potentially be integrated into a particular tariff structure and serve as a useful tool for TNB.

A preliminary conceptual framework for cancer couple dyads: live with love.

PubMed

Li, Qiuping; Loke, Alice Y

2015-01-01

With the research focus on family caregiving shifting from the individual to the dyadic level, there is a need to develop a conceptual framework that focused on caregiver-patient dyads. The aim of this study was to develop a preliminary conceptual framework for cancer couple dyads, to "Live With Love." A literature search was conducted among 4 electronic databases to identify couple-based intervention studies related to couples coping with cancer. This report differs from a traditional literature review in that we synthesized the models or frameworks used in these studies rather than the outcomes of the studies. A preliminary Live With Love Conceptual Framework (P-LLCF) for cancer couple dyads was developed based on the conceptual frameworks adopted in related literature on spousal caregiving for patients with cancer. This P-LLCF contains 3 domains: event situation, dyadic mediators, and caregiver-patient dyads (appraisal, coping, and adjustment/outcomes). The various components in this P-LLCF will work together to benefit the positive dyadic adjustment/outcomes of the spousal caregiver-patient dyads in the cancer dyads' journey of coping with cancer. This P-LLCF sheds new light on the study of cancer couple dyads. It will be potentially valuable for guiding the related research and development of interventions on cancer couple dyads. Future research is needed to assess the outcome of interventions that focus on different components. It is also needed to develop measurements to assess dyadic adjustment/outcomes in nursing practice.

Redefining reproductive success in songbirds: Moving beyond the nest success paradigm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Streby, Henry M.; Refsnider, Jeanine M.; Andersen, David E.

2014-01-01

One of the most commonly estimated parameters in studies of songbird ecology is reproductive success, as a measure of either individual fitness or population productivity. Traditionally, the “success” in reproductive success refers to whether, or how many, nestlings leave nests. Here, we advocate that “reproductive success” in songbirds be redefined as full-season productivity, or the number of young raised to independence from adult care in a breeding season. A growing body of evidence demonstrates interdependence between nest success and fledgling survival, and emphasizes that data from either life stage alone can produce misleading measures of individual fitness and population productivity. Nest success, therefore, is an insufficient measure of reproductive success, and songbird ecology needs to progress beyond this long-standing paradigm. Full-season productivity, an evolutionarily rational measure of reproductive success, provides the framework for appropriately addressing unresolved questions about the adaptive significance of many breeding behaviors and within which effective breeding-grounds conservation and management can be designed.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CHEMICAL EFFECTS IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (CEBS) TOXICOGENOMICS KNOWLEDGE BASE

EPA Science Inventory

Conceptual Framework for the Chemical Effects in Biological Systems (CEBS) T oxicogenomics Knowledge Base

Abstract
Toxicogenomics studies how the genome is involved in responses to environmental stressors or toxicants. It combines genetics, genome-scale mRNA expressio...

a Conceptual Framework for Virtual Geographic Environments Knowledge Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Lan; Lin, Hui

2016-06-01

VGE geographic knowledge refers to the abstract and repeatable geo-information which is related to the geo-science problem, geographical phenomena and geographical laws supported by VGE. That includes expert experiences, evolution rule, simulation processes and prediction results in VGE. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for VGE knowledge engineering in order to effectively manage and use geographic knowledge in VGE. Our approach relies on previous well established theories on knowledge engineering and VGE. The main contribution of this report is following: (1) The concepts of VGE knowledge and VGE knowledge engineering which are defined clearly; (2) features about VGE knowledge different with common knowledge; (3) geographic knowledge evolution process that help users rapidly acquire knowledge in VGE; and (4) a conceptual framework for VGE knowledge engineering providing the supporting methodologies system for building an intelligent VGE. This conceptual framework systematically describes the related VGE knowledge theories and key technologies. That will promote the rapid transformation from geodata to geographic knowledge, and furtherly reduce the gap between the data explosion and knowledge absence.

A conceptual framework for a long-term economic model for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Nagy, Balázs; Setyawan, Juliana; Coghill, David; Soroncz-Szabó, Tamás; Kaló, Zoltán; Doshi, Jalpa A

2017-06-01

Models incorporating long-term outcomes (LTOs) are not available to assess the health economic impact of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Develop a conceptual modelling framework capable of assessing long-term economic impact of ADHD therapies. Literature was reviewed; a conceptual structure for the long-term model was outlined with attention to disease characteristics and potential impact of treatment strategies. The proposed model has four layers: i) multi-state short-term framework to differentiate between ADHD treatments; ii) multiple states being merged into three core health states associated with LTOs; iii) series of sub-models in which particular LTOs are depicted; iv) outcomes collected to be either used directly for economic analyses or translated into other relevant measures. This conceptual model provides a framework to assess relationships between short- and long-term outcomes of the disease and its treatment, and to estimate the economic impact of ADHD treatments throughout the course of the disease.

A Conceptual Framework for the Future of Successful Research Administration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lintz, Elizabeth M.

2008-01-01

Research administration has experienced dramatic changes over the past decades. As scientific research has evolved, higher education institutions have tried to adapt, with varying degrees of success. This paper presents a conceptual framework based on six cornerstones of research administration: mission, information, communication, collaboration,…

Biology Student Teachers' Conceptual Frameworks regarding Biodiversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dikmenli, Musa

2010-01-01

In recent years, biodiversity has received a great deal of attention worldwide, especially in environmental education. The reasons for this attention are the increase of human activities on biodiversity and environmental problems. The purpose of this study is to investigate biology student teachers' conceptual frameworks regarding biodiversity.…

Developing a Conceptual Framework: The Case of MAGICC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natri, Teija; Räsänen, Anne

2015-01-01

This paper reports the steps taken to develop the conceptual framework of the MAGICC project (2013), which aimed to provide action-oriented descriptions of multilingual and multicultural academic and professional communication competence, instructional designs to promote these in higher education language teaching, and multidimensional forms of…

A Conceptual Framework Curriculum Evaluation Electrical Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imansari, Nurulita; Sutadji, Eddy

2017-01-01

This evaluation is a conceptual framework that has been analyzed in the hope that can help research related an evaluation of the curriculum. The Model of evaluation used was CIPPO model. CIPPO Model consists of "context," "input," "process," "product," and "outcomes." On the dimension of the…

Vision: A Conceptual Framework for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkinson, Jennifer Scaturo

2013-01-01

Vision is essential to the implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Drawing from research in organizational leadership, this article provides a conceptual framework for how school counselors can incorporate vision as a strategy for implementing school counseling programs within the context of practice.…

Redefining genomic privacy: trust and empowerment.

PubMed

Erlich, Yaniv; Williams, James B; Glazer, David; Yocum, Kenneth; Farahany, Nita; Olson, Maynard; Narayanan, Arvind; Stein, Lincoln D; Witkowski, Jan A; Kain, Robert C

2014-11-01

Fulfilling the promise of the genetic revolution requires the analysis of large datasets containing information from thousands to millions of participants. However, sharing human genomic data requires protecting subjects from potential harm. Current models rely on de-identification techniques in which privacy versus data utility becomes a zero-sum game. Instead, we propose the use of trust-enabling techniques to create a solution in which researchers and participants both win. To do so we introduce three principles that facilitate trust in genetic research and outline one possible framework built upon those principles. Our hope is that such trust-centric frameworks provide a sustainable solution that reconciles genetic privacy with data sharing and facilitates genetic research.

Redefining Genomic Privacy: Trust and Empowerment

PubMed Central

Erlich, Yaniv; Williams, James B.; Glazer, David; Yocum, Kenneth; Farahany, Nita; Olson, Maynard; Narayanan, Arvind; Stein, Lincoln D.; Witkowski, Jan A.; Kain, Robert C.

2014-01-01

Fulfilling the promise of the genetic revolution requires the analysis of large datasets containing information from thousands to millions of participants. However, sharing human genomic data requires protecting subjects from potential harm. Current models rely on de-identification techniques in which privacy versus data utility becomes a zero-sum game. Instead, we propose the use of trust-enabling techniques to create a solution in which researchers and participants both win. To do so we introduce three principles that facilitate trust in genetic research and outline one possible framework built upon those principles. Our hope is that such trust-centric frameworks provide a sustainable solution that reconciles genetic privacy with data sharing and facilitates genetic research. PMID:25369215

Conceptualizations of postpartum depression by public-sector health care providers in Mexico.

PubMed

Place, Jean Marie S; Billings, Deborah L; Blake, Christine E; Frongillo, Edward A; Mann, Joshua R; deCastro, Filipa

2015-04-01

In this article we describe the knowledge frameworks that 61 physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists from five public-sector health care facilities in Mexico used to conceptualize postpartum depression. We also demonstrate how providers applied social and behavioral antecedents in their conceptualizations of postpartum depression. Using grounded theory, we identify two frameworks that providers used to conceptualize postpartum depression: biochemical and adjustment. We highlight an emerging model of the function of social and behavioral antecedents within the frameworks, as well as the representation of postpartum depression by symptoms of distress and the perception among providers that these symptoms affected responsibilities associated with motherhood. The results provide a foundation for future study of how providers' conceptualizations of postpartum depression might affect detection and treatment practices and might be useful in the development of training materials to enhance the quality of care for women who experience any form of distress in the postpartum period. © The Author(s) 2014.

Self-Reported Pediatric Measures of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Strength Impact for PROMIS®: Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Tucker, Carole A.; Bevans, Katherine B.; Teneralli, Rachel E.; Smith, Ashley Wilder; Bowles, Heather R; Forrest, Christopher B.

2014-01-01

Purpose Children's physical activity (PA) levels are commonly assessed in pediatric clinical research, but rigorous self-report assessment tools for children are scarce, and computer adaptive test implementations are rare. Our objective was to improve pediatric self-report measures of activity using semi-structured interviews with experts and children for conceptualization of a child-informed framework. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted to conceptualize physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and strengthening activities. We performed systematic literature reviews to identify item-level concepts used to assess these 3 domains. Results We developed conceptual frameworks for each domain using words and phrases identified by children as relevant. Conclusions Semi-structured interview methods provide valuable information of children's perspectives and the ways children recall previous activities. Conceptualized domains of physical activity are based on the literature and expert views that also reflect children's experiences and understanding providing a basis for pediatric self-report instruments. PMID:25251789

Policies on pets for healthy cities: a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Rock, Melanie J.; Adams, Cindy L.; Degeling, Chris; Massolo, Alessandro; McCormack, Gavin R.

2015-01-01

Drawing on the One Health concept, and integrating a dual focus on public policy and practices of caring from the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, we outline a conceptual framework to help guide the development and assessment of local governments' policies on pets. This framework emphasizes well-being in human populations, while recognizing that these outcomes relate to the well-being of non-human animals. Five intersecting spheres of activity, each associated with local governments' jurisdiction over pets, are presented: (i) preventing threats and nuisances from pets, (ii) meeting pets' emotional and physical needs, (iii) procuring pets ethically, (iv) providing pets with veterinary services and (v) licensing and identifying pets. This conceptual framework acknowledges the tenets of previous health promotion frameworks, including overlapping and intersecting influences. At the same time, this framework proposes to advance our understanding of health promotion and, more broadly, population health by underscoring interdependence between people and pets as well as the dynamism of urbanized ecologies. PMID:24694682

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development.

PubMed

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A'Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey.

Conceptual Change from the Framework Theory Side of the Fence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vosniadou, Stella; Skopeliti, Irini

2014-07-01

We describe the main principles of the framework theory approach to conceptual change and briefly report on the results of a text comprehension study that investigated some of the hypotheses that derive from it. We claim that children construct a naive physics which is based on observation in the context of lay culture and which forms a relatively coherent conceptual system—i.e., a framework theory—that can be used as a basis for explanation and prediction of everyday phenomena. Learning science requires fundamental ontological, epistemological, and representational changes in naive physics. These conceptual changes take a long time to be achieved, giving rise to fragmentation and synthetic conceptions. We also argue that both fragmentation and synthetic conceptions can be explained to result from learners' attempts assimilate scientific information into their existing but incompatible naive physics.

Development of a conceptual framework of health-related quality of life in pressure ulcers: a patient-focused approach.

PubMed

Gorecki, Claudia; Lamping, Donna L; Brown, Julia M; Madill, Anna; Firth, Jill; Nixon, Jane

2010-12-01

Evaluating outcomes such as health-related quality of life is particularly important and relevant in skin conditions such as pressure ulcers where the condition and associated interventions pose substantial burden to patients. Measures to evaluate such outcomes need to be developed by utilising patient-perspective to ensure that content and conceptualisation is relevant to patients. Our aim was to develop a conceptual framework of health-related quality of life in pressure ulcers, based on patients' views about the impact of pressure ulcers and interventions on health-related quality of life to inform the development of a new patient-reported outcome measure. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: We developed a working conceptual framework based on a previous review of the literature, then used semi-structured qualitative interviews with 30 adults with pressure ulcers (22-94 years) purposively sampled from hospital, community and rehabilitation care settings in England and Northern Ireland to obtain patients' views, and thematic content analysis and review by a multidisciplinary expert group to develop the final conceptual framework. Our conceptual model includes four health-related quality of life domains (symptoms, physical functioning, psychological well-being, social functioning), divided into 13 sub-domains and defined by specific descriptive components. We have identified health-related quality of life outcomes that are important to people with pressure ulcers and developed a conceptual framework using robust and systematic methods, which provides the basis for the development of a new pressure ulcer-specific measure of health-related quality of life. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Midwife-physician collaboration: a conceptual framework for interprofessional collaborative practice.

PubMed

Smith, Denise Colter

2015-01-01

Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, collaborative practice has been cited as one method of increasing access to care, decreasing costs, and improving efficiency. How and under what conditions might these goals be achieved? Midwives and physicians have built effective collaborative practice models over a period of 30 years. Empirical study of interprofessional collaboration between midwives and physicians could be useful in guiding professional education, regulation, and health policy in women's health and maternity care. Construction of a conceptual framework for interprofessional collaboration between midwives and physicians was guided by a review of the literature. A theory derivation strategy was used to define dimensions, concepts, and statements of the framework. Midwife-physician interprofessional collaboration can be defined by 4 dimensions (organizational, procedural, relational, and contextual) and 12 concepts (trust, shared power, synergy, commitment, and respect, among others). The constructed framework provides the foundation for further empirical study of the interprofessional collaborative process. The experiences of midwife-physician collaborations provide solid support for a conceptual framework of the collaborative process. A conceptual framework provides a point from which further research can increase knowledge and understanding about how successful outcomes are achieved in collaborative health care practices. Construction of a measurement scale and validation of the model are important next steps. © 2014 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

A Conceptual Framework for SAHRA Integrated Multi-resolution Modeling in the Rio Grande Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y.; Gupta, H.; Springer, E.; Wagener, T.; Brookshire, D.; Duffy, C.

2004-12-01

The sustainable management of water resources in a river basin requires an integrated analysis of the social, economic, environmental and institutional dimensions of the problem. Numerical models are commonly used for integration of these dimensions and for communication of the analysis results to stakeholders and policy makers. The National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) has been developing integrated multi-resolution models to assess impacts of climate variability and land use change on water resources in the Rio Grande Basin. These models not only couple natural systems such as surface and ground waters, but will also include engineering, economic and social components that may be involved in water resources decision-making processes. This presentation will describe the conceptual framework being developed by SAHRA to guide and focus the multiple modeling efforts and to assist the modeling team in planning, data collection and interpretation, communication, evaluation, etc. One of the major components of this conceptual framework is a Conceptual Site Model (CSM), which describes the basin and its environment based on existing knowledge and identifies what additional information must be collected to develop technically sound models at various resolutions. The initial CSM is based on analyses of basin profile information that has been collected, including a physical profile (e.g., topographic and vegetative features), a man-made facility profile (e.g., dams, diversions, and pumping stations), and a land use and ecological profile (e.g., demographics, natural habitats, and endangered species). Based on the initial CSM, a Conceptual Physical Model (CPM) is developed to guide and evaluate the selection of a model code (or numerical model) for each resolution to conduct simulations and predictions. A CPM identifies, conceptually, all the physical processes and engineering and socio-economic activities occurring (or to occur) in the real system that the corresponding numerical models are required to address, such as riparian evapotranspiration responses to vegetation change and groundwater pumping impacts on soil moisture contents. Simulation results from different resolution models and observations of the real system will then be compared to evaluate the consistency among the CSM, the CPMs, and the numerical models, and feedbacks will be used to update the models. In a broad sense, the evaluation of the models (conceptual or numerical), as well as the linkages between them, can be viewed as a part of the overall conceptual framework. As new data are generated and understanding improves, the models will evolve, and the overall conceptual framework is refined. The development of the conceptual framework becomes an on-going process. We will describe the current state of this framework and the open questions that have to be addressed in the future.

Narratives of community engagement: a systematic review-derived conceptual framework for public health interventions.

PubMed

Brunton, Ginny; Thomas, James; O'Mara-Eves, Alison; Jamal, Farah; Oliver, Sandy; Kavanagh, Josephine

2017-12-11

Government policy increasingly supports engaging communities to promote health. It is critical to consider whether such strategies are effective, for whom, and under what circumstances. However, 'community engagement' is defined in diverse ways and employed for different reasons. Considering the theory and context we developed a conceptual framework which informs understanding about what makes an effective (or ineffective) community engagement intervention. We conducted a systematic review of community engagement in public health interventions using: stakeholder involvement; searching, screening, appraisal and coding of research literature; and iterative thematic syntheses and meta-analysis. A conceptual framework of community engagement was refined, following interactions between the framework and each review stage. From 335 included reports, three products emerged: (1) two strong theoretical 'meta-narratives': one, concerning the theory and practice of empowerment/engagement as an independent objective; and a more utilitarian perspective optimally configuring health services to achieve defined outcomes. These informed (2) models that were operationalized in subsequent meta-analysis. Both refined (3) the final conceptual framework. This identified multiple dimensions by which community engagement interventions may differ. Diverse combinations of intervention purpose, theory and implementation were noted, including: ways of defining communities and health needs; initial motivations for community engagement; types of participation; conditions and actions necessary for engagement; and potential issues influencing impact. Some dimensions consistently co-occurred, leading to three overarching models of effective engagement which either: utilised peer-led delivery; employed varying degrees of collaboration between communities and health services; or built on empowerment philosophies. Our conceptual framework and models are useful tools for considering appropriate and effective approaches to community engagement. These should be tested and adapted to facilitate intervention design and evaluation. Using this framework may disentangle the relative effectiveness of different models of community engagement, promoting effective, sustainable and appropriate initiatives.

Understanding general practice: a conceptual framework developed from case studies in the UK NHS.

PubMed

Checkland, Kath

2007-01-01

General practice in the UK is undergoing a period of rapid and profound change. Traditionally, research into the effects of change on general practice has tended to regard GPs as individuals or as members of a professional group. To understand the impact of change, general practices should also be considered as organisations. To use the organisational studies literature to build a conceptual framework of general practice organisations, and to test and develop this empirically using case studies of change in practice. This study used the implementation of National Service Frameworks (NSFs) and the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract as incidents of change. In-depth, qualitative case studies. The design was iterative: each case study was followed by a review of the theoretical ideas. The final conceptual framework was the result of the dynamic interplay between theory and empirical evidence. Five general practices in England, selected using purposeful sampling. Semi-structured interviews with all clinical and managerial personnel in each practice, participant and nonparticipant observation, and examination of documents. A conceptual framework was developed that can be used to understand how and why practices respond to change. This framework enabled understanding of observed reactions to the introduction of NSFs and the new GMS contract. Important factors for generating responses to change included the story that the practice members told about their practice, beliefs about what counted as legitimate work, the role played by the manager, and previous experiences of change. Viewing general practices as small organisations has generated insights into factors that influence responses to change. Change tends to occur from the bottom up and is determined by beliefs about organisational reality. The conceptual framework suggests some questions that can be asked of practices to explain this internal reality.

The intersection of disability and healthcare disparities: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Meade, Michelle A; Mahmoudi, Elham; Lee, Shoou-Yih

2015-01-01

This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding healthcare disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities. While health disparities are the result of factors deeply rooted in culture, life style, socioeconomic status, and accessibility of resources, healthcare disparities are a subset of health disparities that reflect differences in access to and quality of healthcare and can be viewed as the inability of the healthcare system to adequately address the needs of specific population groups. This article uses a narrative method to identify and critique the main conceptual frameworks that have been used in analyzing disparities in healthcare access and quality, and evaluating those frameworks in the context of healthcare for individuals with disabilities. Specific models that are examined include the Aday and Anderson Model, the Grossman Utility Model, the Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s models of Access to Healthcare Services and Healthcare Disparities, and the Cultural Competency model. While existing frameworks advance understandings of disparities in healthcare access and quality, they fall short when applied to individuals with disabilities. Specific deficits include a lack of attention to cultural and contextual factors (Aday and Andersen framework), unrealistic assumptions regarding equal access to resources (Grossman's utility model), lack of recognition or inclusion of concepts of structural accessibility (IOM model of Healthcare Disparities) and exclusive emphasis on supply side of the healthcare equation to improve healthcare disparities (Cultural Competency model). In response to identified gaps in the literature and short-comings of current conceptualizations, an integrated model of disability and healthcare disparities is put forth. We analyzed models of access to care and disparities in healthcare to be able to have an integrated and cohesive conceptual framework that could potentially address issues related to access to healthcare among individuals with disabilities. The Model of Healthcare Disparities and Disability (MHDD) provides a framework for conceptualizing how healthcare disparities impact disability and specifically, how a mismatch between personal and environmental factors may result in reduced healthcare access and quality, which in turn may lead to reduced functioning, activity and participation among individuals with impairments and chronic health conditions. Researchers, health providers, policy makers and community advocate groups who are engaged in devising interventions aimed at reducing healthcare disparities would benefit from the discussions. Implications for Rehabilitation Evaluates the main models of healthcare disparity and disability to create an integrated framework. Provides a comprehensive conceptual model of healthcare disparity that specifically targets issues related to individuals with disabilities. Conceptualizes how personal and environmental factors interact to produce disparities in access to healthcare and healthcare quality. Recognizes and targets modifiable factors to reduce disparities between and within individuals with disabilities.

A Conceptual and Psychometric Framework for Distinguishing Categories and Dimensions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Boeck, Paul; Wilson, Mark; Acton, G. Scott

2005-01-01

An important, sometimes controversial feature of all psychological phenomena is whether they are categorical or dimensional. A conceptual and psychometric framework is described for distinguishing whether the latent structure behind manifest categories (e.g., psychiatric diagnoses, attitude groups, or stages of development) is category-like or…

School Violence Assessment: A Conceptual Framework, Instruments, and Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benbenishty, Rami; Astor, Ron Avi; Estrada, Joey Nunez

2008-01-01

This article outlines a philosophical and theoretical framework for conducting school violence assessments at the local level. The authors advocate that assessments employ a strong conceptual foundation based on social work values. These values include the active measurement of ecological factors inside and outside the school that reflect the…

From Conceptual Frameworks to Mental Models for Astronomy: Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pundak, David; Liberman, Ido; Shacham, Miri

2017-01-01

Considerable debate exists among discipline-based astronomy education researchers about how students change their perceptions in science and astronomy. The study questioned the development of astronomical models among students in institutions of higher education by examining how college students change their initial conceptual frameworks and…

Rethinking Connections between Research and Practice in Education: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley-Ripple, Elizabeth; May, Henry; Karpyn, Allison; Tilley, Katherine; McDonough, Kalyn

2018-01-01

Recent efforts to improve the quality and availability of scientific research in education, coupled with increased expectations for the use of research in practice, demand new ways of thinking about connections between research and practice. The conceptual framework presented in this paper argues that increasing research in educational…

Culturally Conscious Organizations: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Paula M.

2008-01-01

This article addresses workplace culture in academic libraries as an aspect of organizational success in achieving on-the-job diversity. It introduces a conceptual framework in the form of selected indicators as measurements of cultural integration in the workplace. Characteristics of organizational cultural health are also identified in order to…

Finding the Intersection of the Learning Organization and Learning Transfer: The Significance of Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jun Hee; Callahan, Jamie L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: This article aims to develop a conceptual framework delineating the key dimension of the learning organization which significantly influences learning transfer. Design/methodology/approach: The conceptual framework was developed by analyzing previous studies and synthesizing the results associated with the following four relationships:…

The Adoption and Diffusion of an NHRD Standard: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Aileen; Garavan, Thomas N.

2009-01-01

This article proposes a conceptual framework to explain the adoption and diffusion of a national human resource development (NHRD) standard. NHRD standards are used by governments to promote training and development in organizations and increase the professionalization of practices used by organizations. Institutional theory suggests that adoption…

Analyzing Learning in Professional Learning Communities: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Lare, Michelle D.; Brazer, S. David

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to build a conceptual framework that informs current understanding of how professional learning communities (PLCs) function in conjunction with organizational learning. The combination of sociocultural learning theories and organizational learning theories presents a more complete picture of PLC processes that has…

Orchestration in Learning Technology Research: Evaluation of a Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto, Luis P.; Dimitriadis, Yannis; Asensio-Pérez, Juan I.; Looi, Chee-Kit

2015-01-01

The term "orchestrating learning" is being used increasingly often, referring to the coordination activities performed while applying learning technologies to authentic settings. However, there is little consensus about how this notion should be conceptualised, and what aspects it entails. In this paper, a conceptual framework for…

Collaborative Counseling: A Conceptual Framework and Approach for Counselors of Adults in Life Transitions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avis, Joan P.

1987-01-01

Proposes collaborative counseling as a comprehensive definition of adult counseling. Presents rationale for definition based on broad implications for counselors of adult development and life transitions literature. Discusses three perspectives as a conceptual framework for defining the phenomenology of the counselor of adults. Outlines elements…

The Conceptual Framework for the Development of a Mathematics Performance Assessment Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Suzanne

1993-01-01

A conceptual framework is presented for the development of the Quantitative Understanding: Amplifying Student Achievement and Reasoning (QUASAR) Cognitive Assessment Instrument (QCAI) that focuses on the ability of middle-school students to problem solve, reason, and communicate mathematically. The instrument will provide programatic rather than…

Conceptual Modeling Framework for E-Area PA HELP Infiltration Model Simulations

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

Dyer, J. A.

A conceptual modeling framework based on the proposed E-Area Low-Level Waste Facility (LLWF) closure cap design is presented for conducting Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model simulations of intact and subsided cap infiltration scenarios for the next E-Area Performance Assessment (PA).

A Proposed Conceptual Framework for Curriculum Design in Physical Fitness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Peter V.; Beauchamp, Larry S.

A physical fitness curriculum, designed to provide cumulative benefits in a sequential pattern, is based upon a framework of a conceptual structure. The curriculum's ultimate goal is the achievement of greater physiological efficiency through a holistic approach that would strengthen circulatory-respiratory, mechanical, and neuro-muscular…

Development of FOCUS-GC: Framework for Outcomes of Clinical Communication Services in Genetic Counseling.

PubMed

Cragun, Deborah; Zierhut, Heather

2018-02-01

Conceptual frameworks bring together existing theories and models in order to identify, consolidate, and fill in gaps between theory, practice, and evidence. Given the vast number of possible outcomes that could be studied in genetic counseling, a framework for organizing outcomes and postulating relationships between communication services and genetic counseling outcomes was sought. Through an iterative approach involving literature review, thematic analysis, and consolidation, outcomes and processes were categorized to create and define components of a conceptual framework. The final product, "Framework for Outcomes of Clinical commUnication Services" (FOCUS) contains the following domains: communication strategy; communication process measures; patient care experience, patient changes, patient health; and family changes. A website was created to allow easier access and ongoing modifications to the framework. In addition, a step-by-step guide and two examples were created to show flexibility in how the framework can be used. FOCUS may help in conceptualizing, organizing and summarizing outcomes research related to risk communication and counseling in genetic service delivery as well as other healthcare settings.

Understanding childbirth practices as an organizational cultural phenomenon: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Behruzi, Roxana; Hatem, Marie; Goulet, Lise; Fraser, William; Misago, Chizuru

2013-11-11

Understanding the main values and beliefs that might promote humanized birth practices in the specialized hospitals requires articulating the theoretical knowledge of the social and cultural characteristics of the childbirth field and the relations between these and the institution. This paper aims to provide a conceptual framework allowing examination of childbirth practices through the lens of an organizational culture theory. A literature review performed to extrapolate the social and cultural factors contribute to birth practices and the factors likely overlap and mutually reinforce one another, instead of complying with the organizational culture of the birth place. The proposed conceptual framework in this paper examined childbirth patterns as an organizational cultural phenomenon in a highly specialized hospital, in Montreal, Canada. Allaire and Firsirotu's organizational culture theory served as a guide in the development of the framework. We discussed the application of our conceptual model in understanding the influences of organizational culture components in the humanization of birth practices in the highly specialized hospitals and explained how these components configure both the birth practice and women's choice in highly specialized hospitals. The proposed framework can be used as a tool for understanding the barriers and facilitating factors encountered birth practices in specialized hospitals.

Can we decide which outcomes should be measured in every clinical trial? A scoping review of the existing conceptual frameworks and processes to develop core outcome sets.

PubMed

Idzerda, Leanne; Rader, Tamara; Tugwell, Peter; Boers, Maarten

2014-05-01

The usefulness of randomized control trials to advance clinical care depends upon the outcomes reported, but disagreement on the choice of outcome measures has resulted in inconsistency and the potential for reporting bias. One solution to this problem is the development of a core outcome set: a minimum set of outcome measures deemed critical for clinical decision making. Within rheumatology the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) initiative has pioneered the development of core outcome sets since 1992. As the number of diseases addressed by OMERACT has increased and its experience in formulating core sets has grown, clarification and update of the conceptual framework and formulation of a more explicit process of area/domain core set development has become necessary. As part of the update process of the OMERACT Filter criteria to version 2, a literature review was undertaken to compare and contrast the OMERACT conceptual framework with others within and outside rheumatology. A scoping search was undertaken to examine the extent, range, and nature of conceptual frameworks for core set outcome selection in health. We searched the following resources: Cochrane Library Methods Group Register; Medline; Embase; PsycInfo; Environmental Studies and Policy Collection; and ABI/INFORM Global. We also conducted a targeted Google search. Five conceptual frameworks were identified: the WHO tripartite definition of health; the 5 Ds (discomfort, disability, drug toxicity, dollar cost, and death); the International Classification of Functioning (ICF); PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement System); and the Outcomes Hierarchy. Of these, only the 5 Ds and ICF frameworks have been systematically applied in core set development. Outside the area of rheumatology, several core sets were identified; these had been developed through a limited range of consensus-based methods with varying degrees of methodological rigor. None applied a framework to ensure content validity of the end product. This scoping review reinforced the need for clear methods and standards for core set development. Based on these findings, OMERACT will make its own conceptual framework and working process more explicit. Proposals for how to achieve this were discussed at the OMERACT 11 conference.

Using concept mapping for assessing and promoting relational conceptual change in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiufeng

2004-05-01

In this article, we adopted the relational conceptual change as our theoretical framework to accommodate current views of conceptual change such as ontological beliefs, epistemological commitment, and social/affective contexts commonly mentioned in the literature. We used a specific concept mapping format and process - digraphs and digraphing - as an operational framework for assessing and promoting relational conceptual change. We wanted to find out how concept mapping can be used to account for relational conceptual change. We collected data from a Grade 12 chemistry class using collaborative computerized concept mapping on an ongoing basis during a unit of instruction. Analysis of progressive concept maps and interview transcripts of representative students and the teacher showed that ongoing and collaborative computerized concept mapping is able to account for student conceptual change in ontological, epistemological, and social/affective domains.

Conceptualizing Telehealth in Nursing Practice: Advancing a Conceptual Model to Fill a Virtual Gap.

PubMed

Nagel, Daniel A; Penner, Jamie L

2016-03-01

Increasingly nurses use various telehealth technologies to deliver health care services; however, there has been a lag in research and generation of empirical knowledge to support nursing practice in this expanding field. One challenge to generating knowledge is a gap in development of a comprehensive conceptual model or theoretical framework to illustrate relationships of concepts and phenomena inherent to adoption of a broad range of telehealth technologies to holistic nursing practice. A review of the literature revealed eight published conceptual models, theoretical frameworks, or similar entities applicable to nursing practice. Many of these models focus exclusively on use of telephones and four were generated from qualitative studies, but none comprehensively reflect complexities of bridging nursing process and elements of nursing practice into use of telehealth. The purpose of this article is to present a review of existing conceptual models and frameworks, discuss predominant themes and features of these models, and present a comprehensive conceptual model for telehealth nursing practice synthesized from this literature for consideration and further development. This conceptual model illustrates characteristics of, and relationships between, dimensions of telehealth practice to guide research and knowledge development in provision of holistic person-centered care delivery to individuals by nurses through telehealth technologies. © The Author(s) 2015.

Conceptual Modeling of a Quantum Key Distribution Simulation Framework Using the Discrete Event System Specification

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-18

and full/scale experimental verifications towards ground/ satellite quantum key distribution0 Oat Qhotonics 4235>9+7,=5;9!អ \\58^ Zin K. Dao Z. Miu T...Conceptual Modeling of a Quantum Key Distribution Simulation Framework Using the Discrete Event System Specification DISSERTATION Jeffrey D. Morris... QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION SIMULATION FRAMEWORK USING THE DISCRETE EVENT SYSTEM SPECIFICATION DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems

A developmental-psychobiological approach to developmental neuropsychology.

PubMed

Michel, G F

2001-01-01

Although both developmental psychobiology and developmental neuropsychology examine the interface between biological and psychological processes, they differ in conceptual framework. This article argues for the incorporation into developmental neuropsychology of certain aspects of the conceptual framework of developmental psychobiology. Three principles of dynamic psychobiological interaction are described and applied to four issues in neuropsychology (handedness, sex differences in behavior, critical periods, and modularity of structure-function relations). Then, it is proposed that developmental psychobiology can make four direct contributions to developmental neuropsychology. Finally, it is argued that the value of the conceptual framework provided by developmental psychobiology depends, in part, on how well it translates into procedures that can be applied in the clinical settings of the developmental neuropsychologist.

Structural Analysis in a Conceptual Design Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, Sharon L.; Robinson, Jay H.; Eldred, Lloyd B.

2012-01-01

Supersonic aircraft designers must shape the outer mold line of the aircraft to improve multiple objectives, such as mission performance, cruise efficiency, and sonic-boom signatures. Conceptual designers have demonstrated an ability to assess these objectives for a large number of candidate designs. Other critical objectives and constraints, such as weight, fuel volume, aeroelastic effects, and structural soundness, are more difficult to address during the conceptual design process. The present research adds both static structural analysis and sizing to an existing conceptual design framework. The ultimate goal is to include structural analysis in the multidisciplinary optimization of a supersonic aircraft. Progress towards that goal is discussed and demonstrated.

Social Inequality, Life Course Transitions, and Adolescent Development: Introduction to the Special Issue.

PubMed

Buchmann, Marlis; Steinhoff, Annekatrin

2017-10-01

Conceptualizing adolescent development within a life course framework that links the perspectives on social inequality and early life course transitions has largely been absent from previous research. Such a conceptual model is needed, however, in order to understand how the individual development of agentic capacities and the opportunities and constraints inherent in the social contexts of growing up interact and jointly affect young people's trajectories across the adolescent life stage. We present the corner stones of the conceptual "trident" of social inequality, life course transitions, and adolescent development and identify three major themes the eleven contributions to this special issue address within this conceptual framework: social and individual prerequisites and consequences of coping with life course transitions; intergenerational transmission belts of social inequality; socialization of agency in and outside the family home. These three themes exemplify the great analytical potential inherent in this framework.

Exploring Nurse Leaders' Policy Participation Within the Context of a Nursing Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Waddell, Ashley; Adams, Jeffrey M; Fawcett, Jacqueline

2017-11-01

This study was designed to describe and quantify the experiences of nurse leaders working to influence policy and to build consensus for priority skills and knowledge useful in policy efforts within the context of a nursing conceptual framework. The conceptual model for nursing and health policy and the Adams influence model were combined into a conceptual framework used to guide this two-round modified Delphi study. Twenty-two nurse leaders who were members of a state action coalition participated in the Round 1 focus group; 15 of these leaders completed the Round 2 electronic survey. Round 1 themes indicated the value of a passion for policy, the importance of clear communication, and an understanding the who and when of policy work. Round 2 data reinforced the importance of clear communication regarding policy engagement; knowing the who and when of policy closely followed, and having a passion for policy work was identified as least important. These themes inform learning objectives for nursing education and preparation for interactions with public officials because influencing policy requires knowledge, skills, and persistence. Study findings begin to describe how nurse leaders influence policy within the context of a nursing conceptual framework and generate implications for research, education, and professional practice.

Conceptual Frameworks for Child Care Decision-Making. White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaudry, Ajay; Henly, Julia; Meyers, Marcia

2010-01-01

This working paper is one in a series of projects initiated by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to improve knowledge for child care researchers and policy makers about parental child care decision making. In this paper, the authors identify three distinct conceptual frameworks for understanding child care decisions--a rational…

Cultural Analysis and Personal Identification: A Basic Skill in Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Searles, John E.

Teachers and curriculum developers should organize cultural materials within a conceptual framework which explains how to classify the behavior of any cultural group. This would help elementary and secondary students in social studies classes learn about their own and other cultures. This conceptual framework must represent all major realms of…

An Integrative Conceptual Framework for Assessing and Treating Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudd, M. David; Joiner, Thomas E., Jr.

1998-01-01

An integrative conceptual framework is provided for ongoing assessment and day-to-day treatment of suicidal adolescents. Goals are to provide a summary of therapeutic and assessment tasks consistent with existing standards of care and supported by empirical findings and to emphasize the roles, tasks, demands, and limitations of psychotherapy with…

Mapping Student Understanding in Chemistry: The Perspectives of Chemists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claesgens, Jennifer; Scalise, Kathleen; Wilson, Mark; Stacy, Angelica

2009-01-01

Preliminary pilot studies and a field study show how a generalizable conceptual framework calibrated with item response modeling can be used to describe the development of student conceptual understanding in chemistry. ChemQuery is an assessment system that uses a framework of the key ideas in the discipline, called the Perspectives of Chemists,…

Students' "Uses and Gratification Expectancy" Conceptual Framework in Relation to E-Learning Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mondi, Makingu; Woods, Peter; Rafi, Ahmad

2007-01-01

This paper presents the systematic development of a "Uses and Gratification Expectancy" (UGE) conceptual framework which is able to predict students' "Perceived e-Learning Experience." It is argued that students' UGE as regards e-learning resources cannot be implicitly or explicitly explored without first examining underlying communication…

Care, Thoughtfulness, and Tact: A Conceptual Framework for University Supervisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuenca, Alexander

2010-01-01

The pedagogical work of university supervisors has received little attention in teacher education literature. Based on this concern, this paper provides a conceptual framework for university supervisors, recasting their role as teacher pedagogues focused on responding to the particular contextual needs of student teachers as they learn to teach.…

Why Teach Science with an Interdisciplinary Approach: History, Trends, and Conceptual Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

You, Hye Sun

2017-01-01

This study aims to describe the history of interdisciplinary education and the current trends and to elucidate the conceptual framework and values that support interdisciplinary science teaching. Many science educators have perceived the necessity for a crucial paradigm shift towards interdisciplinary learning as shown in science standards.…

Analyzing Prospective Teachers' Images of Scientists Using Positive, Negative and Stereotypical Images of Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramaniam, Karthigeyan; Harrell, Pamela Esprivalo; Wojnowski, David

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: This study details the use of a conceptual framework to analyze prospective teachers' images of scientists to reveal their context-specific conceptions of scientists. The conceptual framework consists of context-specific conceptions related to positive, stereotypical and negative images of scientists as detailed in the…

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR SELECTING AND ANALYZING STRESSOR DATA TO STUDY SPECIES RICHNESS AT LARGE SPATIAL SCALES

EPA Science Inventory

In this paper we develop a conceptual framework for selecting stressor data and anlyzing their relationship to geographic patterns of species richness at large spatial scales. Aspects of climate and topography, which are not stressors per se, have been most strongly linked with g...

A Framework for Conceptualizing and Evaluating the Validity of Instructionally Relevant Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrino, James W.; DiBello, Louis V.; Goldman, Susan R.

2016-01-01

Assessments that function close to classroom teaching and learning can play a powerful role in fostering academic achievement. Unfortunately, however, relatively little attention has been given to discussion of the design and validation of such assessments. The present article presents a framework for conceptualizing and organizing the multiple…

Conceptual Frameworks in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula: Report of a National Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEwen, Melanie; Brown, Sandra C.

2002-01-01

Responses from 300 accredited nursing schools indicated that they used eclectic conceptual frameworks for curriculum; the most common component was the nursing process. Associate degree programs were more likely to use simple-to-complex organization. Diploma programs were more likely to use the medical model than baccalaureate programs. Frameworks…

The Model of Transformational Change for Moral Action: A Conceptual Framework to Elevate Student Conduct Practice in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumeister, James R.

2017-01-01

Higher education faces heightened scrutiny regarding student misconduct, but collegiate disciplinary processes often have minimal impact on students. Their ineffectiveness is partially attributable to the absence of a conceptual framework that guides conduct administration by linking theory, practice, and outcomes. This article presents a…

Preparation, Action, Recovery: A Conceptual Framework for Counselor Preparation and Response in Client Crises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAdams, Charles R.; Keener, Harry J.

2008-01-01

Despite increasing requirements for counselor proficiency in crisis response, there is an absence in the standards for counselor preparation, certification, and supervision of consistent criteria on which best practice in crisis prevention and intervention, and postcrisis recovery can be gauged. The authors present a conceptual framework that…

Conceptualizing Gender, Contextualizing Curriculum: A Case Study of Teacher Education Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kean, M. Eli

2017-01-01

This study explores and theorizes around issues of transgender curriculum in teacher education courses. Using a conceptual framework informed by both transgender theory and curriculum theory, I propose a Critical Trans Framework to analyze what trans-related curricular materials are currently used in teacher education courses and what factors…

PIRPOSAL Model of Integrative STEM Education: Conceptual and Pedagogical Framework for Classroom Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, John G.

2016-01-01

The PIRPOSAL model is both a conceptual and pedagogical framework intended for use as a pragmatic guide to classroom implementation of Integrative STEM Education. Designerly questioning prompted by a "need to know" serves as the basis for transitioning student designers within and among multiple phases while they progress toward an…

A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen R.; Ridgway, Judith; Gardner, Grant E.; Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Wischusen, E. William

2016-01-01

Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are significant contributors to the educational mission of universities, particularly in introductory courses, yet there is a lack of empirical data on how to best prepare them for their teaching roles. This essay proposes a conceptual framework for biology GTA teaching professional development (TPD)…

Student-Teacher Relationships and Early School Adaptation of Children with ASD: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenhower, Abbey S.; Bush, Hillary Hurst; Blacher, Jan

2015-01-01

In this conceptual article, we integrate existing literature on early school transitions, ecological systems theory, and student-teacher relationships to propose a framework for investigating the transition to school for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A review of the literature suggests that the quality of early student-teacher…

Middle School Students' Conceptual Change in Global Climate Change: Using Argumentation to Foster Knowledge Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Barry W.

2011-01-01

This research examined middle school student conceptions about global climate change (GCC) and the change these conceptions undergo during an argument driven instructional unit. The theoretical framework invoked for this study is the "framework theory" of conceptual change (Vosniadou, 2007a). This theory posits that students do not…

A Conceptual Framework for Leisure and Subjective Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Byunggook

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine a conceptual framework for an individual's subjective perception of leisure that contributes to Subjective Well-Being (SWB). More specifically, this study was an attempt to examine causal relationships among social cognitive variables, subjective perception of leisure, and SWB. A survey was administered to…

Technical Assistance Model for Long-Term Systems Change: Three State Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasprzak, Christina; Hurth, Joicey; Lucas, Anne; Marshall, Jacqueline; Terrell, Adriane; Jones, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) Technical Assistance (TA) Model for Long-Term Systems Change (LTSC) is grounded in conceptual frameworks in the literature on systems change and systems thinking. The NECTAC conceptual framework uses a logic model approach to change developed specifically for states' infant and…

USING A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING RISKS TO HEALTH FROM MICROBES IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The United States goal to reduce health risks from environmental exposures of all kinds of hazards has resulted in the need to assess the risks from exposure to microbes in drinking water. The model for a risk-based conceptual framework and strategy is provided by the US Environm...

Conceptual Variation in the Depiction of Gene Function in Upper Secondary School Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gericke, Niklas Markus; Hagberg, Mariana

2010-01-01

This paper explores conceptual variation in the depiction of gene function in upper secondary school textbooks. Historically, concepts in genetics have developed in various scientific frameworks, which has led to a level of incommensurability as concepts have changed over time within their respective frameworks. Since students may have…

Income Contingent Loans: Conceptual and Applied Framework for the Small College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamson, George; And Others

This document presents a conceptual model and applied framework for the small college to implement income contingent loans. Results of a Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) questionnaire indicate the utilization potential and attractiveness of the model. Further discussion concerns some prospects, the break-even tax rate, liquidity, the accumulation of debt…

Broadening Rehabilitation Education and Research through Cultural Humility: A Conceptual Framework for Rehabilitation Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, Nan Zhang; Guillermo, Mari S.; Tucker, Mark; Nichols, Tayler

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this conceptual article is to present a framework that incorporates the concept of culture humility into effective rehabilitation services. Method: Based on a comprehensive literature review and theoretical integration, this article provides the reader with the basic concept of cultural humility, similarities and…

The Hero(ine) on a Journey: A Postmodern Conceptual Framework for Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dybicz, Phillip

2012-01-01

Narrative therapy, the strengths perspective, and solution-focused therapy are 3 prominent examples of social work practices heavily informed by social constructionism. Yet getting students from understanding theory to applying theory can often be challenging. This article offers a conceptual framework to aid students in the application of social…

Conceptualizing a Framework for Advanced Placement Statistics Teaching Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haines, Brenna

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to sketch a conceptualization of a framework for Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics Teaching Knowledge. Recent research continues to problematize the lack of knowledge and preparation among secondary level statistics teachers. The College Board's AP Statistics course continues to grow and gain popularity, but is a…

A conceptual and disease model framework for osteoporotic kyphosis.

PubMed

Bayliss, M; Miltenburger, C; White, M; Alvares, L

2013-09-01

This paper presents a multi-method research project to develop a conceptual framework for measuring outcomes in studies of osteoporotic kyphosis. The research involved literature research and qualitative interviews among clinicians who treat patients with kyphosis and among patients with the condition. Kyphosis due to at least one vertebral compression fracture is prevalent among osteoporotic patients, resulting in well-documented symptoms and impact on functioning and well-being. A three-part study led to development of a conceptual measurement framework for comprehensive assessment of symptoms, impact, and treatment benefit for kyphosis. A literature-based disease model (DM) was developed and tested with physicians (n = 10) and patients (n = 10), and FDA guidelines were used to develop a final disease model and a conceptual framework. The DM included signs, symptoms, causes/triggers, exacerbations, and functional status associated with kyphosis. The DM was largely confirmed, but physicians and patients added several concepts related to impact on functioning, and some concepts were not confirmed and removed from the DM. This study confirms the need for more comprehensive assessment of health outcomes in kyphosis, as most current studies omit key concepts.

A concept taxonomy and an instrument hierarchy: tools for establishing and evaluating the conceptual framework of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument as applied to product labeling claims.

PubMed

Erickson, Pennifer; Willke, Richard; Burke, Laurie

2009-01-01

To facilitate development and evaluation of a PRO instrument conceptual framework, we propose two tools--a PRO concept taxonomy and a PRO instrument hierarchy. FDA's draft guidance on patient reported outcome (PRO) measures states that a clear description of the conceptual framework of an instrument is useful for evaluating its adequacy to support a treatment benefit claim for use in product labeling the draft guidance, however does not propose tools for establishing or evaluating a PRO instrument's conceptual framework. We draw from our review of PRO concepts and instruments that appear in prescription drug labeling approved in the United States from 1997 to 2007. We propose taxonomy terms that define relationships between PRO concepts, including "family,"compound concept," and "singular concept." Based on the range of complexity represented by the concepts, as defined by the taxonomy, we propose nine instrument orders for PRO measurement. The nine orders range from individual event counts to multi-item, multiscale instruments. This analysis of PRO concepts and instruments illustrates that the taxonomy and hierarchy are applicable to PRO concepts across a wide range of therapeutic areas and provide a basis for defining the instrument conceptual framework complexity. Although the utility of these tools in the drug development, review, and approval processes has not yet been demonstrated, these tools could be useful to improve communication and enhance efficiency in the instrument development and review process.

Establishing a conceptual framework for handoffs using communication theory.

PubMed

Mohorek, Matthew; Webb, Travis P

2015-01-01

A significant consequence of the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hour restrictions has been the dramatic increase in patient care handoffs. Ineffective handoffs have been identified as the third most common cause of medical error. However, research into health care handoffs lacks a unifying foundational structure. We sought to identify a conceptual framework that could be used to critically analyze handoffs. A scholarly review focusing on communication theory as a possible conceptual framework for handoffs was conducted. A PubMed search of published handoff research was also performed, and the literature was analyzed and matched to the most relevant theory for health care handoff models. The Shannon-Weaver Linear Model of Communication was identified as the most appropriate conceptual framework for health care handoffs. The Linear Model describes communication as a linear process. A source encodes a message into a signal, the signal is sent through a channel, and the signal is decoded back into a message at the destination, all in the presence of internal and external noise. The Linear Model identifies 3 separate instances in handoff communication where error occurs: the transmitter (message encoding), channel, and receiver (signal decoding). The Linear Model of Communication is a suitable conceptual framework for handoff research and provides a structured approach for describing handoff variables. We propose the Linear Model should be used as a foundation for further research into interventions to improve health care handoffs. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision.

PubMed

Kamaraj, Deepan C; Bray, Nathan; Rispin, Karen; Kankipati, Padmaja; Pearlman, Jonathan; Borg, Johan

2017-01-01

Currently, inadequate wheelchair provision has forced many people with disabilities to be trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, limiting their ability to access education, work and social facilities. This issue is in part because of the lack of collaboration among various stakeholders who need to work together to design, manufacture and deliver such assistive mobility devices. This in turn has led to inadequate evidence about intervention effectiveness, disability prevalence and subsequent costeffectiveness that would help facilitate appropriate provision and support for people with disabilities. In this paper, we describe a novel conceptual framework that can be tested across the globe to study and evaluate the effectiveness of wheelchair provision. The Comparative Effectiveness Research Subcommittee (CER-SC), consisting of the authors of this article, housed within the Evidence-Based Practice Working Group (EBP-WG) of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), conducted a scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices used during wheelchair service provision. The literature review was followed by a series of discussion groups. The three iterations of the conceptual framework are described in this manuscript. We believe that adoption of this conceptual framework could have broad applications in wheelchair provision globally to develop evidence-based practices. Such a perspective will help in the comparison of different strategies employed in wheelchair provision and further improve clinical guidelines. Further work is being conducted to test the efficacy of this conceptual framework to evaluate effectiveness of wheelchair service provision in various settings across the globe.

Development of Conceptual Framework to Understand Factors Associated with Return to Work among Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

CHOW, Sze Loon; TING, Anselm Su; SU, Tin Tin

2014-01-01

Abstract This systematic review was conducted to develop a conceptual framework that addresses various factors associated with return to work among cancer survivors. Databases Medline, EMBASE, ProQuest, PubMed and ScienceDirect were systematically searched using medical subject headings [MeSH] for studies published in English from 1990 to 2013. Studies that described adult cancer patients’ self-reported data or patients’ point of view on factors associated with return to work or employment status following cancer diagnosis were included. Articles selection was conducted in three steps: selection based on title and abstract, retrieval of full text and additions of articles from reference lists and recommendations from experts. Disagreement in data extraction was solved by consultation of third reviewer. Out of twenty seven articles, breast cancer was the most studied type of cancer (30%) while colorectal cancer was studied independently in two articles (7.4%). Conceptual framework on return to work identifies factors under environmental, personal, work demand, work ability, health status and financial factors. Extensive search of scientific databases over last 24 years and the development of the conceptual frame-work are the strength of this review. Conceptual framework reveals the various factors including non-medical factors associated with return to work upon cancer diagnosis. It serves as a reminder to the policy makers to focus on modifiable factors as potential areas for intervention to assist cancer survivors return to work, especially those with little financial assistance and health insurance. PMID:28435811

The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development

PubMed Central

Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A’Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray

2016-01-01

Purpose To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Materials and methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Results Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. Conclusion The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey. PMID:27621678

A novel performance monitoring framework for health research systems: experiences of the National Institute for Health Research in England

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) was established in 2006 with the aim of creating an applied health research system embedded within the English National Health Service (NHS). NIHR sought to implement an approach for monitoring its performance that effectively linked early indicators of performance with longer-term research impacts. We attempted to develop and apply a conceptual framework for defining appropriate key performance indicators for NIHR. Method Following a review of relevant literature, a conceptual framework for defining performance indicators for NIHR was developed, based on a hybridisation of the logic model and balanced scorecard approaches. This framework was validated through interviews with key NIHR stakeholders and a pilot in one division of NIHR, before being refined and applied more widely. Indicators were then selected and aggregated to create a basket of indicators aligned to NIHR's strategic goals, which could be reported to NIHR's leadership team on a quarterly basis via an oversight dashboard. Results Senior health research system managers and practitioners endorsed the conceptual framework developed and reported satisfaction with the breadth and balance of indicators selected for reporting. Conclusions The use of the hybrid conceptual framework provides a pragmatic approach to defining performance indicators that are aligned to the strategic aims of a health research system. The particular strength of this framework is its capacity to provide an empirical link, over time, between upstream activities of a health research system and its long-term strategic objectives. PMID:21435265

Conceptual framework for patient-important treatment outcomes for pelvic organ prolapse.

PubMed

Sung, Vivian W; Rogers, Rebecca G; Barber, Matthew D; Clark, Melissa A

2014-04-01

To develop a comprehensive conceptual framework representing the most important outcomes for women seeking treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Twenty-five women with POP were recruited and participated in four semi-structured focus groups to refine and assess the content validity of a conceptual framework representing patient-important outcomes for POP. Specifically, the focus groups addressed the following three aims: (1) to evaluate the content and appropriateness of domains in our framework; (2) to identify gaps in the framework; and (3) to determine the relative importance of our framework domains from the patient perspective. Sessions were transcribed, coded, and qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using analytic induction and deductive analysis to identify themes and domains relevant to women with POP. Our focus groups confirmed the importance of vaginal bulge symptoms (discomfort, bother, and adaptation), and the overarching domains and subdomains of physical (physical function and participation), social (social function, relationships, and sexual function), and mental health (emotional distress, preoccupation, and body image). Patients ranked outcomes in the following order of importance: (1) the resolution of vaginal bulge symptoms, (2) improvement in physical function; (3) improvement in sexual function; (4) improvement in body image perception; and (5) improvement in social function. We developed a conceptual framework for patient important outcomes of women seeking treatment for POP. This framework can improve the transparency and interpretation of POP study findings from the patient perspective. Vaginal bulge and its associated discomfort are most important for the definition of POP treatment success from the patient perspective. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Postacute rehabilitation quality of care: toward a shared conceptual framework.

PubMed

Jesus, Tiago Silva; Hoenig, Helen

2015-05-01

There is substantial interest in mechanisms for measuring, reporting, and improving the quality of health care, including postacute care (PAC) and rehabilitation. Unfortunately, current activities generally are either too narrow or too poorly specified to reflect PAC rehabilitation quality of care. In part, this is caused by a lack of a shared conceptual understanding of what construes quality of care in PAC rehabilitation. This article presents the PAC-rehab quality framework: an evidence-based conceptual framework articulating elements specifically pertaining to PAC rehabilitation quality of care. The widely recognized Donabedian structure, process, and outcomes (SPO) model furnished the underlying structure for the PAC-rehab quality framework, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framed the functional outcomes. A comprehensive literature review provided the evidence base to specify elements within the SPO model and ICF-derived framework. A set of macrolevel-outcomes (functional performance, quality of life of patient and caregivers, consumers' experience, place of discharge, health care utilization) were defined for PAC rehabilitation and then related to their (1) immediate and intermediate outcomes, (2) underpinning care processes, (3) supportive team functioning and improvement processes, and (4) underlying care structures. The role of environmental factors and centrality of patients in the framework are explicated as well. Finally, we discuss why outcomes may best measure and reflect the quality of PAC rehabilitation. The PAC-rehab quality framework provides a conceptually sound, evidence-based framework appropriate for quality of care activities across the PAC rehabilitation continuum. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conceptual measurement framework for help-seeking for mental health problems

PubMed Central

Rickwood, Debra; Thomas, Kerry

2012-01-01

Background Despite a high level of research, policy, and practice interest in help-seeking for mental health problems and mental disorders, there is currently no agreed and commonly used definition or conceptual measurement framework for help-seeking. Methods A systematic review of research activity in the field was undertaken to investigate how help-seeking has been conceptualized and measured. Common elements were used to develop a proposed conceptual measurement framework. Results The database search revealed a very high level of research activity and confirmed that there is no commonly applied definition of help-seeking and no psychometrically sound measures that are routinely used. The most common element in the help-seeking research was a focus on formal help-seeking sources, rather than informal sources, although studies did not assess a consistent set of professional sources; rather, each study addressed an idiosyncratic range of sources of professional health and community care. Similarly, the studies considered help-seeking for a range of mental health problems and no consistent terminology was applied. The most common mental health problem investigated was depression, followed by use of generic terms, such as mental health problem, psychological distress, or emotional problem. Major gaps in the consistent measurement of help-seeking were identified. Conclusion It is evident that an agreed definition that supports the comparable measurement of help-seeking is lacking. Therefore, a conceptual measurement framework is proposed to fill this gap. The framework maintains that the essential elements for measurement are: the part of the help-seeking process to be investigated and respective time frame, the source and type of assistance, and the type of mental health concern. It is argued that adopting this framework will facilitate progress in the field by providing much needed conceptual consistency. Results will then be able to be compared across studies and population groups, and this will significantly benefit understanding of policy and practice initiatives aimed at improving access to and engagement with services for people with mental health concerns. PMID:23248576

The Policy Formation Process: A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuchs, E. F.

1972-01-01

A conceptual framework for analysis which is intended to assist both the policy analyst and the policy researcher in their empirical investigations into policy phenomena is developed. It is meant to facilitate understanding of the policy formation process by focusing attention on the basic forces shaping the main features of policy formation as a dynamic social-political-organizational process. The primary contribution of the framework lies in its capability to suggest useful ways of looking at policy formation reality. It provides the analyst and the researcher with a group of indicators which suggest where to look and what to look for when attempting to analyze and understand the mix of forces which energize, maintain, and direct the operation of strategic level policy systems. The framework also highlights interconnections, linkage, and relational patterns between and among important variables. The framework offers an integrated set of conceptual tools which facilitate understanding of and research on the complex and dynamic set of variables which interact in any major strategic level policy formation process.

Policies on pets for healthy cities: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Rock, Melanie J; Adams, Cindy L; Degeling, Chris; Massolo, Alessandro; McCormack, Gavin R

2015-12-01

Drawing on the One Health concept, and integrating a dual focus on public policy and practices of caring from the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, we outline a conceptual framework to help guide the development and assessment of local governments' policies on pets. This framework emphasizes well-being in human populations, while recognizing that these outcomes relate to the well-being of non-human animals. Five intersecting spheres of activity, each associated with local governments' jurisdiction over pets, are presented: (i) preventing threats and nuisances from pets, (ii) meeting pets' emotional and physical needs, (iii) procuring pets ethically, (iv) providing pets with veterinary services and (v) licensing and identifying pets. This conceptual framework acknowledges the tenets of previous health promotion frameworks, including overlapping and intersecting influences. At the same time, this framework proposes to advance our understanding of health promotion and, more broadly, population health by underscoring interdependence between people and pets as well as the dynamism of urbanized ecologies. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Harmonising Nursing Terminologies Using a Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Jansen, Kay; Kim, Tae Youn; Coenen, Amy; Saba, Virginia; Hardiker, Nicholas

2016-01-01

The International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®) and the Clinical Care Classification (CCC) System are standardised nursing terminologies that identify discrete elements of nursing practice, including nursing diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes. While CCC uses a conceptual framework or model with 21 Care Components to classify these elements, ICNP, built on a formal Web Ontology Language (OWL) description logic foundation, uses a logical hierarchical framework that is useful for computing and maintenance of ICNP. Since the logical framework of ICNP may not always align with the needs of nursing practice, an informal framework may be a more useful organisational tool to represent nursing content. The purpose of this study was to classify ICNP nursing diagnoses using the 21 Care Components of the CCC as a conceptual framework to facilitate usability and inter-operability of nursing diagnoses in electronic health records. Findings resulted in all 521 ICNP diagnoses being assigned to one of the 21 CCC Care Components. Further research is needed to validate the resulting product of this study with practitioners and develop recommendations for improvement of both terminologies.

The impact and effectiveness of health impact assessment: A conceptual framework

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

Harris-Roxas, Ben, E-mail: ben@harrisroxashealth.com; Harris, Elizabeth, E-mail: e.harris@unsw.edu.au

2013-09-15

The use of health impact assessment (HIA) has expanded rapidly and there are increasing demands for it to demonstrate its effectiveness. This paper presents a conceptual framework for evaluating HIA and describes its development through (i) a review of the literature, (ii) a review of work undertaken as part of a major HIA capacity building project and (iii) an in-depth study of seven completed HIAs. The framework emphasises context, process and impacts as key domains in understanding and evaluating the effectiveness of an HIA. This new framework builds upon the existing approaches to evaluating HIA and extends them to reflectmore » the broad range of factors that comprise and influence the effectiveness of HIAs. It may be of use in evaluating completed HIAs and in planning HIAs that are yet to be undertaken. -- Highlights: ► The first empirically-derived conceptual framework for evaluating HIA ► It may also be useful for planning and reporting on HIAs. ► The framework emphasises context, process and impacts as key domains. ► A broad range of factors influence the effectiveness of HIAs.« less

Developing a cultural context for conducting a neuropsychological evaluation with a culturally diverse client: the ECLECTIC framework.

PubMed

Fujii, Daryl E M

2018-02-20

With the increasing diversification of the American population, the discipline of neuropsychology is challenged to develop appropriate tools and conceptual models to meet its evolving client base. Thus far, the focus has been on developing appropriate tests and norms to obtain accurate testing data. By contrast, far less attention has been paid to the contextual impact of culture on an evaluation. This paper attempts to address this shortcoming. This manuscript introduces the ECLECTIC framework for conceptualizing different facets of culture pertinent for understanding a culturally diverse client when conducting a neuropsychological evaluation. Individual components of the framework (E: education and literacy; C: culture and acculturation; L: language; E: economics; C: communication; T: testing situation: comfort and motivation; I: intelligence conceptualization; and C: context of immigration) are introduced and potential biases to fairness in testing are described. In this manner, the framework specifies how individual facets of culture can impact neuropsychological test performance. Clinical implementation of the framework will be illustrated with a case sample. Strengths and weaknesses of the framework are discussed as well as recommendations for implementation.

Measurement and monitoring of safety: impact and challenges of putting a conceptual framework into practice.

PubMed

Chatburn, Eleanor; Macrae, Carl; Carthey, Jane; Vincent, Charles

2018-03-06

The Measurement and Monitoring of Safety Framework provides a conceptual model to guide organisations in assessing safety. The Health Foundation funded a large-scale programme to assess the value and impact of applying the Framework in regional and frontline care settings. We explored the experiences and reflections of key participants in the programme. The study was conducted in the nine healthcare organisations in England and Scotland testing the Framework (three regional improvement bodies, six frontline settings). Post hoc interviews with clinical and managerial staff were analysed using template analysis. Participants reported that the Framework promoted a substantial shift in their thinking about how safety is actively managed in their environment. It provided a common language, facilitated a more inquisitive approach and encouraged a more holistic view of the components of safety. These changes in conceptual understanding, however, did not always translate into broader changes in practice, with many sites only addressing some aspects of the Framework. One of the three regions did embrace the Framework in its entirety and achieved wider impact with a range of interventions. This region had committed leaders who took time to fully understand the concepts, who maintained a flexible approach to exploring the utility of the Framework and who worked with frontline staff to translate the concepts for local settings. The Measuring and Monitoring of Safety Framework has the potential to support a broader and richer approach to organisational safety. Such a conceptually based initiative requires both committed leaders who themselves understand the concepts and more time to establish understanding and aims than might be needed in a standard improvement programme. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A Framework for Developing the Structure of Public Health Economic Models.

PubMed

Squires, Hazel; Chilcott, James; Akehurst, Ronald; Burr, Jennifer; Kelly, Michael P

2016-01-01

A conceptual modeling framework is a methodology that assists modelers through the process of developing a model structure. Public health interventions tend to operate in dynamically complex systems. Modeling public health interventions requires broader considerations than clinical ones. Inappropriately simple models may lead to poor validity and credibility, resulting in suboptimal allocation of resources. This article presents the first conceptual modeling framework for public health economic evaluation. The framework presented here was informed by literature reviews of the key challenges in public health economic modeling and existing conceptual modeling frameworks; qualitative research to understand the experiences of modelers when developing public health economic models; and piloting a draft version of the framework. The conceptual modeling framework comprises four key principles of good practice and a proposed methodology. The key principles are that 1) a systems approach to modeling should be taken; 2) a documented understanding of the problem is imperative before and alongside developing and justifying the model structure; 3) strong communication with stakeholders and members of the team throughout model development is essential; and 4) a systematic consideration of the determinants of health is central to identifying the key impacts of public health interventions. The methodology consists of four phases: phase A, aligning the framework with the decision-making process; phase B, identifying relevant stakeholders; phase C, understanding the problem; and phase D, developing and justifying the model structure. Key areas for further research involve evaluation of the framework in diverse case studies and the development of methods for modeling individual and social behavior. This approach could improve the quality of Public Health economic models, supporting efficient allocation of scarce resources. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Novel Implementation Strategy in Residential Care Settings to Promote EBP: Direct Care Provider Perceptions and Development of a Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Slaughter, Susan E; Bampton, Erin; Erin, Daniel F; Ickert, Carla; Jones, C Allyson; Estabrooks, Carole A

2017-06-01

Innovative approaches are required to facilitate the adoption and sustainability of evidence-based care practices. We propose a novel implementation strategy, a peer reminder role, which involves offering a brief formal reminder to peers during structured unit meetings. This study aims to (a) identify healthcare aide (HCA) perceptions of a peer reminder role for HCAs, and (b) develop a conceptual framework for the role based on these perceptions. In 2013, a qualitative focus group study was conducted in five purposively sampled residential care facilities in western Canada. A convenience sample of 24 HCAs agreed to participate in five focus groups. Concurrent with data collection, two researchers coded the transcripts and identified themes by consensus. They jointly determined when saturation was achieved and took steps to optimize the trustworthiness of the findings. Five HCAs from the original focus groups commented on the resulting conceptual framework. HCAs were cautious about accepting a role that might alienate them from their co-workers. They emphasized feeling comfortable with the peer reminder role and identified circumstances that would optimize their comfort including: effective implementation strategies, perceptions of the role, role credibility and a supportive context. These intersecting themes formed a peer reminder conceptual framework. We identified HCAs' perspectives of a new peer reminder role designed specifically for them. Based on their perceptions, a conceptual framework was developed to guide the implementation of a peer reminder role for HCAs. This role may be a strategic implementation strategy to optimize the sustainability of new practices in residential care settings, and the related framework could offer guidance on how to implement this role. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Development of a Conceptual Framework to Measure the Social Impact of Burns.

PubMed

Marino, Molly; Soley-Bori, Marina; Jette, Alan M; Slavin, Mary D; Ryan, Colleen M; Schneider, Jeffrey C; Resnik, Linda; Acton, Amy; Amaya, Flor; Rossi, Melinda; Soria-Saucedo, Rene; Kazis, Lewis E

Measuring community reintegration following burn injury is important to assess the efficacy of therapies designed to optimize recovery. This project aims to develop and validate a conceptual framework for understanding the social impact of burn injuries in adults. The framework is critical for developing the item banks used for a computerized adaptive test. We performed a comprehensive literature review and consulted with clinical experts and burn survivors about social life areas impacted by burn injury. Focus groups with burn survivors and clinicians were conducted to inform and validate the framework. Transcripts were coded using grounded theory methodology. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, was chosen to ground the content model. The primary construct identified was social participation, which contains two concepts: societal role and personal relationships. The subdomains chosen for item development were work, recreation and leisure, relating with strangers, and romantic, sexual, family, and informal relationships. Qualitative results strongly suggest that the conceptual model fits the constructs for societal role and personal relationships with the respective subdomains. This conceptual framework has guided the implementation of a large-scale calibration study currently underway which will lead to a computerized adaptive test for monitoring the social impacts of burn injuries during recovery.

Understanding childbirth practices as an organizational cultural phenomenon: a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Understanding the main values and beliefs that might promote humanized birth practices in the specialized hospitals requires articulating the theoretical knowledge of the social and cultural characteristics of the childbirth field and the relations between these and the institution. This paper aims to provide a conceptual framework allowing examination of childbirth practices through the lens of an organizational culture theory. A literature review performed to extrapolate the social and cultural factors contribute to birth practices and the factors likely overlap and mutually reinforce one another, instead of complying with the organizational culture of the birth place. The proposed conceptual framework in this paper examined childbirth patterns as an organizational cultural phenomenon in a highly specialized hospital, in Montreal, Canada. Allaire and Firsirotu’s organizational culture theory served as a guide in the development of the framework. We discussed the application of our conceptual model in understanding the influences of organizational culture components in the humanization of birth practices in the highly specialized hospitals and explained how these components configure both the birth practice and women’s choice in highly specialized hospitals. The proposed framework can be used as a tool for understanding the barriers and facilitating factors encountered birth practices in specialized hospitals. PMID:24215446

Construction of an Integrated Positive Youth Development Conceptual Framework for the Prevention of the Use of Psychotropic Drugs among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Lee, Tak Yan

2011-01-01

This is a theoretical paper with an aim to construct an integrated conceptual framework for the prevention of adolescents' use and abuse of psychotropic drugs. This paper first reports the subjective reasons for adolescents' drug use and abuse in Hong Kong and reviews the theoretical underpinnings. Theories of drug use and abuse, including neurological, pharmacological, genetic predisposition, psychological, and sociological theories, were reviewed. It provides a critical re-examination of crucial factors that support the construction of a conceptual framework for primary prevention of adolescents' drug use and abuse building on, with minor revision, the model of victimization and substance abuse among women presented by Logan et al. This revised model provides a comprehensive and coherent framework synthesized from theories of drug abuse. This paper then provides empirical support for integrating a positive youth development perspective in the revised model. It further explains how the 15 empirically sound constructs identified by Catalano et al. and used in a positive youth development program, the Project P.A.T.H.S., relate generally to the components of the revised model to formulate an integrated positive youth development conceptual framework for primary prevention of adolescent drug use. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and recommendations are discussed. PMID:22194671

A Conceptual Framework for the Social Analysis of Reproductive Health

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Kirstan

2007-01-01

The dominant conceptual framework for understanding reproductive behaviour is highly individualistic. In this article, it is demonstrated that such a conceptualization is flawed, as behaviour is shaped by social relations and institutions. Using ethnographic evidence, the value of a social analysis of the local contexts of reproductive health is highlighted. A framework is set out for conducting such a social analysis, which is capable of generating data necessary to allow health programmes to assess the appropriate means of improving the responsiveness of service-delivery structures to the needs of the most vulnerable. Six key issues are identified in the framework for the analysis of social vulnerability to poor reproductive health outcomes. The key issues are: poverty and livelihood strategies, gender, health-seeking behaviour, reproductive behaviour, and access to services. The article concludes by briefly identifying the key interventions and strategies indicated by such an analysis. PMID:17615901

A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Attrition in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laing, C. Linda; Laing, Gregory K.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework that considers the role that the sense of isolation and alienation play in contributing to attrition in online courses in the higher education sector. The approach adopted in this paper is a theoretical study aimed at synthesizing existing theories. The ultimate contribution of this…

Exploring Conceptual Models for Community Engagement at Higher Education Institutions in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bender, Gerda

2008-01-01

A critical conceptual analysis of the South African Higher Education context reflects the lack of a structural and functional framework for the conceptualisation of community engagement (CE) in higher education. The purpose of this article is to explore a framework and model for the conceptualisation of CE for a better understanding of community…

"Pedagogic Strategies": A Conceptual Framework for Effective Parent and Practitioner Strategies When Working with Children under Five

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Penny; Gallagher, Tracy

2015-01-01

This article traces the development of adult Pedagogic Strategies with children aged 0-5 years at the Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families in England. Pedagogical Strategies are a conceptual framework of effective strategies both practitioners and parents "already" have to support children's learning. The methodology was…

Beyond the Five Conceptual Frameworks: A Decade of Development in Family Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broderick, Carlfred B.

1971-01-01

The review presents a brief and somewhat personal and impressionistic description of the status of the field in 1960, deals with the fortunes of some of the general broadguage theories and conceptual frameworks which have dominated the family literature over the decade, and offers survey of some of the substantive theories which dealt with more…

Towards Systems that Care: A Conceptual Framework Based on Motivation, Metacognition and Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

du Boulay, Benedict; Avramides, Katerina; Luckin, Rosemary; Martinez-Miron, Erika; Rebolledo-Mendez, Genaro; Carr, Amanda

2010-01-01

This paper describes a Conceptual Framework underpinning "Systems that Care" in terms of educational systems that take account of motivation, metacognition and affect, in addition to cognition. The main focus is on "motivation," as learning requires the student to put in effort and be engaged, in other words to be motivated to learn. But…

Looking for Conceptual Frameworks in History: The Accounts of Portuguese 12-13 Year-Old Pupils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barca, Isabel; Castro, Julia; Amaral, Claudia

2010-01-01

A great deal of research in history education has focused on students' ideas about the concepts and methodology of the discipline, which is seen as central to consistent development in historical thinking. Recently, studies of adolescents' conceptual frameworks have highlighted some concerns about the coherence and substance of pictures of the…

A Conceptual Framework for Systematic Reviews of Research in Educational Leadership and Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallinger, Philip

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for scholars carrying out reviews of research that meet international standards for publication. Design/methodology/approach: This is primarily a conceptual paper focusing on the methodology of conducting systematic reviews of research. However, the paper draws on a database of reviews…

University Students' Academic Performance: An Integrative Conceptual Framework and Empirical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenollar, Pedro; Roman, Sergio; Cuestas, Pedro J.

2007-01-01

Background: The prediction and explanation of academic performance and the investigation of the factors relating to the academic success and persistence of students are topics of utmost importance in higher education. Aims: The main aim of the present study is to develop and test a conceptual framework in a university context, where the effects of…

A conceptual framework for ranking crown fire potential in wildland fuelbeds.

Treesearch

Mark D. Schaaf; David V. Sandberg; Maarten D. Schreuder; Cynthia L. Riccardi

2007-01-01

This paper presents a conceptual framework for ranking the crown fire potential of wildland fuelbeds with forest canopies. This approach extends the work by Van Wagner and Rothermel, and introduces several new physical concepts to the modeling of crown fire behavior derived from the reformulated Rothemel surface fire modeling concepts proposed by Sandberg et al. This...

The Life Course Perspective on Drug Use: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Drug Use Trajectories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hser, Yih-Ing; Longshore, Douglas; Anglin, M. Douglas

2007-01-01

This article discusses the life course perspective on drug use, including conceptual and analytic issues involved in developing the life course framework to explain how drug use trajectories develop during an individual's lifetime and how this knowledge can guide new research and approaches to management of drug dependence. Central concepts…

Reframing Teach for America: A Conceptual Framework for the Next Generation of Scholarship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Janelle; Trujillo, Tina; Rivera, Marialena D.

2016-01-01

In this article, we advance a conceptual framework for the study of Teach For America (TFA) as a political and social movement with implicit and explicit ideological and political underpinnings. We argue that the second branch of TFA's mission statement, which maintains that TFA's greatest point of influence in public education is not in…

Exploring the Usefulness of Two Conceptual Frameworks for Understanding How Organizational Factors Influence Innovation Implementation in Cancer Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urquhart, Robin; Sargeant, Joan; Grunfeld, Eva

2013-01-01

Moving knowledge into practice and the implementation of innovations in health care remain significant challenges. Few researchers adequately address the influence of organizations on the implementation of innovations in health care. The aims of this article are to (1) present 2 conceptual frameworks for understanding the organizational factors…

A conceptual framework for the study of human ecosystems in urban areas

Treesearch

Steward T.A. Pickett; William R. Burch; Shawn E. Dalton; Timothy W. Foresman; J. Morgan Grove; Rowan Rowntree

1997-01-01

The need for integrated concepts, capable of satisfying natural and social scientists and supporting integrated research, motivates a conceptual framework for understanding the role of humans in ecosystems. The question is how to add humans to the ecological models used to understand urban ecosystems. The ecosystem concept can serve as the basis, but specific social...

A Conceptual Framework and a Toolkit for Supporting the Rapid Prototyping of Context-Aware Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dey, Anind K.; Abowd, Gregory D.; Salber, Daniel

2001-01-01

Discusses the trend toward ubiquitous computing and the challenge to enhance the behavior of any application by informing it of the context of its use. Defines context related to the interaction between humans, applications, and the surrounding environment; and presents a conceptual framework and a toolkit for supporting the rapid prototyping of…

Conceptual Framework to Help Promote Retention and Transfer in the Introductory Chemical Engineering Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanyak, Michael E., Jr.

2015-01-01

In an introductory chemical engineering course, the conceptual framework of a holistic problem-solving methodology in conjunction with a problem-based learning approach has been shown to create a learning environment that nurtures deep learning rather than surface learning. Based on exam scores, student grades are either the same or better than…

Conceptual Framework To Extend Life Cycle Assessment Using Near-Field Human Exposure Modeling and High-Throughput Tools for Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a decision-making tool that accounts for multiple impacts across the life cycle of a product or service. This paper presents a conceptual framework to integrate human health impact assessment with risk screening approaches to extend LCA to include n...

Teaching a New Conceptual Framework of Weight and Gravitation in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Hana; Galili, Igal; Schur, Yaron

2015-01-01

Empirical studies have reported difficulties, confusion, and lack of understanding among students at all levels of instruction regarding the issue of weight--gravitation--weighing relationships. This study examined the impact of a new conceptual framework of weight, on a small group of 7th-grade students (N?=?14) in a middle school in Israel. This…

Conceptualizing Vectors in College Geometry: A New Framework for Analysis of Student Approaches and Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwon, Oh Hoon

2012-01-01

This dissertation documents a new way of conceptualizing vectors in college mathematics, especially in geometry. First, I will introduce three problems to show the complexity and subtlety of the construct of vectors with the classical vector representations. These highlight the need for a new framework that: (1) differentiates abstraction from a…

Developing Portfolios in Education: A Guide to Reflection, Inquiry, and Assessment [with CD-ROM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ruth S.; Mims, J. Sabrina; Doyle-Nichols, Adelaide

2006-01-01

Within a conceptual and research framework about the usefulness of portfolios, this book suggests methods to organize the process, and provides tools that will be used not only during preparation programs but also for professional and academic advancement. Key features include: (1) Provides a conceptual framework for portfolio development: Readers…

A Conceptual Framework to Help Evaluate the Quality of Institutional Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettunen, Juha

2008-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to present a general conceptual framework which can be used to evaluate quality and institutional performance in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: The quality of higher education is at the heart of the setting up of the European Higher Education Area. Strategic management is widely used in higher education…

Institutional Variables, Collegial Relationships, and Occupational Satisfaction: Testing the Conceptual Framework of Faculty Job Satisfaction among Counselor Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michel, Rebecca E.

2012-01-01

Occupational satisfaction is the extent to which individuals are fulfilled by their employment. The Conceptual Framework of Faculty Job Satisfaction (Hagedorn, 2000) describes how aspects of work impact occupational satisfaction, yet researchers have not previously used this model with counselor educators. This study investigated the applicability…

Adult Education Participation Decisions and Barriers: Review of Conceptual Frameworks and Empirical Studies. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Tim; Cahalan, Margaret; Lacireno-Paquet, Natalie

In preparation for the next National Household Education Survey (NHES), the conceptual frameworks of participatory behavior and methods used by other researchers to study factors promoting or inhibiting participation were examined. The following items were reviewed: the adult education (AE) barriers questions included on the 1991 and 1995 editions…

How Conceptual Frameworks Influence Discovery and Depictions of Emotions in Clinical Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchan, Judith Felson

2011-01-01

Although emotions are often seen as key to maintaining rapport between speech-language pathologists and their clients, they are often neglected in the research and clinical literature. This neglect, it is argued here, comes in part from the inadequacies of prevailing conceptual frameworks used to govern practices. I aim to show how six such…

Atoms, Elements, Molecules, and Matter: An Investigation into the Congenitally Blind Adolescents' Conceptual Frameworks on the Nature of Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smothers, Sinikka M.; Goldston, M. Jenice

2010-01-01

This qualitative multiple case study explored the conceptual frameworks of two congenitally blind male adolescents on the nature of matter. We examined participants' responses on four tactile investigations focused on concepts and processes associated with matter changes. The matter changes investigated were dissolution, chemical change,…

Conceptual Framework of Modes of Problem Solving Action (MPSA): Implications for Internet Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Su-Huei

The conceptual framework of the Modes of Problem Solving Action (MPSA) model integrates Dewey's pragmatism, critical science theory, and theory regarding the three modes of inquiry. The MPSA model is formulated in the shape of a matrix. Horizontally, there are the following modes: technical, interpretive, and emancipating. Vertically, there are…

Cone-Deciphered Modes of Problem Solving Action (MPSA Cone): Alternative Perspectives on Diversified Professions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Su-Huei

A conceptual framework of the modes of problem-solving action has been developed on the basis of a simple relationship cone to assist individuals in diversified professions in inquiry and implementation of theory and practice in their professional development. The conceptual framework is referred to as the Cone-Deciphered Modes of Problem Solving…

High-Ability Students: New Ways to Conceptualize Giftedness and Provide Psychological Services in the Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicpon, Megan Foley; Pfeiffer, Steven I.

2011-01-01

Psychologists working in the schools have an opportunity to affect in new and exciting ways the services they provide to high-ability students. A talent development framework offers a unique lens through which gifted services is conceptualized. The framework moves school psychologists beyond viewing giftedness and high IQ as synonymous to…

A Conceptual Framework for the Cultural Integration of Cooperative Learning: A Thai Primary Mathematics Education Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Ji Yong; Nuntrakune, Tippawan

2013-01-01

The Thailand education reform adopted cooperative learning to improve the quality of education. However, it has been reported that the introduction and maintenance of cooperative learning has been difficult and uncertain because of the cultural differences. The study proposed a conceptual framework developed based on making a connection between…

A Model Conceptual Framework for the Development of Humanities Programs in American Public Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groden, Austin F.

The conceptual framework for a humanities program presented in this dissertation was arrived at through a literature review, which yielded many alternative recommendations, and a mail questionnaire. The replies of 117 individuals resulted in the establishment of the following priorities: (1) the humanities are defined as specific objectives to be…

An integrated science plan for the Lake Tahoe basin: conceptual framework and research strategies

Treesearch

Zachary P. Hymanson; Michael W. Collopy

2010-01-01

An integrated science plan was developed to identify and refine contemporary science information needs for the Lake Tahoe basin ecosystem. The main objectives were to describe a conceptual framework for an integrated science program, and to develop research strategies addressing key uncertainties and information gaps that challenge government agencies in the theme...

A re-examination of the meaning and importance of supplier-induced demand.

PubMed

Labelle, R; Stoddart, G; Rice, T

1994-10-01

Despite twenty years of work on supplier-induced demand (SID) there has been little discussion or investigation of how inducement affects the health of patients. We develop a conceptual framework for SID which includes the clinical effectiveness of the health services utilized as well as the effectiveness of the agency relationship between the physician and the patient. The framework is used to identify several conceptually distinct types of utilization--each with its own policy implications--which have been intermingled in the SID literature. After examining each type of utilization, we conclude that a continued focus by health economists on the phenomenon of inducement (even within an extended conceptual framework) may be too limited for the development of policies regarding health service utilization.

O/S analysis of conceptual space vehicles. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebeling, Charles E.

1995-01-01

The application of recently developed computer models in determining operational capabilities and support requirements during the conceptual design of proposed space systems is discussed. The models used are the reliability and maintainability (R&M) model, the maintenance simulation model, and the operations and support (O&S) cost model. In the process of applying these models, the R&M and O&S cost models were updated. The more significant enhancements include (1) improved R&M equations for the tank subsystems, (2) the ability to allocate schedule maintenance by subsystem, (3) redefined spares calculations, (4) computing a weighted average of the working days and mission days per month, (5) the use of a position manning factor, and (6) the incorporation into the O&S model of new formulas for computing depot and organizational recurring and nonrecurring training costs and documentation costs, and depot support equipment costs. The case study used is based upon a winged, single-stage, vertical-takeoff vehicle (SSV) designed to deliver to the Space Station Freedom (SSF) a 25,000 lb payload including passengers without a crew.

Learners' strategies for reconstructing cognitive frameworks and navigating conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrott, Annette M.

Problem. Science teachers are charged with preparing students to become scientifically literate individuals. Teachers are given curriculum that specifies the knowledge that students should come away with; however, they are not necessarily aware of the knowledge with which the student arrives or how best to help them navigate between the two knowledge states. Educators must be aware, not only of where their students are conceptually, but how their students move from their prior knowledge and naive theories, to scientifically acceptable theories. The understanding of how students navigate this course has the potential to revolutionize educational practices. Methods. This study explored how five 9th grade biology students reconstructed their cognitive frameworks and navigated conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge. The research questions investigated were: (1) how do students in the process of changing their naive science theories to accepted science theories describe their journey from prior knowledge to current conception, and (2) what are the methods that students utilize to bridge the gap between alternate and consensual science conceptions to effect conceptual change. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews formed the primary data for probing the context and details of students' conceptual change experience. Primary interview data was coded by thematic analysis. Results and discussion. This study revealed information about students' perceived roles in learning, the role of articulation in the conceptual change process, and ways in which a community of learners aids conceptual change. It was ascertained that students see their role in learning primarily as repeating information until they could add that information to their knowledge. Students are more likely to consider challenges to their conceptual frameworks and be more motivated to become active participants in constructing their knowledge when they are working collaboratively with peers instead of receiving instruction from their teacher. Articulation was found to be instrumental in aiding learners in identifying their alternate conceptions as well as in revisiting, investigating and reconstructing their conceptual frameworks. Based on the assumptions generated, suggestions were offered to inform pedagogical practice in support of the conceptual change process.

ICAM (Conceptual Design for Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. Volume 2. Part 6. Task B - Establishment of the Factory of the Future Conceptual Framework Conceptual Framework Document, (MMR)

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-29

effort that requires hard copy documentation. As a result, there are generally numerous delays in providing current quality information. In the FoF...process have had fixed controls or were based on " hard -coded" information. A template, for example, is hard -coded information defining the shape of a...represents soft-coded control information. (Although manual handling of punch tapes still possess some of the limitations of " hard -coded" controls

Caring Economics: A New Framework for Conceptualizing and Measuring Economic Activity.

PubMed

Ghosh, Indradeep

2015-01-01

This article introduces the reader to a new framework for conceptualizing and measuring economic activity called caring economics. Going beyond the conventional understanding of economic activity as that which unfolds in markets, caring economics highlights the work of care and caregiving that occurs within households and is often unpaid. This article also unveils a new set of measures based on the framework of caring economics that are urgently needed by policymakers and business leaders to foster personal, business, and national economic success.

Preserving self-concept in the burn survivors: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Valizadeh, Llila; Lotfi, Mojgan; Salehi, Feridoon

2015-01-01

Burn injury is a devastating experience affecting all aspects of a person's essence, including his/her identity and perception. These patients require complex cognitive efforts to redefine their identity to deal with difficult condition after burn injury and preserve self-concept. The experience of life after burn injury is generally a solitary one, closely related to the patients' cultural and religious context. Therefore, this study was conducted aiming at investigating burn patients' experiences regarding how to preserve self-concept in life after burn injury in Iran. This qualitative study was carried out using qualitative content analysis and in-depth unstructured interviews with 17 surviving burn subjects. During the qualitative content analysis process, the concept of "locating" as the essence of the participants' experience was extracted as follows: (A) self-exploration (exploring the changes in one's life), (B) others' exploration (exploring the changes in the life of family members and the relationship between self and others), (C) position evaluation (self-position analysis), and (D) self-concept preservation. The present study has developed new understandings of mental experiences of burn patients' self-concept by describing the concept of "self-locating". It helps us in classifying and understanding the concepts described in comprehensive theories developed in this area. They do this by focusing on what burn patients experience for choosing self-preservation strategies and having a meaningful life. The finding can be used as a conceptual framework for palliative care program in Iran.

Preserving Self-Concept in the Burn Survivors: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Valizadeh, Llila; Lotfi, Mojgan; Salehi, Feridoon

2015-01-01

Background: Burn injury is a devastating experience affecting all aspects of a person's essence, including his/her identity and perception. These patients require complex cognitive efforts to redefine their identity to deal with difficult condition after burn injury and preserve self-concept. The experience of life after burn injury is generally a solitary one, closely related to the patients’ cultural and religious context. Therefore, this study was conducted aiming at investigating burn patients’ experiences regarding how to preserve self-concept in life after burn injury in Iran. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was carried out using qualitative content analysis and in-depth unstructured interviews with 17 surviving burn subjects. Results: During the qualitative content analysis process, the concept of “locating” as the essence of the participants’ experience was extracted as follows: (A) self-exploration (exploring the changes in one's life), (B) others’ exploration (exploring the changes in the life of family members and the relationship between self and others), (C) position evaluation (self-position analysis), and (D) self-concept preservation. Conclusion: The present study has developed new understandings of mental experiences of burn patients’ self-concept by describing the concept of “self-locating”. It helps us in classifying and understanding the concepts described in comprehensive theories developed in this area. They do this by focusing on what burn patients experience for choosing self-preservation strategies and having a meaningful life. The finding can be used as a conceptual framework for palliative care program in Iran. PMID:26009672

Toward a framework for levels of robot autonomy in human-robot interaction.

PubMed

Beer, Jenay M; Fisk, Arthur D; Rogers, Wendy A

2014-07-01

A critical construct related to human-robot interaction (HRI) is autonomy, which varies widely across robot platforms. Levels of robot autonomy (LORA), ranging from teleoperation to fully autonomous systems, influence the way in which humans and robots may interact with one another. Thus, there is a need to understand HRI by identifying variables that influence - and are influenced by - robot autonomy. Our overarching goal is to develop a framework for levels of robot autonomy in HRI. To reach this goal, the framework draws links between HRI and human-automation interaction, a field with a long history of studying and understanding human-related variables. The construct of autonomy is reviewed and redefined within the context of HRI. Additionally, the framework proposes a process for determining a robot's autonomy level, by categorizing autonomy along a 10-point taxonomy. The framework is intended to be treated as guidelines to determine autonomy, categorize the LORA along a qualitative taxonomy, and consider which HRI variables (e.g., acceptance, situation awareness, reliability) may be influenced by the LORA.

Toward a framework for levels of robot autonomy in human-robot interaction

PubMed Central

Beer, Jenay M.; Fisk, Arthur D.; Rogers, Wendy A.

2017-01-01

A critical construct related to human-robot interaction (HRI) is autonomy, which varies widely across robot platforms. Levels of robot autonomy (LORA), ranging from teleoperation to fully autonomous systems, influence the way in which humans and robots may interact with one another. Thus, there is a need to understand HRI by identifying variables that influence – and are influenced by – robot autonomy. Our overarching goal is to develop a framework for levels of robot autonomy in HRI. To reach this goal, the framework draws links between HRI and human-automation interaction, a field with a long history of studying and understanding human-related variables. The construct of autonomy is reviewed and redefined within the context of HRI. Additionally, the framework proposes a process for determining a robot’s autonomy level, by categorizing autonomy along a 10-point taxonomy. The framework is intended to be treated as guidelines to determine autonomy, categorize the LORA along a qualitative taxonomy, and consider which HRI variables (e.g., acceptance, situation awareness, reliability) may be influenced by the LORA. PMID:29082107

Applying TOGAF for e-government implementation based on service oriented architecture methodology towards good government governance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodijah, A.; Sundari, S.; Nugraha, A. C.

2018-05-01

As a Local Government Agencies who perform public services, General Government Office already has utilized Reporting Information System of Local Government Implementation (E-LPPD). However, E-LPPD has upgrade limitation for the integration processes that cannot accommodate General Government Offices’ needs in order to achieve Good Government Governance (GGG), while success stories of the ultimate goal of e-government implementation requires good governance practices. Currently, citizen demand public services as private sector do, which needs service innovation by utilizing the legacy system as a service based e-government implementation, while Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) to redefine a business processes as a set of IT enabled services and Enterprise Architecture from the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) as a comprehensive approach in redefining business processes as service innovation towards GGG. This paper takes a case study on Performance Evaluation of Local Government Implementation (EKPPD) system on General Government Office. The results show that TOGAF will guide the development of integrated business processes of EKPPD system that fits good governance practices to attain GGG with SOA methodology as technical approach.

Understanding general practice: a conceptual framework developed from case studies in the UK NHS

PubMed Central

Checkland, Kath

2007-01-01

Background General practice in the UK is undergoing a period of rapid and profound change. Traditionally, research into the effects of change on general practice has tended to regard GPs as individuals or as members of a professional group. To understand the impact of change, general practices should also be considered as organisations. Aim To use the organisational studies literature to build a conceptual framework of general practice organisations, and to test and develop this empirically using case studies of change in practice. This study used the implementation of National Service Frameworks (NSFs) and the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract as incidents of change. Design of study In-depth, qualitative case studies. The design was iterative: each case study was followed by a review of the theoretical ideas. The final conceptual framework was the result of the dynamic interplay between theory and empirical evidence. Setting Five general practices in England, selected using purposeful sampling. Method Semi-structured interviews with all clinical and managerial personnel in each practice, participant and non-participant observation, and examination of documents. Results A conceptual framework was developed that can be used to understand how and why practices respond to change. This framework enabled understanding of observed reactions to the introduction of NSFs and the new GMS contract. Important factors for generating responses to change included the story that the practice members told about their practice, beliefs about what counted as legitimate work, the role played by the manager, and previous experiences of change. Conclusion Viewing general practices as small organisations has generated insights into factors that influence responses to change. Change tends to occur from the bottom up and is determined by beliefs about organisational reality. The conceptual framework suggests some questions that can be asked of practices to explain this internal reality. PMID:17244426

Development of hospital disaster resilience: conceptual framework and potential measurement.

PubMed

Zhong, Shuang; Clark, Michele; Hou, Xiang-Yu; Zang, Yu-Li; Fitzgerald, Gerard

2014-11-01

Despite 'hospital resilience' gaining prominence in recent years, it remains poorly defined. This article aims to define hospital resilience, build a preliminary conceptual framework and highlight possible approaches to measurement. Searches were conducted of the commonly used health databases to identify relevant literature and reports. Search terms included 'resilience and framework or model' or 'evaluation or assess or measure and hospital and disaster or emergency or mass casualty and resilience or capacity or preparedness or response or safety'. Articles were retrieved that focussed on disaster resilience frameworks and the evaluation of various hospital capacities. A total of 1480 potentially eligible publications were retrieved initially but the final analysis was conducted on 47 articles, which appeared to contribute to the study objectives. Four disaster resilience frameworks and 11 evaluation instruments of hospital disaster capacity were included. Hospital resilience is a comprehensive concept derived from existing disaster resilience frameworks. It has four key domains: hospital safety; disaster preparedness and resources; continuity of essential medical services; recovery and adaptation. These domains were categorised according to four criteria, namely, robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness and rapidity. A conceptual understanding of hospital resilience is essential for an intellectual basis for an integrated approach to system development. This article (1) defines hospital resilience; (2) constructs conceptual framework (including key domains); (3) proposes comprehensive measures for possible inclusion in an evaluation instrument; and (4) develops a matrix of critical issues to enhance hospital resilience to cope with future disasters. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision

PubMed Central

Kankipati, Padmaja

2017-01-01

Background Currently, inadequate wheelchair provision has forced many people with disabilities to be trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, limiting their ability to access education, work and social facilities. This issue is in part because of the lack of collaboration among various stakeholders who need to work together to design, manufacture and deliver such assistive mobility devices. This in turn has led to inadequate evidence about intervention effectiveness, disability prevalence and subsequent costeffectiveness that would help facilitate appropriate provision and support for people with disabilities. Objectives In this paper, we describe a novel conceptual framework that can be tested across the globe to study and evaluate the effectiveness of wheelchair provision. Method The Comparative Effectiveness Research Subcommittee (CER-SC), consisting of the authors of this article, housed within the Evidence-Based Practice Working Group (EBP-WG) of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), conducted a scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices used during wheelchair service provision. The literature review was followed by a series of discussion groups. Results The three iterations of the conceptual framework are described in this manuscript. Conclusion We believe that adoption of this conceptual framework could have broad applications in wheelchair provision globally to develop evidence-based practices. Such a perspective will help in the comparison of different strategies employed in wheelchair provision and further improve clinical guidelines. Further work is being conducted to test the efficacy of this conceptual framework to evaluate effectiveness of wheelchair service provision in various settings across the globe. PMID:28936421

Compartmentalization: a conceptual framework for understanding how trees grow and defend themselves

Treesearch

Alex L. Shigo

1984-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to describe a conceptual framework for understanding how trees grow and how they and other perennial plants defend themselves. The concept of compartmentalization has developed over many years, a synthesis of ideas from a number of investigators. It is derived from detailed studies of the gross morphology and cellular anatomy of the wood...

PIAAC Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments: A Conceptual Framework. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 36

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rouet, Jean-Francois; Betrancourt, Mirelle; Britt, M. Anne; Bromme, Rainer; Graesser, Arthur C.; Kulikowich, Jonna M.; Leu, Donald J.; Ueno, Naoki; van Oostendorp, Herre

2009-01-01

Governments and other stakeholders have become increasingly interested in assessing the skills of their adult populations for the purposes of monitoring how well prepared they are for the challenges of the new information world. The current paper provides an overview of the conceptual framework developed for the assessment of problem solving in…

Establishing a Culture of Learning: A Mixed Methodology Exploration regarding the Phases of Change for Professional Learning Communities and Literacy Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, James E.

2010-01-01

This research serves as a mixed methodological study that presents a conceptual framework which focuses on the relationship between professional learning communities, high yield literacy strategies, and their phases of change. As a result, the purpose of this study is threefold. First, a conceptual framework integrating professional learning…

A Conceptual Framework for Mentoring in a Learning Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klinge, Carolyn M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a conceptual framework for mentoring as an added component of a learning organization in the context of adult learning and development theories. Mentoring is traditionally a process in which an experienced person (the mentor) guides another person (the mentee or protégé) in the development of her or his…

Comparing Apples and Pears?: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Forms of Outdoor Learning through Comparison of English Forest Schools and Danish "Udeskole"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waite, Sue; Bølling, Mads; Bentsen, Peter

2016-01-01

Using a conceptual model focused on purposes, aims, content, pedagogy, outcomes, and barriers, we review and interpret literature on two forms of outdoor learning: Forest Schools in England and "udeskole" in Denmark. We examine pedagogical principles within a comparative analytical framework and consider how adopted pedagogies reflect…

Text + Book = Textbook? Development of a Conceptual Framework for Non-Textual Elements in Middle School Mathematics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Rae Young

2009-01-01

This study is an initial analytic attempt to iteratively develop a conceptual framework informed by both theoretical and practical perspectives that may be used to analyze non-textual elements in mathematics textbooks. Despite the importance of visual representations in teaching and learning, little effort has been made to specify in any…

Kindergarten Teachers' Conceptual Framework on the Ozone Layer Depletion. Exploring the Associative Meanings of a Global Environmental Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daskolia, Maria; Flogaitis, Evgenia; Papageorgiou, Evgenia

2006-01-01

This paper reports on a study conducted among Greek kindergarten teachers aiming to explore their conceptual frameworks on a major environmental issue of our times: the ozone layer depletion. The choice of this particular issue was premised on its novelty, complexity and abstractness which present teachers with difficulties in its teaching. A free…

Conceptual Change from the Framework Theory Side of the Fence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vosniadou, Stella; Skopeliti, Irini

2014-01-01

We describe the main principles of the framework theory approach to conceptual change and briefly report on the results of a text comprehension study that investigated some of the hypotheses that derive from it. We claim that children construct a naive physics which is based on observation in the context of lay culture and which forms a relatively…

The Family as a Living Open System: An Emerging Conceptual Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fawcett, Jacqueline

The conceptual framework of the family presented in this paper views the family as a reality in itself. The four-dimensional energy field that is the family system is a living open system, a dynamic whole engaged in mutual and simultaneous interaction with a four-dimensional energy field that is the environment. The family system is patterned and…

Youth Oppression as a Technology of Colonialism: Conceptual Frameworks and Possibilities for Social Justice Education Praxis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Keri; Love, Barbara J.

2015-01-01

In this article, we conceptualize youth oppression as a social justice issue using SJE frameworks including Adams' levels of oppression, Bell's defining features of oppression, Hardiman et al.'s matrix of oppression, Young's Five Faces, and Love's internalized oppression. We examine youth as a social identity group, and youth oppression as a…

Flourishing across Europe: Application of a New Conceptual Framework for Defining Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huppert, Felicia A.; So, Timothy T. C.

2013-01-01

Governments around the world are recognising the importance of measuring subjective well-being as an indicator of progress. But how should well-being be measured? A conceptual framework is offered which equates high well-being with positive mental health. Well-being is seen as lying at the opposite end of a spectrum to the common mental disorders…

Teacher Identity and Numeracy: Evaluating a Conceptual Framework for Identity as a Teacher of Numeracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennison, Anne

2014-01-01

If teachers are to adequately support development of their students' numeracy capabilities then they need to have an identity as a teacher of numeracy. A preliminary evaluation of a conceptual framework (Bennison & Goos, 2013) developed for use in a two-year study that seeks to understand this construct is presented. Initial findings about an…

How Multi-Levels of Individual and Team Learning Interact in a Public Healthcare Organisation: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Louise; Kelliher, Felicity; Harrington, Denis

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to review the relevant literature on organisational learning and offer a preliminary conceptual framework as a basis to explore how the multi-levels of individual learning and team learning interact in a public healthcare organisation. The organisational learning literature highlights a need for further understanding of…

A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Terrorist Groups,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

level of future terrorist operations, the impact of arrests, etc. The identification of these gaps should provide the impetus to improved collection in...act. The principal advantage, however, of the conceptual framework is its ability to absorb new information as it becomes available, providing the...and indicate how long they have been targets. (Types: Diplomatic, business, military, police, airlines, private citizens, utilities, energy facilities

A Conceptual Framework for the Mission of the NIE Research and Development Center for Teacher Quality and Effectiveness: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Willis D.; And Others

This report presents a conceptual framework for the mission of the National Institute of Education (NIE) Research and Development Center for Teacher Quality and Effectiveness. Several important issues that should be the focus of the Center are identified, and the theoretical foundations to guide the research and development activities to study…

A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research.

PubMed

Reeves, Todd D; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen R; Ridgway, Judith; Gardner, Grant E; Schussler, Elisabeth E; Wischusen, E William

2016-01-01

Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are significant contributors to the educational mission of universities, particularly in introductory courses, yet there is a lack of empirical data on how to best prepare them for their teaching roles. This essay proposes a conceptual framework for biology GTA teaching professional development (TPD) program evaluation and research with three overarching variable categories for consideration: outcome variables, contextual variables, and moderating variables. The framework's outcome variables go beyond GTA satisfaction and instead position GTA cognition, GTA teaching practice, and undergraduate learning outcomes as the foci of GTA TPD evaluation and research. For each GTA TPD outcome variable, key evaluation questions and example assessment instruments are introduced to demonstrate how the framework can be used to guide GTA TPD evaluation and research plans. A common conceptual framework is also essential to coordinating the collection and synthesis of empirical data on GTA TPD nationally. Thus, the proposed conceptual framework serves as both a guide for conducting GTA TPD evaluation at single institutions and as a means to coordinate research across institutions at a national level. © 2016 T. D. Reeves et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A conceptual framework for evaluation of public health and primary care system performance in iran.

PubMed

Jahanmehr, Nader; Rashidian, Arash; Khosravi, Ardeshir; Farzadfar, Farshad; Shariati, Mohammad; Majdzadeh, Reza; Akbari Sari, Ali; Mesdaghinia, Alireza

2015-01-26

The main objective of this study was to design a conceptual framework, according to the policies and priorities of the ministry of health to evaluate provincial public health and primary care performance and to assess their share in the overall health impacts of the community. We used several tools and techniques, including system thinking, literature review to identify relevant attributes of health system performance framework and interview with the key stakeholders. The PubMed, Scopus, web of science, Google Scholar and two specialized databases of Persian language literature (IranMedex and SID) were searched using main terms and keywords. Following decision-making and collective agreement among the different stakeholders, 51 core indicators were chosen from among 602 obtained indicators in a four stage process, for monitoring and evaluation of Health Deputies. We proposed a conceptual framework by identifying the performance area for Health Deputies between other determinants of health, as well as introducing a chain of results, for performance, consisting of Input, Process, Output and Outcome indicators. We also proposed 5 dimensions for measuring the performance of Health Deputies, consisting of efficiency, effectiveness, equity, access and improvement of health status. The proposed Conceptual Framework illustrates clearly the Health Deputies success in achieving best results and consequences of health in the country. Having the relative commitment of the ministry of health and Health Deputies at the University of Medical Sciences is essential for full implementation of this framework and providing the annual performance report.

Building a measurement framework of burden of treatment in complex patients with chronic conditions: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Eton, David T; Ramalho de Oliveira, Djenane; Egginton, Jason S; Ridgeway, Jennifer L; Odell, Laura; May, Carl R; Montori, Victor M

2012-01-01

Burden of treatment refers to the workload of health care as well as its impact on patient functioning and well-being. We set out to build a conceptual framework of issues descriptive of burden of treatment from the perspective of the complex patient, as a first step in the development of a new patient-reported measure. We conducted semistructured interviews with patients seeking medication therapy management services at a large, academic medical center. All patients had a complex regimen of self-care (including polypharmacy), and were coping with one or more chronic health conditions. We used framework analysis to identify and code themes and subthemes. A conceptual framework of burden of treatment was outlined from emergent themes and subthemes. Thirty-two patients (20 female, 12 male, age 26-85 years) were interviewed. Three broad themes of burden of treatment emerged including: the work patients must do to care for their health; problem-focused strategies and tools to facilitate the work of self-care; and factors that exacerbate the burden felt. The latter theme encompasses six subthemes including challenges with taking medication, emotional problems with others, role and activity limitations, financial challenges, confusion about medical information, and health care delivery obstacles. We identified several key domains and issues of burden of treatment amenable to future measurement and organized them into a conceptual framework. Further development work on this conceptual framework will inform the derivation of a patient-reported measure of burden of treatment.

Evolution beyond neo-Darwinism: a new conceptual framework.

PubMed

Noble, Denis

2015-01-01

Experimental results in epigenetics and related fields of biological research show that the Modern Synthesis (neo-Darwinist) theory of evolution requires either extension or replacement. This article examines the conceptual framework of neo-Darwinism, including the concepts of 'gene', 'selfish', 'code', 'program', 'blueprint', 'book of life', 'replicator' and 'vehicle'. This form of representation is a barrier to extending or replacing existing theory as it confuses conceptual and empirical matters. These need to be clearly distinguished. In the case of the central concept of 'gene', the definition has moved all the way from describing a necessary cause (defined in terms of the inheritable phenotype itself) to an empirically testable hypothesis (in terms of causation by DNA sequences). Neo-Darwinism also privileges 'genes' in causation, whereas in multi-way networks of interactions there can be no privileged cause. An alternative conceptual framework is proposed that avoids these problems, and which is more favourable to an integrated systems view of evolution. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Psychological Resilience among Children Affected by Parental HIV/AIDS: A Conceptual Framework

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoming; Chi, Peilian; Sherr, Lorraine; Cluver, Lucie; Stanton, Bonita

2015-01-01

HIV-related parental illness and death have a profound and lasting impact on a child's psychosocial wellbeing, potentially compromising the child's future. In response to a paucity of theoretical and conceptual discussions regarding the development of resilience among children affected by parental HIV, we proposed a conceptual framework of psychological resilience among children affected by HIV based on critical reviews of the existing theoretical and empirical literature. Three interactive social ecological factors were proposed to promote the resilience processes and attenuate the negative impact of parental HIV on children's psychological development. Internal assets, such as cognitive capacity, motivation to adapt, coping skills, religion/spirituality, and personality, promote resilience processes. Family resources and community resources are two critical contextual factors that facilitate resilience process. Family resources contain smooth transition, functional caregivers, attachment relationship, parenting discipline. Community resources contain teacher support, peer support, adult mentors, and effective school. The implications of the conceptual framework for future research and interventions among children affected by parental HIV were discussed. PMID:26716068

Psychological Resilience among Children Affected by Parental HIV/AIDS: A Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoming; Chi, Peilian; Sherr, Lorraine; Cluver, Lucie; Stanton, Bonita

2015-01-01

HIV-related parental illness and death have a profound and lasting impact on a child's psychosocial wellbeing, potentially compromising the child's future. In response to a paucity of theoretical and conceptual discussions regarding the development of resilience among children affected by parental HIV, we proposed a conceptual framework of psychological resilience among children affected by HIV based on critical reviews of the existing theoretical and empirical literature. Three interactive social ecological factors were proposed to promote the resilience processes and attenuate the negative impact of parental HIV on children's psychological development. Internal assets, such as cognitive capacity, motivation to adapt, coping skills, religion/spirituality, and personality, promote resilience processes. Family resources and community resources are two critical contextual factors that facilitate resilience process. Family resources contain smooth transition, functional caregivers, attachment relationship, parenting discipline. Community resources contain teacher support, peer support, adult mentors, and effective school. The implications of the conceptual framework for future research and interventions among children affected by parental HIV were discussed.

Can we Build on Social Movement Theories to Develop and Improve Community-Based Participatory Research? A Framework Synthesis Review.

PubMed

Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Martin, Debbie H; Macaulay, Ann C; Pluye, Pierre

2017-06-01

A long-standing challenge in community-based participatory research (CBPR) has been to anchor practice and evaluation in a relevant and comprehensive theoretical framework of community change. This study describes the development of a multidimensional conceptual framework that builds on social movement theories to identify key components of CBPR processes. Framework synthesis was used as a general literature search and analysis strategy. An initial conceptual framework was developed from the theoretical literature on social movement. A literature search performed to identify illustrative CBPR projects yielded 635 potentially relevant documents, from which eight projects (corresponding to 58 publications) were retained after record and full-text screening. Framework synthesis was used to code and organize data from these projects, ultimately providing a refined framework. The final conceptual framework maps key concepts of CBPR mobilization processes, such as the pivotal role of the partnership; resources and opportunities as necessary components feeding the partnership's development; the importance of framing processes; and a tight alignment between the cause (partnership's goal), the collective action strategy, and the system changes targeted. The revised framework provides a context-specific model to generate a new, innovative understanding of CBPR mobilization processes, drawing on existing theoretical foundations. © 2017 The Authors American Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Community Research and Action.

The Influence of Approach and Avoidance Goals on Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marcus Lee; Sinatra, Gale M.

2014-01-01

Recently, conceptual change research has been experiencing a warming trend (G. M. Sinatra, 2005) whereby motivational and affective factors are being explored in the conceptual change process. The purpose of this study is to explore the 2 × 2 framework of achievement goal theory in relation to students' conceptual change learning for a specific…

Framing Mechanisms Linking HIV-Related Stigma, Adherence to Treatment, and Health Outcomes

PubMed Central

Hatcher, Abigail M.; Weiser, Sheri D.; Johnson, Mallory O.; Rice, Whitney S.; Turan, Janet M.

2017-01-01

We present a conceptual framework that highlights how unique dimensions of individual-level HIV-related stigma (perceived community stigma, experienced stigma, internalized stigma, and anticipated stigma) might differently affect the health of those living with HIV. HIV-related stigma is recognized as a barrier to both HIV prevention and engagement in HIV care, but little is known about the mechanisms through which stigma leads to worse health behaviors or outcomes. Our conceptual framework posits that, in the context of intersectional and structural stigmas, individual-level dimensions of HIV-related stigma operate through interpersonal factors, mental health, psychological resources, and biological stress pathways. A conceptual framework that encompasses recent advances in stigma science can inform future research and interventions aiming to address stigma as a driver of HIV-related health. PMID:28426316

Framing Mechanisms Linking HIV-Related Stigma, Adherence to Treatment, and Health Outcomes.

PubMed

Turan, Bulent; Hatcher, Abigail M; Weiser, Sheri D; Johnson, Mallory O; Rice, Whitney S; Turan, Janet M

2017-06-01

We present a conceptual framework that highlights how unique dimensions of individual-level HIV-related stigma (perceived community stigma, experienced stigma, internalized stigma, and anticipated stigma) might differently affect the health of those living with HIV. HIV-related stigma is recognized as a barrier to both HIV prevention and engagement in HIV care, but little is known about the mechanisms through which stigma leads to worse health behaviors or outcomes. Our conceptual framework posits that, in the context of intersectional and structural stigmas, individual-level dimensions of HIV-related stigma operate through interpersonal factors, mental health, psychological resources, and biological stress pathways. A conceptual framework that encompasses recent advances in stigma science can inform future research and interventions aiming to address stigma as a driver of HIV-related health.

Game theory as a conceptual framework for managing insect pests.

PubMed

Brown, Joel S; Staňková, Kateřina

2017-06-01

For over 100 years it has been recognized that insect pests evolve resistance to chemical pesticides. More recently, managers have advocated restrained use of pesticides, crop rotation, the use of multiple pesticides, and pesticide-free sanctuaries as resistance management practices. Game theory provides a conceptual framework for combining the resistance strategies of the insects and the control strategies of the pest manager into a unified conceptual and modelling framework. Game theory can contrast an ecologically enlightened application of pesticides with an evolutionarily enlightened one. In the former case the manager only considers ecological consequences whereas the latter anticipates the evolutionary response of the pests. Broader applications of this game theory approach include anti-biotic resistance, fisheries management and therapy resistance in cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Framework for Re-thinking Learning in Science from Recent Cognitive Science Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tytler, Russell; Prain, Vaughan

2010-10-01

Recent accounts by cognitive scientists of factors affecting cognition imply the need to reconsider current dominant conceptual theories about science learning. These new accounts emphasize the role of context, embodied practices, and narrative-based representation rather than learners' cognitive constructs. In this paper we analyse data from a longitudinal study of primary school children's learning to outline a framework based on these contemporary accounts and to delineate key points of difference from conceptual change perspectives. The findings suggest this framework provides strong theoretical and practical insights into how children learn and the key role of representational negotiation in this learning. We argue that the nature and process of conceptual change can be re-interpreted in terms of the development of students' representational resources.

a Conceptual Framework for Indoor Mapping by Using Grammars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, X.; Fan, H.; Zipf, A.; Shang, J.; Gu, F.

2017-09-01

Maps are the foundation of indoor location-based services. Many automatic indoor mapping approaches have been proposed, but they rely highly on sensor data, such as point clouds and users' location traces. To address this issue, this paper presents a conceptual framework to represent the layout principle of research buildings by using grammars. This framework can benefit the indoor mapping process by improving the accuracy of generated maps and by dramatically reducing the volume of the sensor data required by traditional reconstruction approaches. In addition, we try to present more details of partial core modules of the framework. An example using the proposed framework is given to show the generation process of a semantic map. This framework is part of an ongoing research for the development of an approach for reconstructing semantic maps.

Conceptual modeling framework to support development of site-specific selenium criteria for Lake Koocanusa, Montana, U.S.A., and British Columbia, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenni, Karen E.; Naftz, David L.; Presser, Theresa S.

2017-10-16

The U.S. Geological Survey, working with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change Strategy, has developed a conceptual modeling framework that can be used to provide structured and scientifically based input to the Lake Koocanusa Monitoring and Research Working Group as they consider potential site-specific selenium criteria for Lake Koocanusa, a transboundary reservoir located in Montana and British Columbia. This report describes that modeling framework, provides an example of how it can be applied, and outlines possible next steps for implementing the framework.

A Conceptual Framework for the Evaluation of Emergency Risk Communications

PubMed Central

Lin, Leesa; Gamhewage, Gaya M.

2017-01-01

Objectives. To articulate a conceptual framework in support of evaluation activities in emergency risk communications (ERC). Methods. The framework proposed is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature (2001–2016) combined with data derived from a series of semistructured interviews with experts and practitioners in ERC, and it is designed to support local, national, and international public health organizations in implementing evaluation studies in ERC. Results. We identified a list of ERC outcomes from the full-text review of 152 articles and categorized these into 3 groups, depending upon the level at which the outcome was measured: (1) information environment, (2) population, and (3) public health system. We analyzed interviewees’ data from 18 interviews to identify practices and processes related to the effectiveness of ERC and included these as key structural components and processes in the developed evaluation framework. Conclusions. Researchers and public health practitioners interested in the evaluation of ERC can use the conceptual framework described in this article to guide the development of evaluation studies and methods for assessing communication outcomes related to public health emergencies. PMID:28892436

A Conceptual Framework for the Evaluation of Emergency Risk Communications.

PubMed

Savoia, Elena; Lin, Leesa; Gamhewage, Gaya M

2017-09-01

To articulate a conceptual framework in support of evaluation activities in emergency risk communications (ERC). The framework proposed is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature (2001-2016) combined with data derived from a series of semistructured interviews with experts and practitioners in ERC, and it is designed to support local, national, and international public health organizations in implementing evaluation studies in ERC. We identified a list of ERC outcomes from the full-text review of 152 articles and categorized these into 3 groups, depending upon the level at which the outcome was measured: (1) information environment, (2) population, and (3) public health system. We analyzed interviewees' data from 18 interviews to identify practices and processes related to the effectiveness of ERC and included these as key structural components and processes in the developed evaluation framework. Researchers and public health practitioners interested in the evaluation of ERC can use the conceptual framework described in this article to guide the development of evaluation studies and methods for assessing communication outcomes related to public health emergencies.

Effectiveness of Teamwork in an Integrated Care Setting for Patients with COPD: Development and Testing of a Self-Evaluation Instrument for Interprofessional Teams.

PubMed

Van Dijk-de Vries, Anneke N; Duimel-Peeters, Inge G P; Muris, Jean W; Wesseling, Geertjan J; Beusmans, George H M I; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2016-04-08

Teamwork between healthcare providers is conditional for the delivery of integrated care. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model for developing and testing of the Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument. Focus groups with healthcare providers in an integrated care setting for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were conducted to examine the recognisability of the conceptual framework and to explore critical success factors for collaborative COPD practice out of this framework. The resulting items were transposed into a pilot instrument. This was reviewed by expert opinion and completed 153 times by healthcare providers. The underlying structure and internal consistency of the instrument were verified by factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. The conceptual framework turned out to be comprehensible for discussing teamwork effectiveness. The pilot instrument measures 25 relevant aspects of teamwork in integrated COPD care. Factor analysis suggested three reliable components: teamwork effectiveness, team processes and team psychosocial traits (Cronbach's alpha between 0.76 and 0.81). The conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model is relevant in developing a practical full-spectrum instrument to facilitate discussing teamwork effectiveness. The Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument provides a well-founded basis to self-evaluate teamwork effectiveness in integrated COPD care by healthcare providers. Recommendations are provided for the improvement of the instrument.

A capacity-building conceptual framework for public health nutrition practice.

PubMed

Baillie, Elizabeth; Bjarnholt, Christel; Gruber, Marlies; Hughes, Roger

2009-08-01

To describe a conceptual framework to assist in the application of capacity-building principles to public health nutrition practice. A review of the literature and consideration of the determinants of effective public health nutrition practice has been used to inform the development of a conceptual framework for capacity building in the context of public health nutrition practice. The limited literature supports a greater integration and application of capacity-building strategies and principles in public health nutrition practice, and that this application should be overt and strategic. A framework is proposed that identifies a number of determinants of capacity for effective public health nutrition action. The framework represents the key foundations for building capacity including leadership, resourcing and intelligence. Five key strategic domains supported by these foundation elements, including partnerships, organisational development, project management quality, workforce development and community development, are proposed. This framework can be used to assist the systematic assessment, development and evaluation of capacity-building activity within public health nutrition practice. Capacity building is a strategy within public health nutrition practice that needs to be central to public health nutrition intervention management. The present paper defines, contextualises and outlines a framework for integrating and making explicit the importance of capacity building within public health nutrition practice at many levels.

Development and Preliminary Testing of a Framework to Evaluate Patients' Experiences of the Fundamentals of Care: A Secondary Analysis of Three Stroke Survivor Narratives

PubMed Central

Kitson, Alison L.; Muntlin Athlin, Åsa

2013-01-01

Aim. To develop and test a framework describing the interrelationship of three key dimensions (physical, psychosocial, and relational) in the provision of the fundamentals of care to patients. Background. There are few conceptual frameworks to help healthcare staff, particularly nurses, know how to provide direct care around fundamental needs such as eating, drinking, and going to the toilet. Design. Deductive development of a conceptual framework and qualitative analysis of secondary interview data. Method. Framework development followed by a secondary in-depth analysis of primary narrative interview data from three stroke survivors. Results. Using the physical, psychosocial and relational dimensions to develop a conceptual framework, it was possible to identify a number of “archetypes” or scenarios that could explain stroke survivors' positive experiences of their care. Factors contributing to suboptimal care were also identified. Conclusions. This way of thinking about how the fundamentals of care are experienced by patients may help to elucidate the complex processes involved around providing high quality fundamentals of care. This analysis illustrates the multiple dimensions at play. However, more systematic investigation is required with further refining and testing with wider healthcare user groups. The framework has potential to be used as a predictive, evaluative, and explanatory tool. PMID:23864946

On the effect of gyroscopic forces on the instability of certain fluid-elastic systems. Part 1: Definitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornecki, A.

1983-09-01

This study was motivated by work on the stability of nonconservative elastic systems and flutter of certain fluid-elastic systems. A literature review revealed that the concepts of conservative forces (and systems) and gyroscopic forces (and systems) need clarifications, and the definitions formulated by different authors for the forces and systems are sometimes conflicting. In this report, these controversies are thoroughly discussed and conservative and gyroscopic systems are redefined within the framework of the classical dynamics of a system of particles.

DIY eBooks: collaborative publishing made easy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battle, Steve; Vitali, Fabio; Di Iorio, Angelo; Bernius, Matthew; Henderson, Tona; Choudhury, Manu

2010-02-01

Print is undergoing a revolution as significant as the invention of the printing press. The emergence of ePaper is a major disruption for the printing industry; defining a new medium with the potential to redefine publishing in a way that is as different to today's Web, as the Web is to traditional print. In this new eBook ecosystem we don't just see users as consumers of eBooks, but as active prosumers able to collaboratively create, customize and publish their own eBooks. We describe a transclusive, collaborative publishing framework for the web.

Disruptive innovation: a new diagnosis for health care's "financial flu".

PubMed

Kenagy, John W; Christensen, Clayton M

2002-05-01

Financial difficulties are threatening many healthcare organizations. To survive and target new markets of growth, strategic decision makers need to adapt existing business frameworks using the principle of disruptive innovation, which involves framing financial problems in a manner that incorporates changes in the marketplace and redefines solutions. Rather than emphasizing technological advances to capture shrinking, highly competitive markets, healthcare providers should consider the possibility of reaching largely untapped sources of revenue through a service line that is more convenient and less costly to consumers with less intensive needs.

Copulas and time series with long-ranged dependencies.

PubMed

Chicheportiche, Rémy; Chakraborti, Anirban

2014-04-01

We review ideas on temporal dependencies and recurrences in discrete time series from several areas of natural and social sciences. We revisit existing studies and redefine the relevant observables in the language of copulas (joint laws of the ranks). We propose that copulas provide an appropriate mathematical framework to study nonlinear time dependencies and related concepts-like aftershocks, Omori law, recurrences, and waiting times. We also critically argue, using this global approach, that previous phenomenological attempts involving only a long-ranged autocorrelation function lacked complexity in that they were essentially monoscale.

Redefining ecosystem multifunctionality.

PubMed

Manning, Peter; van der Plas, Fons; Soliveres, Santiago; Allan, Eric; Maestre, Fernando T; Mace, Georgina; Whittingham, Mark J; Fischer, Markus

2018-03-01

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in ecosystem multifunctionality, a concept that has developed in the largely separate fields of biodiversity-ecosystem function and land management research. Here we discuss the merit of the multifunctionality concept, the advances it has delivered, the challenges it faces and solutions to these challenges. This involves the redefinition of multifunctionality as a property that exists at two levels: ecosystem function multifunctionality and ecosystem service multifunctionality. The framework presented provides a road map for the development of multifunctionality measures that are robust, quantifiable and relevant to both fundamental ecological science and ecosystem management.

Conceptual model for partnership and sustainability in global health.

PubMed

Leffers, Jeanne; Mitchell, Emma

2011-01-01

Although nursing has a long history of service to the global community, the profession lacks a theoretical and empirical base for nurses to frame their global practice. A study using grounded theory methodology to investigate partnership and sustainability for global health led to the development of a conceptual model. Interviews were conducted with 13 global health nurse experts. Themes from the interviews were: components for engagement, mutual goal setting, cultural bridging, collaboration, capacity building, leadership, partnership, ownership, and sustainability. Next, the identified themes were reviewed in the literature in order to evaluate their conceptual relationships. Finally, careful comparison of the interview transcripts and the supporting literature led to the Conceptual Framework for Partnership and Sustainability in Global Health Nursing. The model posits that engagement and partnership must precede any planning and intervention in order to create sustainable interventions. This conceptual framework will offer nurses important guidance for global health nursing practice. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Multilevel Conceptual Framework to Understand the Role of Food Insecurity on Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in Low-Resource Settings: From Theory to Practice

PubMed Central

Masa, Rainier; Chowa, Gina

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to describe a multilevel conceptual framework to understand the role of food insecurity on antiretroviral therapy adherence. The authors illustrated an example of how they used the multilevel framework to develop an intervention for poor people living with HIV in a rural and low-resource community. The framework incorporates intra-personal, interpersonal, and structural-level theories of understanding and changing health behaviors. The framework recognizes the role of personal, social, and environmental factors on cognition and behavior, with particular attention to ways in which treatment adherence is enabled or prevented by structural conditions, such as food insecurity. PMID:28368779

Visual Representations of Microcosm in Textbooks of Chemistry: Constructing a Systemic Network for Their Main Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papageorgiou, George; Amariotakis, Vasilios; Spiliotopoulou, Vasiliki

2017-01-01

The main objective of this work is to analyse the visual representations (VRs) of the microcosm depicted in nine Greek secondary chemistry school textbooks of the last three decades in order to construct a systemic network for their main conceptual framework and to evaluate the contribution of each one of the resulting categories to the network.…

A conceptual framework for characterizing forest areas with high societal values: experiences from the Pacific Northwest of USA and Central Europe

Treesearch

Tina Simonèiè; Thomas A. Spies; Robert L. Deal; Andrej Bonèina

2015-01-01

In recent decades, much work has been invested to describe forest allocations with high societal values. Yet, few comparative analyses have been conducted on their importance and differences across the regions of the globe. This paper introduces a conceptual framework to characterize forest priority areas defined as areas with identified higher importance of societal...

Authentic Oral Language Production and Interaction in CALL: An Evolving Conceptual Framework for the Use of Learning Analytics within the SpeakApps Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nic Giolla Mhichíl, Mairéad; van Engen, Jeroen; Ó Ciardúbháin, Colm; Ó Cléircín, Gearóid; Appel, Christine

2014-01-01

This paper sets out to construct and present the evolving conceptual framework of the SpeakApps projects to consider the application of learning analytics to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous oral language skills within this CALL context. Drawing from both the CALL and wider theoretical and empirical literature of learner analytics, the…

A Conceptual Framework for Digital Libraries for K-12 Mathematics Education: Part 1, Information Organization, Information Literacy, and Integrated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Hsin-liang; Doty, Philip

2005-01-01

This article is the first of two that present a six-part conceptual framework for the design and evaluation of digital libraries meant to support mathematics education in K-12 settings (see also pt. 2). This first article concentrates on (1) information organization, (2) information literacy, and (3) integrated learning with multimedia materials.…

Cognitive Frames of Reference and Strategic Thinking

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-05

Elliot Jaques and T. 0. Jacobs, whose Stratified Systems Theory (SST) links leadership requirements to organizational functions. SST emphasizes the...reverse if necessary and identify by block number) Using Stratified Systems Theory and the research on expertise as a conceptual framework, this study...Stratified Systems Theory and the research on expertise as a conceptual framework, this study explored the differences in the structure and content of the

Endurance with partnership: a preliminary conceptual framework for couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation treatment.

PubMed

Ying, Liying; Wu, Lai Har; Wu, Xiangli; Shu, Jing; Loke, Alice Yuen

2018-04-01

Infertility affects both women and men in the physical, emotional, existential, and interpersonal realms. When couples seek in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, they further suffer from the difficulties of the treatment and the uncertainty of its outcome. The aim of this study was to develop a preliminary conceptual framework for couples undergoing IVF treatment to give health professionals a better understanding of the experiences of such couples, and to guide the development of an intervention. The process of identifying frameworks adopted in intervention studies confirmed that there is no established framework for infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment. A skeletal framework identified from previous studies provides an internal structure for the proposed framework for couples undergoing IVF treatment, filled out with concepts drawn from a concept analysis and a qualitative study, knitting the structure together. This preliminary framework is the Endurance with Partnership Conceptual Framework (P-EPCF). It consists of four domains: the impacts of infertility and stressors, dyadic mediators, dyadic moderators and dyadic outcomes. According to the P-EPCF, the impacts of infertility and IVF treatment can be mediated by the couples' partnership and dyadic coping. Improvements in the psychological well-being and marital functioning of IVF couples can then be expected. The P-EPCF would be potentially valuable in guiding the development of a complex, couple-based intervention, which could focus on enhancing the partnership of couples and their coping strategies.

Understanding students' explanations of biological phenomena: Conceptual frameworks or p-prims?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southerland, Sherry A.; Abrams, Eleanor; Cummins, Catherine L.; Anzelmo, Julie

2001-07-01

This study explores two differing perspectives of the nature of students' biological knowledge structures, conceptual frameworks, and p-prims. Students from four grade levels and from three regions of the United States were asked to explain a variety of biological phenomena. Students' responses to the interview probes were analyzed to describe 1) patterns in the nature of students' explanations across grade levels and interview probes, and 2) the consistency of students' explanations across individual interview probes and across the range of probes. The results were interpreted from both perspectives of knowledge structures. While definitive assertions supporting either perspective could not be made, each hypothesis was explored. Although the more prevalent description of student conceptions within a broader conceptual framework could not be discounted, the p-prim of need as a rationale for change was also found to offer a useful description of knowledge frameworks for this content area. The difficulties endemic to the use of biology for the study of basic knowledge structures are also discussed.

A conceptual framework of stress vulnerability, depression, and health outcomes in women: potential uses in research on complementary therapies for depression.

PubMed

Kinser, Patricia A; Lyon, Debra E

2014-09-01

Depression is a chronic mental health condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It is well-established that psychological stress plays an integral role in depression and that depression has numerous negative health outcomes. However, a closer look at components of stress vulnerabilities and depression is required to allow for the development and testing of appropriate interventions. This article describes a conceptual framework about the complex and bidirectional relationship between stress vulnerability, depression, and health outcomes in women. The authors elucidate how the framework can be applied in clinical research about cellular aging and on the mechanisms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for depression, using yoga as an example of a CAM modality. The proposed conceptual framework may be helpful for adding depth to the body of knowledge about the use of mind-body therapies for individuals at high risk of stress vulnerability and/or depression.

Measuring patient-perceived hospital service quality: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Pai, Yogesh P; Chary, Satyanarayana T

2016-04-18

Purpose - Although measuring healthcare service quality is not a new phenomenon, the instruments used to measure are timeworn. With the shift in focus to patient centric processes in hospitals and recognizing healthcare to be different compared to other services, service quality measurement needs to be tuned specifically to healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to design a conceptual framework for measuring patient perceived hospital service quality (HSQ), based on existing service quality literature. Design/methodology/approach - Using HSQ theories, expanding existing healthcare service models and literature, a conceptual framework is proposed to measure HSQ. The paper outlines patient perceived service quality dimensions. Findings - An instrument for measuring HSQ dimensions is developed and compared with other service quality measuring instruments. The latest dimensions are in line with previous studies, but a relationship dimension is added. Practical implications - The framework empowers managers to assess healthcare quality in corporate, public and teaching hospitals. Originality/value - The paper helps academics and practitioners to assess HSQ from a patient perspective.

A conceptual framework of stress vulnerability, depression, and health outcomes in women: potential uses in research on complementary therapies for depression

PubMed Central

Kinser, Patricia A; Lyon, Debra E

2014-01-01

Background Depression is a chronic mental health condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It is well-established that psychological stress plays an integral role in depression and that depression has numerous negative health outcomes. However, a closer look at components of stress vulnerabilities and depression is required to allow for the development and testing of appropriate interventions. Aims and Discussion This article describes a conceptual framework about the complex and bidirectional relationship between stress vulnerability, depression, and health outcomes in women. The authors elucidate how the framework can be applied in clinical research about cellular aging and on the mechanisms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for depression, using yoga as an example of a CAM modality. Conclusion The proposed conceptual framework may be helpful for adding depth to the body of knowledge about the use of mind-body therapies for individuals at high risk of stress vulnerability and/or depression. PMID:25328843

Conceptual framework for the study of food waste generation and prevention in the hospitality sector.

PubMed

Papargyropoulou, Effie; Wright, Nigel; Lozano, Rodrigo; Steinberger, Julia; Padfield, Rory; Ujang, Zaini

2016-03-01

Food waste has significant detrimental economic, environmental and social impacts. The magnitude and complexity of the global food waste problem has brought it to the forefront of the environmental agenda; however, there has been little research on the patterns and drivers of food waste generation, especially outside the household. This is partially due to weaknesses in the methodological approaches used to understand such a complex problem. This paper proposes a novel conceptual framework to identify and explain the patterns and drivers of food waste generation in the hospitality sector, with the aim of identifying food waste prevention measures. This conceptual framework integrates data collection and analysis methods from ethnography and grounded theory, complemented with concepts and tools from industrial ecology for the analysis of quantitative data. A case study of food waste generation at a hotel restaurant in Malaysia is used as an example to illustrate how this conceptual framework can be applied. The conceptual framework links the biophysical and economic flows of food provisioning and waste generation, with the social and cultural practices associated with food preparation and consumption. The case study demonstrates that food waste is intrinsically linked to the way we provision and consume food, the material and socio-cultural context of food consumption and food waste generation. Food provisioning, food consumption and food waste generation should be studied together in order to fully understand how, where and most importantly why food waste is generated. This understanding will then enable to draw detailed, case specific food waste prevention plans addressing the material and socio-economic aspects of food waste generation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Piloting a mass gathering conceptual framework at an Adelaide schoolies festival.

PubMed

Hutton, Alison; Munt, Rebecca; Zeitz, Kathryn; Cusack, Lynette; Kako, Mayumi; Arbon, Paul

2010-01-01

During the summer months in Australia, school leavers celebrate their end of school life at schoolies festivals around the nation. These events are typically described as a mass gathering as they are an organised event taking place within a defined space, attended by a large number of people. A project was undertaken to analyse the usefulness of Arbon's (2004) conceptual model of mass gatherings in order to develop a process to better understand the Adelaide Schoolies Festival. Arbon's conceptual framework describes the inter-relationship between the psychosocial, environmental and bio-medical domains of a mass gathering. Each domain has set characteristics which help to understand the impact on the mass gathering event. The characteristics within three domains were collected using field work and bio-medical data to examine the relationship between injury and illness rates. Using the conceptual framework to evaluate this schoolies event helped create an understanding of the physiology, environment and behaviour contributing to patient presentations. Results showed that the schoolies crowd was active and energetic, and the main crowd behaviour observed was dancing and socialising with friends. The environmental domain was characterised by a grassy outdoor venue that was bounded and dry. Due to the overall health of the crowd, activities undertaken and the supportive environment, the majority of injuries to schoolies were minor (68%). However, twenty-four percent of schoolies who presented with alcohol related illness were found to have consumed alcohol at risky levels; half of this cohort was transported to hospital. The conceptual framework successfully guided a higher level of examination of the mass gathering event. In particular, the framework facilitated a greater understanding of the inter-relationships of the various characteristics of a mass gathering event, in this case the Adelaide Schoolies Festival.

Person-centred care in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics: Conceptualization and initial development of a measurement instrument.

PubMed

Bala, Sidona-Valentina; Forslind, Kristina; Fridlund, Bengt; Samuelson, Karin; Svensson, Björn; Hagell, Peter

2018-06-01

Person-centred care (PCC) is considered a key component of effective illness management and high-quality care. However, the PCC concept is underdeveloped in outpatient care. In rheumatology, PCC is considered an unmet need and its further development and evaluation is of high priority. The aim of the present study was to conceptualize and operationalize PCC, in order to develop an instrument for measuring patient-perceived PCC in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics. A conceptual outpatient PCC framework was developed, based on the experiences of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), person-centredness principles and existing PCC frameworks. The resulting framework was operationalized into the PCC instrument for outpatient care in rheumatology (PCCoc/rheum), which was tested for acceptability and content validity among 50 individuals with RA attending a nurse-led outpatient clinic. The conceptual framework focuses on the meeting between the person with RA and the nurse, and comprises five interrelated domains: social environment, personalization, shared decision-making, empowerment and communication. Operationalization of the domains into a pool of items generated a preliminary PCCoc/rheum version, which was completed in a mean (standard deviation) of 5.3 (2.5) min. Respondents found items easy to understand (77%) and relevant (93%). The Content Validity Index of the PCCoc/rheum was 0.94 (item level range, 0.87-1.0). About 80% of respondents considered some items redundant. Based on these results, the PCCoc/rheum was revised into a 24-item questionnaire. A conceptual outpatient PCC framework and a 24-item questionnaire intended to measure PCC in nurse-led outpatient rheumatology clinics were developed. The extent to which the questionnaire represents a measurement instrument remains to be tested. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Technosciences in Academia: Rethinking a Conceptual Framework for Bioinformatics Undergraduate Curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Symeonidis, Iphigenia Sofia

This paper aims to elucidate guiding concepts for the design of powerful undergraduate bioinformatics degrees which will lead to a conceptual framework for the curriculum. "Powerful" here should be understood as having truly bioinformatics objectives rather than enrichment of existing computer science or life science degrees on which bioinformatics degrees are often based. As such, the conceptual framework will be one which aims to demonstrate intellectual honesty in regards to the field of bioinformatics. A synthesis/conceptual analysis approach was followed as elaborated by Hurd (1983). The approach takes into account the following: bioinfonnatics educational needs and goals as expressed by different authorities, five undergraduate bioinformatics degrees case-studies, educational implications of bioinformatics as a technoscience and approaches to curriculum design promoting interdisciplinarity and integration. Given these considerations, guiding concepts emerged and a conceptual framework was elaborated. The practice of bioinformatics was given a closer look, which led to defining tool-integration skills and tool-thinking capacity as crucial areas of the bioinformatics activities spectrum. It was argued, finally, that a process-based curriculum as a variation of a concept-based curriculum (where the concepts are processes) might be more conducive to the teaching of bioinformatics given a foundational first year of integrated science education as envisioned by Bialek and Botstein (2004). Furthermore, the curriculum design needs to define new avenues of communication and learning which bypass the traditional disciplinary barriers of academic settings as undertaken by Tador and Tidmor (2005) for graduate studies.

NREL Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's

Science.gov Websites

Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's Possible for Renewables (Text Version ) NREL Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study Redefines What's Possible for Renewables (Text Version) This is a text version of the video "Eastern Renewable Generation Integration Study

The ACTIVE conceptual framework as a structural equation model.

PubMed

Gross, Alden L; Payne, Brennan R; Casanova, Ramon; Davoudzadeh, Pega; Dzierzewski, Joseph M; Farias, Sarah; Giovannetti, Tania; Ip, Edward H; Marsiske, Michael; Rebok, George W; Schaie, K Warner; Thomas, Kelsey; Willis, Sherry; Jones, Richard N

2018-01-01

Background/Study Context: Conceptual frameworks are analytic models at a high level of abstraction. Their operationalization can inform randomized trial design and sample size considerations. The Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) conceptual framework was empirically tested using structural equation modeling (N=2,802). ACTIVE was guided by a conceptual framework for cognitive training in which proximal cognitive abilities (memory, inductive reasoning, speed of processing) mediate treatment-related improvement in primary outcomes (everyday problem-solving, difficulty with activities of daily living, everyday speed, driving difficulty), which in turn lead to improved secondary outcomes (health-related quality of life, health service utilization, mobility). Measurement models for each proximal, primary, and secondary outcome were developed and tested using baseline data. Each construct was then combined in one model to evaluate fit (RMSEA, CFI, normalized residuals of each indicator). To expand the conceptual model and potentially inform future trials, evidence of modification of structural model parameters was evaluated by age, years of education, sex, race, and self-rated health status. Preconceived measurement models for memory, reasoning, speed of processing, everyday problem-solving, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) difficulty, everyday speed, driving difficulty, and health-related quality of life each fit well to the data (all RMSEA < .05; all CFI > .95). Fit of the full model was excellent (RMSEA = .038; CFI = .924). In contrast with previous findings from ACTIVE regarding who benefits from training, interaction testing revealed associations between proximal abilities and primary outcomes are stronger on average by nonwhite race, worse health, older age, and less education (p < .005). Empirical data confirm the hypothesized ACTIVE conceptual model. Findings suggest that the types of people who show intervention effects on cognitive performance potentially may be different from those with the greatest chance of transfer to real-world activities.

A conceptual framework for using DOE 5700.6C and the other DOE orders as an integrated management system; the Fermilab experience

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

Bodnarczuk, M.

In this paper, I describe a conceptual framework that uses DOE Order 5700.6C and more than 140 other DOE Orders as an integrated management system -- but I describe it within the context of the broader sociological and cultural issues of doing research at DOE funded facilities. The conceptual framework has two components. The first involves an interpretation of the 10 criteria of DOE 5700.6C that is tailored for a research environment. The second component involves using the 10 criteria as functional categories that orchestrate and integrate the other DOE Orders into a total management system. The Fermilab approach aimsmore » at reducing (or eliminating) the redundancy and overlap within the DOE Orders system at the contractor level.« less

A conceptual framework for using DOE 5700. 6C and the other DOE orders as an integrated management system; the Fermilab experience

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

Bodnarczuk, M.

In this paper, I describe a conceptual framework that uses DOE Order 5700.6C and more than 140 other DOE Orders as an integrated management system -- but I describe it within the context of the broader sociological and cultural issues of doing research at DOE funded facilities. The conceptual framework has two components. The first involves an interpretation of the 10 criteria of DOE 5700.6C that is tailored for a research environment. The second component involves using the 10 criteria as functional categories that orchestrate and integrate the other DOE Orders into a total management system. The Fermilab approach aimsmore » at reducing (or eliminating) the redundancy and overlap within the DOE Orders system at the contractor level.« less

Yoga as Coping: A Conceptual Framework for Meaningful Participation in Yoga.

PubMed

Crowe, Brandi M; Van Puymbroeck, Marieke; Schmid, Arlene A

2016-07-27

Yoga facilitates relaxation and connection of mind, body, and spirit through the use of breathing, meditation, and physical postures. Participation in yoga has been extensively linked to decreased stress, and as a result, is considered a therapeutic intervention by many. However, few theories exist that explain the link between yoga participation and improved psychosocial wellbeing. The leisure-stress coping conceptual framework suggests that through participation in leisure, an individual can decrease stress while concurrently restoring and building up sustainable mental and physical capacities. Three types of leisure coping strategies exist: palliative coping, mood enhancement, and companionship. The purpose of this article is to propose the leisure-stress coping conceptual framework as a model for explaining benefits received from yoga participation via leisure coping strategies, which may explain or support improved ability to manage stress.

Yoga as Coping: A Conceptual Framework for Meaningful Participation in Yoga.

PubMed

Crowe, Brandi M; Van Puymbroeck, Marieke; Schmid, Arlene A

2016-01-01

Yoga facilitates relaxation and connection of mind, body, and spirit through the use of breathing, meditation, and physical postures. Participation in yoga has been extensively linked to decreased stress, and as a result, is considered a therapeutic intervention by many. However, few theories exist that explain the link between yoga participation and improved psychosocial wellbeing. The leisure-stress coping conceptual framework suggests that through participation in leisure, an individual can decrease stress while concurrently restoring and building up sustainable mental and physical capacities. Three types of leisure coping strategies exist: palliative coping, mood enhancement, and companionship. The purpose of this article is to propose the leisure-stress coping conceptual framework as a model for explaining benefits received from yoga participation via leisure coping strategies, which may explain or support improved ability to manage stress.

When is a randomised controlled trial health equity relevant? Development and validation of a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Jull, J; Whitehead, M; Petticrew, M; Kristjansson, E; Gough, D; Petkovic, J; Volmink, J; Weijer, C; Taljaard, M; Edwards, S; Mbuagbaw, L; Cookson, R; McGowan, J; Lyddiatt, A; Boyer, Y; Cuervo, L G; Armstrong, R; White, H; Yoganathan, M; Pantoja, T; Shea, B; Pottie, K; Norheim, O; Baird, S; Robberstad, B; Sommerfelt, H; Asada, Y; Wells, G; Tugwell, P; Welch, V

2017-01-01

Background Randomised controlled trials can provide evidence relevant to assessing the equity impact of an intervention, but such information is often poorly reported. We describe a conceptual framework to identify health equity-relevant randomised trials with the aim of improving the design and reporting of such trials. Methods An interdisciplinary and international research team engaged in an iterative consensus building process to develop and refine the conceptual framework via face-to-face meetings, teleconferences and email correspondence, including findings from a validation exercise whereby two independent reviewers used the emerging framework to classify a sample of randomised trials. Results A randomised trial can usefully be classified as ‘health equity relevant’ if it assesses the effects of an intervention on the health or its determinants of either individuals or a population who experience ill health due to disadvantage defined across one or more social determinants of health. Health equity-relevant randomised trials can either exclusively focus on a single population or collect data potentially useful for assessing differential effects of the intervention across multiple populations experiencing different levels or types of social disadvantage. Trials that are not classified as ‘health equity relevant’ may nevertheless provide information that is indirectly relevant to assessing equity impact, including information about individual level variation unrelated to social disadvantage and potentially useful in secondary modelling studies. Conclusion The conceptual framework may be used to design and report randomised trials. The framework could also be used for other study designs to contribute to the evidence base for improved health equity. PMID:28951402

Symptom outcomes important to women with anal incontinence: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Sung, Vivian W; Rogers, Rebecca G; Bann, Carla M; Arya, Lily; Barber, Matthew D; Lowder, Jerry; Lukacz, Emily S; Markland, Alayne; Siddiqui, Nazema; Wilmot, Amanda; Meikle, Susan F

2014-05-01

To develop a framework that describes the most important symptom outcomes for anal incontinence treatment from the patient perspective. A conceptual framework was developed by the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network based on four semistructured focus groups and confirmed in two sets of 10 cognitive interviews including women with anal incontinence. We explored: 1) patient-preferred terminology for describing anal incontinence symptoms; 2) patient definitions of treatment "success"; 3) importance of symptoms and outcomes in the framework; and 4) conceptual gaps (defined as outcomes not previously identified as important). Sessions were conducted according to grounded theory transcribed, coded, and qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed to identify relevant themes. Content and face validity of the framework were further assessed using cognitive interviews. Thirty-four women participated in focus groups and 20 in cognitive interviews. Overall, 29 (54%) were aged 60 years or older, 42 (78%) were white, and 10 (19%) had a high school degree or less. Two overarching outcome themes were identified: "primary bowel leakage symptoms" and "ancillary bowel symptoms." Subdomains important in primary bowel leakage symptoms included leakage characteristics (symptom frequency, amount of leakage, symptom bother) and conditions when bowel leakage occurs (predictability, awareness, urgency). Subdomains important under ancillary bowel symptoms included emptying disorders (constipation, obstructed defecation, and wiping issues) and discomfort (pain, burning). New outcomes identified included predictability, awareness, wiping issues, and discomfort. Women with anal incontinence desire a wide range of symptom outcomes after treatment. These are captured in our conceptual framework, which can aid clinicians and researchers in assessing anal incontinence. LEVEL OF EVIEDENCE: II.

How to practice person-centred care: A conceptual framework.

PubMed

Santana, Maria J; Manalili, Kimberly; Jolley, Rachel J; Zelinsky, Sandra; Quan, Hude; Lu, Mingshan

2018-04-01

Globally, health-care systems and organizations are looking to improve health system performance through the implementation of a person-centred care (PCC) model. While numerous conceptual frameworks for PCC exist, a gap remains in practical guidance on PCC implementation. Based on a narrative review of the PCC literature, a generic conceptual framework was developed in collaboration with a patient partner, which synthesizes evidence, recommendations and best practice from existing frameworks and implementation case studies. The Donabedian model for health-care improvement was used to classify PCC domains into the categories of "Structure," "Process" and "Outcome" for health-care quality improvement. The framework emphasizes the structural domain, which relates to the health-care system or context in which care is delivered, providing the foundation for PCC, and influencing the processes and outcomes of care. Structural domains identified include: the creation of a PCC culture across the continuum of care; co-designing educational programs, as well as health promotion and prevention programs with patients; providing a supportive and accommodating environment; and developing and integrating structures to support health information technology and to measure and monitor PCC performance. Process domains describe the importance of cultivating communication and respectful and compassionate care; engaging patients in managing their care; and integration of care. Outcome domains identified include: access to care and Patient-Reported Outcomes. This conceptual framework provides a step-wise roadmap to guide health-care systems and organizations in the provision PCC across various health-care sectors. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Conceptual Framework for Evaluation of Public Health and Primary Care System Performance in Iran

PubMed Central

Jahanmehr, Nader; Rashidian, Arash; Khosravi, Ardeshir; Farzadfar, Farshad; Shariati, Mohammad; Majdzadeh, Reza; Sari, Ali Akbari; Mesdaghinia, Alireza

2015-01-01

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to design a conceptual framework, according to the policies and priorities of the ministry of health to evaluate provincial public health and primary care performance and to assess their share in the overall health impacts of the community. Methods: We used several tools and techniques, including system thinking, literature review to identify relevant attributes of health system performance framework and interview with the key stakeholders. The PubMed, Scopus, web of science, Google Scholar and two specialized databases of Persian language literature (IranMedex and SID) were searched using main terms and keywords. Following decision-making and collective agreement among the different stakeholders, 51 core indicators were chosen from among 602 obtained indicators in a four stage process, for monitoring and evaluation of Health Deputies. Results: We proposed a conceptual framework by identifying the performance area for Health Deputies between other determinants of health, as well as introducing a chain of results, for performance, consisting of Input, Process, Output and Outcome indicators. We also proposed 5 dimensions for measuring the performance of Health Deputies, consisting of efficiency, effectiveness, equity, access and improvement of health status. Conclusion: The proposed Conceptual Framework illustrates clearly the Health Deputies success in achieving best results and consequences of health in the country. Having the relative commitment of the ministry of health and Health Deputies at the University of Medical Sciences is essential for full implementation of this framework and providing the annual performance report. PMID:25946937

[Is it possible to improve the preventive usefulness of workers' health surveillance in the current regulatory framework?

PubMed

Rodríguez Jareño, Mari Cruz; De Montserrat I Nonó, Jaume

In Spain, the limited preventive usefulness of health surveillance is determined by the indiscriminate use of nonspecific "generic" health examinations aimed at producing a "fitness for work list", presumably allowing companies to comply with health and safety regulations. This study aimed to produce a technical interpretation of the Spanish Prevention of Risks at Work Act and propose a new conceptual framework to favour greater preventive usefulness of health surveillance within the current regulatory framework. Using qualitative techniques of content analysis, the text of the Law was studied, the key concepts that impeded the fulfilment of the preventive objectives of health surveillance were identified, and a technical interpretation adjusted to regulations was made in order to propose a new conceptual framework RESULTS: This conceptual framework would include: clearly differentiating health surveillance from health examinations (one of its instruments) and from fitness for work evaluations (an independent concept in itself); restricting mandatory health surveillance to situations in which it is "imperative" to carry it out because of the existence of a substantial risk to workers or third parties, including potentially vulnerable workers; and communicating the results of health surveillance through preventive recommendations to the company, reserving fitness for duty certificates -always based on clear, pre-established and justified criteria in relation to risk- for mandatory surveillance. The proposed new conceptual framework falls within the scope of the Spanish Prevention of Risks at Work Act, and its implementation could contribute to improving the preventive usefulness of health surveillance without the need to reform the legislation. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

Conceptual framework for development of comprehensive e-health evaluation tool.

PubMed

Khoja, Shariq; Durrani, Hammad; Scott, Richard E; Sajwani, Afroz; Piryani, Usha

2013-01-01

The main objective of this study was to develop an e-health evaluation tool based on a conceptual framework including relevant theories for evaluating use of technology in health programs. This article presents the development of an evaluation framework for e-health programs. The study was divided into three stages: Stage 1 involved a detailed literature search of different theories and concepts on evaluation of e-health, Stage 2 plotted e-health theories to identify relevant themes, and Stage 3 developed a matrix of evaluation themes and stages of e-health programs. The framework identifies and defines different stages of e-health programs and then applies evaluation theories to each of these stages for development of the evaluation tool. This framework builds on existing theories of health and technology evaluation and presents a conceptual framework for developing an e-health evaluation tool to examine and measure different factors that play a definite role in the success of e-health programs. The framework on the horizontal axis divides e-health into different stages of program implementation, while the vertical axis identifies different themes and areas of consideration for e-health evaluation. The framework helps understand various aspects of e-health programs and their impact that require evaluation at different stages of the life cycle. The study led to the development of a new and comprehensive e-health evaluation tool, named the Khoja-Durrani-Scott Framework for e-Health Evaluation.

The Transition from Traditional Teaching to Web-Assisted Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Andy J.; Faul, Anna C.

2005-01-01

This research note presents a conceptual model for understanding how students embrace technology, briefly presents results of a pilot study supporting this conceptualization, and makes suggestions for web-assisted teaching and research. The conceptual framework helps the reader understand how instructors' "Marketing strategies" may need to change…

From the School Health Education Study to the National Health Education Standards: Concepts Endure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nobiling, Brandye D.; Lyde, Adrian R.

2015-01-01

Background: The landmark School Health Education Study (SHES) project influenced by the conceptual approach to teaching and learning provides perspective on modern school health instruction. Conceptual education, the cornerstone of the SHES curriculum framework (CF), "Health Education: A Conceptual Approach to Curriculum Design," fosters…

Conceptualizing Learning in the Climate Justice Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kluttz, Jenalee; Walter, Pierre

2018-01-01

This article extends Scandrett et al.'s conceptual framework for social movement learning to understand learning and knowledge creation in the climate justice movement. Drawing on radical pluralist theoretical approaches to social movement learning, learning in the climate justice movement is conceptualized at the micro, meso, and macro levels,…

Development of Performance Assessments in Science: Conceptual, Practical, and Logistical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solano-Flores, Guillermo; Shavelson, Richard J.

1997-01-01

Conceptual, practical, and logistical issues in the development of science performance assessments (SPAs) are discussed. The conceptual framework identifies task, response format, and scoring system as components, and conceives of SPAs as tasks that attempt to recreate conditions in which scientists work. Developing SPAs is a sophisticated effort…

Describing Teachers' Conceptual Ecologies for the Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southerland, Sherry A.; Johnston, Adam; Sowell, Scott

2006-01-01

This research focused on the interactionist conceptual ecologies of inservice teachers and how these ecologies influenced these teachers' conceptual frameworks for the nature of science (NOS). The participants in the study were five teachers enrolled in a graduate course focused on NOS. Data included participants' responses to open-ended and…

A Multivariate Model of Conceptual Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Heddy, Benjamin; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2016-01-01

The present study used the Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model (CRKM) model of conceptual change as a framework for developing and testing how key cognitive, motivational, and emotional variables are linked to conceptual change in physics. This study extends an earlier study developed by Taasoobshirazi and Sinatra ("J Res Sci…

Developing a conceptual framework of urban health observatories toward integrating research and evidence into urban policy for health and health equity.

PubMed

Caiaffa, W T; Friche, A A L; Dias, M A S; Meireles, A L; Ignacio, C F; Prasad, A; Kano, M

2014-02-01

Detailed information on health linked to geographic, sociodemographic, and environmental data are required by city governments to monitor health and the determinants of health. These data are critical for guiding local interventions, resource allocation, and planning decisions, yet they are too often non-existent or scattered. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework of Urban Health Observatories (UHOs) as an institutional mechanism which can help synthesize evidence and incorporate it into urban policy-making for health and health equity. A survey of a select group of existent UHOs was conducted using an instrument based on an a priori conceptual framework of key structural and functional characteristics of UHOs. A purposive sample of seven UHOs was surveyed, including four governmental, two non-governmental, and one university-based observatory, each from a different country. Descriptive and framework analysis methods were used to analyze the data and to refine the conceptual framework in light of the empirical data. The UHOs were often a product of unique historical circumstances. They were relatively autonomous and capable of developing their own locally sensitive agenda. They often had strong networks for accessing data and were able to synthesize them at the urban level as well as disaggregate them into smaller units. Some UHOs were identified as not only assessing but also responding to local needs. The findings from this study were integrated into a conceptual framework which illustrates how UHOs can play a vital role in monitoring trends in health determinants, outcomes, and equity; optimizing an intersectoral urban information system; incorporating research on health into urban policies and systems; and providing technical guidance on research and evidence-based policy making. In order to be most effective, UHOs should be an integral part of the urban governance system, where multiple sectors of government, the civil society, and businesses can participate in taking the right actions to promote health equity.

Inter-organizational relationships of seven Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and their affiliated medical schools: results of a multiple-case-study investigation.

PubMed

Leeman, J; Kilpatrick, K

2000-10-01

This study describes the costs and and value added to Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) through their affiliations with medical schools. The study also creates a conceptual framework for evaluating the critical dimensions across which these affiliations vary. Case studies of seven VAMCs' affiliations with medical schools, ranging from two highly affiliated VAMCs to one with only one funded residency position, were conducted in 1997 and 1998 using a survey and in-depth interviews with 78 key individuals at the institutions. The qualitative data were then used to develop a conceptual framework for evaluating these affiliations. The results are reported in two stages. In stage one, three organizing themes emerged from the data that formed the conceptual framework for evaluating affiliations: (1) the characteristics of each VAMC and its environment, (2) the characteristics of the relationships between each VAMC and its medical school affiliates, and (3) the costs and value that medical school affiliations add to VAMCs. The affiliations that were most beneficial to VAMCs were characterized by a relationship of trust, extensively shared education and research programs, and a high degree of physician interaction. The achievement of these characteristics is influenced by the distance between the VAMCs and their affiliated medical schools, the VAMCs' levels of organizational complexity, the degree of managed care penetration, and the continuity and academic orientation of leadership at the VAMCs. In stage two, study data were used to create a conceptual framework to evaluate the characteristics of VAMCs and their affiliations with medical schools. The study supplied data to construct a conceptual framework that describes many of the relationships among the different affiliations in the study. The framework offers a tool for evaluating the dimensions across which affiliations vary and how these differences influence the costs and value of medical school affiliations to VAMCs.

Understanding terminological systems. II: Experience with conceptual and formal representation of structure.

PubMed

de Keizer, N F; Abu-Hanna, A

2000-03-01

This article describes the application of two popular conceptual and formal representation formalisms, as part of a framework for understanding terminological systems. A precise understanding of the structure of a terminological system is essential to assess existing terminological systems, to recognize patterns in various systems and to build new terminological systems. Our experience with the application of this framework to five well-known terminological systems is described.

A conceptual framework for predicting temperate ecosystem sensitivity to human impacts on fire regimes

Treesearch

D. B. McWethy; P. E. Higuera; C. Whitlock; T. T. Veblen; D. M. J. S. Bowman; G. J. Cary; S. G. Haberle; R. E. Keane; B. D. Maxwell; M. S. McGlone; G. L. W. Perry; J. M. Wilmshurst

2013-01-01

The increased incidence of large fires around much of the world in recent decades raises questions about human and non-human drivers of fire and the likelihood of increased fire activity in the future. The purpose of this paper is to outline a conceptual framework for examining where human-set fires and feedbacks are likely to be most pronounced in temperate forests...

Modeling Student Choice of STEM Fields of Study: Testing a Conceptual Framework of Motivation, High School Learning, and Postsecondary Context of Support. WISCAPE Working Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xueli

2012-01-01

This study draws upon social cognitive career theory and higher education literature to propose and test a conceptual framework for understanding the selection of postsecondary STEM fields of study by recent high school graduates who attend four-year institutions. Results suggest that high school math achievement, exposure to math and science…

Levels of reconstruction as complementarity in mixed methods research: a social theory-based conceptual framework for integrating qualitative and quantitative research.

PubMed

Carroll, Linda J; Rothe, J Peter

2010-09-01

Like other areas of health research, there has been increasing use of qualitative methods to study public health problems such as injuries and injury prevention. Likewise, the integration of qualitative and quantitative research (mixed-methods) is beginning to assume a more prominent role in public health studies. Likewise, using mixed-methods has great potential for gaining a broad and comprehensive understanding of injuries and their prevention. However, qualitative and quantitative research methods are based on two inherently different paradigms, and their integration requires a conceptual framework that permits the unity of these two methods. We present a theory-driven framework for viewing qualitative and quantitative research, which enables us to integrate them in a conceptually sound and useful manner. This framework has its foundation within the philosophical concept of complementarity, as espoused in the physical and social sciences, and draws on Bergson's metaphysical work on the 'ways of knowing'. Through understanding how data are constructed and reconstructed, and the different levels of meaning that can be ascribed to qualitative and quantitative findings, we can use a mixed-methods approach to gain a conceptually sound, holistic knowledge about injury phenomena that will enhance our development of relevant and successful interventions.

A conceptual framework: redefining forest soil's critical acid loads under a changing climate.

PubMed

McNulty, Steven G; Boggs, Johnny L

2010-06-01

Federal agencies of several nations have or are currently developing guidelines for critical forest soil acid loads. These guidelines are used to establish regulations designed to maintain atmospheric acid inputs below levels shown to damage forests and streams. Traditionally, when the critical soil acid load exceeds the amount of acid that the ecosystem can absorb, it is believed to potentially impair forest health. The excess over the critical soil acid load is termed the exceedance, and the larger the exceedance, the greater the risk of ecosystem damage. This definition of critical soil acid load applies to exposure of the soil to a single, long-term pollutant (i.e., acidic deposition). However, ecosystems can be simultaneously under multiple ecosystem stresses and a single critical soil acid load level may not accurately reflect ecosystem health risk when subjected to multiple, episodic environmental stress. For example, the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina receive some of the highest rates of acidic deposition in the eastern United States, but these levels are considered to be below the critical acid load (CAL) that would cause forest damage. However, the area experienced a moderate three-year drought from 1999 to 2002, and in 2001 red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in the area began to die in large numbers. The initial survey indicated that the affected trees were killed by the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.). This insect is not normally successful at colonizing these tree species because the trees produce large amounts of oleoresin that exclude the boring beetles. Subsequent investigations revealed that long-term acid deposition may have altered red spruce forest structure and function. There is some evidence that elevated acid deposition (particularly nitrogen) reduced tree water uptake potential, oleoresin production, and caused the trees to become more susceptible to insect colonization during the drought period. While the ecosystem was not in exceedance of the CAL, long-term nitrogen deposition pre-disposed the forest to other ecological stress. In combination, insects, drought, and nitrogen ultimately combined to cause the observed forest mortality. If any one of these factors were not present, the trees would likely not have died. This paper presents a conceptual framework of the ecosystem consequences of these interactions as well as limited plot level data to support this concept. Future assessments of the use of CAL studies need to account for multiple stress impacts to better understand ecosystem response. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Overcoming the momentum of anachronism: American geologic mapping in a twenty-first-century world

USGS Publications Warehouse

House, P. Kyle; Clark, Ryan; Kopera, Joe

2013-01-01

The practice of geologic mapping is undergoing conceptual and methodological transformation. Profound changes in digital technology in the past 10 yr have potential to impact all aspects of geologic mapping. The future of geologic mapping as a relevant scientific enterprise depends on widespread adoption of new technology and ideas about the collection, meaning, and utility of geologic map data. It is critical that the geologic community redefine the primary elements of the traditional paper geologic map and improve the integration of the practice of making maps in the field and office with the new ways to record, manage, share, and visualize their underlying data. A modern digital geologic mapping model will enhance scientific discovery, meet elevated expectations of modern geologic map users, and accommodate inevitable future changes in technology.

A view of the tip of the iceberg: revisiting conceptual continuities and their implications for science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Bryan A.; Kloser, Matt

2009-12-01

We respond to Hwang and Kim and Yeo's critiques of the conceptual continuity framework in science education. First, we address the criticism that their analysis fails to recognize the situated perspective of learning by denying the dichotomy of the formal and informal knowledge as a starting point in the learning process. Second, we address the critique that students' descriptions fail to meet the "gold standard" of science education—alignment with an authoritative source and generalizability—by highlighting some student-expert congruence that could serve as the foundation for future learning. Third, we address the critique that a conceptual continuity framework could lead to less rigorous science education goals by arguing that the ultimate goals do not change, but rather that if the pathways that lead to the goals' achievement could recognize existing lexical continuities' science teaching may become more efficient. In sum, we argue that a conceptual continuities framework provides an asset, not deficit lexical perspective from which science teacher educators and science educators can begin to address and build complete science understandings.

Knowledge brokering for healthy aging: a scoping review of potential approaches.

PubMed

Van Eerd, Dwayne; Newman, Kristine; DeForge, Ryan; Urquhart, Robin; Cornelissen, Evelyn; Dainty, Katie N

2016-10-19

Developing a healthcare delivery system that is more responsive to the future challenges of an aging population is a priority in Canada. The World Health Organization acknowledges the need for knowledge translation frameworks in aging and health. Knowledge brokering (KB) is a specific knowledge translation approach that includes making connections between people to facilitate the use of evidence. Knowledge gaps exist about KB roles, approaches, and guiding frameworks. The objective of the scoping review is to identify and describe KB approaches and the underlying conceptual frameworks (models, theories) used to guide the approaches that could support healthy aging. Literature searches were done in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, EBM reviews (Cochrane Database of systematic reviews), CINAHL, and SCOPUS, as well as Google and Google Scholar using terms related to knowledge brokering. Titles, abstracts, and full reports were reviewed independently by two reviewers who came to consensus on all screening criteria. Documents were included if they described a KB approach and details about the underlying conceptual basis. Data about KB approach, target stakeholders, KB outcomes, and context were extracted independently by two reviewers. Searches identified 248 unique references. Screening for inclusion revealed 19 documents that described 15 accounts of knowledge brokering and details about conceptual guidance and could be applied in healthy aging contexts. Eight KB elements were detected in the approaches though not all approaches incorporated all elements. The underlying conceptual guidance for KB approaches varied. Specific KB frameworks were referenced or developed for nine KB approaches while the remaining six cited more general KT frameworks (or multiple frameworks) as guidance. The KB approaches that we found varied greatly depending on the context and stakeholders involved. Three of the approaches were explicitly employed in the context of health aging. Common elements of KB approaches that could be conducted in healthy aging contexts focussed on acquiring, adapting, and disseminating knowledge and networking (linkage). The descriptions of the guiding conceptual frameworks (theories, models) focussed on linkage and exchange but varied across approaches. Future research should gather KB practitioner and stakeholder perspectives on effective practices to develop KB approaches for healthy aging.

Towards an International Classification for Patient Safety: the conceptual framework.

PubMed

Sherman, Heather; Castro, Gerard; Fletcher, Martin; Hatlie, Martin; Hibbert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Koss, Richard; Lewalle, Pierre; Loeb, Jerod; Perneger, Thomas; Runciman, William; Thomson, Richard; Van Der Schaaf, Tjerk; Virtanen, Martti

2009-02-01

Global advances in patient safety have been hampered by the lack of a uniform classification of patient safety concepts. This is a significant barrier to developing strategies to reduce risk, performing evidence-based research and evaluating existing healthcare policies relevant to patient safety. Since 2005, the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety has undertaken the Project to Develop an International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS) to devise a classification which transforms patient safety information collected from disparate systems into a common format to facilitate aggregation, analysis and learning across disciplines, borders and time. A drafting group, comprised of experts from the fields of patient safety, classification theory, health informatics, consumer/patient advocacy, law and medicine, identified and defined key patient safety concepts and developed an internationally agreed conceptual framework for the ICPS based upon existing patient safety classifications. The conceptual framework was iteratively improved through technical expert meetings and a two-stage web-based modified Delphi survey of over 250 international experts. This work culminated in a conceptual framework consisting of ten high level classes: incident type, patient outcomes, patient characteristics, incident characteristics, contributing factors/hazards, organizational outcomes, detection, mitigating factors, ameliorating actions and actions taken to reduce risk. While the framework for the ICPS is in place, several challenges remain. Concepts need to be defined, guidance for using the classification needs to be provided, and further real-world testing needs to occur to progressively refine the ICPS to ensure it is fit for purpose.

Towards an International Classification for Patient Safety: the conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Sherman, Heather; Castro, Gerard; Fletcher, Martin; Hatlie, Martin; Hibbert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Koss, Richard; Lewalle, Pierre; Loeb, Jerod; Perneger, Thomas; Runciman, William; Thomson, Richard; Van Der Schaaf, Tjerk; Virtanen, Martti

2009-01-01

Global advances in patient safety have been hampered by the lack of a uniform classification of patient safety concepts. This is a significant barrier to developing strategies to reduce risk, performing evidence-based research and evaluating existing healthcare policies relevant to patient safety. Since 2005, the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety has undertaken the Project to Develop an International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS) to devise a classification which transforms patient safety information collected from disparate systems into a common format to facilitate aggregation, analysis and learning across disciplines, borders and time. A drafting group, comprised of experts from the fields of patient safety, classification theory, health informatics, consumer/patient advocacy, law and medicine, identified and defined key patient safety concepts and developed an internationally agreed conceptual framework for the ICPS based upon existing patient safety classifications. The conceptual framework was iteratively improved through technical expert meetings and a two-stage web-based modified Delphi survey of over 250 international experts. This work culminated in a conceptual framework consisting of ten high level classes: incident type, patient outcomes, patient characteristics, incident characteristics, contributing factors/hazards, organizational outcomes, detection, mitigating factors, ameliorating actions and actions taken to reduce risk. While the framework for the ICPS is in place, several challenges remain. Concepts need to be defined, guidance for using the classification needs to be provided, and further real-world testing needs to occur to progressively refine the ICPS to ensure it is fit for purpose. PMID:19147595

Effectiveness of Teamwork in an Integrated Care Setting for Patients with COPD: Development and Testing of a Self-Evaluation Instrument for Interprofessional Teams

PubMed Central

Van Dijk-de Vries, Anneke N.; Duimel-Peeters, Inge G. P.; Muris, Jean W.; Wesseling, Geertjan J.; Beusmans, George H. M. I.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Teamwork between healthcare providers is conditional for the delivery of integrated care. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model for developing and testing of the Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument. Theory and methods: Focus groups with healthcare providers in an integrated care setting for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were conducted to examine the recognisability of the conceptual framework and to explore critical success factors for collaborative COPD practice out of this framework. The resulting items were transposed into a pilot instrument. This was reviewed by expert opinion and completed 153 times by healthcare providers. The underlying structure and internal consistency of the instrument were verified by factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha. Results: The conceptual framework turned out to be comprehensible for discussing teamwork effectiveness. The pilot instrument measures 25 relevant aspects of teamwork in integrated COPD care. Factor analysis suggested three reliable components: teamwork effectiveness, team processes and team psychosocial traits (Cronbach’s alpha between 0.76 and 0.81). Conclusions and discussion: The conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model is relevant in developing a practical full-spectrum instrument to facilitate discussing teamwork effectiveness. The Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument provides a well-founded basis to self-evaluate teamwork effectiveness in integrated COPD care by healthcare providers. Recommendations are provided for the improvement of the instrument. PMID:27616953

An operational structured decision making framework for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pressure to develop an operational framework for decision makers to employ the concepts of ecosystem goods and services for assessing changes to human well-being has been increasing since these concepts gained widespread notoriety after the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Report. Many conceptual frameworks have been proposed, but most do not propose methodologies and tools to make this approach to decision making implementable. Building on common components of existing conceptual frameworks for ecosystem services and human well-being assessment we apply a structured decision making approach to develop a standardized operational framework and suggest tools and methods for completing each step. The structured decision making approach consists of six steps: 1) Clarify the Decision Context 2) Define Objectives and Evaluation Criteria 3) Develop Alternatives 4) Estimate Consequences 5) Evaluate Trade-Offs and Select and 6) Implement and Monitor. These six steps include the following activities, and suggested tools, when applied to ecosystem goods and services and human well-being conceptual frameworks: 1) Characterization of decision specific human beneficiaries using the Final Ecosystem Goods and Services (FEGS) approach and Classification System (FEGS-CS) 2) Determine beneficiaries’ relative priorities for human well-being domains in the Human Well-Being Index (HWBI) through stakeholder engagement and identify beneficiary-relevant metrics of FEGS using the Nat

Using the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Changes in Conceptual Expertise during Postsecondary Biology Education

PubMed Central

Bissonnette, Sarah A.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Byers, Victor; Fernandez, Juliana; Le, Dinh; Realin, Jared; Woodham, Selina; Smith, Julia I.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2017-01-01

While there have been concerted efforts to reform undergraduate biology toward teaching students to organize their conceptual knowledge like experts, there are few tools that attempt to measure this. We previously developed the Biology Card Sorting Task (BCST), designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual biological knowledge. Previous results showed the BCST could differentiate between different populations, namely non–biology majors (NBM) and biology faculty (BF). In this study, we administered the BCST to three additional populations, using a cross-sectional design: entering biology majors (EBM), advanced biology majors (ABM), and biology graduate students (BGS). Intriguingly, ABM did not initially sort like experts any more frequently than EBM. However, once the deep-feature framework was revealed, ABM were able to sort like experts more readily than did EBM. These results are consistent with the conclusion that biology education enables advanced biology students to use an expert-like conceptual framework. However, these results are also consistent with a process of “selection,” wherein students who persist in the major may have already had an expert-like conceptual framework to begin with. These results demonstrate the utility of the BCST in measuring differences between groups of students over the course of their undergraduate education. PMID:28213584

Using an interdisciplinary approach to identify factors that affect clinicians' compliance with evidence-based guidelines.

PubMed

Gurses, Ayse P; Marsteller, Jill A; Ozok, A Ant; Xiao, Yan; Owens, Sharon; Pronovost, Peter J

2010-08-01

Our objective was to identify factors that affect clinicians' compliance with the evidence-based guidelines using an interdisciplinary approach and develop a conceptual framework that can provide a comprehensive and practical guide for designing effective interventions. A literature review and a brainstorming session with 11 researchers from a variety of scientific disciplines were used to identify theoretical and conceptual models describing clinicians' guideline compliance. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the bibliographies of the papers identified were used as data sources for identifying the relevant theoretical and conceptual models. Thirteen different models that originated from various disciplines including medicine, rural sociology, psychology, human factors and systems engineering, organizational management, marketing, and health education were identified. Four main categories of factors that affect compliance emerged from our analysis: clinician characteristics, guideline characteristics, system characteristics, and implementation characteristics. Based on these findings, we developed an interdisciplinary conceptual framework that specifies the expected interrelationships among these four categories of factors and their impact on clinicians' compliance. An interdisciplinary approach is needed to improve clinicians' compliance with evidence-based guidelines. The conceptual framework from this research can provide a comprehensive and systematic guide to identify barriers to guideline compliance and design effective interventions to improve patient safety.

From framework to action: the DESIRE approach to combat desertification.

PubMed

Hessel, R; Reed, M S; Geeson, N; Ritsema, C J; van Lynden, G; Karavitis, C A; Schwilch, G; Jetten, V; Burger, P; van der Werff Ten Bosch, M J; Verzandvoort, S; van den Elsen, E; Witsenburg, K

2014-11-01

It has become increasingly clear that desertification can only be tackled through a multi-disciplinary approach that not only involves scientists but also stakeholders. In the DESIRE project such an approach was taken. As a first step, a conceptual framework was developed in which the factors and processes that may lead to land degradation and desertification were described. Many of these factors do not work independently, but can reinforce or weaken one another, and to illustrate these relationships sustainable management and policy feedback loops were included. This conceptual framework can be applied globally, but can also be made site-specific to take into account that each study site has a unique combination of bio-physical, socio-economic and political conditions. Once the conceptual framework was defined, a methodological framework was developed in which the methodological steps taken in the DESIRE approach were listed and their logic and sequence were explained. The last step was to develop a concrete working plan to put the project into action, involving stakeholders throughout the process. This series of steps, in full or in part, offers explicit guidance for other organizations or projects that aim to reduce land degradation and desertification.

The Development of a Conceptual Framework and Tools to Assess Undergraduates' Principled Use of Models in Cellular Biology

PubMed Central

Merritt, Brett; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Parker, Joyce

2010-01-01

Recent science education reform has been marked by a shift away from a focus on facts toward deep, rich, conceptual understanding. This requires assessment that also focuses on conceptual understanding rather than recall of facts. This study outlines our development of a new assessment framework and tool—a taxonomy— which, unlike existing frameworks and tools, is grounded firmly in a framework that considers the critical role that models play in science. It also provides instructors a resource for assessing students' ability to reason about models that are central to the organization of key scientific concepts. We describe preliminary data arising from the application of our tool to exam questions used by instructors of a large-enrollment cell and molecular biology course over a 5-yr period during which time our framework and the assessment tool were increasingly used. Students were increasingly able to describe and manipulate models of the processes and systems being studied in this course as measured by assessment items. However, their ability to apply these models in new contexts did not improve. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results and the future directions for our research. PMID:21123691

The landscape of fear conceptual framework: definition and review of current applications and misuses.

PubMed

Bleicher, Sonny S

2017-01-01

Landscapes of Fear (LOF), the spatially explicit distribution of perceived predation risk as seen by a population, is increasingly cited in ecological literature and has become a frequently used "buzz-word". With the increase in popularity, it became necessary to clarify the definition for the term, suggest boundaries and propose a common framework for its use. The LOF, as a progeny of the "ecology of fear" conceptual framework, defines fear as the strategic manifestation of the cost-benefit analysis of food and safety tradeoffs. In addition to direct predation risk, the LOF is affected by individuals' energetic-state, inter- and intra-specific competition and is constrained by the evolutionary history of each species. Herein, based on current applications of the LOF conceptual framework, I suggest the future research in this framework will be directed towards: (1) finding applied management uses as a trait defining a population's habitat-use and habitat-suitability; (2) studying multi-dimensional distribution of risk-assessment through time and space; (3) studying variability between individuals within a population; (4) measuring eco-neurological implications of risk as a feature of environmental heterogeneity and (5) expanding temporal and spatial scales of empirical studies.

The landscape of fear conceptual framework: definition and review of current applications and misuses

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Landscapes of Fear (LOF), the spatially explicit distribution of perceived predation risk as seen by a population, is increasingly cited in ecological literature and has become a frequently used “buzz-word”. With the increase in popularity, it became necessary to clarify the definition for the term, suggest boundaries and propose a common framework for its use. The LOF, as a progeny of the “ecology of fear” conceptual framework, defines fear as the strategic manifestation of the cost-benefit analysis of food and safety tradeoffs. In addition to direct predation risk, the LOF is affected by individuals’ energetic-state, inter- and intra-specific competition and is constrained by the evolutionary history of each species. Herein, based on current applications of the LOF conceptual framework, I suggest the future research in this framework will be directed towards: (1) finding applied management uses as a trait defining a population’s habitat-use and habitat-suitability; (2) studying multi-dimensional distribution of risk-assessment through time and space; (3) studying variability between individuals within a population; (4) measuring eco-neurological implications of risk as a feature of environmental heterogeneity and (5) expanding temporal and spatial scales of empirical studies. PMID:28929015

Art as Critical Public Pedagogy: A Qualitative Study of Luis Camnitzer and His Conceptual Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zorrilla, Ana; Tisdell, Elizabeth J.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored the connection between art and adult education for critical consciousness from the perspective and work of conceptual artist, Luis Camnitzer. The theoretical framework is grounded in the critical public pedagogy literature. Data collection methods included interviews with conceptual artist Luis Camnitzer and with…

Re-Conceptualizing ASD within a Dimensional Framework: Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Feature Clusters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foss-Feig, Jennifer H.; McPartland, James C.; Anticevic, Alan; Wolf, Julie

2016-01-01

Introduction of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria and revision of diagnostic classification for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the latest diagnostic manual call for a new way of conceptualizing heterogeneous ASD features. We propose a novel conceptualization of ASD, borrowing from the schizophrenia literature in…

Understanding Genetics: Analysis of Secondary Students' Conceptual Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsui, Chi-Yan; Treagust, David F.

2007-01-01

This article explores the conceptual change of students in Grades 10 and 12 in three Australian senior high schools when the teachers included computer multimedia to a greater or lesser extent in their teaching of a genetics course. The study, underpinned by a multidimensional conceptual-change framework, used an interpretive approach and a…

How Does Learning in Leadership Work? A Conceptual Change Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimes, Matthew W.

2015-01-01

As the field of leadership education continues to prioritize learning in leadership, it is important to ask the question: What do we know about the learning process itself? Conceptual change, a learning framework used in educational psychology, can help to explain learning in leadership. Research on conceptual change in the social sciences is…

Student Engagement: Developing a Conceptual Framework and Survey Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burch, Gerald F.; Heller, Nathan A.; Burch, Jana J.; Freed, Rusty; Steed, Steve A.

2015-01-01

Student engagement is considered to be among the better predictors of learning, yet there is growing concern that there is no consensus on the conceptual foundation. The authors propose a conceptualization of student engagement grounded in A. W. Astin's (1984) Student Involvement Theory and W. A. Kahn's (1990) employee engagement research where…

On the Validity of Educational Evaluation and Its Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Xiaoping; Hu, Zhongfeng

2015-01-01

The main problem of the educational evaluation validity is that it just copies the conceptual framework system of validity from educational measurement to its own conceptual system. The validity conceptual system that fits the need of theory and practice of educational evaluation has not been established yet. According to the inherent attributive…

Conceptual Framework and Guidelines for Establishing Geographic Information Systems Capable of Integrating Natural Resources Data and Socio-Economic Data for Development-Oriented Planning, Monitoring and Research. (Preliminary Version).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Man, W. H. Erik, Ed.

This preliminary conceptual framework and the 23 related guidelines have been prepared by specialists drawn from both developed and developing nations as a joint project of the International Institute for Aerial Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC). The project was designed to analyze linkages between natural resource based data and certain types of…

A conceptual framework for the evolutionary origins of multicellularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libby, Eric; Rainey, Paul B.

2013-06-01

The evolution of multicellular organisms from unicellular counterparts involved a transition in Darwinian individuality from single cells to groups. A particular challenge is to understand the nature of the earliest groups, the causes of their evolution, and the opportunities for emergence of Darwinian properties. Here we outline a conceptual framework based on a logical set of possible pathways for evolution of the simplest self-replicating groups. Central to these pathways is the recognition of a finite number of routes by which genetic information can be transmitted between individual cells and groups. We describe the form and organization of each primordial group state and consider factors affecting persistence and evolution of the nascent multicellular forms. Implications arising from our conceptual framework become apparent when attempting to partition fitness effects at individual and group levels. These are discussed with reference to the evolutionary emergence of individuality and its manifestation in extant multicellular life—including those of marginal Darwinian status.

A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the Association between School Bullying Victimization and Substance Misuse

PubMed Central

Hong, Jun Sung; Davis, Jordan P.; Sterzing, Paul R.; Yoon, Jina; Choi, Shinwoo; Smith, Douglas C.

2014-01-01

This article reviews current research findings and presents a conceptual framework for better understanding the relationship between bullying victimization (hereafter referred to as victimization) and substance misuse (hereafter referred to as SM) among adolescents. Although victimization and SM may appear to be separate problems, research suggests an intriguing relationship between the two. We present a brief, empirical overview of the direct association between victimization and adolescent SM, followed by a proposed conceptual framework that includes co-occurring risk factors for victimization and SM within family, peer, and school/community contexts. Next, we discuss potential mediators linking victimization and SM, such as internalizing problems, traumatic stress, low academic performance, and school truancy/absence. We then identify potential moderating influences of age, gender/sex, social supports, and school connectedness that could amplify or abate the association between victimization and SM. Finally, we discuss practice and policy implications. PMID:25545436

An ecofeminist conceptual framework to explore gendered environmental health inequities in urban settings and to inform healthy public policy.

PubMed

Chircop, Andrea

2008-06-01

This theoretical exploration is an attempt to conceptualize the link between gender and urban environmental health. The proposed ecofeminist framework enables an understanding of the link between the urban physical and social environments and health inequities mediated by gender and socioeconomic status. This framework is proposed as a theoretical magnifying glass to reveal the underlying logic that connects environmental exploitation on the one hand, and gendered health inequities on the other. Ecofeminism has the potential to reveal an inherent, normative conceptual analysis and argumentative justification of western society that permits the oppression of women and the exploitation of the environment. This insight will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying gendered environmental health inequities and inform healthy public policy that is supportive of urban environmental health, particularly for low-income mothers.

Supporting Intrapersonal Development in Substance Use Disorder Programs: A Conceptual Framework for Client Assessment.

PubMed

Turpin, Aaron; Shier, Micheal L

2017-01-01

Improvements to intrapersonal development of clients involved with substance use disorder treatment programs has widely been recognized as contributing to the intended goal of reducing substance misuse behaviors. This study sought to identify a broad framework of primary outcomes related to the intrapersonal development of clients in treatment for substance misuse. Using qualitative research methods, individual interviews were conducted with program participants (n = 41) at three treatment programs to identify the ways in which respondents experienced intrapersonal development through participation in treatment. The findings support the development of a conceptual model that captures the importance and manifestation of achieving improvements in the following outcomes: self-awareness, coping ability, self-worth, outlook, and self-determination. The findings provide a conceptual framework for client assessment that captures a broad range of the important intrapersonal development factors utilized as indicators for client development and recovery that should be measured in tandem during assessment.

Conceptual framework alignment between primary literature and education in animal behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bierema, Andrea Marie-Kryger

In 1963, Tinbergen revolutionized the study of animal behaviour in his paper On aims and methods of ethology (Zeitschrift Tierpsycholgie, 20, 410-433) by revamping the conceptual framework of the discipline. His framework suggests an integration of four questions: causation, ontogeny, survival value, and evolution. The National Research Council Committee (U.S.) on Undergraduate Biology Education to Prepare Research Scientists for the 21st Century published BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists (Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2003), which suggests alignment between current research and undergraduate education. Unfortunately, alignment has been rarely studied in college biology, especially for fundamental concepts. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to determine if the conceptual framework used by animal behaviour scientists, as presented in current primary literature, aligns with what students are exposed to in undergraduate biology education. After determining the most commonly listed textbooks from randomlyselected animal behaviour syllabi, four of the most popular textbooks, as well as the course descriptions provided in the collected syllabi, underwent content analysis in order to determine the extent that each of Tinbergen's four questions is being applied in education. Mainstream animal behaviour journal articles from 2013 were also assessed via content analysis in order to evaluate the current research framework. It was discovered that over 80% of the textbook text covered only two of Tinbergen's questions (survival value and causation). The other two questions, evolution and ontogeny, were rarely described in the text. A similar trend was found in journal articles. Therefore, alignment is occurring between primary literature and education, but neither aligns with the established conceptual framework of the discipline. According to course descriptions, many instructors intend to use an integrated framework in their courses. Utilizing an integrated framework within textbooks and teaching this framework is recommended in order to increase the number of scientists in the next generation that study evolution and ontogeny of behaviour. In order to use an integrated framework in animal behaviour textbooks and courses primary literature from mainstream and less mainstream behaviour journals, as well as broader biology journals, are necessary.

Redefining Roles and Responsibilities: Implementing a Triage Reference Model at a Single Service Point

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaMagna, Michael; Hartman-Caverly, Sarah; Marchetti, Lori

2016-01-01

As academic institutions continue to renovate and remodel existing libraries to include colocated services, it is important to understand how this new environment requires the redefining of traditional library roles and responsibilities. This case study examines how Delaware County Community College redefined reference and research service by…

Group sparse multiview patch alignment framework with view consistency for image classification.

PubMed

Gui, Jie; Tao, Dacheng; Sun, Zhenan; Luo, Yong; You, Xinge; Tang, Yuan Yan

2014-07-01

No single feature can satisfactorily characterize the semantic concepts of an image. Multiview learning aims to unify different kinds of features to produce a consensual and efficient representation. This paper redefines part optimization in the patch alignment framework (PAF) and develops a group sparse multiview patch alignment framework (GSM-PAF). The new part optimization considers not only the complementary properties of different views, but also view consistency. In particular, view consistency models the correlations between all possible combinations of any two kinds of view. In contrast to conventional dimensionality reduction algorithms that perform feature extraction and feature selection independently, GSM-PAF enjoys joint feature extraction and feature selection by exploiting l(2,1)-norm on the projection matrix to achieve row sparsity, which leads to the simultaneous selection of relevant features and learning transformation, and thus makes the algorithm more discriminative. Experiments on two real-world image data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of GSM-PAF for image classification.

Questioning the concept of risk in ethical guidelines for research in the humanities and social sciences in Public Health.

PubMed

Bosi, Maria Lúcia Magalhães

2015-09-01

This article discusses the use of the concept of risk in ethical guidelines directed to research in the humanities and social sciences (CHS), suggesting an alternative to that concept. In Public Health field (PH), risk assumes a peculiar semantics, closely linked to the idea of calculation and predictability, according to the disciplinary bases that support it. This circumstance makes incongruous its use in initiatives justified precisely by strong distinctions between biomedical and social research, as ilustrated by specific guidelines for CHS, especially to the qualitative approach. The authors do not seek to redefine risk, operating a conceptual transit, but to sustain an effective conceptual distance within these specific guidelines, keeping congruence with the objectives pursued by its construction. Taking risk in the quantitative sense, still hegemonic in PH, overlooks important dimensions, reifying the use of this concept in situations where uncertainty, unpredictability, intersubjectivity inherent to the processes beyond the calculation and measurement, as in the case of a significant portion of the research in CHS. Alternatively, it is suggested to replace the expression level of risk, as also appears in Brazilian resolutions.

An Integrated Conceptual Framework for the Development of Asian American Children and Youth.

PubMed

Mistry, Jayanthi; Li, Jin; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Tseng, Vivian; Tirrell, Jonathan; Kiang, Lisa; Mistry, Rashmita; Wang, Yijie

2016-07-01

The diversity of circumstances and developmental outcomes among Asian American children and youth poses a challenge for scholars interested in Asian American child development. This article addresses the challenge by offering an integrated conceptual framework based on three broad questions: (a) What are theory-predicated specifications of contexts that are pertinent for the development of Asian American children? (b) What are the domains of development and socialization that are particularly relevant? (c) How can culture as meaning-making processes be integrated in conceptualizations of development? The heuristic value of the conceptual model is illustrated by research on Asian American children and youth that examines the interconnected nature of specific features of context, pertinent aspects of development, and interpretive processes. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The development of a digital logic concept inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, Geoffrey Lindsay

Instructors in electrical and computer engineering and in computer science have developed innovative methods to teach digital logic circuits. These methods attempt to increase student learning, satisfaction, and retention. Although there are readily accessible and accepted means for measuring satisfaction and retention, there are no widely accepted means for assessing student learning. Rigorous assessment of learning is elusive because differences in topic coverage, curriculum and course goals, and exam content prevent direct comparison of two teaching methods when using tools such as final exam scores or course grades. Because of these difficulties, computing educators have issued a general call for the adoption of assessment tools to critically evaluate and compare the various teaching methods. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education researchers commonly measure students' conceptual learning to compare how much different pedagogies improve learning. Conceptual knowledge is often preferred because all engineering courses should teach a fundamental set of concepts even if they emphasize design or analysis to different degrees. Increasing conceptual learning is also important, because students who can organize facts and ideas within a consistent conceptual framework are able to learn new information quickly and can apply what they know in new situations. If instructors can accurately assess their students' conceptual knowledge, they can target instructional interventions to remedy common problems. To properly assess conceptual learning, several researchers have developed concept inventories (CIs) for core subjects in engineering sciences. CIs are multiple-choice assessment tools that evaluate how well a student's conceptual framework matches the accepted conceptual framework of a discipline or common faulty conceptual frameworks. We present how we created and evaluated the digital logic concept inventory (DLCI).We used a Delphi process to identify the important and difficult concepts to include on the DLCI. To discover and describe common student misconceptions, we interviewed students who had completed a digital logic course. Students vocalized their thoughts as they solved digital logic problems. We analyzed the interview data using a qualitative grounded theory approach. We have administered the DLCI at several institutions and have checked the validity, reliability, and bias of the DLCI with classical testing theory procedures. These procedures consisted of follow-up interviews with students, analysis of administration results with statistical procedures, and expert feedback. We discuss these results and present the DLCI's potential for providing a meaningful tool for comparing student learning at different institutions.

Trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change: Middle school students learning about ecosystems in a CSCL environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei

The dissertation aims to achieve two goals. First, it attempts to establish a new theoretical framework---the collaborative scientific conceptual change model, which explicitly attends to social factor and epistemic practices of science, to understand conceptual change. Second, it report the findings of a classroom study to investigate how to apply this theoretical framework to examine the trajectories of collaborative scientific conceptual change in a CSCL environment and provide pedagogical implications. Two simulations were designed to help students make connections between the macroscopic substances and the aperceptual microscopic entities and underlying processes. The reported study was focused on analyzing the aggregated data from all participants and the video and audio data from twenty focal groups' collaborative activities and the process of their conceptual development in two classroom settings. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses were applied to analyze the video/audio data. The results found that, overall participants showed significant improvements from pretest to posttest on system understanding. Group and teacher effect as well as group variability were detected in both students' posttest performance and their collaborative activities, and variability emerged in group interaction. Multiple data analyses found that attributes of collaborative discourse and epistemic practices made a difference in student learning. Generating warranted claims in discourse as well as the predicting, coordinating theory-evidence, and modifying knowledge in epistemic practices had an impact on student's conceptual understanding. However, modifying knowledge was found negatively related to students' learning effect. The case studies show how groups differed in using the computer tools as a medium to conduct collaborative discourse and epistemic practices. Only with certain combination of discourse features and epistemic practices can the group interaction lead to successful convergent understanding. The results of the study imply that the collaborative scientific conceptual change model is an effective framework to study conceptual change and the simulation environment may mediate the development of successful collaborative interactions (including collaborative discourse and epistemic practices) that lead to collaborative scientific conceptual change.

When is a randomised controlled trial health equity relevant? Development and validation of a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Jull, J; Whitehead, M; Petticrew, M; Kristjansson, E; Gough, D; Petkovic, J; Volmink, J; Weijer, C; Taljaard, M; Edwards, S; Mbuagbaw, L; Cookson, R; McGowan, J; Lyddiatt, A; Boyer, Y; Cuervo, L G; Armstrong, R; White, H; Yoganathan, M; Pantoja, T; Shea, B; Pottie, K; Norheim, O; Baird, S; Robberstad, B; Sommerfelt, H; Asada, Y; Wells, G; Tugwell, P; Welch, V

2017-09-25

Randomised controlled trials can provide evidence relevant to assessing the equity impact of an intervention, but such information is often poorly reported. We describe a conceptual framework to identify health equity-relevant randomised trials with the aim of improving the design and reporting of such trials. An interdisciplinary and international research team engaged in an iterative consensus building process to develop and refine the conceptual framework via face-to-face meetings, teleconferences and email correspondence, including findings from a validation exercise whereby two independent reviewers used the emerging framework to classify a sample of randomised trials. A randomised trial can usefully be classified as 'health equity relevant' if it assesses the effects of an intervention on the health or its determinants of either individuals or a population who experience ill health due to disadvantage defined across one or more social determinants of health. Health equity-relevant randomised trials can either exclusively focus on a single population or collect data potentially useful for assessing differential effects of the intervention across multiple populations experiencing different levels or types of social disadvantage. Trials that are not classified as 'health equity relevant' may nevertheless provide information that is indirectly relevant to assessing equity impact, including information about individual level variation unrelated to social disadvantage and potentially useful in secondary modelling studies. The conceptual framework may be used to design and report randomised trials. The framework could also be used for other study designs to contribute to the evidence base for improved health equity. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Geosites and geoheritage representations - a cartographic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha, Joao; Brilha, José

2016-04-01

In recent years, the increasing awareness of the importance of nature conservation, particularly towards the protection, conservation and promotion of geological sites, has resulted in a wide range of scientific studies. In a certain way, the majority of geodiversity studies, geoconservation strategies and geosites inventories and geoheritage assessment projects will use, on a particular stage, a cartographic representation - a map - of the most relevant geological and geomorphological features within the area of analyses. A wide range of geosite maps and geological heritage maps have been produced but, so far, a widely accepted conceptual cartographic framework with a specific symbology for cartographic representation has not been created. In this work we debate the lack of a systematic and conceptual framework to support geoheritage and geosite mapping. It is important to create a widely accepted conceptual cartographic framework with a specific symbology to be used within maps dedicated to geoheritage and geosites. We propose a cartographic approach aiming the conceptualization and the definition of a nomenclature and symbology system to be used on both geosite and geoheritage maps. We define a symbology framework for geosite and geoheritage mapping addressed to general public and to secondary school students, in order to be used as geotouristic and didactic tools, respectively. Three different approaches to support the definition of the symbology framework were developed: i) symbols to correlate geosites with the geological time scale; ii) symbols related to each one of the 27 geological frameworks defined in the Portuguese geoheritage inventory; iii) symbols to represent groups of geosites that share common geological and geomorphological features. The use of these different symbols in a map allows a quick understanding of a set of relevant information, in addition to the usual geographical distribution of geosites in a certain area.

What is access to radiation therapy? A conceptual framework and review of influencing factors.

PubMed

Sundaresan, Puma; Stockler, Martin R; Milross, Christopher G

2016-02-01

Optimal radiation therapy (RT) utilisation rates (RURs) have been defined for various cancer indications through extensive work in Australia and overseas. These benchmarks remain unrealised. The gap between optimal RUR and actual RUR has been attributed to inadequacies in 'RT access'. We aimed to develop a conceptual framework for the consideration of 'RT access' by examining the literature for existing constructs and translating it to the context of RT services. We further aimed to use this framework to identify and examine factors influencing 'RT access'. Existing models of health care access were reviewed and used to develop a multi-dimensional conceptual framework for 'RT access'. A review of the literature was then conducted to identify factors reported to affect RT access and utilisation. The electronic databases searched, the host platform and date range of the databases searched were Ovid MEDLINE, 1946 to October 2014 and PsycINFO via OvidSP,1806 to October 2014. The framework developed demonstrates that 'RT access' encompasses opportunity for RT as well as the translation of this opportunity to RT utilisation. Opportunity for RT includes availability, affordability, adequacy (quality) and acceptability of RT services. Several factors at the consumer, referrer and RT service levels affect the translation of this opportunity for RT to actual RT utilisation. 'Access' is a term that is widely used in the context of health service related research, planning and political discussions. It is a multi-faceted concept with many descriptions. We propose a conceptual framework for the consideration of 'RT access' so that factors affecting RT access and utilisation may be identified and examined. Understanding these factors, and quantifying them where possible, will allow objective evaluation of their impact on RT utilisation and guide implementation of strategies to modify their effects.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Working Memory and its Relationship to Aphasia

PubMed Central

Wright, Heather Harris; Fergadiotis, Gerasimos

2011-01-01

Background General agreement exists in the literature that individuals with aphasia can exhibit a working memory deficit that contributes to their language processing impairments. Though conceptualized within different working memory frameworks, researchers have suggested that individuals with aphasia have limited working memory capacity, impaired attention-control processes as well as impaired inhibitory mechanisms. However, across studies investigating working memory ability in individuals with aphasia, different measures have been used to quantify their working memory ability and identify the relationship between working memory and language performance. Aims The primary objectives of this article are to (1) review current working memory theoretical frameworks, (2) review tasks used to measure working memory, and (3) discuss findings from studies that have investigated working memory as they relate to language processing in aphasia. Main Contribution Though findings have been consistent across studies investigating working memory ability in individuals with aphasia, discussion of how working memory is conceptualized and defined is often missing, as is discussion of results within a theoretical framework. This is critical, as working memory is conceptualized differently across the different theoretical frameworks. They differ in explaining what limits capacity and the source of individual differences as well as how information is encoded, maintained, and retrieved. When test methods are considered within a theoretical framework, specific hypotheses can be tested and stronger conclusions that are less susceptible to different interpretations can be made. Conclusions Working memory ability has been investigated in numerous studies with individuals with aphasia. To better understand the underlying cognitive constructs that contribute to the language deficits exhibited by individuals with aphasia, future investigations should operationally define the cognitive constructs of interest and discuss findings within theoretical frameworks. PMID:22639480

Role theory: a framework to investigate the community nurse role in contemporary health care systems.

PubMed

Brookes, Kim; Davidson, Patricia M; Daly, John; Halcomb, Elizabeth J

2007-01-01

Nurses' perceptions of their role are influenced by societal attitudes, government policies and trends in professional issues. Dynamic factors in contemporary health environments challenge traditional nursing roles, in particular those of community nurses. Role theory is a conceptual framework that defines how individuals behave in social situations and how these behaviours are perceived by external observers. This paper reviews the role theory literature as a conceptual framework to explore community nurses' perceptions of their role. Three theoretical perspectives of role theory have emerged from the literature review: 1. social structuralism 2. symbolic interactionism and 3. the dramaturgical perspective. These philosophical perspectives provide a useful framework to investigate the role of community nurses in the contemporary health care system.

Installing the earth station of Ka-band satellite frequency in Malaysia: conceptual framework for site decision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, M. R.; Reba, M. N. M.; Jaw, S. W.; Arsyad, A.; Ibrahim, M. A. M.

2017-05-01

This paper developed a conceptual framework in determining the suitable location in installing the earth station for Ka-band satellite communication in Malaysia. This current evolution of high throughput satellites experienced major challenge due to Malaysian climate. Because Ka-band frequency is highly attenuated by the rainfall; it is an enormous challenge to define the most appropriate site for the static communication. Site diversity, a measure to anticipate this conflict by choosing less attenuated region and geographically change the transmission strategy on season basis require accurate spatio-temporal information on the geographical, environmental and hydro-climatology at local scale. Prior to that request, this study developed a conceptual framework to cater the needs. By using the digital spatial data, acquired from site measurement and remote sensing, the proposed framework applied a multiple criteria analysis to perform the tasks of site selection. With the advancement of high resolution remotely sensed data, site determination can be conducted as in Malaysia; accommodating a new, fast, and effective satellite communication. The output of this study is one of the pioneer contributions to create a high tech-society.

Leading interprofessional practice: a conceptual framework to support practitioners in the field of learning disability.

PubMed

McCray, Janet

2003-11-01

One of the key challenges for practitioners in present day health and social care has been responding effectively in the interprofessional teamwork setting, where collaboration is at the centre of professional activity. For whilst practitioners are expected to work interprofessionally there often remains limited attention to the actual process of interprofessional practice itself, within organizational strategy, local workforce development planning and individual continuing professional development. These concerns were a driver for this research with practitioners in the field of learning disability which resulted in the development of a conceptual framework for interprofessional practice. This paper sets out the process of conceptual framework development, underpinned by the concepts of knowledge of learning disabilities, contextual socialisation, empowerment, conflict management, transforming capability and interprofessional reflection on action. The researcher suggests that the framework may offer clinical leaders in learning disabilities and a range of other practice settings a tool to facilitate individual practitioner development, enabling as it does, the identification of a range of critical factors which impact on the outcomes of interprofessional practice intervention.

Characterizing the vulnerability of frequent emergency department users by applying a conceptual framework: a controlled, cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bodenmann, Patrick; Baggio, Stéphanie; Iglesias, Katia; Althaus, Fabrice; Velonaki, Venetia-Sofia; Stucki, Stephanie; Ansermet, Corine; Paroz, Sophie; Trueb, Lionel; Hugli, Olivier; Griffin, Judith L; Daeppen, Jean-Bernard

2015-12-09

Frequent emergency department (ED) users meet several of the criteria of vulnerability, but this needs to be further examined taking into consideration all vulnerability's different dimensions. This study aimed to characterize frequent ED users and to define risk factors of frequent ED use within a universal health care coverage system, applying a conceptual framework of vulnerability. A controlled, cross-sectional study comparing frequent ED users to a control group of non-frequent users was conducted at the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. Frequent users were defined as patients with five or more visits to the ED in the previous 12 months. The two groups were compared using validated scales for each one of the five dimensions of an innovative conceptual framework: socio-demographic characteristics; somatic, mental, and risk-behavior indicators; and use of health care services. Independent t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, Pearson's Chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used for the comparison. To examine the -related to vulnerability- risk factors for being a frequent ED user, univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used. We compared 226 frequent users and 173 controls. Frequent users had more vulnerabilities in all five dimensions of the conceptual framework. They were younger, and more often immigrants from low/middle-income countries or unemployed, had more somatic and psychiatric comorbidities, were more often tobacco users, and had more primary care physician (PCP) visits. The most significant frequent ED use risk factors were a history of more than three hospital admissions in the previous 12 months (adj OR:23.2, 95%CI = 9.1-59.2), the absence of a PCP (adj OR:8.4, 95%CI = 2.1-32.7), living less than 5 km from an ED (adj OR:4.4, 95%CI = 2.1-9.0), and household income lower than USD 2,800/month (adj OR:4.3, 95%CI = 2.0-9.2). Frequent ED users within a universal health coverage system form a highly vulnerable population, when taking into account all five dimensions of a conceptual framework of vulnerability. The predictive factors identified could be useful in the early detection of future frequent users, in order to address their specific needs and decrease vulnerability, a key priority for health care policy makers. Application of the conceptual framework in future research is warranted.

Poverty and the violation of human rights: a proposed conceptual framework.

PubMed

Schuftan, Claudio

2012-01-01

The paper proposes a conceptual framework linking the causes of poverty with the causes of human rights violations. Both are presented as outcomes of a cascading chain of determinants grouped as immediate, underlying, and basic causes. The framework will make situation analyses focused on poverty and human rights better adjusted to the reality on the ground. It is also the first step in using the human rights-based approach, now an established methodology being used by a growing number of health and development practitioners and seen by the United Nations system as the way forward. The framework also provides guidance to communities in identifying, in a participatory way, causes of the problems that affect them. The framework is presented in a diagram format followed by a list of the major determinants in each causal level.

Digital Twins in Health Care: Ethical Implications of an Emerging Engineering Paradigm.

PubMed

Bruynseels, Koen; Santoni de Sio, Filippo; van den Hoven, Jeroen

2018-01-01

Personalized medicine uses fine grained information on individual persons, to pinpoint deviations from the normal. 'Digital Twins' in engineering provide a conceptual framework to analyze these emerging data-driven health care practices, as well as their conceptual and ethical implications for therapy, preventative care and human enhancement. Digital Twins stand for a specific engineering paradigm, where individual physical artifacts are paired with digital models that dynamically reflects the status of those artifacts. When applied to persons, Digital Twins are an emerging technology that builds on in silico representations of an individual that dynamically reflect molecular status, physiological status and life style over time. We use Digital Twins as the hypothesis that one would be in the possession of very detailed bio-physical and lifestyle information of a person over time. This perspective redefines the concept of 'normality' or 'health,' as a set of patterns that are regular for a particular individual , against the backdrop of patterns observed in the population. This perspective also will impact what is considered therapy and what is enhancement, as can be illustrated with the cases of the 'asymptomatic ill' and life extension via anti-aging medicine. These changes are the consequence of how meaning is derived, in case measurement data is available. Moral distinctions namely may be based on patterns found in these data and the meanings that are grafted on these patterns. Ethical and societal implications of Digital Twins are explored. Digital Twins imply a data-driven approach to health care. This approach has the potential to deliver significant societal benefits, and can function as a social equalizer, by allowing for effective equalizing enhancement interventions. It can as well though be a driver for inequality, given the fact that a Digital Twin might not be an accessible technology for everyone, and given the fact that patterns identified across a population of Digital Twins can lead to segmentation and discrimination. This duality calls for governance as this emerging technology matures, including measures that ensure transparency of data usage and derived benefits, and data privacy.

Digital Twins in Health Care: Ethical Implications of an Emerging Engineering Paradigm

PubMed Central

Bruynseels, Koen; Santoni de Sio, Filippo; van den Hoven, Jeroen

2018-01-01

Personalized medicine uses fine grained information on individual persons, to pinpoint deviations from the normal. ‘Digital Twins’ in engineering provide a conceptual framework to analyze these emerging data-driven health care practices, as well as their conceptual and ethical implications for therapy, preventative care and human enhancement. Digital Twins stand for a specific engineering paradigm, where individual physical artifacts are paired with digital models that dynamically reflects the status of those artifacts. When applied to persons, Digital Twins are an emerging technology that builds on in silico representations of an individual that dynamically reflect molecular status, physiological status and life style over time. We use Digital Twins as the hypothesis that one would be in the possession of very detailed bio-physical and lifestyle information of a person over time. This perspective redefines the concept of ‘normality’ or ‘health,’ as a set of patterns that are regular for a particular individual, against the backdrop of patterns observed in the population. This perspective also will impact what is considered therapy and what is enhancement, as can be illustrated with the cases of the ‘asymptomatic ill’ and life extension via anti-aging medicine. These changes are the consequence of how meaning is derived, in case measurement data is available. Moral distinctions namely may be based on patterns found in these data and the meanings that are grafted on these patterns. Ethical and societal implications of Digital Twins are explored. Digital Twins imply a data-driven approach to health care. This approach has the potential to deliver significant societal benefits, and can function as a social equalizer, by allowing for effective equalizing enhancement interventions. It can as well though be a driver for inequality, given the fact that a Digital Twin might not be an accessible technology for everyone, and given the fact that patterns identified across a population of Digital Twins can lead to segmentation and discrimination. This duality calls for governance as this emerging technology matures, including measures that ensure transparency of data usage and derived benefits, and data privacy. PMID:29487613

Towards Integration of Ecosystem and Human Health: A Novel Conceptual Framework to Operationalise Ecological Public Health and to Incorporate Distal and Proximal Effects of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reis, S.; Fleming, L. E.; Beck, S.; Austen, M.; Morris, G.; White, M.; Taylor, T. J.; Orr, N.; Osborne, N. J.; Depledge, M.

2014-12-01

Conceptual models for problem framing in environmental (EIA) and health impact assessment (HIA) share similar concepts, but differ in their scientific or policy focus, methodologies and underlying causal chains, and the degree of complexity and scope. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework used by the European Environment Agency, the OECD and others and the Integrated Science for Society and the Environment (ISSE) frameworks are widely applied in policy appraisal and impact assessments. While DPSIR is applied across different policy domains, the ISSE framework is used in Ecosystem Services assessments. The modified Driver-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action (DPSEEA) model extends DPSIR by separating exposure from effect, adding context as a modifier of effect, and susceptibility to exposures due to socio-economic, demographic or other determinants. While continuously evolving, the application of conceptual frameworks in policy appraisals mainly occurs within established discipline boundaries. However, drivers and environmental states, as well as policy measures and actions, affect both human and ecosystem receptors. Furthermore, unintended consequences of policy actions are seldom constrained within discipline or policy silos. Thus, an integrated conceptual model is needed, accounting for the full causal chain affecting human and ecosystem health in any assessment. We propose a novel model integrating HIA methods and ecosystem services in an attempt to operationalise the emerging concept of "Ecological Public Health." The conceptual approach of the ecosystem-enriched DPSEEA model ("eDPSEEA") has stimulated wide-spread debates and feedback. We will present eDPSEEA as a stakeholder engagement process and a conceptual model, using illustrative case studies of climate change as a starting point, not a complete solution, for the integration of human and ecosystem health impact assessment as a key challenge in a rapidly changing world. Rayner G and Lang T Ecological Public Health: Reshaping the Conditions for Good Health. Routledge Publishers; 2012.Reis S, Morris G, Fleming LE, Beck S, Taylor T, White M, Depledge MH, Steinle S, Sabel CE, Cowie H, Hurley F, Dick JMcP, Smith RI, Austen M (2013) Integrating Health & Environmental Impact Analysis. Public Health.

The Step approach to Message Design and Testing (SatMDT): A conceptual framework to guide the development and evaluation of persuasive health messages.

PubMed

Lewis, Ioni; Watson, Barry; White, Katherine M

2016-12-01

This paper provides an important and timely overview of a conceptual framework designed to assist with the development of message content, as well as the evaluation, of persuasive health messages. While an earlier version of this framework was presented in a prior publication by the authors in 2009, important refinements to the framework have seen it evolve in recent years, warranting the need for an updated review. This paper outlines the Step approach to Message Design and Testing (or SatMDT) in accordance with the theoretical evidence which underpins, as well as empirical evidence which demonstrates the relevance and feasibility of, each of the framework's steps. The development and testing of the framework have thus far been based exclusively within the road safety advertising context; however, the view expressed herein is that the framework may have broader appeal and application to the health persuasion context. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Definition and constituents of maltreatment in sport: establishing a conceptual framework for research practitioners.

PubMed

Stirling, A E

2009-12-01

There has recently been an increased emergence of research on the maltreatment of athletes in sport. It is suggested that research may play a particularly salient role with respect to athlete protection initiatives. However, as it stands, current research in this area is limited by a lack of consistency in definitions. The purpose of the paper, therefore, is to propose a conceptual framework of maltreatment in sport to be used among research practitioners. More specifically, a conceptual model of the different categories, constructs and constituents of maltreatment in sport is proposed. Sport-specific examples of the various maltreatments are outlined. Current literature is reviewed, and recommendations are made for future research.

Conceptualizing Matrix Multiplication: A Framework for Student Thinking, an Historical Analysis, and a Modeling Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Christine

2010-01-01

Little is known about the variety of ways students conceptualize matrix multiplication, yet this is a fundamental part of most introductory linear algebra courses. My dissertation follows a three-paper format, with the three papers exploring conceptualizations of matrix multiplication from a variety of viewpoints. In these papers, I explore (1)…

Is Sexual Behavior Healthy for Adolescents? A Conceptual Framework for Research on Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Physical, Mental, and Social Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasilenko, Sara A.; Lefkowitz, Eva S.; Welsh, Deborah P.

2014-01-01

Although research has increasingly emphasized how adolescent sexual behavior may be associated with aspects of health beyond unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, no current theoretical or conceptual model fully explains associations between sexual behavior and multiple facets of health. We provide a conceptual model that…

A conceptual framework for the study of social capital in new destination immigrant communities.

PubMed

Bernosky de Flores, Catherine H

2010-07-01

Mexican immigration to the United States is an intragenerational phenomenon. Young adult Mexicans leave their families of origin in search of employment opportunities that pull them to new destination communities. A conceptual framework that defines and relates the concepts of human capital, personal networks, social capital, and resources is introduced. The influence of social capital on the capacity of immigrants to access resources is described. The framework informed the design of a study to examine the approaches used by Mexican immigrant women to access resources for healthy childbearing in the absence of traditional family support systems in a new destination community.

Augmenting breath regulation using a mobile driven virtual reality therapy framework.

PubMed

Abushakra, Ahmad; Faezipour, Miad

2014-05-01

This paper presents a conceptual framework of a virtual reality therapy to assist individuals, especially lung cancer patients or those with breathing disorders to regulate their breath through real-time analysis of respiration movements using a smartphone. Virtual reality technology is an attractive means for medical simulations and treatment, particularly for patients with cancer. The theories, methodologies and approaches, and real-world dynamic contents for all the components of this virtual reality therapy (VRT) via a conceptual framework using the smartphone will be discussed. The architecture and technical aspects of the offshore platform of the virtual environment will also be presented.

Patients Should Define Value in Health Care: A Conceptual Framework.

PubMed

Kamal, Robin N; Lindsay, Sarah E; Eppler, Sara L

2018-05-10

The main tenet of value-based health care is delivering high-quality care that is centered on the patient, improving health, and minimizing cost. Collaborative decision-making frameworks have been developed to help facilitate delivering care based on patient preferences (patient-centered care). The current value-based health care model, however, focuses on improving population health and overlooks the individuality of patients and their preferences for care. We highlight the importance of eliciting patient preferences in collaborative decision making and describe a conceptual framework that incorporates individual patients' preferences when defining value. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Strategic Management of Accountability in Nonprofit Organizations: An Analytical Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Kevin P.

1994-01-01

Offers a framework stressing the strategic and tactical choices facing nonprofit organizations and discusses policy and management implications. Claims framework is a useful tool for conducting accountability audits and conceptual foundation for discussions of public policy. (Author/JOW)

Data management in an object-oriented distributed aircraft conceptual design environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhijie

In the competitive global market place, aerospace companies are forced to deliver the right products to the right market, with the right cost, and at the right time. However, the rapid development of technologies and new business opportunities, such as mergers, acquisitions, supply chain management, etc., have dramatically increased the complexity of designing an aircraft. Therefore, the pressure to reduce design cycle time and cost is enormous. One way to solve such a dilemma is to develop and apply advanced engineering environments (AEEs), which are distributed collaborative virtual design environments linking researchers, technologists, designers, etc., together by incorporating application tools and advanced computational, communications, and networking facilities. Aircraft conceptual design, as the first design stage, provides major opportunity to compress design cycle time and is the cheapest place for making design changes. However, traditional aircraft conceptual design programs, which are monolithic programs, cannot provide satisfactory functionality to meet new design requirements due to the lack of domain flexibility and analysis scalability. Therefore, we are in need of the next generation aircraft conceptual design environment (NextADE). To build the NextADE, the framework and the data management problem are two major problems that need to be addressed at the forefront. Solving these two problems, particularly the data management problem, is the focus of this research. In this dissertation, in light of AEEs, a distributed object-oriented framework is firstly formulated and tested for the NextADE. In order to improve interoperability and simplify the integration of heterogeneous application tools, data management is one of the major problems that need to be tackled. To solve this problem, taking into account the characteristics of aircraft conceptual design data, a robust, extensible object-oriented data model is then proposed according to the distributed object-oriented framework. By overcoming the shortcomings of the traditional approach of modeling aircraft conceptual design data, this data model makes it possible to capture specific detailed information of aircraft conceptual design without sacrificing generality, which is one of the most desired features of a data model for aircraft conceptual design. Based upon this data model, a prototype of the data management system, which is one of the fundamental building blocks of the NextADE, is implemented utilizing the state of the art information technologies. Using a general-purpose integration software package to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework and the data management system, the NextADE is initially implemented by integrating the prototype of the data management system with other building blocks of the design environment, such as disciplinary analyses programs and mission analyses programs. As experiments, two case studies are conducted in the integrated design environments. One is based upon a simplified conceptual design of a notional conventional aircraft; the other is a simplified conceptual design of an unconventional aircraft. As a result of the experiments, the proposed framework and the data management approach are shown to be feasible solutions to the research problems.

A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Unintended Prolonged Opioid Use.

PubMed

Hooten, W Michael; Brummett, Chad M; Sullivan, Mark D; Goesling, Jenna; Tilburt, Jon C; Merlin, Jessica S; St Sauver, Jennifer L; Wasan, Ajay D; Clauw, Daniel J; Warner, David O

2017-12-01

An urgent need exists to better understand the transition from short-term opioid use to unintended prolonged opioid use (UPOU). The purpose of this work is to propose a conceptual framework for understanding UPOU that posits the influence of 3 principal domains that include the characteristics of (1) individual patients, (2) the practice environment, and (3) opioid prescribers. Although no standardized method exists for developing a conceptual framework, the process often involves identifying corroborative evidence, leveraging expert opinion to identify factors for inclusion in the framework, and developing a graphic depiction of the relationships between the various factors and the clinical problem of interest. Key patient characteristics potentially associated with UPOU include (1) medical and mental health conditions; (2) pain etiology; (3) individual affective, behavioral, and neurophysiologic reactions to pain and opioids; and (4) sociodemographic factors. Also, UPOU could be influenced by structural and health care policy factors: (1) the practice environment, including the roles of prescribing clinicians, adoption of relevant practice guidelines, and clinician incentives or disincentives, and (2) the regulatory environment. Finally, characteristics inherent to clinicians that could influence prescribing practices include (1) training in pain management and opioid use; (2) personal attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs regarding the risks and benefits of opioids; and (3) professionalism. As the gatekeeper to opioid access, the behavior of prescribing clinicians directly mediates UPOU, with the 3 domains interacting to determine this behavior. This proposed conceptual framework could guide future research on the topic and allow plausible hypothesis-based interventions to reduce UPOU. Copyright © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life in stroke survivor-caregiver dyads: a new conceptual framework and longitudinal study protocol.

PubMed

Savini, Serenella; Buck, Harleah G; Dickson, Victoria Vaughan; Simeone, Silvio; Pucciarelli, Gianluca; Fida, Roberta; Matarese, Maria; Alvaro, Rosaria; Vellone, Ercole

2015-03-01

To describe a new conceptual framework and the research protocol of a study designed to examine the quality of life in stroke survivor-caregiver dyads. Stroke has a significant impact on the patient-caregiver dyad. Few studies have been guided by a specific conceptual framework which considers the interactions among pre-existing situations prior to stroke, the new situation caused by the stroke and the moderating effects of environmental and caregiver-related variables. Longitudinal study. A sample of stroke survivor-caregiver dyads will be enrolled at patient discharge from rehabilitation hospitals and will be surveyed every 3 months for 1-year. Hypotheses generated from the conceptual framework will test predictors, mediators and moderators of stroke survivor and caregiver quality of life from the pre-existing situation prior to the stroke, the new situation mediation poststroke and situation moderators. The study is supported by a grant from the Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, December 2013. This study seeks to identify variables in the pre-existing situation prior to the stroke (e.g. living condition), the new situation mediation poststroke (e.g. type of stroke and caregiver burden) as well as situation moderators (e.g. social support) that influence stroke survivor-caregiver dyad's quality of life across the stroke trajectory. Also, the study will inform clinical practice and research by identifying variables that are potentially modifiable and therefore amenable to intervention. The proposed framework will also be helpful for future research focused on stroke survivor-caregiver dyads. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of a patient-reported outcome measure of recovery after abdominal surgery: a hypothesized conceptual framework.

PubMed

Alam, Roshni; Figueiredo, Sabrina M; Balvardi, Saba; Nauche, Bénédicte; Landry, Tara; Lee, Lawrence; Mayo, Nancy E; Feldman, Liane S; Fiore, Julio F

2018-05-17

We initiated a research program to develop a novel patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to assess postoperative recovery from the perspective of abdominal surgery patients. In light of FDA recommendations, the first stage of our program aimed to, based on previous literature and expert input, develop a hypothesized conceptual framework portraying the health domains that are potentially relevant to the process of recovery after abdominal surgery. This study was conducted in three phases: (1) systematic review to identify PROMs with measurement properties appraised in the context of recovery after abdominal surgery, (2) content analysis to categorize the health domains covered by the PROMs according to the ICF, and (3) two-round Delphi study to gain expert input regarding which of these health domains are relevant to the process of recovery. Participants were experts in perioperative care identified through two major surgical societies (35 invited). The systematic review identified 19 PROMs covering 66 ICF domains. 23 experts (66%) participated in the Delphi process. After Round 2, experts agreed that 22 health domains (8 body functions, 14 activities and participation) are potentially relevant to the process of recovery after abdominal surgery. These domains were organized into a diagram, representing our hypothesized conceptual framework. This hypothesized conceptual framework is an important first step in our research program and will be further refined based on in-depth qualitative interviews with patients. The sound methodological approach used to derive this framework may be valuable for studies aimed to develop PROMs according to FDA standards.

CONCEPTUAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR DIAGNOSTICS RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

Conceptual model development will focus on the effects of habitat alteration, nutrients,suspended and bedded sediments, and toxic chemicals on appropriate endpoints (individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems) across spatial scales (habitats, water body, watershed, region)...

Move-tecture: A Conceptual Framework for Designing Movement in Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Irem

2017-10-01

Along with the technological improvements in our age, it is now possible for the movement to become one of the basic components of the architectural space. Accordingly, architectural construction of movement changes both our architectural production practices and our understanding of architectural space. However, existing design concepts and approaches are insufficient to discuss and understand this change. In this respect, this study aims to form a conceptual framework on the relationship of architecture and movement. In this sense, the conceptualization of move-tecture is developed to research on the architectural construction of movement and the potentials of spatial creation through architecturally constructed movement. Move-tecture, is a conceptualization that treats movement as a basic component of spatial creation. It presents the framework of a qualitative categorization on the design of moving architectural structures. However, this categorization is a flexible one that can evolve in the direction of the expanding possibilities of the architectural design and the changing living conditions. With this understanding, six categories have been defined within the context of the article: Topological Organization, Choreographic Formation, Kinetic Structuring, Corporeal Constitution, Technological Configuration and Interactional Patterning. In line with these categories, a multifaceted perspective on the moving architectural structures is promoted. It is aimed that such an understanding constitutes a new initiative in the design practices carried out in this area and provides a conceptual basis for the discussions to be developed.

A knowledge-based system for prototypical reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lieto, Antonio; Minieri, Andrea; Piana, Alberto; Radicioni, Daniele P.

2015-04-01

In this work we present a knowledge-based system equipped with a hybrid, cognitively inspired architecture for the representation of conceptual information. The proposed system aims at extending the classical representational and reasoning capabilities of the ontology-based frameworks towards the realm of the prototype theory. It is based on a hybrid knowledge base, composed of a classical symbolic component (grounded on a formal ontology) with a typicality based one (grounded on the conceptual spaces framework). The resulting system attempts to reconcile the heterogeneous approach to the concepts in Cognitive Science with the dual process theories of reasoning and rationality. The system has been experimentally assessed in a conceptual categorisation task where common sense linguistic descriptions were given in input, and the corresponding target concepts had to be identified. The results show that the proposed solution substantially extends the representational and reasoning 'conceptual' capabilities of standard ontology-based systems.

A Conceptual Framework for the Assessment of Cumulative Exposure to Air Pollution at a Fine Spatial Scale

PubMed Central

Wahida, Kihal-Talantikite; Padilla, Cindy M.; Denis, Zmirou-Navier; Olivier, Blanchard; Géraldine, Le Nir; Philippe, Quenel; Séverine, Deguen

2016-01-01

Many epidemiological studies examining long-term health effects of exposure to air pollutants have characterized exposure by the outdoor air concentrations at sites that may be distant to subjects’ residences at different points in time. The temporal and spatial mobility of subjects and the spatial scale of exposure assessment could thus lead to misclassification in the cumulative exposure estimation. This paper attempts to fill the gap regarding cumulative exposure assessment to air pollution at a fine spatial scale in epidemiological studies investigating long-term health effects. We propose a conceptual framework showing how major difficulties in cumulative long-term exposure assessment could be surmounted. We then illustrate this conceptual model on the case of exposure to NO2 following two steps: (i) retrospective reconstitution of NO2 concentrations at a fine spatial scale; and (ii) a novel approach to assigning the time-relevant exposure estimates at the census block level, using all available data on residential mobility throughout a 10- to 20-year period prior to that for which the health events are to be detected. Our conceptual framework is both flexible and convenient for the needs of different epidemiological study designs. PMID:26999170

A Conceptual Framework for the Assessment of Cumulative Exposure to Air Pollution at a Fine Spatial Scale.

PubMed

Wahida, Kihal-Talantikite; Padilla, Cindy M; Denis, Zmirou-Navier; Olivier, Blanchard; Géraldine, Le Nir; Philippe, Quenel; Séverine, Deguen

2016-03-15

Many epidemiological studies examining long-term health effects of exposure to air pollutants have characterized exposure by the outdoor air concentrations at sites that may be distant to subjects' residences at different points in time. The temporal and spatial mobility of subjects and the spatial scale of exposure assessment could thus lead to misclassification in the cumulative exposure estimation. This paper attempts to fill the gap regarding cumulative exposure assessment to air pollution at a fine spatial scale in epidemiological studies investigating long-term health effects. We propose a conceptual framework showing how major difficulties in cumulative long-term exposure assessment could be surmounted. We then illustrate this conceptual model on the case of exposure to NO₂ following two steps: (i) retrospective reconstitution of NO₂ concentrations at a fine spatial scale; and (ii) a novel approach to assigning the time-relevant exposure estimates at the census block level, using all available data on residential mobility throughout a 10- to 20-year period prior to that for which the health events are to be detected. Our conceptual framework is both flexible and convenient for the needs of different epidemiological study designs.

A unifying framework of the demand for transnational medical travel.

PubMed

Osterle, August; Johnson, Tricia; Delgado, Jose

2013-01-01

Transnational medical travel has gained attention recently as a strategy for patients to obtain care that is higher quality, costs less, or offers improved access relative to care provided within their home countries. This article examines institutional environments in the European Union and United States that influence transnational medical travel, describes the conceptual model of demand for medical travel, and illustrates individual dimensions in the conceptual model of medical travel using a series of case studies. The conceptual model of medical travel is predicated on Andersen's behavioral model of health services. Transnational medical travel is a heterogeneous phenomenon that is influenced by a number of patient-related factors and by the institutional environment in which the patient resides. While cost, access, and quality are commonly cited factors that influence a patient's decision regarding where to seek care, multiple factors may simultaneously influence the decision about the destination for care, including culture, social factors, and the institutional environment. The conceptual framework addresses the patient-related factors that influence where a patient seeks care. This framework can help researchers and regulatory bodies to evaluate the opportunities and the risks of transnational medical travel and help providers and governments to develop international patient programs.

The ACTIVE conceptual framework as a structural equation model

PubMed Central

Gross, Alden L.; Payne, Brennan R.; Casanova, Ramon; Davoudzadeh, Pega; Dzierzewski, Joseph M.; Farias, Sarah; Giovannetti, Tania; Ip, Edward H.; Marsiske, Michael; Rebok, George W.; Schaie, K. Warner; Thomas, Kelsey; Willis, Sherry; Jones, Richard N.

2018-01-01

Background/Study Context Conceptual frameworks are analytic models at a high level of abstraction. Their operationalization can inform randomized trial design and sample size considerations. Methods The Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) conceptual framework was empirically tested using structural equation modeling (N=2,802). ACTIVE was guided by a conceptual framework for cognitive training in which proximal cognitive abilities (memory, inductive reasoning, speed of processing) mediate treatment-related improvement in primary outcomes (everyday problem-solving, difficulty with activities of daily living, everyday speed, driving difficulty), which in turn lead to improved secondary outcomes (health-related quality of life, health service utilization, mobility). Measurement models for each proximal, primary, and secondary outcome were developed and tested using baseline data. Each construct was then combined in one model to evaluate fit (RMSEA, CFI, normalized residuals of each indicator). To expand the conceptual model and potentially inform future trials, evidence of modification of structural model parameters was evaluated by age, years of education, sex, race, and self-rated health status. Results Preconceived measurement models for memory, reasoning, speed of processing, everyday problem-solving, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) difficulty, everyday speed, driving difficulty, and health-related quality of life each fit well to the data (all RMSEA < .05; all CFI > .95). Fit of the full model was excellent (RMSEA = .038; CFI = .924). In contrast with previous findings from ACTIVE regarding who benefits from training, interaction testing revealed associations between proximal abilities and primary outcomes are stronger on average by nonwhite race, worse health, older age, and less education (p < .005). Conclusions Empirical data confirm the hypothesized ACTIVE conceptual model. Findings suggest that the types of people who show intervention effects on cognitive performance potentially may be different from those with the greatest chance of transfer to real-world activities. PMID:29303475

Parents’ Participation in the Sexuality Education of Their Children in Namibia: A Framework and an Educational Programme for Enhanced Action

PubMed Central

Nghipondoka- Lukolo, Linda Ndeshipandula; Charles, Kimera Lukanga

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to empower rural parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. The study was designed to be qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. It was performed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a situational analysis to explore and describe how parents provide sexuality education. Phase 2 consisted of the development of a conceptual framework that facilitated the development of an educational programme. In phase 3 the programme was implemented and evaluated, recommendations were made and conclusions drawn. The main findings revealed two themes: factors influencing parental participation in their children’s sexuality education, and the need for parental participation in their children’s sexuality education. This article is part of series of three article stems from a study on the topic of sexuality education empowerment programme of rural parents in Namibia. The three articles have the following titles one: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis; two: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a conceptual framework and an educational programme to enhance action, and three: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: programme implementation and evaluation. The previous paper dealt with parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis: the results from the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions on sexuality education with children and parents were presented. This paper focuses on describing Phase 2 and 3, namely the process of devising a conceptual framework for the development of an educational programme to empower parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. Discussions included a description of the conceptual framework, based on the researcher’s paradigmatic assumptions, and the focus group and individual in-depth interviews results. The survey list suggested by Dickoff et al. (1968) consists of various elements which were employed in the conceptual framework, namely the context, agent, recipients, dynamics, procedure and a terminus. These elements were reflected in the “thinking map”. PMID:26573053

Parents' Participation in the Sexuality Education of Their Children in Namibia: A Framework and an Educational Programme for Enhanced Action.

PubMed

Nghipondoka-Lukolo, Linda Ndeshipandula; Charles, Kimera Lukanga

2015-08-18

The purpose of the study was to empower rural parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. The study was designed to be qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. It was performed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a situational analysis to explore and describe how parents provide sexuality education. Phase 2 consisted of the development of a conceptual framework that facilitated the development of an educational programme. In phase 3 the programme was implemented and evaluated, recommendations were made and conclusions drawn. The main findings revealed two themes: factors influencing parental participation in their children's sexuality education, and the need for parental participation in their children's sexuality education. This article is part of series of three article stems from a study on the topic of sexuality education empowerment programme of rural parents in Namibia. The three articles have the following titles: one: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis; two: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a conceptual framework and an educational programme to enhance action, and three: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: programme implementation and evaluation. The previous paper dealt with parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis: the results from the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions on sexuality education with children and parents were presented. This paper focuses on describing Phase 2 and 3, namely the process of devising a conceptual framework for the development of an educational programme to empower parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. Discussions included a description of the conceptual framework, based on the researcher's paradigmatic assumptions, and the focus group and individual in-depth interviews results. The survey list suggested by Dickoff et al. (1968) consists of various elements which were employed in the conceptual framework, namely the context, agent, recipients, dynamics, procedure and a terminus. These elements were reflected in the "thinking map".

Implementing the Biological ConditionGradient Framework for Management of Estuaries and Coasts

EPA Science Inventory

The Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) is a conceptual scientific framework for interpreting biological response to increasing effects of stressors on aquatic ecosystems (U.S. EPA 2016). The framework was developed from common patterns of biological response to stressors observe...

Supervisory Styles: A Contingency Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehe, Dirk Michael

2016-01-01

While the contingent nature of doctoral supervision has been acknowledged, the literature on supervisory styles has yet to deliver a theory-based contingency framework. A contingency framework can assist supervisors and research students in identifying appropriate supervisory styles under varying circumstances. The conceptual study reported here…

Conceptualizing community resilience to natural hazards - the emBRACE framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Sylvia; Abeling, Thomas; Deeming, Hugh; Fordham, Maureen; Forrester, John; Jülich, Sebastian; Nuray Karanci, A.; Kuhlicke, Christian; Pelling, Mark; Pedoth, Lydia; Schneiderbauer, Stefan

2017-12-01

The level of community is considered to be vital for building disaster resilience. Yet, community resilience as a scientific concept often remains vaguely defined and lacks the guiding characteristics necessary for analysing and enhancing resilience on the ground. The emBRACE framework of community resilience presented in this paper provides a heuristic analytical tool for understanding, explaining and measuring community resilience to natural hazards. It was developed in an iterative process building on existing scholarly debates, on empirical case study work in five countries and on participatory consultation with community stakeholders where the framework was applied and ground-tested in different contexts and for different hazard types. The framework conceptualizes resilience across three core domains: (i) resources and capacities, (ii) actions and (iii) learning. These three domains are conceptualized as intrinsically conjoined within a whole. Community resilience is influenced by these integral elements as well as by extra-community forces comprising disaster risk governance and thus laws, policies and responsibilities on the one hand and on the other, the general societal context, natural and human-made disturbances and system change over time. The framework is a graphically rendered heuristic, which through application can assist in guiding the assessment of community resilience in a systematic way and identifying key drivers and barriers of resilience that affect any particular hazard-exposed community.

Conceptual Framework To Extend Life Cycle Assessment ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a decision-making tool that accounts for multiple impacts across the life cycle of a product or service. This paper presents a conceptual framework to integrate human health impact assessment with risk screening approaches to extend LCA to include near-field chemical sources (e.g., those originating from consumer products and building materials) that have traditionally been excluded from LCA. A new generation of rapid human exposure modeling and high-throughput toxicity testing is transforming chemical risk prioritization and provides an opportunity for integration of screening-level risk assessment (RA) with LCA. The combined LCA and RA approach considers environmental impacts of products alongside risks to human health, which is consistent with regulatory frameworks addressing RA within a sustainability mindset. A case study is presented to juxtapose LCA and risk screening approaches for a chemical used in a consumer product. The case study demonstrates how these new risk screening tools can be used to inform toxicity impact estimates in LCA and highlights needs for future research. The framework provides a basis for developing tools and methods to support decision making on the use of chemicals in products. This paper presents a conceptual framework for including near-field exposures into Life Cycle Assessment using advanced human exposure modeling and high-throughput tools

A Conceptual Framework for Planning Systemic Human Adaptation to Global Warming.

PubMed

Tait, Peter W; Hanna, Elizabeth G

2015-08-31

Human activity is having multiple, inter-related effects on ecosystems. Greenhouse gas emissions persisting along current trajectories threaten to significantly alter human society. At 0.85 °C of anthropogenic warming, deleterious human impacts are acutely evident. Additional warming of 0.5 °C-1.0 °C from already emitted CO₂ will further intensify extreme heat and damaging storm events. Failing to sufficiently address this trend will have a heavy human toll directly and indirectly on health. Along with mitigation efforts, societal adaptation to a warmer world is imperative. Adaptation efforts need to be significantly upscaled to prepare society to lessen the public health effects of rising temperatures. Modifying societal behaviour is inherently complex and presents a major policy challenge. We propose a social systems framework for conceptualizing adaptation that maps out three domains within the adaptation policy landscape: acclimatisation, behavioural adaptation and technological adaptation, which operate at societal and personal levels. We propose that overlaying this framework on a systems approach to societal change planning methods will enhance governments' capacity and efficacy in strategic planning for adaptation. This conceptual framework provides a policy oriented planning assessment tool that will help planners match interventions to the behaviours being targeted for change. We provide illustrative examples to demonstrate the framework's application as a planning tool.

The knowledge-value chain: A conceptual framework for knowledge translation in health.

PubMed

Landry, Réjean; Amara, Nabil; Pablos-Mendes, Ariel; Shademani, Ramesh; Gold, Irving

2006-08-01

This article briefly discusses knowledge translation and lists the problems associated with it. Then it uses knowledge-management literature to develop and propose a knowledge-value chain framework in order to provide an integrated conceptual model of knowledge management and application in public health organizations. The knowledge-value chain is a non-linear concept and is based on the management of five dyadic capabilities: mapping and acquisition, creation and destruction, integration and sharing/transfer, replication and protection, and performance and innovation.

Evaluating the effectiveness of intercultural teachers.

PubMed

Cox, Kathleen

2011-01-01

With globalization and major immigration flows, intercultural teaching encounters are likely to increase, along with the need to assure intercultural teaching effectiveness.Thus, the purpose of this article is to present a conceptual framework for nurse educators to consider when anticipating an intercultural teaching experience. Kirkpatrick's and Bushnell's models provide a basis for the conceptual framework. Major concepts of the model include input, process, output, and outcome.The model may possibly be used to guide future research to determine which variables are most influential in explaining intercultural teaching effectiveness.

The knowledge-value chain: A conceptual framework for knowledge translation in health.

PubMed Central

Landry, Réjean; Amara, Nabil; Pablos-Mendes, Ariel; Shademani, Ramesh; Gold, Irving

2006-01-01

This article briefly discusses knowledge translation and lists the problems associated with it. Then it uses knowledge-management literature to develop and propose a knowledge-value chain framework in order to provide an integrated conceptual model of knowledge management and application in public health organizations. The knowledge-value chain is a non-linear concept and is based on the management of five dyadic capabilities: mapping and acquisition, creation and destruction, integration and sharing/transfer, replication and protection, and performance and innovation. PMID:16917645

Gender Affirmation: A Framework for Conceptualizing Risk Behavior among Transgender Women of Color.

PubMed

Sevelius, Jae M

2013-06-01

Experiences of stigma, discrimination, and violence as well as extreme health disparities and high rates of sexual risk behavior and substance use have been well-documented among transgender women of color. Using an intersectional approach and integrating prominent theories from stigma, eating disorders, and HIV-related research, this article offers a new framework for conceptualizing risk behavior among transgender women of color, specifically sexual risk behavior and risky body modification practices. This framework is centered on the concept of 'gender affirmation,' the process by which individuals are affirmed in their gender identity through social interactions. Qualitative data from 22 interviews with transgender women of color from the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States are analyzed and discussed in the context of the gender affirmation framework.

Communicable disease control programmes and health systems: an analytical approach to sustainability.

PubMed

Shigayeva, Altynay; Coker, Richard J

2015-04-01

There is renewed concern over the sustainability of disease control programmes, and re-emergence of policy recommendations to integrate programmes with general health systems. However, the conceptualization of this issue has remarkably received little critical attention. Additionally, the study of programmatic sustainability presents methodological challenges. In this article, we propose a conceptual framework to support analyses of sustainability of communicable disease programmes. Through this work, we also aim to clarify a link between notions of integration and sustainability. As a part of development of the conceptual framework, we conducted a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed literature on concepts, definitions, analytical approaches and empirical studies on sustainability in health systems. Identified conceptual proposals for analysis of sustainability in health systems lack an explicit conceptualization of what a health system is. Drawing upon theoretical concepts originating in sustainability sciences and our review here, we conceptualize a communicable disease programme as a component of a health system which is viewed as a complex adaptive system. We propose five programmatic characteristics that may explain a potential for sustainability: leadership, capacity, interactions (notions of integration), flexibility/adaptability and performance. Though integration of elements of a programme with other system components is important, its role in sustainability is context specific and difficult to predict. The proposed framework might serve as a basis for further empirical evaluations in understanding complex interplay between programmes and broader health systems in the development of sustainable responses to communicable diseases. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

A Biopsychosocial Conceptual Framework of Postpartum Depression Risk in Immigrant and U.S.-born Latina Mothers in the United States.

PubMed

Lara-Cinisomo, Sandraluz; Girdler, Susan S; Grewen, Karen; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

2016-01-01

In this review, we offer a conceptual framework that identifies risk factors of postpartum depression (PPD) in immigrant and U.S.-born Latinas in the United States by focusing on psychosocial and neuroendocrine factors. Although the evidence of the impact psychosocial stressors have on the development of PPD has been well-documented, less is known about the biological etiology of PPD or how these complex stressors jointly increase the risk of PPD in immigrant and U.S.-born Latinas in the United States. Using PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase, we reviewed the literature from 2000 to 2015 regarding psychosocial and physiological risk factors associated with PPD to develop a conceptual model for Latinas. Our search yielded 16 relevant studies. Based on our review of the literature, we developed a biopsychosocial conceptual model of PPD for Latinas in the United States. We make arguments for an integrated model designed to assess psychosocial and physiological risk factors and PPD in a high-risk population. Our framework describes the hypothesized associations between culturally and contextually relevant psychosocial stressors, neurobiological factors (e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis response system and oxytocin signaling), and PPD in Latinas in the United States. Future studies should evaluate prospectively the impact psychosocial stressors identified here have on the development of PPD in both immigrant and U.S-born Latinas while examining neuroendocrine function, such as the HPA axis and oxytocin signaling. Our conceptual framework will allow for the reporting of main and indirect effects of psychosocial risk factors and biomarkers (e.g., HPA axis and oxytocin function) on PPD in foreign- and U.S.-born postpartum Latinas. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NADM Conceptual Model 1.0 -- A Conceptual Model for Geologic Map Information

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2004-01-01

Executive Summary -- The NADM Data Model Design Team was established in 1999 by the North American Geologic Map Data Model Steering Committee (NADMSC) with the purpose of drafting a geologic map data model for consideration as a standard for developing interoperable geologic map-centered databases by state, provincial, and federal geological surveys. The model is designed to be a technology-neutral conceptual model that can form the basis for a web-based interchange format using evolving information technology (e.g., XML, RDF, OWL), and guide implementation of geoscience databases in a common conceptual framework. The intended purpose is to allow geologic information sharing between geologic map data providers and users, independent of local information system implementation. The model emphasizes geoscience concepts and relationships related to information presented on geologic maps. Design has been guided by an informal requirements analysis, documentation of existing databases, technology developments, and other standardization efforts in the geoscience and computer-science communities. A key aspect of the model is the notion that representation of the conceptual framework (ontology) that underlies geologic map data must be part of the model, because this framework changes with time and understanding, and varies between information providers. The top level of the model distinguishes geologic concepts, geologic representation concepts, and metadata. The geologic representation part of the model provides a framework for representing the ontology that underlies geologic map data through a controlled vocabulary, and for establishing the relationships between this vocabulary and a geologic map visualization or portrayal. Top-level geologic classes in the model are Earth material (substance), geologic unit (parts of the Earth), geologic age, geologic structure, fossil, geologic process, geologic relation, and geologic event.

'Introspectionism' and the mythical origins of scientific psychology.

PubMed

Costall, Alan

2006-12-01

According to the majority of the textbooks, the history of modern, scientific psychology can be tidily encapsulated in the following three stages. Scientific psychology began with a commitment to the study of mind, but based on the method of introspection. Watson rejected introspectionism as both unreliable and effete, and redefined psychology, instead, as the science of behaviour. The cognitive revolution, in turn, replaced the mind as the subject of study, and rejected both behaviourism and a reliance on introspection. This paper argues that all three stages of this history are largely mythical. Introspectionism was never a dominant movement within modern psychology, and the method of introspection never went away. Furthermore, this version of psychology's history obscures some deep conceptual problems, not least surrounding the modern conception of "behaviour," that continues to make the scientific study of consciousness seem so weird.

Social Media as Space for Peace Education: Conceptual Contours and Evidence from the Muslim World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naseem, M. Ayaz; Arshad-Ayaz, Adeela; Doyle, Sophie

2017-01-01

In this research, we present a conceptual framework to examine the potential of social media as an educational space for peace education. In particular, we examine the characteristics and dynamics of social media that set it apart from other traditional media and educational spaces. Specifically, we conceptualize features of social media such as:…

Microeconomics, Private Security, and the Significance to Operational Planning

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

of microeconomic principles of supply-demand theory by looking at specific conceptual variables to determine the relationship and influence on the... microeconomic principles of supply-demand theory by looking at specific conceptual variables to determine the relationship and influence on the...study to include existing conceptual understandings of the industry, the microeconomic principles of supply- demand theory, the theoretic framework

Long-Term Outcomes of Early Childhood Science Education: Insights from a Cross-National Comparative Case Study on Conceptual Understanding of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tao, Ying; Oliver, Mary; Venville, Grady

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to explore the long-term outcomes of either participating or not participating in early childhood science education on grade 6 students' conceptual understanding of science. The research is situated in a conceptual framework that evokes Piagetian developmental levels as both potential curriculum constraints and…

Teaching Ethical Reflexivity in Information Systems: How to Equip Students to Deal with Moral and Ethical Issues of Emerging Information and Communication Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahl, Bernd Carsten

2011-01-01

Teaching ethics to students of information systems (IS) raises a number of conceptual and content-related issues. The present paper starts out by developing a conceptual framework of moral and ethical issues that distinguishes between moral intuition, explicit morality, ethical theory and meta-ethical reflection. This conceptual framework…

Knowledge is power: how conceptual knowledge transforms visual cognition.

PubMed

Collins, Jessica A; Olson, Ingrid R

2014-08-01

In this review, we synthesize the existing literature demonstrating the dynamic interplay between conceptual knowledge and visual perceptual processing. We consider two theoretical frameworks that demonstrate interactions between processes and brain areas traditionally considered perceptual or conceptual. Specifically, we discuss categorical perception, in which visual objects are represented according to category membership, and highlight studies showing that category knowledge can penetrate early stages of visual analysis. We next discuss the embodied account of conceptual knowledge, which holds that concepts are instantiated in the same neural regions required for specific types of perception and action, and discuss the limitations of this framework. We additionally consider studies showing that gaining abstract semantic knowledge about objects and faces leads to behavioral and electrophysiological changes that are indicative of more efficient stimulus processing. Finally, we consider the role that perceiver goals and motivation may play in shaping the interaction between conceptual and perceptual processing. We hope to demonstrate how pervasive such interactions between motivation, conceptual knowledge, and perceptual processing are in our understanding of the visual environment, and to demonstrate the need for future research aimed at understanding how such interactions arise in the brain.

Development of the biology card sorting task to measure conceptual expertise in biology.

PubMed

Smith, Julia I; Combs, Elijah D; Nagami, Paul H; Alto, Valerie M; Goh, Henry G; Gourdet, Muryam A A; Hough, Christina M; Nickell, Ashley E; Peer, Adrian G; Coley, John D; Tanner, Kimberly D

2013-01-01

There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task, designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual knowledge of biology. While modeled on tasks from cognitive psychology, this task is unique in its design to test two hypothesized conceptual frameworks for the organization of biological knowledge: 1) a surface feature organization focused on organism type and 2) a deep feature organization focused on fundamental biological concepts. In this initial investigation of the Biology Card Sorting Task, each of six analytical measures showed statistically significant differences when used to compare the card sorting results of putative biological experts (biology faculty) and novices (non-biology major undergraduates). Consistently, biology faculty appeared to sort based on hypothesized deep features, while non-biology majors appeared to sort based on either surface features or nonhypothesized organizational frameworks. Results suggest that this novel task is robust in distinguishing populations of biology experts and biology novices and may be an adaptable tool for tracking emerging biology conceptual expertise.

Knowledge is Power: How Conceptual Knowledge Transforms Visual Cognition

PubMed Central

Collins, Jessica A.; Olson, Ingrid R.

2014-01-01

In this review we synthesize the existing literature demonstrating the dynamic interplay between conceptual knowledge and visual perceptual processing. We consider two theoretical frameworks demonstrating interactions between processes and brain areas traditionally considered perceptual or conceptual. Specifically, we discuss categorical perception, in which visual objects are represented according to category membership, and highlight studies showing that category knowledge can penetrate early stages of visual analysis. We next discuss the embodied account of conceptual knowledge, which holds that concepts are instantiated in the same neural regions required for specific types of perception and action, and discuss the limitations of this framework. We additionally consider studies showing that gaining abstract semantic knowledge about objects and faces leads to behavioral and electrophysiological changes that are indicative of more efficient stimulus processing. Finally, we consider the role that perceiver goals and motivation may play in shaping the interaction between conceptual and perceptual processing. We hope to demonstrate how pervasive such interactions between motivation, conceptual knowledge, and perceptual processing are to our understanding of the visual environment, and demonstrate the need for future research aimed at understanding how such interactions arise in the brain. PMID:24402731

The Crisis of Divorce: Growth Promoting or Pathogenic?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraus, Sharon

1979-01-01

Examines the pathogenic perspective on divorce, pointing out its methodological and conceptual shortcomings. A conceptual model of the divorce experience based upon crisis theory is presented. Provides a framework for understanding short- and long-term reactions to divorce. (Author)

A human factors engineering conceptual framework of nursing workload and patient safety in intensive care units.

PubMed

Carayon, Pascale; Gürses, Ayşe P

2005-10-01

In this paper, we review the literature on nursing workload in intensive care units (ICUs) and its impact on patient safety and quality of working life of nurses. We then propose a conceptual framework of ICU nursing workload that defines causes, consequences and outcomes of workload. We identified four levels of nursing workload (ICU/unit level, job level, patient level, and situation level), and discuss measures associated with each of the four levels. A micro-level approach to ICU nursing workload at the situation level is proposed and recommended in order to reduce workload and mitigate its negative impact. Performance obstacles are conceptualized as causes of ICU nursing workload at the situation level.

Building a Biopsychosocial Conceptual Framework to Explore Pressure Ulcer Pain for Hospitalized Patients.

PubMed

Kim, Junglyun; Ahn, Hyochol; Lyon, Debra E; Stechmiller, Joyce

2016-01-08

Although pressure ulcers are a prevalent condition, pain associated with pressure ulcers is not fully understood. Indeed, previous studies do not shed light on the association between pressure ulcer stages and the experience of pain. Especially, pain characteristics of suspected deep tissue injury, which is a new category that was recently added by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, are yet unknown. This is concerning because the incidence of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients has increased exponentially over the last two decades, and health care providers are struggling to ensure providing adequate care. Thus, in order to facilitate the development of effective interventions, this paper presents a conceptual framework to explore pressure ulcer pain in hospitalized patients. The concepts were derived from a biopsychosocial model of pain, and the relationships among each concept were identified through a literature review. Major propositions are presented based on the proposed conceptual framework, which integrates previous research on pressure ulcer pain, to ultimately improve understanding of pain in hospitalized patients with pressure ulcers.

Nutritional ecology beyond the individual: a conceptual framework for integrating nutrition and social interactions

PubMed Central

Lihoreau, Mathieu; Buhl, Jerome; Charleston, Michael A; Sword, Gregory A; Raubenheimer, David; Simpson, Stephen J

2015-01-01

Over recent years, modelling approaches from nutritional ecology (known as Nutritional Geometry) have been increasingly used to describe how animals and some other organisms select foods and eat them in appropriate amounts in order to maintain a balanced nutritional state maximising fitness. These nutritional strategies profoundly affect the physiology, behaviour and performance of individuals, which in turn impact their social interactions within groups and societies. Here, we present a conceptual framework to study the role of nutrition as a major ecological factor influencing the development and maintenance of social life. We first illustrate some of the mechanisms by which nutritional differences among individuals mediate social interactions in a broad range of species and ecological contexts. We then explain how studying individual- and collective-level nutrition in a common conceptual framework derived from Nutritional Geometry can bring new fundamental insights into the mechanisms and evolution of social interactions, using a combination of simulation models and manipulative experiments. PMID:25586099

Cable median barrier maintenance manual.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

This implementation guide describes the conceptual framework, data requirements, and computational procedures for determining the safety and mobility impacts of work zones in Texas. Researchers designed the framework and procedures to assist district...

The Paranoid-Depressive Continuum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Betty J.

1977-01-01

Few investigators have attempted to lay a conceptual base for comparative studies of paranoia and depression within a single general framework. The paranoid-depressive continuum is an attempt to develop such a framework. (Author)

Conceptual Change, History, and Science Stories.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stinner, Arthur; Williams, Harvey

1993-01-01

Science teachers implementing educational research findings must choose between instructional prescriptions from Piaget's theory of cognitive development and from alternative conceptual frameworks theory. Contextual teaching using large context problems or science stories addresses both. The paper outlines a program that designs historically based…

Cognitive-Behavioral Conceptualization and Treatment of Anger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deffenbacher, Jerry L.

2011-01-01

Anger is conceptualized within a broad cognitive-behavioral (CBT) framework emphasizing triggering events; the person's pre-anger state, including temporary conditions and more enduring cognitive and familial/cultural processes; primary and secondary appraisal processes; the anger experience/response (cognitive, emotional, and physiological…

The discipline of hospital development: a conceptual framework incorporating marketing, managerial, consumer behavior, and adult learning theories.

PubMed

Shirley, S; Stampfl, R

1997-12-01

The purpose of this explanatory and prescriptive article is to identify interdisciplinary theories used by hospital development to direct its practice. The article explores, explains, and applies theories and principles from behavioral, social, and managerial disciplines. Learning, motivational, organizational, marketing, and attitudinal theories are incorporated and transformed into the fundamental components of a conceptual framework that provides an overview of the practice of hospital development. How this discipline incorporates these theories to design, explain, and prescribe the focus of its own practice is demonstrated. This interdisciplinary approach results in a framework for practice that is adaptable to changing social, cultural, economic, political, and technological environments.

Conceptual models for cumulative risk assessment.

PubMed

Linder, Stephen H; Sexton, Ken

2011-12-01

In the absence of scientific consensus on an appropriate theoretical framework, cumulative risk assessment and related research have relied on speculative conceptual models. We argue for the importance of theoretical backing for such models and discuss 3 relevant theoretical frameworks, each supporting a distinctive "family" of models. Social determinant models postulate that unequal health outcomes are caused by structural inequalities; health disparity models envision social and contextual factors acting through individual behaviors and biological mechanisms; and multiple stressor models incorporate environmental agents, emphasizing the intermediary role of these and other stressors. The conclusion is that more careful reliance on established frameworks will lead directly to improvements in characterizing cumulative risk burdens and accounting for disproportionate adverse health effects.

Conceptual Models for Cumulative Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Sexton, Ken

2011-01-01

In the absence of scientific consensus on an appropriate theoretical framework, cumulative risk assessment and related research have relied on speculative conceptual models. We argue for the importance of theoretical backing for such models and discuss 3 relevant theoretical frameworks, each supporting a distinctive “family” of models. Social determinant models postulate that unequal health outcomes are caused by structural inequalities; health disparity models envision social and contextual factors acting through individual behaviors and biological mechanisms; and multiple stressor models incorporate environmental agents, emphasizing the intermediary role of these and other stressors. The conclusion is that more careful reliance on established frameworks will lead directly to improvements in characterizing cumulative risk burdens and accounting for disproportionate adverse health effects. PMID:22021317

Cycle time reduction using lean six sigma in make-to-order (MTO) environment: Conceptual framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Man, Siti Mariam; Zain, Zakiyah; Nawawi, Mohd Kamal Mohd

2015-12-01

This paper outlines the framework for application of lean six sigma (LSS) methodology to improve semiconductor assembly cycle time in a make-to-order (MTO) business environment. The cycle time reduction is the prime objective in the context of an overall productivity improvement particularly in the MTO environment. The interaction of the production rate and cycle time is described, while the emphasis is on Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) and Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) activities. A framework for the conceptual understanding is provided along with practical implementation issues. A relevant measure for the degree of flexibility (DOF) in the context of quick setup is also discussed.

Joseph Lovell, MD (1788-1836): First US army surgeon general.

PubMed

Craig, Stephen C

2016-08-01

Joseph Lovell, trained in medicine at Harvard and in military medicine/surgery by the War of 1812, became the first Surgeon General to sit on the reorganised army staff at the tender age of 29 in 1818. With a keen intellect, medical acumen, and wartime experiences for his tools and a close supporting relationship with Commanding General Jacob Jennings Brown and Secretary of War John C Calhoun (1728-1850), Lovell constructed an efficient and effective organisational and administrative framework for the new Medical Department of the US Army. Moreover, he not only redefined the role of the American military physician but also established the professional dignity, respectability and value of the medical officer among line officers and staff. Lovell's 18-year tenure came to an abrupt end, but the operational framework he created became both foundation and legacy for his successors. © Author(s) 2016.

Historical trauma: politics of a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Prussing, Erica

2014-06-01

The concept of historical trauma (HT) is compelling: Colonialism has set forth cumulative cycles of adversity that promote morbidity and mortality at personal and collective levels, with especially strong mental health impacts. Yet as ongoing community-based as well as scholarly discussions attest, lingering questions continue to surround HT as a framework for understanding the relationships between colonialism and indigenous mental health. Through an overview of 30 recent peer-reviewed publications that aim to clarify, define, measure, and interpret how HT impacts American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) mental health, this paper examines how the conceptual framework of HT has circulated in ways shaped by interactions among three prominent research approaches: evidence-based, culturally relevant, and decolonizing. All define current approaches to AIAN mental health research, but each sets forth different conceptualizations of the connections between colonialism and psychological distress. The unfolding trajectory of research about HT reflects persistent tensions in how these frameworks interact, but also possibilities for better integrating them. These considerations aim to advance conversations about the politics of producing knowledge about AIAN mental health, and support ongoing calls for greater political pluralism in mental health research. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Legislation for Youth Sport Concussion in Canada: Review, Conceptual Framework, and Recommendations.

PubMed

Russell, Kelly; Ellis, Michael J; Bauman, Shannon; Tator, Charles H

2017-05-01

In this article, we conduct a review of introduced and enacted youth concussion legislation in Canada and present a conceptual framework and recommendations for future youth sport concussion laws. We conducted online searches of federal, provincial, and territorial legislatures to identify youth concussion bills that were introduced or successfully enacted into law. Internet searches were carried out from July 26 and 27, 2016. Online searches identified six youth concussion bills that were introduced in provincial legislatures, including two in Ontario and Nova Scotia and one each in British Columbia and Quebec. One of these bills (Ontario Bill 149, Rowan's Law Advisory Committee Act, 2016) was enacted into provincial law; it is not actual concussion legislation, but rather a framework for possible enactment of legislation. Two bills have been introduced in federal parliament but neither bill has been enacted into law. At present, there is no provincial or federal concussion legislation that directly legislates concussion education, prevention, management, or policy in youth sports in Canada. The conceptual framework and recommendations presented here should be used to guide the design and implementation of future youth sport concussion laws in Canada.

Conceptual framework for behavioral and social science in HIV vaccine clinical research

PubMed Central

Lau, Chuen-Yen; Swann, Edith M.; Singh, Sagri; Kafaar, Zuhayr; Meissner, Helen I.; Stansbury, James P.

2011-01-01

HIV vaccine clinical research occurs within a context where biomedical science and social issues are interlinked. Previous HIV vaccine research has considered behavioral and social issues, but often treated them as independent of clinical research processes. Systematic attention to the intersection of behavioral and social issues within a defined clinical research framework is needed to address gaps, such as those related to participation in trials, completion of trials, and the overall research experience. Rigorous attention to these issues at project inception can inform trial design and conduct by matching research approaches to the context in which trials are to be conducted. Conducting behavioral and social sciences research concurrent with vaccine clinical research is important because it can help identify potential barriers to trial implementation, as well as ultimate acceptance and dissemination of trial results. We therefore propose a conceptual framework for behavioral and social science in HIV vaccine clinical research and use examples from the behavioral and social science literature to demonstrate how the model can facilitate identification of significant areas meriting additional exploration. Standardized use of the conceptual framework could improve HIV vaccine clinical research efficiency and relevance. PMID:21821083

Conceptual framework for behavioral and social science in HIV vaccine clinical research.

PubMed

Lau, Chuen-Yen; Swann, Edith M; Singh, Sagri; Kafaar, Zuhayr; Meissner, Helen I; Stansbury, James P

2011-10-13

HIV vaccine clinical research occurs within a context where biomedical science and social issues are interlinked. Previous HIV vaccine research has considered behavioral and social issues, but often treated them as independent of clinical research processes. Systematic attention to the intersection of behavioral and social issues within a defined clinical research framework is needed to address gaps, such as those related to participation in trials, completion of trials, and the overall research experience. Rigorous attention to these issues at project inception can inform trial design and conduct by matching research approaches to the context in which trials are to be conducted. Conducting behavioral and social sciences research concurrent with vaccine clinical research is important because it can help identify potential barriers to trial implementation, as well as ultimate acceptance and dissemination of trial results. We therefore propose a conceptual framework for behavioral and social science in HIV vaccine clinical research and use examples from the behavioral and social science literature to demonstrate how the model can facilitate identification of significant areas meriting additional exploration. Standardized use of the conceptual framework could improve HIV vaccine clinical research efficiency and relevance. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities and parenting: A conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Crandall, AliceAnn; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Riley, Anne W.

2015-01-01

Purpose Emerging evidence suggests that maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities are critical to the development and maintenance of parenting practices and may be related to parents’ ability to seek and use parenting help. The purpose of this paper is to present a cohesive conceptual framework on the intersection of maternal emotion and cognitive control capacities and parenting based on a review of literature. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature review of articles published between 2000 and February 2014 that addressed maternal emotion and cognitive control and parenting. The 35 articles identified were assigned a methodological quality score. Results Low maternal emotion and cognitive control capacity is associated with increased risk of engaging in child maltreatment, whereas higher maternal emotion and cognitive regulation is associated with sensitive, involved parenting. Contextual factors, such as SES and household organization, play a complex and not clearly understood role on the association between maternal cognitive control and parenting. A conceptual framework was developed based on the results of the literature review. Conclusions The conceptual framework developed can be used to inform future research and practice. Longitudinal studies that assess the temporal relationship of maternal emotion and cognitive control and parenting are necessary to establish causality. Research that addresses how maternal emotion regulation and cognitive control capacities are related to mothers’ enrollment and participation in parenting and early intervention programs is an important next step to strengthening policy and intervention work. PMID:26028796