A Survey Data Quality Strategy: The Institutional Research Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qin

2009-01-01

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

[Quality management in a clinical research facility: Evaluation of changes in quality in-house figures and the appraisal of in-house quality indicators].

PubMed

Aden, Bile; Allekotte, Silke; Mösges, Ralph

2016-12-01

For long-term maintenance and improvement of quality within a clinical research institute, the implementation and certification of a quality management system is suitable. Due to the implemented quality management system according to the still valid DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 desired quality objectives are achieved effectively. The evaluation of quality scores and the appraisal of in-house quality indicators make an important contribution in this regard. In order to achieve this and draw quality assurance conclusions, quality indicators as sensible and sensitive as possible are developed. For this, own key objectives, the retrospective evaluation of quality scores, a prospective follow-up and also discussions establish the basis. In the in-house clinical research institute the measures introduced by the quality management led to higher efficiency in work processes, improved staff skills, higher customer satisfaction and overall to more successful outcomes in relation to the self-defined key objectives. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Predictors of quality of life for autistic adults.

PubMed

Mason, David; McConachie, Helen; Garland, Deborah; Petrou, Alex; Rodgers, Jacqui; Parr, Jeremy R

2018-05-07

Research with adults on the autism spectrum is as yet limited in scope and quality. The present study describes quality of life (QoL) of a large sample of autistic adults in the UK and investigates characteristics that may be predictive of QoL. A total of 370 autistic adults from the Adult Autism Spectrum Cohort-UK (ASC-UK) completed the WHOQoL-BREF, and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS, autism symptom severity), along with the ASC-UK registration questionnaire giving information on mental health and their life situation. QoL for autistic adults was lower than for the general population for each WHOQoL domain. Younger participants reported higher QoL than older participants in psychological and environment domains. Males reported higher physical QoL than females, and females reported higher social QoL than males. Significant positive predictors of QoL were: being employed (physical QoL), receiving support (social and environment QoL), and being in a relationship (social QoL). Having a mental health condition and higher SRS total score were negative predictors of QoL across all four domains. Autistic adults require access to effective mental health interventions, and informal and formal support for their social difficulties, to improve their quality of life. Autism Res 2018. © 2018 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. There has been limited research into the lived experience of autistic adults. Using the World Health Organization quality of life measure, we found that autistic people (370) in the UK reported their quality of life to be lower than that of the general population. Better quality of life was associated with being in a relationship; those with a mental health condition had poorer quality of life. This research suggests some ways in which autistic people can be helped to improve their quality of life. © 2018 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluating Quality Management in University Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becket, Nina; Brookes, Maureen

2006-01-01

Purpose: Despite the abundance of research on quality management there is no universal consensus on how best to measure quality in higher education. This paper undertakes a critical evaluation of the different methods used to assess the quality of provision in higher education departments in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on relevant…

Embedding Quality: The Challenges for Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lomas, Laurie

2004-01-01

This paper reviews recent research, literature and the views of a small sample of senior managers and academics in English higher education institutions on the challenges associated with embedding quality. When implemented by a university, quality enhancement models such as total quality management and the European Foundation for Quality…

Assessing the Quality of Research Supervision in Mainland Chinese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Hongbing

2015-01-01

This article assesses the quality of research supervision in mainland Chinese higher education by critiquing the related literature. It provides an evaluative overview of the Chinese graduate supervisor-student relationship after presenting the supervision system that is at work. The study has revealed that despite the general satisfaction felt…

Measurements of Quality in Higher Education: The Role of Institutional Research. AIR 1983 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gapen, Kaye; Morse, Suzanne

Three areas of quality assessment in higher education are examined: students, faculty, and library resources. Types of student data that institutional researchers should address include: entrance tests scores, retention rate, student outcomes, location and recruitment of graduates, results of licensing examinations, scholarship recipients, and…

University Teachers' Perceptions of Appropriate Emotion Display and High-Quality Teacher-Student Relationship: Similarities and Differences across Cultural-Educational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagenauer, Gerda; Gläser-Zikuda, Michaela; Volet, Simone E.

2016-01-01

Research on teachers' emotion display and the quality of the teacher-student relationship in higher education is increasingly significant in the context of rapidly developing internationalization in higher education, with scholars (and students) moving across countries for research and teaching. However, there is little theoretically grounded…

Student Motivation and the "Feel Good" Factor: An Empirical Examination of Motivational Predictors of University Service Quality Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chong, Yit Sean; Ahmed, Pervaiz K.

2015-01-01

With the globalisation of the higher education industry, service quality in the higher education services is seen as a vital factor in determining a university's competitive advantage. The purpose of this study is to extend current conceptualisation of quality research in higher education by investigating the influence of self-determination and…

Higher Education Quality Assessment in China: An Impact Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Shuiyun

2015-01-01

This research analyses an external higher education quality assessment scheme in China, namely, the Quality Assessment of Undergraduate Education (QAUE) scheme. Case studies were conducted in three Chinese universities with different statuses. Analysis shows that the evaluated institutions responded to the external requirements of the QAUE…

Higher Education Evaluation in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Bernhard; von Hippel, Aiga; Tippelt, Rudolf

2010-01-01

Quality assurance in the area of higher education has become a central issue among both politicians and scientists. University evaluations which refer to both research and teaching are an important element of quality assurance. The present contribution starts out by determining the different components of quality at universities according to…

Preparing Impact Submissions for REF 2014: An Evaluation. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manville, Catriona; Jones, Molly Morgan; Frearson, Michael; Castle-Clarke, Sophie; Henham, Marie-Louise; Gunashekar, Salil; Grant, Jonathan

2015-01-01

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 is a nationwide initiative designed to assess the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). For the first time, REF 2014 introduced the wider impact of research, alongside the quality of research and the vitality of the research environment, into the assessment of research…

Scenarios of Quality Assurance of Stakeholder Relationships in Finnish Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyytinen, Anu; Kohtamäki, Vuokko; Kivistö, Jussi; Pekkola, Elias; Hölttä, Seppo

2017-01-01

Although the role and significance of the external stakeholders of higher education institutions has grown in recent years, quality assurance of stakeholder relationships remains a new phenomenon in the management practices of higher education institutions and in higher education research. Based on interviews and expert panel data, this article…

Preparing Impact Submissions for REF 2014: An Evaluation. Findings and Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manville, Catriona; Jones, Molly Morgan; Frearson, Michael; Castle-Clarke, Sophie; Henham, Marie-Louise; Gunashekar, Salil; Grant, Jonathan

2015-01-01

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 is a nationwide initiative designed to assess the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). For the first time, REF 2014 introduced the wider impact of research, alongside the quality of research and the vitality of the research environment, into the assessment of research…

Preparing Impact Submissions for REF 2014: An Evaluation. Approach and Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manville, Catriona; Jones, Molly Morgan; Henham, Marie-Louise; Castle-Clarke, Sophie; Frearson, Michael; Gunashekar, Salil; Grant, Jonathan

2015-01-01

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 is a nationwide initiative designed to assess the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). For the first time, REF 2014 introduced the wider impact of research, alongside the quality of research and the vitality of the research environment, into the assessment of research…

Implementing Quality Assurance in Saudi Arabia: A Comparison between the MESO and the MICRO Levels at PSU

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albaqami, Saud

2015-01-01

Quality assurance in higher education remains to be one of the most prominent fields of research at the present. In the Saudi Arabian higher education institutions (HEIs), quality assurance is a relatively new concept and Saudi universities seem not to effectively implement quality assurance caused by the certain obstacles. As such, there are two…

Preschool Center Quality and School Readiness: Quality Main Effects and Variation by Demographic and Child Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dang, Tran T.; Farkas, George; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Duncan, Greg J.; Vandell, Deborah L.; Li, Weilin; Ruzek, Erik A.; Howes, Carollee

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to address two research questions related to the policy goal of having all children ready to learn at kindergarten entry. First, to what extent are children's cognitive and achievement skills higher when they experience higher quality preschools? Second, are the effects of preschool center quality on these school readiness…

Quality Assessment Parameters for Student Support at Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sajiene, Laima; Tamuliene, Rasa

2012-01-01

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

Misdeeds in the US Higher Education: Illegality versus Corruption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osipian, Ararat L.

2008-01-01

Corruption in higher education has long been neglected as an area of research in the US. The processes of decentralization, commoditization, and privatization in higher education rise questions of accountability, transparency, quality, and access. Every nation solves problems of access, quality, and equity differently. Thus, although prosecuting…

Sexual satisfaction, anxiety, depression and quality of life among Turkish colorectal cancer patients [Izmir Oncology Group (IZOG) study].

PubMed

Akyol, Murat; Ulger, Eda; Alacacioglu, Ahmet; Kucukzeybek, Yuksel; Yildiz, Yasar; Bayoglu, Vedat; Gumus, Zehra; Yildiz, Ibrahim; Salman, Tarık; Varol, Umut; Ayakdas, Semra; Tarhan, Mustafa Oktay

2015-07-01

Determination of psychological problems will shed light on the terms of solution and provide support to patients about these problems will ensure the patients' coherence to the treatment and will enhance the benefits they receive from treatment. In this study, we aimed to determine these psychosocial problems and the interactions with each other in colon cancer patients. In this study, 105 patients with colorectal cancer were included. The forms consist of sociodemographic features, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Questionnaires Quality of Life-C30 and Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction questionnaires. Male patients had significantly higher European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Questionnaires Quality of Life-C30 function scales and global quality-of-life scores than female patients. Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction scores of female patients were significantly higher than that of male patients. European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Questionnaires Quality of Life-C30 function scales and global quality-of-life scores of the patients with high depression scores were significantly lower, conversely symptom scale scores of the patients with high depression scores were significantly higher than that of the patients with low depression scores. Patients with low anxiety scores had significantly higher European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Questionnaires Quality of Life-C30 function scales and global quality-of-life scores than the patients with high anxiety scores. Symptom scale scores of the patients with high anxiety scores were significantly higher than that of the patients with low anxiety scores. The scores of Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction except premature ejaculation and vaginismus were significantly higher in patients with high anxiety scores and a significant difference was determined in touch, avoidance and anorgasm. This study demonstrates that there is a significant association with anxiety/depression symptoms and quality-of-life scores, sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is significantly more common in patients with high anxiety and depression scores. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reforms, Leadership and Quality Management in Greek Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Antigoni

2011-01-01

This article reports on research to form an understanding of how to account whether and how quality management (QM) has been adopted in Greek higher education. Greece only recently introduced quality assurance policies. In this study, I will describe governmental reforms related to QM policies until 2010. An issue that is frequently addressed…

Engaging Employers to Develop Quality in Higher Education: The Case of Communication Studies in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romenti, Stefania; Invernizzi, Emanuele; Biraghi, Silvia

2012-01-01

This paper explores how employer engagement can enhance potential employability of graduates, which represents a fundamental institutional achievement to ameliorate quality of higher education. While the role of student and staff engagement in quality improvement has received in-depth research attention, the need for listening to expectations of…

Comparative Case Studies on Indonesian Higher Education Rankings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniasih, Nuning; Hasyim, C.; Wulandari, A.; Setiawan, M. I.; Ahmar, A. S.

2018-01-01

The quality of the higher education is the result of a continuous process. There are many indicators that can be used to assess the quality of a higher education. The existence of different indicators makes the different result of university rankings. This research aims to find variables that can connect ranking indicators that are used by Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education with indicators that are used by international rankings by taking two kind of ranking systems i.e. Webometrics and 4icu. This research uses qualitative research method with comparative case studies approach. The result of the research shows that to bridge the indicators that are used by Indonesian Ministry or Research, Technology, and Higher Education with web-based ranking system like Webometrics and 4icu so that the Indonesian higher education institutions need to open access towards either scientific or non-scientific that are publicly used into web-based environment. One of the strategies that can be used to improve the openness and access towards scientific work of a university is by involving in open science and collaboration.

In Pursuit of Excellence? Discursive Patterns in European Higher Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Francisco O.; Tiplic, Dijana

2014-01-01

European higher education is awash with educational reform initiatives that purport to transform universities into better-managed higher quality organizations that more directly contribute to national development. This exploratory study examines patterns of research discourse in higher education in Europe. We argue that these patterns are changing…

Enhancing the quality of case studies in health services research.

PubMed Central

Yin, R K

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance on improving the quality of case studies in health services research. DATA SOURCES: Secondary data, drawing from previous case study research. RESEARCH DESIGN: Guidance is provided to two audiences: potential case study investigators (eight items) and reviewers of case study proposals (four additional items). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The guidance demonstrates that many operational steps can be undertaken to improve the quality of case studies. These steps have been a hallmark of high-quality case studies in related fields but have not necessarily been practiced in health services research. CONCLUSIONS: Given higher-quality case studies, the case study method can become a valuable tool for health services research. Images Figure 3 PMID:10591280

What Is Quality in Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Diana, Ed.

This book reflects some of the debate following publication of the 1991 Further and Higher Education Bill, and it also draws on preliminary findings of a national research project funded by a partnership of government, business, and higher education that was designed to develop and test quality assessment methods. Chapters are organized in three…

Student Perceptions of Service Quality in a Multi-Campus Higher Education System in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallifa, Josep; Batalle, Pere

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to present an in-depth case study with student perceptions of service quality, discussing the relevance of these perceptions for the important issue of quality improvement in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents institutional research carried out in a multi-campus system in Spain made up of…

Student Perceptions and Central Administrative Services: The Case of Higher Education in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arena, Marika; Arnaboldi, Michela; Azzone, Giovanni

2010-01-01

In recent years, various reforms have sought to foster forms of marketisation in the Italian public sector, promoting the uptake of concepts such as customer satisfaction and perceived quality. In the field of higher education, such efforts have focused on certain specific areas, like quality of research and teaching, while the quality of…

Factors that Impact Quality of E-Teaching/Learning Technologies in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daukilas, Sigitas; Kaciniene, Irma; Vaisnoriene, Daiva; Vascila, Vytautas

2008-01-01

The article analyzes and assesses factors that have impact upon the quality of eTeaching/learning technologies in higher education; it is on their basis that the concept of eTeaching/learning quality is denied. Research data about the students' motives in choosing various teaching/learning technologies for the development of their competence are…

Research, Higher Education and the Quality of Teaching: Inquiry in a Japanese Academic Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eid, Fatima H.

2014-01-01

Higher education plays an essential role in society by creating new knowledge, transmitting it to students and fostering innovation. Research-based education has lately received increasing interest both among researchers in higher education and in public discussion. The aim of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of teacher education…

Colonised by Quality? Teacher Identities in a Research-Led Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skelton, Alan

2012-01-01

This article explores the impact of quality assurance and enhancement initiatives on teacher identities in higher education. Data from an interview-based study of a research-led institution in the United Kingdom are drawn upon to consider the implications of quality--for example, whether it has captured the inner assumptive worlds of higher…

Examining the Role of Linguistic Flexibility in the Text Production Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Laura

2017-01-01

A commonly held belief among educators, researchers, and students is that high-quality texts are easier to read than low-quality texts, as they contain more engaging narrative and story-like elements. Interestingly, these assumptions have typically failed to be supported by the writing literature. Research suggests that higher quality writing is…

Does the Quality of SafeTalk Motivational Interviewing Counseling Predict Sexual Behavior Outcomes among People Living with HIV?

PubMed Central

Grodensky, Catherine; Golin, Carol; Parikh, Megha A.; Ochtera, Rebecca; Kincaid, Carlye; Groves, Jennifer; Widman, Laura; Suchindran, Chirayath; McGirt, Camille; Amola, Kemi; Bradley-Bull, Steven

2017-01-01

Objective Although past research has demonstrated a link between the quality of motivational interviewing (MI) counseling and client behavior change, this relationship has not been examined in the context of sexual risk behavior among people living with HIV/AIDS. We studied MI quality and unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse (UAVI) in the context of SafeTalk, an evidence-based secondary HIV prevention intervention. Methods We used a structured instrument (the MISC 2.0 coding system) as well as a client-reported instrument to rate intervention sessions on aspects of MI quality. Then we correlated client-reported UAVI with specific counseling behaviors and the proportion of interactions that achieved MI quality benchmarks. Results/Conclusion Higher MISC-2.0 global ratings and a higher ratio of reflections to questions both significantly predicted fewer UAVI acts at 8-month follow-up. Analysis of client ratings, which was more exploratory, showed that clients who rated their sessions higher in counselor acceptance, client disclosure, and relevance reported higher numbers of UAVIs, whereas clients who selected higher ratings for perceived benefit were more likely to have fewer UAVI episodes. Practice Implications Further research is needed to determine the best methods of translating information about MI quality into dissemination of effective MI interventions with people living with HIV. PMID:27567497

Does the quality of safetalk motivational interviewing counseling predict sexual behavior outcomes among people living with HIV?

PubMed

Grodensky, Catherine; Golin, Carol; Parikh, Megha A; Ochtera, Rebecca; Kincaid, Carlye; Groves, Jennifer; Widman, Laura; Suchindran, Chirayath; McGirt, Camille; Amola, Kemi; Bradley-Bull, Steven

2017-01-01

Although past research has demonstrated a link between the quality of motivational interviewing (MI) counseling and client behavior change, this relationship has not been examined in the context of sexual risk behavior among people living with HIV/AIDS. We studied MI quality and unprotected anal/vaginal intercourse (UAVI) in the context of SafeTalk, an evidence-based secondary HIV prevention intervention. We used a structured instrument (the MISC 2.0 coding system) as well as a client-reported instrument to rate intervention sessions on aspects of MI quality. Then we correlated client-reported UAVI with specific counseling behaviors and the proportion of interactions that achieved MI quality benchmarks. Higher MISC-2.0 global ratings and a higher ratio of reflections to questions both significantly predicted fewer UAVI acts at 8-month follow-up. Analysis of client ratings, which was more exploratory, showed that clients who rated their sessions higher in counselor acceptance, client disclosure, and relevance reported higher numbers of UAVIs, whereas clients who selected higher ratings for perceived benefit were more likely to have fewer UAVI episodes. Further research is needed to determine the best methods of translating information about MI quality into dissemination of effective MI interventions with people living with HIV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Higher Education Research & Development, Volume 3, Number 2, 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, J. P., Ed.

Seven articles on higher education and research and development in Australia are presented, along with 12 review articles. "Research into Postgraduate Education" (Ernest Rudd) reviews such topics as admission criteria, student characteristics, form and quality of instruction, and the employment market. "Postgraduate Education…

Unfreezing Higher Education Institutions? Understanding the Introduction of Quality Management in Teaching and Learning in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seyfried, Markus; Ansmann, Moritz

2018-01-01

Quality management (QM) in teaching and learning has strongly "infected" the higher education sector and spread around the world. It has almost everywhere become an integral part of higher education reforms. While existing research on QM mainly focuses on the national level from a macro-perspective, its introduction at the institutional…

The Path to Excellence: Quality Assurance in Higher Education. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Research Reports, No. 1. FYI Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Lawrence R.; And Others

There is an increasing interest by government in accountability for higher education. Efforts such as performance budgeting, performance auditing, and state review of academic programs are becoming more common. Opponents of government involvement assert that regional accreditation reviews are sufficient to maintain quality standards. However,…

Quality Assurance Strategies of Higher Education in Iraq and Kurdistan: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaghed, Nabeel; Dezaye, Ahmed

2009-01-01

This paper reports on two different strategies that have been implemented in Iraq to improve quality assurance in the higher education sector in Iraq. One strategy has been developed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Baghdad. It involved conducting a pilot study at the University of Babylon. This pilot included…

Mapping the Literature Structure of "Quality in Higher Education" Using Co-Word Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alzafari, Khaled

2017-01-01

Quality in higher education is an attractive and important field not only for higher education institutions but also for their stakeholders. However, the research field is very complex due to the overlapping and interlinking of its topics. Over the years, an enormous amount of studies has been devoted to exploring different topics. Nevertheless,…

Qualitative Research as a Method for Making Just Comparisons of Pedagogic Quality in Higher Education: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbas, Andrea; McLean, Monica

2007-01-01

Systems designed to ensure that teaching and student learning are of a suitable quality are a feature of universities globally. Quality assurance systems are central to attempts to internationalise higher education, motivated in part by a concern for greater global equality. Yet, if such systems incorporate comparisons, the tendency is to reflect…

Quality Research in Higher Education Institutions in Oman: Some Views of Teacher Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Ajmi, Ahmed Ali Saleh

2015-01-01

Academic research remains a prime source of knowledge and innovation for higher education institutions (HEIs) that strive to grow, expand and develop their academic reputations and standards. Yet, research informs teaching practices, shapes social changes and it has financial outcomes for HEIs. Therefore, it is imperative to develop institutional…

Managing Quality by Action Research--Improving Quality Service Delivery in Higher Education as a Marketing Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbitt, Brian

1998-01-01

Describes two action research projects undertaken at an Australian university to improve quality of services to foreign students and improve the institution's image through word of mouth, or informal marketing. Each project, although small, facilitated changes or improvements to a targeted service. The role of management in empowering employees…

When Somebody's Watching: Researching the Workplace Impact of Academic Audit. AIR 2002 Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palermo, Josephine

The proposed quality assurance framework for higher education in Australia will, for the first time since the early 1990s, introduce a process of external quality monitoring through the auspices of the Australian Universities Quality Agency. There is little research that evaluates the impact of external monitoring on the experiences of staff,…

Exploring Mexican American adolescent romantic relationship profiles and adjustment

PubMed Central

Moosmann, Danyel A.V.; Roosa, Mark W.

2015-01-01

Although Mexican Americans are the largest ethnic minority group in the nation, knowledge is limited regarding this population's adolescent romantic relationships. This study explored whether 12th grade Mexican Americans’ (N = 218; 54% female) romantic relationship characteristics, cultural values, and gender created unique latent classes and if so, whether they were linked to adjustment. Latent class analyses suggested three profiles including, relatively speaking, higher, satisfactory, and lower quality romantic relationships. Regression analyses indicated these profiles had distinct associations with adjustment. Specifically, adolescents with higher and satisfactory quality romantic relationships reported greater future family expectations, higher self-esteem, and fewer externalizing symptoms than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Similarly, adolescents with higher quality romantic relationships reported greater academic self-efficacy and fewer sexual partners than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Overall, results suggested higher quality romantic relationships were most optimal for adjustment. Future research directions and implications are discussed. PMID:26141198

Academic Libraries and the Research Quality Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddow, Gaby

2007-01-01

The Federal Government is introducing a new funding model for research in Australian higher education institutions, the Research Quality Framework (RQF). This paper provides an overview of the RQF and looks at possible impacts of the RQF on academic libraries in Australia. These impacts are drawn from experience at one Australian university,…

Employers, Quality and Standards in Higher Education: Shared Values and Vocabularies or Elitism and Inequalities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Louise; Aynsley, Sarah

2007-01-01

This paper is based on a research project funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England which investigated employers' needs for information on higher education quality and standards. A key issue was identifying the type of knowledge that employers utilise in graduate recruitment. A finding of the study was that information on quality…

Do Men Produce Higher Quality Ejaculates When Primed With Thoughts of Partner Infidelity?

PubMed

Pham, Michael N; Barbaro, Nicole; Holub, Andrew M; Holden, Christopher J; Mogilski, Justin K; Lopes, Guilherme S; Nicolas, Sylis C A; Sela, Yael; Shackelford, Todd K; Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; Welling, Lisa L M

2018-01-01

Sperm competition theory can be used to generate the hypothesis that men alter the quality of their ejaculates as a function of sperm competition risk. Using a repeated measures experimental design, we investigated whether men produce a higher quality ejaculate when primed with cues to sperm competition (i.e., imagined partner infidelity) relative to a control prime. Men ( n = 45) submitted two masturbatory ejaculates-one ejaculate sample for each condition (i.e., sperm competition and control conditions). Ejaculates were assessed on 17 clinical parameters. The results did not support the hypothesis: Men did not produce higher quality ejaculates in the sperm competition condition relative to the control condition. Despite the null results of the current research, there is evidence for psychological and physiological adaptations to sperm competition in humans. We discuss methodological limitations that may have produced the null results and present methodological suggestions for research on human sperm competition.

Report on Research and Data Analysis on Academic Teaching Qualifications. Report to HEFCE by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Higher Education Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2016

2016-01-01

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) asked the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA) to undertake research to explore the current issues around academic teaching qualifications in the HESA Staff record and to offer recommendations to improve data quality and coverage in future…

Communique Declaration: The New Dynamics of Higher Education and Research for Societal Change and Development (2nd UNESCO Higher Education Assembly July, 2009)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adult Learning, 2012

2012-01-01

This article presents the communique declaration on the new dynamics of higher education and research for societal change and development. This declaration begins with a preamble and focuses on (1) social responsibility of higher education; (2) access, equity and quality; (3) internationalisation, regionalisation and globalisation; (4) learning…

The Future of Higher Education in Nigeria: Global Challenges and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oni, Adesoji A.; Alade, Ibiwumi A.

2008-01-01

Among the numerous components of development of higher education are; growth in quantity, quality, relevance and diversity of curriculum [programme and courses]; widening of access and broadening of equity, innovation in teaching methods and techniques; improvement in the quantity and quality of research activities; more and better community…

Quality as Transformation: Educational Metamorphosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ming

2014-01-01

The notion of "quality as transformation" has been widely used in the higher education sector. However, both quality and transformation are elusive terms. There is little research exploring how quality could be equated to transformation in the learning process. This paper will provide an insight into the relationship between quality and…

Power quality analysis based on spatial correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiangtao; Zhao, Gang; Liu, Haibo; Li, Fenghou; Liu, Xiaoli

2018-03-01

With the industrialization and urbanization, the status of electricity in the production and life is getting higher and higher. So the prediction of power quality is the more potential significance. Traditional power quality analysis methods include: power quality data compression, disturbance event pattern classification, disturbance parameter calculation. Under certain conditions, these methods can predict power quality. This paper analyses the temporal variation of power quality of one provincial power grid in China from time angle. The distribution of power quality was analyzed based on spatial autocorrelation. This paper tries to prove that the research idea of geography is effective for mining the potential information of power quality.

The distribution of outcomes research papers across clinical journals.

PubMed

Goldsack, Jennifer; McLaughlin, Chris; Bristol, Mirar N; Loeb, Alex; Bergey, Meredith; Sonnad, Seema S

2011-06-01

This study examines the distribution of health outcomes research (HOR) studies in the clinical literature by clinical areas and journal impact factor. The authors reviewed 535 journals and divided the sample into higher and lower impact journals across four clinical area. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine differences across four categories of outcomes research articles published, specifically the incidence of articles in higher versus lower impact journals and differences across clinical areas. All high-impact journals published more safety and quality articles than process assessment, quality of life, or cost analysis studies. The number of each type of outcomes research study published was highly variable across all clinical areas. Only arthritis and outcomes research journals showed statistically significant differences between higher versus lower impact journals. Authors may benefit from considering these differences in their clinical specialty area when deciding where to submit HOR studies.

Level of structural quality and process quality in rural preschool classrooms

PubMed Central

Hartman, Suzanne C.; Warash, Barbara G.; Curtis, Reagan; Hirst, Jessica Day

2017-01-01

Preschool classrooms with varying levels of structural quality requirements across the state of West Virginia were investigated for differences in measured structural and process quality. Quality was measured using group size, child-to-teacher/staff ratio, teacher education, and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R; Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2005). The early childhood environment rating scale-revised. New York, NY: Teachers College Press). Thirty-six classrooms with less structural quality requirements and 136 with more structural quality requirements were measured. There were significant differences between classroom type, with classrooms with more structural quality requirements having significantly higher teacher education levels and higher environmental rating scores on the ECERS-R subscales of Space and Furnishings, Activities, and Program Structure. Results support previous research that stricter structural state regulations are correlated with higher measured structural and process quality in preschool classrooms. Implications for preschool state quality standards are discussed. PMID:29056814

Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Volume XVI.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smart, John C., Ed.

This volume contains essays related to various aspects of higher education, focusing on both educational theory and research. The chapters are: (1) "Apologia pro Vita Mia" (Robert Berdahl); (2) "Varieties of Validity: Quality in Qualitative Research" (Yvonna S. Lincoln); (3) "Academic Freedom and Federal Courts in the 1990s: The Legitimation of…

Quality Assurance in American and British Higher Education: A Comparison.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Elizabeth C.; Patrick, William J.

1998-01-01

Compares quality improvement and accountability processes in the United States and United Kingdom. For the United Kingdom, looks at quality audits, institutional assessment, standards-based quality assurance, and research assessment; in the United States, looks at regional and specialized accreditation, performance indicator systems, academic…

Student Engagement in the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gvaramadze, Irakli

2011-01-01

The research addressed the interplay of student engagement and quality enhancement mechanisms in the Scottish higher education system. The paper demonstrates increasing focus on student learning, learning experience and high-quality learning in the current quality enhancement approaches. The student-university coproduction model is used to…

Leadership in Distance Education: Qualities and Qualifications Sought by Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nworie, John; Haughton, Noela; Oprandi, Stephanie

2012-01-01

This article presents the results of an investigation into the qualities and qualifications sought in distance education leaders by institutions of higher education in the United States. The researchers examined 191 distance education leadership position announcements posted by online sources between 1997 and 2010. Content analysis of these…

The Human Student: The Essentiality of the Teacher-Student Connection in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrisi-Steele, Geraldine

2018-01-01

Higher education institutions are investing significant effort into the improvement of student success, retention and satisfaction. Some effort is being expended in research seeking to understand influencing factors, but the majority of effort is directed towards improving teaching quality. Effort to improve teaching quality is characterised by…

Measuring Service Quality in Higher Education: Development of a Hierarchical Model (HESQUAL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teeroovengadum, Viraiyan; Kamalanabhan, T. J.; Seebaluck, Ashley Keshwar

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to develop and empirically test a hierarchical model for measuring service quality in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: The first phase of the study consisted of qualitative research methods and a comprehensive literature review, which allowed the development of a conceptual model comprising 53 service quality…

Governance and Compliance in Accounting Education in Vietnam--Case of a Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bui, Binh; Hoang, Hien; Phan, Duc P. T.; Yapa, P. W. Senarath

2017-01-01

Prior research suggests that despite the mass development of higher education in Vietnam recently, the quality of higher education is declining. This study aims to understand the impact of the education reform on the quality of university accounting education by investigating the involvement of different stakeholders in accounting education within…

Toward Understanding Non-Centralized Technology Support in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Robert Jonathan

2009-01-01

The focus of this research is an examination of service quality provided by non-centralized technology personnel, Local Technical Support Providers (LSPs), at a southern research university. The SERVQUAL instrument was selected to measure service quality of LSPs within the Academic Affairs Division. The rationale for selecting and testing SERVQUAL…

Measuring Competencies of Higher Education Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Jim; Ramaekers, Ger; van der Velden, Rolf

2005-01-01

This chapter describes a new conceptual model for measuring competencies of higher education graduates. The proposed instrument can become a valuable tool for higher education quality management, policy evaluation, and scientific research. (Contains 1 figure.)

Quality of research and level of evidence in foot and ankle publications.

PubMed

Barske, Heather L; Baumhauer, Judith

2012-01-01

The quality of research and evidence to support medical treatments is under scrutiny from the medical profession and the public. This study examined the current quality of research and level of evidence (LOE) of foot and ankle surgery papers published in orthopedic and podiatric medical journals. Two independent evaluators performed a blinded assessment of all foot and ankle clinical research articles (January 2010 to June 2010) from seven North American orthopedic and podiatric journals. JBJS-A grading system was used for LOE. Articles were assessed for indicators of study quality. The data was stratified by journal and medical credentials. A total of 245 articles were published, 128 were excluded based on study design, leaving 117 clinical research articles. Seven (6%) were Level I, 14 (12%) Level II, 18 (15%) Level III, and 78 (67%) Level IV. The orthopedic journals published 78 studies on foot and ankle topics. Of the podiatric journals, the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA) published 12 clinical studies and the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery (JFAS) published 27, 21 (78%) of which were Level IV studies. When the quality of research was examined, few therapeutic studies used validated outcome measures and only 38 of 96 (40%) gathered data prospectively. Thirty (31%) studies used a comparison group. Eighty-seven articles (74%) were authored by a MD and 22 (19%) by a DPM. Foot & Ankle International (FAI) published higher quality studies with a higher LOE as compared to podiatry journals. Regardless of the journal, MDs produced the majority of published clinical foot and ankle research. Although improvements have been made in the quality of some clinical research, this study highlights the need for continued improvement in methodology within foot and ankle literature.

Pair Programming in Education: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Brian; Fitzgerald, Sue; McCauley, Renee; Murphy, Laurie; Zander, Carol

2011-01-01

This article provides a review of educational research literature focused on pair programming in the undergraduate computer science curriculum. Research suggests that the benefits of pair programming include increased success rates in introductory courses, increased retention in the major, higher quality software, higher student confidence in…

[Ranking 2010 in production and research productivity in Spanish public universities].

PubMed

Buela-Casal, Gualberto; Bermúdez, Ma Paz; Sierra, Juan Carlos; Quevedo-Blasco, Raúl; Castro, Angel; Guillén-Riquelme, Alejandro

2011-11-01

The creation of the European Higher Education Area has brought the relevance of the scientific quality assessment in higher education. The result of this interest is a growing interest in the development of rankings of universities, both nationally and internationally. To continue the line started two years ago, the goal of this research is to update the ranking of research productivity in Spanish public universities with the data of 2010. We follow the same methodology to data from 2008 and 2009; although this year it includes measures of total production. The same indicators to evaluate research in 2009: journals articles indexed in the JCR, research periods, research + development projects, doctoral dissertations, grants for training university teachers, Doctoral Programs with Quality Mention and patents. From the results obtained show that universities with higher production were Complutense de Madrid, Barcelona and Granada. The most productive were the Pompeu Fabra University, the Pablo de Olavide, and the Autonoma de Barcelona.

Performance Indicators and Quality Review in Australian Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Gordon; Reynolds, Pat

1995-01-01

A study examined the relationship between quantitative performance and diversity indicators and the quality rankings of Australian universities made by the Commission for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. Correlations between three performance factors (traditional research university performance, teaching performance, competitive research…

Formative Research in Ubiquitous and Virtual Environments in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velandia-Mesa, Cristian; Serrano-Pastor, Francisca-José; Martínez-Segura, María-José

2017-01-01

Academic training in research is fundamental in the quality of higher education and within this context, technological mediation becomes pivotal to reach student-centered learning objectives in any moment and at any time. The findings of a study, the purpose of which has been to evaluate the results of the formative research of two groups of…

Enhancing Quality with a Research-Based Student Feedback Instrument: A Comparison of Veterinary Students' Learning Experiences in Two Culturally Different European Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruohoniemi, Mirja; Forni, Monica; Mikkonen, Johanna; Parpala, Anna

2017-01-01

This paper explores the value of a research-based student inventory from the quality assurance point of view in two culturally different European higher education institutions for veterinary education. Perceived heavy workload is a well-known problem in veterinary studies and is a challenge to the quality of learning. First- and third-year…

Perspectives on Quality and Quality Assurance in Learner Support Areas at Three Southeast Asian Open Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darojat, Ojat; Nilson, Michelle; Kaufman, David

2015-01-01

While quality measures in higher education in general have gained significant and growing attention over the past 30 years, questions remain about quality in open universities. This research was an international comparative case study focusing on perceptions of quality and quality assurance (QA) in learner support areas at open universities. The…

Quality Assurance in Teacher Education. Proceedings of the 1981 Summer Workshop of the Association of Teacher Educators (East Lansing, MI, August 2-5, 1981).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Teacher Educators, Reston, VA.

Participants in the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE)/Institute for Research on Teaching (IRT) Summer Workshop on "Quality Assurance in Teacher Education: Research Into Practice," attended sessions on higher education and took part in workshops focusing on research on teaching. The ATE presented 32 sessions reviewing current developments in…

SERVQUAL Application and Adaptation for Educational Service Quality Assessments in Russian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galeeva, Railya B.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate an adaptation of the SERVQUAL survey method for measuring the quality of higher educational services in a Russian university context. We use a new analysis and a graphical technique for presentation of results. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology of this research follows the classic…

Total Quality Management Elements and Results in Higher Education Institutions: The Greek Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Psomas, Evangelos; Antony, Jiju

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the main total quality management (TQM) elements adopted and the respective results achieved by higher education institutions (HEIs) in Greece. Design/methodology/approach: A research study was designed and carried out in private sector Greek HEIs. Fifteen HEIs were approached through interviews…

A Study of the Interrelationships among Service Recovery, Relationship Quality, and Brand Image in Higher Education Industries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yu-Chuan

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate the direction and strength of the relationships among service recovery, relationship quality, and brand image in higher education industries. This research provides a framework for school managers to understand service recovery from an operations perspective. Structural equation models were used to test the proposed…

The Work-Related Quality of Life Scale for Higher Education Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Julian A.; Van Laar, Darren; Easton, Simon; Kinman, Gail

2009-01-01

Previous research suggests that higher education employees experience comparatively high levels of job stress. A range of instruments, both generic and job-specific, has been used to measure stressors and strains in this occupational context. The Work-related Quality of Life (WRQoL) scale is a measure designed to capture perceptions of the working…

Strategies of Raising the Quality of Higher Education and Attaining Equality of Educational Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrovskiy, Igor V.; Agapova, Elena N.

2016-01-01

The aim of the research is to develop the policy and strategy recommendations to increase the quality of higher education in Russian Federation. The study examines the significance of equal educational opportunities and the influence of this factor on the educational systems of developing countries. Transformational processes in the domain of…

Closing the Loop: The Impact of Student Feedback on Students' Subsequent Learning. Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powney, Janet; Hall, Stuart

Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) use a variety of ways to collect views from students about the quality of their educational experiences and suggestions for improvements. A small-scale study, funded by Higher Education Quality Council (QAA), explored how this feedback contributes to enhancing subsequent performance. Drawing…

Life Outcomes and Higher Education: The Need for Longitudinal Research Using a Broad Range of Quality of Life Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheppard-Jones, Kathleen; Kleinert, Harold; Butler, Laura; Whaley, Barry

2018-01-01

Higher education is increasingly becoming an option for young adults with intellectual disability (ID). Although initial evaluations of postsecondary education for this population have been promising, a broader "quality of life" framework needs to be adopted in order to truly understand the impact of these programs. Moreover, researchers…

Quality, Pedagogy and Governance in Private Higher Education Institutions in Egypt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barsoum, Ghada

2017-01-01

Building on a mixed method research approach, this article reports on an analysis of the difference between public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Egypt in terms of teaching methods, quality assessment approaches and alumni engagement. An analysis of the survey data compared the experiences of 1,713 graduates of both private…

Variations in Student Perceptions of Service Quality of Higher Education Institutions in Brazil: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campos, Domingos Fernandes; dos Santos, Guido Salvi; Castro, Felipe Nalon

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine, through a longitudinal study, undergraduate student perceptions of service expectations, priorities and quality of the higher education institution that they attend, using an importance-performance rating matrix. Design/methodology/approach: This research was carried out with students exposed to a…

The Narrative Waltz: The Role of Flexibility in Writing Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Laura K.; Snow, Erica L.; McNamara, Danielle S.

2016-01-01

A commonly held belief among educators, researchers, and students is that high-quality texts are easier to read than low-quality texts, as they contain more engaging narrative and story-like elements. Interestingly, these assumptions have typically failed to be supported by the literature on writing. Previous research suggests that higher quality…

A Study of Factors Affecting University Professors' Research Output: Perspectives of Taiwanese Professors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jason Cheng-Cheng

2017-01-01

Higher education in Taiwan is facing competition and challenges from the macro environment of globalization. Taiwan's key policy direction is enhancing university quality in order to respond to these future trends. Universities' international competitiveness relies on not only faculty members' teaching quality, but also their research performance.…

The Need for Higher Minimum Staffing Standards in U.S. Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Harrington, Charlene; Schnelle, John F.; McGregor, Margaret; Simmons, Sandra F.

2016-01-01

Many U.S. nursing homes have serious quality problems, in part, because of inadequate levels of nurse staffing. This commentary focuses on two issues. First, there is a need for higher minimum nurse staffing standards for U.S. nursing homes based on multiple research studies showing a positive relationship between nursing home quality and staffing and the benefits of implementing higher minimum staffing standards. Studies have identified the minimum staffing levels necessary to provide care consistent with the federal regulations, but many U.S. facilities have dangerously low staffing. Second, the barriers to staffing reform are discussed. These include economic concerns about costs and a focus on financial incentives. The enforcement of existing staffing standards has been weak, and strong nursing home industry political opposition has limited efforts to establish higher standards. Researchers should study the ways to improve staffing standards and new payment, regulatory, and political strategies to improve nursing home staffing and quality. PMID:27103819

Structuring Opportunity after Entry: Who Has Access to High Quality Instruction during College?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roksa, Josipa

2016-01-01

Background/Context: When inequality of opportunity is discussed in higher education, it typically pertains to access to college. Ample research has examined sociodemographic inequalities in transition to higher education and enrollment in particular types of institutions. Although providing valuable insights, social stratification research does…

Relationship Quality Time: The Validation of a Relationship Quality Scale in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snijders, Ingrid; Rikers, Remy M. J. P.; Wijnia, Lisette; Loyens, Sofie M. M.

2018-01-01

This study investigated the overall "quality" of the interpersonal relationship students have with faculty and staff, that is, relationship quality (RQ). In relationship management research, RQ is paramount for the creation of bonds with customers, which in turn is necessary for the sustainability of organizations, that is, continuity…

Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area: The Emergence of a German Market for Quality Assurance Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serrano-Velarde, Kathia E.

2008-01-01

Most European countries have introduced systematic quality assurance as part of an overall governance reform aimed at enhancing universities' autonomy. Researchers and economic entrepreneurs tend, however, to underestimate the political dimension of accreditation and evaluation when they consider the contribution of quality assurance to the…

Non-Academic Service Quality: Comparative Analysis of Students and Faculty as Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharif, Khurram; Kassim, Norizan Mohd

2012-01-01

The research focus was a non-academic service quality assessment within higher education. In particular, non-academic service quality perceptions of faculty and students were evaluated using a service profit chain. This enabled a comparison which helped understanding of non-academic service quality orientation from a key users' perspective. Data…

Beyond Competencies: What Higher Education Assessment Could Offer the Workplace and the Practitioner-Researcher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Morag; Norman, Lyn

2007-01-01

This article is based on research and development carried out at the Centre for Outcomes-Based Education at the Open University (OU). It explores the way in which higher education (HE) assessment could meet specific criteria in order to assess the unique qualities that underpin the relationship between practitioner-researchers and the workplace.…

Is Article Methodological Quality Associated With Conflicts of Interest?: An Analysis of the Plastic Surgery Literature.

PubMed

Cho, Brian H; Lopez, Joseph; Means, Jessica; Lopez, Sandra; Milton, Jacqueline; Tufaro, Anthony P; May, James W; Dorafshar, Amir H

2017-12-01

Conflicts of interest (COI) are an emerging area of discussion within the field of plastic surgery. Recently, several reports have found that research studies that disclose COI are associated with publication of positive outcomes. We hypothesize that this association is driven by higher-quality studies receiving industry funding. This study aimed to investigate the association between industry support and study methodological quality. We reviewed all entries in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Annals of Plastic Surgery, and Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery within a 1-year period encompassing 2013. All clinical research articles were analyzed. Studies were evaluated blindly for methodology quality based on a validated scoring system. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to examine the association between methodology score and COI. A total of 1474 articles were reviewed, of which 483 met our inclusion criteria. These articles underwent methodological quality scoring. Conflicts of interest were reported in 28 (5.8%) of these articles. After adjusting for article characteristics in the ordinal logistic regression analysis, there was no significant association between articles with COI and higher methodological scores (P = 0.7636). Plastic surgery studies that disclose COI are not associated with higher methodological quality when compared with studies that do not disclose COI. These findings suggest that although the presence of COI is associated with positive findings, the association is not shown to be driven by higher-quality studies.

Tracking cotton fiber quality throughout a stipper harvester: Part II

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cotton fiber quality begins to degrade naturally with the opening of the boll and mechanical harvesting processes are perceived to exacerbate fiber degradation. Previous research indicates that stripper harvested cotton generally has lower fiber quality and higher foreign matter content than picker ...

The Role of Training in Improving Peer Assessment Skills amongst Year Six Pupils in Primary School Writing: An Action Research Enquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Stuart Ian

2015-01-01

Peer assessment is where students assess the quality of a peer's work. Studies have demonstrated its positive impact on learning yet most of these are in higher education. This study used training to improve the quality of written feedback in a year six primary school classroom. Action Research was selected as a research strategy given the need to…

Annual NASSGP/NCHELP Research Conference on Student Financial Aid Research (4th, St. Louis, Missouri, June 3-5, 1987). The Proceedings, Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Higher Education Services Corp., Albany.

The following papers from the National Association of State Scholarship and Grant Programs/National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs conference on student aid are provided: (1) "The Equity of Higher Education Subsidies" (John B. Lee); (2) "The Economics and Financing of Higher Education: The Tension between Quality and…

Quality Management in Higher Education: Review and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papanthymou, Anastasia; Darra, Maria

2017-01-01

This paper is a review which presents a summary of 52 studies from 2006 to 2016 in Quality Management (QM) within Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The aim of this paper is to submit evidence regarding the level of QM in HEIs, particularly in developing countries, and also to enhance the research in the field of QM. The findings reveal that from…

Addressing the Basics: Academics' View of the Purpose of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watty, Kim

2006-01-01

A number of changes have occurred in the higher education sector under the auspices of quality and quality improvement. Much of this change has resulted in a compliance-driven environment (more measures, more meetings, more form-filling and less time for the core activities of teaching and research). It is an environment that seeks to assure all…

Policies of Access and Quality of Higher Education in China and Kenya: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malechwanzi, J. Muthiani; Shen, Hong; Mbeke, Caroline

2016-01-01

This paper traces the development and current situations of higher education in China and Kenya. This paper calls for rethinking on how to address increasing demand for access and quality through creating a conducive environment for learning and researching for both students and faculties. The paper presents a comparative study where China has…

Unified Perspective for Categorization of Educational Quality Indicators from an Accreditation Process View--Relationships between Educational Quality Indicators Defined by Accrediting Agencies in México at the Institutional and Program Level, and Those Defined by Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosa Lopez, Jorge; Salinas Yañez, Miguel Alberto; Morales Salgado, Maria Del Rocío; Reyes Vergara, Maria De Lourdes

2016-01-01

This research provides an introduction and background on accreditation of higher education in México focusing on FIMPES (Federation of Mexican Private Institutions of Higher Education), CACEI (Council for Accreditation and Certification of Education in Engineering), and CETYS University as a case study to establish relationships between…

Complex problems require complex solutions: the utility of social quality theory for addressing the Social Determinants of Health.

PubMed

Ward, Paul R; Meyer, Samantha B; Verity, Fiona; Gill, Tiffany K; Luong, Tini C N

2011-08-05

In order to improve the health of the most vulnerable groups in society, the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) called for multi-sectoral action, which requires research and policy on the multiple and inter-linking factors shaping health outcomes. Most conceptual tools available to researchers tend to focus on singular and specific social determinants of health (SDH) (e.g. social capital, empowerment, social inclusion). However, a new and innovative conceptual framework, known as social quality theory, facilitates a more complex and complete understanding of the SDH, with its focus on four domains: social cohesion, social inclusion, social empowerment and socioeconomic security, all within the same conceptual framework. This paper provides both an overview of social quality theory in addition to findings from a national survey of social quality in Australia, as a means of demonstrating the operationalisation of the theory. Data were collected using a national random postal survey of 1044 respondents in September, 2009. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. Statistical analysis revealed that people on lower incomes (less than $45000) experience worse social quality across all of the four domains: lower socio-economic security, lower levels of membership of organisations (lower social cohesion), higher levels of discrimination and less political action (lower social inclusion) and lower social empowerment. The findings were mixed in terms of age, with people over 65 years experiencing lower socio-economic security, but having higher levels of social cohesion, experiencing lower levels of discrimination (higher social inclusion) and engaging in more political action (higher social empowerment). In terms of gender, women had higher social cohesion than men, although also experienced more discrimination (lower social inclusion). Applying social quality theory allows researchers and policy makers to measure and respond to the multiple sources of oppression and advantage experienced by certain population groups, and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions over time.

Complex problems require complex solutions: the utility of social quality theory for addressing the Social Determinants of Health

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In order to improve the health of the most vulnerable groups in society, the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) called for multi-sectoral action, which requires research and policy on the multiple and inter-linking factors shaping health outcomes. Most conceptual tools available to researchers tend to focus on singular and specific social determinants of health (SDH) (e.g. social capital, empowerment, social inclusion). However, a new and innovative conceptual framework, known as social quality theory, facilitates a more complex and complete understanding of the SDH, with its focus on four domains: social cohesion, social inclusion, social empowerment and socioeconomic security, all within the same conceptual framework. This paper provides both an overview of social quality theory in addition to findings from a national survey of social quality in Australia, as a means of demonstrating the operationalisation of the theory. Methods Data were collected using a national random postal survey of 1044 respondents in September, 2009. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results Statistical analysis revealed that people on lower incomes (less than $45000) experience worse social quality across all of the four domains: lower socio-economic security, lower levels of membership of organisations (lower social cohesion), higher levels of discrimination and less political action (lower social inclusion) and lower social empowerment. The findings were mixed in terms of age, with people over 65 years experiencing lower socio-economic security, but having higher levels of social cohesion, experiencing lower levels of discrimination (higher social inclusion) and engaging in more political action (higher social empowerment). In terms of gender, women had higher social cohesion than men, although also experienced more discrimination (lower social inclusion). Conclusions Applying social quality theory allows researchers and policy makers to measure and respond to the multiple sources of oppression and advantage experienced by certain population groups, and to monitor the effectiveness of interventions over time. PMID:21819576

The quality of raw water for drinking water unit in Jakarta-Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidabutar, Noni Valeria; Hartono, Djoko M.; Soesilo, Tri Edhi Budhi; Hutapea, Reynold C.

2017-03-01

Water problems, i.e quality, quantity, continuity of clean water faced by the mostly urban area. Jakarta also faces similar issues, because the needs of society higher than the number of water fulfilled by the government. Moreover, Jakarta's water quality does not meet the standard set by the Government and heavily polluted by anthropogenic activities along its rivers. This research employs a quantitative research approach with the mix-method. It examines the raw water quality status for drinking water in West Tarum Canalin 2011-2015. The research results show water quality with this research, using water quality of with the water categorized as heavily-polluted category based on the Ministry of Environment's Decree No 115/2003 regarding the Guidelines for Determination of Water Quality Status. This present research also shown the water quality (parameters pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)) from Jatiluhur Dam to the intake drinking water unit. In thirteen points of sampling also, the results obtained the parameters DO, COD, and BOD are fluctuating and exceed the standard.

The Effectiveness of External Quality Audits: A Study of Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Mahsood

2013-01-01

External quality audits have been introduced in many countries as part of higher education reforms. This article is based on research on 30 Australian universities to assess the extent to which audits by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) have improved quality assurance in the core and support areas of the universities. The article…

Educational Quality in Music Teacher Education: A Modern Project within a Condition of Late Modernity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansen, Geir

2008-01-01

Educational quality is a central issue in higher education and music teacher education. In this article, the author discusses problems concerning the development of and research into quality in music teacher education in Western societies' contemporary socio-cultural dynamics. He begins with a presentation of the concept of educational quality,…

Still Balancing Improvement and Accountability? Developments in External Quality Assurance in the Nordic Countries 1996-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dano, Trine; Stensaker, Bjorn

2007-01-01

The role and function of external quality assurance is of great importance for the development of an internal quality culture in higher education. Research has shown that external quality assurance can stimulate but also create obstacles for institutional improvement. To strike a balance between improvement and accountability is, therefore, a key…

An In-Depth Analysis of Teaching Themes and the Quality of Teaching in Higher Education: Evidence from the Programming Education Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Belle Selene

2017-01-01

Education research in computer science has emphasized the research of web-based learning environments as a result of the latest technological advancement in higher education. Our research aim is to offer new insights on the different teaching strategies in programming education both from a theoretical and empirical point of view as a response to…

A Comparison of Mother-Tongue Curricula of Successful Countries in PISA and Turkey by Higher-Order Thinking Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cer, Erkan

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to reveal general qualities of the objectives in the mother-tongue curricula of Hong Kong and Shanghai-China, South Korea, Singapore, and Turkey in terms of higher-order thinking processes specified by PISA tests. Research Methods: In this study, the researcher used a qualitative research design.…

Signature Concepts of Key Researchers in North American Higher Education Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandlbinder, Peter

2015-01-01

Universities in the English-speaking world share a common ancestry that extends back to medieval times. From these beginnings universities quickly developed distinctive qualities as they became integrated within different social and cultural systems of their home societies. A number of comparisons of higher education research have shown major…

Higher Education Research in Uganda: Problems and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owoeye, J. S.; Oyebade, S. A.

2010-01-01

Research is regarded as essential for development and the application of new knowledge for the benefit of society. Higher education in Uganda has expanded rapidly in the last 20 years. Universities have become the most important institutions in the achievement of national and international goals in enhancing the quality of life, wealth creation,…

Higher Education Technology and Research: Creating Excellence through State Investments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, 2004

2004-01-01

Colleges and universities in New Jersey play a critical role in building and sustaining economic prosperity and quality of life in the state and beyond. Through advancements in technology and research, higher education helps to create new jobs, improve the workforce, develop new knowledge, and boost the overall economy. This report summarizes…

The Profound of Students' Supervision Practice in Higher Education to Enhance Student Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Affero; Abiddin, Norhasni Zainal; Hassan, Razali; Ro'is, Ihsan

2014-01-01

Supervision has become a highlight in higher education in recent years. While striving for the quality of education, the stress in research supervision has become dominant. Excellent research can contribute to the prominent of institutions' image. This paper accumulates the models from expert scholars in students' development regarding supervision…

Assessment of Teaching Quality: Survey of University Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stankeviciene, Jurate

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose was to investigate higher education quality because there are links between the main society and university graduates and the university. Methodology: This research sought aspects of the teaching quality of the Faculty that could be improved. The spheres were: improvement in qualifications of the teachers; finding ways to…

Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Denis, Dan; Akhtar, Reece; Holding, Benjamin C; Murray, Christina; Panatti, Jennifer; Claridge, Gordon; Sadeh, Avi; Barclay, Nicola L; O'Leary, Rachael; Maughan, Barbara; McAdams, Tom A; Rowe, Richard; Eley, Thalia C; Viding, Essi; Gregory, Alice M

2017-08-01

Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality. Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18-27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18-66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43). In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits. Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Sleep Research Society].

Antecedents and Consequences of Service Quality in a Higher Education Context: A Qualitative Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sultan, Parves; Wong, Ho Yin

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to report on the perception of students in regard to critical antecedents, dimensions and consequences of service quality with an aim to develop a theoretical model in the context of a university in Australia. Design/methodology/approach: This research used focus group discussions with 19 students who had been…

Occupation Choices of High School and College Students with Special Reference to Teaching and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dastidar, Ananya G.; Sikdar, Soumyen

2015-01-01

As India's higher education sector is poised to grow at a tremendous pace, one of its main challenges would be provision of quality education. Teacher quality has been identified as one of the most critical factors affecting educational quality. As such, the immense importance of attracting high-quality entrants into the teaching profession cannot…

Achieving Canadian Excellence in and for the World: Leveraging Canada's Higher Education and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, 2004

2004-01-01

As Canada's opportunities to claim international leadership are assessed, the best prospects lie in a combination of our impressive higher education and research commitments, civic and institutional values, and quality of life. This paper concludes that as an exporting country, the benefits will come in economic growth. As citizens of the world,…

Qualitative Methods in Higher Education Research: A Team Approach to Multiple Site Investigation. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitt, Elizabeth J.; Kuh, George D.

A team approach to the use of qualitative methods in a study of high quality out-of-class experiences for undergraduate students at 14 institutions of higher education is described. Four research questions examined: the physical and organizational features characterizing the institutions; the nature of institutional policies related to…

Transnational Higher Education Partnerships and the Role of Operational Faculty Members: Developing an Alternative Theoretical Approach for Empirical Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bordogna, Claudia M.

2018-01-01

For too long, transnational higher education (TNE) has been linked to discourse predominately focused upon strategic implementation, quality assurance, and pedagogy. While these aspects are important when designing and managing overseas provisions, there is a lack of research focusing on the social interactions that influence the pace and…

Challenges for Higher Education and Research: A Perspective from Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Futao

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to identify key challenges facing Japan's higher education since the early 1990s and their impacts on major research themes. In this paper key challenges include those resulting from the decline in the 18-year population, the cultivation of high-quality university graduates, the incorporation of national universities, the…

The role of basic psychological need satisfaction, sleep, and mindfulness in the health-related quality of life of people living with HIV.

PubMed

Campbell, Rachel; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Delesie, Liesbeth; Soenens, Bart; Tobback, Els; Vogelaers, Dirk; Mariman, An

2016-11-01

Research has not yet examined the relationship between psychological need satisfaction, sleep, mindfulness, and health-related quality of life in people living with HIV. This cross-sectional study ( N = 101; 84% male; mean age = 45.48, SD = 12.75) found need satisfaction to relate positively to physical and mental health. Sleep quality fully mediated the association with physical health and partially mediated the association with mental health. Furthermore, mindfulness related to higher sleep quality through higher need satisfaction. Findings underscore the role of need satisfaction in determining health-related quality of life and sleep quality in people living with HIV and suggest that mindfulness may facilitate need satisfaction.

Variations in Vivas: Quality and Equality in British PhD Assessments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Louise; Leonard, Diana; David, Miriam

2002-01-01

Explores how current concerns about quality assurance, standards, benchmarks, and performance indicators in higher education apply to the assessment of doctoral/research degrees in Britain, and in particular to the viva voce (oral) examination. (EV)

Discerning Quality Evaluation in Online Graduate Degree Programs in Agricultural Sciences and Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, Holly A.

2011-01-01

Enormous demands for online degrees in higher education have increased the pressure on universities to launch web courses and degrees quickly and, at times, without properly attending to the quality of these ventures. There is scarce research that defines which quality indicators are used to assess cyberlearning environments, how different…

Evaluating the Quality and Usability of Open Data for Public Health Research: A Systematic Review of Data Offerings on 3 Open Data Platforms.

PubMed

Martin, Erika G; Law, Jennie; Ran, Weijia; Helbig, Natalie; Birkhead, Guthrie S

Government datasets are newly available on open data platforms that are publicly accessible, available in nonproprietary formats, free of charge, and with unlimited use and distribution rights. They provide opportunities for health research, but their quality and usability are unknown. To describe available open health data, identify whether data are presented in a way that is aligned with best practices and usable for researchers, and examine differences across platforms. Two reviewers systematically reviewed a random sample of data offerings on NYC OpenData (New York City, all offerings, n = 37), Health Data NY (New York State, 25% sample, n = 71), and HealthData.gov (US Department of Health and Human Services, 5% sample, n = 75), using a standard coding guide. Three open health data platforms at the federal, New York State, and New York City levels. Data characteristics from the coding guide were aggregated into summary indices for intrinsic data quality, contextual data quality, adherence to the Dublin Core metadata standards, and the 5-star open data deployment scheme. One quarter of the offerings were structured datasets; other presentation styles included charts (14.7%), documents describing data (12.0%), maps (10.9%), and query tools (7.7%). Health Data NY had higher intrinsic data quality (P < .001), contextual data quality (P < .001), and Dublin Core metadata standards adherence (P < .001). All met basic "web availability" open data standards; fewer met higher standards of "hyperlinked to other data." Although all platforms need improvement, they already provide readily available data for health research. Sustained effort on improving open data websites and metadata is necessary for ensuring researchers use these data, thereby increasing their research value.

Do public nursing home care providers deliver higher quality than private providers? Evidence from Sweden.

PubMed

Winblad, Ulrika; Blomqvist, Paula; Karlsson, Andreas

2017-07-14

Swedish nursing home care has undergone a transformation, where the previous virtual public monopoly on providing such services has been replaced by a system of mixed provision. This has led to a rapidly growing share of private actors, the majority of which are large, for-profit firms. In the wake of this development, concerns have been voiced regarding the implications for care quality. In this article, we investigate the relationship between ownership and care quality in nursing homes for the elderly by comparing quality levels between public, for-profit, and non-profit nursing home care providers. We also look at a special category of for-profit providers; private equity companies. The source of data is a national survey conducted by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare in 2011 at 2710 nursing homes. Data from 14 quality indicators are analyzed, including structure and process measures such as staff levels, staff competence, resident participation, and screening for pressure ulcers, nutrition status, and risk of falling. The main statistical method employed is multiple OLS regression analysis. We differentiate in the analysis between structural and processual quality measures. The results indicate that public nursing homes have higher quality than privately operated homes with regard to two structural quality measures: staffing levels and individual accommodation. Privately operated nursing homes, on the other hand, tend to score higher on process-based quality indicators such as medication review and screening for falls and malnutrition. No significant differences were found between different ownership categories of privately operated nursing homes. Ownership does appear to be related to quality outcomes in Swedish nursing home care, but the results are mixed and inconclusive. That staffing levels, which has been regarded as a key quality indicator in previous research, are higher in publicly operated homes than private is consistent with earlier findings. The fact that privately operated homes, including those operated by for-profit companies, had higher processual quality is more unexpected, given previous research. Finally, no significant quality differences were found between private ownership types, i.e. for-profit, non-profit, and private equity companies, which indicates that profit motives are less important for determining quality in Swedish nursing home care than in other countries where similar studies have been carried out.

Student satisfaction as an element of education quality monitoring in innovative higher education institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razinkina, Elena; Pankova, Ludmila; Trostinskaya, Irina; Pozdeeva, Elena; Evseeva, Lidiya; Tanova, Anna

2018-03-01

Topicality of the research is confirmed by increasing student involvement into the educational process, when not only the academic staff and administration participate in the improvement of higher education institution's activity, but also education customers - students. This adds a new dimension to the issue of monitoring education quality and student satisfaction with higher education. This issue echoes the ideas of M. Weber about the relationship between such components as cognitive motivation, personal development and student satisfaction with higher education. Besides, it is essential to focus on the approach of R. Barnet to defining the quality of education with the emphasis on a priority of development of an educational institution as the system that meets customers' needs. Monitoring student satisfaction with education quality has become an integral part of the educational process not only in a number of European universities, which have used this monitoring for decades, but also in Russian universities, which are interested in education quality improvement. Leading universities in Russia, including Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, are implementing policies targeted at increasing student satisfaction with higher education quality. Education quality monitoring as a key element in the system of providing feedback to students contributes greatly to this process.

Service Quality in Postgraduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angell, Robert J.; Heffernan, Troy W.; Megicks, Phil

2008-01-01

Purpose: Measuring service quality in higher education is increasingly important for attracting and retaining tuition-based revenues. Nonetheless, whilst undergraduates have received substantial academic exposure, postgraduate-based research has been scant. Consequently, the objectives of this paper are threefold: first, to identify the service…

Compendium on Financing of Higher Education: Final Report of the Financing the Students' Future Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Bethan; Charonis, George-Konstantinos; Haaristo, Hanna-Stella; Maurer, Moritz; Kaiser, Florian; Siegrist, Rahel; McVitty, Debbie; Gruber, Angelika; Heerens, Nik; Xhomaqi, Brikena; Nötzl, Tina; Semjonov, Meeli; Primožic, Rok

2013-01-01

Higher education plays a vital role in society and the quality, accessibility, and form of higher education is highly dependent on financing. Financing of higher education is conceived to be of central importance for the future creation and dissemination of knowledge and research. Therefore, the financing of higher education is a topic that has…

From Early Career Researcher to Research Leader: Survival of the Fittest?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Lynette; Thompson, Kirrilly; Dawson, Drew

2017-01-01

The higher education sector is a dynamic environment where universities compete on a global basis for resources, students, and high-quality staff. The impending retirement of the baby boomer generation will create increased competition for research leaders. One way to address this is to develop research leaders from existing researchers. However,…

Research Assessment as a Pedagogical Device: Bernstein, Professional Identity and Education in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Middleton, Sue

2008-01-01

Recent restructuring of research funding for New Zealand's higher education institutions is "outputs-driven." Under the Performance Based Research Fund, units of assessment of research quality are individuals, every degree teacher receiving a confidential score of A, B or C (if deemed "research active") or "R"…

Throwing down the Gauntlet: Ten Ways to Ensure That Higher Education Research Continues to Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perna, Laura W.

2016-01-01

As members of ASHE, we have an obligation to ensure that ASHE is an association that both promotes career development of members and advances the production and dissemination of high-quality research-based knowledge on current and emerging issues in higher education. In this presidential address, I look to the future of ASHE, offering questions…

Teacher-as-Researcher and the Importance towards Malaysia's Education Prospect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consilz, Tan

2008-01-01

The export of Malaysia higher education sector can enhance the business environment locally of which we had seen a RM 1.5 billion contribution to the government in 2007. World-class higher education requires a wide array of quality area among others--research activities. The main concern of this study is to review the readiness and willingness of…

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

PubMed

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

2009-02-01

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

Reimagining Indian Higher Education: A Social Ecology of Higher Higher-Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tierney, William G.; Sabharwal, Nidhi S.

2018-01-01

Background/Context: Developing countries desire institutions ranked as "world-class," and want to increase postsecondary participation. Limited public monies require decisions that usually augment the welfare of one objective at the expense of another. An additional conundrum concerns the need for quality assurances. Research needs to be…

Report of the Select Committee on Higher Education, Texas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Coll. and Univ. System, Austin. Coordinating Board.

A report of a study of issues in public higher education in Texas is presented, along with recommendations of the Select Committee on Higher Education to improve access, quality, and management. Attention is directed to: institutional role and mission statements, general funding policies, research and technology funding, faculty compensation,…

Factors Affecting Variance in Classroom Assessment Scoring System Scores: Season, Context, and Classroom Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buell, Martha; Han, Myae; Vukelich, Carol

2017-01-01

Early care and education programme quality is usually assessed at the classroom level. One such measure of classroom quality is the classroom assessment scoring system (CLASS). In an effort to ensure higher quality programming, the CLASS is being used to direct teacher professional development. However, there has been relatively little research on…

How Do Management Students Perceive the Quality of Education in Public Institutions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narang, Ritu

2012-01-01

Purpose: Keeping in mind the urgent need to deliver quality education in higher education institutes, the current paper seeks to measure the quality perception of management students in India. Design/methodology/approach: Based on an exploratory study a modified version of SERVQUAL was employed as the research instrument. Data were collected from…

Teachers’ Conceptions of Quality and Organisational Values in Higher Education: Compliance or Enhancement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleijnen, Jan; Dolmans, Diana; Willems, Jos; Van Hout, Hans

2013-01-01

Teachers are often assumed to have a negative attitude towards quality endeavours of their institutions and to hold defensive organisational values. However, there is little empirical research on this issue. This study focuses on teachers' conceptions of quality, on their preferred organisational values and on the relationships between the two. A…

Where Are the Quantum Jumps in Quality Assurance? Developments of a Decade of Research on a Heavy Particle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerheijden, Don F.

2000-01-01

Reviews the literature on developments in quality assurance in European higher education over the last decade. Applies the metaphor of sub-atomic structure to order the literature, moving from publications closely related to the practice of quality assurance methods to more theoretical publications. Identifies some seminal publications as…

The Symbolic Role of Academic Boards in University Academic Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowlands, Julie

2013-01-01

While much research on quality assurance in higher education has centred on issues related to the impact on teaching and learning and academic staff, there is a significant gap in the area of quality assurance and academic governance. Within Australia the roles of university academic boards (also known as academic senates or faculty senates) have…

A comparison of quality measures between for-profit and nonprofit medicare-certified home health agencies in Michigan.

PubMed

Haldiman, Kathryn L; Tzeng, Huey-Ming

2010-04-01

This exploratory study investigated the differences in the means of quality measures between for-profit and nonprofit Medicare-certified home health agencies in Michigan. The research question was: Do nonprofit agencies provide higher quality of care than for-profit agencies? Twelve publicly available quality measures were retrieved in May 2009 and used for analysis. Independent t tests found significant differences between for-profit and nonprofit agencies on 6 of the 12 measures, with for-profit agencies performing better on 5 measures. The relative value of both types of ownership should be recognized. Future research may focus on using standardized quality measures to explore further the impact of profit orientation on home health quality of care.

Contemporary Higher Education Reform in Ecuador: Implications for Faculty Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, M. Amanda

2017-01-01

Currently, there is a shortage of research on how Ecuadorian universities are coping with the contemporary reforms of higher education under the government of Correa. In 2010, "La Ley Orgánica de Educación Superior" (higher education law) defined the development, transparency and quality assurance of existing and new higher education…

The Structure of the Managerial System of Higher Education's Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levina, Elena Y.; Kutuev, Ruslan A.; Balakhnina, Lidia V.; Tumarov, Konstantin B.; Chudnovskiy, Alexey D.; Shagiev, ?ulat V.

2016-01-01

The research urgency is caused by necessity of planning regulation of higher education development at all levels of management. The purpose of this article is to develop the structure of a control system of higher education development, the Foundation of which is understanding of the quality of higher education as factor for development of the…

The quality of life and satisfaction with life of women who are childless by choice.

PubMed

Bień, Agnieszka; Rzońca, Ewa; Iwanowicz-Palus, Grażyna; Lecyk, Urszula; Bojar, Iwona

2017-05-11

Objective. The study attempts to identify and analyze factors affecting the quality of life and satisfaction with life of women who are childless by choice. Materials and method. The research instruments used were: the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and author's own questionnaire. Results. A better overall quality of life, perception of own health and quality of life in all the specific domains analyzed was found among childless women living in cities, college/university-educated, and with a good or very good financial standing. Conclusions. A positive correlation was found between satisfaction with life and overall quality of life, general perceived health, and all quality of life domains. Higher satisfaction with life scores in childless women are correlated with a higher quality of life scores and better perceived health.

The effect of different types of employment on quality of life.

PubMed

Kober, R; Eggleton, I R C

2005-10-01

Despite research that has investigated whether the financial benefits of open employment exceed the costs, there has been scant research as to the effect sheltered and open employment have upon the quality of life of participants. The importance of this research is threefold: it investigates outcomes explicitly in terms of quality of life; the sample size is comparatively large; and it uses an established and validated questionnaire. One hundred and seventeen people with intellectual disability (ID) who were employed in either open or sheltered employment by disability employment agencies were interviewed. Quality of life was assessed using the Quality of Life Questionnaire. After making an initial assessment to see whether the outcomes achieved depended on type of employment, quality of life scores were analyzed controlling for participants' level of functional work ability (assessed via the Functional Assessment Inventory). The results showed that participants placed in open employment reported statistically significant higher quality of life scores. When the sample was split based upon participants' functional work ability, the type of employment had no effect on the reported quality of life for participants with a low functional work ability. However, for those participants with a high functional work ability, those in open employment reported statistically significantly higher quality of life. The results of this study support the placement of people with ID with high functional work ability into open employment. However, a degree of caution needs to be taken in interpreting the results presented given the disparity in income levels between the two types of employment.

Diverging Influences of Money Priming on Choice.

PubMed

Kim, Hee Jin

2017-01-01

Prior research on money priming has suggested two seemingly contradicting findings. On the one hand, money has been shown to highlight the importance of cost saving, leading to the choice of a low-quality/low-price option. On the other hand, individuals primed with money as a symbol of social status, and capabilities may focus on social value of money, e.g., higher spending symbolizes higher status and prefer an option with high quality/high price. Current research proposes and demonstrates that whether money priming will lead different choices depends on the nature of the consumption context. Specifically, when the product is to be consumed privately, money priming will highlight the importance of cost, thus increasing the preference for lower price at a lower quality. However, when the product is to be consumed publicly, reversed pattern of consumer preference will be found.

Providing High Quality Care in Low-Income Areas of Maryland: Definitions, Resources, and Challenges from Parents and Child Care Providers' Perspectives. Publication #2012-45

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forry, Nicole; Simkin, Shana; Wessel, Julia; Rodrigues, Katherine

2012-01-01

Early life experiences are critical to a child's development. Research has shown that, for a variety of reasons, children born into low-income families are at a disadvantage when compared to their higher-income peers. Fortunately, research has also shown a positive association between high quality child care and the academic and social-emotional…

Improving Data Quality in Mass-Gatherings Health Research.

PubMed

Guy, Andrew; Prager, Ross; Turris, Sheila; Lund, Adam

2017-06-01

Mass gatherings attract large crowds and can strain the planning and health resources of the community, city, or nation hosting an event. Mass-Gatherings Health (MGH) is an evolving niche of prehospital care rooted in emergency medicine, emergency management, public health, and disaster medicine. To explore front-line issues related to data quality in the context of mass gatherings, the authors draw on five years of management experience with an online, mass-gathering event and patient registry, as well as clinical and operational experience amassed over several decades. Here the authors propose underlying human, environmental, and logistical factors that may contribute to poor data quality at mass gatherings, and make specific recommendations for improvement through pre-event planning, on-site actions, and post-event follow-up. The advancement of MGH research will rely on addressing factors that influence data quality and developing strategies to mitigate or enhance those factors. This is an exciting time for MGH research as higher order questions are beginning to be addressed; however, quality research must start from the ground up to ensure optimal primary data capture and quality. Guy A , Prager R , Turris S , Lund A . Improving data quality in mass-gatherings health research. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):329-332.

Among nurses, how does education level impact professional values? A systematic review.

PubMed

Sibandze, B T; Scafide, K N

2018-03-01

Professional nursing values have been acknowledged globally as the foundation of daily nursing care practice. Understanding how nurses identify, comprehend and apply their professional nursing values is an important step towards improving nursing practice and patient care quality. Research has demonstrated that nurses' professional values are cultivated during prelicensure academic education. The aim of this systematic review was to determine how level of education affects professional nursing values of clinical practising nurses. A systematic search of quantitative research published through December 2015 was performed in the following five electronic databases: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Religion and Philosophy Collection. The search was not limited to country of origin. The studies were assessed for methodological quality using established criteria. Of 1501 articles identified through the literature search, only seven studies met the inclusion criteria with the majority being of good to high quality. Most of the studies found registered nurses pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing or higher had a greater awareness and application of professional values than nurses with lower levels of academic or non-academic education. Nurses with higher education also embraced professional values as fundamental for quality nursing care practice. Health and academic institutions should support nurses through quality continuing and higher education that reinforces professional values, thus improving the quality of patient care. The level of nurses' education appears to play an important role in developing both an awareness and an integration of professional values into practice. More research is needed to discover methods that may be used to promote nurses' professional values among nurses already practising clinically. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

Association Between Study Quality and Publication Rates of Medical Education Abstracts Presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting.

PubMed

Sawatsky, Adam P; Beckman, Thomas J; Edakkanambeth Varayil, Jithinraj; Mandrekar, Jayawant N; Reed, Darcy A; Wang, Amy T

2015-08-01

Studies reveal that 44.5% of abstracts presented at national meetings are subsequently published in indexed journals, with lower rates for abstracts of medical education scholarship. We sought to determine whether the quality of medical education abstracts is associated with subsequent publication in indexed journals, and to compare the quality of medical education abstracts presented as scientific abstracts versus innovations in medical education (IME). Retrospective cohort study. Medical education abstracts presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) 2009 annual meeting. Publication rates were measured using database searches for full-text publications through December 2013. Quality was assessed using the validated Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). Overall, 64 (44%) medical education abstracts presented at the 2009 SGIM annual meeting were subsequently published in indexed medical journals. The MERSQI demonstrated good inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation range, 0.77-1.00) for grading the quality of medical education abstracts. MERSQI scores were higher for published versus unpublished abstracts (9.59 vs. 8.81, p = 0.03). Abstracts with a MERSQI score of 10 or greater were more likely to be published (OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.47-6.89, p = 0.003). ). MERSQI scores were higher for scientific versus IME abstracts (9.88 vs. 8.31, p < 0.001). Publication rates were higher for scientific abstracts (42 [66%] vs. 37 [46%], p = 0.02) and oral presentations (15 [23%] vs. 6 [8%], p = 0.01). The publication rate of medical education abstracts presented at the 2009 SGIM annual meeting was similar to reported publication rates for biomedical research abstracts, but higher than publication rates reported for medical education abstracts. MERSQI scores were associated with higher abstract publication rates, suggesting that attention to measures of quality--such as sampling, instrument validity, and data analysis--may improve the likelihood that medical education abstracts will be published.

How Does Research Evaluation Impact Educational Research? Exploring Intended and Unintended Consequences of Research Assessment in the United Kingdom, 1986-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marques, Marcelo; Powell, Justin J. W.; Zapp, Mike; Biesta, Gert

2017-01-01

Research evaluation systems in many countries aim to improve the quality of higher education. Among the first of such systems, the UK's Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) dating from 1986 is now the Research Excellence Framework (REF). Highly institutionalised, it transforms research to be more accountable. While numerous studies describe the…

Fertilization effects on Tifton 85 bermudagrass quantity and quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most fertilization recommendations for forage bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) are based on extensive research with ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass which is grown throughout the Southeastern United States since its release in 1943. Tifton 85, having higher yields and better forage quality, was released in...

Relationship Between Implementation of Collaborative Strategic Reading and Student Outcomes for Adolescents With Disabilities.

PubMed

Boardman, Alison G; Buckley, Pamela; Vaughn, Sharon; Roberts, Gregory; Scornavacco, Karla; Klingner, Janette K

2016-11-01

This study examines the interaction between the fidelity of implementation of a set of research-based strategies-Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR)-and outcomes for students with mild to moderate disabilities using data from two nonoverlapping studies in middle school language arts and reading classrooms (Study 1) and middle school social studies and science classrooms (Study 2). The authors use a definition of fidelity that includes both the amount of CSR instruction delivered by teachers and the quality of implementation. Although there were no main effects for quality or amount of CSR instruction, in both studies there was an interaction effect between quality of implementation and special education status. The study used a within-groups design and multilevel analyses, and the results demonstrate that higher quality CSR instruction was associated with higher reading outcomes for students with disabilities. This finding was consistent across Study 1 and Study 2. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2016.

Assessing Civic Competency and Engagement in Higher Education: Research Background, Frameworks, and Directions for Next-Generation Assessment. Research Report. ETS RR-15-34

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torney-Purta, Judith; Cabrera, Julio C.; Roohr, Katrina Crotts; Liu, Ou Lydia; Rios, Joseph A.

2015-01-01

Civic learning is increasingly recognized as important by the higher education and workforce communities. The development of high-quality assessments that can be used to evaluate students' civic learning during the college years has become a priority. This paper presents a comprehensive review of existing frameworks, definitions, and assessments…

Excellence in Doctoral Supervision: An Examination of Authoritative Sources across Four Countries in Search of Performance Higher than Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCulloch, Alistair; Kumar, Vijay; van Schalkwyk, Susan; Wisker, Gina

2016-01-01

Supervision is generally recognised as playing a crucial role in the quality of a research student's doctoral experience and their academic outcomes and, in common with most areas of higher education, there is an oft-stated desire to pursue excellence in this important area. Excellence in research degree supervision is, however, an elusive concept…

Linking Research and Teaching: Are Research-Active Staff Members Different Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mägi, Eve; Beerkens, Maarja

2016-01-01

In the global competition of higher education, research intensity has become the key indicator of the quality of universities. This raises the issue of how, and whether at all, a research-intensive environment offers a better learning experience for students. One potential answer to this dilemma lies in research-related teaching. In this empirical…

Increasing the Economic Development Benefits of Higher Education in Michigan. Working Paper No. 04-106

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartik, Timothy J.

2004-01-01

This paper considers how a state such as Michigan can increase the economic development benefits of higher education. Research evidence suggests that higher education increases local economic development principally by increasing the quality of the local workforce, and secondarily by increasing local innovative ideas. These economic development…

Students' Perceptions of the Role of Assessments at Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynam, Siobhan; Cachia, Moira

2018-01-01

The quality assessment agency higher education review noted that assessment and feedback in higher education still remains an area of concern for students. Despite this, very little research has been carried out to assess students' experience of assessments. The evidence for what factors within assessments actually contribute to student engagement…

On the Effects, Problems, and Countermeasures of Undergraduate Teaching Evaluation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xianjun, Liu; Yang, Yu; Junchao, Zhang; Shuguang, Wei; Ling, Ding

2016-01-01

The Undergraduate Teaching Evaluation of General Institutions of Higher Education from 2003 to 2008 was the largest-scale evaluation in Chinese higher education history. It exerted a tremendous influence as a key exploration of quality assurance with Chinese characteristics. Based on existing research, this study combines quantitative and…

Quality Indicators: Developing "MOOCs" in the European Higher Education Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yepes-Baldó, Montserrat; Romeo, Marina; Martín, Carolina; García, María Ángeles; Monzó, Gemma; Besolí, Andrés

2016-01-01

The objective of this research is to design an integrated system of evaluation of the quality of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) taking into account the features of this type of courses. The criteria included in the evaluation of the quality of e-learning training in a broad sense are considered, and specifically those developed for the…

Factors Influencing Team Performance in a Continuous Quality Improvement Process in the Wisconsin Technical College System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pietz, Victoria Lynn

2014-01-01

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) programs are growing in popularity in higher education settings and a key component is the use of work groups, which require active employee involvement. The problem addressed in this research was the lack of employee engagement in the Quality Review Process (QRP), which is a statewide CQI model developed by…

Evaluating Response Cards as Evidence Based

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owiny, Ruby L.; Spriggs, Amy D.; Sartini, Emily C.; Mills, Jeremy R.

2018-01-01

Increased accountability for quality instruction leading to higher achievement for all students has made it essential for identification and implementation of evidence-based practices. The Council for Exceptional Children's development of quality indicators (QI) has provided measures for researchers to apply to a body of literature to determine if…

Panning for the gold in health research: incorporating studies' methodological quality in meta-analysis.

PubMed

Johnson, Blair T; Low, Robert E; MacDonald, Hayley V

2015-01-01

Systematic reviews now routinely assess methodological quality to gauge the validity of the included studies and of the synthesis as a whole. Although trends from higher quality studies should be clearer, it is uncertain how often meta-analyses incorporate methodological quality in models of study results either as predictors, or, more interestingly, in interactions with theoretical moderators. We survey 200 meta-analyses in three health promotion domains to examine when and how meta-analyses incorporate methodological quality. Although methodological quality assessments commonly appear in contemporary meta-analyses (usually as scales), they are rarely incorporated in analyses, and still more rarely analysed in interaction with theoretical determinants of the success of health promotions. The few meta-analyses (2.5%) that did include such an interaction analysis showed that moderator results remained significant in higher quality studies or were present only among higher quality studies. We describe how to model quality interactively with theoretically derived moderators and discuss strengths and weaknesses of this approach and in relation to current meta-analytic practice. In large literatures exhibiting heterogeneous effects, meta-analyses can incorporate methodological quality and generate conclusions that enable greater confidence not only about the substantive phenomenon but also about the role that methodological quality itself plays.

Academe's Unspoken Ethical Dilemma: Author Inflation in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Von Bergen, C. W.; Bressler, Martin S.

2017-01-01

Tenure, promotion, significant salary increases, let alone stature and recognition in one's field, are often dependent on the quantity and quality of research articles faculty members produce. In addition, research grants, text and professional publications may be dependent upon intellectual contributions and often equated with research published…

78 FR 5337 - Proposed Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria-Enhanced Assessment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

... institutions of higher education, other research institutions, or other organizations to improve the quality... and contribute to better outcomes for children.\\1\\ \\1\\ National Research Council (2008). Early... assessments made by the National Research Council.\\4\\ We propose to require that these KEAs be consistent with...

The Future of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuller, Tom, Ed.

This collection of 12 essays addresses three themes related to the future of higher education: access, governance, and quality. The contributors represent teaching, research and management, universities, polytechnics, and colleges. The collected essays and their authors are as follows: "Reassessing the Future" (Tom Schuller);…

The psychosocial adjustment of African American youth from single mother homes: the relative contribution of parents and peers.

PubMed

Chester, Charlene; Jones, Deborah J; Zalot, Alecia; Sterrett, Emma

2007-01-01

This study examined the relative roles of parents and peers in the psychosocial adjustment of African American youth (7-15 years old) from single mother homes (N = 242). Main effects of both positive parenting and peer relationship quality were found for youth depressive symptoms. In addition, a main effect of peer relationship quality and an interaction of Positive Parenting x Peer Relationship Quality emerged for youth externalizing symptoms. When mothers engaged in higher levels of positive parenting behavior, peer relationship quality was not associated with youth externalizing symptomatology. When mothers engaged in lower levels of positive parenting behavior, however, higher peer relationship quality was associated with greater youth externalizing symptomatology. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.

Improvement of research quality in the fields of orthopaedics and trauma: a global perspective.

PubMed

Fayaz, Hangama C; Haas, Norbert; Kellam, James; Bavonratanavech, Suthorn; Parvizi, Javad; Dyer, George; Pohlemann, Tim; Jerosch, Jörg; Prommersberger, Karl-Josef; Pape, Hans Christoph; Smith, Malcolm; Vrahas, Marc; Perka, Carsten; Siebenrock, Klaus; Elhassan, Bassem; Moran, Christopher; Jupiter, Jesse B

2013-07-01

The international orthopaedic community aims to achieve the best possible outcome for patient care by constantly modifying surgical techniques and expanding the surgeon's knowledge. These efforts require proper reflection within a setting that necessitates a higher quality standard for global orthopaedic publication. Furthermore, these techniques demand that surgeons acquire information at a rapid rate while enforcing higher standards in research performance. An international consensus exists on how to perform research and what rules should be considered when publishing a scientific paper. Despite this global agreement, in today's "Cross Check Era", too many authors do not give attention to the current standards of systematic research. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to describe these performance standards, the available choices for orthopaedic surgeons and the current learning curve for seasoned teams of researchers and orthopaedic surgeons with more than three decades of experience. These lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the topics that will significantly influence the research development as we arrive at an important globalisation era in orthopaedics and trauma-related research.

[The effect of selected socio-medical factors on quality of life and psychosexual functioning in women after surgical treatment of breast cancer].

PubMed

Zdończyk, Sebastian Artur

2015-01-01

According to the National Cancer Registry, 16 534 new cases of breast cancer were confirmed in 2011 in Poland. Surgical treatment poses not only a serious oncological problem, but also a cosmetic and psychological one. Women fear they will lose their femininity and sexual attractiveness after the surgery. They feel defective (half woman complex) and they experience such feelings as shame, anger and depression. Sexuality is a sphere of life that is particularly susceptible to all kinds of perturbation of physical and mental states. The main cognitive objective of the presented research is the analysis of life quality level and mental and sexual functioning of women who underwent breast cancer surgical treatment. The research was carried out from October 2013 to February 2014 among 250 adult women who underwent breast cancer surgery. The questionnaire includes questions regarding sociomedical and sociosexology questions, and five standardised research tools: Life Quality Questionnaire SF-36 v. 2, licence No. QM020862, Mell-Krat Questionnaire prepared by Z. Lew-Starowicz, Female Sexual Function Index Questionnaire, A List of Health Behaviours by Z. Juczyński, Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS) adapted by Z. Juczyński. The research received a positive opinion from the Bioethical Commission of The Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. On the basis of the conducted research and statistical analyses it was found that the extensiveness of the surgical procedure, the effectiveness of oncological treatment, age, the number of children, education, material conditions, and the occupational status of the subject women have an impact on life quality and psychosexual functioning. Women who underwent mastectomy with reconstruction of the mammary gland gained higher results in comparison to women who underwent mastectomy without reconstruction as regards physical and mental functioning within life quality. The respondents who had their oncological treatment completed were featured with a lower intensity of sexual dysfunctions than women who had their treatment in progress. The participants of the research with higher educational level, high material status and stable job condition had higher indicators of health behaviours intensity than women with lower material status and lower educational level.

Impact of Relationship Status and Quality (Family Type) on the Mental Health of Mothers and Their Children: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Hannighofer, Jasmin; Foran, Heather; Hahlweg, Kurt; Zimmermann, Tanja

2017-01-01

Mothers and children of single or unstable relationships have higher rates of mental health problems than those in stable two-parent families. Despite results that mothers and children of conflictual two-parent families also show impairments, most studies do not consider relationship quality. Therefore, the present study combines relationship status and relationship quality to a "family type." The present study compares German mothers and children of two-parent families with high relationship quality to those from two-parent families with a low quality, single mothers, and unstable families. Data of n  = 249 families from a 10-year follow-up longitudinal study show that mothers with a high relationship quality show the highest levels of mental health whereas all other groups show at least a 3.2 times higher probability of mental health symptoms. Children of mothers in unstable relationships show a 8.2 times higher probability to emotional or behavioral problems than children of mothers with high relationship quality. Therefore, not only relationship status but also relationship quality should be combined and this "family type" should be considered in future research.

Implementing Quality Service-Learning Programs in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaknin, Lauren Weiner; Bresciani, Marilee J.

2013-01-01

This cross-case comparative study at Western Community College and the University of the Coast explored through a constructive lens the characteristics that lead to sustainable, high quality service-learning programs and how they are implemented at institutions of higher education. The researchers determined that both Western Community College and…

Internationalization for Quality in Chinese Research Universities: Student Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Wanhua; Yue, Yun

2015-01-01

China's rapidly expanding university system aims to balance quantity and quality through a variety of measures, including internationalization. This paper employs data from a survey of 1264 students from 39 higher education institutions in order to understand students' view on institutional approaches to internationalization. The data show that…

Collaborative Online Professional Development for Teachers in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teräs, Hanna

2016-01-01

Enhancing teaching quality has become a priority for many universities. The need for high-quality professional development for university teachers is therefore crucial. Earlier research has indicated that isolated workshops often fail to result in significant changes in teaching practice. It has been suggested that the desired transformation…

Assessing Quality in Higher Education: New Criteria for Evaluating Students' Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zineldin, Mosad; Akdag, Hatice Camgoz; Vasicheva, Valentina

2011-01-01

The aim of this research is to present a new quality assurance model (5Qs) and to examine the major factors affecting students' perception of cumulative satisfaction. The model includes behavioural dimensions of student satisfaction. The factors included in this cumulative summation are technical, functional, infrastructure, interaction and…

Measuring Up: Assessing Instructor Effectiveness in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Brian A.; Stange, Kevin; De Vlieger, Pieter

2017-01-01

There is a substantial body of research showing that teacher quality is an important determinant of student achievement in elementary and secondary schools, inspiring some states and districts to enact policies aimed at identifying and rewarding high-quality teachers. Yet relatively little is known about the impact of instructor effectiveness on…

The More the Merrier? Multiple Parent-Adult Child Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Russell A.; Spitze, Glenna; Deane, Glenn

2009-01-01

Although parent-adult child ties are generally positive, most parents have multiple children whose relations may yield collective ambivalence combining higher and lower quality. Little research has investigated these multiple relations. NSFH respondents aged 50+ with adult children (N = 2,270) are used to assess patterns of quality and contact…

Marketing Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Brent; Johnson, Dennis

1981-01-01

In a successful college marketing program, students and high-quality instruction are top priorities. Marketing research should investigate student needs and frustrations, the products offered, value received for time and money invested, physical convenience and appeal, and promotional strategies. Program research and development suggestions are…

Deconstructing Institutionalisation of the European Standards for Quality Assurance: From Instrument Mixes to Quality Cultures and Implications for International Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohoutek, Jan

2016-01-01

The paper enquires into the implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Internal Quality Assurance of Higher Education Institutions (ESG 1). The enquiry uses data from universities in the Czech Republic and compares them against those obtained in the relevant pan-European survey. The aims are to empirically deconstruct ESG 1…

The Importance and Degree of Implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Internal Quality Assurance in Universities: The Views of Portuguese Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manatos, Maria J.; Rosa, Maria J.; Sarrico, Cláudia S.

2015-01-01

This research seeks to explore academics' perceptions of the importance and degree of implementation of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) for internal quality assurance. It uses empirical evidence from Portugal, gathered via a questionnaire given to all university academics. Results show…

Factors Favouring or Impeding Building a Stronger Higher Education System in the United Arab Emirates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashour, Sanaa; Fatima, Syeda Kauser

2016-01-01

The paper examines the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the higher education system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using a literature review, three elements were examined: its development and structure, quality, and research capacity. The findings reveal that the UAE's higher education sector has witnessed remarkable growth since 1997,…

Housing Satisfaction Related to Health and Importance of Services in Urban Slums: Evidence from Dhaka, Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zanuzdana, Arina; Khan, Mobarak; Kraemer, Alexander

2013-01-01

Quality of housing plays one of the key roles in a public health research, since inadequate housing may have direct or indirect negative impact on health. Higher satisfaction with housing was shown to be associated with higher income, higher age, a smaller family, higher education, being female and being an owner of a dwelling. The aim of our…

Higher Ambitions Summit. Rapporteur Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Ian

2014-01-01

The Sutton Trust and Pearson two-day summit on higher ambitions in apprenticeships and vocational education drew more than 120 leaders in education, training and employment, policy makers, academics, and researchers to London. Delegates heard from political leaders stressing the importance they attach to high-quality apprenticeships. Presentations…

The association between healthy lifestyle behaviors and health-related quality of life among adolescents.

PubMed

Muros, José J; Salvador Pérez, Federico; Zurita Ortega, Félix; Gámez Sánchez, Vanesa M; Knox, Emily

The aim of this research was to examine the association between body mass index, physical activity, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and health-related quality of life in a sample of Spanish adolescents. The study involved 456 adolescents aged between 11 and 14 years. They completed questionnaires on the Mediterranean diet (KIDMED), physical activity (Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children [PAQ-C]), and quality of life (KIDSCREEN-27). Body mass index was calculated. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to determine whether health-related quality of life could be predicted by the measured variables. The variables were analyzed in a stepwise manner, with Mediterranean diet entered in the first step, body mass index in the second, and physical activity in the third. Mediterranean diet accounted for 4.6% of the variance in adolescent's health-related quality of life, with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet predicting higher health-related quality of life-scores. Body mass index accounted for a further 4.1% of the variance, with a higher body mass index predicting lower health-related quality of life scores. Finally, physical activity explained an additional 11.3% of the variance, with a higher level of physical activity being associated with higher health-related quality of life scores. Together, these variables explained 20% of the variance in the adolescents' health-related quality of life. Physical activity, body mass index, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet are important components to consider when targeting improvements in the health-related quality of life of adolescents, with physical activity representing the component with the greatest influence. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Association between framing of the research question using the PICOT format and reporting quality of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Experts recommend formulating a structured research question to guide the research design. However, the basis for this recommendation has not been formally evaluated. The aim of this study was to examine if a structured research question using the PICOT (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time-frame) format is associated with a better reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods We evaluated 89 RCTs reports published in three endocrinology journals in 2005 and 2006, the quality of reporting of which was assessed in a previous study. We examined whether the reports stated each of the five elements of a structured research question: population, intervention, comparator, outcome and time-frame. A PICOT score was created with a possible score between 0 and 5. Outcomes were: 1) a 14-point overall reporting quality score (OQS) based on the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials; and 2) a 3-point key score (KS), based on allocation concealment, blinding and use of intention-to-treat analysis. We conducted multivariable regression analyses using generalized estimating equations to determine if a higher PICOT score or the use of a structured research question were independently associated with a better reporting quality. Journal of publication, funding source and sample size were identified as factors associated with OQS in our previous report on this dataset, and therefore included in the model. Results A higher PICOT score was independently associated with OQS (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.021, 95% CI: 1.012 to 1.029) and KS (IRR = 1.142, 95% CI: 1.079 to 1.210). A structured research question was present in 33.7% of the reports and it was associated with a better OQS (IRR = 1.095, 95% CI 1.059-1.132) and KS (IRR = 1.530, 95% CI 1.311-1.786). Conclusions Better framing of the research question using the PICOT format is independently associated with better overall reporting quality - although the effect is small - and better reporting of key methodologies. PMID:20137069

Study examines trends for Medicare patients at EOL.

PubMed

2011-08-01

Patients are more likely to be treated by 10 doctors or more. Researcher says that great intensity of care does not necessarily mean higher quality of care. Physicians must listen more carefully to wishes of patients at the end of life, researcher says.

Teacher-Student Relationship at University: An Important yet Under-Researched Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagenauer, Gerda; Volet, Simone E.

2014-01-01

This article reviews the extant research on the relationship between students and teachers in higher education across three main areas: the quality of this relationship, its consequences and its antecedents. The weaknesses and gaps in prior research are highlighted and the importance of addressing the multi-dimensional and context-bound nature of…

Assessing Impact Submissions for REF 2014: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manville, Catriona; Guthrie, Susan; Henham, Marie-Louise; Garrod, Bryn; Sousa, Sonia; Kirtley, Anne; Castle-Clarke, Sophie; Ling, Tom

2015-01-01

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a new system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). For the first time, part of the assessment included the wider impact of research. RAND Europe was commissioned to evaluate the assessment process of the impact element of REF submissions, and to explore the…

The Transition to Diverse Online Teaching and Student Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Melissa L.

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the concern of educating diverse university students in an increasingly digital environment. Specifically, educators question the quality of student online research skills and how to address gaps in research skills in both the virtual and physical classroom. A 2012 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in collaboration…

Tertiary Educational Institutions for Teaching, Research and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amoo, Sikiru A.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the quality of teaching and research in developing human resources to facilitate the development of tertiary education in the nation. It discusses the challenges and the roles of research in higher education. The author argues that the combination of content and pedagogical knowledge could help to develop human resources for…

An Analysis of Research Quality and Productivity at Six Academic Orthopaedic Residencies.

PubMed

Osborn, Patrick M; Ames, S Elizabeth; Turner, Norman S; Caird, Michelle S; Karam, Matthew D; Mormino, Matthew A; Krueger, Chad A

2018-06-06

It remains largely unknown what factors impact the research productivity of residency programs. We hypothesized that dedicated resident research time would not affect the quantity and quality of a program's peer-reviewed publication within orthopedic residencies. These findings may help programs improve structure their residency programs to maximize core competencies. Three hundred fifty-nine residents and 240 staff from six different US orthopedic residency programs were analyzed. All publications published by residents and faculty at each program from January 2007 to December 2015 were recorded. SCImago Journal Rankings (SJR) were found for each journal. There were no significant differences in publications by residents at each program (p > 0.05). Faculty with 10+ years of on staff, had significantly more publications than those with less than 10years (p < 0.01). Programs with increased resident research time did not consistently produce publications with higher SJR than those without dedicated research time. Increased dedicated resident research time did not increase resident publication rates or lead to publications with higher SJR. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Status of Indian Women in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghara, Tushar Kanti

2016-01-01

Women education and empowerment are the indicators of development. Women education ensures the holistic and long development. It includes equitable and increased access to technical and vocational education and training, higher education and research with due attention to quality assurance. This communication has taken a look on women…

Curriculum Innovation for Marketing Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Elizabeth J.; McCabe, Catherine; Smith, Robert S.

2018-01-01

College graduates need better preparation for and experience in data analytics for higher-quality problem solving. Using the curriculum innovation framework of Borin, Metcalf, and Tietje (2007) and case study research methods, we offer rich insights about one higher education institution's work to address the marketing analytics skills gap.…

Spanish Universities and the "Ranking 2005" Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Miguel, Jesus M.; Vaquera, Elizabeth; Sanchez, Jara D.

2005-01-01

This article assesses the quality of the Spanish higher education system, focusing mainly on the methodological challenges that the existence of public and private universities represents in the calculation of global higher education rankings. Researchers from the University of Barcelona and the University of Pennsylvania calculated the first…

Conference presentation to publication: a retrospective study evaluating quality of abstracts and journal articles in medical education research.

PubMed

Stephenson, Christopher R; Vaa, Brianna E; Wang, Amy T; Schroeder, Darrell R; Beckman, Thomas J; Reed, Darcy A; Sawatsky, Adam P

2017-11-09

There is little evidence regarding the comparative quality of abstracts and articles in medical education research. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI), which was developed to evaluate the quality of reporting in medical education, has strong validity evidence for content, internal structure, and relationships to other variables. We used the MERSQI to compare the quality of reporting for conference abstracts, journal abstracts, and published articles. This is a retrospective study of all 46 medical education research abstracts submitted to the Society of General Internal Medicine 2009 Annual Meeting that were subsequently published in a peer-reviewed journal. We compared MERSQI scores of the abstracts with scores for their corresponding published journal abstracts and articles. Comparisons were performed using the signed rank test. Overall MERSQI scores increased significantly for published articles compared with conference abstracts (11.33 vs 9.67; P < .001) and journal abstracts (11.33 vs 9.96; P < .001). Regarding MERSQI subscales, published articles had higher MERSQI scores than conference abstracts in the domains of sampling (1.59 vs 1.34; P = .006), data analysis (3.00 vs 2.43; P < .001), and validity of evaluation instrument (1.04 vs 0.28; P < .001). Published articles also had higher MERSQI scores than journal abstracts in the domains of data analysis (3.00 vs 2.70; P = .004) and validity of evaluation instrument (1.04 vs 0.26; P < .001). To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the quality of medical education abstracts and journal articles using the MERSQI. Overall, the quality of articles was greater than that of abstracts. However, there were no significant differences between abstracts and articles for the domains of study design and outcomes, which indicates that these MERSQI elements may be applicable to abstracts. Findings also suggest that abstract quality is generally preserved from original presentation to publication.

Sanctification and spiritual disclosure in parent-child relationships: implications for family relationship quality.

PubMed

Brelsford, Gina M

2013-08-01

Social scientific research on family life, religion, and spirituality tends to focus on global religiousness and spirituality with few studies seeking to understand interpersonal religious and spiritual contributors, namely sanctification and spiritual disclosure, from multiple family members' perspectives. This study explored 91 mother-college student and 64 father-college student dyads who rated their use of spiritual disclosure and theistic and nontheistic sanctification of the parent-child dyad in relation to parent-child relationship quality (e.g., parent-child relationship satisfaction and open communication). Results indicate significant positive links between higher levels of spiritual disclosure and greater theistic and nontheistic sanctification, for mothers, fathers, and their children. However, only greater nontheistic sanctification and higher levels spiritual disclosure were significantly related to increased parent-child relationship quality. Through use of Actor-Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs) results indicated unique contributions of spiritual disclosure to parent-child relationship quality above nontheistic sanctification for open communication in the family. However, full models, which included nontheistic sanctification and spiritual disclosure, predict college students' relationship satisfaction with their mothers and fathers. Implications for interpersonal religiousness and spirituality as contributors to familial relationship quality in research and practice are discussed. © 2013 American Psychological Association

Mentoring as a Mediator or Moderator of the Association between Racial Discrimination and Coping Efficacy in Urban, Low-Income Latina/o Youth.

PubMed

Sánchez, Bernadette; Mroczkowski, Alison L; Liao, Lynn C; Cooper, Adina C; Rivera, Claudio; DuBois, David L

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the associations among mentoring relationship quality (i.e., relational and instrumental quality), racial discrimination and coping efficacy with racial discrimination. Three social support models were tested, including the stress buffering, support mobilization, and support deterioration models. Participants were 257 urban, low-income Latina/o high school students, who completed surveys in both 9th and 10th grades. While controlling for gender and coping efficacy with discrimination in 9th grade, results supported the social support deterioration model. Specifically, there was a significant indirect effect of racial discrimination in 9th grade on coping efficacy in 10th grade through instrumental mentoring quality. As racial discrimination increased, mentoring quality decreased and then coping efficacy decreased. We also found that more racial discrimination in 9th grade was significantly associated with lower coping efficacy in 10th grade, and higher instrumental mentoring quality in 9th grade was significantly associated with higher coping efficacy in 10th grade, while controlling for gender and coping efficacy in 9th grade. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

Assessment of Student Engagement: An Analysis of Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nauffal, Diane I.

2012-01-01

Quality is a multi-dimensional concept and embraces all functions and activities of higher education (academic programs, research, and community services) in all their features and components. Traditionally quality was a measure of resources and reputation. In recent years there has been a shift in emphasis to institutional best practices such as…

Expectation-Based Efficiency and Quality Improvements in Research Administration: Multi-Institutional Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saha, Dhanonjoy C.; Ahmed, Abrar; Hanumandla, Shailaja

2011-01-01

Conventional wisdom may support the presumed notion that higher expectations increase efficiency and improve quality. However, this claim may only be validated when workers are equipped with appropriate tools, training, and a conducive work environment. This study implements various interventions, observes outcomes, and analyzes data collected in…

Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Learning Communities: Bridging the Divide to Enhance Teaching Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banasik, MaryJo D.; Dean, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Institutions of higher education are increasingly hiring non-tenure track faculty members (NTTF) to help meet the demands of the institutional teaching mission. Research suggests NTTF experience inadequate working conditions that hinder performance and negatively impact the quality of undergraduate education. Given the growing number of NTTF…

Government Funding as Leverage for Quality Teaching and Learning: A South African Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essack, Sabiha Y.; Naidoo, Indirani; Barnes, Glen

2010-01-01

The South African Higher Education Funding Framework uses funding as a lever to achieve equitable student access, quality teaching and research, and improved student retention and success. Maximising a university subsidy from the national Department of Education necessitates innovative strategies at the pre- and post-student admission stages. This…

Comparing Universal and Targeted Pre-Kindergarten Programs. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotterer, Aryn M.; Burchinal, Margaret; Bryant, Donna; Early, Diane; Pianta, Robert C.

2012-01-01

This study compared universal (available to all children) and targeted (offered only to children with specific risk factors) Pre-Kindergarten programs. Results showed that two aspects of structural quality (e.g., hours per day and teacher education) were higher in universal programs, but process quality (e.g., child interactions and feedback) was…

Student Satisfaction and Perceptions of Quality: Testing the Linkages for PhD Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Ming; Taylor, John; Williams, James; Tong, Kang

2016-01-01

Student satisfaction and the quality of education are of compelling interest to students, academic staff, policy-makers and higher education researchers internationally. There is a widespread belief in their "cause and effect" relationship. This paper tests these beliefs and explores how the level of student satisfaction is linked with…

Factors Determining e-Learning Service Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uppal, Muhammad Amaad; Ali, Samnan; Gulliver, Stephen R.

2018-01-01

e-Learning courses are fast becoming common-place, yet the success of these online courses varies considerably. Since limited research addresses the issue of e-learning quality (ELQ) of service in higher education environments, there is an increasing need to effectively assess ELQ. In this paper, we argue that to obtain a satisfactory e-learning…

Measuring Service Quality in Higher Education: A South African Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Paul

2014-01-01

The goal of this paper is to report on the SERVQUAL gap which causes unsuccessful service delivery at a University of Technology in South Africa. Using a quantitative research design, the study adopts a SERVQUAL model adapted to a tertiary environment containing five dimensions of service quality (tangibles, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, and…

Implications of "Dimensions of Quality" in a Market Environment. HEA Research Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Graham

2012-01-01

Do prospective students get the information they need to assess what can be gained from attending a particular higher education institution? Professor Gibbs' highly influential 2010 report, "Dimensions of Quality", found that student outcomes can be affected by the way that institutions choose to use available resources; class size, the…

The Discipline Review of Australian Law Schools. Centre for the Study of Higher Education Research Working Papers, 93.6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Ainslie

The expansion of higher education in the 1960s from an elite to a mass activity has led inevitably to a demand that higher education be responsive and accountable to the wider community. There are several approaches to evaluation of quality and economic effectiveness in higher education institutions and programs. In the mid-1980s, Australia's…

The use of citation indicators to identify and support high-quality research in Poland.

PubMed

Pilc, Andrzej

2008-01-01

In large, mostly English-speaking countries, where the "critical mass" of scientists working in different subfields of science is achieved, the peer review system may be sufficient to assess the quality of scientific research. However, in smaller countries, outside the Anglo-American circle, it is important to introduce different systems to identify research of high quality. In Poland, a parametric system for assessing the quality of research has been introduced. It was largely based on the impact factor of scientific journals. While the use of this indicator to assess research quality is highly questionable, the implementation of the system in the Polish reality is even worse. Therefore it is important to change and improve the system currently used by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to both evaluate and, more importantly, finance science in Poland. Here, a system based on three factors, i.e. the impact factor, the institutional h-index, and the institutional number of citations, is proposed. The scientific quality of institutions in Division VI: Medical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences were evaluated and the results were compared with the existing system. Moreover, a method to identify high-quality researchers and institutions at the national level based on the quantity of highly cited papers is shown. Additionally, an attempt to identify the highest quality Polish research on an international level is proposed. This is based on the number of individual citations, the individual h-index, the number of publications, and the priority of the discovery.

The Pursuit of Profit or Prestige: What the Diffusion of MOOCs Can Tell Us about Disruptive Innovation in US Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pheatt, Lara E.

2017-01-01

Disruptive innovations are used to lower costs and augment access to high-quality, affordable higher education, but little systematic research is available on the topic. Higher education institutions use disruptive innovations to save students time and money. To understand the process of disruptive innovation, I investigated the rapid diffusion of…

Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality. Report to the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. GAO-09-593

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Government Accountability Office, 2009

2009-01-01

Policymakers and researchers have focused on improving the quality of our nation's 3 million teachers to raise the achievement of students in key academic areas, such as reading and mathematics. Given the importance of teacher quality to student achievement and the key role federal and state governments play in supporting teacher quality, GAO's…

Higher Education in California. Reviews of National Policies for Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

An international research team examines California's system of postsecondary and higher education. In particular, the examination seeks answers on how California maintains educational quality, access, and equality while working with the market and the state in developing educational solutions to political, social, and economic problems. Part 1 of…

Technical Efficiency and Productivity for Higher Education Institutions in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, C.; Antelius, J.; Månsson, J.; Sund, K.

2017-01-01

This study investigates technical efficiency and productivity for Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs). One identified problem in previous research concerns adjusting efficiency scores for input quality. This problem is avoided using grades from upper-secondary schools. A second problem concerns heterogeneity with respect to subjects and…

Characteristics of Art Higher Education Institution Students' Social Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butova, Yelena Valeryevna; Khan, Natalya Nikolaevna; Illarionova, Ludmila Petrovna; Moldazhanova, Asemqul

2015-01-01

This paper represents a profound research of Kazakh and foreign scientific literature and tries to define the structure, the essence and meaningful characteristics of the art higher education institution students' competence as a set of professionally significant qualities of personality, which is determined by the nature and specifics of the…

Leadership Values, Trust and Negative Capability: Managing the Uncertainties of Future English Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Jill

2012-01-01

The complex leadership attribute of "negative capability" in managing uncertainty and engendering trust may be amongst the qualities enabling institutions to cope with multiple recent government policy challenges affecting English higher education, including significant increases in student fees. Research findings are reported on changes…

The Global Common Good and the Future of Academic Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaker, Genevieve G.

2016-01-01

Can the higher education faculty sustain itself as a profession? And why does this question matter as much as more frequently asked questions regarding access, costs, quality, governance, and competitiveness? This special issue of "Higher Learning Research Communications" seeks to address these questions by posing as a unifying concept…

Job Satisfaction of Academics: Does Gender Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machado-Taylor, Maria de Lourdes; White, Kate; Gouveia, Odilia

2014-01-01

Academic work in higher education has been influenced by global trends such as accountability, massification and deteriorating financial support. Within this broader context, the performance of academic staff as teachers and researchers has an impact on student learning and implications for the quality of higher education institutions (HEIs).…

Do University Students, Alumni, Educators and Employers Link Assessment and Graduate Employability?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinash, Shelley; McGillivray, Laura; Crane, Linda

2018-01-01

Within higher education literature, "assessment" and "graduate employability" are linked and co-presented, in that quality student assessment is purported to enhance employability. This research was designed to query the extent to which these same conceptual links are perceived by those actively involved in higher education.…

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Decisional Engagement Scale (DES-10): A patient-reported psychosocial survey for quality cancer care.

PubMed

Hoerger, Michael; Chapman, Benjamin P; Mohile, Supriya G; Duberstein, Paul R

2016-09-01

In light of recent health care reforms, we have provided an illustrative example of new opportunities available for psychologists to develop patient-reported measures related to health care quality. Patient engagement in health care decision making has been increasingly acknowledged as a vital component of quality cancer care. We developed the 10-item Decisional Engagement Scale (DES-10), a patient-reported measure of engagement in decision making in cancer care that assesses patients' awareness of their diagnosis, sense of empowerment and involvement, and level of information seeking and planning. The National Institutes of Health's ResearchMatch recruitment tool was used to facilitate Internet-mediated data collection from 376 patients with cancer. DES-10 scores demonstrated good internal consistency reliability (α = .80), and the hypothesized unidimensional factor structure fit the data well. The reliability and factor structure were supported across subgroups based on demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics. Higher DES-10 scores were associated with better health-related quality of life (r = .31). In concurrent validity analyses controlling for age, socioeconomic status, and health-related quality of life, higher DES-10 scores were associated with higher scores on quality-of-care indices, including greater awareness of one's treatments, greater preferences for shared decision making, and clearer preferences about end-of-life care. A mini-measure, the DES-3, also performed well psychometrically. In conclusion, DES-10 and DES-3 scores showed evidence of reliability and validity, and these brief patient-reported measures can be used by researchers, clinicians, nonprofits, hospitals, insurers, and policymakers interested in evaluating and improving the quality of cancer care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The Relationships Among Sleep Quality and Chronotype, Emotional Disturbance, and Insomnia Vulnerability in Shift Nurses.

PubMed

Lee, Ching-Yi; Chen, Hsi-Chung; Meg Tseng, Mei-Chih; Lee, Hsin-Chien; Huang, Lian-Hua

2015-09-01

Shift work is a prominent feature of most nursing jobs. Although chronotype, emotional disturbance, and insomnia vulnerability are important factors for patients with insomnia in general, their effects on shift nurses are unknown. This study explores the relationships between the sleep quality of shift nurses and the variables of chronotype, emotional disturbance, and insomnia vulnerability. A survey was conducted with 398 shift nurses in a medical center. Chronotype, emotional disturbance, insomnia vulnerability, and sleep quality were evaluated using the Smith Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Rating Scale, the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. On the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 70.1% of the participants scored higher than 5. Multiple regression analysis revealed that, together with night shift work (b [SE] = 1.05 [0.35], p = .003), higher levels of emotional disturbance (b [SE] = 0.30 [0.05], p < .001) and higher insomnia vulnerability (b [SE] = 0.18 [0.03], p < .001) were predictors of poor sleep quality and that chronotype was not a predictor of poor sleep quality. The multiple mediator model indicated that emotional disturbance significantly mediated an indirect effect of evening chronotype preference on poor subjective sleep quality (one subscale of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). In addition to shift patterns, emotional disturbance and high insomnia vulnerability are factors that may be used to identify shift nurses who face a higher risk of sleep disturbance. Because evening chronotype may indirectly influence subjective sleep quality through the pathway of emotional disturbance, further research into the mechanism that underlies this pathway is warranted.

HIV, self-transcendence, and quality of life.

PubMed

Mellors, M P; Riley, T A; Erlen, J A

1997-01-01

Self-transcendence is a developmental characteristic that expands one's boundaries of the self to take on broader life perspectives, activities, and purposes that help one discover or make meaning of one's life. However, no quantitative studies were found in the research literature that focused on self-transcendence or on the relationship between self-transcendence and quality of life in people infected with HIV. To examine these variables in this population, 46 HIV-positive subjects completed Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale and Ferrans and Powers' Quality of Life Index. The results demonstrated that overall self-transcendence for this sample was relatively high; quality of life was higher than that reported in previous research; and there were some significant group differences among the three HIV clinical categories.

Manual therapy for tension-type headache related to quality of work life and work presenteeism: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Monzani, Lucas; Espí-López, Gemma Victoria; Zurriaga, Rosario; Andersen, Lars L

2016-04-01

The objective of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of manual therapy for tension-type headache (TTH) in restoring workers quality of work life, and how work presenteeism affects this relation. This study is a secondary analysis of a factorial, randomized clinical trial on manual therapy interventions. Altogether, 80 patients (85% women) with TTH and without current symptoms of any other concomitant disease participated. An experienced therapist delivered the treatment: myofascial inhibitory technique (IT), articulatory technique (AT), combined technique (IT and AT), and control group (no treatment). In general, all treatments as compared to our control group had a large effect (f≥.69) in the improvement of participants' quality of work life. Work presenteeism interacted with TTH treatment type's efficacy on participant's quality of work life. The inhibitory technique lead to higher reports of quality of work life than other treatment options only for participants with very low frequency of work presenteeism. In turn, TTH articulatory treatment techniques resulted in higher reports of quality of work life for a high to very high work presenteeism frequency. Articulatory manipulation technique is the more efficient treatment to improve quality of work life when the frequency of work presenteeism is high. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of beef eating quality by Irish consumers.

PubMed

McCarthy, S N; Henchion, M; White, A; Brandon, K; Allen, P

2017-10-01

A consumer's decision to purchase beef is strongly linked to its sensory properties and consistent eating quality is one of the most important attributes. Consumer taste panels were held according to the Meat Standards Australia guidelines and consumers scored beef according to its palatability attributes and completed a socio-demographic questionnaire. Consumers were able to distinguish between beef quality on a scale from unsatisfactory to premium with high accuracy. Premium cuts of beef scored significantly higher on all of the scales compared to poorer quality cuts. Men rated grilled beef higher on juiciness and flavour scales compared to women. Being the main purchaser of beef had no impact on rating scores. Overall the results show that consumers can judge eating quality with high accuracy. Further research is needed to determine how best to communicate inherent benefits that are not visible into extrinsic eating quality indicators, to provide the consumer with consistent indications of quality at the point of purchase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Academic Achievement and Personality Traits of Faculty Members of Indian Agricultural Universities: Their Effect on Teaching and Research Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramesh, P.; Reddy, K. M.; Rao, R. V. S.; Dhandapani, A.; Siva, G. Samba; Ramakrishna, A.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to assess academic achievement, teaching aptitude and research attitude of Indian agricultural universities' faculty, to predict indicators for successful teachers and researchers, and thereby enhancing the quality of higher agricultural education. Methodology: Five hundred faculty members were selected to…

My Tongue on Your Theory: The Bittersweet Reminder of Every-Thing Unnameable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Rachel

2016-01-01

Across research in UK Higher Education, the most immanent demands for quality have taken the shape of the Research Assessment Exercise and the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The theorist, Martin, is cautious of the relationship academics have engendered with the process of the REF, asking are we actually creating a Frankenstein monster,…

Struggling to Handle Teaching and Research: A Study on Academic Work at Select Universities in the Chinese Mainland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Manhong; Du, Ping; Li, Linlin

2014-01-01

In order to raise the international reputation and quality of higher education in "China", the Ministry of Education initiated new university employment reform, which pressed academics to produce more research. Recent employment reform has aggravated the conflict between teaching and research. This study "uses" mixed methods to…

Tertiary Teachers and Student Evaluations: Never the Twain Shall Meet?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Sarah J.; Spiller, Dorothy; Terry, Stuart; Harris, Trudy; Deaker, Lynley; Kennedy, Jo

2013-01-01

Internationally, centralised systems of student evaluation have become normative practice in higher education institutions, providing data for monitoring teaching quality and for teacher professional development. While extensive research has been done on student evaluations, there is less research-based evidence about teachers' perceptions of and…

The influence of personal qualities on performance and progression in a pre-registration nursing programme.

PubMed

Pitt, Victoria; Powis, David; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Hunter, Sharyn

2014-05-01

Research conducted primarily with psychology and medical students has highlighted that personal qualities play an important role in students' academic performance. In nursing there has been limited investigation of the relationship between personal qualities and performance. Yet, reports of student incivility and a lack of compassion have prompted appeals to integrate the assessment of personal qualities into pre-registration nursing student selection. Before this can be done research is needed to explore the influence of students' personal qualities on programme performance and progression. This study explores the relationships between students' personal qualities and their academic and clinical performance, behaviours and progression through a pre-registration nursing programme in Australia. This longitudinal descriptive correlational study was undertaken with a sample of Australian pre-registration nursing students (n=138). Students' personal qualities were assessed using three personal qualities assessment (PQA) instruments. Outcome measures included grades in nursing theory and clinical courses, yearly grade point average, final clinical competency, progression (completion), class attendance and levels of life event stress. Significant correlations were found between academic performance and PQA scores for self-control, resilience and traits of aloofness, confidence and involvement. Final clinical competence was predicted by confidence and self-control scores. Students with higher empathy had higher levels of life event stress in their first year and class attendance had a positive correlation with self-control. Completing the programme in three years was weakly predicted by the measure of resilience. No difference was noted between extreme or non-extreme scorers on the PQA scales with respect to performance or progression. This sample of students' personal qualities was found to influence their academic and clinical performance and their ability to complete a pre-registration programme in three years. However, further research is required with larger cohorts to confirm the use of personal qualities assessment during selection. © 2013.

Development of a Model Following Control Law for Inflight Simulation and Flight Controls Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Mark; Fletcher, Jay; Aiken, Edwin W. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The U.S. Army and NASA are currently developing the Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) at the Ames Research Center. RASCAL, shown in Figure 1, is a UH-60, which is being modified in a phased development program to have a research fly-by-wire flight control system, and an advanced navigation research platform. An important part of the flight controls and handling qualities research on RASCAL will be an FCS design for the aircraft to achieve high bandwidth control responses and disturbance rejection characteristics. Initially, body states will be used as feedbacks, but research into the use of rotor states will also be considered in later stages to maximize agility and maneuverability. In addition to supporting flight controls research, this FCS design will serve as the inflight simulation control law to support basic handling qualities, guidance, and displays research. Research in high bandwidth controls laws is motivated by the desire to improve the handling qualities in aggressive maneuvering and in severely degraded weather conditions. Naturally, these advantages will also improve the quality of the model following, thereby improving the inflight simulation capabilities of the research vehicle. High bandwidth in the control laws provides tighter tracking allowing for higher response bandwidths which can meet handling qualities requirements for aggressive maneuvering. System sensitivity is also reduced preventing variations in the response from the vehicle due to changing flight conditions. In addition, improved gust rejection will result from this reduced sensitivity. The gust rejection coupled with a highly stable system will make more precise maneuvering and pointing possible in severely degraded weather conditions. The difficulty in achieving higher bandwidths from the control laws in the feedback and in the responses arises from the complexity of the models that are needed to produce a satisfactory design. In this case, high quality models that include rotor dynamics in a physically meaningful context must be available. A non-physical accounting of the rotor, such as lumping the effect as a time delay, is not likely to produce the desired results. High order simulation models based on first principals are satisfactory for the initial design phase in order to work out the control law design concept and get an initial set of gains. These models, however, have known deficiencies, which must be resolved in the final control law design. The error in the pitch-roll cross coupling is one notable deficiency that even sophisticated rotorcraft models including complex wake aerodynamics have yet to capture successfully. This error must be accounted for to achieve the desired decoupling. The approach to design the proposed inflight simulation control law is based on using a combination of simulation and identified models. The linear and nonlinear higher order models were used to develop an explicit model following control structure. This structure was developed to accommodate the design of control laws compliant to many of the quantitative requirements in ADS-33C. Furthermore, it also allows for control law research using rotor-state feedback and other design methodologies such as Quantitative Feedback and H-Infinity. Final gain selection will be based on higher order identified models which include rotor degrees of freedom.

The relation between Internet and social media use and the demographic and clinical parameters, quality of life, depression, cognitive function and sleep quality in hemodialysis patients: social media and hemodialysis.

PubMed

Afsar, Baris

2013-01-01

There are very few studies in the literature investigating the Internet use in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, no study examined the relationship between Internet and social media use and quality of life, depression, cognitive function and sleep problems in HD patients. The study is cross-sectional in design. All patients underwent history taking; physical examination; laboratory analysis and quality of life (by a short form of the Medical Outcomes Study), depression (by the Beck Depression Inventory), cognitive function (by the Standardized Mini Mental State Examination) and sleep problems (by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) evaluation. In total, 134 HD patients (male/female: 73/61, age: 53.0 ± 13.4 years) were included. Patients with mail, Facebook and Twitter accounts were younger, were less depressive, had better quality of life, had higher cognitive function and were more educated compared to patients who did not have these accounts. Patients with Internet-based research about their disease were less depressive, had better quality of life and sleep quality, had higher cognitive function and were more educated compared to patients who did not have Internet-based research. Internet and social media use was closely related with quality of life, depression, cognitive function and education in HD patients. Studies are needed on whether Internet use under the supervision of health care professionals will improve clinical outcomes, adherence, quality of life, depression and decision making in HD patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A dedicated research program increases the quantity and quality of orthopaedic resident publications.

PubMed

Torres, Daniel; Gugala, Zbigniew; Lindsey, Ronald W

2015-04-01

Programs seek to expose trainees to research during residency. However, little is known in any formal sense regarding how to do this effectively, or whether these efforts result in more or better-quality research output. The objective of our study was to evaluate a dedicated resident research program in terms of the quantity and quality of resident research peer-reviewed publications. Specifically we asked: (1) Did residents mentored through a dedicated resident research program have more peer-reviewed publications in higher-impact journals with higher citation rates compared with residents who pursued research projects under a less structured approach? (2) Did this effect continue after graduation? In 2006, our department of orthopaedic surgery established a dedicated resident research program, which consisted of a new research policy and a research committee to monitor quality and compliance with this policy. Peer-reviewed publications (determined from PubMed) of residents who graduated 6 years before establishing the dedicated resident research program were compared with publications from an equal period of the research-program-directed residents. The data were assessed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Twenty-four residents graduated from 2001 to 2006 (before implementation of the dedicated resident research program); 27 graduated from 2007 to 2012 (after implementation of the dedicated resident research program). There were 74 eligible publications as defined by the study inclusion and exclusion criteria. Residents who trained after implementation of the dedicated resident research program published more papers during residency than did residents who trained before the program was implemented (1.15 versus 0.79 publications per resident; 95% CI [0.05,0.93]; p = 0.047) and the journal impact factor was greater in the group that had the research program (1.25 versus 0.55 per resident; 95% CI [0.2,1.18]; p = 0.005). There were no differences between postresidency publications by trainees who graduated with versus without the research program in the number of publications, citations, and average journal impact factor per resident. A regression analysis showed no difference in citation rates of the residents' published papers before and since implementation of the research program. Currently in the United States, there are no standard policies or requirements that dictate how research should be incorporated in orthopaedic surgery residency training programs. The results of our study suggest that implementation of a dedicated resident research program improves the quantity and to some extent quality of orthopaedic resident research publications, but this effect did not persist after graduation.

A systematic review of the evidence concerning the economic impact of employee-focused health promotion and wellness programs.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Rodday, Angie Mae; Cohen, Joshua T; Rogers, William H

2013-02-01

To assess the evidence regarding the economic impact of worker health promotion programs. Peer-reviewed research articles were identified from a database search. Included articles were published between January 2000 and May 2010, described a study conducted in the United States that used an experimental or quasi-experimental study design and analyzed medical, pharmacy (direct), and/or work productivity (indirect) costs. A multidisciplinary review team, following specific criteria, assessed research quality. Of 2030 retrieved articles, 44 met study inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 were of sufficient quality to be considered evidentiary. Only three analyzed direct and indirect costs. Evidence regarding economic impact is limited and inconsistent. Higher-quality research is needed to demonstrate the value of specific programs.

Community of inquiry model: advancing distance learning in nurse anesthesia education.

PubMed

Pecka, Shannon L; Kotcherlakota, Suhasini; Berger, Ann M

2014-06-01

The number of distance education courses offered by nurse anesthesia programs has increased substantially. Emerging distance learning trends must be researched to ensure high-quality education for student registered nurse anesthetists. However, research to examine distance learning has been hampered by a lack of theoretical models. This article introduces the Community of Inquiry model for use in nurse anesthesia education. This model has been used for more than a decade to guide and research distance learning in higher education. A major strength of this model learning. However, it lacks applicability to the development of higher order thinking for student registered nurse anesthetists. Thus, a new derived Community of Inquiry model was designed to improve these students' higher order thinking in distance learning. The derived model integrates Bloom's revised taxonomy into the original Community of Inquiry model and provides a means to design, evaluate, and research higher order thinking in nurse anesthesia distance education courses.

Internationalisation as a Strategy to Improve the Quality of Higher Education in Small States: Stakeholder Perspectives in Lithuania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urbanovic, Jolanta; Wilkins, Stephen

2013-01-01

Assumptions have developed around the benefits of internationalisation; for example, that it promotes cultural integration and harmony, improves the quality of education and research, and improves country and institutional reputations internationally. A range of coercive, normative and mimetic influences have pushed most small states with mass or…

Managing Diversity: A Key to Building a Quality Work Force. Research and Development Series No. 271.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxson, Judith; Hair, Billy

Economic changes create stress as U.S. businesses progress toward building a high quality work force for the year 2000. Skills such as critical literacy, communication, writing, math, and interpersonal competence are desired. Critical literacy involves the higher order thinking skills: the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize. In addition,…

Exploring Quality Teaching in the Online Environment Using an Evidence-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto-Rodriguez, Elena; Gore, Jennifer; Holmes, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Online learning is increasingly ubiquitous in higher education. However, research regarding online teaching often focuses on the affordances of the online environment rather than on the quality of pedagogy. In this paper we consider how online learning could be enhanced using rich pedagogical models that are consistent with a wealth of existing…

Development of Internal System of Education Quality Assessment at a University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalimullin, Aydar M.; Khodyreva, Elena ?.; Koinova-Zoellner, Julia

2016-01-01

The urgency of the research is determined by the need to ensure the quality of higher education an essential factor of which is development of the internal assessment system for educational activities at universities. The aim of the article is validation of the model of development of the internal assessment system for educational activities at…

An Examination of Possible Relationships between Service Quality and Brand Equity in Online Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarrell, Charles M.

2012-01-01

Researchers and marketers lack information about possible relationships between service quality and online brand equity in intangible and often undifferentiated service businesses. The services sector of the economy is large with 72% of the economic output and 80% of the workers in the United States in 2007. Within the services sector, Internet…

Research Publication Output by Academicians in Public and Private Universities in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suryani, Ina; Yaacob, Aizan; Hashima, Noor; Rashid, Salleh Abd; Desa, Hazry

2013-01-01

The number of publication has been one of the measurement values in the performance evaluation for higher education academicians. Over the years, the obligation to publish has amplified to not just on getting published but also on getting published in high quality journal whereby the quality ranking is determined by publication categories. This…

Online Learning Era: Exploring the Most Decisive Determinants of MOOCs in Taiwanese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Ming-Yuan

2016-01-01

Because the development of Taiwanese Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) websites is at this moment full of vitality, this research employs a series of analytical cross-measurements of Quality Function Deployment method of House of Quality (QFD-HOQ) model and Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methodology to cross-evaluate the weighted…

Indices of Quality in the Undergraduate Experience. AAHE-ERIC/Higher Education Research Report No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuh, George D.

Indices and manifestations of quality in undergraduate education are considered and a four-part framework is developed. Context indices represent institutional characteristics that remain relatively stable over time (e.g., expenditures per student and size of student body), while input indices reflect characteristics of entering students (e.g.,…

Private Higher Education in China: Access to Quality Higher Education and the Acquisition of Labour Market Qualifications by Low-Income Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FengLiang, Li; Morgan, W. John

2008-01-01

The development of private higher education in China is an important area of policy concern and for academic research, especially under the conditions of globalization. This article reviews the current situation and forecasts the likely trend in several key areas, such as governmental regulation, funds and competition for enrolments. The article…

Quality and the New Flagship University Ideal in Asian Higher Education. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.12.17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ericson, David P.

2017-01-01

A singular vision has propelled higher education and ministries of education in Asia since the new millennium. It is a vision launched by the once rising tide of a globalized world order that spilled into higher education: in order to be competitive on the world scene, each Asian country had to build "World Class Universities," which…

Service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in the Bangladesh healthcare sector.

PubMed

Ahmed, Selim; Tarique, Kazi Md; Arif, Ishtiaque

2017-06-12

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in Bangladesh's healthcare sector. It identifies healthcare quality conformance, patient satisfaction and loyalty based on demographics such as gender, age and marital status. It examines the differences between public and private healthcare sectors regarding service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The authors distributed 450 self-administered questionnaires to hospital patients resulting in 204 useful responses (45.3 per cent response rate). Data were analysed based on reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, independent samples t-tests, ANOVA and discriminant analysis using SPSS version 23. Findings Findings indicate that single patients perceive tangibles, reliability, empathy and loyalty higher compared to married patients. Young patients (⩽20 years) have a higher tangibles, empathy and loyalty scores compared to other age groups. The authors observed that private hospital patients perceive healthcare service quality performance higher compared to patients in public hospitals. Research limitations/implications The authors focussed solely on the Bangladesh health sector, so the results might not be applicable to other countries. Originality/value The findings provide guidelines for enhancing service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty in the Bangladesh healthcare sector and other countries.

Cultural Dynamics and Marital Relationship Quality in Mexican-origin Families

PubMed Central

Cruz, Rick A.; Gonzales, Nancy A.; Corona, Marissa; King, Kevin M.; Cauce, Ana Mari; Robins, Richard W.; Widaman, Keith F.; Conger, Rand D.

2014-01-01

Prior research suggests that acculturation may influence relationship outcomes among Mexican-origin married couples, including marital adjustment and distress. Despite much theory and research on parent-child cultural differences and disruptions in the parent-child relationship, no previous research has investigated possible associations between husband-wife cultural differences and marital relationship quality. With a sample of Mexican-origin married couples (N = 398), the current study investigated the relations between husband-wife differences in acculturation (American orientation) and enculturation (Mexican orientation) with husband and wife reports of positive marital qualities (warmth and relationship satisfaction). To clarify and extend previous research, the current study also investigated within-person models of cultural orientation domains as related to positive marital quality. Results provide partial evidence showing that dyadic cultural differences are associated with lower positive marital quality while cultural similarity is associated with higher positive marital quality; however, the relations are complex and suggest that the associations between wife cultural orientation and positive marital quality may depend on husband cultural orientation (and vice versa). Findings also implicate the importance of assessing spouse bidimensional cultural orientation by showing that the relation between spouse acculturation level and relationship quality may depend on his or her enculturation level. Additional nuances in the findings illustrate the importance of assessing multiple domains of cultural orientation, including language use and cultural values. We highlight several future directions for research investigating nuances in spouse cultural dynamics and relationship processes. PMID:25313819

Institutional Collaborations in Ireland: Leveraging an Increased International Presence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eddy, Pamela L.

2010-01-01

This chapter highlights how shifts in policy within Ireland toward increased global rankings and quality of educational programs and a heightened interest in research have been operationalized on the ground. The Higher Education Authority initiated a Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) to provide seed money for research…

An Evaluation of Research Students' Writing Support Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Mahony, Barry; Verezub, Elena; Dalrymple, John; Bertone, Santina

2013-01-01

Purpose: Achieving quality standards in postgraduate education, particularly among Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students, can be challenging. In addition to the diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of these students, thesis writing frequently involves the development of new skills associated with the comprehension of a large volume of…

Curricular Change: A Model for Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axelrod, Joseph

This interim report on 1 project at the Berkeley Center for Research and Development in Higher Education deals with the construction of a theoretical model of the curricular-instructional subsystem. The relationship between student unrest and the poor quality of education in American colleges has long been evident to educational researchers. The…

Influence of Production Method on the Chemical Composition, Foaming Properties, and Quality of Australian Carbonated and Sparkling White Wines.

PubMed

Culbert, Julie A; McRae, Jacqui M; Condé, Bruna C; Schmidtke, Leigh M; Nicholson, Emily L; Smith, Paul A; Howell, Kate S; Boss, Paul K; Wilkinson, Kerry L

2017-02-22

The chemical composition (protein, polysaccharide, amino acid, and fatty acid/ethyl ester content), foaming properties, and quality of 50 Australian sparkling white wines, representing the four key production methods, that is, Méthode Traditionelle (n = 20), transfer (n = 10), Charmat (n = 10), and carbonation (n = 10), were studied. Méthode Traditionelle wines were typically rated highest in quality and were higher in alcohol and protein contents, but lower in residual sugar and total phenolics, than other sparkling wines. They also exhibited higher foam volume and stability, which might be attributable to higher protein concentrations. Bottle-fermented Méthode Traditionelle and transfer wines contained greater proportions of yeast-derived mannoproteins, whereas Charmat and carbonated wines were higher in grape-derived rhamnogalacturonans; however, total polysaccharide concentrations were not significantly different between sparkling wine styles. Free amino acids were most abundant in carbonated wines, which likely reflects production via primary fermentation only and/or the inclusion of nontraditional grape varieties. Fatty acids and their esters were not correlated with foaming properties, but octanoic and decanoic acids and their ethyl esters were present in Charmat and carbonated wines at significantly higher concentrations than in bottle-fermented wines and were negatively correlated with quality ratings. Research findings provide industry with a better understanding of the compositional factors driving the style and quality of sparkling white wine.

Self-Reported Perceptions of Sleep Quality and Resilience Among Dance Students.

PubMed

Arbinaga, F

2018-04-01

This study examined relationships between self-perceived sleep quality and resilience among 116 dance students (Mean age = 21.6 years; SD = 4.348). who self-reported sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and personal resilience with the Resilience Scale (RS). Most participants (59.5%) reported poor sleep quality on the PSQI, with 62.9% of the women and 42.1% of the men ( p = .092) scoring higher than five points on this instrument. On the RS, a large majority of the participants (75%) obtained scores less than 147, indicating low resilience, with no significant gender differences observed. Those reporting poor sleep quality (PSQI scores > 5) obtained lower resilience scores (RS < 147) than those reporting good sleep quality (PSQI scores ≤ 5; p = .025), and participants with poorer sleep quality were at higher risk of low resilience (Odds Ratio = 3.273) relative to those with good sleep quality ( p = .006). Those with shorter duration sleep (claiming they slept <7 hours/night) were also at higher risk for low resilience (Odds Ratio = 3.266), relative to those with longer duration sleep (>7 hours/night). These findings can help students and dance professionals improve their performance and face pressures inherent in dance practice. Follow-up research should verify these findings in varied populations with objective sleep measures and observational data from multiple respondents.

Supplements in human islet culture: human serum albumin is inferior to fetal bovine serum.

PubMed

Avgoustiniatos, Efstathios S; Scott, William E; Suszynski, Thomas M; Schuurman, Henk-Jan; Nelson, Rebecca A; Rozak, Phillip R; Mueller, Kate R; Balamurugan, A N; Ansite, Jeffrey D; Fraga, Daniel W; Friberg, Andrew S; Wildey, Gina M; Tanaka, Tomohiro; Lyons, Connor A; Sutherland, David E R; Hering, Bernhard J; Papas, Klearchos K

2012-01-01

Culture of human islets before clinical transplantation or distribution for research purposes is standard practice. At the time the Edmonton protocol was introduced, clinical islet manufacturing did not include culture, and human serum albumin (HSA), instead of fetal bovine serum (FBS), was used during other steps of the process to avoid the introduction of xenogeneic material. When culture was subsequently introduced, HSA was also used for medium supplementation instead of FBS, which was typically used for research islet culture. The use of HSA as culture supplement was not evaluated before this implementation. We performed a retrospective analysis of 103 high-purity islet preparations (76 research preparations, all with FBS culture supplementation, and 27 clinical preparations, all with HSA supplementation) for oxygen consumption rate per DNA content (OCR/DNA; a measure of viability) and diabetes reversal rate in diabetic nude mice (a measure of potency). After 2-day culture, research preparations exhibited an average OCR/DNA 51% higher (p < 0.001) and an average diabetes reversal rate 54% higher (p < 0.05) than clinical preparations, despite 87% of the research islet preparations having been derived from research-grade pancreata that are considered of lower quality. In a prospective paired study on islets from eight research preparations, OCR/DNA was, on average, 27% higher with FBS supplementation than that with HSA supplementation (p < 0.05). We conclude that the quality of clinical islet preparations can be improved when culture is performed in media supplemented with serum instead of albumin.

The Educational Competence of College Students as a Factor of the Quality of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyz', N. A.

2012-01-01

The system of higher professional education being updated in Russia, including the federal state educational standards, calls for an orientation toward the interests of customers, providing students with greater opportunities to choose and implement their own educational trajectory, increasing the proportion of independent creative research work…

Leading Part-Time Teaching Staff to Achieve Excellent Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kabouridis, Georgios

2011-01-01

The paper points out the significance of hourly-waged tutors to the quality of the teaching-learning procedure in Mechanical Engineering Department. Existing research shows that higher education faces many challenges in its attempt to keep pace with the needs of students' body for effective learning. The changing nature of higher education is…

On the Fairness of the Higher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Min

2012-01-01

With the establishment of the socialist market economic system in China, the issue of social fairness has been paid more and more attentions. The fairness issue of higher education, which is responsible for training high-quality talents for the national economy construction, has become the focus of attention. We discuss and research on the…

The Professoriate: The Challenged Subject in US Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stromquist, Nelly P.

2017-01-01

Developments in the academic world--particularly among research universities--have been pushing US institutions of higher education towards structures and practices that defy the very values of equity and quality they profess to uphold. This is evident in the increasing quantification of scholarly productivity as well as in the growing division of…

Internationalization of Higher Education: Potential Benefits and Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jibeen, Tahira; Khan, Masha Asad

2015-01-01

Internationalization of higher education is the top stage of international relations among universities and it is no longer regarded as a goal in itself, but as a means to improve the quality of education. The knowledge translation and acquisition, mobilization of talent in support of global research and enchantment of the curriculum with…

The Estimated Effects of College Student Involvement on Psychological Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgo, Cindy A.; Mollet, Amanda L.; Pascarella, Ernest T.

2016-01-01

This brief examines student psychological well-being, an important issue of growing interest in U.S. higher education. Extensive research focused on student involvement in college suggested that quality involvement leads to higher levels of student learning and development. This study for psychological well-being was measured using the Ryff Scales…

Moving beyond Face Value: Re-Envisioning Higher Education Evaluation as a Generator of Professional Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darwin, Stephen

2012-01-01

Conventional student-led evaluation is now an orthodox feature of the North American, UK and Australian higher education landscape. Increasingly, it is guiding major institutional decisions around educational quality, academic promotion and more recently institutional funding by government. Yet significant research around student-led evaluation…

The Challenges of Attracting Asian Students to Study Higher Education in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Shun Wing

2012-01-01

This article reports a commissioned research project on exploring the emerging issues and challenges of attracting Asian students to study in Hong Kong's higher education institutions. Findings reveal the rapidly growing demand for quality transnational education in Asia and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of exporting Hong…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatia, Sukhwant S.

2009-01-01

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

Chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students.

PubMed

van der Heijden, Kristiaan B; Vermeulen, Marije C M; Donjacour, Claire E H M; Gordijn, Marijke C M; Hamburger, Hans L; Meijer, Anne M; van Rijn, Karin J; Vlak, Monique; Weysen, Tim

2018-04-01

Inadequate sleep impairs cognitive function and has been associated with worse academic achievement in higher education students; however, studies that control for relevant background factors and include knowledge on sleep hygiene are scarce. This study examined the association of chronic sleep reduction (i.e. symptoms of chronic sleep reduction such as shortness of sleep, sleepiness and irritation), subjective sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge with academic achievement (grades and study credits) and study concentration among 1378 higher education students (71% female, mean age 21.73 years, SD = 3.22) in the Netherlands. Demographic, health, lifestyle and study behaviour characteristics were included as covariates in hierarchical regression analyses. After controlling for significant covariates, only chronic sleep reduction remained a significant predictor of lower grades (last exam, average in current academic year). Better sleep quality and sleep hygiene knowledge were associated with better academic achievement, but significance was lost after controlling for covariates, except for a remaining positive association between sleep hygiene beliefs and grades in the current academic year. Moreover, better sleep quality and lower scores on chronic sleep reduction were associated with better study concentration after controlling for significant covariates. To conclude, chronic sleep reduction is associated with academic achievement and study concentration in higher education students. Inadequate sleep hygiene knowledge is moderately associated with worse academic achievement. Future research should investigate whether sleep hygiene interventions improve academic achievement in students of higher education. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

The Interplay between Scientific Overlap and Cooperation and the Resulting Gain in Co-Authorship Interactions.

PubMed

Mayrose, Itay; Freilich, Shiri

2015-01-01

Considering the importance of scientific interactions, understanding the principles that govern fruitful scientific research is crucial to policy makers and scientists alike. The outcome of an interaction is to a large extent dependent on the balancing of contradicting motivations accompanying the establishment of collaborations. Here, we assembled a dataset of nearly 20,000 publications authored by researchers affiliated with ten top universities. Based on this data collection, we estimated the extent of different interaction types between pairwise combinations of researchers. We explored the interplay between the overlap in scientific interests and the tendency to collaborate, and associated these estimates with measures of scientific quality and social accessibility aiming at studying the typical resulting gain of different interaction patterns. Our results show that scientists tend to collaborate more often with colleagues with whom they share moderate to high levels of mutual interests and knowledge while cooperative tendency declines at higher levels of research-interest overlap, suggesting fierce competition, and at the lower levels, suggesting communication gaps. Whereas the relative number of alliances dramatically differs across a gradient of research overlap, the scientific impact of the resulting articles remains similar. When considering social accessibility, we find that though collaborations between remote researchers are relatively rare, their quality is significantly higher than studies produced by close-circle scientists. Since current collaboration patterns do not necessarily overlap with gaining optimal scientific quality, these findings should encourage scientists to reconsider current collaboration strategies.

Producing Qualified Graduates and Assuring Education Quality in the Knowledge-Based Society: Roles and Issues of Graduate Education. Report of the International Workshop on Graduate Education, 2009. RIHE International Seminar Reports. No.14

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Research Institute for Higher Education, Hiroshima University, 2010

2010-01-01

Through being specially funded by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2008, the Research Institute for Higher Education (RIHE) in Hiroshima University has been able to implement a new research project on the reform of higher education in the knowledge-based society of the 21st century. Thus RIHE hosted the second International Workshop on…

Team Creative Environment as a Mediator Between CWX and R&D Team Performance and Moderating Boundary Conditions.

PubMed

Bornay-Barrachina, Mar; Herrero, Inés

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how high-quality dyadic co-worker relationships (CWXs) favour or hinder team performance. Specifically, we examine the role played by CWX, team creative environment, job complexity and task interdependence to achieve higher levels of team performance. We analyse data from 410 individuals belonging to 81 R&D teams in technology sciences to examine the quality of the dyadic relationships between team members under the same supervisor (co-workers) and team performance measured by the number of publications as their research output. Higher levels of team average CWX relationships are positively related to the establishment of a favourable creative team environment, ending into higher levels of team performance. Specifically, the role played by team average CWX in such relationship is stronger when job complexity and task interdependence are also high. Team's output not only depends on the leader and his/her relationships with subordinates but also on quality relationships among team members. CWXs contribute to creative team environments, but they are essential where jobs are complex and tasks are highly dependent. This study provides evidence of the important role played by CWXs in determining a creative environment, irrespective of their leaders. Previous research has provided information about how leader's role affects team outcomes, but the role of dyadic co-worker relationships in a team remains still relatively unknown. Considering job complexity and task interdependence variables, the study provides with a better understanding about how and when high-quality CWXs should be promoted to achieve higher team performance.

Fostering Teacher Educators' Professional Development in Research and in Supervising Student Teachers' Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geerdink, Gerda; Boei, Fer; Willemse, Martijn; Kools, Quinta; Van Vlokhoven, Haske

2016-01-01

Most teacher educators who work at institutes for higher vocational education have faced a new role since the European Community aimed to upgrade the general quality of education. Research tasks have been added as a new important core business for institutes that used to be mainly focused on education. Teacher educators therefore have to become…

Doctoral Supervision in Virtual Spaces: A Review of Research of Web-Based Tools to Develop Collaborative Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maor, Dorit; Ensor, Jason D.; Fraser, Barry J.

2016-01-01

Supervision of doctoral students needs to be improved to increase completion rates, reduce attrition rates (estimated to be at 25% or more) and improve quality of research. The current literature review aimed to explore the contribution that technology can make to higher degree research supervision. The articles selected included empirical studies…

The Contemporary Academic: Orientation towards Research Work and Researcher Identity of Higher Education Lecturers in the Health Professions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Pete; Smith, Caroline

2016-01-01

Internationally, the increasing emphasis in universities on the quality of teaching, on student employability and on a corporate approach to entrepreneurial income generation has created a tension around the primacy afforded to published research outputs as a focus for academic work and status. In this study, a framework for academic socialisation…

Development of Mathematics Learning Strategy Module, Based on Higher Order Thinking Skill (Hots) To Improve Mathematic Communication And Self Efficacy On Students Mathematics Department

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriani, Ade; Dewi, Izwita; Halomoan, Budi

2018-03-01

In general, this research is conducted to improve the quality of lectures on mathematics learning strategy in Mathematics Department. The specific objective of this research is to develop learning instrument of mathematics learning strategy based on Higher Order Thinking Skill (HOTS) that can be used to improve mathematical communication and self efficacy of mathematics education students. The type of research is development research (Research & Development), where this research aims to develop a new product or improve the product that has been made. This development research refers to the four-D Model, which consists of four stages: defining, designing, developing, and disseminating. The instrument of this research is the validation sheet and the student response sheet of the instrument.

Does Case-Study Methodology Lack Rigour? The Need for Quality Criteria for Sound Case-Study Research, as Illustrated by a Recent Case in Secondary and Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyburz-Graber, Regula

2004-01-01

There is a tendency to use case-study research methodology for research issues aiming at simply describing a complex situation, and to draw conclusions with insufficient rigour. Sound case-study research, however, follows discriminate rules which can be described in all the dimensions of a full case-study research process. This paper examines…

Teacher–student relationship at university: an important yet under-researched field

PubMed Central

Hagenauer, Gerda; Volet, Simone E.

2014-01-01

This article reviews the extant research on the relationship between students and teachers in higher education across three main areas: the quality of this relationship, its consequences and its antecedents. The weaknesses and gaps in prior research are highlighted and the importance of addressing the multi-dimensional and context-bound nature of teacher–student relationships is proposed. A possible agenda for future research is outlined. PMID:27226693

[A semimicroquality evaluation method on Panax notoginseng and its application in analysis of continuous cropping obstacles research samples].

PubMed

Cao, Yi; Wang, Chao-Qun; Xu, Feng; Jia, Xiu-Hong; Liu, Guang-Xue; Yang, Sheng-Chao; Long, Guang-Qiang; Chen, Zhong-Jian; Wei, Fu-Zhou; Yang, Shao-Zhou; Fukuda, Kozo; Wang, Xuan; Cai, Shao-Qing

2016-10-01

Panax notoginseng is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with blood activating effect while has continuous cropping obstacle problem in planting process. In present study, a semimicroextraction method with water-saturated n-butanol on 0.1 g notoginseng sample was established with good repeatability (RSD<2.5%) and 9.6%-20.6% higher extraction efficiency of seven saponins than the conventional method. A total of 16 characteristic peaks were identified by LC-MS-IT-TOF, including eight 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) type saponins and eight 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) type saponins. The established method was utilized to evaluate the quality of notoginseng samples cultivated by manual intervened methods to overcome continuous cropping obstacles.As a result, HPLC fingerprint similarity, content of Fa and ratio of notoginsenoside K and notoginsenoside Fa (N-K/Fa) were found out to be as valuatable markers of the quality of samples in continuous cropping obstacle research, of which N-K/Fa could also be applied to the analysis of notoginseng samples with different growth years.Notoginseng samples with continuous cropping obstacle had HPLC fingerprint similarity lower than 0.87, in consistent with normal sample, and had significant lower content of notoginsenoside Fa and significant higher N-K/Fa (2.35-4.74) than normal group (0.45-1.33). All samples in the first group with manual intervention showed high similarity with normal group (>0.87), similar content of common peaks and N-K/Fa (0.42-2.06). The content of notoginsenoside K in the second group with manual intervention was higher than normal group. All samples except two displayed similarity higher than 0.87 and possessed content of 16 saponins close to normal group. The result showed that notoginseng samples with continuous cropping obstacle had lower quality than normal sample. And manual intervened methods could improve their quality in different levels.The method established in this study was simple, fast and accurate, and the markers may provide new guides for quality control in continuous cropping obstacle research of notoginseng. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Comparison of de novo assembly statistics of Cucumis sativus L.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcieszek, Michał; Kuśmirek, Wiktor; Pawełkowicz, Magdalena; PlÄ der, Wojciech; Nowak, Robert M.

2017-08-01

Genome sequencing is the core of genomic research. With the development of NGS and lowering the cost of procedure there is another tight gap - genome assembly. Developing the proper tool for this task is essential as quality of genome has important impact on further research. Here we present comparison of several de Bruijn assemblers tested on C. sativus genomic reads. The assessment shows that newly developed software - dnaasm provides better results in terms of quantity and quality. The number of generated sequences is lower by 5 - 33% with even two fold higher N50. Quality check showed reliable results were generated by dnaasm. This provides us with very strong base for future genomic analysis.

The Globalisation Challenge for European Higher Education: Convergence and Diversity, Centres and Peripheries. Higher Education Research and Policy. Volume 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zgaga, Pavel, Ed.; Teichler, Ulrich, Ed.; Brennan, John, Ed.

2013-01-01

The last decade has marked the European higher education with a particular dynamics. Today, after a decade of a «concerted» policy, national systems look much more convergent but new questions and dilemmas are emerging: about its nature and quality, about real impact of recent reforms in different countries as well as about its future. The book…

India of Ideas: Mapping the Status of Higher Education in India and Mobilizing Discourse towards a Quest for Equity and Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuriakose, Francis; Iyer, Deepa Kylasam

2016-01-01

The problems, policies and debates on the quality and access of research cannot be decoupled from higher education in an educational system like that of India where the impact of primary, secondary and higher education is sequential. The article traces the idea of education from the early Greek and Indian philosophers, the university tradition of…

Nurse Reported Quality of Care: A Measure of Hospital Quality

PubMed Central

McHugh, Matthew D.; Stimpfel, Amy Witkoski

2013-01-01

As the primary providers of round-the-clock bedside care, nurses are well positioned to report on hospital quality of care. Researchers have not examined how nurses’ reports of quality correspond with standard process or outcomes measures of quality. We assess the validity of evaluating hospital quality by aggregating hospital nurses’ responses to a single item that asks them to report on quality of care. We found that a 10% increment in the proportion of nurses reporting excellent quality of care was associated with lower odds of mortality and failure to rescue; greater patient satisfaction; and higher composite process of care scores for acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, and surgical patients. Nurse reported quality of care is a useful indicator of hospital performance. PMID:22911102

The Couple that Prays Together: Race and Ethnicity, Religion, and Relationship Quality among Working-Age Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Christopher G.; Burdette, Amy M.; Wilcox, W. Bradford

2010-01-01

A substantial body of research has shown that relationship quality tends to be (a) lower among racial and ethnic minorities and (b) higher among more religious persons and among couples in which partners share common religious affiliations, practices, and beliefs. However, few studies have examined the interplay of race or ethnicity and religion…

A Comparison of SERVQUAL and I-P Analysis: Measuring and Improving Service Quality in Egyptian Private Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mostafa, Mohamed M.

2006-01-01

The overall purpose of this research is to further our understanding of how students perceive service quality in Egypt's private universities. The paper also tests the SERVQUAL dimensions in higher education within an Arab, non-Western context. A sample of 508 students from four private universities in Egypt participated in the study. Student…

The Changing Work Life of Academics: A Comparative Study of a Renowned and a Regional University in the Chinese Mainland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Manhong

2013-01-01

Expansion of higher education has been perceived as the major tool through which China can raise its international competitiveness. To raise educational quality, the Ministry of Education initiated a new employment reform and a Teaching Quality Assessment for Undergraduate Programs. In this research, we employed a qualitative method to investigate…

What Matters Most: An Exploratory Multivariate Study of Satisfaction among First Year Hotel/Hospitality Management Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Driscoll, Finian

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study presents institutional research and aims to explore the underlying factors that contribute to hospitality management students' satisfaction and perceptions of service quality at a higher education college in Ireland. Research focusing on hospitality and leisure management education argues for greater cognisance of the relevance…

Quality of Relationships and Romantic Jealousy: Effects of Adult Attachment and Depression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radecki-Bush, Catherine; Bush, Joseph P.

Individual differences in adult attachment have been the focus of recent research on personal relationships. Research has indicated that those with insecure attachment histories were more threatened by a partner's attraction to a rival than were persons reporting secure parental attachment. Higher levels of dispositional jealousy have also been…

An ethnographic exploration of influences on prescribing in general practice: why is there variation in prescribing practices?

PubMed

Grant, Aileen; Sullivan, Frank; Dowell, Jon

2013-06-21

Prescribing is a core activity for general practitioners, yet significant variation in the quality of prescribing has been reported. This suggests there may be room for improvement in the application of the current best research evidence. There has been substantial investment in technologies and interventions to address this issue, but effect sizes so far have been small to moderate. This suggests that prescribing is a decision-making process that is not sufficiently understood. By understanding more about prescribing processes and the implementation of research evidence, variation may more easily be understood and more effective interventions proposed. An ethnographic study in three Scottish general practices with diverse organizational characteristics. Practices were ranked by their performance against Audit Scotland prescribing quality indicators, incorporating established best research evidence. Two practices of high prescribing quality and one practice of low prescribing quality were recruited. Participant observation, formal and informal interviews, and a review of practice documentation were employed. Practices ranked as high prescribing quality consistently made and applied macro and micro prescribing decisions, whereas the low-ranking practice only made micro prescribing decisions. Macro prescribing decisions were collective, policy decisions made considering research evidence in light of the average patient, one disease, condition, or drug. Micro prescribing decisions were made in consultation with the patient considering their views, preferences, circumstances and other conditions (if necessary).Although micro prescribing can operate independently, the implementation of evidence-based, quality prescribing was attributable to an interdependent relationship. Macro prescribing policy enabled prescribing decisions to be based on scientific evidence and applied consistently where possible. Ultimately, this influenced prescribing decisions that occur at the micro level in consultation with patients. General practitioners in the higher prescribing quality practices made two different 'types' of prescribing decision; macro and micro. Macro prescribing informs micro prescribing and without a macro basis to draw upon the low-ranked practice had no effective mechanism to engage with, reflect on and implement relevant evidence. Practices that recognize these two levels of decision making about prescribing are more likely to be able to implement higher quality evidence.

An ethnographic exploration of influences on prescribing in general practice: why is there variation in prescribing practices?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Prescribing is a core activity for general practitioners, yet significant variation in the quality of prescribing has been reported. This suggests there may be room for improvement in the application of the current best research evidence. There has been substantial investment in technologies and interventions to address this issue, but effect sizes so far have been small to moderate. This suggests that prescribing is a decision-making process that is not sufficiently understood. By understanding more about prescribing processes and the implementation of research evidence, variation may more easily be understood and more effective interventions proposed. Methods An ethnographic study in three Scottish general practices with diverse organizational characteristics. Practices were ranked by their performance against Audit Scotland prescribing quality indicators, incorporating established best research evidence. Two practices of high prescribing quality and one practice of low prescribing quality were recruited. Participant observation, formal and informal interviews, and a review of practice documentation were employed. Results Practices ranked as high prescribing quality consistently made and applied macro and micro prescribing decisions, whereas the low-ranking practice only made micro prescribing decisions. Macro prescribing decisions were collective, policy decisions made considering research evidence in light of the average patient, one disease, condition, or drug. Micro prescribing decisions were made in consultation with the patient considering their views, preferences, circumstances and other conditions (if necessary). Although micro prescribing can operate independently, the implementation of evidence-based, quality prescribing was attributable to an interdependent relationship. Macro prescribing policy enabled prescribing decisions to be based on scientific evidence and applied consistently where possible. Ultimately, this influenced prescribing decisions that occur at the micro level in consultation with patients. Conclusion General practitioners in the higher prescribing quality practices made two different ‘types’ of prescribing decision; macro and micro. Macro prescribing informs micro prescribing and without a macro basis to draw upon the low-ranked practice had no effective mechanism to engage with, reflect on and implement relevant evidence. Practices that recognize these two levels of decision making about prescribing are more likely to be able to implement higher quality evidence. PMID:23799906

Rank and File: Managing Individual Performance in University Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nedeva, Maria; Boden, Rebecca; Nugroho, Yanuar

2012-01-01

League tables are a common way for various competitive sports to judge team quality and identify winners and are also making increasingly frequent appearances in higher education globally. In this paper, we argue that this compilation of league tables is a product of the global hegemony of market-driven systems of higher education in which…

Leadership for Education in India: The Dean's Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Abhinav; Purohit, Bharathi

2011-01-01

Due to privatization of higher education in India, there has been an emergence of sub-standard schools throughout the country. The higher education system in teaching institutes lacks incentives to perform; there is no reward for the meritorious and no way to ease out the non-performers. The quality of teaching and research cannot be evaluated…

Management Development of Internal Evaluation in the Islamic Republic of Iran (Case Study)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keshavarz, Mohsen

2011-01-01

During the last two decades, many higher education systems in the world have attempted to evaluate and improve the quality of education, research and services at the university and higher education level. Countries which have been successful in these attempts have initiated continuous evaluation and applied internal evaluation as a basis for…

Considering the Role of Tutoring in Student Engagement: Reflections from a South African University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faroa, Brendon Duran

2017-01-01

Student engagement has been defined as the extent to which students are engaged in activities that higher education research has shown to be linked with high-quality learning outcomes. The ubiquitous influence of the term "student engagement" has been felt throughout the higher education landscape. This is especially true for South…

Assessment Moderation in an Australian Context: Processes, Practices, and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beutel, Denise; Adie, Lenore; Lloyd, Margaret

2017-01-01

Moderation is a quality assurance process that plays a central role in the teaching, learning, and assessment cycle in higher education. While there is a growing body of research globally on teaching, learning, and, to a lesser degree, assessment in higher education, the process of moderation of assessment has received even less attention. In a…

Using Multidimensional Methods to Understand the Development, Interpretation and Enactment of Quality Assurance Policy within the Educational Development Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Karen

2018-01-01

Policy texts are representations of practice that both reflect and shape the world around them. There is, however, little higher education research that critically analyses the impact of higher education policy on educational developers and educational development practice. Extending methods from critical discourse analysis by combining textual…

Critical Thinking among Post-Graduate Diploma in Education Students in Higher Education: Reality or Fuss?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moeti, Bakadzi; Mgawi, Rabson Killion; Moalosi, Waitshega Tefo Smitta

2017-01-01

Critical thinking is recognised as an influential attribute to achieve quality learning and teaching in higher education institutions world over. This interpretive research study explored the critical thinking among PGDE students at the University of Botswana. The aim of the study was to identify factors contributing to the application of critical…

Disrupting College: How Disruptive Innovation Can Deliver Quality and Affordability to Postsecondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christensen, Clayton M.; Horn, Michael B.; Caldera, Louis; Soares, Louis

2011-01-01

This report has not sought to study higher education to reach conclusions about higher education. Rather, it has been to treat the industry's challenges, at their core, as problems of managing innovation effectively. The authors therefore examine the industry through the lenses of the theories that have emerged from research on innovation. Higher…

From "Brain Drain" to "Brain Bridging": Transnational Higher Education Development and Graduate Employment in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mok, Ka Ho; Han, Xiao

2016-01-01

In the past few decades, the internationalisation of higher education has become an increasingly popular trend across different parts of the globe. The fierce global competition and the aggravating unemployment rate, coupled with low teaching and research quality revealed by universities in mainland China, have inevitably compelled a growing…

Quality Assurance in an International Higher Education Area: A Summary of a Case-Study Approach and Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernhard, Andrea

2012-01-01

Transparency and comparability of higher education institutions especially in terms of their academic programmes and research activities are important issues for today's working environment. This paper is an overview of a recently completed PhD thesis which outlines examples of selected Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development…

The Policy Object: A Different Perspective on Policy Enactment in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sin, Cristina

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a new perspective for higher education policy research. It introduces the concept of "policy object" to designate the discrete preoccupation(s) of a policy text (e.g. a new governance regime, a quality system, or new degrees) and suggests that actor conceptualisations of the policy object intersect with other elements…

Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: A Comparative Review of Selected Practices. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 15

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nusche, Deborah

2008-01-01

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have experienced increasing pressures to provide accountability data and consumer information on the quality of teaching and learning. Existing ratings and rankings of HEIs tend to neglect information on student learning outcomes. Instead, they focus on inputs, activities and research outputs, such as resources…

Expanding Undergraduate Education to Meet National Goals: The Role of Research Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherson, Peter; Shulenburger, David

2010-01-01

President Obama's higher education goal is to provide "every American with a quality higher education--whether it's college or technical training." The work must begin now, despite the current economic downturn, since Americans believe that doing so is critical to the future competitiveness of their nation. In this article, the authors describe…

W(h)ither Binary? A Seminar on the Organisation of Higher Education for the 21st Century. Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Edwin, Ed.; And Others

Replacement of Australia's binary system, which separates the roles of colleges and universities, is discussed in this seminar report. In addition to seven seminar papers, information is provided on the Australian higher education system, including access, the curriculum, research, fiscal accountability, and program relevance and quality. In the…

Leadership styles in secondary school science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Michael A.

A comparison of United States secondary school science teachers who mentor high quality student research and teachers who do not mentor research was conducted using a demographic survey and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X. The major demographic difference between the two groups was a significantly greater number of years of teaching experience in the research group, a factor that correlated significantly with Extra Effort in students. Research group teachers self-reported higher mean scores than non-research group teachers on the five transformational leadership scales plus the transactional scale of Contingent Reward; however, a Multivariate Analysis of Variance found no significant difference between the groups. Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the groups based upon the remaining transactional scales. The research group was found to be significantly higher on the outcome variable of Extra Effort generated by students while the non-research group rated themselves significantly higher on Satisfaction of students. Transformational leadership in teachers should be addressed by future studies as a possible method of identifying motivational teachers.

Autism spectrum disorder traits in typically developing emerging adults and associated parenting: A person-centered approach.

PubMed

McKinney, Cliff; Gadke, Daniel L; Malkin, Mallory L

2018-02-15

Research on parenting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicates these children receive parenting tailored to their condition. However, little is known about ASD in adulthood, especially in emerging adults at college, and how they are parented. The current study examined how emerging adults in a non-clinical typically-developing sample differed in their current perceptions of parenting as a function of ASD traits. Participants completed questionnaires about their current perceptions of parenting and self-reported ASD traits. Parenting characteristics assessed included parenting style, discipline, parent-child relationship quality, and parental distress. Results indicated that higher levels of self-reported ASD traits were associated with increasingly ineffective parenting characteristics including lower authoritative style, harsher discipline, poorer parent-child relationship quality (e.g., lower involvement), and higher parental distress. Researchers are encouraged to extend ASD research into adulthood by validating diagnostic methods with adults and investigating processes in adulthood that have been well-established in the childhood ASD literature.

Predictive validity evidence for medical education research study quality instrument scores: quality of submissions to JGIM's Medical Education Special Issue.

PubMed

Reed, Darcy A; Beckman, Thomas J; Wright, Scott M; Levine, Rachel B; Kern, David E; Cook, David A

2008-07-01

Deficiencies in medical education research quality are widely acknowledged. Content, internal structure, and criterion validity evidence support the use of the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to measure education research quality, but predictive validity evidence has not been explored. To describe the quality of manuscripts submitted to the 2008 Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) medical education issue and determine whether MERSQI scores predict editorial decisions. Cross-sectional study of original, quantitative research studies submitted for publication. Study quality measured by MERSQI scores (possible range 5-18). Of 131 submitted manuscripts, 100 met inclusion criteria. The mean (SD) total MERSQI score was 9.6 (2.6), range 5-15.5. Most studies used single-group cross-sectional (54%) or pre-post designs (32%), were conducted at one institution (78%), and reported satisfaction or opinion outcomes (56%). Few (36%) reported validity evidence for evaluation instruments. A one-point increase in MERSQI score was associated with editorial decisions to send manuscripts for peer review versus reject without review (OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.07-1.61, p = 0.009) and to invite revisions after review versus reject after review (OR 1.29, 95%CI 1.05-1.58, p = 0.02). MERSQI scores predicted final acceptance versus rejection (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.10-1.58, p = 0.003). The mean total MERSQI score of accepted manuscripts was significantly higher than rejected manuscripts (10.7 [2.5] versus 9.0 [2.4], p = 0.003). MERSQI scores predicted editorial decisions and identified areas of methodological strengths and weaknesses in submitted manuscripts. Researchers, reviewers, and editors might use this instrument as a measure of methodological quality.

Is There a Trade-off Between Quality and Profitability in United States Nursing Homes?

PubMed

Godby, Tyler; Saldanha, Sarah; Valle, Jazmine; Paul, David P; Coustasse, Alberto

Nursing home residents across the United States rely on quality care and effective services. Nursing homes provide skilled nurses and nursing aides who can provide services 24 hours a day for individuals who could not perform these tasks for themselves. Not-for-profit (NFP) versus for-profit (FP) nursing homes have been examined for utilization and efficacy; however, it has been shown that NFP nursing homes generally offer higher quality care and generate greater profit margins compared with FP nursing homes. The purpose of this research was to determine if NFP nursing homes provide enhanced quality care and a larger profit margin compared with FP nursing homes. Benefits and barriers in regard to financial stability and quality of care exist for both FP and NFP homes. Based on the findings of this review, it is suggested that NFP nursing homes have achieved higher quality of care because of a more effective balance of business aspects, as well as prioritizing resident well-being, and care quality over profit maximization in NFP homes.

Protected Resident Research Time Does Not Increase the Quantity or Quality of Residency Program Research Publications: A Comparison of 3 Orthopedic Residencies.

PubMed

Krueger, Chad A; Hoffman, Jeffery D; Balazs, George C; Johnson, Anthony E; Potter, Benjamin K; Belmont, Philip J

The effect of dedicated resident research time in terms of residency program research productivity remains largely unknown. We hypothesize that the quantity and quality of a residency program's peer-reviewed publications (PRPs) increase proportionately with the amount of dedicated research time given to residents. Three residency programs (P1, P2, and P3) were examined. P1 has a mandatory research year for all residents between postgraduate years 3 and 4. P2 has an elective research year for 1 resident between postgraduate years 2 and 3. P3 has no dedicated research time for residents. All publications produced by residents and staff at each program from January 2007 through December were recorded from PUBMED. SCImago Journal Rankings were used as a proxy to measure research quality. There was no significant difference in the number of publications produced between the institutions on a per-staff (p = 0.27) and per-resident (p = 0.80) basis. There were no residents at P3 who graduated without at least 1 PRP, whereas there were 7 residents from P1 and 8 residents from P2 who graduated without a PRP. There were no significant differences between programs in terms of the SCImago Journal Ranking for the journals containing their publications (p = 0.135). Residency programs with dedicated research time did not produce significantly (p > 0.05) more, or higher quality, PRPs than residencies without dedicated research time. It may be that the quantity and quality of PRPs is related more to faculty engagement, research interest, and mentorship at individual programs rather than the number of residents given dedicated time to complete research. Level 3. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Chemical Remediation of an Ordnance-Related Compound: The Alkaline Hydrolysis of CL-20. Environmental Quality Technology Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

a higher crystal density, a higher heat of formation, and a better oxidizer- to-fuel ratio than conventional nitramines used in propellants. The...resembles two RDX rings joined at several carbon atoms (Larson et al. 2001). CL-20 is a polycyclic nitramine with a higher crystal density, a higher...Heilmann et al. 1996). Research performed on RDX indicates that its degradation in alkaline media was initiated by a single denitration step, which

Facial appearance affects science communication.

PubMed

Gheorghiu, Ana I; Callan, Mitchell J; Skylark, William J

2017-06-06

First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist's work, and those that create the impression of a "good scientist" who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with "interesting-looking" scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like "good scientists." Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society.

Bioactive Compounds and Fruit Quality of Green Sweet Pepper Grown under Different Colored Shade Netting during Postharvest Storage.

PubMed

Mashabela, Madonna N; Selahle, Kamogelo M; Soundy, Puffy; Crosby, Kevin M; Sivakumar, Dharini

2015-11-01

In this study, influence of 3 types of photo-selective nets (pearl, red and yellow) and a standard black net on marketable yield, fruit quality and bioactive compounds after postharvest storage was investigated. Percentage marketable fruits were higher in green sweet peppers produced under the pearl nets. Fruits produced under the pearl nets showed higher fruit mass, firmness, chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant scavenging activity after postharvest storage. Red/far red photon ratio under the pearl net could have improved the ascorbic acid content and the antioxidant scavenging activity in green peppers. Green sweet peppers grown under the pearl nets had higher hue values and maintained green color longer. Our results showed the impact of modified light quality on the bioactive compounds of green sweet pepper during postharvest storage. Green sweet peppers are rich in phytochemicals. Marketability of green sweet peppers is affected partially due to ripening after postharvest storage and decay. Maintenance of green color, fruit mass, firmness, and nutritional composition are important parameters that attract consumers. This research shows the influence of light quality during production on the fruit quality parameters and bioactive compounds after postharvest storage. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Semen Quality of Post-Thawed Local Ram’s in Tris-Egg Yolk Extender with Different Glutathione Level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solihati, N.; Rasad, S. D.; Setiawan, R.; Foziah, E. N.; Wigiyanti, E. T.

2018-02-01

The aims of this research were to find out the effect of glutathione level on semen quality of local ram and to find out the glutathione level that provide the best quality of local ram semen. This research use Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments of glutathione level (0 mM, 4 mM, 5 mM, 6 mM and 7mM) and was repeated for 10 times. Data were analyzed using analysis of varians (ANOVA) and differences between treatment was analyzed using Duncan test. The parameter were semen quality consist of motility, intact plasma membrane (IPM), abnormality, and recovery rate. Result of this research showed that glutathione level significantly (p<0.05) affect on motility, IPM, abnormality and recovery rate. Duncan test result showed that recovery rate from treatment of 5 mM glutathione level have significantly higher than other treatment, whereas for motility, IPM and abnormality were not significant different with 4 mM, and 6 mM. It is concluded that semen quality of local ram was affected by glutathione level, and the level of 5 mM in egg yolk tris extender provide the best quality of local ram semen.

Association of journal quality indicators with methodological quality of clinical research articles.

PubMed

Lee, Kirby P; Schotland, Marieka; Bacchetti, Peter; Bero, Lisa A

2002-06-05

The ability to identify scientific journals that publish high-quality research would help clinicians, scientists, and health-policy analysts to select the most up-to-date medical literature to review. To assess whether journal characteristics of (1) peer-review status, (2) citation rate, (3) impact factor, (4) circulation, (5) manuscript acceptance rate, (6) MEDLINE indexing, and (7) Brandon/Hill Library List indexing are predictors of methodological quality of research articles, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 243 original research articles involving human subjects published in general internal medical journals. The mean (SD) quality score of the 243 articles was 1.37 (0.22). All journals reported a peer-review process and were indexed on MEDLINE. In models that controlled for article type (randomized controlled trial [RCT] or non-RCT), journal citation rate was the most statistically significant predictor (0.051 increase per doubling; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.037-0.065; P<.001). In separate analyses by article type, acceptance rate was the strongest predictor for RCT quality (-0.113 per doubling; 95% CI, -0.148 to -0.078; P<.001), while journal citation rate was the most predictive factor for non-RCT quality (0.051 per doubling; 95% CI, 0.044-0.059; P<.001). High citation rates, impact factors, and circulation rates, and low manuscript acceptance rates and indexing on Brandon/Hill Library List appear to be predictive of higher methodological quality scores for journal articles.

The relationship of maternal work characteristics to childcare type and quality in rural communities

PubMed Central

De Marco, Allison; Crouter, Ann C.; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2010-01-01

Drawing on data from the Family Life Project collected in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, this paper examines the relationship between maternal work characteristics and childcare type and quality in rural communities. Research is limited on the childcare experiences of rural families. Rural areas have less access to formal childcare and families often commute long distances for work, restricting childcare options. Employed mothers using childcare were selected (n = 441). Logistic and OLS regression was used to examine which characteristics, including workplace support, objective occupational measures, hours, wage, and shift, predicted care type and quality. Results indicated that most families were using informal care. Those with more hazardous work conditions and working night shifts were less likely to use centers. Higher quality care was related to more workplace support, center use, and higher wages. Implications for social policy and practice are discussed. PMID:20664710

Thinking Styles and Quality of University Life Among Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Hearing Students.

PubMed

Cheng, Sanyin; Zhang, Li-Fang

2017-01-01

The authors explored how thinking styles relate to quality of university life among deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and hearing university students in mainland China. The first of two studies affirmed the validity and reliability of a modified version of the Quality of University Life Measure (QULM; Sirgy, Grezskowiak, & Rahtz, 2007) among 833 university students (366 DHH, 467 hearing). The second investigated relationships between thinking styles and quality of university life; the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised II (Sternberg, Wagner, & Zhang, 2007) and modified QULM were administered to 542 students (256 DHH, 286 hearing). Students scoring higher on Type I styles (i.e., more creativity-generating, less structured, cognitively more complex) tended toward greater satisfaction with university life; those scoring higher on Type II (i.e., more norm-favoring, more structured, cognitively more simplistic) tended toward less satisfaction. Contributions, limitations, and implications of the research are discussed.

Relational-interdependent self-construal as a predictor of relationship quality: the mediating roles of one's own behaviors and perceptions of the fulfillment of friendship functions.

PubMed

Morry, Marian M; Kito, Mie

2009-06-01

Relational-interdependent self-construal (RISC) is the tendency to think of oneself in terms of relationships with close others, and it influences relationship cognitions (e.g., closeness, commitment, perceived similarity). The authors expected individuals high in RISC to report more relationship supportive behaviors (RSB; e.g., higher levels of trust, more intimate disclosures), experience greater fulfillment of friendship functions (FrFu; e.g., help, emotional security, stimulating companionship), and report higher relationship quality than individuals low in RISC. The authors also hypothesized that RSB would mediate the RISC-friendship function and the RISC-relationship quality relations and that FrFu would mediate the relation between RSB and relationship quality. Structural equation modeling supported the authors' hypotheses. These effects did not differ across friendship type (same or cross sex). The authors discuss the importance of self-construal for relationship research.

Counter-Discourses and Alternative Knowledge: Rural Chinese Female Students Accommodating and Resisting the Discourse of Quality ("Suzhi") at Higher Education Institutions in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lifang

2016-01-01

This article, based on a qualitative research study with 66 rural female students attending five public universities and one public college in China, examines how these students negotiated the dominant discourse of quality (suzhi), which represents them as lacking in capacity and knowledge. Since the 1980s when China started implementing its…

Defining a Quality Education. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the North East Association for Institutional Research (19th, Washington, D.C., November 14-17, 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Jane, Ed.

This publication contains 25 papers from a conference on defining quality higher education. Opening sections cover the conference program and members of the conference's steering committee. A representative sampling of papers includes the following: "The College Student Experiences Questionnaire: A Follow-Up Study of Academic and Social…

Total Quality Management: Statistics and Graphics III - Experimental Design and Taguchi Methods. AIR 1993 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwabe, Robert A.

Interest in Total Quality Management (TQM) at institutions of higher education has been stressed in recent years as an important area of activity for institutional researchers. Two previous AIR Forum papers have presented some of the statistical and graphical methods used for TQM. This paper, the third in the series, first discusses some of the…

Synchronous Discussion between Assessors and Assessees in Web-Based Peer Assessment: Impact on Writing Performance, Feedback Quality, Meta-Cognitive Awareness and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Lanqin; Cui, Panpan; Li, Xin; Huang, Ronghuai

2018-01-01

Research on peer assessment in higher education has been conducted for decades. However, ways to improve the quality of peer feedback and optimise student' benefits through peer assessment remain a puzzle. The present study aimed to examine the impacts of synchronous discussion between assessors and assessees on writing performance, qualitative…

The Full Circle: Building a Coherent Teacher Preparation System. The Report of the NASBE Study Group on Coordination and Accountability in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Boards of Education, Alexandria, VA.

Research shows that teacher quality may be one of the most significant factors in student achievement. This report includes five chapters that focus on: (1) "Introduction and Executive Summary"; (2) "Coordinating K-12 and Higher Education to Support High-Quality Teacher Preparation" (e.g., coordinating teacher candidate experience in K-12 and…

A Situative Metaphor for Teacher Learning: The Case of University Tutors Learning to Grade Student Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Pete; Bloxham, Sue

2014-01-01

In the continuing concern about academic standards in the higher education sector a great deal of emphasis has been placed on quality assurance procedures rather than on considering how university tutors learn to grade the quality of work produced by students. As part of a larger research project focused on how tutors grade student coursework,…

Impact of Job Status and Demographic Trends on Quality Education: A Case Study of Private Universities in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Riasat; Khan, Abdul Majeed; Qadeer, Muhammad Zaigham; Shahzad, Saqib

2009-01-01

The major purpose of this paper was to examine the quality of various aspects of higher education in the private sector of Pakistan by adopting a descriptive method of research. The population of the study constituted 270 administrators, 6,180 teachers and 61,108 students in existing 54 private universities and degree-awarding institutions of…

Perception and predictors of quality of life among HIV patients attending art clinics in northwest Ethiopia: a prospective longitudinal study.

PubMed

Wubshet, Mamo; Berhane, Yemane; Worku, Alemayehu; Kebede, Yigzaw

2014-07-01

In treating HIV as a chronic disease, monitoring changes of quality of life of patient's overtime is important for clinicians and policy makers. However, to our knowledge little research attention has been directed towards examining the longitudinal change of quality of life overtime in sub-Saharan Africa. To examine longitudinal changes in quality of life among patients initiated ART METHOD: A prospective longitudinal follow-up study was conducted from December 2009 to August 2011 to evaluate the changes in quality of life and how this relates with baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics among consecutive adult ART naïve patients attending ART clinic. Quality of life was measured by WHOQOL-HIV BREF. All quality of life domain scores improved significantly during 12 month follow-up in the ART program. At each follow-up visit, scores were significantly higher than baseline scores (p < 0.001). Predictors of improved quality of life were male gender, disclosure of HIV status, starting ART at higher CD4, > 200 cells/μL, and good baseline overall quality of life, whereas predictors of poor quality of life were starting ART with advanced disease stage and tuberculosis co-infection. This study demonstrated that the quality of life improved overtime for HIV-infected individuals receiving ART which is consistent with previous studies. It also provided information regarding the predictive effects of baseline socio-demographic and clinical factors on the changes in quality of life at the 12-month follow-up time. The finding of the study has implications of starting ART at a higher CD4 and early stage of the disease for better quality of life outcomes.

Does Medical Malpractice Law Improve Health Care Quality?

PubMed

Frakes, Michael; Jena, Anupam B

2016-11-01

We assess the potential for medical liability forces to deter medical errors and improve health care treatment quality, identifying liability's influence by drawing on variations in the manner by which states formulate the negligence standard facing physicians. Using hospital discharge records from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and clinically-validated quality metrics inspired by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, we find evidence suggesting that treatment quality may improve upon reforms that expect physicians to adhere to higher quality clinical standards. We do not find evidence, however, suggesting that treatment quality may deteriorate following reforms to liability standards that arguably condone the delivery of lower quality care. Similarly, we do not find evidence of deterioration in health care quality following remedy-focused liability reforms such as caps on non-economic damages awards.

Subjective matters: from image quality to image psychology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedorovskaya, Elena A.; De Ridder, Huib

2013-03-01

From the advent of digital imaging through several decades of studies, the human vision research community systematically focused on perceived image quality and digital artifacts due to resolution, compression, gamma, dynamic range, capture and reproduction noise, blur, etc., to help overcome existing technological challenges and shortcomings. Technological advances made digital images and digital multimedia nearly flawless in quality, and ubiquitous and pervasive in usage, provide us with the exciting but at the same time demanding possibility to turn to the domain of human experience including higher psychological functions, such as cognition, emotion, awareness, social interaction, consciousness and Self. In this paper we will outline the evolution of human centered multidisciplinary studies related to imaging and propose steps and potential foci of future research.

Meat and nutritional quality comparison of purebred and crossbred pigs.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Chai, Jie; Luo, Zonggang; He, Hang; Chen, Lei; Liu, Xueqin; Zhou, Qinfei

2018-01-01

Crossbreeding is an effective method of improving the efficiency and profit of production in commercial pig operations. To understand the effect of crossbreeding on meat and nutrient quality, a combination including three purebred (Duroc, D; Landrace, L; Yorkshire, Y) and two crossbred pig lines (Landrace × Yorkshire, LY; Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), DLY) frequently used internationally were studied. The results showed that meat from the LY and DLY crosses had lower values for lightness L24h∗, shear force and epinephrine and higher values for drip loss, C18:1, insulin, glucagon and monounsaturated fatty acids than D, L and Y pigs. Moreover, LY had higher values for post mortem pH and lower values for a* and b* than the purebreds. In contrast, DLY had lower values for pH and higher values for a* and b* than the purebreds. Meat quality-related gene analysis showed that the CAST, IGF2 and MC4R gene expression levels in the LY and DLY pigs were significantly higher than those in the D, L and Y pigs. These results indicate that crossbreeding can alter the meat quality, nutritive value, energy metabolism and gene expression of pigs. Future research should focus on microRNA expression and DNA methylation that regulate gene expression and thus affect the meat quality. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Transmission, Transformation and Ritual: An Investigation of Students' and Researchers' Digitally Mediated Communications and Collaborative Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmis, Sue; Joubert, Marie; Manuel, Anne; Barnes, Sally

2010-01-01

This article explores the use of multiple digital tools for mediating communications, drawing on two recent empirical studies in which students and researchers in UK higher education worked on collaborative activities: how different tools were used and the quality of the communications and their contributions to collaborative working and knowledge…

Student Satisfaction and Student Perceptions of Quality at International Branch Campuses in the United Arab Emirates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkins, Stephen; Balakrishnan, Melodena Stephens; Huisman, Jeroen

2012-01-01

The international branch campus has emerged as a popular form of transnational higher education but to date little research has been undertaken on student perceptions and experiences, other than the student feedback evaluations conducted by institutions. This research employed a survey questionnaire to investigate student perceptions of study at…

Using a Design-Based Research Study to Identify Principles for Training Instructors to Teach Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shattuck, Julie; Anderson, Terry

2013-01-01

Within the overall framework of design-based research, this paper reports on a study that focused on evaluating an online training course for online instructors. This intervention was designed as a possible solution to the problem facing some higher education institutions of how to provide quality, accessible training for mostly part-time…

Utilising Benchmarking to Inform Decision-Making at the Institutional Level: A Research-Informed Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Sara

2013-01-01

Benchmarking has traditionally been viewed as a way to compare data only; however, its utilisation as a more investigative, research-informed process to add rigor to decision-making processes at the institutional level is gaining momentum in the higher education sector. Indeed, with recent changes in the Australian quality environment from the…

Identifying Personal and Contextual Factors that Contribute to Attrition Rates for Texas Public School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sass, Daniel A.; Flores, Belinda Bustos; Claeys, Lorena; Perez, Bertha

2012-01-01

Teacher attrition is a significant problem facing schools, with a large percentage of teachers leaving the profession within their first few years. Given the need to retain high-quality teachers, research is needed to identify those teachers with higher retention rates. Using survival analyses and a large state dataset, researchers examined…

An In-Depth Analysis of Learning Goals in Higher Education: Evidence from the Programming Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Belle Selene

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown that, despite the importance of programming education, there is limited research done on programming education experiences from the students' point of view and the need to do so is strong. By understanding the student behaviour, their learning styles, their expectation and motivation to learn, the quality of teaching…

What Helps and Hinders Indigenous Student Success in Higher Education Health Programmes: A Qualitative Study Using the Critical Incident Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Elana; Wikaire, Erena; Kool, Bridget; Honey, Michelle; Kelly, Fiona; Poole, Phillippa; Barrow, Mark; Airini; Ewen, Shaun; Reid, Papaarangi

2015-01-01

Tertiary institutions aim to provide high quality teaching and learning that meet the academic needs for an increasingly diverse student body including indigenous students. "Tatou Tatou" is a qualitative research project utilising Kaupapa "Maori" research methodology and the Critical Incident Technique interview method to…

Assessing Critical Thinking in Higher Education: Current State and Directions for Next-Generation Assessment. Research Report. ETS RR-14-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ou Lydia; Frankel, Lois; Roohr, Katrina Crotts

2014-01-01

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills deemed necessary for college graduates to become effective contributors in the global workforce. The first part of this article provides a comprehensive review of its definitions by major frameworks in higher education and the workforce, existing assessments and their psychometric qualities,…

An Exploration of the Characteristics of Public Relations in Regards to Face-to-Face versus Distance Learning in Two Private Liberal Arts Higher Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winslow, Cessna Catherine Smith

2014-01-01

This study explored perceptions of Public Relations (PR) among graduate higher education publics regarding distance learning as contrasted with face-to-face learning contexts. The research questions assessed student, faculty and administrator perceptions of characteristics of PR: trust, communication, quality, respect and rigor. Participants…

Approaches to Studying and Academic Performance in Short Essay Exams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minbashian, Amirali; Huon, Gail F.; Bird, Kevin D.

2004-01-01

Previous research has generally failed to find a relation between the way students approach the task of studying and their exam grades. The present study investigated why it is that a deep approach to studying, which has been shown to result in a higher quality of learning, does not consistently result in higher exam grades. The participants in…

Virtual Mobility as an Inclusion Strategy in Higher Education: Research on Distance Education Master Degrees in Europe, Latin America and Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Corbella, Marta; Álvarez-González, Beatriz

2014-01-01

Mobility of higher education students is one of the main indicators of competitiveness among universities, and a key aspect for quality in education. Colleges with virtual and distance methodologies include student mobility programmes. Within this context, the Active Projects (Erasmus MUNDUS Programme, EC: Net-Active and Active-Asia) compare and…

Impact of Fathers on Parental Monitoring of Daughters and Their Affiliation with Sexually Promiscuous Peers: A Genetically and Environmentally Controlled Sibling Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DelPriore, Danielle J.; Schlomer, Gabriel L.; Ellis, Bruce J.

2017-01-01

Girls who receive higher quality fathering engage in less risky sexual behavior (RSB) than their peers. Previous research identifies higher levels of parental monitoring/knowledge and reduced affiliation with deviant peers as potential mediators of this observed fathering effect. Although paternal investment theory posits a causal effect of…

Plan-provider integration, premiums, and quality in the Medicare Advantage market.

PubMed

Frakt, Austin B; Pizer, Steven D; Feldman, Roger

2013-12-01

To investigate how integration between Medicare Advantage plans and health care providers is related to plan premiums and quality ratings. We used public data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Area Resource File and private data from one large insurer. Premiums and quality ratings are from 2009 CMS administrative files and some control variables are historical. We estimated ordinary least-squares models for premiums and plan quality ratings, with state fixed effects and firm random effects. The key independent variable was an indicator of plan-provider integration. With the exception of Medigap premium data, all data were publicly available. We ascertained plan-provider integration through examination of plans' websites and governance documents. We found that integrated plan-providers charge higher premiums, controlling for quality. Such plans also have higher quality ratings. We found no evidence that integration is associated with more generous benefits. Current policy encourages plan-provider integration, although potential effects on health insurance products and markets are uncertain. Policy makers and regulators may want to closely monitor changes in premiums and quality after integration and consider whether quality improvement (if any) justifies premium increases (if they occur). © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Exploring the impact of skin tone on family dynamics and race-related outcomes.

PubMed

Landor, Antoinette M; Simons, Leslie Gordon; Simons, Ronald L; Brody, Gene H; Bryant, Chalandra M; Gibbons, Frederick X; Granberg, Ellen M; Melby, Janet N

2013-10-01

Racism has historically been a primary source of discrimination against African Americans, but there has been little research on the role that skin tone plays in explaining experiences with racism. Similarly, colorism within African American families and the ways in which skin tone influences family processes is an understudied area of research. Using data from a longitudinal sample of African American families (n = 767), we assessed whether skin tone impacted experiences with discrimination or was related to differences in quality of parenting and racial socialization within families. Findings indicated no link between skin tone and racial discrimination, which suggests that lightness or darkness of skin does not either protect African Americans from or exacerbate the experiences of discrimination. On the other hand, families displayed preferential treatment toward offspring based on skin tone, and these differences varied by gender of child. Specifically, darker skin sons received higher quality parenting and more racial socialization promoting mistrust compared to their counterparts with lighter skin. Lighter skin daughters received higher quality parenting compared with those with darker skin. In addition, gender of child moderated the association between primary caregiver skin tone and racial socialization promoting mistrust. These results suggest that colorism remains a salient issue within African American families. Implications for future research, prevention, and intervention are discussed.

Exploring the Impact of Skin Tone on Family Dynamics and Race-Related Outcomes

PubMed Central

Simons, Leslie Gordon; Simons, Ronald L.; Brody, Gene H.; Bryant, Chalandra M.; Gibbons, Frederick X.; Granberg, Ellen M.; Melby, Janet N.

2014-01-01

Racism has historically been a primary source of discrimination against African Americans but there has been little research on the role that skin tone plays in explaining experiences with racism. Similarly, colorism within African American families and the ways in which skin tone influences family processes is an understudied area of research. Utilizing data from a longitudinal sample of African American families (N= 767), we assessed whether skin tone impacted experiences with discrimination or was related to differences in quality of parenting and racial socialization within families. Findings indicated no link between skin tone and racial discrimination, which suggests that lightness or darkness of skin does not either protect African Americans from or exacerbate the experiences of discrimination. On the other hand, families displayed preferential treatment toward offspring based on skin tone and these differences varied by gender of child. Specifically, darker skin sons received higher quality parenting and more racial socialization promoting mistrust compared to their counterparts with lighter skin. Lighter skin daughters received higher quality parenting compared to those with darker skin. In addition, gender of child moderated the association between primary caregiver skin tone and racial socialization promoting mistrust. These results suggest that colorism remains a salient issue within African American families. Implications for future research, prevention and intervention are discussed. PMID:24040901

The effect of search term on the quality and accuracy of online information regarding distal radius fractures.

PubMed

Dy, Christopher J; Taylor, Samuel A; Patel, Ronak M; Kitay, Alison; Roberts, Timothy R; Daluiski, Aaron

2012-09-01

Recent emphasis on shared decision making and patient-centered research has increased the importance of patient education and health literacy. The internet is rapidly growing as a source of self-education for patients. However, concern exists over the quality, accuracy, and readability of the information. Our objective was to determine whether the quality, accuracy, and readability of information online about distal radius fractures vary with the search term. This was a prospective evaluation of 3 search engines using 3 different search terms of varying sophistication ("distal radius fracture," "wrist fracture," and "broken wrist"). We evaluated 70 unique Web sites for quality, accuracy, and readability. We used comparative statistics to determine whether the search term affected the quality, accuracy, and readability of the Web sites found. Three orthopedic surgeons independently gauged quality and accuracy of information using a set of predetermined scoring criteria. We evaluated the readability of the Web site using the Fleisch-Kincaid score for reading grade level. There were significant differences in the quality, accuracy, and readability of information found, depending on the search term. We found higher quality and accuracy resulted from the search term "distal radius fracture," particularly compared with Web sites resulting from the term "broken wrist." The reading level was higher than recommended in 65 of the 70 Web sites and was significantly higher when searching with "distal radius fracture" than "wrist fracture" or "broken wrist." There was no correlation between Web site reading level and quality or accuracy. The readability of information about distal radius fractures in most Web sites was higher than the recommended reading level for the general public. The quality and accuracy of the information found significantly varied with the sophistication of the search term used. Physicians, professional societies, and search engines should consider efforts to improve internet access to high-quality information at an understandable level. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving building performance using smart building concept: Benefit cost ratio comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berawi, Mohammed Ali; Miraj, Perdana; Sayuti, Mustika Sari; Berawi, Abdur Rohim Boy

2017-11-01

Smart building concept is an implementation of technology developed in the construction industry throughout the world. However, the implementation of this concept is still below expectations due to various obstacles such as higher initial cost than a conventional concept and existing regulation siding with the lowest cost in the tender process. This research aims to develop intelligent building concept using value engineering approach to obtain added value regarding quality, efficiency, and innovation. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approach using questionnaire survey and value engineering method to achieve the research objectives. The research output will show additional functions regarding technology innovation that may increase the value of a building. This study shows that smart building concept requires higher initial cost, but produces lower operational and maintenance costs. Furthermore, it also confirms that benefit-cost ratio on the smart building was much higher than a conventional building, that is 1.99 to 0.88.

Inequalities in the psychological well-being of employed, single and partnered mothers: the role of psychosocial work quality and work-family conflict

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A large body of international research reveals that single mothers experience poorer mental health than their partnered counterparts, with socioeconomic disadvantage identified as an important contributory factor in understanding this health disparity. Much less research, however, has focused specifically on the psychological well-being of single mothers who are employed, despite their growing presence in the labor force. Of the research which has considered employment, the focus has been on employment status per se rather than on other important work-related factors which may impact psychological health, such as psychosocial work quality and work-family conflict. The aim of this study was to: (1) compare employed single mothers and employed partnered mothers on measures of psychological distress, psychosocial work quality and work-family conflict; and (2) explore the potential role of work-family conflict and psychosocial work quality as explanations for any observed differences in psychological distress based on partner status. Method Analysis of data obtained from a cross-sectional telephone survey of employed parents in a mid-sized Western Canadian city. Analyses were based on 674 employed mothers (438 partnered and 236 single), who were 25-50 years old, with at least one child in the household. Results Compared to employed single mothers, employed partnered mothers were older, had more education and reported fewer hours of paid work. Single mothers reported higher levels of psychological distress, financial hardship, work-family conflict and poor psychosocial work quality. Statistical adjustment for income adequacy, psychosocial work quality and work-family conflict each independently resulted in single motherhood no longer being associated with psychological distress. Conclusions While single employed mothers did experience higher levels of psychological distress than their partnered counterparts, differences between these groups of women in income adequacy, psychosocial work quality, and work-family conflict were found to explain this relationship. Future research employing a longitudinal design and subject to lower selection biases is required to tease out the interrelationship of these three life strains and to point to the most appropriate economic and social policies to support single mothers in the workforce. PMID:20175914

Low Reporting Quality of the Meta-Analyses in Diagnostic Pathology.

PubMed

Liu, Xulei; Kinzler, Michael; Yuan, Jiangfan; He, Guozhong; Zhang, Lanjing

2017-03-01

- Little is known regarding the reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology. - To compare reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology and medicine and to examine factors associated with reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses. - Meta-analyses were identified in 12 major diagnostic pathology journals without specifying years and 4 major medicine journals in 2006 and 2011 using PubMed. Reporting quality of meta-analyses was evaluated using the 27-item checklist of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement published in 2009. A higher PRISMA score indicates higher reporting quality. - Forty-one diagnostic pathology meta-analyses and 118 medicine meta-analyses were included. Overall, reporting quality of meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology was lower than that in medicine (median [interquartile range] = 22 [15, 25] versus 27 [23, 28], P < .001). Compared with medicine meta-analyses, diagnostic pathology meta-analyses less likely reported 23 of the 27 items (85.2%) on the PRISMA checklist, but more likely reported the data items. Higher reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses was associated with recent publication years (later than 2009 versus 2009 or earlier, P = .002) and non-North American first authors (versus North American, P = .001), but not journal publisher's location (P = .11). Interestingly, reporting quality was not associated with adjusted citation ratio for meta-analyses in either diagnostic pathology or medicine (P = .40 and P = .09, respectively). - Meta-analyses in diagnostic pathology had lower reporting quality than those in medicine. Reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses is linked to publication year and first author's location, but not to journal publisher's location or article's adjusted citation ratios. More research and education on meta-analysis methodology may improve the reporting quality of diagnostic pathology meta-analyses.

Sleep and its association with aggression among prisoners: Quantity or quality?

PubMed

Barker, Lyndsie Fiona; Ireland, Jane L; Chu, Simon; Ireland, Carol A

2016-01-01

The current paper aims to examine the association between self-reported sleep quality and quantity and how these relate to aggression motivation and hostile cognition in a male prisoner sample. The cognitive component of sleep, namely perception, is consequently a variable of particular interest and one neglected by previous research. Two independent studies are presented. The first comprised 95 adult male prisoners who completed a sleep quality index along with measures of implicit and explicit aggression. The second study extended this to consider aggression motivation and hostile attribution biases using a sample of 141 young male adult prisoners. In study one, sleep quantity and indicators of sleep quality were found not to associate with aggression whereas the perception of poor sleep did; those perceiving poor sleep quality were more likely than those perceiving good sleep to report they had perpetrated aggression in the previous week and to report higher levels of implicit aggression. Study two found that while increased indicators of poor sleep quality were associated with lower prosocial attribution tendencies and higher levels of reactive and proactive aggression, sleep quantity was not associated. The perception of poor quality sleep was important; those perceiving poor sleep were more likely to report higher levels of reactive and proactive aggression than those reporting good sleep. Collectively the studies highlight the importance of accounting for the perception of sleep quality as an important cognitive component in understanding the association between sleep and aggression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Actigraphic sleep measures and diet quality in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sueño ancillary study.

PubMed

Mossavar-Rahmani, Yasmin; Weng, Jia; Wang, Rui; Shaw, Pamela A; Jung, Molly; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela; Castañeda, Sheila F; Gallo, Linda C; Gellman, Marc D; Qi, Qibin; Ramos, Alberto R; Reid, Kathryn J; Van Horn, Linda; Patel, Sanjay R

2017-12-01

Using a cross-sectional probability sample with actigraphy data and two 24-h dietary recalls, we quantified the association between sleep duration, continuity, variability and timing with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 diet quality score and its components in 2140 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos participants. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index diet quality-2010 score ranges from 0 to 110, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the dietary guidelines and lower risk from major chronic disease. None of the sleep measures was associated with total caloric intake as assessed using dietary recalls. However, both an increase in sleep duration and sleep efficiency were associated with healthier diet quality. Each standard deviation increase in sleep duration (1.05 h) and sleep efficiency (4.99%) was associated with a 0.30 point increase and 0.28 point increase, respectively, in the total Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 score. The component of Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 most strongly associated with longer sleep duration was increased nuts and legumes intake. The components of Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 most strongly associated with higher sleep efficiency were increased whole fruit intake and decreased sodium intake. Both longer sleep duration and higher sleep efficiency were significantly associated with better diet quality among US Hispanic/Latino adults. The dietary components most strongly associated with sleep duration and sleep efficiency differed, suggesting potentially independent mechanisms by which each aspect of sleep impacts dietary choices. Longitudinal research is needed to understand the directionality of these identified relationships and the generalizability of these data across other ethnic groups. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

A Case Study of the Functional Impact of Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs Accreditation on Business Education at a Suburban Philadelphia Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beem, Charles Winthrop

2017-01-01

The topic of specialized accreditation is considered in relationship to its impact on the quality of community college business education. As higher education has entered into an era of enhanced accountability research is necessary to understand what factors may influence quality student learning and competency. This study examines the impact of…

The PhD Game in a Middle Eastern Setting: A Small-Scale Study of Science Students in an Iranian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasrati, Mostafa; Hashemi, Reza

2011-01-01

While research is abundant on quality assurance in higher education, very little has been done to study informal learning in general and its relation to quality assurance in particular. Reporting on a study of informal learning among PhD students in natural sciences in an Iranian university, this article is an attempt to address this issue.…

The Relationship of Patient-Provider Communication on Quality of Life among African-American and White Cancer Survivors.

PubMed

Li, Chien-Ching; Matthews, Alicia K; Dossaji, Mazahir; Fullam, Francis

2017-07-01

Prior research has demonstrated poorer patient-provider communication ratings among African American compared to White patients. The quality of patient-provider communication has been shown to impact treatment outcomes among cancer patients. A secondary data analysis design was used to determine the relationship of six patient-provider communication variables on the physical health quality of life (PHQOL) and mental health quality of life (MHQOL) of African American and White cancer patients (N = 479). We also examined whether the relationship between communication patterns and QOL differed based on race/ethnicity. Mean physical and mental health QOL scores for the sample were 69.8 and 77.6, respectively. After controlling for significant sociodemographic, clinical, and hospital variables, results showed that patients who experienced fewer interpersonal communication barriers who were more satisfied with the information given by providers had higher PHQOL and MHQOL scores. Additionally, patients who felt more comfort in asking questions or had fewer unmet information needs had higher MHQOL. A stratified analysis showed that the relationship of overall satisfaction with information on MHQOL was stronger among African American patients than White patients. Future research should focus on the development of interventions to improve patient-provider communication as a means for enhancing QOL outcomes among cancer survivors.

Chicago Residents’ Perceptions of Air Quality: Objective Pollution, the Built Environment, and Neighborhood Stigma Theory

PubMed Central

King, Katherine E.

2014-01-01

Substantial research documents higher pollution levels in minority neighborhoods, but little research evaluates how residents perceive their own communities’ pollution risks. According to “Neighborhood stigma” theory, survey respondents share a cultural bias that minorities cause social dysfunction, leading to over-reports of dysfunction in minority communities. This study investigates perceptions of residential outdoor air quality by linking objective data on built and social environments with multiple measures of pollution and a representative survey of Chicago residents. Consistent with the scholarly narrative, results show air quality is rated worse where minorities and poverty are concentrated, even after extensive adjustment for objective pollution and built environment measures. Perceptions of air pollution may thus be driven by neighborhood socioeconomic position far more than by respondents’ ability to perceive pollution. The finding that 63.5% of the sample reported excellent or good air quality helps to explain current challenging in promoting environmental action. PMID:26527847

The relationship between social capital and quality management systems in European hospitals: a quantitative study.

PubMed

Hammer, Antje; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Dersarkissian, Maral; Thompson, Caroline A; Mannion, Russell; Wagner, Cordula; Ommen, Oliver; Sunol, Rosa; Pfaff, Holger

2013-01-01

Strategic leadership is an important organizational capability and is essential for quality improvement in hospital settings. Furthermore, the quality of leadership depends crucially on a common set of shared values and mutual trust between hospital management board members. According to the concept of social capital, these are essential requirements for successful cooperation and coordination within groups. We assume that social capital within hospital management boards is an important factor in the development of effective organizational systems for overseeing health care quality. We hypothesized that the degree of social capital within the hospital management board is associated with the effectiveness and maturity of the quality management system in European hospitals. We used a mixed-method approach to data collection and measurement in 188 hospitals in 7 European countries. For this analysis, we used responses from hospital managers. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a multilevel linear regression analysis of the association between social capital and the quality management system score at the hospital level, controlling for hospital ownership, teaching status, number of beds, number of board members, organizational culture, and country clustering. The average social capital score within a hospital management board was 3.3 (standard deviation: 0.5; range: 1-4) and the average hospital score for the quality management index was 19.2 (standard deviation: 4.5; range: 0-27). Higher social capital was associated with higher quality management system scores (regression coefficient: 1.41; standard error: 0.64, p=0.029). The results suggest that a higher degree of social capital exists in hospitals that exhibit higher maturity in their quality management systems. Although uncontrolled confounding and reverse causation cannot be completely ruled out, our new findings, along with the results of previous research, could have important implications for the work of hospital managers and the design and evaluation of hospital quality management systems.

The Relationship between Social Capital and Quality Management Systems in European Hospitals: A Quantitative Study

PubMed Central

Hammer, Antje; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; DerSarkissian, Maral; Thompson, Caroline A.; Mannion, Russell; Wagner, Cordula; Ommen, Oliver; Sunol, Rosa; Pfaff, Holger

2013-01-01

Background Strategic leadership is an important organizational capability and is essential for quality improvement in hospital settings. Furthermore, the quality of leadership depends crucially on a common set of shared values and mutual trust between hospital management board members. According to the concept of social capital, these are essential requirements for successful cooperation and coordination within groups. Objectives We assume that social capital within hospital management boards is an important factor in the development of effective organizational systems for overseeing health care quality. We hypothesized that the degree of social capital within the hospital management board is associated with the effectiveness and maturity of the quality management system in European hospitals. Methods We used a mixed-method approach to data collection and measurement in 188 hospitals in 7 European countries. For this analysis, we used responses from hospital managers. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a multilevel linear regression analysis of the association between social capital and the quality management system score at the hospital level, controlling for hospital ownership, teaching status, number of beds, number of board members, organizational culture, and country clustering. Results The average social capital score within a hospital management board was 3.3 (standard deviation: 0.5; range: 1-4) and the average hospital score for the quality management index was 19.2 (standard deviation: 4.5; range: 0-27). Higher social capital was associated with higher quality management system scores (regression coefficient: 1.41; standard error: 0.64, p=0.029). Conclusion The results suggest that a higher degree of social capital exists in hospitals that exhibit higher maturity in their quality management systems. Although uncontrolled confounding and reverse causation cannot be completely ruled out, our new findings, along with the results of previous research, could have important implications for the work of hospital managers and the design and evaluation of hospital quality management systems. PMID:24392027

Different in the dark: The effect of habitat characteristics on community composition and beta diversity in bromeliad microfauna.

PubMed

Busse, Annika; Antiqueira, Pablo A P; Neutzling, Alexandre S; Wolf, Anna M; Romero, Gustavo Q; Petermann, Jana S

2018-01-01

The mechanisms which structure communities have been the focus of a large body of research. Here, we address the question if habitat characteristics describing habitat quality may drive changes in community composition and beta diversity of bromeliad-inhabiting microfauna. In our system, changes in canopy cover along an environmental gradient may affect resource availability, disturbance in form of daily water temperature fluctuations and predation, and thus may lead to changes in community structure of bromeliad microfauna through differences in habitat quality along this gradient. Indeed, we observed distinct changes in microfauna community composition along the environmental gradient explained by changes in the extent of daily water temperature fluctuations. We found beta diversity to be higher under low habitat quality (low canopy cover) than under high habitat quality (high canopy cover), which could potentially be explained by a higher relative importance of stochastic processes under low habitat quality. We also partitioned beta diversity into turnover and nestedness components and we found a nested pattern of beta diversity along the environmental gradient, with communities from the lower-quality habitat being nested subsets of communities from the higher-quality habitat. However, this pattern resulted from an increase in microfauna alpha diversity with an increase in habitat quality. By providing insights into microfauna-environment relationships our results contribute to the mechanistic understanding of community dynamics in small freshwater bodies. Here, we highlight the importance of habitat characteristics representing habitat quality in structuring communities, and suggest that this information may help to improve conservation practices of small freshwater ecosystems.

Different in the dark: The effect of habitat characteristics on community composition and beta diversity in bromeliad microfauna

PubMed Central

Antiqueira, Pablo A. P.; Neutzling, Alexandre S.; Wolf, Anna M.; Romero, Gustavo Q.; Petermann, Jana S.

2018-01-01

The mechanisms which structure communities have been the focus of a large body of research. Here, we address the question if habitat characteristics describing habitat quality may drive changes in community composition and beta diversity of bromeliad-inhabiting microfauna. In our system, changes in canopy cover along an environmental gradient may affect resource availability, disturbance in form of daily water temperature fluctuations and predation, and thus may lead to changes in community structure of bromeliad microfauna through differences in habitat quality along this gradient. Indeed, we observed distinct changes in microfauna community composition along the environmental gradient explained by changes in the extent of daily water temperature fluctuations. We found beta diversity to be higher under low habitat quality (low canopy cover) than under high habitat quality (high canopy cover), which could potentially be explained by a higher relative importance of stochastic processes under low habitat quality. We also partitioned beta diversity into turnover and nestedness components and we found a nested pattern of beta diversity along the environmental gradient, with communities from the lower-quality habitat being nested subsets of communities from the higher-quality habitat. However, this pattern resulted from an increase in microfauna alpha diversity with an increase in habitat quality. By providing insights into microfauna-environment relationships our results contribute to the mechanistic understanding of community dynamics in small freshwater bodies. Here, we highlight the importance of habitat characteristics representing habitat quality in structuring communities, and suggest that this information may help to improve conservation practices of small freshwater ecosystems. PMID:29401522

Does Medical Malpractice Law Improve Health Care Quality?

PubMed Central

Frakes, Michael; Jena, Anupam B.

2016-01-01

We assess the potential for medical liability forces to deter medical errors and improve health care treatment quality, identifying liability’s influence by drawing on variations in the manner by which states formulate the negligence standard facing physicians. Using hospital discharge records from the National Hospital Discharge Survey and clinically-validated quality metrics inspired by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, we find evidence suggesting that treatment quality may improve upon reforms that expect physicians to adhere to higher quality clinical standards. We do not find evidence, however, suggesting that treatment quality may deteriorate following reforms to liability standards that arguably condone the delivery of lower quality care. Similarly, we do not find evidence of deterioration in health care quality following remedy-focused liability reforms such as caps on non-economic damages awards. PMID:28479642

Siblings exposed to intimate partner violence: linking sibling relationship quality & child adjustment problems.

PubMed

Piotrowski, Caroline C; Tailor, Ketan; Cormier, Damien C

2014-01-01

Although the majority of families that experience intimate partner violence (IPV) have more than one child, most research to date has focused upon a single child within these families. A significant body of research has indicated siblings play an important role in children's adjustment and well-being. To address this gap, the three main goals of the present study were to compare the adjustment of older and younger siblings exposed to IPV, to describe and compare the quality of these sibling relationships from multiple perspectives, and to investigate how sibling adjustment and relationship quality influence children's adjustment. Forty-seven sibling pairs and their mothers were recruited from the community. Mothers self-reported on their violent experiences using the Conflict Tactics Scale, and also estimated the length of time their children were exposed to IPV. Mothers and children completed assessments of child adjustment and the quality of sibling relationships. Observers also assessed the quality of sibling interaction. Results indicated that adjustment between siblings was highly inter-related. On average, mothers reported sibling relationships as less positive but also as less hostile than did siblings themselves. Higher levels of sibling hostility, lower levels of sibling warmth and higher levels of disengagement each significantly predicted child adjustment; however, these effects were predicated upon the adjustment of the other sibling. The sibling relationships of children exposed to IPV made a difference in their individual adjustment, and their adjustment issues influenced how they feel about and interacted with their sibling. Sibling hostility played a stronger role in adjustment issues than sibling warmth. The nature of sibling influences and the direction of future research were discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spiritual Well-Being in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Survivors of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

PubMed Central

Prince, Patricia; Mitchell, Sandra A.; Wehlen, Leslie; Childs, Richard; Savani, Bipin; Yang, Li; Bevans, Margaret

2016-01-01

Research suggests that spiritual well-being positively contributes to quality of life during and following cancer treatment. This relationship has not been well-described in ethnically diverse survivors of allogeneic transplantation. This study compares spiritual well-being and quality of life of Hispanic (n=69) and non-Hispanic (n=102) survivors. Hispanic participants were significantly younger, and reported significantly greater spiritual well-being than non-Hispanic survivors. Survivors with higher spiritual well-being had significantly better quality of life. Meaning and Peace significantly predicted quality of life. Although Hispanic survivors report greater spiritual well-being, Meaning and Peace, irrespective of ethnicity, have a salutary effect on quality of life. PMID:26315721

The Impact of Peer Mentoring on Levels of Student Wellbeing, Integration and Retention: A Controlled Comparative Evaluation of Residential Students in UK Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collings, R.; Swanson, V.; Watkins, R.

2014-01-01

Peer mentoring is becoming increasingly popular in UK higher education, however, there remains little good quality, theoretically driven and evaluative research. The current study aims to bridge the gap between theory, practice and evaluation by providing a controlled evaluation of a peer mentoring scheme within UK universities. 109 first year…

The Effect of an Integrative Parent Education Program on Quality of Life for Families of Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Caroline Jane

2010-01-01

Families of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit decreases in cohesion and adaptability, increased social isolation (Higgins et al., 2005), higher levels of marital dissatisfaction (Hastings et al., 2005), and overall disruption to daily life (Bristol et al., 1988). Research has provided evidence of higher levels of stress,…

Impact of Excellence Programs on Taiwan Higher Education in Terms of Quality Assurance and Academic Excellence, Examining the Conflicting Role of Taiwan's Accrediting Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Angela Yung-chi

2012-01-01

Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) was established in 2005 and began to accredit 76 four-year comprehensive universities and colleges in Taiwan in 2006. Commissioned officially with a dual mission, HEEACT has been encouraged to conduct various ranking research projects, including global and national ones…

Translating Research into Policy to Increase Equity in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the ASHE-WICHE Collaborative. Policy Insights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Stella M.; Prescott, Brian T.; Hillman, Nicholas; Sponsler, Brian; Saenz, Victor; Zaback, Katie; Paulson, Karen; Baker, Dominique; Drake, Anna

2016-01-01

Challenges to closing the gap between findings from academic research and effective policymaking are not new, and they will not be solved overnight. However, as the entire education sector faces mounting pressure to provide high-quality education under tightening fiscal constraints, all while demonstrating improving student outcomes, the time may…

Research on the Purification Effect of Aquatic Plants Based on Grey Clustering Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Sudan; Du, Fuhui

2018-01-01

This paper uses the grey clustering method to evaluate the water quality level of the MingGuan constructed wetland at the import and export of artificial wetlands. Constructed wetland of Ming Guanis established on the basis of the Fuyang River’s water quality improvement, to choose suitable aquatic plants, in order to achieve the Fuyang River water purification effect. Namely TP, TN, NH3-N, DO, COD and COMMn and permanganate index are selected as clustering indicators. Water quality is divided into five grades according to the Surface Water Environmental Quality Standard (GB3838-2002) as the evaluation standard. In order to select the suitable wetland plants, the purification effect of 6 kinds of higher aquatic plants on the sewage of fuyang river was tested. one kind of plants was selected: Typha. The results show that the water quality of the section is gradually changed from V water quality to III water quality. After tartificial wetland of cycle for a long time, Typha has good purification effect. In November, water quality categories are basically concentrated in the VI, V class, may be caused by chemical decomposition of aquatic plants, should strengthen the academic research.

The contextualized self: how team-member exchange leads to coworker identification and helping OCB.

PubMed

Farmer, Steven M; Van Dyne, Linn; Kamdar, Dishan

2015-03-01

This article develops the argument that team-member exchange (TMX) relationships operate at both between- and within-group levels of analysis to influence an employee's sense of identification with coworkers in the group and their helping organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) directed at coworkers. Specifically, we propose that relatively higher quality TMX relationships of an employee as compared with other members of the group influence an employee's sense of positive uniqueness, whereas higher average level of TMX quality in the group creates a greater sense of belonging. Multilevel modeling analysis of field data from 236 bank managers and their subordinates supports the hypotheses and demonstrates 3 key findings. First, team members identify more with their coworkers when they have high relative TMX quality compared with other group members and are also embedded in groups with higher average TMX. Second, identification with coworkers is positively related to helping OCB directed toward team members. Finally, identification with coworkers mediates the interactive effect of relative TMX quality and group average TMX quality on helping. When TMX group relations allow individuals to feel a valued part of the group, but still unique, they engage in higher levels of helping. Overall moderated mediation analysis demonstrates that the mediated relationship linking relative TMX quality with helping OCB via identification with coworkers is stronger when group average TMX is high, but not present when group average TMX is low. We discuss theoretical and practical implications and recommend future research on multilevel conceptualizations of TMX. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Perceptions of masculinity and body image in men with prostate cancer: the role of exercise.

PubMed

Langelier, David Michael; Cormie, Prue; Bridel, William; Grant, Christopher; Albinati, Natalia; Shank, Jena; Daun, Julia Teresa; Fung, Tak S; Davey, Colin; Culos-Reed, S Nicole

2018-04-13

The goal of this study was to explore the association between levels of exercise and patterns of masculinity, body image, and quality of life in men undergoing diverse treatment protocols for prostate cancer. Fifty men with prostate cancer (aged 42-86) completed self-report measures. Self-reported measures included the following: the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), Masculine Self-esteem Scale (MSES), Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ), Body Image Scale (BIS), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P). Masculinity, body image, and quality of life scores were compared between men obtaining recommended levels of exercise (aerobic or resistance) and those not obtaining recommended level of exercise. Secondary outcomes included the association between masculinity, body image, and quality of life scores as they relate to exercise levels. There were significantly higher scores of masculinity (p < 0.01), physical well-being (p < 0.05), prostate cancer specific well-being (p < 0.05), and overall quality of life (p < 0.05) in those obtaining at least 150 min of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise. In the 48% of men who had never received androgen deprivation therapy, significantly higher levels of masculinity, body image, and quality of life were observed in those meeting aerobic guidelines. Whether treatment includes androgen deprivation or not, men who participate in higher levels of aerobic exercises report higher levels of masculinity, improved body image, and quality of life than those who are inactive. Future longitudinal research is required evaluating exercise level and its effect on masculinity and body image.

Leadership education, certification and resident outcomes in US nursing homes: cross-sectional secondary data analysis.

PubMed

Trinkoff, Alison M; Lerner, Nancy B; Storr, Carla L; Han, Kihye; Johantgen, Mary E; Gartrell, Kyungsook

2015-01-01

Leadership is a key consideration in improving nursing home care quality. Previous research found nursing homes with more credentialed leaders had lower rates of care deficiencies than nursing homes with less credentialed leaders. Evidence that nursing home administrator (NHA) and director of nursing (DON) education and certification is related to resident outcomes is limited. To examine associations of education and certification among NHAs and DONs with resident outcomes. Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. This study used National Nursing Home Survey data on leadership education and certification and Nursing Home Compare quality outcomes (e.g. pain, catheter use). 1142 nursing homes in the survey which represented 16628 nursing homes in the US. Leadership education and certification were assessed separately for NHAs and DONs. Nursing home resident outcomes were measured using facility-level nursing home quality indicator rates selected from the Minimum Data Set. Facility-level quality indicators were regressed onto leadership variables in models that also held constant facility size and ownership status. Nursing homes led by NHAs with both Master's degrees or higher and certification had significantly better outcomes for pain. Nursing homes led by DONs with Bachelor's degrees or higher plus certification also had significantly lower pain and catheter use. Whereas pressure ulcer rates were higher in facilities led by DONs with more education. Selected outcomes for nursing home residents might be improved by increasing the education and certification requirements for NHAs and DONs. Additional research is needed to clarify these relationships. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed Methods in CAM Research: A Systematic Review of Studies Published in 2012

PubMed Central

Bishop, Felicity L.; Holmes, Michelle M.

2013-01-01

Background. Mixed methods research uses qualitative and quantitative methods together in a single study or a series of related studies. Objectives. To review the prevalence and quality of mixed methods studies in complementary medicine. Methods. All studies published in the top 10 integrative and complementary medicine journals in 2012 were screened. The quality of mixed methods studies was appraised using a published tool designed for mixed methods studies. Results. 4% of papers (95 out of 2349) reported mixed methods studies, 80 of which met criteria for applying the quality appraisal tool. The most popular formal mixed methods design was triangulation (used by 74% of studies), followed by embedded (14%), sequential explanatory (8%), and finally sequential exploratory (5%). Quantitative components were generally of higher quality than qualitative components; when quantitative components involved RCTs they were of particularly high quality. Common methodological limitations were identified. Most strikingly, none of the 80 mixed methods studies addressed the philosophical tensions inherent in mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Conclusions and Implications. The quality of mixed methods research in CAM can be enhanced by addressing philosophical tensions and improving reporting of (a) analytic methods and reflexivity (in qualitative components) and (b) sampling and recruitment-related procedures (in all components). PMID:24454489

International drug price comparisons: quality assessment.

PubMed

Machado, Márcio; O'Brodovich, Ryan; Krahn, Murray; Einarson, Thomas R

2011-01-01

To quantitatively summarize results (i.e., prices and affordability) reported from international drug price comparison studies and assess their methodological quality. A systematic search of the most relevant databases-Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), and Scopus, from their inception to May 2009-was conducted to identify original research comparing international drug prices. International drug price information was extracted and recorded from accepted papers. Affordability was reported as drug prices adjusted for income. Study quality was assessed using six criteria: use of similar countries, use of a representative sample of drugs, selection of specific types of prices, identification of drug packaging, different weights on price indices, and the type of currency conversion used. Of the 1 828 studies identified, 21 were included. Only one study adequately addressed all quality issues. A large variation in study quality was observed due to the many methods used to conduct the drug price comparisons, such as different indices, economic parameters, price types, basket of drugs, and more. Thus, the quality of published studies was considered poor. Results varied across studies, but generally, higher income countries had higher drug prices. However, after adjusting drug prices for affordability, higher income countries had more affordable prices than lower income countries. Differences between drug prices and affordability in different countries were found. Low income countries reported less affordability of drugs, leaving room for potential problems with drug access, and consequently, a negative impact on health. The quality of the literature on this topic needs improvement.

Marital Status, Marital Quality, and Heart Rate Variability in the MIDUS Cohort

PubMed Central

Donoho, Carrie J.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Sloan, Richard P.; Crimmins, Eileen M.

2015-01-01

Previous research has shown marital status and marital quality are consistent predictors of health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and mortality. To better understand the relationship between marital status, marital quality, and cardiovascular health, we examined how marital status and marital quality were associated with an early indicator of deteriorating cardiovascular health, high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV). This study uses data from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Biomarker Sub-study (n = 907) to examine differences in HF-HRV by traditional marital status categories (married, divorced, widowed, and never married), as well as further differentiating between the continuously married and remarried. In addition, links were also examined between HF-HRV and changes in marital quality (marital satisfaction, support, strain), among individuals in long-term marriages. No significant differences in HF-HRV were observed between married persons and those widowed, divorced, and never married. However, continuously married individuals had higher HF-HRV than remarried adults. Increases in marital satisfaction and support over 10 years were associated with higher HF-HRV, while increased marital strain over 10 years was associated with lower HFHRV. Higher HF-HRV among the continuously married compared to the remarried suggests previous marital disruptions may have lasting effects on cardiovascular health, or that there may be other differences between the remarried versus those who remain married to the same person. Associations between marital quality and HF-HRV suggest variations in the quality of one’s marriage may affect cardiovascular health. PMID:25844496

Facial appearance affects science communication

PubMed Central

Gheorghiu, Ana I.; Callan, Mitchell J.; Skylark, William J.

2017-01-01

First impressions based on facial appearance predict many important social outcomes. We investigated whether such impressions also influence the communication of scientific findings to lay audiences, a process that shapes public beliefs, opinion, and policy. First, we investigated the traits that engender interest in a scientist’s work, and those that create the impression of a “good scientist” who does high-quality research. Apparent competence and morality were positively related to both interest and quality judgments, whereas attractiveness boosted interest but decreased perceived quality. Next, we had members of the public choose real science news stories to read or watch and found that people were more likely to choose items that were paired with “interesting-looking” scientists, especially when selecting video-based communications. Finally, we had people read real science news items and found that the research was judged to be of higher quality when paired with researchers who look like “good scientists.” Our findings offer insights into the social psychology of science, and indicate a source of bias in the dissemination of scientific findings to broader society. PMID:28533389

Situational and dispositional influences on nurses' workplace well-being: the role of empowering unit leadership.

PubMed

Spence Laschinger, Heather K; Finegan, Joan; Wilk, Piotr

2011-01-01

Unit-level leadership and structural empowerment play key roles in creating healthy work environments, yet few researchers have examined these contextual effects on nurses' well-being. The aim of this study was to test a multilevel model of structural empowerment examining the effect of nursing unit leadership quality and structural empowerment on nurses' experiences of burnout and job satisfaction and to examine the effect of a personal dispositional variable, core self-evaluation, on these nurse experiences. Nurses (n = 3,156) from 217 hospital units returned surveys that included measures of leader-member exchange, structural empowerment, burnout, core self-evaluation, and job satisfaction. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to test the model. Nurses' shared perceptions of leader-member exchange quality on their units positively influenced their shared perceptions of unit structural empowerment (Level 2), which resulted in significantly higher levels of individual nurse job satisfaction (Level 1). Unit-level leader-member exchange quality also directly influenced individual nurse job satisfaction. Unit leader-member exchange quality and structural empowerment influenced emotional exhaustion and cynicism differentially. Higher unit-level leader-member exchange quality was associated with lower cynicism; higher unit-level structural empowerment was associated with lower emotional exhaustion. At Level 1, higher core self-evaluation was associated with lower levels of both emotional exhaustion and cynicism, both of which were associated with lower job satisfaction. This study provides a theoretical understanding of how unit leadership affects both unit- and individual-level outcomes.

Antecedents, Correlates and Consequences of Faculty Burnout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabagh, Zaynab; Hall, Nathan C.; Saroyan, Alenoush

2018-01-01

Background: Over the past few decades, higher education institutions worldwide have experienced substantial changes, including: massification, internationalisation and increasing demands for exceptional instructional quality and research quantity in environments that have also seen heightened competition for students, faculty and resources.…

High Performing Colleges. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as a Framework for Improving Higher Education. Volume I: Theory and Concepts [and] Volume II: Case and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seymour, Daniel, Ed.; And Others

This publication provides research-based discussion in 20 chapters of possible extension of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to honor high performing colleges. Chapters are organized into two volumes, the first exploring a broad range of issues from a scholarly point of view and the second emphasizing the practical application of a…

Leadership and globalization: research in health management education.

PubMed

West, Daniel J; Ramirez, Bernardo; Filerman, Gary

2012-01-01

The impact of globalization on graduate health care management education is evident, yet challenging to quantify. The Commission on Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) recently authorized two research studies to gather specific information and answer important questions about accredited graduate programs in the USA and Canada. Two surveys provided the most comprehensive data impacting international health management education efforts by 70 programs. An inventory was made of 22 countries; information was compiled on 21 accrediting or quality improvement organizations. Observations on leadership and the demand for qualified health care professionals is discussed in terms of accreditation, certification, competency models, outcome assessment, improving quality, and the impact of globalization on higher education.

A Systematic Review of Scope and Quality of Health Economic Evaluation Studies in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Maher, Rachel Marie; Nguyen, Phuong Khanh; Luu, Hoat Ngoc

2014-01-01

Introduction The application of health economic evaluation (HEE) evidence can play an important role in strategic planning and policy making. This study aimed to assess the scope and quality of existing research, with the goal of elucidating implications for improving the use of HEE evidence in Vietnam. Methods A comprehensive search strategy was developed to search medical online databases (Medline, Google Scholar, and Vietnam Medical Databases) to select all types of HEE studies except cost-only analyses. Two researchers assessed the quality of selected studies using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument. Results We selected 26 studies, including 6 published in Vietnam. The majority of these studies focused on infectious diseases (14 studies), with HIV being the most common topic (5 studies). Most papers were cost-effectiveness studies that measured health outcomes using DALY units. Using QHES, we found that the overall quality of HEE studies published internationally was much higher (mean score 88.7+13.3) than that of those published in Vietnam (mean score 67.3+22.9). Lack of costing perspectives, reliable data sources and sensitivity analysis were the main shortcomings of the reviewed studies. Conclusion This review indicates that HEE studies published in Vietnam are limited in scope and number, as well as by several important technical errors or omissions. It is necessary to formalize the process of health economic research in Vietnam and to institutionalize the links between researchers and policy-makers. Additionally, the quality of HEE should be enhanced through education about research techniques, and the implementation of standard HEE guidelines. PMID:25122180

Effect of roasting degree on the antioxidant activity of different Arabica coffee quality classes.

PubMed

Odžaković, Božana; Džinić, Natalija; Kukrić, Zoran; Grujić, Slavica

2016-01-01

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, because of its unique sensory properties and physiological properties. Coffee beverages represent a significant source of antioxidants in the consumers' diet and contribute significantly to their daily intake. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of different roasting degrees on the content of biologically active compounds and antioxidant activity in different quality classes of Arabica coffee. Samples of green Arabica coffee (Rio Minas) of two quality classes from two production batches were used for the research. Roasting was carried out at temperatures of 167, 175 and 171°C. The total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), flavonol content (FC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) in the coffee extracts was determined. This research shows that TPC was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in green coffee compared to TPC in roasted coffee, and TPC decreases as the roasting temperature increases. TFC and FC were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in green coffee than in roasted coffee. Differences in TPC between the 1st and 2nd classes of Arabica coffee were not significant (P > 0.05), while differences in TFC were significant (P < 0.05) only for green coffee from the second production batch and differences in FC were significant (P < 0.05) for green coffee and for coffee roasted at 175°C. Roasting temperatures have different influences the antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) of coffee and the highest antioxidant activity was determined in coffee roasted at 171°C. An exception was 1st class Arabica coffee roasted at 167°C (ABTS). All samples of 1st class Arabica coffee had higher antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS) compared to 2nd class Arabica. This research shows that the bioactive compounds content and antioxidant activity of different quality classes of Arabica coffee are dependent on the degree of roasting. TPC decreases when the roasting temperature increases, while TFC and FC also increase. These results indicate that the antioxidant activity of coffee depends on a variety of bioactive components in coffee beans. Antioxidant activity largely depends on the class of coffee. The coffee samples of 1stclass quality (maximum 8 black beans/300 g from the sample and large bean size) had higher antioxidant activity compared to samples of 2nd quality class (maximum 19 black beans/300 g in the sample and medium-sized beans).

Quality of life and competitive work among adults with severe mental illness: moderating effects of family contact.

PubMed

Gold, Paul B

2013-12-01

OBJECTIVE Competitive employment may improve life quality for adults with severe mental illness, but it is not known for whom or under what circumstances. On the basis of previous research demonstrating benefits of family contact for African-American adults with severe mental illness, it was hypothesized that frequent family contact would moderate (enhance) a positive association between competitive employment and global quality of life for a rural sample of predominantly African-American adults. METHODS In a secondary analysis of data collected from a randomized trial of supported employment, a series of nested random regression analyses was conducted to test the hypothesized moderating effect of face-to-face family contact on the association between competitive employment and global quality of life, controlling for severity of psychiatric symptoms and satisfaction with family relations. RESULTS Most of the 143 study participants spent time with a family member at least once a month (80%)-and most at least weekly (60%). Participants who held a competitive job and had face-to-face contact with family members at least weekly reported higher global quality of life than all other study participants. CONCLUSIONS In this rural sample of African-American adults with severe mental illness, competitive work was associated with higher global quality of life only for those who frequently spent time with family members. Research is needed to test the generalizability of this finding to other geographic settings and cultures, as well as the feasibility and effectiveness of formal inclusion of family members in psychosocial rehabilitation interventions.

Pristine aquatic systems in a Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site of the Brazilian Cerrado.

PubMed

Fonseca, Bárbara Medeiros; de Mendonça-Galvão, Luciana

2014-12-01

The maintenance of limnological monitoring programs in the Cerrado Domain is crucial as a provision of useful information about temporal variations in land use and their respective water quality responses, considering its importance as water source for different Brazilian hydrographic basins. The purpose of this research was to describe limnological variables of low-order lotic systems located in the Cerrado Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site (Environmental Protection Area (APA) Gama and Cabeça de Veado, Federal District of Brazil). Altogether, nine different streams were considered in this study. Samplings were conducted between 2010 and 2012, concentrated in the dry and rainy seasons. The sampling sites were generally characterized by low nutrient concentrations (e.g., medians, TP = 14.8 μg L(-1), TN = 20.0 μg L(-1), NO3 = 13.8 μg L(-1)) and slightly acidic waters (median, pH = 5.3), with quite low electrical conductivity values (median = 6.4 μS cm(-1)). However, water quality degradation as a response to diffuse pollution was reported in some sampling points (e.g., Onça and Gama streams), expressed by relatively higher N and P concentrations, which were probably highlighted by the good water quality of the data set as whole. Although there was a trend to higher values of nitrogen forms during the dry season, significant statistical differences between the seasonal periods were reported only for the variables temperature and dissolved silica, which were higher in the dry and rainy season, respectively. The streams located in the preserved areas inside the ecological stations of APA Gama and Cabeça de Veado can still be considered good examples of reference lotic systems in the Cerrado Domain; notwithstanding, this study reported incipient signs of water quality degradation which cannot be overlooked in future limnological monitoring.

Race- and gender-related differences in clinical characteristics and quality of life among outpatients with psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Nejtek, Vicki A; Allison, Nanette; Hilburn, Craig

2012-09-01

Historically, the literature suggests that African Americans with mental illness are diagnosed with psychotic disorders at a higher rate and receive higher doses of antipsychotic medications than other racial groups. However, few studies have compared clinical characteristics and quality of life among African-American (AA) and white men and women. Thus, research is needed to examine potential race and gender differences in clinical characteristics, prescribing practices, and quality of life. This exploratory, hypothesis-generating study examined current and past diagnoses, current pharmacotherapy, failed psychotropic medications, and quality of life among 23 AA and 31 white men and women receiving outpatient treatment for psychosis. Depression and psychotic depression were common complaints in the sample, yet only a third of the patients received antidepressants. We found that AA men received an antidepressant for depression symptoms less often, received higher antipsychotic doses, and rated their overall quality of life as poorer than any other group. White men and AA women had a history of more years of mental illness and had experienced 57% and 69% more psychotropic medication failures, respectively, than AA men or white women. Quality of life scores were significantly related to years of mental illness, number of past diagnoses, and number of failed medications. Our data suggest that clinicians could significantly enhance prognostic outcomes in outpatients with psychotic disorders by routinely re-evaluating depressive symptomatology and prescribing practices and considering adding psychosocial interventions to avert deterioration in quality of life. Further investigation of race and gender differences in quality of life and satisfaction as a function of diagnoses and treatment is warranted.

Defining geo-habitats for groundwater ecosystem assessments: an example from England and Wales (UK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weitowitz, Damiano C.; Maurice, Louise; Lewis, Melinda; Bloomfield, John P.; Reiss, Julia; Robertson, Anne L.

2017-12-01

Groundwater ecosystems comprising micro-organisms and metazoans provide an important contribution to global biodiversity. Their complexity depends on geology, which determines the physical habitat available, and the chemical conditions within it. Despite this, methods of classifying groundwater habitats using geological data are not well established and researchers have called for higher resolution habitat frameworks. A novel habitat typology for England and Wales (UK) is proposed, which distinguishes 11 geological habitats (geo-habitats) on hydrogeological principles and maps their distribution. Hydrogeological and hydrochemical data are used to determine the characteristics of each geo-habitat, and demonstrate their differences. Using these abiotic parameters, a new method to determine abiotic habitat quality is then developed. The geo-habitats had significantly different characteristics, validating the classification system. All geo-habitats were highly heterogeneous, containing both high quality habitat patches that are likely to be suitable for fauna, and areas of low quality that may limit faunal distributions. Karstic and porous habitats generally were higher quality than fractured habitats. Overall, 70% of England and Wales are covered by lower quality fractured habitats, with only 13% covered by higher quality habitats. The main areas of high quality habitats occur in central England as north-south trending belts, possibly facilitating dispersal along this axis. They are separated by low quality geo-habitats that may prevent east-west dispersal of fauna. In south-west England and Wales suitable geo-habitats occur as small isolated patches. Overall, this paper provides a new national-scale typology that is adaptable for studies in other geographic areas.

Diet quality and cognitive function in an urban sample: findings from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study.

PubMed

Wright, Regina S; Waldstein, Shari R; Kuczmarski, Marie Fanelli; Pohlig, Ryan T; Gerassimakis, Constance S; Gaynor, Beatrice; Evans, Michele K; Zonderman, Alan B

2017-01-01

Poor diet quality contributes to morbidity, including poor brain health outcomes such as cognitive decline and dementia. African Americans and individuals living in poverty may be at greater risk for cognitive decrements from poor diet quality. Cross-sectional. Baltimore, MD, USA. Participants were 2090 African Americans and Whites (57 % female, mean age=47·9 years) who completed two 24 h dietary recalls. We examined cognitive performance and potential interactions of diet quality with race and poverty status using baseline data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores were calculated and interpreted using federal guidelines. A neurocognitive test battery was administered to evaluate cognitive function over several domains. Linear regression analyses showed that lower HEI-2010 scores were associated with poorer verbal learning and memory (P<0·05) after adjustment for covariates. Diet quality within the sample was poor. Significant interactions of HEI-2010 and poverty status (all P<0·05) indicated that higher diet quality was associated with higher performance on tests of attention and cognitive flexibility, visuospatial ability and perceptual speed among those below the poverty line. No significant race interactions emerged. Higher diet quality was associated with better performance on two measures of verbal learning and memory, irrespective of race and poverty status. Findings suggest that diet quality and cognitive function are likely related at the population level. Future research is needed to determine whether the association is clinically significant.

Does physician communication style impact patient report of decision quality for breast cancer treatment?

PubMed

Martinez, Kathryn A; Resnicow, Ken; Williams, Geoffrey C; Silva, Marlene; Abrahamse, Paul; Shumway, Dean A; Wallner, Lauren P; Katz, Steven J; Hawley, Sarah T

2016-12-01

Provider communication that supports patient autonomy has been associated with numerous positive patient outcomes. However, to date, no research has examined the relationship between perceived provider communication style and patient-assessed decision quality in breast cancer. Using a population-based sample of women with localized breast cancer, we assessed patient perceptions of autonomy-supportive communication from their surgeons and medical oncologists, as well as patient-reported decision quality. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the association between autonomy-supportive communication and subjective decision quality for surgery and chemotherapy decisions, controlling for sociodemographic and clinical factors, as well as patient-reported communication preference (non-directive or directive). Among the 1690 women included in the overall sample, patient-reported decision quality scores were positively associated with higher levels of perceived autonomy-supportive communication from surgeons (β=0.30; p<0.001) and medical oncologists (β=0.26; p<0.001). Patient communication style preference moderated the association between physician communication style received and perceived decision quality. Autonomy-supportive communication by physicians was associated with higher subjective decision quality among women with localized breast cancer. These results support future efforts to design interventions that enhance autonomy-supportive communication. Autonomy-supportive communication by cancer doctors can improve patients' perceived decision quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does physician communication style impact patient report of decision quality for breast cancer treatment?

PubMed Central

Resnicow, Ken; Williams, Geoffrey C.; Silva, Marlene; Abrahamse, Paul; Shumway, Dean; Wallner, Lauren; Katz, Steven; Hawley, Sarah

2016-01-01

Objective Provider communication that supports patient autonomy has been associated with numerous positive patient outcomes. However, to date, no research has examined the relationship between perceived provider communication style and patient-assessed decision quality in breast cancer. Methods Using a population-based sample of women with localized breast cancer, we assessed patient perceptions of autonomy-supportive communication from their surgeons and medical oncologists, as well as patient-reported decision quality. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the association between autonomy-supportive communication and subjective decision quality for surgery and chemotherapy decisions, controlling for sociodemographic and clinical factors, as well as patient-reported communication preference (non-directive or directive). Results Among the 1,690 women included in the overall sample, patient-reported decision quality scores were positively associated with higher levels of perceived autonomy-supportive communication from surgeons (β=0.30; p<0.001) and medical oncologists (β=0.26; p<0.001). Patient communication style preference moderated the association between physician communication style received and perceived decision quality. Conclusion Autonomy-supportive communication by physicians was associated with higher subjective decision quality among women with localized breast cancer. These results support future efforts to design interventions that enhance autonomy-supportive communication. Practice Implications Autonomy-supportive communication by cancer doctors can improve patients’ perceived decision quality. PMID:27395750

Evaluation of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

PubMed

Sheils, Catherine R; Dahlke, Allison R; Kreutzer, Lindsey; Bilimoria, Karl Y; Yang, Anthony D

2016-11-01

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program is well recognized in surgical quality measurement and is used widely in research. Recent calls to make it a platform for national public reporting and pay-for-performance initiatives highlight the importance of understanding which types of hospitals elect to participate in the program. Our objective was to compare characteristics of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to characteristics of nonparticipating US hospitals. The 2013 American Hospital Association and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Healthcare Cost Report Information System datasets were used to compare characteristics and operating margins of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to those of nonparticipating hospitals. Of 3,872 general medical and surgical hospitals performing inpatient surgery in the United States, 475 (12.3%) participated in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Participating hospitals performed 29.0% of all operations in the United States. Compared with nonparticipating hospitals, American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hospitals had a higher mean annual inpatient surgical case volume (6,426 vs 1,874; P < .001) and a larger mean number of hospital beds (420 vs 167; P < .001); participating hospitals were more often teaching hospitals (35.2% vs 4.1%; P < .001), had more quality-related accreditations (P < .001), and had higher mean operating margins (P < .05). States with the highest proportions of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program had established surgical quality improvement collaboratives. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program hospitals are large teaching hospitals with more quality-related accreditations and financial resources. These findings should be considered when reviewing research studies using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data, and the findings reinforce that efforts are needed to facilitate participation in surgical quality improvement by all hospital types. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How do hospital boards govern for quality improvement? A mixed methods study of 15 organisations in England

PubMed Central

Pomeroy, Linda; Burnett, Susan; Anderson, Janet E; Fulop, Naomi J

2017-01-01

Background Health systems worldwide are increasingly holding boards of healthcare organisations accountable for the quality of care that they provide. Previous empirical research has found associations between certain board practices and higher quality patient care; however, little is known about how boards govern for quality improvement (QI). Methods We conducted fieldwork over a 30-month period in 15 healthcare provider organisations in England as part of a wider evaluation of a board-level organisational development intervention. Our data comprised board member interviews (n=65), board meeting observations (60 hours) and documents (30 sets of board meeting papers, 15 board minutes and 15 Quality Accounts). We analysed the data using a framework developed from existing evidence of links between board practices and quality of care. We mapped the variation in how boards enacted governance of QI and constructed a measure of QI governance maturity. We then compared organisations to identify the characteristics of those with mature QI governance. Results We found that boards with higher levels of maturity in relation to governing for QI had the following characteristics: explicitly prioritising QI; balancing short-term (external) priorities with long-term (internal) investment in QI; using data for QI, not just quality assurance; engaging staff and patients in QI; and encouraging a culture of continuous improvement. These characteristics appeared to be particularly enabled and facilitated by board-level clinical leaders. Conclusions This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how boards govern for QI. The identified characteristics of organisations with mature QI governance seemed to be enabled by active clinical leadership. Future research should explore the biographies, identities and work practices of board-level clinical leaders and their role in organisation-wide QI. PMID:28689191

Recognition of an important water quality issue at zoos: prevalence and potential threat of toxic cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Doster, Enrique; Chislock, Michael F; Roberts, John F; Kottwitz, Jack J; Wilson, Alan E

2014-03-01

Zoo animals may be particularly vulnerable to water sources contaminated with cyanobacterial toxins given their nonvoluntary close association with this resource. However, the prevalence and potential threat of toxic cyanobacteria in this setting are unknown. Several otherwise unexplained yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) deaths were documented in a zoo moat with recurring blooms of toxic Microcystis aeruginosa. Furthermore, an extremely high and potentially lethal concentration of the hepatotoxin microcystin (166 ng/g) was found in the liver of a necropsied turtle that died in this moat. A subsequent monthly survey of water quality revealed detectable concentrations of microcystin in all moats (0.0001 to 7.5 microg/L), with moats higher than 1 microg/L being significantly higher than the threshold for safe drinking water recommended by the World Health Organization. These results demonstrate that cyanobacterial blooms are an important water quality issue in zoos, and future research is necessary to identify potential associations among water quality, zoo animal health, and moat management strategies.

Work addiction and quality of life: a study with physicians

PubMed Central

de Azevedo, Walter Fernandes; Mathias, Lígia Andrade da Silva Telles

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the quality of life of physicians and investigate to what extent it is affected by work addiction. Methods This is an exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,110 physicians. For data collection, we used a questionnaire with sociodemographic information, the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF, and the Work Addiction Scale. Results Most physicians presented high quality of life. Female participants presented lower quality of life in the domains psychologic, environment and general (p<0.05). Quality of life was negatively correlated with the number of shifts (p<0.005). The higher the addiction to work, the lower the quality of life. Conclusion The research allowed understanding the implications of work addiction in the quality of life. Further studies are required to support the development of strategies that improve health conditions and quality of life of medical professionals. PMID:28767908

The Potential of the Modernization of Higher Education in Russia: The Communications of Competences of College Professors and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ovsiannikov, A. A.

2013-01-01

Research data cast doubt on the assumption that the best universities in Russia are of a high quality and are graduating students who are well educated and ready to contribute to the development of the Russian economy and society. The dominance of Moscow in Russian higher education is not providing the benefits for Russia that it should be…

Higher Education and Self-Governance: The Effects of Higher Education and Field of Study on Voice and Agency in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brannlund, Annica; Nordlander, Erica; Strandh, Mattias

2012-01-01

There is extensive research pointing to the positive effects of education in the form of labour market outcomes. These outcomes are vital when evaluating education; there are however additional outcomes of education that might also be important for quality of life. From this point of view, education could affect non-market areas such as democracy,…

Investigation and Analysis of the Status Quo of the Practical Teaching Ability of English Normal Students in the Higher Vocational College in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Zhen

2017-01-01

The teaching ability is the key factor to decide the quality of teaching. How to train and improve the teaching ability of teachers has become a widespread concern of experts and scholars in the field of education and linguistics. The research investigates the status of students' practical teaching ability in the higher vocational college,…

Scaling Up Instructional Improvement through Teacher Professional Development: Insights from the Local Systemic Change Initiative. CPRE Policy Briefs. RB-44

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Iris R.; Pasley, Joan D.

2006-01-01

There is a widespread view in the research and policy communities that the quality of mathematics and science instruction offered to students in the United States is low (Business-Higher Education Forum, 2005; Gonzales et al., 2004; National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, 2000; National Research Council, 2000,…

Superstars and Rookies of the Year: Faculty Hiring Practices in the Postmodern Age. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.10.05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgan, Mary

2005-01-01

Hiring new colleagues is a matter that engages individual faculty members intensely, for peer control of admission to the professoriate has been a highly successful source of academic quality in American higher education. "Super Stars and Rookies of the Year" analyzes the fixation on research acclaim as a negative version of academic hiring…

Strategic Approach for Developing World-Class Universities in Egypt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Hanaa Ouda Khadri

2015-01-01

In the past decade, the term "world-class university" "WCU"--also called "globally competitive universities", "world-class", "elite", or "flagship" universities--has become a catch phrase, not simply for improving the quality of learning and research in higher education but also, more…

Physicochemical, rheological and functional properties of fats and oils in relation to cookie quality: a review.

PubMed

Devi, Amita; Khatkar, B S

2016-10-01

Sincere efforts of researchers are underway to understand the functionality of different fats and oils in relation to cookie quality. The quality of cookie primarily relies upon the functionality of fats and oils in cookie system which ultimately is combined result of their physical, chemical, and rheological properties. Effects of some major fats and oils such as butter, bakery fat, hydrogenated fat, lard, margarine, palm oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and soybean oil on the physical and sensory characteristics of cookie have been studied. Previous studies reported that fats and oils had radical contribution in cookie quality and most authors agree on the fact that different fats and oils affect the cookie quality to different extent. Furthermore, it was observed by many researchers that with oils, dough was softer and cookie spread was higher as compared with that of fats. It is important to understand the molecular basis of the difference in technological changes in cookies properties with different fats and oils. This review focuses on the current knowledge of quality determining physical, chemical, thermal, microstructural, and functional properties of fats and oils in relation to cookie dough rheology and cookie quality.

Systematic review of studies of staffing and quality in nursing homes.

PubMed

Bostick, Jane E; Rantz, Marilyn J; Flesner, Marcia K; Riggs, C Jo

2006-07-01

To evaluate a range of staffing measures and data sources for long-term use in public reporting of staffing as a quality measure in nursing homes. Eighty-seven research articles and government documents published from 1975 to 2003 were reviewed and summarized. Relevant content was extracted and organized around 3 themes: staffing measures, quality measures, and risk adjustment variables. Data sources for staffing information were also identified. There is a proven association between higher total staffing levels (especially licensed staff) and improved quality of care. Studies also indicate a significant relationship between high turnover and poor resident outcomes. Functional ability, pressure ulcers, and weight loss are the most sensitive quality indicators linked to staffing. The best national data sources for staffing and quality include the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and On-line Survey and Certification Automated Records (OSCAR). However, the accuracy of this self-reported information requires further reliability and validity testing. A nationwide instrument needs to be developed to accurately measure staff turnover. Large-scale studies using payroll data to measure staff retention and its impact on resident outcomes are recommended. Future research should use the most nurse-sensitive quality indicators such as pressure ulcers, functional status, and weight loss.

Video quality assessment method motivated by human visual perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Meiling; Jiang, Gangyi; Yu, Mei; Song, Yang; Peng, Zongju; Shao, Feng

2016-11-01

Research on video quality assessment (VQA) plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of video coding and the performance of video processing. It is well acknowledged that the motion energy model generates motion energy responses in a middle temporal area by simulating the receptive field of neurons in V1 for the motion perception of the human visual system. Motivated by the biological evidence for the visual motion perception, a VQA method is proposed in this paper, which comprises the motion perception quality index and the spatial index. To be more specific, the motion energy model is applied to evaluate the temporal distortion severity of each frequency component generated from the difference of Gaussian filter bank, which produces the motion perception quality index, and the gradient similarity measure is used to evaluate the spatial distortion of the video sequence to get the spatial quality index. The experimental results of the LIVE, CSIQ, and IVP video databases demonstrate that the random forests regression technique trained by the generated quality indices is highly correspondent to human visual perception and has many significant improvements than comparable well-performing methods. The proposed method has higher consistency with subjective perception and higher generalization capability.

Geographic factors as determinants of food security: a Western Australian food pricing and quality study.

PubMed

Pollard, Christina Mary; Landrigan, Timothy John; Ellies, Pernilla Laila; Kerr, Deborah Anne; Lester, Matthew Langdon Underwood; Goodchild, Stanley Edward

2014-01-01

Food affordability and quality can influence food choice. This research explores the impact of geographic factors on food pricing and quality in Western Australia (WA). A Healthy Food Access Basket (HFAB) was cost and a visual and descriptive quality assessment of 13 commonly consumed fresh produce items was conducted in-store on a representative sample of 144 food grocery stores. The WA retail environment in 2010 had 447 grocery stores servicing 2.9 million people: 38% of stores the two major chains (Coles® Supermarkets Australia and Woolworths ® Limited) in population dense areas, 50% were smaller independently owned stores (Independent Grocers Association®) in regional areas as well, and 12% Indigenous community stores in very remote areas. The HFAB cost 24% (p<0.0001) more in very remote areas than the major city with fruit (32%, p<0.0001), vegetables (26.1%, p<0.0005) and dairy (40%, p<0.0001) higher. Higher price did not correlate with higher quality with only 80% of very remote stores meeting all criteria for fresh produce compared with 93% in Perth. About 30% of very remote stores did not meet quality criteria for bananas, green beans, lettuce, and tomatoes. With increasing geographic isolation, most foods cost more and the quality of fresh produce was lower. Food affordability and quality may deter healthier food choice in geographically isolated communities. Improving affordability and quality of nutritious foods in remote communities may positively impact food choices, improve food security and prevent diet-sensitive chronic disease. Policy makers should consider influencing agriculture, trade, commerce, transport, freight, and modifying local food economies.

Adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Recommendations for Cancer Prevention Is Associated With Better Health-Related Quality of Life Among Elderly Female Cancer Survivors

PubMed Central

Inoue-Choi, Maki; Lazovich, DeAnn; Prizment, Anna E.; Robien, Kim

2013-01-01

Purpose The 2007 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) diet and physical activity guidelines encourage cancer survivors to follow its cancer prevention recommendations. We evaluated whether adherence to the WCRF/AICR recommendations was associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among elderly female cancer survivors. Patients and Methods A total of 2,193 women with a confirmed cancer diagnosis (1986 through 2002) in the Iowa Women's Health Study were identified. We calculated a WCRF/AICR recommendation adherence score (range, 0 to 7), assigning one point each for seven recommendations. Physical and mental component summary scores (PCS, MCS) from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form–36 Health Survey were compared by recommendation adherence scores. Results Mean adherence score was 4.0 ± 1.2. Overall, higher adherence to the WCRF/AICR guidelines was significantly associated with better PCS and MCS after adjustment for age, education, marital status, number of comorbidities, smoking, cancer stage, and current cancer treatment (Ptrend < .001 for both). PCS was 43.5 versus 37.0 and MCS was 54.2 versus 52.0 among women with adherence scores ≥ 5 compared with women scoring ≤ 3. Adherence to the physical activity recommendation was associated with higher PCS and MCS after adjusting for demographic and medical confounders, body mass index, and dietary recommendation adherence. For the body weight recommendation, adherence was associated with higher PCS but lower MCS, whereas adherence to the dietary recommendations was associated with higher MCS only. Conclusion Following the lifestyle guidelines for cancer prevention may improve HRQOL among elderly female cancer survivors. Physical activity may be a key lifestyle factor to improve HRQOL. PMID:23569318

Association Between Learning Environment Interventions and Medical Student Well-being: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wasson, Lauren T; Cusmano, Amberle; Meli, Laura; Louh, Irene; Falzon, Louise; Hampsey, Meghan; Young, Geoffrey; Shaffer, Jonathan; Davidson, Karina W

2016-12-06

Concerns exist about the current quality of undergraduate medical education and its effect on students' well-being. To identify best practices for undergraduate medical education learning environment interventions that are associated with improved emotional well-being of students. Learning environment interventions were identified by searching the biomedical electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ERIC from database inception dates to October 2016. Studies examined any intervention designed to promote medical students' emotional well-being in the setting of a US academic medical school, with an outcome defined as students' reports of well-being as assessed by surveys, semistructured interviews, or other quantitative methods. Two investigators independently reviewed abstracts and full-text articles. Data were extracted into tables to summarize results. Study quality was assessed by the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERQSI), which has a possible range of 5 to 18; higher scores indicate higher design and methods quality and a score of 14 or higher indicates a high-quality study. Twenty-eight articles including at least 8224 participants met eligibility criteria. Study designs included single-group cross-sectional or posttest only (n = 10), single-group pretest/posttest (n = 2), nonrandomized 2-group (n = 13), and randomized clinical trial (n = 3); 89.2% were conducted at a single site, and the mean MERSQI score for all studies was 10.3 (SD, 2.11; range, 5-13). Studies encompassed a variety of interventions, including those focused on pass/fail grading systems (n = 3; mean MERSQI score, 12.0), mental health programs (n = 4; mean MERSQI score, 11.9), mind-body skills programs (n = 7; mean MERSQI score, 11.3), curriculum structure (n = 3; mean MERSQI score, 9.5), multicomponent program reform (n = 5; mean MERSQI score, 9.4), wellness programs (n = 4; mean MERSQI score, 9.0), and advising/mentoring programs (n = 3; mean MERSQI score, 8.2). In this systematic review, limited evidence suggested that some specific learning environment interventions were associated with improved emotional well-being among medical students. However, the overall quality of the evidence was low, highlighting the need for high-quality medical education research.

Video medical interpretation over 3G cellular networks: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Locatis, Craig; Williamson, Deborah; Sterrett, James; Detzler, Isabel; Ackerman, Michael

2011-12-01

To test the feasibility of using cell phone technology to provide video medical interpretation services at a distance. Alternative cell phone services were researched and videoconferencing technologies were tried out to identify video products and telecommunication services needed to meet video medical interpretation requirements. The video and telecommunication technologies were tried out in a pharmacy setting and compared with use of the telephone. Outcomes were similar to findings in previous research involving video medical interpretation with higher bandwidth and video quality. Patients appreciated the interpretation service no matter how it is provided, while health providers and interpreters preferred video. It is possible to provide video medical interpretation services via cellular communication using lower bandwidth videoconferencing technology that provides sufficient quality, at least in pharmacy settings. However, a number of issues need to be addressed to ensure quality of service.

Research on annealing and properties of TlBr crystals for radiation detector use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhiping, Zheng; Yongtao, Yu; Dongxiang, Zhou; Shuping, Gong; Qiuyun, Fu

2014-03-01

In this paper, annealing was carried out in air after cutting, polishing and etching to eliminate defects introduced by crystal and wafer preparation work. The effect of annealing temperature and time on the properties of TlBr crystals was investigated. The crystal quality was characterized by infrared (IR) transmittance spectrum, I-V measurement, XRD and energy response spectrum. In the annealing temperature range (100-320 °C) applied, it was found that higher temperature was more effective for improving quality. Furthermore, it is proved that an appropriate annealing time is vital for better crystal quality.

[Improvement of higher medical education via the system of quality specialist training].

PubMed

Artiukhov, I P; Samotesov, P A; Nikulina, S Iu; Salmina, A B; Petrova, M M; Gritsan, A I; Rossiev, D A

2009-01-01

Development of the system of management of quality specialist training in the Kraysnoysrsk State Medical Academy allowed to optimize administration and academic process, create conditions for introduction of innovative technologies in educational, research, and clinico-diagnostic activities for the purpose of their standardization and realization of managerial decisions. The new system promotes organization of administrative and educational work of the Academy in line with leading trends of regional development, stimulates creativity and strategic planning.

The Racialized Experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander Students: An Examination of Campus Racial Climate at the University of California, Los Angeles. iCount: A Data Quality Movement for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Bach Mai Dolly; Nguyen, Mike Hoa; Chan, Jason; Teranishi, Robert T.

2016-01-01

In 2013, the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education (CARE) launched iCount: A Data Quality Movement for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Higher Education, a collaborative effort with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) and with generous support from the…

Professional quality of life normative benchmarks.

PubMed

De La Rosa, Gabriel M; Webb-Murphy, Jennifer A; Fesperman, Susan F; Johnston, Scott L

2018-03-01

Those responsible for the care of trauma survivors can experience both beneficial and detrimental consequences resulting from their professional demands. Research has demonstrated that among professional caregivers, compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and compassion fatigue (CF) are important factors contributing to professional quality of life. The current research aims to provide normative information regarding the factors contributing to professional quality of life among those who interact with survivors of trauma. The Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale is a widely used measure of CS, BO, and CF. The most recent iteration of the ProQOL manual provides normative data to assist in the interpretation of scores. However, a review of the literature reporting raw scores on the ProQOL suggests that mean scores and cutoff scores for the 25th and 75th percentiles may be misleading. A review of 30 studies (total sample size of 5,612) was conducted and normative values are presented. The mean (standard deviation) level of CS, CF, and BO were 37.7 (6.5), 16.7 (5.7), and 22.8 (5.4), respectively. Values gathered from the literature review tend to align well with one another and suggest that within a given sample, CS scores tend to be higher than BO scores, and BO scores tend to be slightly higher than CF scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Quality of communication experience: definition, measurement, and implications for intercultural negotiations.

PubMed

Liu, Leigh Anne; Chua, Chei Hwee; Stahl, Günter K

2010-05-01

In an increasingly globalized workplace, the ability to communicate effectively across cultures is critical. We propose that the quality of communication experienced by individuals plays a significant role in the outcomes of intercultural interactions, such as cross-border negotiations. In 4 studies, we developed and validated a multidimensional conceptualization of quality of communication experience (QCE) and examined its consequences in intracultural versus intercultural business negotiations. We proposed and found 3 dimensions of QCE-namely, Clarity, Responsiveness, and Comfort. Findings from intercultural and same-cultural negotiations supported the hypotheses that QCE is lower in intercultural negotiation than in intracultural negotiation and that a higher degree of QCE leads to better negotiation outcomes. Moreover, we found evidence that the beneficial effects of higher QCE on negotiation outcomes are more pronounced in intercultural than in intracultural negotiations. We propose an agenda for future research and identify implications for practice. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Accounting for the Down syndrome advantage?

PubMed

Esbensen, Anna J; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick

2011-01-01

The authors examined factors that could explain the higher levels of psychosocial well being observed in past research in mothers of individuals with Down syndrome compared with mothers of individuals with other types of intellectual disabilities. The authors studied 155 mothers of adults with Down syndrome, contrasting factors that might validly account for the ?Down syndrome advantage? (behavioral phenotype) with those that have been portrayed in past research as artifactual (maternal age, social supports). The behavioral phenotype predicted less pessimism, more life satisfaction, and a better quality of the mother?child relationship. However, younger maternal age and fewer social supports, as well as the behavioral phenotype, predicted higher levels of caregiving burden. Implications for future research on families of individuals with Down syndrome are discussed.

A longitudinal examination of sleep quality and physical activity in older adults.

PubMed

Holfeld, Brett; Ruthig, Joelle C

2014-10-01

The relationship between sleep quality and physical activity is bidirectional, yet prior research on older adults has mainly focused on investigating whether increasing levels of physical activity leads to improvements in sleep quality. The current longitudinal study examined both directional relationships by assessing sleep quality and physical activity twice over a two-year period among 426 community-dwelling older adults (ages 61-100). A cross-lagged panel analysis that included age, gender, perceived stress, functional ability, and severity of chronic health conditions as covariates, revealed that better initial sleep quality predicted higher levels of later physical activity beyond the effects of prior physical activity; whereas initial physical activity did not predict later sleep quality after accounting for prior sleep quality. These findings highlight sleep quality as an important contributor to a physically active lifestyle among older adults. © The Author(s) 2012.

Exposing the Science in Citizen Science: Fitness to Purpose and Intentional Design.

PubMed

Parrish, Julia K; Burgess, Hillary; Weltzin, Jake F; Fortson, Lucy; Wiggins, Andrea; Simmons, Brooke

2018-05-21

Citizen science is a growing phenomenon. With millions of people involved and billions of in-kind dollars contributed annually, this broad extent, fine grain approach to data collection should be garnering enthusiastic support in the mainstream science and higher education communities. However, many academic researchers demonstrate distinct biases against the use of citizen science as a source of rigorous information. To engage the public in scientific research, and the research community in the practice of citizen science, a mutual understanding is needed of accepted quality standards in science, and the corresponding specifics of project design and implementation when working with a broad public base. We define a science-based typology focused on the degree to which projects deliver the type(s) and quality of data/work needed to produce valid scientific outcomes directly useful in science and natural resource management. Where project intent includes direct contribution to science and the public is actively involved either virtually or hands-on, we examine the measures of quality assurance (methods to increase data quality during the design and implementation phases of a project) and quality control (post hoc methods to increase the quality of scientific outcomes). We suggest that high quality science can be produced with massive, largely one-off, participation if data collection is simple and quality control includes algorithm voting, statistical pruning and/or computational modeling. Small to mid-scale projects engaging participants in repeated, often complex, sampling can advance quality through expert-led training and well-designed materials, and through independent verification. Both approaches - simplification at scale and complexity with care - generate more robust science outcomes.

MDRC Research on Career Pathways. Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazis, Richard

2016-01-01

As postsecondary credentials have become increasingly important to accessing higher-quality employment, a growing number of education and workforce programs are implementing "career pathways" approaches to help both youth and adults prepare for further education and better jobs. In recent years, the Manpower Demonstration Research…

77 FR 30007 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-21

... smears and vaccines; poor self- management of conditions such as asthma and diabetes; and higher rates of... delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the quality, effectiveness, efficiency... Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research...

Systematic reviews involving complementary and alternative medicine interventions had higher quality of reporting than conventional medicine reviews.

PubMed

Lawson, Margaret L; Pham, Ba'; Klassen, Terry P; Moher, David

2005-08-01

To compare the quality of systematic reviews reported in English and in languages other than English, and to determine whether there are differences between conventional medicine (CM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) reports. We used the Oxman and Guyatt (OG) scale to assess the quality of reporting in 130 systematic reviews: 50 were language-restricted, 32 were language-inclusive but only English-language (EL) trials contained (inclusive-EL), and 48 were language-inclusive and included trials published in languages other than English (inclusive-LOE). Of the 130 reviews, 105 addressed CM interventions and 25 addressed CAM interventions. Comparison of the systematic reviews showed that the quality of reporting and reporting characteristics are not affected by inclusion or exclusion of LOE; however, the quality of reporting of systematic reviews involving CAM interventions is higher than that of reviews focusing on CM interventions. Informal comparison of the OG scale with the data collected on quality assessments showed that the OG scale performs well overall but may not identify important differences in comprehensiveness of the search strategy and avoidance of bias in study selection. Further research is required to determine the best methods for assessing quality of systematic reviews and whether the effect of language restrictions is dependent on the type of intervention (CM or CAM).

Bidirectional associations between coparenting relations and family member anxiety: a review and conceptual model.

PubMed

Majdandžić, Mirjana; de Vente, Wieke; Feinberg, Mark E; Aktar, Evin; Bögels, Susan M

2012-03-01

Research into anxiety has largely ignored the dynamics of family systems in anxiety development. Coparenting refers to the quality of coordination between individuals responsible for the upbringing of children and links different subsystems within the family, such as the child, the marital relationship, and the parents. This review discusses the potential mechanisms and empirical findings regarding the bidirectional relations of parent and child anxiety with coparenting. The majority of studies point to bidirectional associations between greater coparenting difficulties and higher levels of anxiety. For example, the few available studies suggest that paternal and perhaps maternal anxiety is linked to lower coparental support. Also, research supports the existence of inverse links between coparenting quality and child anxiety. A child's reactive temperament appears to have adverse effects on particularly coparenting of fathers. A conceptual model is proposed that integrates the role of parental and child anxiety, parenting, and coparenting, to guide future research and the development of clinical interventions. Future research should distinguish between fathers' and mothers' coparenting behaviors, include parental anxiety, and investigate the coparental relationship longitudinally. Clinicians should be aware of the reciprocal relations between child anxiety and coparenting quality, and families presenting for treatment who report child (or parent) anxiety should be assessed for difficulties in coparenting. Clinical approaches to bolster coparenting quality are called for.

Development and Validation of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Measures of Potentially Preventable Emergency Department (ED) Visits: The ED Prevention Quality Indicators for General Health Conditions.

PubMed

Davies, Sheryl; Schultz, Ellen; Raven, Maria; Wang, Nancy Ewen; Stocks, Carol L; Delgado, Mucio Kit; McDonald, Kathryn M

2017-10-01

To develop and validate rates of potentially preventable emergency department (ED) visits as indicators of community health. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project 2008-2010 State Inpatient Databases and State Emergency Department Databases. Empirical analyses and structured panel reviews. Panels of 14-17 clinicians and end users evaluated a set of ED Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs) using a Modified Delphi process. Empirical analyses included assessing variation in ED PQI rates across counties and sensitivity of those rates to county-level poverty, uninsurance, and density of primary care physicians (PCPs). ED PQI rates varied widely across U.S. communities. Indicator rates were significantly associated with county-level poverty, median income, Medicaid insurance, and levels of uninsurance. A few indicators were significantly associated with PCP density, with higher rates in areas with greater density. A clinical and an end-user panel separately rated the indicators as having strong face validity for most uses evaluated. The ED PQIs have undergone initial validation as indicators of community health with potential for use in public reporting, population health improvement, and research. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Life Outcomes and Higher Education: The Need for Longitudinal Research Using a Broad Range of Quality of Life Indicators.

PubMed

Sheppard-Jones, Kathleen; Kleinert, Harold; Butler, Laura; Whaley, Barry

2018-02-01

Higher education is increasingly becoming an option for young adults with intellectual disability (ID). Although initial evaluations of postsecondary education for this population have been promising, a broader "quality of life" framework needs to be adopted in order to truly understand the impact of these programs. Moreover, researchers and program evaluators must collect longitudinal data that follows former students for multiple years and uses multiple measures. We conducted a pilot evaluation of the life outcomes of students who had attended at least two semesters in Kentucky's supported higher education program for students with ID, collecting data on life status and experiences using measures from the National Core Indicators-Adult Consumer Survey. The findings from this pilot study show better outcomes for young adults who participated in a postsecondary education program compared to young adults who did not, but these findings need to be considered in light of several limitations. In many respects, our data provided more new questions than answers. Recommendations for collecting and evaluating broad-based, longitudinal data to gain insight into the potential benefits of postsecondary education for people with intellectual disability are discussed.

Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on quality of life, anxiety, and blood pressure control.

PubMed

Chung, Sheng-Chia; Brooks, Maria M; Rai, Madhur; Balk, Judith L; Rai, Sandeep

2012-06-01

The present study investigates the effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on quality of life, anxiety, and blood pressure control. The prospective observational cohort study enrolled two study groups: those receiving treatment from the International Sahaja Yoga Research and Health Center (meditation group) and those receiving treatment from the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Hospital (control group). Researchers measured quality of life, anxiety, and blood pressure before and after treatment. Sixty-seven (67) participants in the meditation group and 62 participants in the control group completed the study. The two groups were comparable in demographic and clinical characteristics. At baseline, the meditation group had higher quality of life (p<0.001) than controls but similar anxiety level (p=0.74) to controls. Within-group pre- versus post-treatment comparisons showed significant improvement in quality of life, anxiety, and blood pressure in the meditation group (p<0.001), while in controls, quality of life deteriorated and there was no improvement in blood pressure. The improvement in quality of life, anxiety reduction, and blood pressure control was greater in the meditation group. The beneficial effect of meditation remained significant after adjusting for confounders. Meditation treatment was associated with significant improvements in quality of life, anxiety reduction, and blood pressure control.

The quality of reports of medical and public health research from Palestinian institutions: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Abu-Rmeileh, Niveen ME; Elessi, Khamis; Obeidallah, Mohammad; Bjertness, Espen; Chalmers, Iain

2017-01-01

Objective Over the past decade, there has been an increase in reports of health research from Palestine, but no assessment of their quality. We have assessed the quality of reports of Palestinian health research and factors associated with it. Design This is a systematic review. Inclusion criteria We searched Medline and Scopus for reports of original research relevant to human health or healthcare authored by researchers affiliated with Palestinian institutions and published between January 2000 and August 2015 inclusive. Outcomes We used international guidelines to assess report quality, classifying as adequate those with ≥50% of items completely addressed. Results Of 2383 reports identified, 497 met our inclusion criteria. Just over half (264; 55%) of these were published after 2010. 354 (71%) of first authors were affiliated with Palestinian institutions; 261 (53%) reports had coauthors from outside Palestine. The majority of the reports in our study were inadequately reported (342; 69%), and none had adequately reported all items. Of 439 observational studies, 11 (2.5%) reports provided adequate descriptions of eligibility criteria and selection procedures; 35 (8%) reported efforts to address potential sources of bias; 50 (11.4%) reported the basis for the study sample size; and funding sources were mentioned in 74 reports (17%). Higher reporting quality was associated with international affiliation of the first author (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.6 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.1)), international collaboration (PR 2.9 (95% CI 1.7 to 5.0)), international funding (PR 1.9 (95% CI1.5 to 2.5)), publication after 2005 (PR 3.9 (95% CI 1.8 to 8.5)) and four or more coauthors (PR 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1)). Conclusion Although the quality of reports of Palestinian research has improved in recent years, it remains well below an acceptable standard. International reporting guidelines should be used to guide research design and improve the quality of reports of research. Trial registration number The systematic review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registery (registration number: CRD42015027553). PMID:28601839

The Application of Problem-Based Learning Strategy to Increase High Order Thinking Skills of Senior Vocational School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suprapto, Edy; Fahrizal; Priyono; Basri, K.

2017-01-01

This research is to apply and develop a strategy of problem-based learning to increase the ability of higher order thinking skills of senior vocational schools students. The research was done due to a fact that the quality of outputs of the senior vocational schools has not met the competency needed by the stakeholders in the field, that has made…

Promoting Good Clinical Laboratory Practices and Laboratory Accreditation to Support Clinical Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Shott, Joseph P.; Saye, Renion; Diakité, Moussa L.; Sanogo, Sintry; Dembele, Moussa B.; Keita, Sekouba; Nagel, Mary C.; Ellis, Ruth D.; Aebig, Joan A.; Diallo, Dapa A.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.

2012-01-01

Laboratory capacity in the developing world frequently lacks quality management systems (QMS) such as good clinical laboratory practices, proper safety precautions, and adequate facilities; impacting the ability to conduct biomedical research where it is needed most. As the regulatory climate changes globally, higher quality laboratory support is needed to protect study volunteers and to accurately assess biological parameters. The University of Bamako and its partners have undertaken a comprehensive QMS plan to improve quality and productivity using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standards and guidelines. The clinical laboratory passed the College of American Pathologists inspection in April 2010, and received full accreditation in June 2010. Our efforts to implement high-quality standards have been valuable for evaluating safety and immunogenicity of malaria vaccine candidates in Mali. Other disease-specific research groups in resource-limited settings may benefit by incorporating similar training initiatives, QMS methods, and continual improvement practices to ensure best practices. PMID:22492138

Factors Affecting Parent's Perception on Air Quality-From the Individual to the Community Level.

PubMed

Guo, Yulin; Liu, Fengfeng; Lu, Yuanan; Mao, Zongfu; Lu, Hanson; Wu, Yanyan; Chu, Yuanyuan; Yu, Lichen; Liu, Yisi; Ren, Meng; Li, Na; Chen, Xi; Xiang, Hao

2016-05-12

The perception of air quality significantly affects the acceptance of the public of the government's environmental policies. The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between the perception of the air quality of parents and scientific monitoring data and to analyze the factors that affect parents' perceptions. Scientific data of air quality were obtained from Wuhan's environmental condition reports. One thousand parents were investigated for their knowledge and perception of air quality. Scientific data show that the air quality of Wuhan follows an improving trend in general, while most participants believed that the air quality of Wuhan has deteriorated, which indicates a significant difference between public perception and reality. On the individual level, respondents with an age of 40 or above (40 or above: OR = 3.252; 95% CI: 1.170-9.040), a higher educational level (college and above: OR = 7.598; 95% CI: 2.244-25.732) or children with poor healthy conditions (poor: OR = 6.864; 95% CI: 2.212-21.302) have much more negative perception of air quality. On the community level, industrial facilities, vehicles and city construction have major effects on parents' perception of air quality. Our investigation provides baseline information for environmental policy researchers and makers regarding the public's perception and expectation of air quality and the benefits to the environmental policy completing and enforcing.

Influence of habitat quality, population size, patch size, and connectivity on patch-occupancy dynamics of the middle spotted woodpecker.

PubMed

Robles, Hugo; Ciudad, Carlos

2012-04-01

Despite extensive research on the effects of habitat fragmentation, the ecological mechanisms underlying colonization and extinction processes are poorly known, but knowledge of these mechanisms is essential to understanding the distribution and persistence of populations in fragmented habitats. We examined these mechanisms through multiseason occupancy models that elucidated patch-occupancy dynamics of Middle Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos medius) in northwestern Spain. The number of occupied patches was relatively stable from 2000 to 2010 (15-24% of 101 patches occupied every year) because extinction was balanced by recolonization. Larger and higher quality patches (i.e., higher density of oaks >37 cm dbh [diameter at breast height]) were more likely to be occupied. Habitat quality (i.e., density of large oaks) explained more variation in patch colonization and extinction than did patch size and connectivity, which were both weakly associated with probabilities of turnover. Patches of higher quality were more likely to be colonized than patches of lower quality. Populations in high-quality patches were less likely to become extinct. In addition, extinction in a patch was strongly associated with local population size but not with patch size, which means the latter may not be a good surrogate of population size in assessments of extinction probability. Our results suggest that habitat quality may be a primary driver of patch-occupancy dynamics and may increase the accuracy of models of population survival. We encourage comparisons of competing models that assess occupancy, colonization, and extinction probabilities in a single analytical framework (e.g., dynamic occupancy models) so as to shed light on the association of habitat quality and patch geometry with colonization and extinction processes in different settings and species. ©2012 Society for Conservation Biology.

Thinking aloud during idea generating and planning before written translation: Developmental changes from ages 10 to 12 in expressing and defending opinions.

PubMed

Davidson, Matt; Berninger, Virginia

2016-01-01

This interdisciplinary research, drawing on cognitive psychology and linguistics, extended to middle childhood past research during early childhood or adulthood on thinking aloud prior to written composing. In year 5 of a longitudinal study of typical writing, when cohort 1 was in grade 5 ( n = 110 ten year-olds) and cohort 2 in grade 7 ( n = 97 twelve year-olds), a cross-sectional study was conducted. Children were first asked to think aloud while they generated ideas and second while they planned their essays to express and defend their opinions on a controversial topic in the region of the United States where they lived. Third, they wrote their essays. Their think-aloud protocols were audio-recorded and later transcribed into writing for analysis. The authors developed and applied rating scales for quality of idea generating and planning in the written transcriptions and quality of opinion expression, opinion defense, organization, and content in the essays children wrote after thinking aloud; total number of words in essays was also counted. Seventh graders scored significantly higher than fifth graders on quality of idea generation but not planning, and higher on all variables rated for quality in the written essays including length. Quality of expressing opinions and defending opinions were uncorrelated in grade 5, but moderately correlated in grade 7. Whether idea generating or planning quality explained unique variance in essays varied with coded written essay variables and grade. Educational applications of results for assessment, assessment-instruction links, instruction in social studies, and theory of mind in persuasive essay writing are discussed.

Thinking aloud during idea generating and planning before written translation: Developmental changes from ages 10 to 12 in expressing and defending opinions

PubMed Central

Davidson, Matt; Berninger, Virginia

2017-01-01

This interdisciplinary research, drawing on cognitive psychology and linguistics, extended to middle childhood past research during early childhood or adulthood on thinking aloud prior to written composing. In year 5 of a longitudinal study of typical writing, when cohort 1 was in grade 5 (n = 110 ten year-olds) and cohort 2 in grade 7 (n = 97 twelve year-olds), a cross-sectional study was conducted. Children were first asked to think aloud while they generated ideas and second while they planned their essays to express and defend their opinions on a controversial topic in the region of the United States where they lived. Third, they wrote their essays. Their think-aloud protocols were audio-recorded and later transcribed into writing for analysis. The authors developed and applied rating scales for quality of idea generating and planning in the written transcriptions and quality of opinion expression, opinion defense, organization, and content in the essays children wrote after thinking aloud; total number of words in essays was also counted. Seventh graders scored significantly higher than fifth graders on quality of idea generation but not planning, and higher on all variables rated for quality in the written essays including length. Quality of expressing opinions and defending opinions were uncorrelated in grade 5, but moderately correlated in grade 7. Whether idea generating or planning quality explained unique variance in essays varied with coded written essay variables and grade. Educational applications of results for assessment, assessment-instruction links, instruction in social studies, and theory of mind in persuasive essay writing are discussed. PMID:28203613

Association between the perspective of adult inpatients with digestive cancer regarding the nursing service and their quality of recovery on postoperative day 3.

PubMed

Sasaki, Kumiko; Tamakoshi, Koji

2018-02-01

Although qualitative research that focuses on inpatients' experience immediately after surgery has continued to elucidate the efficacy of the nursing service for postoperative recovery, there has been little quantitative research. Our aim was to quantitatively clarify the association between inpatients' perception of the nursing service and the quality of postoperative recovery. Seventy-one digestive cancer patients who underwent surgery were recruited. Participants completed two self-administered questionnaires, including the Japanese version of the 40-item postoperative Quality of Recovery scale (QoR-40J) and the Nursing Service Quality Scale for Japan (NURSERV-J) which has 22 items and five dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) on postoperative day 3. There were significant positive associations between the global scores of the NURSERV-J and the QoR-40J. The global score of the QoR-40J was compared between patients who gave full marks for each dimension of the NURSERV-J (the entirely satisfied group) and those who did not (the not entirely satisfied group). The entirely satisfied groups regarding tangibles, reliability and responsiveness had a significantly higher global score for the QoR-40J than the respective not entirely satisfied groups. Adjusted for age, gender, operative procedure, and duration of surgery, the entirely satisfied groups regarding tangibles and responsiveness had a significant higher global score for the QoR-40J than the respective not entirely satisfied groups. Patients who perceived that they had received a nursing service of high quality were likely to attain a high quality of postoperative recovery. Nursing services related to tangibles, reliability, and responsiveness especially contributed to postoperative recovery.

The Effect of Hydration on the Voice Quality of Future Professional Vocal Performers.

PubMed

van Wyk, Liezl; Cloete, Mariaan; Hattingh, Danel; van der Linde, Jeannie; Geertsema, Salome

2017-01-01

The application of systemic hydration as an instrument for optimal voice quality has been a common practice by several professional voice users over the years. Although the physiological action has been determined, the benefits on acoustic and perceptual characteristics are relatively unknown. The present study aimed to determine whether systemic hydration has beneficial outcomes on the voice quality of future professional voice users. A within-subject, pretest posttest design is applied to determine quantitative research results of female singing students between 18 and 32 years of age without a history of voice pathology. Acoustic and perceptual data were collected before and after a 2-hour singing rehearsal. The difference between the hypohydrated condition (controlled) and the hydrated condition (experimental) and the relationship between adequate hydration and acoustic and perceptual parameters of voice was then investigated. A statistical significant (P = 0.041) increase in jitter values were obtained for the hypohydrated condition. Increased maximum phonation time (MPT/z/) and higher maximum frequency for hydration indicated further statistical significant changes in voice quality (P = 0.028 and P = 0.015, respectively). Systemic hydration has positive outcomes on perceptual and acoustic parameters of voice quality for future professional singers. The singer's ability to sustain notes for longer and reach higher frequencies may reflect well in performances. Any positive change in voice quality may benefit the singer's occupational success and subsequently their social, emotional, and vocational well-being. More research evidence is needed to determine the parameters for implementing adequate hydration in vocal hygiene programs. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clear Self, Better Relationships: Adolescents' Self-Concept Clarity and Relationship Quality With Parents and Peers Across 5 Years.

PubMed

Becht, Andrik I; Nelemans, Stefanie A; van Dijk, Marloes P A; Branje, Susan J T; Van Lier, Pol A C; Denissen, Jaap J A; Meeus, Wim H J

2017-11-01

This study examined reciprocal associations between adolescents' self-concept clarity (SCC) and their relationship quality with parents and best friends in a five-wave longitudinal study from age 13 to 18 years. In all, 497 adolescents (57% boys) reported on their SCC and all informants (i.e., adolescents, both parents, and adolescents' best friends) reported on support and negative interaction. Within-person cross-lagged analyses provided systematic evidence for both parent effects and child effects, with the direction of effects being strongly dependent on the relational context. For example, higher maternal support predicted higher adolescent SCC, supporting a parent effects perspective, whereas higher SCC predicted lower paternal negative interaction, supporting a child effects perspective. Peer effects on adolescent SCC were not consistently found across adolescent and best friend reports. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Neoliberalism, Performance and the Assessment of Research Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besley, A. C.; Peters, Michael A.

2006-01-01

This article provides a critical discussion of the neoliberal reforms of higher education focusing on new managerialism and New Public Management. It also distinguishes between democratic and market accountability regimes, examining how the former arise from classical liberalism and the latter from neoliberalism. The article then examines…

Does California's Master Plan Still Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burdman, Pamela

2009-01-01

For nearly 50 years, California's higher education system has been shaped by the tripartite division of the vaunted Master Plan. The 1960 document's bold vision of access and quality safeguarded a system of selective research universities (the University of California) and provided baccalaureate education through less-selective campuses (the…

From Eminent Men to Excellent Universities: University Rankings as Calculative Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammarfelt, Björn; de Rijcke, Sarah; Wouters, Paul

2017-01-01

Global university rankings have become increasingly important "calculative devices" for assessing the "quality" of higher education and research. Their ability to make characteristics of universities "calculable" is here exemplified by the first proper university ranking ever, produced as early as 1910 by the American…

Nexus: Intellectual Capital--The Most Strategic Asset.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Camille M.

2000-01-01

Discusses the importance of a higher education institution's intellectual capital as a strategic asset in long-range planning. Addresses problems of part-time and graduate student instructors in the context of teaching quality as the institution's fundamental mission. Suggests that tenure encourages research, builds institutional strength, and…

Research on Holographic Evaluation of Service Quality in Power Data Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Chen; Jing, Tao; Ji, Yutong

2018-01-01

With the rapid development of power data network, the continuous development of the Power data application service system, more and more service systems are being put into operation. Following this, the higher requirements for network quality and service quality are raised, in the actual process for the network operation and maintenance. This paper describes the electricity network and data network services status. A holographic assessment model was presented to achieve a comprehensive intelligence assessment on the power data network and quality of service in the operation and maintenance on the power data network. This evaluation method avoids the problems caused by traditional means which performs a single assessment of network performance quality. This intelligent Evaluation method can improve the efficiency of network operation and maintenance guarantee the quality of real-time service in the power data network..

Microtia and Social Media: Patient Versus Physician Perspective of Quality of Information.

PubMed

Sepehripour, Sarvnaz; McDermott, Ann Louise; Lloyd, Mark Sheldon

2017-05-01

Previous research demonstrates that patients seek high-quality information on the World Wide Web, especially in rare conditions such as microtia. Social media has overtaken other sources of patient information but quality remains untested. This study quantifies the quality of information for patients with Microtia on social media compared with nonsocial media websites and compares physician and patient scoring on quality using the DISCERN tool. In phase 1, quality of the top 100 websites featuring information "Microtia" was ranked according to quality score and position on Google showing the position of social media websites among other nonsocial media websites. Phase 2 involved independent scoring of websites on microtia compared with a patient group with microtia to test whether physicians score differently to patients with t test comparison. Social media websites account for 2% of the scored websites with health providers linking to social media. Social media websites were among the highest ranked on Google. No correlation was found between the quality of information and Google rank. Social media scored higher than nonsocial media websites regarding quality of information on microtia. No significant difference existed between physician and patient quality of information scores on social media and nonsocial media websites (p 1.033). Physicians and patients objectively score microtia websites alike. Social media websites have higher use despite being few in number compared with nonsocial media websites. Physicians providing links to social media on information websites on rare conditions such as microtia are engaging in current information-seeking trends.

Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS): reliability, initial validity and normative scores in higher education students.

PubMed

Allen Gomes, Ana; Ruivo Marques, Daniel; Meia-Via, Ana Maria; Meia-Via, Mariana; Tavares, José; Fernandes da Silva, Carlos; Pinto de Azevedo, Maria Helena

2015-04-01

Based on successive samples totaling more than 5000 higher education students, we scrutinized the reliability, structure, initial validity and normative scores of a brief self-report seven-item scale to screen for the continuum of nighttime insomnia complaints/perceived sleep quality, used by our team for more than a decade, henceforth labeled the Basic Scale on Insomnia complaints and Quality of Sleep (BaSIQS). In study/sample 1 (n = 1654), the items were developed based on part of a larger survey on higher education sleep-wake patterns. The test-retest study was conducted in an independent small group (n = 33) with a 2-8 week gap. In study/sample 2 (n = 360), focused mainly on validity, the BaSIQS was completed together with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In study 3, a large recent sample of students from universities all over the country (n = 2995) answered the BaSIQS items, based on which normative scores were determined, and an additional question on perceived sleep problems in order to further analyze the scale's validity. Regarding reliability, Cronbach alpha coefficients were systematically higher than 0.7, and the test-retest correlation coefficient was greater than 0.8. Structure analyses revealed consistently satisfactory two-factor and single-factor solutions. Concerning validity analyses, BaSIQS scores were significantly correlated with PSQI component scores and overall score (r = 0.652 corresponding to a large association); mean scores were significantly higher in those students classifying themselves as having sleep problems (p < 0.0001, d = 0.99 corresponding to a large effect size). In conclusion, the BaSIQS is very easy to administer, and appears to be a reliable and valid scale in higher education students. It might be a convenient short tool in research and applied settings to rapidly assess sleep quality or screen for insomnia complaints, and it may be easily used in other populations with minor adaptations.

"Assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews in radiation oncology: A systematic review".

PubMed

Hasan, Haroon; Muhammed, Taaha; Yu, Jennifer; Taguchi, Kelsi; Samargandi, Osama A; Howard, A Fuchsia; Lo, Andrea C; Olson, Robert; Goddard, Karen

2017-10-01

The objective of our study was to evaluate the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in Radiation Oncology. A systematic literature search was conducted for all eligible systematic reviews and meta-analyses in Radiation Oncology from 1966 to 2015. Methodological characteristics were abstracted from all works that satisfied the inclusion criteria and quality was assessed using the critical appraisal tool, AMSTAR. Regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with a higher score of quality. Following exclusion based on a priori criteria, 410 studies (157 systematic reviews and 253 meta-analyses) satisfied the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were found to be of fair to good quality while systematic reviews were found to be of less than fair quality. Factors associated with higher scores of quality in the multivariable analysis were including primary studies consisting of randomized control trials, performing a meta-analysis, and applying a recommended guideline related to establishing a systematic review protocol and/or reporting. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses may introduce a high risk of bias if applied to inform decision-making based on AMSTAR. We recommend that decision-makers in Radiation Oncology scrutinize the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses prior to assessing their utility to inform evidence-based medicine and researchers adhere to methodological standards outlined in validated guidelines when embarking on a systematic review. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uremic restless legs syndrome (RLS) and sleep quality in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis: potential role of homocysteine and parathyroid hormone.

PubMed

Gade, Katrin; Blaschke, Sabine; Rodenbeck, Andrea; Becker, Andreas; Anderson-Schmidt, Heike; Cohrs, Stefan

2013-01-01

The aetiology of uremic restless legs syndrome (RLS) remains unclear. Our research investigated whether an elevated plasma concentration of the excitatory amino acid homocysteine might be associated with RLS occurrence in patients with chronic renal insufficiency on hemodialysis. Total plasma homocysteine as well as creatinine, urea, folate, parathyroid hormone, hemoglobin, iron, ferritin, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and albumin levels were compared between 26 RLS-affected (RLSpos) and 26 non-affected (RLSneg) patients on chronic hemodialysis. We further compared subjective sleep quality between RLSpos and RLSneg patients using the Pittsburgh-Sleep-Quality-Index and investigated possible relationships between laboratory parameters and sleep quality. Taking individual albumin concentrations into account, a significant positive correlation between total plasma homocysteine and RLS occurrence was observed (r= 0.246; p=0.045). Sleep quality was significantly more reduced in RLSpos compared to RLSneg patients and RLS severity correlated positively with impairment of sleep quality. Bad sleep quality in all patients was associated with higher concentrations of parathyroid hormone. Our results suggest a possible aetiological role of homocysteine in uremic RLS. They confirm that uremic RLS is an important factor causing sleep impairment in patients on hemodialysis. Higher parathyroid hormone levels might also be associated with bad sleep quality in these patients. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in posttraumatic stress disorder and their relationships to self-reported sleep quality.

PubMed

Meyerhoff, Dieter J; Mon, Anderson; Metzler, Thomas; Neylan, Thomas C

2014-05-01

To test if posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with low brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and if reduced GABA is mediated by poor sleep quality. Laboratory study using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) and behavioral testing. VA Medical Center Research Service, Psychiatry and Radiology. Twenty-seven patients with PTSD (PTSD+) and 18 trauma-exposed controls without PTSD (PTSD-), recruited from United States Army reservists, Army National Guard, and mental health clinics. None. 1H MRS at 4 Tesla yielded spectra from three cortical brain regions. In parieto-occipital and temporal cortices, PTSD+ had lower GABA concentrations than PTSD-. As expected, PTSD+ had higher depressive and anxiety symptom scores and a higher Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score. Higher ISI correlated with lower GABA and higher glutamate levels in parieto-occipital cortex and tended to correlate with lower GABA in the anterior cingulate. The relationship between parieto-occipital GABA and PTSD diagnosis was fully mediated through insomnia severity. Lower N-acetylaspartate and glutamate concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex correlated with higher arousal scores, whereas depressive and anxiety symptoms did generally not influence metabolite concentrations. Low brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is consistent with most findings in panic and social anxiety disorders. Low GABA associated with poor sleep quality is consistent with the hyperarousal theory of both primary insomnia and PTSD. Our data demonstrate that poor sleep quality mediates low parieto-occipital GABA in PTSD. The findings have implications for PTSD treatment approaches.

Assessment of the quality of life in families with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities in Slovenia.

PubMed

Cagran, B; Schmidt, M; Brown, I

2011-12-01

Research was conducted, within the framework of the International Family Quality of Life Project, on the quality of life of families with a member who has a disability. We concentrated on the nine specific domains that the family life measure used, and recorded data from five of its six measurement dimensions: Importance, Opportunities, Initiative, Attainment and Satisfaction. The sample consisted of 20 families from Slovenia with children who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. The data were collected using the Family Quality of Life Survey-2006. Except for Community Interaction, the other domains (Health, Financial Well-Being, Family Relations, Support from Others, Support Services, Influence of Values, Careers, Leisure and Recreation) show statistically significant differences among the five dimensions measured. Importance was rated highest, and Attainment and Opportunities were rated lowest, while Initiative and Satisfaction were evaluated lower than Importance but higher than Attainment and Opportunities. Among the domains of family life, Family Relations was evaluated the highest from the perspective of all five dimensions. The family members rated Importance high for all of the quality of family life domains, but it appears from the lower Opportunities scores that their opportunities are limited; this may result in fewer possibilities for attaining a better quality of life. The results of our research are useful to Slovene researchers who work in the areas of special pedagogy and rehabilitation, politicians, non-governmental organisations and social services. The quality of life of families with children with disabilities, their empowerment and their inclusion into community life should be significantly enhanced when consideration is given to all the family members' support and service needs. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Art of Athlete Leadership: Identifying High-Quality Athlete Leadership at the Individual and Team Level Through Social Network Analysis.

PubMed

Fransen, Katrien; Van Puyenbroeck, Stef; Loughead, Todd M; Vanbeselaere, Norbert; De Cuyper, Bert; Vande Broek, Gert; Boen, Filip

2015-06-01

This research aimed to introduce social network analysis as a novel technique in sports teams to identify the attributes of high-quality athlete leadership, both at the individual and at the team level. Study 1 included 25 sports teams (N = 308 athletes) and focused on athletes' general leadership quality. Study 2 comprised 21 sports teams (N = 267 athletes) and focused on athletes' specific leadership quality as a task, motivational, social, and external leader. The extent to which athletes felt connected with their leader proved to be most predictive for athletes' perceptions of that leader's quality on each leadership role. Also at the team level, teams with higher athlete leadership quality were more strongly connected. We conclude that social network analysis constitutes a valuable tool to provide more insight in the attributes of high-quality leadership both at the individual and at the team level.

Physical and sensory quality of Java Arabica green coffee beans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunarharum, W. B.; Yuwono, S. S.; Pangestu, N. B. S. W.; Nadhiroh, H.

2018-03-01

Demand on high quality coffee for consumption is continually increasing not only in the consuming countries (importers) but also in the producing countries (exporters). Coffee quality could be affected by several factors from farm to cup including the post-harvest processing methods. This research aimed to investigate the influence of different post-harvest processing methods on physical and sensory quality of Java Arabica green coffee beans. The two factors being evaluated were three different post-harvest processing methods to produce green coffee beans (natural/dry, semi-washed and fully-washed processing) under sun drying. Physical quality evaluation was based on The Indonesian National Standard (SNI 01-2907-2008) while sensory quality was evaluated by five expert judges. The result shows that less defects observed in wet processed coffee as compared to the dry processing. The mechanical drying was also proven to yield a higher quality green coffee beans and minimise losses.

CONFINTEA VI follow-up and the role of university lifelong learning: Some issues for European higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Németh, Balázs

2011-08-01

The Belém Framework for Action underlines, among many other issues, that quality in adult learning and education must be holistic and multidimensional both as a concept and in practice, using various tools such as partnerships with higher education institutions. Bridging adult and higher education is difficult, but the lifelong learning paradigm may help European universities to meet the challenge. This paper argues that European higher education institutions should, on the one hand, educate adults to qualify them for their complex roles in society and economy either through academic programmes or in other, non-formal ways. On the other hand, higher education institutions should promote quality research on adult learning and education and develop active citizenship too. Emphasis was clearly given to the former task in the Budapest Statement in December 2008 as part of the European preparatory process for CONFINTEA VI, and the latter has been articulated by UNESCO for more than a decade. This paper suggests that a balanced position may help universities in setting themselves up as better and more effective learning organisations.

Participation in psychosocial oncology and quality-of-life research: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wakefield, Claire E; Fardell, Joanna E; Doolan, Emma L; Aaronson, Neil K; Jacobsen, Paul B; Cohn, Richard J; King, Madeleine

2017-03-01

Quality-of-life and psychosocial oncology studies that have low participation might have less precision, less statistical power, and can have non-response bias. In this systematic Review, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycInfo, for paediatric studies published in 2010-15 and adults studies published 2014-15. Studies were eligible if they were original studies published in a peer-reviewed journal; recruited children (aged 0-18 years at diagnosis) with cancer or their parents, or adult patients with cancer; and assessed psychosocial outcomes, including quality of life, depression, anxiety, wellbeing, distress, coping, or adjustment as a primary or secondary outcome. We assessed participation reporting quality, calculated percentages of participation achieved, and measured the influence of study design and participant characteristics. We reviewed 311 studies including a total of 87 240 adults, children, and parents. Mean participation across studies was more than 70% (paediatric participation was 72% and adult participation was 74%). Many studies did not report data essential for the assessment of participation, especially for non-respondents. Studies using a longitudinal cohort design had higher participation than randomised trials. In paediatric studies, recruitment of participants at diagnosis, face to face, and with the use of short questionnaires yielded higher participation. Other study design characteristics (method of data collection, who enrolled the participants, and incentives) and patient characteristics (cancer type, patient or parent age, and sex) did not affect participation in either paediatric or adult studies. Researchers can use these data to improve reporting quality and make evidence-based choices to maximise participation in future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power distance and mentor-protégé relationship quality as moderators of the relationship between informal mentoring and burnout: evidence from China.

PubMed

Qian, Jing; Han, Zhuo; Wang, Haiwan; Li, Xiaoyan; Wang, Qiuyue

2014-01-01

The topic of how to prevent and reduce burnout has drawn great attention from researchers and practitioners in recent years. However, we know little about how mentoring as a form of social support exerts influence on employee burnout. This study aims to examine the contingency side of the mentoring-burnout relationship by addressing the exploratory question of whether individual differences in power distance and relationship quality play important roles in mentoring effectiveness in terms of reducing a protégé's burnout level. A total of 210 employees from a technology communications company completed the survey questionnaire. (1) A protégés' power distance moderates the negative relationship between mentoring and burnout in such a way that the relationship is stronger for protégés who are lower rather than higher in power distance; (2) mentor-protégé relationship quality moderates the negative relationship between mentoring and burnout in such a way that the relationship is stronger when the relationship quality is higher rather than lower. In sum, our results highlight the importance of studying the contingency side of mentoring effects on protégé burnout. Our findings suggest that the individuals' different cultural values of power distance and mentor-protégé relationship quality are the boundary conditions for the mentoring-burnout relationship. We therefore suggest that research on mentoring-burnout will be advanced by considering the role of the moderating process.

Differences in quality of life between infertile women and men in Turkey.

PubMed

Bolsoy, Nursen; Taspinar, Ayten; Kavlak, Oya; Sirin, Ahsen

2010-01-01

To examine potential differences in quality of life between infertile women and men. A descriptive, cross-sectional design. A questionnaire was used to collect individuals' sociodemographic data; the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) tool was used to collect information about quality of life. The research sample comprised 248 infertile individuals (141 women and 107 men) admitted to the clinic for the first time for diagnosis and treatment between January 1 and June 30, 2007, and who voluntarily agreed to participate. The research was conducted at the Ege University Family Planning and Infertility Research and Training Center Infertility Clinic in Izmir, Turkey. Physical health, psychological health, and social relations domain score means did not show significant differences between infertile women and infertile men (p>.05). However, score means for the environment domain were significantly higher (p<.05) for infertile women than for infertile men. Unemployed infertile men had significantly lower score means in the physical health and social relation domains (p<.01). No such significant differences were found for the other quality of life domain scores for infertile women or infertile men (p>.05). In the environmental domain, the quality of life of infertile women was greater than that of infertile men. Variables affecting quality of life of infertile individuals were seen to affect women and men in similar ways. Nurses and health care professionals caring for infertile individuals should be aware of the factors that affect quality of life and should plan to meet their care needs accordingly.

Multisensory Stimulation to Improve Low- and Higher-Level Sensory Deficits after Stroke: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Tinga, Angelica Maria; Visser-Meily, Johanna Maria Augusta; van der Smagt, Maarten Jeroen; Van der Stigchel, Stefan; van Ee, Raymond; Nijboer, Tanja Cornelia Wilhelmina

2016-03-01

The aim of this systematic review was to integrate and assess evidence for the effectiveness of multisensory stimulation (i.e., stimulating at least two of the following sensory systems: visual, auditory, and somatosensory) as a possible rehabilitation method after stroke. Evidence was considered with a focus on low-level, perceptual (visual, auditory and somatosensory deficits), as well as higher-level, cognitive, sensory deficits. We referred to the electronic databases Scopus and PubMed to search for articles that were published before May 2015. Studies were included which evaluated the effects of multisensory stimulation on patients with low- or higher-level sensory deficits caused by stroke. Twenty-one studies were included in this review and the quality of these studies was assessed (based on eight elements: randomization, inclusion of control patient group, blinding of participants, blinding of researchers, follow-up, group size, reporting effect sizes, and reporting time post-stroke). Twenty of the twenty-one included studies demonstrate beneficial effects on low- and/or higher-level sensory deficits after stroke. Notwithstanding these beneficial effects, the quality of the studies is insufficient for valid conclusion that multisensory stimulation can be successfully applied as an effective intervention. A valuable and necessary next step would be to set up well-designed randomized controlled trials to examine the effectiveness of multisensory stimulation as an intervention for low- and/or higher-level sensory deficits after stroke. Finally, we consider the potential mechanisms of multisensory stimulation for rehabilitation to guide this future research.

An acoustic energy framework for predicting combustion-driven acoustic instabilities in premixed gas-turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Zuhair M. A.

The purpose of this study was to discover and assess student financial services delivered to students enrolled at East Tennessee State University. The research was undertaken for institutional self-improvement. The research explored changes that have occurred in student financial services in the dynamic higher education market. The research revealed universities pursued best practices for the delivery of student financial services through expanded employee knowledge, restructured organizations, and integrated information technologies. The research was conducted during October and November, 2006. The data were gathered from an online student survey of student financial services. The areas researched included: the Bursar office, the Financial Aid office, and online services. The results of the data analysis revealed problems with the students' perceived quality of existing financial services and the additional services students desire. The research focused on student perceptions of the quality of financial services by age and gender classifications and response categories. Although no statistically significant difference was found between the age-gender classifications on the perception of the quality of the financial services studied, the research adds to our understanding of student financial services at East Tennessee State University. Recommendation for continued research included annual surveys of segmented student populations that include ethnicity, age, gender, and educational level. The research would be used for continuous improvement efforts and student relationship management. Also additional research was recommended for employee learning in relation to the institution's mission, goals, and values.

Vacuum cooling of meat products: current state-of-the-art research advances.

PubMed

Feng, Chaohui; Drummond, Liana; Zhang, Zhihang; Sun, Da-Wen; Wang, Qijun

2012-01-01

Vacuum cooling (VC) is commonly applied for cooling of several foodstuffs, to provide exceptionally rapid cooling rates with low energy consumption and resulting in high-quality food products. However, for products such as meat and cooked meat products, the higher cooling loss of vacuum cooling compared with established methods still means lower yields, and important meat quality parameters can be negatively affected. Substantial efforts during the past ten years have aimed to improve the technology in order to offer the meat industry, especially the cooked meat industry, optimized production in terms of safety regulations and guidelines, as well as meat quality. This review presents and discusses recent VC developments directed to the cooked meat industry. The principles of VC, and the basis for improvements of this technology, are firstly discussed; future prospects for research and development in this area are later explored, particularly in relation to cooling of cooked meat and meat products.

Quality Test Various Existing dem in Indonesia Toward 10 Meter National dem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amhar, Fahmi

2016-06-01

Indonesia has various DEM from many sources and various acquisition date spreaded in the past two decades. There are DEM from spaceborne system (Radarsat, TerraSAR-X, ALOS, ASTER-GDEM, SRTM), airborne system (IFSAR, Lidar, aerial photos) and also terrestrial one. The research objective is the quality test and how to extract best DEM in particular area. The method is using differential GPS levelling using geodetic GPS equipment on places which is ensured not changed during past 20 years. The result has shown that DEM from TerraSAR-X and SRTM30 have the best quality (rmse 3.1 m and 3.5 m respectively). Based on this research, it was inferred that these parameters are still positively correlated with the basic concept, namely that the lower and the higher the spatial resolution of a DEM data, the more imprecise the resulting vertical height.

Factors Affecting Parent’s Perception on Air Quality—From the Individual to the Community Level

PubMed Central

Guo, Yulin; Liu, Fengfeng; Lu, Yuanan; Mao, Zongfu; Lu, Hanson; Wu, Yanyan; Chu, Yuanyuan; Yu, Lichen; Liu, Yisi; Ren, Meng; Li, Na; Chen, Xi; Xiang, Hao

2016-01-01

The perception of air quality significantly affects the acceptance of the public of the government’s environmental policies. The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between the perception of the air quality of parents and scientific monitoring data and to analyze the factors that affect parents’ perceptions. Scientific data of air quality were obtained from Wuhan’s environmental condition reports. One thousand parents were investigated for their knowledge and perception of air quality. Scientific data show that the air quality of Wuhan follows an improving trend in general, while most participants believed that the air quality of Wuhan has deteriorated, which indicates a significant difference between public perception and reality. On the individual level, respondents with an age of 40 or above (40 or above: OR = 3.252; 95% CI: 1.170–9.040), a higher educational level (college and above: OR = 7.598; 95% CI: 2.244–25.732) or children with poor healthy conditions (poor: OR = 6.864; 95% CI: 2.212–21.302) have much more negative perception of air quality. On the community level, industrial facilities, vehicles and city construction have major effects on parents’ perception of air quality. Our investigation provides baseline information for environmental policy researchers and makers regarding the public’s perception and expectation of air quality and the benefits to the environmental policy completing and enforcing. PMID:27187432

Asthma and asthma-related health care utilization among people without disabilities and people with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Stransky, Michelle L; McGrath, Robert; Reichard, Amanda; McClain, Monica; Phillips, Kimberly G; Houtenville, Andrew; Drum, Charles E

2016-10-01

Previous research has shown that people with disabilities have higher rates of some chronic diseases and receive poorer disease-specific care than their counterparts without disabilities. Yet, little is known about the relationship between asthma and disability. This study examines whether differences in the prevalence of asthma, asthma flare, and asthma-related measures of health care quality, utilization and cost exist among people with physical limitations (PL) and without any limitations. Data from the 2004-2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were pooled to compare outcomes for working-age adults (18-64) with PL to those with no limitations. People with PL had higher rates of asthma (13.8% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.001) and recent asthma flare (52.6% vs. 39.6%, p < 0.001) than people without limitations. There were no differences in health care quality, utilization or cost between people with PL and people without limitations in multivariate analyses. Although there are no differences in asthma-related quality or utilization of health care, people with PL have poorer asthma control than people without limitations. Research is needed to determine what factors (e.g., focus on other acute ailments, perceptions that asthma control cannot improve) are related to this outcome. Future research must also examine differences in asthma severity, and its impact on asthma control and health care-related outcomes, among people with and without disabilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality

PubMed Central

Akhtar, Reece; Holding, Benjamin C; Murray, Christina; Panatti, Jennifer; Claridge, Gordon; Sadeh, Avi; Barclay, Nicola L; O’Leary, Rachael; Maughan, Barbara; McAdams, Tom A; Rowe, Richard; Eley, Thalia C; Viding, Essi

2017-01-01

Abstract Study Objectives Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality. Methods Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18–27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18–66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43). Results In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits. Conclusions Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology. PMID:28575510

Nursing home quality and financial performance: does the racial composition of residents matter?

PubMed

Chisholm, Latarsha; Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Laberge, Alex; Lin, Feng-Chang; Hyer, Kathryn

2013-12-01

To examine the effects of the racial composition of residents on nursing homes' financial and quality performance. The study examined Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the United States that submitted Medicare cost reports between the years 1999 and 2004 (11,472 average per year). Data were obtained from the Minimum Data Set, the On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting, Medicare Cost Reports, and the Area Resource File. Panel data regression with random intercepts and negative binomial regression were conducted with state and year fixed effects. Financial and quality performance differed between nursing homes with high proportions of black residents and nursing homes with no or medium proportions of black residents. Nursing homes with no black residents had higher revenues and higher operating margins and total profit margins and they exhibited better processes and outcomes than nursing homes with high proportions of black residents. Nursing homes' financial viability and quality of care are influenced by the racial composition of residents. Policy makers should consider initiatives to improve both the financial and quality performance of nursing homes serving predominantly black residents. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

The culture of scientific research.

PubMed

Joynson, Catherine; Leyser, Ottoline

2015-01-01

In 2014, the UK-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics carried out a series of engagement activities, including an online survey to which 970 people responded, and 15 discussion events at universities around the UK to explore the culture of research in the UK and its effect on ethical conduct in science and the quality of research. The findings of the project were published in December 2014 and the main points are summarised here. We found that scientists are motivated in their work to find out more about the world and to benefit society, and that they believe collaboration, multidisciplinarity, openness and creativity are important for the production of high quality science. However, in some cases, our findings suggest, the culture of research in higher education institutions does not support or encourage these goals or activities. For example, high levels of competition and perceptions about how scientists are assessed for jobs and funding are reportedly contributing to a loss of creativity in science, less collaboration and poor research practices. The project led to suggestions for action for funding bodies, research institutions, publishers and editors, professional bodies and individual researchers.

The American Professoriate: A Status Check of Factors and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Raymond W.; Corbett, Larry J.; Magarrey, Michael

2012-01-01

Since the publication of "Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate" (Boyer, 1990) many changes have taken place in higher education in America. However, how have faculty perceptions of aspects of the professoriate such as teaching, research, publishing, administration, quality, and areas of interest, changed in the…

Effects of a Service-Learning Program on University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hervás Torres, Mirian; Fernández Martín, Francisco D.; Arco Tirado, José Luis; Miñaca Laprida, María Isabel

2017-01-01

Introduction: The low productivity that prevailing in recent years in Higher Education requires urgently institutional responses aimed to improving quality of university education contributing to the development among students of key competences for lifelong learning. In this sense, the aim of this research was to explore the effects of an…

Faculty Development Practices in Taiwan Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flack, Bruce C.

The universities in Taiwan, in carrying out their missions of research, teaching, and public service, have made significant advances in improving the quality of their faculties. Both public and private universities have undertaken a variety of faculty development activities to help their faculties grow professionally and to remain vital. The major…

Scientific Allocation of Water Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buras, Nathan

Oriented for higher education students, researchers, practicing engineers and planners, this book surveys the state of the art of water resources engineering. A broad spectrum of issues is embraced in the treatment of water resources: quantity aspects as well as quality aspects within a systems approach. Using a rational mode for water resources…

Understanding Leadership Paradigms for Improvement in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flumerfelt, Shannon; Banachowski, Michael

2011-01-01

Purpose: This research article is based on the Baldrige National Quality Program Education Criteria for Performance Excellence's conceptualization of improvement as a dual cycle/three element initiative of examining and bettering inputs, processes, and outputs as driven by measurement, analysis and knowledge management work. This study isolates a…

Can Text Messages Mitigate Summer Melt?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castleman, Benjamin L.; Page, Lindsay C.

2013-01-01

Higher education officials have long been familiar with the concept of "summer melt," where students who have paid a deposit to attend one college or university instead matriculate at a different institution, usually presumed to be of comparable quality. In previous research, drawing on longitudinal data from various urban school…

Optimizing STEM Education with Advanced ICTs and Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Ilya, Ed.; Tsybulsky, Dina, Ed.

2017-01-01

The role of technology in educational settings has become increasingly prominent in recent years. When utilized effectively, these tools provide a higher quality of learning for students. "Optimizing STEM Education With Advanced ICTs and Simulations" is an innovative reference source for the latest scholarly research on the integration…

A Comparison of Student Success by Faculty Qualifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Kristine A.

2012-01-01

Providing the best qualified faculty to ensure the most successful student outcomes is a priority in higher education. The use of adjunct faculty in colleges and universities is continually increasing, especially for lower level courses. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions regarding the quality of adjunct faculty. Indicators of…

Student Engagement in Neo-Liberal Times: What Is Missing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepke, Nick

2018-01-01

Quality teaching is increasingly prioritized in higher education. One reason is that government funding requires students to succeed in their studies and be ready for employment. In response, educators throughout the Western world have generated large quantities of evidence-based, practical, often uncritical research about what works to improve…

Cost, Quality, and the Community College Enrollment Decision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swiger, Caroline Martin

2014-01-01

Numerous studies model whether students enroll in higher education, but few have investigated how students decide where to attend. Even fewer studies have considered how community college students make this nearly first noncompulsory human capital investment decision. This research focuses on the enrollment decisions of students whose first…

Music Achievement and Academic Achievement: Isolating the School as a Unit of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey-Clark, Marta

2015-01-01

Music participation and academic achievement have long been of interest to educators, researchers and policy makers. The literature is replete with studies linking music participation to higher state assessment scores, grade point averages, and Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) scores. If students from quality music programs academically…

The Functions and Dysfunctions of College Rankings: An Analysis of Institutional Expenditure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jeongeun

2018-01-01

College rankings have become a powerful influence in higher education. While the determinants of educational quality are not clearly defined, college rankings designate an institution's standing in a numerical order based on quantifiable measurements that focus primarily on institutional resources. Previous research has identified the…

Collaborating with Librarians to Develop Lower Division Political Science Students' Information Literacy Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Christy R.; Campbell, Patricia J.

2008-01-01

Studies suggest that course-integrated information literacy instruction is an effective way to enhance the quality of student research. However, many political science professors are unfamiliar with the growing information literacy movement in higher education today, with strategies for integrating information literacy into their courses and…

Instability versus Quality: Residential Mobility, Neighborhood Poverty, and Children's Self-Regulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Amanda L.; McCoy, Dana Charles; Raver, C. Cybele

2014-01-01

Prior research has found that higher residential mobility is associated with increased risk for children's academic and behavioral difficulty. In contrast, evaluations of experimental housing mobility interventions have shown moving from high poverty to low poverty neighborhoods to be beneficial for children's outcomes. This study merges these…

Conceptual Acrobatics: Talking about Assessment Standards in the Transparency Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Jane; Bloxham, Sue; den Outer, Birgit; Price, Margaret

2017-01-01

Since their introduction in the 1990s, explicit standards documents have pervaded higher education assessment--success likely linked to their compatibility with constructive alignment and quality assurance regimes. Researchers, however, criticise that such documents are based on a misconception of standards as explicit and absolute, when in fact…

"Is College Worth It?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adam, Michelle

2012-01-01

The Pew Research Center asked an important question earlier this year when it embarked on an ambitious project called Is College Worth It?: College Presidents, Public Assess Value, Quality and Mission of Higher Education. While most today believe that getting a good education is key to success in the society, this report revealed surprising issues…

Creating Professional Skills through Modern Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miroshnichenko, Olga I.; Gaivoronskaya, Yana V.

2014-01-01

The research deals with the experience of interdisciplinary investigation and aims at utilizing the data of contemporary career science and the theory of professionalism to enhance the quality of legal education. The authors, who are Professors of the School of Law, Far-Eastern Federal University, propose to introduce the term "career…

Discover IDEA CD 2002. [CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Exceptional Children, Arlington, VA.

This Macintosh and PC compatible CD-ROM includes key resources about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1997. It is designed as a research and training tool for administrators, professors and students in higher education, families, advocates, policy makers, and service providers who strive for quality education…

Software requirements elicitation to support internal monitoring of quality assurance system for higher education in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amalia, A.; Gunawan, D.; Hardi, S. M.; Rachmawati, D.

2018-02-01

The Internal Quality Assurance System (in Indonesian: SPMI (Sistem Penjaminan Mutu Internal) is a systemic activity of quality assurance of higher education in Indonesia. SPMI should be done by all higher education or universities in Indonesia based on the Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education of the Republic of Indonesia Number 62 of 2016. Implementation of SPMI must refer to the principle of SPMI that is independent, standardize, accurate, well planned and sustainable, documented and systematic. To assist the SPMI cycle properly, universities need a supporting software to monitor all the activities of SPMI. But in reality, many universities are not optimal in building this SPMI monitoring system. One of the obstacles is the determination of system requirements in support of SPMI principles is difficult to achieve. In this paper, we observe the initial phase of the engineering requirements elicitation. Unlike other methods that collect system requirements from users and stakeholders, we find the system requirements of the SPMI principles from SPMI guideline book. The result of this paper can be used as a choice in determining SPMI software requirements. This paper can also be used by developers and users to understand the scenario of SPMI so that could overcome the problems of understanding between this two parties.

Families Under Stress: An Assessment of Data, Theory, and Research on Marriage and Divorce in the Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

effects of marital status on military performance is the quality of the marital relationship (i.e., marital satisfaction ), but to date research... relationship . Relationship resources encompass all the attributes of a relationship that a couple may draw upon in times of stress . These resources...to devote to the relationship , and consequently marital satisfaction should be higher. When the context is stressful (e.g., financial strain

Stepfamily Relationship Quality and Children's Internalizing and Externalizing Problems.

PubMed

Jensen, Todd M; Lippold, Melissa A; Mills-Koonce, Roger; Fosco, Gregory M

2017-03-07

The stepfamily literature is replete with between-group analyses by which youth residing in stepfamilies are compared to youth in other family structures across indicators of adjustment and well-being. Few longitudinal studies examine variation in stepfamily functioning to identify factors that promote the positive adjustment of stepchildren over time. Using a longitudinal sample of 191 stepchildren (56% female, mean age = 11.3 years), the current study examines the association between the relationship quality of three central stepfamily dyads (stepparent-child, parent-child, and stepcouple) and children's internalizing and externalizing problems concurrently and over time. Results from path analyses indicate that higher levels of parent-child affective quality are associated with lower levels of children's concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1. Higher levels of stepparent-child affective quality are associated with decreases in children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 2 (6 months beyond baseline), even after controlling for children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1 and other covariates. The stepcouple relationship was not directly linked to youth outcomes. Our findings provide implications for future research and practice. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

Competition, Speculative Risks, and IT Security Outsourcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cezar, Asunur; Cavusoglu, Huseyin; Raghunathan, Srinivasan

Information security management is becoming a more critical and, simultaneously, a challenging function for many firms. Even though many security managers are skeptical about outsourcing of IT security, others have cited reasons that are used for outsourcing of traditional IT functions for why security outsourcing is likely to increase. Our research offers a novel explanation, based on competitive externalities associated with IT security, for firms' decisions to outsource IT security. We show that if competitive externalities are ignored, then a firm will outsource security if and only if the MSSP offers a quality (or a cost) advantage over in-house operations, which is consistent with the traditional explanation for security outsourcing. However, a higher quality is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee for a firm to outsource security. The competitive risk environment and the nature of the security function outsourced, in addition to quality, determine firms' outsourcing decisions. If the reward from the competitor's breach is higher than the loss from own breach, then even if the likelihood of a breach is higher under the MSSP the expected benefit from the competitive demand externality may offset the loss from the higher likelihood of breaches, resulting in one or both firms outsourcing security. The incentive to outsource security monitoring is higher than that of infrastructure management because the MSSP can reduce the likelihood of breach on both firms and thus enhance the demand externality effect. The incentive to outsource security monitoring (infrastructure management) is higher (lower) if either the likelihood of breach on both firms is lower (higher) when security is outsourced or the benefit (relative to loss) from the externality is higher (lower). The benefit from the demand externality arising out of a security breach is higher when more of the customers that leave the breached firm switch to the non-breached firm.

Exploring the collective hospice caregiving experience.

PubMed

Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine; Kruse, Robin L; Oliver, Debra Parker; Demiris, George; Petroski, Greg

2014-01-01

Collective caregiving, performed by caregivers working in pairs (informal primary and secondary caregivers working together), is common in the hospice setting. Research suggests that caregiving pairs may experience different caregiver outcomes. However, little is known about how caregiving pairs differ from solo caregivers (informal primary caregivers) on outcome measures. The goal of this study was to determine whether being in a caregiver pair affected caregiver anxiety and depression and how outcomes changed over time. A mixed model analysis was used. Hospice caregivers (260 solo caregivers and 44 caregivers in 22 pairs) who participated in a larger, randomized controlled trial completed caregiver measures upon hospice admission and periodically until the death of the patient or hospice decertification. Measured were caregiver quality of life, social support, anxiety, and depression. Caregiver pairs had higher anxiety and depression scores than solo caregivers. Emotional, financial, and physical quality of life were associated with decreased depression, whereas only emotional and financial quality of life were correlated with lower levels of anxiety. Social support was associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. Despite assumptions that social support is positively facilitated vis-a-vis collective caregiving, caregiving pairs may be at higher risk for anxiety and depression. Future research is needed to address why individuals become anxious and/or depressed when working as part of a caregiving pair.

48 CFR 46.202-4 - Higher-level contract quality requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Higher-level contract... REGULATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Contract Quality Requirements 46.202-4 Higher-level contract quality requirements. (a) Requiring compliance with higher-level quality standards is appropriate in...

Geographic Disparities in Access to Nursing Home Services: Assessing Fiscal Stress and Quality of Care.

PubMed

Park, Young Joo; Martin, Erika G

2017-11-12

We test whether nursing homes serving predominately low-income and racial minority residents (compositional explanation) or located in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of low-income and racial minority residents (contextual explanation) have worse financial outcomes and care quality. Healthcare Cost Report Information System, Nursing Home Compare, Online Survey Certification and Reporting Certification, and American Community Survey. A cross-sectional study design of nursing homes within U.S. metropolitan areas. Data were obtained from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and U.S. Census Bureau. Medicaid-dependent nursing homes have a 3.5 percentage point lower operating ratio. Those serving primarily racial minorities have a 2.64-point lower quality rating. A 1 percent increase in the neighborhood population living in poverty is associated with a 1.20-point lower quality rating, on a scale from 10 to 50, and a 1 percent increase in the portion of neighborhood black residents is associated with a 0.8 percentage point lower operating ratio and a 0.37 lower quality rating. Medicaid dependency (compositional effect) and concentration of racial minority residents in neighborhoods (contextual effect) are associated with higher fiscal stress and lower quality of care, indicating that nursing homes' geographic location may exacerbate long-term care inequalities. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Is the maturity of hospitals' quality improvement systems associated with measures of quality and patient safety?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Previous research addressed the development of a classification scheme for quality improvement systems in European hospitals. In this study we explore associations between the 'maturity' of the hospitals' quality improvement system and clinical outcomes. Methods The maturity classification scheme was developed based on survey results from 389 hospitals in eight European countries. We matched the hospitals from the Spanish sample (113 hospitals) with those hospitals participating in a nation-wide, voluntary hospital performance initiative. We then compared sample distributions and explored associations between the 'maturity' of the hospitals' quality improvement system and a range of composite outcomes measures, such as adjusted hospital-wide mortality, -readmission, -complication and -length of stay indices. Statistical analysis includes bivariate correlations for parametrically and non-parametrically distributed data, multiple robust regression models and bootstrapping techniques to obtain confidence-intervals for the correlation and regression estimates. Results Overall, 43 hospitals were included. Compared to the original sample of 113, this sample was characterized by a higher representation of university hospitals. Maturity of the quality improvement system was similar, although the matched sample showed less variability. Analysis of associations between the quality improvement system and hospital-wide outcomes suggests significant correlations for the indicator adjusted hospital complications, borderline significance for adjusted hospital readmissions and non-significance for the adjusted hospital mortality and length of stay indicators. These results are confirmed by the bootstrap estimates of the robust regression model after adjusting for hospital characteristics. Conclusions We assessed associations between hospitals' quality improvement systems and clinical outcomes. From this data it seems that having a more developed quality improvement system is associated with lower rates of adjusted hospital complications. A number of methodological and logistic hurdles remain to link hospital quality improvement systems to outcomes. Further research should aim at identifying the latent dimensions of quality improvement systems that predict quality and safety outcomes. Such research would add pertinent knowledge regarding the implementation of organizational strategies related with quality of care outcomes. PMID:22185479

Use of graph theory measures to identify errors in record linkage.

PubMed

Randall, Sean M; Boyd, James H; Ferrante, Anna M; Bauer, Jacqueline K; Semmens, James B

2014-07-01

Ensuring high linkage quality is important in many record linkage applications. Current methods for ensuring quality are manual and resource intensive. This paper seeks to determine the effectiveness of graph theory techniques in identifying record linkage errors. A range of graph theory techniques was applied to two linked datasets, with known truth sets. The ability of graph theory techniques to identify groups containing errors was compared to a widely used threshold setting technique. This methodology shows promise; however, further investigations into graph theory techniques are required. The development of more efficient and effective methods of improving linkage quality will result in higher quality datasets that can be delivered to researchers in shorter timeframes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Doctoral level research and training capacity in the social determinants of health at universities and higher education institutions in India, China, Oman and Vietnam: a survey of needs.

PubMed

Ali, Farhad; Shet, Arun; Yan, Weirong; Al-Maniri, Abdullah; Atkins, Salla; Lucas, Henry

2017-09-02

Research capacity is scarce in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. Social determinants of health research (SDH) is an area in which research capacity is lacking, particularly in Asian countries. SDH research can support health decision-makers, inform policy and thereby improve the overall health and wellbeing of the population. In order to continue building this capacity, we need to know to what extent training exists and how challenges could be addressed from the perspective of students and staff. This paper aims to describe the challenges involved in training scholars to undertake research on the SDH in four Asian countries - China, India, Oman and Vietnam. In-depth interviews were conducted with research scholars, research supervisors and principal investigators (n = 13) at ARCADE partner institutions, which included eight universities and research institutes. In addition, structured questionnaires (n = 70) were used to collect quantitative data relating to the courses available, teaching and supervisory capacity, and related issues for students being trained in research on SDH. Simple descriptive statistics were calculated from the quantitative data and thematic analysis applied to the qualitative data. We identified a general lack of training courses focusing on SDH. Added to this, PhD students studying related areas reported inadequate supervision, with limited time allocated to meetings and poor interpersonal communication. Supervisors cited interpersonal communication problems and student lack of skills to perform high quality research as challenges to research training. Further challenges reported included a lack of research funding to include SDH-related topics. Finally, it was suggested that there was a need for institutions to define clear and appropriate standards regarding admission and supervision of students to higher education programs awarding doctoral degrees. There are gaps in training for research on the SDH at the surveyed universities and research institutes, which are likely to also be present in other Asian countries and their higher education institutions. Some of the barriers to high quality research and research training can be addressed by improved training for supervisors, clearly defined standards of supervision, finances for student stipends, and increased use of information and communication technology to increase access to teaching materials. Increased opportunities for online learning could be provided.

Preventing and controlling foodborne disease in commercial and institutional food service settings: a systematic review of published intervention studies.

PubMed

Viator, Catherine; Blitstein, Jonathan; Brophy, Jenna E; Fraser, Angela

2015-02-01

This study reviews the current literature on behavioral and environmental food safety interventions conducted in commercial and institutional food service settings. A systematic search of the published literature yielded 268 candidate articles, from which a set of 23 articles reporting intervention outcomes was retained for evaluation. A categorization of measured outcomes is reported; studies addressed multiple outcomes ranging from knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of personal hygiene and food safety to management practices and disease rates and outbreaks. This study also investigates the quality of reported research methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions, using a nine-point quality index adapted by the authors. The observed scores suggest that there are opportunities to improve the design and reporting of research in the field of foodborne disease prevention as it applies to food safety interventions that target the food service industry. The aim is to aid researchers in this area to design higher quality studies and to produce clearer and more useful reports of their research. In turn, this can help to create a more complete evidence base that can be used to continually improve interventions in this domain.

Does Gender of Administrator Matter? National Study Explores U.S. University Administrators' Attitudes About Retaining Women Professors in STEM

PubMed Central

Williams, Wendy M.; Mahajan, Agrima; Thoemmes, Felix; Barnett, Susan M.; Vermeylen, Francoise; Cash, Brian M.; Ceci, Stephen J.

2017-01-01

Omnipresent calls for more women in university administration presume women will prioritize using resources and power to increase female representation, especially in STEM fields where women are most underrepresented. However, empirical evidence is lacking for systematic differences in female vs. male administrators' attitudes. Do female administrators agree on which strategies are best, and do men see things differently? We explored United States college and university administrators' opinions regarding strategies, policies, and structural changes in their organizations designed to increase women professors' representation and retention in STEM fields. A comprehensive review of past research yielded a database of potentially-effective, recommended policies. A survey based on these policies was sent to provosts, deans, associate deans, and department chairs of STEM fields at 96 public and private research universities across the U.S. These administrators were asked to rate the quality and feasibility of each strategy; 474 provided data, of which 334 contained complete numerical data used in the analyses. Our data revealed that female (vs. male) administrators believed the 44 strategies were higher in quality overall—but not higher in feasibility—with 9 strategies perceived differently by women and men, after imposing conservative statistical controls. There was broad general agreement on the relative-quality rankings of the 44 strategies. Women (vs. men) gave higher quality ratings to increasing the value of teaching, service, and administrative experience in tenure/promotion decisions, increasing flexibility of federal-grant funding to accommodate mothers, conducting gender-equity research, and supporting shared tenure lines enabling work-life balance. Women (vs. men) believed it was more feasible for men to stop the tenure clock for 1 year for childrearing and for universities to support requests for shared tenure lines, but less feasible for women to chair search committees. Our national survey thus supported the belief that placing women into administration creates greater endorsement of strategies to attract and retain women in STEM, although the effectiveness of these strategies was outside the scope of this research. Topics of disagreement between women and men are potentially important focuses of future policy, because female administrators may have insights into how to retain women that male administrators do not share. PMID:28588515

Does Gender of Administrator Matter? National Study Explores U.S. University Administrators' Attitudes About Retaining Women Professors in STEM.

PubMed

Williams, Wendy M; Mahajan, Agrima; Thoemmes, Felix; Barnett, Susan M; Vermeylen, Francoise; Cash, Brian M; Ceci, Stephen J

2017-01-01

Omnipresent calls for more women in university administration presume women will prioritize using resources and power to increase female representation, especially in STEM fields where women are most underrepresented. However, empirical evidence is lacking for systematic differences in female vs. male administratorsŠ attitudes. Do female administrators agree on which strategies are best, and do men see things differently? We explored United States college and university administratorsŠ opinions regarding strategies, policies, and structural changes in their organizations designed to increase women professorsŠ representation and retention in STEM fields. A comprehensive review of past research yielded a database of potentially-effective, recommended policies. A survey based on these policies was sent to provosts, deans, associate deans, and department chairs of STEM fields at 96 public and private research universities across the U.S. These administrators were asked to rate the quality and feasibility of each strategy; 474 provided data, of which 334 contained complete numerical data used in the analyses. Our data revealed that female (vs. male) administrators believed the 44 strategies were higher in quality overall-but not higher in feasibility -with 9 strategies perceived differently by women and men, after imposing conservative statistical controls. There was broad general agreement on the relative-quality rankings of the 44 strategies. Women (vs. men) gave higher quality ratings to increasing the value of teaching, service, and administrative experience in tenure/promotion decisions, increasing flexibility of federal-grant funding to accommodate mothers, conducting gender-equity research, and supporting shared tenure lines enabling work-life balance. Women (vs. men) believed it was more feasible for men to stop the tenure clock for 1 year for childrearing and for universities to support requests for shared tenure lines, but less feasible for women to chair search committees. Our national survey thus supported the belief that placing women into administration creates greater endorsement of strategies to attract and retain women in STEM, although the effectiveness of these strategies was outside the scope of this research. Topics of disagreement between women and men are potentially important focuses of future policy, because female administrators may have insights into how to retain women that male administrators do not share.

Sex Differences in the Relationship between Sleep Behavior, Fish Consumption, and Depressive Symptoms in the General Population of South Korea.

PubMed

Supartini, Atin; Oishi, Taro; Yagi, Nobuyuki

2017-07-14

Sleep, fish consumption, and depression have a close relationship; however, the role of sex differences in sleep, fish consumption, and depression research is not yet well-established. This study aimed to examine whether the impact of bedtime, sleep-onset latency, sleep duration, sleep quality, and fish consumption on depressive symptoms differed in women and men. An online survey was conducted in South Korea with a stratified random sample of 600 participants between the ages of 20 and 69, whose gender and age were proportional to estimates of Korea's general population. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms with a cut-off score of 16. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was applied to evaluate sleep timing, sleep-onset latency, sleep duration, and sleep quality. Our results indicated that late bedtime and short sleep duration were independently associated with depressive symptoms in women. Sleep-onset latency and poor sleep quality were independently associated with increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in both men and women. Higher fish consumption was significantly associated with decreased prevalence of depressive symptoms in men only. Our findings suggested the importance of a different approach for men and women in terms of promoting healthy sleep habits. In addition, higher fish consumption may be beneficial in the primary prevention of depression in Korean men. Further research is needed to confirm the findings from this cross-sectional study.

Evoked prior learning experience and approach to learning as predictors of academic achievement.

PubMed

Trigwell, Keith; Ashwin, Paul; Millan, Elena S

2013-09-01

In separate studies and research from different perspectives, five factors are found to be among those related to higher quality outcomes of student learning (academic achievement). Those factors are higher self-efficacy, deeper approaches to learning, higher quality teaching, students' perceptions that their workload is appropriate, and greater learning motivation. University learning improvement strategies have been built on these research results. To investigate how students' evoked prior experience, perceptions of their learning environment, and their approaches to learning collectively contribute to academic achievement. This is the first study to investigate motivation and self-efficacy in the same educational context as conceptions of learning, approaches to learning and perceptions of the learning environment. Undergraduate students (773) from the full range of disciplines were part of a group of over 2,300 students who volunteered to complete a survey of their learning experience. On completing their degrees 6 and 18 months later, their academic achievement was matched with their learning experience survey data. A 77-item questionnaire was used to gather students' self-report of their evoked prior experience (self-efficacy, learning motivation, and conceptions of learning), perceptions of learning context (teaching quality and appropriate workload), and approaches to learning (deep and surface). Academic achievement was measured using the English honours degree classification system. Analyses were conducted using correlational and multi-variable (structural equation modelling) methods. The results from the correlation methods confirmed those found in numerous earlier studies. The results from the multi-variable analyses indicated that surface approach to learning was the strongest predictor of academic achievement, with self-efficacy and motivation also found to be directly related. In contrast to the correlation results, a deep approach to learning was not related to academic achievement, and teaching quality and conceptions of learning were only indirectly related to achievement. Research aimed at understanding how students experience their learning environment and how that experience relates to the quality of their learning needs to be conducted using a wider range of variables and more sophisticated analytical methods. In this study of one context, some of the relations found in earlier bivariate studies, and on which learning intervention strategies have been built, are not confirmed when more holistic teaching-learning contexts are analysed using multi-variable methods. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

[Publication activity at Aalborg Hospital].

PubMed

Andersen, Jens Peter; Skrubbeltrang, Conni; Gregersen, Hans

2010-04-26

In 2003 Aalborg Hospital became part of Aarhus University Hospital and in that context focus on research activities was increased. This article investigates whether the increased focus has led to changes in the quantity and/or quality of research publications in the following period. All scientific articles published by Aalborg Hospital in the period 2002-2008, as well as information about author affiliations comprise the data material for the analysis. Different levels of journal groups are created based on Journal Performance Indicators combined with peer-reviewing as a measure of publication quality, awarding publications in highly esteemed journals a higher score than those published in less recognized journals. Together with the number of publications, a measure of research quality and quantity is thereby achieved. This method is compared to the more traditional journal impact factor method. Data show an increase in total publications per year while the mean number of points per publication decreases during the period. Results also show a relation between the score level of publications and the number of collaborations for the publication, i.e. large collaborations are more frequently published in top journals. The study shows that the increased focus on research has led to increased publication activity without loss of quality, as the decrease in points per publication is associated with the increased mean number of collaborators. The results indicate that the method would benefit from a revision to facilitate clearer conclusions.

Evaluating the Impact of Parent-Reported Medical Home Status on Children's Health Care Utilization, Expenditures, and Quality: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis with Causal Inference Methods.

PubMed

Han, Bing; Yu, Hao; Friedberg, Mark W

2017-04-01

To evaluate the effects of the parent-reported medical home status on health care utilization, expenditures, and quality for children. Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) during 2004-2012, including a total of 9,153 children who were followed up for 2 years in the survey. We took a causal difference-in-differences approach using inverse probability weighting and doubly robust estimators to study how changes in medical home status over a 2-year period affected children's health care outcomes. Our analysis adjusted for children's sociodemographic, health, and insurance statuses. We conducted sensitivity analyses using alternative statistical methods, different approaches to outliers and missing data, and accounting for possible common-method biases. Compared with children whose parents reported having medical homes in both years 1 and 2, those who had medical homes in year 1 but lost them in year 2 had significantly lower parent-reported ratings of health care quality and higher utilization of emergency care. Compared with children whose parents reported having no medical homes in both years, those who did not have medical homes in year 1 but gained them in year 2 had significantly higher ratings of health care quality, but no significant differences in health care expenditures and utilization. Having a medical home may help improve health care quality for children; losing a medical home may lead to higher utilization of emergency care. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Measuring the willingness to pay for drinking water quality improvements: results of a contingent valuation survey in Songzi, China.

PubMed

Jianjun, Jin; Wenyu, Wang; Ying, Fan; Xiaomin, Wang

2016-06-01

The aim of this study is to elicit local residents' willingness to pay (WTP), by applying the contingent valuation method as a surcharge on their water bill, for a given improvement in the drinking water quality and the supply reliability. The mean WTP for the drinking water quality improvement program was estimated to be 16.71 yuan (0.3% of total household income). The results note that more educated respondents and households with higher income and with fewer household members are, on average, willing to pay more. This study also demonstrates that respondents' concerns regarding drinking water quality and perceptions of the health risk of drinking water quality can have significant positive impacts on people's WTP. The research results can help decision-makers understand the local population's demand for improved drinking water quality and undertake an environmental cost-benefit analysis.

Self-esteem, coping styles, and quality of life in polish adolescents and young adults with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Pisula, Ewa; Lukowska, Ewa; Fudalej, Piotr S

2014-05-01

Objectives : To evaluate self-esteem, coping styles, and health-related quality of life and their relationships in Polish adolescents and young adults with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate and related sex differences. Design and Participants : Self-report questionnaires measuring self-esteem (Multidimensional Self-Esteem Inventory), coping styles (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations), and health-related quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) were completed by 48 participants with cleft lip and palate (age, 16 to 23 years; 31 males, 17 females) and 48 controls without cleft lip and palate (age, 16 to 23 years; 28 males, 20 females) matched for age, place of residence, and socioeconomic status. Results : Regarding self-esteem, individuals with cleft lip and palate scored higher on body functioning (P < .01) and defensive self-enhancement (P < .05). Self-control showed an interaction effect: Females with cleft lip and palate scored higher than controls, but males did not differ between groups (P < .05). Males with cleft lip and palate scored lower than controls in personal power but higher in body functioning (P < .05); females showed no differences between groups. The groups did not differ with regard to coping styles or quality of life, but several correlations were found between self-esteem and coping styles, and quality of life (P < .01). Conclusions : Late adolescents and young adults with and without cleft lip and palate differed little in terms of psychological adjustment measures. The higher scores in defensive self-enhancement of individuals with cleft lip and palate suggest the need for instruments measuring social approval in psychosocial adjustment research involving this group.

The Role of Social Supports, Spirituality, Religiousness, Life Meaning and Affiliation with 12-Step Fellowships in Quality of Life Satisfaction Among Individuals in Recovery from Alcohol and Drug Problems

PubMed Central

Laudet, Alexandre B.; Morgen, Keith; White, William L.

2006-01-01

SUMMARY Many recovering substance users report quitting drugs because they wanted a better life. The road of recovery is the path to a better life but a challenging and stressful path for most. There has been little research among recovering persons in spite of the numbers involved, and most research has focused on substance use outcomes. This study examines stress and quality of life as a function of time in recovery, and uses structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis that social supports, spirituality, religiousness, life meaning, and 12-step affiliation buffer stress toward enhanced life satisfaction. Recovering persons (N = 353) recruited in New York City were mostly inner-city ethnic minority members whose primary substance had been crack or heroin. Longer recovery time was significantly associated with lower stress and with higher quality of life. Findings supported the study hypothesis; the ‘buffer’ constructs accounted for 22% of the variance in life satisfaction. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed. PMID:16892161

The Students' Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran.

PubMed

Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

2017-03-01

Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers' perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students' viewpoint on quality of educational services. This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including "educational services standards by the teacher "and "the students' satisfaction". Thus the final education quality resulted from the students' experiences and perception is this way: "Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students' satisfaction". When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers' perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Therefore, designing educational quality standards in order to evaluate the teachers' function without taking the stakeholders' perspective into account is not practical. This research-extracted finding can present the stakeholders' perspective encountering the educational quality.

The quality of health care and patient satisfaction: an exploratory investigation of the 5Qs model at some Egyptian and Jordanian medical clinics.

PubMed

Zineldin, Mosad

2006-01-01

To examine the major factors affecting patients' perception of cumulative satisfaction and to address the question whether patients in Egypt and Jordan evaluate quality of health care similarly or differently. A conceptual model including behavioural dimensions of patient-physician relationships and patient satisfaction has been developed. As the empirical research setting, this study concerns three hospitals in Egypt and Jordan. The survey instrument in a questionnaire form was designed to achieve the research objectives. A total of 48 items (attributes) of the newly developed five quality dimensions were identified to be the most relevant. A total of 224 complete and usable questionnaires were received from the in-patients. Hospital C has above-average total and dimensional qualities and patients are the most satisfied in accordance with all dimensions of services. Hospitals A and B have under-average total qualities as the majority of patients are not satisfied with services. Comparing hospitals A and B, in the majority of dimensions (with the exception of Q5), the quality in hospital B is higher than in hospital A. Patients' satisfaction with different service quality dimensions is correlated with their willingness to recommend the hospital to others. A cure to improve the quality for health-care services can be an application of total relationship management and the 5Qs model together with customer orientation strategy. The result can be used by the hospitals to reengineer and redesign creatively their quality management processes and the future direction of their more effective health-care quality strategies. In this research a study is described involving a new instrument and a new method which assure a reasonable level of relevance, validity and reliability, while being explicitly change-oriented. This study argues that a patient's satisfaction is a cumulative construct, summing satisfaction with five different qualities (5Qs) of the hospital: quality of object, processes, infrastructure, interaction, and atmosphere.

The Students’ Viewpoint on Quality of Educational Services in Iran

PubMed Central

Siamian, Hasan; Rostami, Farideh; Ghara, Aliasghar Nadi; Abedi, Ghassem

2017-01-01

Background: Recently, focusing on higher education quality has got increasingly critical. The novel managerial attitudes have defined the customer-demanded quality. Based on this, recognizing the receivers’ perception of the quality of the services offered and evaluating the quality of the service is considered of the basic measures taken in order to develop quality promotion programs. Therefore, this is a qualitative research conducted for students’ viewpoint on quality of educational services. Material and Methods: This qualitative study has been performed by the phenomenological method. The samples have been selected based on goal-oriented approach. In this qualitative research, the required data have been collected in two phases (90 individual interviews and 30 focus group discussions) at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences during which the participants have conveyed their experiences and expectations encountering the educational quality topic. All the interviews have been recorded and implemented. The interviews analysis has been carried out simultaneously with the implementation and using theme analysis by Smith method. Results: According to the findings regarding the definition of quality, the students have emphasized two important aspects including “educational services standards by the teacher “and “the students’ satisfaction”. Thus the final education quality resulted from the students’ experiences and perception is this way: “Presenting the students educational services in class and out of class compatible with the educational services standards so that it results in the students’ satisfaction”. When a person views her/him-self rightful as a customer, whatever seems necessary to them appears like a requirement. Then regarding paying attention and reflecting on the customers’ perceived needs, it is possible to determine their expectations limit to some extent. Conclusion: Therefore, designing educational quality standards in order to evaluate the teachers’ function without taking the stakeholders’ perspective into account is not practical. This research-extracted finding can present the stakeholders’ perspective encountering the educational quality. PMID:28484355