An Assessment of Resource Availability for Problem Based Learning in a Ghanaian University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okyere, Gabriel Asare; Tawiah, Richard; Lamptey, Richard Bruce; Oduro, William; Thompson, Michael

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the differences pertaining to the resources presently accessible for problem-based learning (PBL) among six colleges of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study are the cross-sectional type drawn from 1,020 students. Poisson…

Breast cancer treatment across health care systems: linking electronic medical records and state registry data to enable outcomes research.

PubMed

Kurian, Allison W; Mitani, Aya; Desai, Manisha; Yu, Peter P; Seto, Tina; Weber, Susan C; Olson, Cliff; Kenkare, Pragati; Gomez, Scarlett L; de Bruin, Monique A; Horst, Kathleen; Belkora, Jeffrey; May, Suepattra G; Frosch, Dominick L; Blayney, Douglas W; Luft, Harold S; Das, Amar K

2014-01-01

Understanding of cancer outcomes is limited by data fragmentation. In the current study, the authors analyzed the information yielded by integrating breast cancer data from 3 sources: electronic medical records (EMRs) from 2 health care systems and the state registry. Diagnostic test and treatment data were extracted from the EMRs of all patients with breast cancer treated between 2000 and 2010 in 2 independent California institutions: a community-based practice (Palo Alto Medical Foundation; "Community") and an academic medical center (Stanford University; "University"). The authors incorporated records from the population-based California Cancer Registry and then linked EMR-California Cancer Registry data sets of Community and University patients. The authors initially identified 8210 University patients and 5770 Community patients; linked data sets revealed a 16% patient overlap, yielding 12,109 unique patients. The percentage of all Community patients, but not University patients, treated at both institutions increased with worsening cancer prognostic factors. Before linking the data sets, Community patients appeared to receive less intervention than University patients (mastectomy: 37.6% vs 43.2%; chemotherapy: 35% vs 41.7%; magnetic resonance imaging: 10% vs 29.3%; and genetic testing: 2.5% vs 9.2%). Linked Community and University data sets revealed that patients treated at both institutions received substantially more interventions (mastectomy: 55.8%; chemotherapy: 47.2%; magnetic resonance imaging: 38.9%; and genetic testing: 10.9% [P < .001 for each 3-way institutional comparison]). Data linkage identified 16% of patients who were treated in 2 health care systems and who, despite comparable prognostic factors, received far more intensive treatment than others. By integrating complementary data from EMRs and population-based registries, a more comprehensive understanding of breast cancer care and factors that drive treatment use was obtained. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

Training School Personnel to Implement a Universal School-Based Prevention of Depression Program under Real-World Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harnett, P.H.; Dadds, M.R.

2004-01-01

The present study evaluated the impact of a universal prevention of depression program [the Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP)] when implemented under real-world conditions in a school setting. Prior research has found the RAP program to be beneficial for high-school students when the program was implemented by university staff selected,…

Formal Policy and Enacted Practices at Regional Public Universities: The Orientation and Practices of Recruitment Professionals at the California State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luca, Sandra Guillen

2010-01-01

This study examined the work experiences of individuals who perform recruitment activities for the California State University. Based at four campus settings, the objectives were to: (1) analyze the ways in which professionals regard and enact system-wide and institutional enrollment management policies; (2) explore their professional orientations…

Implementation of Web- Based Distance Education in Nursing Education in Turkey: A Sample Lesson in Patient Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senyuva, Emine; Tasocak, Gülsün

2014-01-01

The research was carried out in 2005-2006 as a descriptive and methodological study. It aimed to obtain students' feedback and to serve as a source for future relevant studies. The setting of the study was Istanbul University Florence Nightingale Nursing College and at Istanbul University Bakirköy Health College. The sample of the study included…

Unified Research on Network-Based Hard/Soft Information Fusion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-02

types). There are a number of search tree run parameters which must be set depending on the experimental setting. A pilot study was run to identify...Unlimited Final Report: Unified Research on Network-Based Hard/Soft Information Fusion The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report...Final Report: Unified Research on Network-Based Hard/Soft Information Fusion Report Title The University at Buffalo (UB) Center for Multisource

University Teachers' Self-Reflection on Their Academic Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedrosa-de-Jesus, Helena; Guerra, Cecília; Watts, Mike

2017-01-01

This study followed the academic growth of four university teachers, over a two-year period, with the intention of enhancing inquiry-based learning in practice. Data were generated within the natural settings of classrooms, laboratories and lecture halls, through the analysis of teaching materials, low-participation observation, informal…

Setting-based interventions to promote mental health at the university: a systematic review.

PubMed

Fernandez, A; Howse, E; Rubio-Valera, M; Thorncraft, K; Noone, J; Luu, X; Veness, B; Leech, M; Llewellyn, G; Salvador-Carulla, L

2016-09-01

Universities are dynamic environments. But university life presents challenges that may affect the mental health of its community. Higher education institutions provide opportunities to promote public health. Our objective is to summarise the current evidence on strategies to promote mental health at the university, following a setting-based model. We conducted a systematic literature review following standard methods. Published literature that evaluated structural and organizations strategies to promote mental health at the university was selected. 19 papers were included. The majority of the studies were targeting the students, with only four aiming to promote employees' mental health. The most promising strategies to promote mental wellbeing included changes in the way students are taught and assessed. On the other hand, social marketing strategies had not impact on mental health. There is inconclusive evidence related to the effectiveness of policies to promote mental health. Universities should invest in creating supportive physical, social and academic environments that promote student and staff mental wellbeing. However, the current body of evidence is scarce and more research is needed to recommend what are the best strategies.

An Investigation of Students' Acceptance of Moodle in a Blended Learning Setting Using Technology Acceptance Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeou, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Moodle and other web-based learning systems have become very popular in higher education. Their success will not be achieved if students fail to use such systems. The present study investigates university student's attitudes regarding the use of Moodle. Forty-seven students from a Moroccan university were involved in the study. The students…

Can Critical Management Education Be Critical in a Formal Higher Educational Setting?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choo, Kok Leong

2007-01-01

This article attempts to establish the scope of critical management education in a formal educational setting. It is based on an empirical study of 24 academic staffs' experience of engaging critical management education in four UK University Business Schools. The study seems to show that there are significant barriers to and potential pitfalls in…

A Phenomenological Study on International Doctoral Students' Acculturation Experiences at a U.S. University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Throy A.

2015-01-01

A phenomenological method was used to analyze ten international doctoral students' description of their lived experiences at a United States (U.S.) university. The analysis was based on the theoretical premise of how students acculturate to their new educational settings. Three broad overlapping themes emerged: (1) participants' past experiences…

Navigating the Terrain of Third Space: Tensions with/in Relationships in School-University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Susan D.; Snow, Jennifer L.; Franklin Torrez, Cheryl A.

2011-01-01

Using theoretical conceptions of third space and hybrid teacher education, the authors engaged in a collaborative self-study of their practices as university-based teacher educators working in student teaching partnership settings. The authors sought to understand ways in which hybrid teacher educators foster and mediate relationships to work…

Students' Needs Analysis in an EFL Program for University Professors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedoya, Paula Andrea; Valencia, Luz María; Montoya, Juan Carlos

2016-01-01

This study sets out to investigate professors' needs from an English as a foreign language program in a public university regarding demands, interests, and lacks based on the methodology of needs analysis. Data collected through a survey, focus groups, and individual interviews showed that professors need to meet the institutional language policy…

Data Sets, Ensemble Cloud Computing, and the University Library (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plale, B. A.

2013-12-01

The environmental researcher at the public university has new resources at their disposal to aid in research and publishing. Cloud computing provides compute cycles on demand for analysis and modeling scenarios. Cloud computing is attractive for e-Science because of the ease with which cores can be accessed on demand, and because the virtual machine implementation that underlies cloud computing reduces the cost of porting a numeric or analysis code to a new platform. At the university, many libraries at larger universities are developing the e-Science skills to serve as repositories of record for publishable data sets. But these are confusing times for the publication of data sets from environmental research. The large publishers of scientific literature are advocating a process whereby data sets are tightly tied to a publication. In other words, a paper published in the scientific literature that gives results based on data, must have an associated data set accessible that backs up the results. This approach supports reproducibility of results in that publishers maintain a repository for the papers they publish, and the data sets that the papers used. Does such a solution that maps one data set (or subset) to one paper fit the needs of the environmental researcher who among other things uses complex models, mines longitudinal data bases, and generates observational results? The second school of thought has emerged out of NSF, NOAA, and NASA funded efforts over time: data sets exist coherent at a location, such as occurs at National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). But when a collection is coherent, reproducibility of individual results is more challenging. We argue for a third complementary option: the university repository as a location for data sets produced as a result of university-based research. This location for a repository relies on the expertise developing in the university libraries across the country, and leverages tools, such as are being developed in the Sustainable Environments - Actionable Data (SEAD) project, an NSF funded DataNet partner, for reducing the burden of describing, publishing, and sharing research data. We use as example the university institutional repository (IR) and an application taken from climate studies. The application is a storm surge model running as a cloud-based software as a service (SaaS). One of the more immediate and dangerous impacts of climate change could be change in the strength of storms that form over the oceans. There have already been indications that even modest changes in ocean surface temperature can have a disproportionate effect on hurricane strength. In an effort to understand these impacts, modelers turn to predictions generated by hydrodynamic coastal ocean models such as the Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model. We step through a use scenario of SLOSH in emergency management. To publish a newly created data set resulting from the ensemble runs on the cloud, one needs tools that minimize the burden of describing the data. SEAD has such tools, and engages the e-Science data curation librarian in the process to aid the data set's ingest into the university IR. We finally bring attention to ongoing effort in the Research Data Alliance (RDA) to make data lifecycle issues easier for environmental researchers so that they invest less time and get more credit for their data sets, giving research wider adoption and impact.

Are the Best Scores the Best Scores for Predicting College Success?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Brian F.; Mattern, Krista D.; Swerdzewski, Peter

2012-01-01

The College Board's SAT[R] Score Choice[TM] policy allows students to choose which set(s) of scores to send to colleges and universities to which they plan to apply. Based on data gathered before the implementation of that policy, the following study evaluated the predictive validity of the various sets of SAT scores. The value of five score sets…

Rapid Development of Hybrid Courses for Distance Education: A Midwestern University's Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Jodi

2011-01-01

A descriptive case study was used to explore how repurposing and a pedagogical-based instructional design model, the multimodal model (Picciano, 2009), were used to create quality distance education courses in a rapid development setting at a Midwestern land grant university. Data triangulation was used to secure data from faculty member…

Assessing Classism in Academic Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langhout, Regina Day; Rosselli, Francine; Feinstein, Jonathan

2007-01-01

The research described in this paper creates a behaviorally based measure that defines theoretically distinct domains of classism, assesses base rates within a college context, and examines how social class, race, and gender are related to classism. Participants of the study were college students at Hilltop University. A web-based survey was used…

Hang-Gliding or Looking for an Updraft. A Study of College and University Finance in the 1980s--The Capital Margin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenny, Hans H.; And Others

A set of concepts that governing boards and senior administrators can use in analyzing the physical capital requirements of their institutions are described, based on the study of two samples of private colleges. Attention is focused on the question of the relative adequacy of college and university cash flows for financing the capital margin.…

Multiple Intelligences-Based Planning of EFL Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zebari, Sanan Shero Malo; Allo, Hussein Ali Ahmed; Mohammedzadeh, Behbood

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to set a plan for teaching EFL classes based on the identification of university students' dominant multiple intelligences in EFL classes, and the differences in the types of intelligence between female and male students in terms of their gender. The problem the present study aimed to address is that the traditional concept…

Content Analysis of a Computer-Based Faculty Activity Repository

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Eveleth, Lori; Stone, Robert W.

2013-01-01

The research presents an analysis of faculty opinions regarding the introduction of a new computer-based faculty activity repository (FAR) in a university setting. The qualitative study employs content analysis to better understand the phenomenon underlying these faculty opinions and to augment the findings from a quantitative study. A web-based…

The Design and Development of an Online, Case-Based Course in a Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peña, Carmen M.

2004-01-01

The goals of this study were to: 1) design a web-based course using WebCT for future secondary school teachers at the University of Texas Pan American, 2) evaluate the effectiveness of the course, and 3) provide a set of guidelines for designing web-based courses for other teacher educators. The participants in this study consisted of junior- and…

The relationship between budget allocated and budget utilized of faculties in an academic institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, Wan Noor Hayatie Wan Abdul; Aziz, Rossidah Wan Abdul; Shuib, Adibah; Razi, Nor Faezah Mohamad

2014-06-01

Budget planning enables an organization to set priorities towards achieving certain goals and to identify the highest priorities to be accomplished with the available funds, thus allowing allocation of resources according to the set priorities and constraints. On the other hand, budget execution and monitoring enables allocated funds or resources to be utilized as planned. Our study concerns with investigating the relationship between budget allocation and budget utilization of faculties in a public university in Malaysia. The focus is on the university's operations management financial allocation and utilization based on five categories which are emolument expenditure, academic or services and supplies expenditure, maintenance expenditure, student expenditure and others expenditure. The analysis on financial allocation and utilization is performed based on yearly quarters. Data collected include three years faculties' budget allocation and budget utilization performance involving a sample of ten selected faculties of a public university in Malaysia. Results show that there are positive correlation and significant relationship between quarterly budget allocation and quarterly budget utilization. This study found that emolument give the highest contribution to the total allocation and total utilization for all quarters. This paper presents some findings based on statistical analysis conducted which include descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

Developing an interprofessional capability framework for teaching healthcare students in a primary healthcare setting.

PubMed

Gum, Lyn Frances; Lloyd, Andrea; Lawn, Sharon; Richards, Janet Noreen; Lindemann, Iris; Sweet, Linda; Ward, Helena; King, Alison; Bramwell, Donald

2013-11-01

This article is based on a partnership between a primary health service and a university whose shared goal was to prepare students and graduates for interprofessional practice (IPP). This collaborative process led to the development of consensus on an interprofessional capability framework. An action research methodology was adopted to study the development and progress of the partnership between university and health service providers. The initial aim was to understand their perceptions of IPP. Following this, the findings and draft capabilities were presented back to the groups. Finalisation of the capabilities took place with shared discussion and debate on how to implement them in the primary care setting. Several ideas and strategies were generated as to how to prepare effective interprofessional learning experiences for students in both environments (university and primary health care setting). Extensive stakeholder consultation from healthcare providers and educators has produced a framework, which incorporates the shared views and understandings, and can therefore be widely used in both settings. Development of a framework of capabilities for IPP, through a collaborative process, is a useful strategy for achieving agreement. Such a framework can guide curriculum for use in university and health service settings to assist incorporation of interprofessional capabilities into students' learning and practice.

Data Mining for Social Work Students: Teaching Practice-Based Research in Conjunction with a Field Work Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auslander, Gail K.; Rosenne, Hadas

2016-01-01

Although research studies are important for social work students, the students rarely like research classes or see their value. At the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one group of BSW students was encouraged to carry out the required research in their field work setting, the Hadassah University Medical Center. Students used data mining, that is,…

A Dual Hesitant Fuzzy Multigranulation Rough Set over Two-Universe Model for Medical Diagnoses

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chao; Li, Deyu; Yan, Yan

2015-01-01

In medical science, disease diagnosis is one of the difficult tasks for medical experts who are confronted with challenges in dealing with a lot of uncertain medical information. And different medical experts might express their own thought about the medical knowledge base which slightly differs from other medical experts. Thus, to solve the problems of uncertain data analysis and group decision making in disease diagnoses, we propose a new rough set model called dual hesitant fuzzy multigranulation rough set over two universes by combining the dual hesitant fuzzy set and multigranulation rough set theories. In the framework of our study, both the definition and some basic properties of the proposed model are presented. Finally, we give a general approach which is applied to a decision making problem in disease diagnoses, and the effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by a numerical example. PMID:26858772

Meaningful Learning from Practice: Web-Based Video in Professional Preparation Programmes in University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Admiraal, Wilfried

2014-01-01

Web-based video is one of the technologies which can support meaningful learning from practice--in addition to practical benefits such as accessibility of practices, flexibility in updating information, and incorporating video into multimedia resources. A multiple case study was set up on the use of a web-based video learning environment in two…

How to identify students for school-based depression intervention: can school record review be substituted for universal depression screening?

PubMed

Kuo, Elena S; Vander Stoep, Ann; Herting, Jerald R; Grupp, Katherine; McCauley, Elizabeth

2013-02-01

Early identification and intervention are critical for reducing the adverse effects of depression on academic and occupational performance. Cost-effective approaches are needed for identifying adolescents at high depression risk. This study evaluated the utility of school record review versus universal school-based depression screening for determining eligibility for an indicated depression intervention program implemented in the middle school setting. Algorithms derived from grades, attendance, suspensions, and basic demographic information were evaluated with regard to their ability to predict students' depression screening scores. The school information-based algorithms proved poor proxies for individual students' depression screening results. However, school records showed promise for identifying low, medium, and high-yield subgroups on the basis of which efficient screening targeting decisions could be made. Study results will help to guide school nurses who coordinate indicated depression intervention programs in school settings as they evaluate options of approaches for determining which students are eligible for participation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is the Secure Base Phenomenon Evident Here, There, and Anywhere? A Cross-Cultural Study of Child Behavior and Experts' Definitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Posada, German; Lu, Ting; Trumbell, Jill; Kaloustian, Garene; Trudel, Marcel; Plata, Sandra J.; Peña, Paola P.; Perez, Jennifer; Tereno, Susana; Dugravier, Romain; Coppola, Gabrielle; Constantini, Alessandro; Cassibba, Rosalinda; Kondo-Ikemura, Kiyomi; Nóblega, Magaly; Haya, Ines M.; Pedraglio, Claudia; Verissimo, Manuela; Santos, Antonio J.; Monteiro, Ligia; Lay, Keng-Ling

2013-01-01

The evolutionary rationale offered by Bowlby implies that secure base relationships are common in child-caregiver dyads and thus, child secure behavior observable across diverse social contexts and cultures. This study offers a test of the universality hypothesis. Trained observers in nine countries used the Attachment Q-set to describe the…

Chinese Students' Perceptions of a Collaborative E-Learning Environment and Factors Affecting Their Performance: Implementing a Flemish E-Learning Course in a Chinese Educational Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Chang; Valcke, Martin; Schellens, Tammy; Li, Yifei

2009-01-01

This study was set up in a Chinese university in Beijing by implementing a Flemish e-learning course in a Chinese setting. A main feature of the e-learning environment is the asynchronous "task-based" online group discussion. The purpose of the study is to understand Chinese students' perceptions of a collaborative e-learning environment…

Mean Normal Portal Vein Diameter Using Sonography among Clients Coming to Radiology Department of Jimma University Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Geleto, Gemechu; Getnet, Wondim; Tewelde, Tsegaye

2016-05-01

Mean portal vein diameter is considered as the best indicator for portal hypertension. However, the cutoff point differs from study to study (above 10-15 mm) despite the existence of normal mean portal vein diameter between 10-15 mm in different settings.This implies the existence of limited evidence on normal portal vein diameter for all populations in all countries prior to setting the cutoff points. Therefore, the aim of this study was sonographic assessment of normal mean portal vein diameter among patients referred to The Department of Radiology in Jimma University Hospital. A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2014 at Jimma University Hospital on a total of 195 clients. Data about portal vein diameter for eligible clients were collected by radiologists using Sonography. Data were edited manually, entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16. Data were collected from a total of 195 participants. Among these, 121(62.1%) were males and the median age of the participants was 35 years. The study revealed a normal mean portal vein diameter of 10.6 mm ±1.8 SD with a respirophasic variation of 25.6%. Likewise, the normal mean portal vein diameter seemed to have varied significantly by age and sex. The study revealed a normal mean portal vein diameter ranging below 13 mm. Hence, decisions made in clinical settings should base on these findings. Besides, there is a need for large scale study to determine portal vein diameter variation by age and sex, controlling other confounders.

FBO and Airport Internships for University Aviation Students: Benefits for Students, Universities, and the Aviation Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiesse, James L.; And Others

1992-01-01

Describes five types of internships for aviation education: job shadowing, departmental rotation, single department based, academic, and specific task. Gives examples in two settings: airports and fixed-base operators. (SK)

Comparing University Organizations across Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bleiklie, Ivar

2014-01-01

The article discusses comparative organizational studies, focusing on change in higher education institutions, and in particular (but not only) on studies that compare organizations in different national settings. It first presents and discusses different approaches to comparison based on a couple of typologies that have been developed to identify…

Incorporating Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences into Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Melissa A.; Yan, Fei

2016-01-01

A continuous effort within an undergraduate university setting is to improve students' learning outcomes and thus improve students' attitudes about a particular field of study. This is undoubtedly relevant within a chemistry laboratory. This paper reports the results of an effort to introduce a problem-based learning strategy into the analytical…

The Appreciative Pedagogy of Palliative Care: Arts-Based or Evidence-Based?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lander, Dorothy A.; Graham-Pole, John R.

2006-01-01

The authors integrate poetry and narrative into their self-study application of the research methodology known as Appreciative Inquiry (AI) focused on: (a) their personal and professional practice and development; (b) their teaching practice in universities and informal/popular education settings; and, (c) their educational research in the area of…

Systematic review of universal resilience interventions targeting child and adolescent mental health in the school setting: review protocol.

PubMed

Dray, Julia; Bowman, Jenny; Wolfenden, Luke; Campbell, Elizabeth; Freund, Megan; Hodder, Rebecca; Wiggers, John

2015-12-29

The mental health of children and adolescents is a key area of health concern internationally. Previous empirical studies suggest that resilience may act as a protective mechanism towards the development of mental health problems. Resilience refers to the ability to employ a collection of protective factors to return to or maintain positive mental health following disadvantage or adversity. Schools represent a potential setting within which protective factors of all children and adolescents may be fostered through resilience-focussed interventions. Despite this potential, limited research has investigated the effectiveness of universal school-based resilience-focussed interventions on mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. The objective of the present review is to assess the effects of universal school-based resilience-focussed interventions, relative to a comparison group, on mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. Eligible studies will be randomised (including cluster-randomised) controlled trials of universal interventions explicitly described as resilience-focussed or comprising strategies to strengthen a minimum of three internal protective factors, targeting children aged 5 to 18 years, implemented within schools, and reporting a mental health outcome. Screening for studies will be conducted across six electronic databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two reviewers will retrieve eligible articles, assess risk of bias, and extract data. Where studies are sufficiently homogenous and reported outcomes are amenable for pooled synthesis, meta-analysis will be performed. Narrative description will be used to synthesise trial outcome data where data cannot be combined or heterogeneity exists. This review will aid in building an evidence base for the effectiveness of universal school-based resilience-focussed interventions and in doing so provide an opportunity to better inform the development of interventions to potentially prevent mental health problems in child and adolescent populations. PROSPERO CRD42015025908.

Use of machine learning methods to classify Universities based on the income structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terlyga, Alexandra; Balk, Igor

2017-10-01

In this paper we discuss use of machine learning methods such as self organizing maps, k-means and Ward’s clustering to perform classification of universities based on their income. This classification will allow us to quantitate classification of universities as teaching, research, entrepreneur, etc. which is important tool for government, corporations and general public alike in setting expectation and selecting universities to achieve different goals.

A Social Contract for University-Industry Collaboration: A Case of Project-Based Learning Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartiainen, Tero

This study determines a social contract for a form of university-industry collaboration to a project-based learning environment in close collaboration with industry. The author's previous studies on moral conflicts in a project-based learning (PjBL) environment and his 5-year engagement in the PjBL environment are used as background knowledge, and John Rawls' veil of ignorance is used as a method in the contract formulation. Fair and impartial treatment of actors is strived for with the contract which constitutes of sets of obligations for each party, students, clients, and university (instructors) in the chosen project course. With the contract fair and impartial treatment of actors is strived for and the most dilemmatic moral conflicts are tried to be avoided. The forming of the social contract is evaluated, and implications for research and collaborations in practice are offered.

Closing the Research to Practice Gap in Therapeutic Residential Care: Service Provider-University Partnerships Focused on Evidence-Based Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Ronald W.; Duppong Hurley, Kristin; Trout, Alexandra L.; Huefner, Jonathan C.; Daly, Daniel L.

2017-01-01

Residential care has been criticized for its high cost and limited research evidence. While recent studies and reviews of the literature suggest that a number of evidence-based practices are being implemented in residential care settings, more research is needed to develop and test empirically based practices that can be successfully implemented…

IT Knowledge Requirements Identification in Organizational Networks: Cooperation Between Industrial Organizations and Universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudzajs, Peteris; Kirikova, Marite

ICT professionals face rapid technology development, changes in design paradigms, methodologies, approaches, and cooperation patterns. These changes impact relationships between universities that teach ICT disciplines and industrial organizations that develop and use ICT-based products. The required knowledge and skills of university graduates depend mainly on the current industrial situation; therefore the university graduates have to meet industry requirements which are stated at the time point of their graduation, not at the start of their studies. Continuous cooperation between universities and industrial organizations is needed to identify a time and situation-dependent set of knowledge requirements, which lead to situation aware, industry acknowledged, balanced and productive ICT study programs. This chapter proposes information systems solutions supporting cooperation between the university and the industrial organizations with respect to curriculum development in ICT area.

Boltzmann Calculations of Electron Transport in CF4 and CF_4/Ar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yicheng; van Brunt, R. J.

1996-10-01

A new set of electron collisional cross sections(L. G. Christophorou, J. K. Olthoff, and M. V. V. S. Rao, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, submitted (May 1996)) for CF4 has been proposed, based primarily upon available experimental measurements. In this paper we present the results of calculations of the drift velocity, ionization coefficient, and attachment coefficient for electrons in CF4 based upon the new cross section set, using a two-term Boltzmann calculation. Comparison of results with experimental determinations of the transport parameters, such as drift velocity, are presented, along with comparison of results obtained using two previously pubished(M. Hyashi, in Swarm Studies and Elastic Electron-Molecule Collisions) (1987); and Y. Nakamura in Gaseous Electronics and Their Applications (1991) electron impact cross section sets for CF_4. Additions and adjustments to the cross section sets required for the model to achieve consitency with transport data are discussed. - Research sponsored in part by the U.S. Air Force Wright Laboratory under contract F33615-96-C-2600 with the University of Tennessee. Also, Department of Physics, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.

Using Mobile Phones to Increase Classroom Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cobb, Stephanie; Heaney, Rose; Corcoran, Olivia; Henderson-Begg, Stephanie

2010-01-01

This study examines the possible benefits of using mobile phones to increase interaction and promote active learning in large classroom settings. First year undergraduate students studying Cellular Processes at the University of East London took part in a trial of a new text-based classroom interaction system and evaluated their experience by…

Patterns of Student Employment in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roshchin, Sergey; Rudakov, Victor

2017-01-01

This paper analyses the factors of combining study and work and the factors explaining intensity of work during study in Russia, based on cross-sectional survey data. The issue of how Russian students combine work and study is analysed through the set of financial, academic, social and demographic predictors, quality of university and quality of…

Examining Attitudes, Enjoyment, Flow, and Physical Activity Levels in Pre-Service Teachers Utilizing the BLISS Model Compared to Traditional Dance Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Christa Ann

2013-01-01

This dissertation describes two studies, based on data collection within a pre-existing collegiate course for pre-service teachers in a children's dance setting at a northwest public university. The overall purpose of these experimental studies was to compare traditional movement/dance with the influence of a relevance-based instructional model,…

The Use of Mobile Technology for Work-Based Assessment: The Student Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulby, Ceridwen; Hennessey, Scott; Davies, Nancy; Fuller, Richard

2011-01-01

This paper outlines a research project conducted at Leeds University School of Medicine with Assessment & Learning in Practice Settings Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, collaboration between the Universities of Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of York St John. The research conducted…

International Trade Professional Curriculum System Innovation and Personnel Training Model Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yang

With the rapid development of China's foreign trade, now many universities have set up the International Trade major one after another; The University must be based on our own resources superiority to have the scientific orientation of personnel training objectives, which can make trained students meet needs of society and enterprises better. This paper based on the characteristics of International Trade major in University proposes to take the personnel training model combining with "Work, Certificate and Learning" as the objective, proceeding the orientation of professional personnel and settings of certificate testing module and teaching module, to construct the curriculum system from the innovation of theoretical and practical teaching.

Bridging "The Gap"--Linking Workplace-Based and University-Based Learning in Preschool Teacher Education in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karlsson Lohmander, Maelis

2015-01-01

Professional experience in preschool settings comprises an important part of the education of preschool teachers. During their placements, students are expected to link theory to practice, to integrate university-based knowledge with workplace-based knowledge and skills essential for their future profession. They often refer to a perceived gap…

Development of an Integrated, Computer-Based Bibliographical Data System for a Large University Library. Annual Report to the National Science Foundation from the University of Chicago Library, 1966/67.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fussler, Herman; Payne, Charles T.

Part I is a discussion of the following project tasks: A) development of an on-line, real-time bibliographic data processing system; B) implementation in library operations; C) character sets; D) Project MARC; E) circulation; and F) processing operation studies. Part II is a brief discussion of efforts to work out cooperative library systems…

Educating for interprofessional practice: moving from knowing to being, is it the final piece of the puzzle?

PubMed

Ward, Helena; Gum, Lyn; Attrill, Stacie; Bramwell, Donald; Lindemann, Iris; Lawn, Sharon; Sweet, Linda

2017-01-06

Professional socialisation and identity arise from interactions occurring within university-based interprofessional education, and workplace-based interprofessional practice experience. However, it is unclear how closely language and concepts of academic learning situations align with workplace contexts for interprofessional learning. This paper reports on a study that brought together university-based educators responsible for teaching health professional students and health service-based practitioners who supervise students in the field. Interviews and focus groups with university-based educators and health service-base practitioners were used to explore perceptions of capabilities required for interprofessional practice. The qualitative data were then examined to explore similarities and differences in the language used by these groups. This analysis identified that there were language differences between the university-based educators and health service based practitioners involved in the project. The former demonstrated a curriculum lens, focusing on educational activities, student support and supervision. Conversely, health service-based practitioners presented a client-centred lens, with a focus on communication, professional disposition, attitude towards clients and co-workers, and authenticity of practice. Building on these insights, we theorise about the need for students to develop the self in order to be an interprofessional practitioner. The implications for health professional education in both university and workplace settings are explored.

A Comparison of Classroom and Online Asynchronous Problem-Based Learning for Students Undertaking Statistics Training as Part of a Public Health Masters Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jong, N.; Verstegen, D. M. L.; Tan, F. E. S.; O'Connor, S. J.

2013-01-01

This case-study compared traditional, face-to-face classroom-based teaching with asynchronous online learning and teaching methods in two sets of students undertaking a problem-based learning module in the multilevel and exploratory factor analysis of longitudinal data as part of a Masters degree in Public Health at Maastricht University. Students…

Effectiveness of interventions targeting health behaviors in university and college staff: a systematic review.

PubMed

Plotnikoff, Ronald; Collins, Clare E; Williams, Rebecca; Germov, John; Callister, Robin

2015-01-01

Evaluate the literature on interventions targeting tertiary education staff within colleges and universities for improvements in health behaviors such as physical activity, dietary intake, and weight loss. One online database, Medline, was searched for literature published between January 1970 and February 2013. All quantitative study designs, including but not limited to randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, nonrandomized experimental trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies, were eligible. Data extraction was performed by one reviewer using a standardized form developed by the researchers. Extraction was checked for accuracy and consistency by a second reviewer. Data in relation to the above objective were extracted and described in a narrative synthesis. Seventeen studies were identified that focused on staff within the tertiary education setting. The review yielded overall positive results with 13 reporting significant health-related improvements. Weight loss, physical activity and fitness, and/or nutrition were the focus in more than half (n = 9) of the studies. This appears to be the first review to examine health interventions for tertiary education staff. There is scope to enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration in the development and implementation of a "Healthy University" settings-based approach to health promotion in tertiary education workplaces. Universities or colleges could serve as a research platform to evaluate such intervention strategies.

Understanding protein evolution: from protein physics to Darwinian selection.

PubMed

Zeldovich, Konstantin B; Shakhnovich, Eugene I

2008-01-01

Efforts in whole-genome sequencing and structural proteomics start to provide a global view of the protein universe, the set of existing protein structures and sequences. However, approaches based on the selection of individual sequences have not been entirely successful at the quantitative description of the distribution of structures and sequences in the protein universe because evolutionary pressure acts on the entire organism, rather than on a particular molecule. In parallel to this line of study, studies in population genetics and phenomenological molecular evolution established a mathematical framework to describe the changes in genome sequences in populations of organisms over time. Here, we review both microscopic (physics-based) and macroscopic (organism-level) models of protein-sequence evolution and demonstrate that bridging the two scales provides the most complete description of the protein universe starting from clearly defined, testable, and physiologically relevant assumptions.

The Dilemma of Case-Based Teaching and Learning in Science in Hong Kong: Students Need It, Want It, but May Not Value It. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNaught, Carmel; Lau, W. M.; Lam, Paul; Hui, Mark Y. Y.; Au, Peter C. T.

2005-01-01

The paper reports a study for determining a suitable process for converting traditional surface science courses into case-based learning ones in two universities in Hong Kong. In this preparative study, a set of baseline data was collected on the current level of students' conceptual understanding and also students' perceptions about the…

Technology-based interventions for mental health in tertiary students: systematic review.

PubMed

Farrer, Louise; Gulliver, Amelia; Chan, Jade K Y; Batterham, Philip J; Reynolds, Julia; Calear, Alison; Tait, Robert; Bennett, Kylie; Griffiths, Kathleen M

2013-05-27

Mental disorders are responsible for a high level of disability burden in students attending university. However, many universities have limited resources available to support student mental health. Technology-based interventions may be highly relevant to university populations. Previous reviews have targeted substance use and eating disorders in tertiary students. However, the effectiveness of technology-based interventions for other mental disorders and related issues has not been reviewed. To systematically review published randomized trials of technology-based interventions evaluated in a university setting for disorders other than substance use and eating disorders. The PubMed, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched using keywords, phrases, and MeSH terms. Retrieved abstracts (n=1618) were double screened and coded. Included studies met the following criteria: (1) the study was a randomized trial or a randomized controlled trial, (2) the sample was composed of students attending a tertiary institution, (3) the intervention was delivered by or accessed using a technological device or process, (4) the age range of the sample was between 18 and 25 years, and (5) the intervention was designed to improve, reduce, or change symptoms relating to a mental disorder. A total of 27 studies met inclusion criteria for the present review. Most of the studies (24/27, 89%) employed interventions targeting anxiety symptoms or disorders or stress, although almost one-third (7/24, 29%) targeted both depression and anxiety. There were a total of 51 technology-based interventions employed across the 27 studies. Overall, approximately half (24/51, 47%) were associated with at least 1 significant positive outcome compared with the control at postintervention. However, 29% (15/51) failed to find a significant effect. Effect sizes were calculated for the 18 of 51 interventions that provided sufficient data. Median effect size was 0.54 (range -0.07 to 3.04) for 8 interventions targeting depression and anxiety symptoms and 0.84 (range -0.07 to 2.66) for 10 interventions targeting anxiety symptoms and disorders. Internet-based technology (typically involving cognitive behavioral therapy) was the most commonly employed medium, being employed in 16 of 27 studies and approximately half of the 51 technology-based interventions (25/51, 49%). Distal and universal preventive interventions were the most common type of intervention. Some methodological problems were evident in the studies, with randomization methods either inadequate or inadequately described, few studies specifying a primary outcome, and most of the studies failing to undertake or report appropriate intent-to-treat analyses. The findings of this review indicate that although technological interventions targeting certain mental health and related problems offer promise for students in university settings, more high quality trials that fully report randomization methods, outcome data, and data analysis methods are needed.

An Exploratory Study of Objective Attainment in the Divergent Physics Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerch, Robert Donald

Students enrolled in the introductory physics laboratory at New Mexico State University participated in this study. A stated set of objectives, developed by Dr. John M. Fowler of the Commission on College Physics, was used in the laboratory. This study attempted to measure student achievement based on the use of these objectives as opposed to the…

Designing and Evaluating a Professional Development Programme for Basic Technology Integration in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansyari, Muhammad Fauzan

2015-01-01

This study aims to develop and evaluate a professional development programme for technology integration in an Indonesian university's English language teaching setting. The study explored the characteristics of this programme to English lecturers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) development. This design-based research employed…

Artificial Intelligence Approach to Evaluate Students' Answerscripts Based on the Similarity Measure between Vague Sets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Hui-Yu; Chen, Shyi-Ming

2007-01-01

In this paper, we present two new methods for evaluating students' answerscripts based on the similarity measure between vague sets. The vague marks awarded to the answers in the students' answerscripts are represented by vague sets, where each element u[subscript i] in the universe of discourse U belonging to a vague set is represented by a…

Academic Underachievement: The Relationship between Motivation and Study Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melton, Rebecca Mindigo

2013-01-01

Research indicates that students underachieve in college settings, in spite of intellect and other abilities. This research tested the likelihood of self-efficacy for learning, conscientiousness, impulsivity, procrastination and temporal discounting to predict academic achievement in an online competency-based university. Undergraduate students (N…

Is Health Education at University Associated with Students' Health Literacy? Evidence from Cross-Sectional Study Applying HLS-EU-Q

PubMed Central

Ossowsky, Zbigniew Marcin

2017-01-01

Background Despite the large number of studies assessing health literacy, little research has been conducted with young adults. Since health literacy is related to the setting in which health information is provided, our study aim was to measure health literacy competencies in a sample of university students and to evaluate the relationships between these competencies and their university health education. Methods A total of 912 university students (aged 18–24 years) completed the 47-item European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47). Results Perceived difficulties with health information were related to gender, with male students reporting significantly lower health literacy scores. Studying more health education-related subjects was associated with a higher health literacy competency, due to these students' higher rates of accessing and understanding health information in the health promotion domain. Conclusion Health literacy among young adult university students is insufficient. The subjects they study are related to their university health education; in particular, the number of health-related subjects they study is positively related to students' health promotion domain-based competencies. PMID:29130048

Do Diligent Students Perform Better? Complex Relations between Student and Course Characteristics, Study Time, and Academic Performance in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masui, Chris; Broeckmans, Jan; Doumen, Sarah; Groenen, Anne; Molenberghs, Geert

2014-01-01

Research has reported equivocal results regarding the relationship between study time investment and academic performance in higher education. In the setting of the active, assignment-based teaching approach at Hasselt University (Belgium), the present study aimed (a) to further clarify the role of study time in academic performance, while taking…

Implementing the Health Promoting University approach in culturally different contexts: a systematic review.

PubMed

Suárez-Reyes, Mónica; Van den Broucke, Stephan

2016-03-01

Universities represent a valuable opportunity to promote health and well-being. Based on the setting approach, the Health Promoting Universities concept has been developed in different countries and contexts. However, the implementation process remains poorly documented. This systematic review aims to describe how universities have implemented the Health Promoting University concept in different cultural contexts. Pubmed, Medline, Lilacs and Scielo were searched for articles on Health Promoting Universities, published between 1995 and 2015. Studies detailing the implementation of a Health Promoting University approach were included. Selected articles were content analysed paying attention to: (a) the definition of a Health Promoting University; (b) priority areas of action; (c) items of work; (d) coordination of the project; (e) evaluation; and (f) adaptation to the cultural context. Twelve studies were identified for in-depth analysis. Of those, three were theoretical papers, and nine were intervention studies. The programmes described in the selected studies are mostly based on the guidelines of the Edmonton Charter. They incorporated the main areas of action and items of works proposed by the Health Promoting University framework. The implementation of healthy policies and incorporation of health promotion in the curriculum are remaining challenges. Strategies to facilitate adaptation to context include: stakeholder participation in planning and implementation, adaptation of educational material and analysis of needs. The review suggests that most of the universities work towards similar goals, relying on the Health Promoting University framework, yet that the way in which initiatives are implemented depends on the context. © The Author(s) 2015.

A Comparison of a Traditional Lecture-Based and Online Supplemental Video and Lecture-Based Approach in an Engineering Statics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halupa, Colleen M.; Caldwell, Benjamin W.

2015-01-01

This quasi-experimental research study evaluated two intact undergraduate engineering statics classes at a private university in Texas. Students in the control group received traditional lecture, readings and homework assignments. Those in the experimental group also were given access to a complete set of online video lectures and videos…

Strengths-Based Approaches in College and University Student Housing: Implications for First-Year Students' Retention and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista M.; Taylor, Leonard, Jr.

2016-01-01

Strengths-based approaches are expanding in higher education; however, little is known about the impacts of these approaches in housing and residence life settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between first-year students' strengths interactions in housing and their engagement and retention. The results suggest that…

Learning in the Discovery Sciences: The History of a "Radical" Conceptual Change, or the Scientific Revolution That Was Not

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Wolff-Michael

2014-01-01

In this study, I provide a microgenetic-historical account of learning in an informal setting: the conceptual change that occurred while a university-based scientific research laboratory investigated the absorption of light in rod-based photoreceptors of coho salmon, which the "dogma" had suggested to be related to the migration between…

Independence for Swedish Universities and University Colleges. Sweden Is Preparing a Reform of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministry of Education and Science, Stockholm (Sweden).

This paper briefly describes a higher education reform movement underway in Sweden and offers, respectively, the text and a summary of two policy-forming memoranda. A 1977 legislative decision on all postsecondary education gave the government authority to set education policy, and based the entire university and university college system on…

Development of a Prokaryotic Universal Primer for Simultaneous Analysis of Bacteria and Archaea Using Next-Generation Sequencing

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Shunsuke; Tomita, Junko; Nishioka, Kaori; Hisada, Takayoshi; Nishijima, Miyuki

2014-01-01

For the analysis of microbial community structure based on 16S rDNA sequence diversity, sensitive and robust PCR amplification of 16S rDNA is a critical step. To obtain accurate microbial composition data, PCR amplification must be free of bias; however, amplifying all 16S rDNA species with equal efficiency from a sample containing a large variety of microorganisms remains challenging. Here, we designed a universal primer based on the V3-V4 hypervariable region of prokaryotic 16S rDNA for the simultaneous detection of Bacteria and Archaea in fecal samples from crossbred pigs (Landrace×Large white×Duroc) using an Illumina MiSeq next-generation sequencer. In-silico analysis showed that the newly designed universal prokaryotic primers matched approximately 98.0% of Bacteria and 94.6% of Archaea rRNA gene sequences in the Ribosomal Database Project database. For each sequencing reaction performed with the prokaryotic universal primer, an average of 69,330 (±20,482) reads were obtained, of which archaeal rRNA genes comprised approximately 1.2% to 3.2% of all prokaryotic reads. In addition, the detection frequency of Bacteria belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, including members of the classes Verrucomicrobiae and Opitutae, was higher in the NGS analysis using the prokaryotic universal primer than that performed with the bacterial universal primer. Importantly, this new prokaryotic universal primer set had markedly lower bias than that of most previously designed universal primers. Our findings demonstrate that the prokaryotic universal primer set designed in the present study will permit the simultaneous detection of Bacteria and Archaea, and will therefore allow for a more comprehensive understanding of microbial community structures in environmental samples. PMID:25144201

Context and learning: the value and limits of library-based information literacy teaching.

PubMed

Eyre, Jason

2012-12-01

This month's regular feature will discuss some of the implications for library-based information literacy teaching that have emerged from a HEA-funded research project conducted at De Montfort University. It is argued that information literacy teaching as it has evolved in a university setting, while having a greater degree of relevance and value than ever before, nevertheless has inherent limits when it comes to its transferability beyond the academy and into a workplace setting. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Mental Health Literacy in Emerging Adults in a University Setting: Distinctions between Symptom Awareness and Appraisal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Michelle M.; Gelinas, Bethany L.; Friesen, Lindsay N.

2017-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of mental health concerns in university populations, students are unlikely to seek formal help. The current study examined help-seeking behaviors among emerging adults in a university setting using a mental health literacy framework. Responses from 122 university undergraduates were examined. Students ranged in age from…

Teacher in a problem-based learning environment - Jack of all trades?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahms, Mona Lisa; Spliid, Claus Monrad; Nielsen, Jens Frederik Dalsgaard

2017-11-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) is one among several approaches to active learning. Being a teacher in a PBL environment can, however, be a challenge because of the need to support students' learning within a broad 'landscape of learning'. In this article we will analyse the landscape of learning by use of the study activity model (SAM) developed by the Danish University Colleges, with the aim of investigating to which extent this may lead to explication and clarification concerning the challenges faced by teachers in a PBL environment. In the case study, the SAM is applied to the first semester of an engineering programme at Aalborg University, a university setting where the PBL approach to teaching and learning is dominant. The results of the analysis are presented and discussed, and the conclusion is that the model, in spite of some shortcomings, is useful in clarifying the role of the teacher in a PBL environment.

A Study of Michigan State University Undergraduate Music Performance Students' Perceptions of Their Experiences and Their Place in the University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vatne, Stacy Jennifer

2010-01-01

The purpose of my study was to understand undergraduate music performance students' perceptions of their experiences as music performance majors and to assess music student positionality. Music student positionality, music students' perceptions of their place in the university setting, involves music majors' perceptions of their relationships to…

Virtual Project Rooms for Education in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Vliet, Rudolf G.; Roeling, Monika M.; de Graaff, Rick; Pilot, Albert

2004-01-01

Virtual project rooms (VPRs) may support collaborative project-based learning groups by facilitating project management, documentation and communication. In this study a set of experiments was carried out at Eindhoven University of Technology using the MS Outlook/Exchange software as a groupware platform for design-oriented group projects. The…

Iron metabolism in African American women in the second and third trimesters of high-risk pregnancies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: To examine iron metabolism during the second and third trimesters in African American women with high-risk pregnancies. Design: Longitudinal pilot study. Setting: Large, university-based, urban Midwestern U.S. medical center. Participants: Convenience sample of 32 African American wome...

Setting the Course: Strategies for Writing Digital and Social Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasquini, Laura A.

2016-01-01

This chapter describes how to establish social media guidelines and policies for colleges and universities effectively, based upon a field study of postsecondary education institutions representing 10 different countries. To further community interactions and social media involvement, this chapter will outline effective practical approaches for…

Searching for Telecollaboration in Secondary Geography Education in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deutscher, Jelena

2016-01-01

The majority of studies on telecollaboration for educational purposes focus on language-related aspects. Therefore, a qualitative explorative research project was set up at the RuhrUniversity Bochum, Germany, dealing with telecollaboration from the perspective of a non-language discipline; it is based on the approach of transferring…

UK Student Alcohol Consumption: A Cluster Analysis of Drinking Behaviour Typologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craigs, Cheryl L.; Bewick, Bridgette M.; Gill, Jan; O'May, Fiona; Radley, Duncan

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the extent to which university students are following UK Government advice regarding appropriate consumption of alcohol, and to investigate if students can be placed into distinct clusters based on their drinking behaviour. Design: A descriptive questionnaire study. Setting: One hundred and nineteen undergraduate students from…

Effects of Demand Complexity on Echolalia in Students with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edelstein, Matthew Lawrence

2015-01-01

Echolalia is a linguistic phenomenon common in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This study examined the relationship between demand complexity and immediate echolalia in 4 students with an autism diagnosis in a university-based academic setting. Mastered and novel antecedent verbal demands that required an intraverbal response were…

Fair Access and Fee Setting in English Universities: What Do Institutional Statements Suggest about University Strategies in a Stratified Quasi-Market?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowl, Marion; Hughes, Jonathan

2016-01-01

This paper explores how English universities operating in a "quasi-market" are managing the tension between two policy expectations: the first that they should encourage social mobility by widening the social base of their student population; the second that they should compete with other universities to attract students and thereby…

Impact of a University-Based Program on Obese College Students' Physical Activity Behaviors, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ickes, Melinda J.; McMullen, Jennifer; Pflug, Courtney; Westgate, Philip M.

2016-01-01

Background: More than one third of college students are either overweight or obese, making college campuses an ideal setting to target at risk behaviors while tailoring programs to the evolving lifestyle of college students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a 15-week, campus-based lifestyle modification program on…

Market Orientation within University Schools of Business: Can a Dynamical Systems Viewpoint Applied to a Non-Temporal Data Set Yield Valuable Insights for University Managers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, John C.; Webster, Robert L.; Hammond, Kevin L.

2009-01-01

This study investigates the use of using complexity theory--the study of nonlinear dynamical systems of which chaos and catastrophe theory are subsets--in the analysis of a non temporal data set to derive valuable insights into the functioning of university schools of business. The approach is unusual in that studies of nonlinearity in complex…

Alcohol risk management in college settings: the safer California universities randomized trial.

PubMed

Saltz, Robert F; Paschall, Mallie J; McGaffigan, Richard P; Nygaard, Peter M O

2010-12-01

Potentially effective environmental strategies have been recommended to reduce heavy alcohol use among college students. However, studies to date on environmental prevention strategies are few in number and have been limited by their nonexperimental designs, inadequate sample sizes, and lack of attention to settings where the majority of heavy drinking events occur. To determine whether environmental prevention strategies targeting off-campus settings would reduce the likelihood and incidence of student intoxication at those settings. The Safer California Universities study involved 14 large public universities, half of which were assigned randomly to the Safer intervention condition after baseline data collection in 2003. Environmental interventions took place in 2005 and 2006 after 1 year of planning with seven Safer intervention universities. Random cross-sectional samples of undergraduates completed online surveys in four consecutive fall semesters (2003-2006). Campuses and communities surrounding eight campuses of the University of California and six in the California State University system were utilized. The study used random samples of undergraduates (∼500-1000 per campus per year) attending the 14 public California universities. Safer environmental interventions included nuisance party enforcement operations, minor decoy operations, driving-under-the-influence checkpoints, social host ordinances, and use of campus and local media to increase the visibility of environmental strategies. Proportion of drinking occasions in which students drank to intoxication at six different settings during the fall semester (residence hall party, campus event, fraternity or sorority party, party at off-campus apartment or house, bar/restaurant, outdoor setting), any intoxication at each setting during the semester, and whether students drank to intoxication the last time they went to each setting. Significant reductions in the incidence and likelihood of intoxication at off-campus parties and bars/restaurants were observed for Safer intervention universities compared to controls. A lower likelihood of intoxication was observed also for Safer intervention universities the last time students drank at an off-campus party (OR=0.81, 95% CI=0.68, 0.97); a bar or restaurant (OR=0.76, 95% CI=0.62, 0.94); or any setting (OR=0.80, 95% CI=0.65, 0.97). No increase in intoxication (e.g., displacement) appeared in other settings. Further, stronger intervention effects were achieved at Safer universities with the highest level of implementation. Environmental prevention strategies targeting settings where the majority of heavy drinking events occur appear to be effective in reducing the incidence and likelihood of intoxication among college students. Copyright © 2010 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges in Identifying Refugees in National Health Data Sets.

PubMed

Semere, Wagahta; Yun, Katherine; Ahalt, Cyrus; Williams, Brie; Wang, Emily A

2016-07-01

To evaluate publicly available data sets to determine their utility for studying refugee health. We searched for keywords describing refugees in data sets within the Society of General Internal Medicine Dataset Compendium and the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research database. We included in our analysis US-based data sets with publicly available documentation and a self-defined, health-related focus that allowed for an examination of patient-level factors. Of the 68 data sets that met the study criteria, 37 (54%) registered keyword matches related to refugees, but only 2 uniquely identified refugees. Few health data sets identify refugee status among participants, presenting barriers to understanding refugees' health and health care needs. Information about refugee status in national health surveys should include expanded demographic questions and focus on mental health and chronic disease.

A comparison of the perceptions and aspirations of third-year physiotherapy students trained in three educational settings in Poland.

PubMed

Gotlib, Joanna; Białoszewski, Dariusz; Sierdziński, Janusz; Jarosz, Mirosław J; Majcher, Piotr; Barczyk, Katarzyna; Bauer, Aleksandra; Cabak, Anna; Grzegorczyk, Joanna; Płaszewski, Maciej; Kułak, Wojciech; Nowotny-Czupryna, Olga; Prokopowicz, Katarzyna

2010-03-01

In Poland, physiotherapy is offered at three types of school: medical universities, universities of physical education, and schools that do not specialise in either the medical sciences or physical education. This study explored the knowledge of students who were completing their physiotherapy studies about working in Poland and other countries of the European Union (EU), and about their vocational plans. Students were asked, through self-assessment, about aspects of the professional skills they had gained. Quantitative questionnaire-based study of students in three university settings. Eleven university-level schools in Poland offering studies in physiotherapy and representing three orientations: medical sciences (MS), physical education (PE) and other universities (OU). The study sample comprised of 954 third-year Bachelor programme students. The differences in university profiles did not influence the vocational plans of the students, with more than 70% (668/954) declaring that they would look for work outside Poland: 76% (725/954) in the UK and 69% (658/954) in Germany. Most students stated that finding work as a physiotherapist is difficult in Poland (686/954,72%) and easy in other EU countries (763/954, 80%). Differences in university profiles had an effect on the students' assessments of their professional skills, as students from universities without a long-standing tradition of training in physiotherapy declared that they were less well prepared to work as physiotherapists; the difference was statistically significant for 12 of the 16 domains examined (P<0.05). In the light of these results, an increased influx of Polish physiotherapists, trained according to European standards, into EU countries, especially the UK and Germany, is to be expected in the near future. The physiotherapists will predominantly be graduates of medical and sports-oriented state universities. It appears advisable to launch, under the auspices of an EU programme, an integrated employment information system for physiotherapists that would offer updated information on current demand in individual EU countries.

Colon Reference Set Application: Mary Disis - University of Washington (2008) — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

The proposed study aims to validate the diagnostic value of a panel of serum antibodies for the early detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). We have developed a serum antibody based assay that shows promise in discriminating sera from CRC patients from healthy donors. We have evaluated two separate sample sets of sera that were available either commercially or were comprised of left over samples from previous studies by our group. Both sample sets showed concordance in discriminatory power. We have not been able to identify investigators with a larger, well defined sample set of early stage colon cancer sera and request assistance from the EDRN in obtaining such samples to help assess the potential diagnostic value of our autoantibody panel

"It's like Tuskegee in reverse": a case study of ethical tensions in institutional review board review of community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Malone, Ruth E; Yerger, Valerie B; McGruder, Carol; Froelicher, Erika

2006-11-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) addresses the social justice dimensions of health disparities by engaging marginalized communities, building capacity for action, and encouraging more egalitarian relationships between researchers and communities. CBPR may challenge institutionalized academic practices and the understandings that inform institutional review board deliberations and, indirectly, prioritize particular kinds of research. We present our attempt to study, as part of a CBPR partnership, cigarette sales practices in an inner-city community. We use critical and communitarian perspectives to examine the implications of the refusal of the university institutional review board (in this case, the University of California, San Francisco) to approve the study. CBPR requires expanding ethical discourse beyond the procedural, principle-based approaches common in biomedical research settings. The current ethics culture of academia may sometimes serve to protect institutional power at the expense of community empowerment.

Technology-Based Interventions for Mental Health in Tertiary Students: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Gulliver, Amelia; Chan, Jade KY; Batterham, Philip J; Reynolds, Julia; Calear, Alison; Tait, Robert; Bennett, Kylie; Griffiths, Kathleen M

2013-01-01

Background Mental disorders are responsible for a high level of disability burden in students attending university. However, many universities have limited resources available to support student mental health. Technology-based interventions may be highly relevant to university populations. Previous reviews have targeted substance use and eating disorders in tertiary students. However, the effectiveness of technology-based interventions for other mental disorders and related issues has not been reviewed. Objective To systematically review published randomized trials of technology-based interventions evaluated in a university setting for disorders other than substance use and eating disorders. Methods The PubMed, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched using keywords, phrases, and MeSH terms. Retrieved abstracts (n=1618) were double screened and coded. Included studies met the following criteria: (1) the study was a randomized trial or a randomized controlled trial, (2) the sample was composed of students attending a tertiary institution, (3) the intervention was delivered by or accessed using a technological device or process, (4) the age range of the sample was between 18 and 25 years, and (5) the intervention was designed to improve, reduce, or change symptoms relating to a mental disorder. Results A total of 27 studies met inclusion criteria for the present review. Most of the studies (24/27, 89%) employed interventions targeting anxiety symptoms or disorders or stress, although almost one-third (7/24, 29%) targeted both depression and anxiety. There were a total of 51 technology-based interventions employed across the 27 studies. Overall, approximately half (24/51, 47%) were associated with at least 1 significant positive outcome compared with the control at postintervention. However, 29% (15/51) failed to find a significant effect. Effect sizes were calculated for the 18 of 51 interventions that provided sufficient data. Median effect size was 0.54 (range –0.07 to 3.04) for 8 interventions targeting depression and anxiety symptoms and 0.84 (range –0.07 to 2.66) for 10 interventions targeting anxiety symptoms and disorders. Internet-based technology (typically involving cognitive behavioral therapy) was the most commonly employed medium, being employed in 16 of 27 studies and approximately half of the 51 technology-based interventions (25/51, 49%). Distal and universal preventive interventions were the most common type of intervention. Some methodological problems were evident in the studies, with randomization methods either inadequate or inadequately described, few studies specifying a primary outcome, and most of the studies failing to undertake or report appropriate intent-to-treat analyses. Conclusions The findings of this review indicate that although technological interventions targeting certain mental health and related problems offer promise for students in university settings, more high quality trials that fully report randomization methods, outcome data, and data analysis methods are needed. PMID:23711740

Work-based learning using action learning sets.

PubMed

Rosser, Elizabeth

2016-10-27

Elizabeth Rosser, Deputy Dean (Education and Professional Practice) and Professor of Nursing at Bournemouth University reflects on the concept of action learning, and the benefits of being part of an action learning set.

Empirical performance of the multivariate normal universal portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Choon Peng; Pang, Sook Theng

2013-09-01

Universal portfolios generated by the multivariate normal distribution are studied with emphasis on the case where variables are dependent, namely, the covariance matrix is not diagonal. The moving-order multivariate normal universal portfolio requires very long implementation time and large computer memory in its implementation. With the objective of reducing memory and implementation time, the finite-order universal portfolio is introduced. Some stock-price data sets are selected from the local stock exchange and the finite-order universal portfolio is run on the data sets, for small finite order. Empirically, it is shown that the portfolio can outperform the moving-order Dirichlet universal portfolio of Cover and Ordentlich[2] for certain parameters in the selected data sets.

Williams Holistic Approach Model (WHAM): Sustainable University Leadership from the Perspective of a Woman Physicist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Elvira S.

2010-01-01

University leadership from career and organizational viewpoints are discussed from the perspective of a woman physicist. Laws of physics are used, through appropriate analogies, as templates for structuring useful life lessons on holistic WHAM leadership. Interactive university skill sets and program policies based on holistic WHAM approaches are…

Students' learning as the focus for shared involvement between universities and clinical practice: a didactic model for postgraduate degree projects.

PubMed

Öhlén, J; Berg, L; Björk Brämberg, E; Engström, Å; German Millberg, L; Höglund, I; Jacobsson, C; Lepp, M; Lidén, E; Lindström, I; Petzäll, K; Söderberg, S; Wijk, H

2012-10-01

In an academic programme, completion of a postgraduate degree project could be a significant means of promoting student learning in evidence- and experience-based practice. In specialist nursing education, which through the European Bologna process would be raised to the master's level, there is no tradition of including a postgraduate degree project. The aim was to develop a didactic model for specialist nursing students' postgraduate degree projects within the second cycle of higher education (master's level) and with a specific focus on nurturing shared involvement between universities and healthcare settings. This study embodies a participatory action research and theory-generating design founded on empirically practical try-outs. The 3-year project included five Swedish universities and related healthcare settings. A series of activities was performed and a number of data sources secured. Constant comparative analysis was applied. A didactic model is proposed for postgraduate degree projects in specialist nursing education aimed at nurturing shared involvement between universities and healthcare settings. The focus of the model is student learning in order to prepare the students for participation as specialist nurses in clinical knowledge development. The model is developed for the specialist nursing education, but it is general and could be applicable to various education programmes.

Perceived peer drinking norms and responsible drinking in UK university settings.

PubMed

Robinson, Eric; Jones, Andrew; Christiansen, Paul; Field, Matt

2014-09-01

Heavy drinking is common among students at UK universities. US students overestimate how much their peers drink and correcting this through the use of social norm messages may promote responsible drinking. We tested whether there is an association between perceived campus drinking norms and usual drinking behavior in UK university students and whether norm messages about responsible drinking correct normative misperceptions and increase students' intentions to drink responsibly. 1,020 UK university students took part in an online study. Participants were exposed to one of five message types: a descriptive norm, an injunctive norm, a descriptive and injunctive norm, or one of two control messages. Message credibility was assessed. Afterwards participants completed measures of intentions to drink responsibly and we measured usual drinking habits and perceptions of peer drinking. Perceptions of peer drinking were associated modestly with usual drinking behavior, whereby participants who believed other students drank responsibly also drank responsibly. Norm messages changed normative perceptions, but not in the target population of participants who underestimated responsible drinking in their peers at baseline. Norm messages did not increase intentions to drink responsibly and although based on accurate data, norm messages were not seen as credible. In this UK based study, although perceived social norms about peer drinking were associated with individual differences in drinking habits, campus wide norm messages about responsible drinking did not affect students' intentions to drink more responsibly. More research is required to determine if this approach can be applied to UK settings.

Problem Based Learning in School of Engineering Science, Osaka University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kosuke; Kosakada, Kozo; Kuboi, Ryoichi

Problem Based Leaning in School of Engineering Science, Osaka University is being achieved mainly focusing on the spontaneous setting of the project theme. The PBL program aims to promote students' wide variety of abilities ; communication skill, group discussion, presentation skill, mutual assessment of the students, and also especially research skill 3P (Plan-Perform-Publish) .

Development and Integration of WWW-Based Services in an Existing University Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garofalakis, John; Kappos, Panagiotis; Tsakalidis, Athanasios; Tsaknakis, John; Tzimas, Giannis; Vassiliadis, Vassilios

This paper describes the experience and the problems solved in the process of developing and integrating advanced World Wide Web-based services into the University of Patras (Greece) system. In addition to basic network services (e.g., e-mail, file transfer protocol), the final system will integrate the following set of advanced services: a…

Recipes for Avoiding Limpness: An Exploration of Women in Senior Management Positions in Australian Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyenn, Bob; Parker, Judith

This paper describes a study that explored assumptions regarding the role of women in higher education set forth in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) in June 1995 by Dame Leonie Kramer, a prominent academic. She contended that "women go a bit limp when things get tough...." The study was based on semistructured interviews with seven…

Developing a Practical Rating Rubric of Speaking Test for University Students of English in Parepare, Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latifa, Ammang; Rahman, Asfah; Hamra, Arifuddin; Jabu, Baso; Nur, Rafi'ah

2015-01-01

This study aims to develop a practical rating rubric of speaking ability in the classroom setting. This research study involves the English speaking lecturers at a number of higher education institutions in Parepare, Indonesia. The product is designed based on Research and Development (R&D) approach, which is adopted from Gall, Gall, and Borg…

Exploring the Oral Communication Strategies Used by Turkish EFL Learners: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Yusuf; Mutlu, Gülçin; Sisman, Yavuz Selim

2018-01-01

This study set out with a threefold purpose: to examine (1) the oral communication strategies (CSs) employed by tertiary-level Turkish EFL learners, (2) the use of CSs based on exposure to English through audio-visual tools, university subject domain and gender differences, (3) the correlation between use of CSs and oral proficiency scores. To…

GenomeFingerprinter: the genome fingerprint and the universal genome fingerprint analysis for systematic comparative genomics.

PubMed

Ai, Yuncan; Ai, Hannan; Meng, Fanmei; Zhao, Lei

2013-01-01

No attention has been paid on comparing a set of genome sequences crossing genetic components and biological categories with far divergence over large size range. We define it as the systematic comparative genomics and aim to develop the methodology. First, we create a method, GenomeFingerprinter, to unambiguously produce a set of three-dimensional coordinates from a sequence, followed by one three-dimensional plot and six two-dimensional trajectory projections, to illustrate the genome fingerprint of a given genome sequence. Second, we develop a set of concepts and tools, and thereby establish a method called the universal genome fingerprint analysis (UGFA). Particularly, we define the total genetic component configuration (TGCC) (including chromosome, plasmid, and phage) for describing a strain as a systematic unit, the universal genome fingerprint map (UGFM) of TGCC for differentiating strains as a universal system, and the systematic comparative genomics (SCG) for comparing a set of genomes crossing genetic components and biological categories. Third, we construct a method of quantitative analysis to compare two genomes by using the outcome dataset of genome fingerprint analysis. Specifically, we define the geometric center and its geometric mean for a given genome fingerprint map, followed by the Euclidean distance, the differentiate rate, and the weighted differentiate rate to quantitatively describe the difference between two genomes of comparison. Moreover, we demonstrate the applications through case studies on various genome sequences, giving tremendous insights into the critical issues in microbial genomics and taxonomy. We have created a method, GenomeFingerprinter, for rapidly computing, geometrically visualizing, intuitively comparing a set of genomes at genome fingerprint level, and hence established a method called the universal genome fingerprint analysis, as well as developed a method of quantitative analysis of the outcome dataset. These have set up the methodology of systematic comparative genomics based on the genome fingerprint analysis.

'The university should promote health, but not enforce it': opinions and attitudes about the regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages in a university setting.

PubMed

Howse, Elly; Freeman, Becky; Wu, Jason H Y; Rooney, Kieron

2017-08-01

The study aimed to determine the opinions and attitudes of a university population regarding the regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages in a university setting, primarily looking at differences in opinion between younger adults (under 30 years of age) and older adults (30 years of age or older). An online survey was conducted at an Australian university in April-May 2016 using a convenience sample of students and staff between the ages of 16 and 84 years. The survey included questions about consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and level of agreement and support of proposed sugar-sweetened beverage interventions. Quantitative response data and qualitative open-ended response data were analysed. Nine hundred thirteen responses from students and staff were analysed. In this population, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was low and awareness of the health risks of sugar-sweetened beverages was high. Overall, the surveyed population indicated more support for interventions that require higher levels of personal responsibility. The population did support some environment-centred, population-based interventions, such as increasing access to drinking water and reducing the price of healthier beverage alternatives. However there was less support for more restrictive interventions such as removing sugar-sweetened beverages from sale. Young adults tended to be less supportive of most interventions than older adults. These findings indicate there is some support for environment-centred, population-based approaches to reduce the availability and appeal of sugar-sweetened beverages in an adult environment such as a university setting. However these results suggest that public health may need to focus less on educating populations about the harms associated with sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead, there should be greater emphasis on explaining to populations and communities why environment-centred approaches relating to the sale and promotion of sugar-sweetened beverages should be prioritised over interventions that simply target personal responsibility and individual behaviours.

Is the secure base phenomenon evident here, there, and anywhere? A cross-cultural study of child behavior and experts' definitions.

PubMed

Posada, German; Lu, Ting; Trumbell, Jill; Kaloustian, Garene; Trudel, Marcel; Plata, Sandra J; Peña, Paola P; Perez, Jennifer; Tereno, Susana; Dugravier, Romain; Coppola, Gabrielle; Constantini, Alessandro; Cassibba, Rosalinda; Kondo-Ikemura, Kiyomi; Nóblega, Magaly; Haya, Ines M; Pedraglio, Claudia; Verissimo, Manuela; Santos, Antonio J; Monteiro, Ligia; Lay, Keng-Ling

2013-01-01

The evolutionary rationale offered by Bowlby implies that secure base relationships are common in child-caregiver dyads and thus, child secure behavior observable across diverse social contexts and cultures. This study offers a test of the universality hypothesis. Trained observers in nine countries used the Attachment Q-set to describe the organization of children's behavior in naturalistic settings. Children (N = 547) were 10-72 months old. Child development experts (N = 81) from all countries provided definitions of optimal child secure base use. Findings indicate that children from all countries use their mother as a secure base. Children's organization of secure base behavior was modestly related to each other both within and across countries. Experts' descriptions of the optimally attached child were highly similar across cultures. © 2013 The Authors. Child Development © 2013 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Learning to Use an Online Circulation System. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchionini, Gary; And Others

A study conducted at the University of Maryland, College Park campus compared the effectiveness of three instructional media for presenting introductory training in the use of an online circulation system. Modules based on a common set of instructional objectives and examples were developed and delivered using three formats: a print packet, a…

Job Satisfaction and Locus of Control in an Academic Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stachowiak, Bonni J.

2010-01-01

This study explored any relationships that existed between faculty members' locus of control and job satisfaction at a small, private, faith-based university. Two demographic variables were also analyzed in the findings: number of years teaching in higher education and tenure status. The job satisfaction instrument used was the Job in General…

Comparing Web Based Course Development with and without a Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartog, Rob J. M.; de Gooijer, C. D.; van der Schaaf, H.; Sessink, O.; Vonder, O. W.

Over the last five years, several online courses covering different subjects have been developed and delivered in different settings at Wageningen UR (Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands). The total course content developed and delivered with a learning environment is equivalent with about 700 hours of study, and…

Image-Based Participatory Pedagogies: Reimagining Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Kimberly; Serriere, Stephanie

2013-01-01

As educators and scholars in social studies and art education respectively, we describe two visual methods from our own research and teaching in pre-K to university settings that are embedded in visual practices. We underscore their transformative potential by using Maxine Greene's (1995) ideas of the education of perception as a critical means…

Teacher Talk: One Teacher's Reflections during Comprehension Strategies Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Dana A.

2013-01-01

This study examined one tutor's evolving use of particular talk moves during comprehension strategies instruction in a university-based clinical setting. Through engaging in audiotape reflection and transcript analysis with a coach, the tutor made shifts toward more explicit and purposeful strategies instruction, yet did not consistently…

Effect of Written Presentation on Performance in Introductory Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, John; Ballard, Shawn

2010-01-01

This study examined the written work of students in the introductory calculus-based electricity and magnetism course at the University of Arkansas. The students' solutions to hourly exams were divided into a small set of countable features organized into three major categories, mathematics, language, and graphics. Each category was further divided…

Becoming an Evidence-Based Practitioner: A Framework for Teacher-Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Olwen, Ed.

This book presents case studies of classroom research into the teaching and learning of English, mathematics, and sciences, drawing on the experiences of teacher researchers who, in partnership with their local education agencies and local universities, set out to intervene in key areas of the primary curriculum. After "Introduction: Inviting…

Minding the Mediation: Examining One Teacher Educator's Facilitation of Two Preservice Teachers' Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stillman, Jamy; Anderson, Lauren

2016-01-01

This manuscript explores how one teacher educator worked to facilitate preservice teachers' (PSTs) learning across field- and university-based settings. Using socio-cultural learning theory as a lens, the analysis draws on case study data gathered for two PSTs from the same teacher education program (TEP), who experienced proximal, but…

A new software-based architecture for quantum computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Nan; Song, FangMin; Li, Xiangdong

2010-04-01

In this paper, we study a reliable architecture of a quantum computer and a new instruction set and machine language for the architecture, which can improve the performance and reduce the cost of the quantum computing. We also try to address some key issues in detail in the software-driven universal quantum computers.

[Evidence based practice of nurses working in university hospitals in the French speaking part of Switzerland: a descriptive and correlational study

PubMed

Gentizon, Jenny; Borrero, Patricia; Vincent-Suter, Sonja; Ballabeni, Pierluigi; Morin, Diane; Eicher, Manuela

2016-12-01

Introduction : evidence-based practice (EBP) is too scarcely applied in nursing and is a key contemporary challenge for the discipline. Method and objective : This descriptive and correlational study invited 221 nurses working in three different clinical settings of university hospitals in Switzerland. The objective of this study was to describe their level of knowledge, beliefs and implementation of EBP. Results : of the 221 nurses in this study, only 67 were familiar EBP (30%). These demonstrate favorable beliefs and attitudes towards EBP, but indicate a lack of skills and knowledge to implement it. Compared to both internal medicine and geriatric nurses clinical nurse specialists (ISC) were significantly more familiar with EBP and its implementation. Results also indicate that positive nurses’ beliefs and attitudes toward EBP are predictive of better implementation in clinical practice. Discussion and Conclusion : as demonstrated in other studies, our results show that knowledge about EBP is not that widespread and its implementation remains a challenge even in university hospitals. Future work could include testing EBP implementation strategies to overcome the barriers identified.

Need States Based on Eating Occasions Experienced by Midlife Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vue, Houa; Degeneffe, Dennis; Reicks, Marla

2008-01-01

Objective: To identify a comprehensive set of distinct "need states" based on the eating occasions experienced by midlife women. Design: Series of 7 focus group interviews. Setting: Meeting room on a university campus. Participants: A convenience sample of 34 multi-ethnic women (mean age = 46 years). Phenomenon of Interest: Descriptions of eating…

Prevention programs for body image and eating disorders on University campuses: a review of large, controlled interventions.

PubMed

Yager, Zali; O'Dea, Jennifer A

2008-06-01

Body dissatisfaction, dieting, eating disorders and exercise disorders are prevalent among male and female university students worldwide. Male students are also increasingly adopting health-damaging, body-image-related behaviors such as excessive weight lifting, body building and steroid abuse. Given the severity and difficulty of treating eating disorders, prevention of these problems is a recognized public health goal. Health promotion and health education programs have been conducted in the university setting since the mid 1980s, but few have achieved significant improvements in target health attitudes and behaviors. In this paper, 27 large, randomized and controlled health promotion and health education programs to improve body dissatisfaction, dieting and disordered eating and exercise behaviors of male and female college students are reviewed. In general, health education programs to improve body image and prevent eating disorders in the university setting have been limited by small sample sizes and the exclusion of male students. The majority of studies were conducted among either female undergraduate psychology students or women that were recruited using on-campus advertising. The latter reduces the ability to generalize results to the whole university population, or the general community. In addition, there has been a paucity of longitudinal studies that are methodologically sound, as only 82% (22/27) of interventions included in the review used random assignment of groups, and only 52% (n = 14) included follow-up testing. Information-based, cognitive behavioral and psycho-educational approaches have been the least effective at improving body image and eating problems among university students. Successful elements for future initiatives are identified as taking a media literacy- and dissonance-based educational approach, incorporating health education activities that build self-esteem, and using computers and the internet as a delivery medium. A newly designed program for Australian university students is described.

Gender Differences in Factor Scores of Anxiety and Depression among Australian University Students: Implications for Counselling Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitsika, Vicki; Sharpley, Chris F.; Melham, Therese C.

2010-01-01

Anxiety and depression inventory scores from 200 male and female university students attending a private university in Australia were examined for their factor structure. Once established, the two sets of factors were tested for gender-based differences, revealing that females were more likely than males to report symptomatology associated with…

Hutchins' University: A Memoir of the University of Chicago 1929-1950.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeill, William H.

This book aims to set forth the convergence of institutional and sociological circumstances with intellectual and personal aspirations at the University of Chicago in the 1930s and 1940s under the direction of its fifth president, Robert Maynard Hutchins. Based in part on the author's personal experiences as a student and young faculty member…

Tuition-Setting Authority and Deregulation at State Colleges and Universities. Policy Matters: A Higher Education Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBain, Lesley

2010-01-01

State support for public colleges and universities is based on a historic relationship; these institutions were established to perform the public service mission of predominantly educating residents from local and state-wide communities at a lower price than private, independent colleges and universities. In return, the states appropriated funds…

The Tension of Elite "vs". Massified Higher Education Systems: How Prospective Students Perceive Public and Private Universities in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oketch, Moses O.

2009-01-01

This article examines how recent changes, leading to a diversified supply in Kenya's university education system, is reflected in prospective students' aspirations, perceptions and preferences to undertake university education. The results, based on a combination of a convenience and snowball sampling of settings, within which random samples of…

Do universal school-based mental health promotion programmes improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people? A literature review.

PubMed

O'Connor, Clare A; Dyson, Judith; Cowdell, Fiona; Watson, Roger

2018-02-01

To examine evidence-using a range of outcomes-for the effectiveness of school-based mental health and emotional well-being programmes. It is estimated that 20% of young people experience mental health difficulties every year. Schools have been identified as an appropriate setting for providing mental health and emotional well-being promotion prompting the need to determine whether current school-based programmes are effective in improving the mental health and emotional well-being of young people. A systematic search was conducted using the health and education databases, which identified 29 studies that measured the effectiveness of school-based universal interventions. Prisma guidelines were used during the literature review process. Thematic analysis generated three key themes: (i) help seeking and coping; (ii) social and emotional well-being; and (iii) psycho-educational effectiveness. It is concluded that whilst these studies show promising results, there is a need for further robust evaluative studies to guide future practice. All available opportunities should be taken to provide mental health promotion interventions to young people in the school environment, with a requirement for educational professionals to be provided the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure that the school setting continues to be a beneficial environment for conducting mental health promotion. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance Logic in Simulation Research at the University of British Columbia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Marcia A.

Advantages of the performance simulation setting are considered, along with what can be studied or developed within this setting. Experiences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and views on future development and research opportunities in the performance simulation setting are also discussed. The benefits of simulating the clinical…

Role of students’ context in predicting academic performance at a medical school: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Thiele, Tamara; Pope, Daniel; Singleton, A; Stanistreet, D

2016-01-01

Objectives This study examines associations between medical students’ background characteristics (postcode-based measures of disadvantage, high school attended, sociodemographic characteristics), and academic achievement at a Russell Group University. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting Applicants accepted at the University of Liverpool medical school between 2004 and 2006, finalising their studies between 2010 and 2011. Participants 571 students (with an English home postcode) registered on the full-time Medicine and Surgery programme, who successfully completed their medical degree. Main outcome measures Final average at year 4 of the medical programme (represented as a percentage). Results Entry grades were positively associated with final attainment (p<0.001). Students from high-performing schools entered university with higher qualifications than students from low-performing schools (p<0.001), though these differences did not persist at university. Comprehensive school students entered university with higher grades than independent school students (p<0.01), and attained higher averages at university, though differences were not significant after controlling for multiple effects. Associations between school type and achievement differed between sexes. Females attained higher averages than males at university. Significant academic differences were observed between ethnic groups at entry level and university. Neither of the postcode-based measures of disadvantage predicted significant differences in attainment at school or university. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that educational attainment at school is a good, albeit imperfect, predictor of academic attainment at medical school. Most attainment differences observed between students either decreased or disappeared during university. Unlike previous studies, independent school students did not enter university with the highest grades, but achieved the lowest attainment at university. Such variations depict how patterns may differ between subjects and higher-education institutions. Findings advocate for further evidence to help guide the implementation of changes in admissions processes and widen participation at medical schools fairly. PMID:26969642

Performance of the reverse Helmbold universal portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Choon Peng; Kuang, Kee Seng; Lee, Yap Jia

2017-04-01

The universal portfolio is an important investment strategy in a stock market where no stochastic model is assumed for the stock prices. The zero-gradient set of the objective function estimating the next-day portfolio which contains the reverse Kullback-Leibler order-alpha divergence is considered. From the zero-gradient set, the explicit, reverse Helmbold universal portfolio is obtained. The performance of the explicit, reverse Helmbold universal portfolio is studied by running them on some stock-price data sets from the local stock exchange. It is possible to increase the wealth of the investor by using these portfolios in investment.

The Formative Evaluation of a Web-based Course-Management System within a University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maslowski, Ralf; Visscher, Adrie J.; Collis, Betty; Bloemen, Paul P. M.

2000-01-01

Discussion of Web-based course management systems (W-CMSs) in higher education focuses on formative evaluation and its contribution in the design and development of high-quality W-CMSs. Reviews methods and techniques that can be applied in formative evaluation and examines TeLeTOP, a W-CMS produced at the University of Twente (Netherlands). (LRW)

Automated Writing Evaluation in an EFL Setting: Lessons from China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Jinlan; Rich, Changhua Sun

2017-01-01

This paper reports a series of research studies on the use of automated writing evaluation (awe) in secondary and university settings in China. The secondary school study featured the use of awe in six intact classes of 268 senior high school students for one academic year. The university study group comprised 460 students from five universities…

English and More: A Multisite Study of Roles and Conceptualisations of Language in English Medium Multilingual Universities from Europe to Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Will; Hüttner, Julia

2017-01-01

The rapid increase in English medium instruction (EMI) in higher education has resulted in the need for a greater evidence base documenting EMI in practice spanning a range of settings. Studies of EMI focusing on linguistic issues are beginning to emerge but there are few comparative studies looking at multiple sites, levels and stakeholders. In…

Assessment of Research Capacity Among Nursing Faculty in a Clinical Intensive University in The Philippines.

PubMed

Torres, Gian Carlo S; Estrada, Marica G; Sumile, Earl Francis R; Macindo, John Rey B; Maravilla, Susan N; Hendrix, Cristina C

2017-10-01

Many nursing studies are conducted in the United States, Europe, and Australia, where only a fourth of the world's population resides. There is a need to promote nursing research in Asia to enhance the contextual relevance of their evidence-based nursing interventions. A first step toward this goal is to determine the perceived research capacity among nursing faculty in academic settings in the Philippines. This study described the perceived research capacity among nursing faculty of the University of Santo Tomas - College of Nursing, Manila, Philippines. The study used a survey that contained four sections: subject demographics; knowledge and skill on research designs and research process; research involvement, services, and incentives; and factors affecting research involvement. Chi-square test of homogeneity and MANOVA analyzed the gathered data. Findings showed that the faculty perceived themselves as knowledgeable and skillful in conducting research. However, current teaching assignments hindered their capacity to conduct research. University-sponsored incentives and college-based research services had also remained underutilized despite their availability. Overall, heavy teaching load was the greatest hindrance to research endeavors. Actions must be taken to reconfigure effort allocations with careful consideration of existing university and institutional bylaws. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Content and functional specifications for a standards-based multidisciplinary rounding tool to maintain continuity across acute and critical care.

PubMed

Collins, Sarah; Hurley, Ann C; Chang, Frank Y; Illa, Anisha R; Benoit, Angela; Laperle, Sarah; Dykes, Patricia C

2014-01-01

Maintaining continuity of care (CoC) in the inpatient setting is dependent on aligning goals and tasks with the plan of care (POC) during multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs). A number of locally developed rounding tools exist, yet there is a lack of standard content and functional specifications for electronic tools to support MDRs within and across settings. To identify content and functional requirements for an MDR tool to support CoC. We collected discrete clinical data elements (CDEs) discussed during rounds for 128 acute and critical care patients. To capture CDEs, we developed and validated an iPad-based observational tool based on informatics CoC standards. We observed 19 days of rounds and conducted eight group and individual interviews. Descriptive and bivariate statistics and network visualization were conducted to understand associations between CDEs discussed during rounds with a particular focus on the POC. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. All analyses were triangulated. We identified the need for universal and configurable MDR tool views across settings and users and the provision of messaging capability. Eleven empirically derived universal CDEs were identified, including four POC CDEs: problems, plan, goals, and short-term concerns. Configurable POC CDEs were: rationale, tasks/'to dos', pending results and procedures, discharge planning, patient preferences, need for urgent review, prognosis, and advice/guidance. Some requirements differed between settings; yet, there was overlap between POC CDEs. We recommend an initial list of 11 universal CDEs for continuity in MDRs across settings and 27 CDEs that can be configured to meet setting-specific needs.

'By seeing with our own eyes, it can remain in our mind': qualitative evaluation findings suggest the ability of participatory video to reduce gender-based violence in conflict-affected settings.

PubMed

Gurman, Tilly A; Trappler, Regan M; Acosta, Angela; McCray, Pamella A; Cooper, Chelsea M; Goodsmith, Lauren

2014-08-01

Gender-based violence is pervasive and poses unique challenges in conflict-affected settings, with women and girls particularly vulnerable to its sequelae. Furthermore, widespread stigmatization of gender-based violence promotes silence among survivors and families, inhibiting access to services. Little evidence exists regarding effective gender-based violence prevention interventions in these settings. Through Our Eyes, a multi-year participatory video project, addressed gender-based violence by stimulating community dialogue and action in post-conflict settings in South Sudan, Uganda, Thailand, Liberia and Rwanda. The present qualitative analysis of project evaluation data included transcripts from 18 focus group discussions (n = 125) and key informant interviews (n = 76). Study participants included project team members, representatives from partner agencies, service providers and community members who either participated in video production or attended video screenings. Study findings revealed that the video project contributed to a growing awareness of women's rights and gender equality. The community dialogue helped to begin dismantling the culture of silence gender-based violence, encouraging survivors to access health and law enforcement services. Furthermore, both men and women reported attitude and behavioral changes related to topics such as wife beating, gender-based violence reporting and girls' education. Health education professionals should employ participatory video to address gender-based violence within conflict-affected settings. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Device-independent tests of quantum channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dall'Arno, Michele; Brandsen, Sarah; Buscemi, Francesco

2017-03-01

We develop a device-independent framework for testing quantum channels. That is, we falsify a hypothesis about a quantum channel based only on an observed set of input-output correlations. Formally, the problem consists of characterizing the set of input-output correlations compatible with any arbitrary given quantum channel. For binary (i.e. two input symbols, two output symbols) correlations, we show that extremal correlations are always achieved by orthogonal encodings and measurements, irrespective of whether or not the channel preserves commutativity. We further provide a full, closed-form characterization of the sets of binary correlations in the case of: (i) any dihedrally covariant qubit channel (such as any Pauli and amplitude-damping channels) and (ii) any universally-covariant commutativity-preserving channel in an arbitrary dimension (such as any erasure, depolarizing, universal cloning and universal transposition channels).

Device-independent tests of quantum channels.

PubMed

Dall'Arno, Michele; Brandsen, Sarah; Buscemi, Francesco

2017-03-01

We develop a device-independent framework for testing quantum channels. That is, we falsify a hypothesis about a quantum channel based only on an observed set of input-output correlations. Formally, the problem consists of characterizing the set of input-output correlations compatible with any arbitrary given quantum channel. For binary (i.e. two input symbols, two output symbols) correlations, we show that extremal correlations are always achieved by orthogonal encodings and measurements, irrespective of whether or not the channel preserves commutativity. We further provide a full, closed-form characterization of the sets of binary correlations in the case of: (i) any dihedrally covariant qubit channel (such as any Pauli and amplitude-damping channels) and (ii) any universally-covariant commutativity-preserving channel in an arbitrary dimension (such as any erasure, depolarizing, universal cloning and universal transposition channels).

Adapting Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatments in Community Settings: Preliminary Results from a Partnership Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southam-Gerow, Michael A.; Hourigan, Shannon E.; Allin, Robert B., Jr.

2009-01-01

This article describes the application of a university-community partnership model to the problem of adapting evidence-based treatment approaches in a community mental health setting. Background on partnership research is presented, with consideration of methodological and practical issues related to this kind of research. Then, a rationale for…

Coprocessors for quantum devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kay, Alastair

2018-03-01

Quantum devices, from simple fixed-function tools to the ultimate goal of a universal quantum computer, will require high-quality, frequent repetition of a small set of core operations, such as the preparation of entangled states. These tasks are perfectly suited to realization by a coprocessor or supplementary instruction set, as is common practice in modern CPUs. In this paper, we present two quintessentially quantum coprocessor functions: production of a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state and implementation of optimal universal (asymmetric) quantum cloning. Both are based on the evolution of a fixed Hamiltonian. We introduce a technique for deriving the parameters of these Hamiltonians based on the numerical integration of Toda-like flows.

Maintenance of Physical Activity among Faculty and Staff in University Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whipple, Kerry; Kinney, Judy; Kattenbraker, Mark

2008-01-01

Previous studies have placed little emphasis on maintenance of healthy behaviors longer than six months. This study examined factors that contribute to maintenance of physical activity among faculty and staff in university settings. A 55-item survey on physical activity maintenance was used to assess attitudes towards exercise, exercise…

Illuminating the Universe's Ignition

DOE PAGES

Gedenk, Eric

2016-06-24

This paper tells the story of how a research team based at the University of Texas at Austin used supercomputing resources at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory to create the first fully coupled simulation of the reionization of our universe's local group. The team's models helped researchers understand how reionization helped form the universe as we know it today, predict the impact of dwarf galaxies on reionization, and set the stage for simulating larger volumes of the universe in greater detail.

This Is My Story: Participatory Performance for HIV and AIDS Education at the University of Malawi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaganath, D.; Mulenga, C.; Hoffman, R. M.; Hamilton, J.; Boneh, G.

2014-01-01

University students represent a subset of young men and women at risk for HIV in high prevalence settings. Innovative programs are needed to raise awareness on the unique issues around HIV and AIDS in the university campus, while training student leaders for peer-based education. The Process and Collaboration for Empowerment and Discussion (PACED)…

Performance of Deep and Shallow Neural Networks, the Universal Approximation Theorem, Activity Cliffs, and QSAR.

PubMed

Winkler, David A; Le, Tu C

2017-01-01

Neural networks have generated valuable Quantitative Structure-Activity/Property Relationships (QSAR/QSPR) models for a wide variety of small molecules and materials properties. They have grown in sophistication and many of their initial problems have been overcome by modern mathematical techniques. QSAR studies have almost always used so-called "shallow" neural networks in which there is a single hidden layer between the input and output layers. Recently, a new and potentially paradigm-shifting type of neural network based on Deep Learning has appeared. Deep learning methods have generated impressive improvements in image and voice recognition, and are now being applied to QSAR and QSAR modelling. This paper describes the differences in approach between deep and shallow neural networks, compares their abilities to predict the properties of test sets for 15 large drug data sets (the kaggle set), discusses the results in terms of the Universal Approximation theorem for neural networks, and describes how DNN may ameliorate or remove troublesome "activity cliffs" in QSAR data sets. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

International Comparisons of Inclusive Instruction among College Faculty in Spain, Canada, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lombardi, Allison; Vukovic, Boris; Sala-Bars, Ingrid

2015-01-01

Across the globe, students with disabilities have been increasing in prevalence in higher education settings. Thus, it has become more urgent for college faculty to have a broad awareness of disability and inclusive teaching practices based on the tenets of Universal Design. In this study, we examined faculty attitudes toward disability-related…

A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationship of Transition Preparation and Self-Determination for Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morningstar, Mary E.; Frey, Bruce B.; Noonan, Patricia M.; Ng, Jennifer; Clavenna-Deane, Beth; Graves, Perry; Kellems, Ryan; McCall, Zach; Pearson, Mary; Wade, Diana Bjorkman; Williams-Diehm, Kendra

2010-01-01

This study examined the relationship between high school transition preparation (school and family based) and self-determination among postsecondary students with disabilities. Seventy-six participants from 4-year universities completed a two-part online survey. The first part of the survey measured three dependent variables: psychological…

Impact of Psychological Ownership on the Performance of Business School Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Md-Sidin, Samsinar; Sambasivan, Murali; Muniandy, Nanthini

2010-01-01

The purpose of the present article is to investigate the impact of psychological ownership, job performance, job commitment, and job satisfaction among business school lecturers of public universities in Malaysia. As psychological ownership is a relatively new concept, the present study expands the use of it in a different setting. Based on the…

Validating TOEFL[R] iBT Speaking and Setting Score Requirements for ITA Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xi, Xiaoming

2007-01-01

Although the primary use of the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL[R] iBT Speaking) is to inform admissions decisions at English medium universities, it may also be useful as an initial screening measure for international teaching assistants (ITAs). This study provides criterion-related…

Toward Personal and Emotional Connectivity in Mobile Higher Education through Asynchronous Formative Audio Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasi, Päivi; Vuojärvi, Hanna

2018-01-01

This study aims to develop asynchronous formative audio feedback practices for mobile learning in higher education settings. The development was conducted in keeping with the principles of design-based research. The research activities focused on an inter-university online course, within which the use of instructor audio feedback was tested,…

How Day School Teachers Perceive Their Working Conditions: A National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamir, Eran; Pearlmutter, Nili; Feiman-Nemser, Sharon

2017-01-01

Induction and mentoring are widely considered in the United States and in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries as a basic universal and critical intervention for a successful launch of new teachers. Based on an expanded set of survey data, this article focuses on how Jewish day schools offer professional…

The Challenges of Managing Transnational Education Partnerships: The Views of "Home-Based" Managers vs "In-Country" Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healey, Nigel Martin

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the challenges of managing transnational education (TNE) partnerships from the perspective of the home university managers. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a qualitative, "insider researcher" methodology. It uses a sample set of eight mangers who operate from the home…

Testing Tinto's Model of Attrition on the Church-Related Campus. AIR 1985 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cash, R. William; Bissel, H. LeVerne

The applicability of Tinto's model of retention for first-year students attending church-related colleges and universities is examined. Data collected from entering freshmen at two Midwestern Seventh-day Adventist colleges were used to replicate studies of Tinto's model done in other settings. Based on Tinto's model, indicators of academic and…

A Comparison Study of Return Ratio-Based Academic Enrollment Forecasting Models. Professional File. Article 129, Spring 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zan, Xinxing Anna; Yoon, Sang Won; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Srihari, Krishnaswami

2013-01-01

In an effort to develop a low-cost and user-friendly forecasting model to minimize forecasting error, we have applied average and exponentially weighted return ratios to project undergraduate student enrollment. We tested the proposed forecasting models with different sets of historical enrollment data, such as university-, school-, and…

U.S. College Student Activism during an Era of Neoliberalism: A Qualitative Study of Students Against Sweatshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dominguez, Rachel Fix

2009-01-01

This article sets out to examine the experiences of college student activists involved in Students Against Sweatshops on the Beautiful River University campus. Based on observation and interview fieldwork, the paper explores how students negotiate and understand their activism against the backdrop of neoliberalism. The paper concludes that being a…

Creating healthier graduates, campuses and communities: Why Australia needs to invest in health promoting universities.

PubMed

Taylor, Patricia; Saheb, Rowena; Howse, Eloise

2018-05-13

Higher education is an important and influential setting for embedding health promotion principles and practice. Universities have a responsibility to their communities and more broadly as leaders in society. Settings-based health promotion is an effective method for increasing healthy environments and an organisational culture that supports health. "Healthy Universities" and the Okanagan Charter aim to embed health within the university structure through committed policies and programs. Collaboration across Australia can support this sector-wide adoption. Leadership is required from Australian universities to invest in health promotion. This is the time for higher education in Australia to consider its role in shaping the health of its local and global communities. © 2018 The Authors. Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association.

A video-based transdiagnostic REBT universal prevention program for internalizing problems in adolescents: study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Păsărelu, Costina Ruxandra; Dobrean, Anca

2018-04-13

Internalizing problems are the most prevalent mental health problems in adolescents. Transdiagnostic programs are promising manners to treat multiple problems within the same protocol, however, there is limited research regarding the efficacy of such programs delivered as universal prevention programs in school settings. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the efficacy of a video-based transdiagnostic rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) universal prevention program, for internalizing problems. The second objective of the present paper will be to investigate the subsequent mechanisms of change, namely maladaptive cognitions. A two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial will be conducted, with two groups: a video-based transdiagnostic REBT universal prevention program and a wait list control. Power analysis indicated that the study will involve 338 participants. Adolescents with ages between 12 and 17 years old, from several middle schools and high schools, will be invited to participate. Assessments will be conducted at four time points: baseline (T 1 ), post-intervention (T 2 ), 3 months follow-up (T 3 ) and 12 months follow-up (T 4 ). Intent-to-treat analysis will be used in order to investigate significant differences between the two groups in both primary and secondary outcomes. This is the first randomized controlled trial that aims to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of change of a video-based transdiagnostic REBT universal prevention program, delivered in a school context. The present study has important implications for developing efficient prevention programs, interactive, that will aim to target within the same protocol both anxiety and depressive symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02756507 . Registered on 25 April 2016.

Lessons Learned During the Conduct of Clinical Studies in The Dental PBRN

PubMed Central

Gilbert, Gregg H.; Richman, Joshua S.; Gordan, Valeria V.; Rindal, D. Brad; Fellows, Jeffrey L.; Benjamin, Paul L.; Wallace-Dawson, Martha; Williams, O. Dale

2012-01-01

Effectively addressing challenges of conducting research in nonacademic settings is crucial to its success. A dental practice-based research network called The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) is comprised of practitioner-investigators in two health maintenance organizations, several universities, many U.S. states, and three Scandinavian countries. Our objective in this article is to describe lessons learned from conducting studies in this research context; the studies are conducted by clinicians in community settings who may be doing their first research study. To date, twenty-one studies have been completed or are in implementation. These include a broad range of topic areas, enrollment sizes, and study designs. A total of 1,126 practitioner-investigators have participated in at least one study. After excluding one study because it involved electronic records queries only, these studies included more than 70,000 patient/participant units. Because the DPBRN is committed to being both practitioner- and patient-driven, all studies must be approved by its Executive Committee and a formal study section of academic clinical scientists. As a result of interacting with a diverse range of institutional and regulatory entities, funding agencies, practitioners, clinic staff, patients, academic scientists, and geographic areas, twenty-three key lessons have been learned. Patients’ acceptance of these studies has been very high, judging from high participation rates and their completion of data forms. Early studies substantially informed later studies with regard to study design, practicality, forms design, informed consent process, and training and monitoring methods. Although time-intensive and complex, these solutions improved acceptability of practice-based research to patients, practitioners, and university researchers. PMID:21460266

Food Environment Interventions to Improve the Dietary Behavior of Young Adults in Tertiary Education Settings: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Roy, Rajshri; Kelly, Bridget; Rangan, Anna; Allman-Farinelli, Margaret

2015-10-01

The current obesity-promoting food environment, typified by highly accessible unhealthy foods and drinks, may lead to an increased risk of chronic disease, particularly within young adults. A number of university-based intervention trials have been conducted in the United States and Europe to improve the food environment in this setting. However, there are no systematic reviews focusing on these interventions conducted exclusively in tertiary education settings. Our objective was to conduct a systematic literature review evaluating food environment interventions targeting dietary behavior in young adults in college and university settings. Eight databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, pre- and postintervention studies, quasiexperimental studies, cross-sectional studies, and other nonexperimental studies from 1998 to December 2014 that were conducted in tertiary education settings (ie, colleges and universities). Studies that evaluated a food environment intervention and reported healthier food choices, reductions in unhealthy food choices, nutrition knowledge, and/or food and drink sales as primary outcomes were included. Fifteen studies of high (n=5), medium (n=7), and poor quality (n=3) met the inclusion criteria, 13 of which showed positive improvements in outcome measures. Information relating to healthy foods through signage and nutrition labels (n=10) showed improvements in outcomes of interest. Increasing the availability of healthy foods (n=1) and decreasing the portion size of unhealthy foods (n=2) improved dietary intake. Price incentives and increased availability of healthy foods combined with nutrition information to increase purchases of healthy foods (n=2) were identified as having a positive effect on nutrition-related outcomes. Potentially useful interventions in tertiary education settings were nutrition messages/nutrient labeling, providing healthy options, and portion size control of unhealthy foods. Price decreases for and the increased availability of healthy options combined with nutrition information resulted in improvements in dietary habits. Additional research comparing the long-term effectiveness of environmental and combinations of environmental interventions on improving health outcomes is warranted. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two different PCR approaches for universal diagnosis of brown rot and identification of Monilinia spp. in stone fruit trees.

PubMed

Gell, I; Cubero, J; Melgarejo, P

2007-12-01

To design a protocol for the universal diagnosis of brown rot by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in plant material and subsequently Monilinia spp. identification. Primers for discrimination of Monilinia spp. from other fungal genera by PCR were designed following a ribosomal DNA analysis. Discrimination among species of Monilinia was subsequently achieved by developing primers using SCAR (Sequence Characterised Amplified Region) markers obtained after a random amplified polymorphic DNA study. In addition, an internal control (IC) based on the utilization of a mimic plasmid was designed to be used in the diagnostic protocol of brown rot to recognize false negatives due to the inhibition of PCR. The four sets of primers designed allowed detection and discrimination of all Monilinia spp. causing brown rot in fruit trees. Addition of an IC in each PCR reaction performed increased the reliability of the diagnostic protocol. The detection protocol presented here, that combined a set of universal primers and the inclusion of the plasmid pGMON as an IC for diagnosis of all Monilinia spp., and three sets of primers to discriminate the most important species of Monilinia, could be an useful and valuable tool for epidemiological studies. The method developed could be used in programmes to avoid the spread and introduction of this serious disease in new areas.

Information based universal feature extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiri, Mohammad; Brause, Rüdiger

2015-02-01

In many real world image based pattern recognition tasks, the extraction and usage of task-relevant features are the most crucial part of the diagnosis. In the standard approach, they mostly remain task-specific, although humans who perform such a task always use the same image features, trained in early childhood. It seems that universal feature sets exist, but they are not yet systematically found. In our contribution, we tried to find those universal image feature sets that are valuable for most image related tasks. In our approach, we trained a neural network by natural and non-natural images of objects and background, using a Shannon information-based algorithm and learning constraints. The goal was to extract those features that give the most valuable information for classification of visual objects hand-written digits. This will give a good start and performance increase for all other image learning tasks, implementing a transfer learning approach. As result, in our case we found that we could indeed extract features which are valid in all three kinds of tasks.

OPATs: Omnibus P-value association tests.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Wei; Yang, Hsin-Chou

2017-07-10

Combining statistical significances (P-values) from a set of single-locus association tests in genome-wide association studies is a proof-of-principle method for identifying disease-associated genomic segments, functional genes and biological pathways. We review P-value combinations for genome-wide association studies and introduce an integrated analysis tool, Omnibus P-value Association Tests (OPATs), which provides popular analysis methods of P-value combinations. The software OPATs programmed in R and R graphical user interface features a user-friendly interface. In addition to analysis modules for data quality control and single-locus association tests, OPATs provides three types of set-based association test: window-, gene- and biopathway-based association tests. P-value combinations with or without threshold and rank truncation are provided. The significance of a set-based association test is evaluated by using resampling procedures. Performance of the set-based association tests in OPATs has been evaluated by simulation studies and real data analyses. These set-based association tests help boost the statistical power, alleviate the multiple-testing problem, reduce the impact of genetic heterogeneity, increase the replication efficiency of association tests and facilitate the interpretation of association signals by streamlining the testing procedures and integrating the genetic effects of multiple variants in genomic regions of biological relevance. In summary, P-value combinations facilitate the identification of marker sets associated with disease susceptibility and uncover missing heritability in association studies, thereby establishing a foundation for the genetic dissection of complex diseases and traits. OPATs provides an easy-to-use and statistically powerful analysis tool for P-value combinations. OPATs, examples, and user guide can be downloaded from http://www.stat.sinica.edu.tw/hsinchou/genetics/association/OPATs.htm. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Competency-Based Education, Put to the Test: An Inside Look at Learning and Assessment at Western Governors University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Jon

2017-01-01

Unlike conventional colleges and universities, Western Governors doesn't require students to spend a set number of hours in a classroom, average out their performance on assignments and tests, then hand out letter grades and credits. Using a complex system of assessments developed over the two decades the university has been operating, WGU's…

"Not Everybody Walks around and Thinks 'That's an Example of Othering or Stigmatisation'": Identity, Pedagogic Rights and the Acquisition of Undergraduate Sociology-Based Social Science Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Monica; Abbas, Andrea; Ashwin, Paul

2015-01-01

This article places itself in conversation with literature about how the experience and outcomes of university education are structured by intersections between social class, ethnicity, gender, age and type of university attended. It addresses undergraduate students' acquisition of sociological knowledge in four diverse university settings. Basil…

Content and functional specifications for a standards-based multidisciplinary rounding tool to maintain continuity across acute and critical care

PubMed Central

Collins, Sarah; Hurley, Ann C; Chang, Frank Y; Illa, Anisha R; Benoit, Angela; Laperle, Sarah; Dykes, Patricia C

2014-01-01

Background Maintaining continuity of care (CoC) in the inpatient setting is dependent on aligning goals and tasks with the plan of care (POC) during multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs). A number of locally developed rounding tools exist, yet there is a lack of standard content and functional specifications for electronic tools to support MDRs within and across settings. Objective To identify content and functional requirements for an MDR tool to support CoC. Materials and methods We collected discrete clinical data elements (CDEs) discussed during rounds for 128 acute and critical care patients. To capture CDEs, we developed and validated an iPad-based observational tool based on informatics CoC standards. We observed 19 days of rounds and conducted eight group and individual interviews. Descriptive and bivariate statistics and network visualization were conducted to understand associations between CDEs discussed during rounds with a particular focus on the POC. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. All analyses were triangulated. Results We identified the need for universal and configurable MDR tool views across settings and users and the provision of messaging capability. Eleven empirically derived universal CDEs were identified, including four POC CDEs: problems, plan, goals, and short-term concerns. Configurable POC CDEs were: rationale, tasks/‘to dos’, pending results and procedures, discharge planning, patient preferences, need for urgent review, prognosis, and advice/guidance. Discussion Some requirements differed between settings; yet, there was overlap between POC CDEs. Conclusions We recommend an initial list of 11 universal CDEs for continuity in MDRs across settings and 27 CDEs that can be configured to meet setting-specific needs. PMID:24081019

Resilience at University: The Development and Testing of a New Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Michelle; Holdsworth, Sarah; Scott-Young, Christina M.

2017-01-01

While measures of resilience have been applied in university settings, progress has been hindered by the lack of a consistent measure of resilience. Additionally, results from these measures cannot be easily translated into practical curriculum-based initiatives which support resilience development. Resilience is linked to student mental health…

The Activation, Appropriation and Practices of Student-Equity Policy in Australian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peacock, David; Sellar, Sam; Lingard, Bob

2014-01-01

Current national reforms in Australian higher education have prioritised efforts to reduce educational disadvantage within a vernacular expression of neoliberal education policy. Student-equity policy in universities is enmeshed in a set of competitive student recruitment relations. This raises practice-based tensions as universities strive to…

Thinking Like Researchers: An ESL Project that Investigates Local Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McPherron, Paul; Randolph, Patrick T.

2013-01-01

Drawing on task-based and intercultural teaching approaches, this article presents an ESL classroom project at two different university settings in which students investigate aspects of their local communities through the use of ethnographic and observational research techniques. For related reasons, the instructors at each university developed…

Applying Chomsky's Linguistic Methodology to the Clinical Interpretation of Symbolic Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ariel, Shlomo

This paper summarizes how Chomsky's methodological principles of linguistics may be applied to the clinical interpretation of children's play. Based on Chomsky's derivation of a "universal grammar" (the set of essential, formal, and substantive traits of any human language), a number of hypothesized formal universals of…

Population-level approaches to universal health coverage in resource-poor settings: lessons from tobacco control policy in Vietnam.

PubMed

Higashi, Hideki; Khuong, Tuan A; Ngo, Anh D; Hill, Peter S

2011-07-01

Population-based health promotion and disease prevention approaches are essential elements in achieving universal health coverage; yet they frequently do not appear on national policy agendas. This paper suggests that resource-poor countries should take greater advantage of such approaches to reach all segments of the population to positively affect health outcomes and equity, especially considering the epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases and associated modifiable risk factors. Tobacco control policy development and implementation in Vietnam provides a case study to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with such strategies.

Compression-based classification of biological sequences and structures via the Universal Similarity Metric: experimental assessment.

PubMed

Ferragina, Paolo; Giancarlo, Raffaele; Greco, Valentina; Manzini, Giovanni; Valiente, Gabriel

2007-07-13

Similarity of sequences is a key mathematical notion for Classification and Phylogenetic studies in Biology. It is currently primarily handled using alignments. However, the alignment methods seem inadequate for post-genomic studies since they do not scale well with data set size and they seem to be confined only to genomic and proteomic sequences. Therefore, alignment-free similarity measures are actively pursued. Among those, USM (Universal Similarity Metric) has gained prominence. It is based on the deep theory of Kolmogorov Complexity and universality is its most novel striking feature. Since it can only be approximated via data compression, USM is a methodology rather than a formula quantifying the similarity of two strings. Three approximations of USM are available, namely UCD (Universal Compression Dissimilarity), NCD (Normalized Compression Dissimilarity) and CD (Compression Dissimilarity). Their applicability and robustness is tested on various data sets yielding a first massive quantitative estimate that the USM methodology and its approximations are of value. Despite the rich theory developed around USM, its experimental assessment has limitations: only a few data compressors have been tested in conjunction with USM and mostly at a qualitative level, no comparison among UCD, NCD and CD is available and no comparison of USM with existing methods, both based on alignments and not, seems to be available. We experimentally test the USM methodology by using 25 compressors, all three of its known approximations and six data sets of relevance to Molecular Biology. This offers the first systematic and quantitative experimental assessment of this methodology, that naturally complements the many theoretical and the preliminary experimental results available. Moreover, we compare the USM methodology both with methods based on alignments and not. We may group our experiments into two sets. The first one, performed via ROC (Receiver Operating Curve) analysis, aims at assessing the intrinsic ability of the methodology to discriminate and classify biological sequences and structures. A second set of experiments aims at assessing how well two commonly available classification algorithms, UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) and NJ (Neighbor Joining), can use the methodology to perform their task, their performance being evaluated against gold standards and with the use of well known statistical indexes, i.e., the F-measure and the partition distance. Based on the experiments, several conclusions can be drawn and, from them, novel valuable guidelines for the use of USM on biological data. The main ones are reported next. UCD and NCD are indistinguishable, i.e., they yield nearly the same values of the statistical indexes we have used, accross experiments and data sets, while CD is almost always worse than both. UPGMA seems to yield better classification results with respect to NJ, i.e., better values of the statistical indexes (10% difference or above), on a substantial fraction of experiments, compressors and USM approximation choices. The compression program PPMd, based on PPM (Prediction by Partial Matching), for generic data and Gencompress for DNA, are the best performers among the compression algorithms we have used, although the difference in performance, as measured by statistical indexes, between them and the other algorithms depends critically on the data set and may not be as large as expected. PPMd used with UCD or NCD and UPGMA, on sequence data is very close, although worse, in performance with the alignment methods (less than 2% difference on the F-measure). Yet, it scales well with data set size and it can work on data other than sequences. In summary, our quantitative analysis naturally complements the rich theory behind USM and supports the conclusion that the methodology is worth using because of its robustness, flexibility, scalability, and competitiveness with existing techniques. In particular, the methodology applies to all biological data in textual format. The software and data sets are available under the GNU GPL at the supplementary material web page.

Compression-based classification of biological sequences and structures via the Universal Similarity Metric: experimental assessment

PubMed Central

Ferragina, Paolo; Giancarlo, Raffaele; Greco, Valentina; Manzini, Giovanni; Valiente, Gabriel

2007-01-01

Background Similarity of sequences is a key mathematical notion for Classification and Phylogenetic studies in Biology. It is currently primarily handled using alignments. However, the alignment methods seem inadequate for post-genomic studies since they do not scale well with data set size and they seem to be confined only to genomic and proteomic sequences. Therefore, alignment-free similarity measures are actively pursued. Among those, USM (Universal Similarity Metric) has gained prominence. It is based on the deep theory of Kolmogorov Complexity and universality is its most novel striking feature. Since it can only be approximated via data compression, USM is a methodology rather than a formula quantifying the similarity of two strings. Three approximations of USM are available, namely UCD (Universal Compression Dissimilarity), NCD (Normalized Compression Dissimilarity) and CD (Compression Dissimilarity). Their applicability and robustness is tested on various data sets yielding a first massive quantitative estimate that the USM methodology and its approximations are of value. Despite the rich theory developed around USM, its experimental assessment has limitations: only a few data compressors have been tested in conjunction with USM and mostly at a qualitative level, no comparison among UCD, NCD and CD is available and no comparison of USM with existing methods, both based on alignments and not, seems to be available. Results We experimentally test the USM methodology by using 25 compressors, all three of its known approximations and six data sets of relevance to Molecular Biology. This offers the first systematic and quantitative experimental assessment of this methodology, that naturally complements the many theoretical and the preliminary experimental results available. Moreover, we compare the USM methodology both with methods based on alignments and not. We may group our experiments into two sets. The first one, performed via ROC (Receiver Operating Curve) analysis, aims at assessing the intrinsic ability of the methodology to discriminate and classify biological sequences and structures. A second set of experiments aims at assessing how well two commonly available classification algorithms, UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) and NJ (Neighbor Joining), can use the methodology to perform their task, their performance being evaluated against gold standards and with the use of well known statistical indexes, i.e., the F-measure and the partition distance. Based on the experiments, several conclusions can be drawn and, from them, novel valuable guidelines for the use of USM on biological data. The main ones are reported next. Conclusion UCD and NCD are indistinguishable, i.e., they yield nearly the same values of the statistical indexes we have used, accross experiments and data sets, while CD is almost always worse than both. UPGMA seems to yield better classification results with respect to NJ, i.e., better values of the statistical indexes (10% difference or above), on a substantial fraction of experiments, compressors and USM approximation choices. The compression program PPMd, based on PPM (Prediction by Partial Matching), for generic data and Gencompress for DNA, are the best performers among the compression algorithms we have used, although the difference in performance, as measured by statistical indexes, between them and the other algorithms depends critically on the data set and may not be as large as expected. PPMd used with UCD or NCD and UPGMA, on sequence data is very close, although worse, in performance with the alignment methods (less than 2% difference on the F-measure). Yet, it scales well with data set size and it can work on data other than sequences. In summary, our quantitative analysis naturally complements the rich theory behind USM and supports the conclusion that the methodology is worth using because of its robustness, flexibility, scalability, and competitiveness with existing techniques. In particular, the methodology applies to all biological data in textual format. The software and data sets are available under the GNU GPL at the supplementary material web page. PMID:17629909

An Examination of the Leadership Practices of University Presidents of Land-Grant Universities in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldighrir, Wafa M.

2013-01-01

A great deal of research has been done to understand leadership styles in different organizational settings. In this study, the researcher focused on the leadership practices of university presidents of land-grant universities (LGUs) in the United States. The study examined the leadership practices of presidents of land-grant universities as…

Improving evidence based practice in postgraduate nursing programs: A systematic review: Bridging the evidence practice gap (BRIDGE project).

PubMed

Hickman, Louise D; DiGiacomo, Michelle; Phillips, Jane; Rao, Angela; Newton, Phillip J; Jackson, Debra; Ferguson, Caleb

2018-04-01

The nursing profession has a significant evidence to practice gap in an increasingly complex and dynamic health care environment. To evaluate effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies related to a capstone project within a Masters of Nursing program that encourage the development of evidence based practice capabilities. Systematic review that conforms to the PRISMA statement. Master's Nursing programs that include elements of a capstone project within a university setting. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ERIC and PsycInfo were used to search for RCT's or quasi experimental studies conducted between 1979 and 9 June 2017, published in a peer reviewed journal in English. Of 1592 studies, no RCT's specifically addressed the development of evidence based practice capabilities within the university teaching environment. Five quasi-experimental studies integrated blended learning, guided design processes, small group work, role play and structured debate into Masters of Nursing research courses. All five studies demonstrated some improvements in evidence based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation, with three out of five studies demonstrating significant improvements. There is a paucity of empirical evidence supporting the best strategies to use in developing evidence based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation skills for Master's Nursing students. As a profession, nursing requires methodologically robust studies that are discipline specific to identify the best approaches for developing evidence-based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation skills within the university teaching environment. Provision of these strategies will enable the nursing profession to integrate the best empirical evidence into nursing practice. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Effects of Cultural Video Resources on Teaching and Learning Korean Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roh, Jaemin

2011-01-01

This dissertation sought to evaluate the potential of a customized, video-based instructional method, the Cultural Video Project (CVP), which was designed to meet the needs of both heritage and non-heritage students learning Korean as a second language in a university setting. The goal of this study was to design and create the CVP, document the…

Study of Motives of Chinese Business English Development Based on the Theory of Human Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meichang, Ouyang; Wenzhong, Zhu; Dan, Liu

2017-01-01

Business English in China has evolved into a cross-disciplinary program from ESP, with more than 1000 universities having set the program of business English in bachelor, master or doctor degree levels. In general, it has undergone a rapid development and enjoyed a more and more social recognition. This paper tries to uncover the underlying…

Translating Training in the NYU Caregiver Intervention in Australia: Maintaining Fidelity and Meeting Graduate Standards in an Online Continuing Professional Education Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Theresa L.; Mittelman, Mary S.; Beattie, Elizabeth; Parker, Deborah; Neville, Christine

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop an Internet-based self-directed training program for Australian healthcare workers to facilitate learning and competence in delivery of a proven intervention for caregivers of people with dementia: The New York University Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI). The NYUCI is a nonpharmacological, multicomponent…

Preliminary Findings of the PAULEX Project: A Proposal for the Internet-Based Valencian University Entrance Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia Laborda, Jesus

2012-01-01

Although there is an increasing number of online tests in the world, little research is currently known in Spain today. Assessment has become an integral part of education and the implications of the various uses of language testing go beyond the educational settings (Douglas, 2010; Fulcher, 2010). This study describes the PAULEX project. This…

A Pilot Project to Develop and Assess a Health Education Programme for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atak, Nazli; Arslan, Umit

2005-01-01

Objective: The current research was designed to develop a health education programme for type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the Taba-Tyler model and to evaluate its effect. Design: The study was quasi-experimental in design. Setting: Fifty-five patients from the Endocrinology and Metabolism Unit, University Hospital of Ankara. Method: An education…

Examining the Impact of Off-Task Multi-Tasking with Technology on Real-Time Classroom Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Eileen; Zivcakova, Lucia; Gentile, Petrice; Archer, Karin; De Pasquale, Domenica; Nosko, Amanda

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of multi-tasking with digital technologies while attempting to learn from real-time classroom lectures in a university setting. Four digitally-based multi-tasking activities (texting using a cell-phone, emailing, MSN messaging and Facebook[TM]) were compared to 3 control groups…

Strategies for the Emerging Global Higher Education Market in East Asia: A Comparative Study of Singapore, Malaysia and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yonezawa, Akiyoshi

2007-01-01

In this paper, the author tries to set up the framework for understanding the qualitative change of the nature of national policies for higher education through the increasing aspects as "industry" in universities and other higher education sector. Based on this framework, the author analyses, comparatively, the national policies for…

How universal is the relationship between remotely sensed vegetation indices and crop leaf area index? A global assessment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study aims to assess the relationship between Leaf Area Index (LAI) and remotely sensed Vegetation Indices (VIs) for major crops, based on a globally explicit dataset of in situ LAI measurements over a significant set of locations. We used a total of 1394 LAI measurements from 29 sites spannin...

Information Seeking Behaviour of Parents of Paediatric Patients for Clinical Decision Making: The Central Role of Information Literacy in a Participatory Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostagiolas, Petros; Martzoukou, Konstantina; Georgantzi, Georgia; Niakas, Dimitris

2013-01-01

Introduction: This study investigated the information seeking behaviour and needs of parents of paediatric patients and their motives for seeking Internet-based information. Method: A questionnaire survey of 121 parents was conducted in a paediatric clinic of a Greek university hospital. Analysis: The data were analysed using SPSS; descriptive…

Contraceptive Health Programs for Adolescents: A Critical Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lagana, Luciana; Hayes, David M.

1993-01-01

Reviews some contraceptive education programs designed for adolescents that differ in educational process based on delivery setting. Reviews school-based, community-based, and college/university-based programs and discusses them in terms of their effectiveness, potential, and limitations. Notes that educational accountability in each setting…

Clinicians’ perceptions and the relevant computer-based information needs towards the practice of evidence based medicine

PubMed Central

Jiang, Guoqian; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko; Endoh, Akira; Sakurai, Tsunetaro

2003-01-01

We conducted a survey among 100 clinicians in a university hospital to determine the clinician’s attitudes and the relevant computer-based information needs towards the practice of evidence-based medicine in outpatient setting. PMID:14728387

Adapting to a US Medical Curriculum in Malaysia: A Qualitative Study on Cultural Dissonance in International Education

PubMed Central

Shields, Ryan Y

2016-01-01

Context Minimal research has examined the recent exportation of medical curricula to international settings. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, USA partnered with Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and implemented the same curriculum currently used at Johns Hopkins University to teach medical students at Perdana University. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of first-year medical students at Perdana University, focusing on issues of cultural dissonance during adaptation to a US curriculum. Methods In-depth semi-structured interviews with the inaugural class of first-year students (n=24) were conducted, audio-recorded, and transcribed. Two reviewers independently coded and analyzed the qualitative data for major themes. Results The most prominent themes identified were the transition from a “passive” to an “active” learning environment and the friendliness and openness of the professors. Students noted that “[Perdana University] is a whole new, different culture and now we are adapting to the culture.” Being vocal during classes and taking exams based on conceptual understanding and knowledge application/integration proved to be more challenging for students than having classes taught entirely in English or the amount of material covered. Discussion This study reinforced many cultural education theories as it revealed the major issues of Malaysian graduate students adapting to a US-style medical curriculum. Despite coming from a collectivistic, Confucian-based cultural learning background, the Malaysian students at Perdana University adopted and adapted to, and subsequently supported, the US learning expectations. PMID:27672530

In touch to teach: Do nurse educators need to maintain or possess recent clinical practice to facilitate student learning?

PubMed

Leonard, Laurence; McCutcheon, Karen; Rogers, Katherine M A

2016-01-01

In recent years UK university-based nurse educators have seen a reduction in their responsibilities for nursing students' practice-based assessments. Many university-based nurse educators feel that this lack of input into students' clinical assessments leaves them open to criticism as they are perceived to be less "in-touch" with clinical practice and that their knowledge to teach nursing students is diminished as a result. This paper examines and debates some interpretations of the term "recent clinical practice" and challenges the misconception among many in the profession, as well as government and professional bodies, that university-based nurse educators require recent clinical practice to effectively teach students and enhance the student learning experience in the academic university setting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Organizational Culture Study of Missouri State University Faculty/Staff in Relation to the University's Public Affair Mission

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Marissa LeClaire

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to address a problem of practice of the public affairs mission through the perceptions of faculty and staff members at Missouri State University of the University's organizational culture. The design included a phenomenological study with a set of organizational culture procedural questions related to the perceptions…

Using mobile technologies for assessment and learning in practice settings: a case study.

PubMed

Dearnley, Chris; Haigh, Jackie; Fairhall, John

2008-05-01

The aim of this project was to explore the feasibility and identify the issues of using mobile technologies in the assessment of health and social care students in practice settings. We report here on a case study, which took place between a University department and varied clinical settings where students were on placement. Twenty-nine student midwives and five members of lecturing staff took part in the study and were issued with PocketPCs on which to record assessment documentation including action plans and evidence of achieving performance criteria. Qualitative data were obtained from three focus groups with student midwives and individual interviews with their link lecturers and quantitative data were gathered through short questionnaires to provide simple descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that students preferred the neatness and durability of the PocketPC to the paper based format, which became worn overtime. The ability to add to notes and references as and when appropriate was welcomed. However, anxiety about losing the device or material stored within it proved to be a major constraint. Lecturing staff found that synchronising the device with the University electronic diary system was extremely useful whilst clinical staff approached the change with varying levels of acceptance or dismissal. Introducing mobile technology into the clinical setting will require a significant shift in culture and a significant level of training and support.

Academic Probation: An Empirical Study of Private University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Jashim Uddin; Chowdhury, Md. Humayun Kabir; Rahman, Sheehan; Talukder, A. K. M. Mominul Haque

2014-01-01

This study examines the factors contributing to academic probation in university settings and highlights the problems that students encounter in higher education institutions in Bangladesh. The study focused on students facing academic probation on two private universities in Bangladesh and analyzed students' response with respect to nine…

The Causal Effect of Survey Mode on Students' Evaluations of Teaching: Empirical Evidence from Three Field Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treischl, Edgar; Wolbring, Tobias

2017-01-01

In recent years many universities switched from paper- to online-based student evaluation of teaching (SET) without knowing the consequences for data quality. Based on a series of three consecutive field experiments--a split-half design, twin courses, and pre-post-measurements--this paper examines the effects of survey mode on SET. First, all…

Development, validation and application of specific primers for analyzing the clostridial diversity in dark fermentation pit mud by PCR-DGGE.

PubMed

Hu, Xiao-Long; Wang, Hai-Yan; Wu, Qun; Xu, Yan

2014-07-01

In this study, a Clostridia-specific primer set SJ-F and SJ-R, based on the available 16S rRNA genes sequences from database, was successfully designed and authenticated by theoretical and experimental evaluations. It targeted 19 clostridial families and unclassified_Clostridia with different coverage rates. The specificity and universality of novel primer set was tested again using the dark fermentation pit mud (FPM). It was demonstrated that a total of 13 closest relatives including 12 species were affiliated with 7 clostridial genera, respectively. Compared to the well-accepted bacterial universal primer pair P2/P3, five unexpected clostridial genera including Roseburia, Tissierella, Sporanaerobacter, Alkalibacter and Halothermothrix present in the FPM were also revealed. Therefore, this study could provide a good alternative to investigate the clostridial diversity and monitor their population dynamics rapidly and efficiently in various anaerobic environments and dark fermentation systems in future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automatic machine learning based prediction of cardiovascular events in lung cancer screening data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vos, Bob D.; de Jong, Pim A.; Wolterink, Jelmer M.; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn; Wielingen, Geoffrey V. F.; Viergever, Max A.; Išgum, Ivana

2015-03-01

Calcium burden determined in CT images acquired in lung cancer screening is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events (CVEs). This study investigated whether subjects undergoing such screening who are at risk of a CVE can be identified using automatic image analysis and subject characteristics. Moreover, the study examined whether these individuals can be identified using solely image information, or if a combination of image and subject data is needed. A set of 3559 male subjects undergoing Dutch-Belgian lung cancer screening trial was included. Low-dose non-ECG synchronized chest CT images acquired at baseline were analyzed (1834 scanned in the University Medical Center Groningen, 1725 in the University Medical Center Utrecht). Aortic and coronary calcifications were identified using previously developed automatic algorithms. A set of features describing number, volume and size distribution of the detected calcifications was computed. Age of the participants was extracted from image headers. Features describing participants' smoking status, smoking history and past CVEs were obtained. CVEs that occurred within three years after the imaging were used as outcome. Support vector machine classification was performed employing different feature sets using sets of only image features, or a combination of image and subject related characteristics. Classification based solely on the image features resulted in the area under the ROC curve (Az) of 0.69. A combination of image and subject features resulted in an Az of 0.71. The results demonstrate that subjects undergoing lung cancer screening who are at risk of CVE can be identified using automatic image analysis. Adding subject information slightly improved the performance.

Pilot evaluation of parent-child interaction therapy delivered in an Australian community early childhood clinic setting.

PubMed

Phillips, Jane; Morgan, Susan; Cawthorne, Karen; Barnett, Bryanne

2008-08-01

Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a short-term, evidence-based parent training intervention used widely in the treatment of behaviourally disordered preschool-aged children. Outcome studies have shown PCIT to be associated with lasting improvements in child and sibling behaviours and in the interactional styles, stress levels, confidence, and psychological functioning of parents. To date, however, all outcome studies have been conducted in university research clinic settings, and therefore understanding about the effectiveness of PCIT applied in a real-world setting has been limited. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of PCIT delivered to families in an Australian community-based early childhood clinic. Participants included 43 families with children aged 19-52 months who were referred for treatment of disruptive child behaviours and who completed PCIT treatment at the Karitane Toddler Clinic, in Sydney, Australia. Parents provided pre- and post-treatment ratings of child behaviours, parental stress, parental psychopathology and parental attitudes to therapy. At the end of the programme, clinically and statistically significant improvements were seen in child behaviours and parental well-being, and parents reported high levels of satisfaction with treatment. Implications for the implementation of PCIT programmes in community-based settings are discussed and areas of further research are identified.

Recruitment, selection and retention of nursing and midwifery students in Scottish Universities.

PubMed

Rodgers, Sheila; Stenhouse, Rosie; McCreaddie, May; Small, Pauline

2013-11-01

High attrition rates from pre-registration nursing and midwifery programmes have been reported in both the UK and in other countries. A study was conducted to identify best practice in recruitment, selection and retention across Scottish Universities providing pre-registration programmes. A survey of all universities providing pre-registration programmes in Scotland was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key personnel in each university. Documentary evidence was collected to supplement interview data and evidence recruitment, selection and retention practices. All universities in Scotland providing pre-registration nursing and/or midwifery programmes. All 10 identified universities agreed to take part and a total of 18 interviews were conducted. Semi-structured face to face and telephone interviews were conducted. Relevant documentary evidence was collected. All data were subject to thematic analysis. Universities are predominantly concerned with recruiting to the institution and not to the professions. Interviews are widely used, and are a requirement in the United Kingdom. However, there is no evidence base within the literature that they have predictive validity despite creating scales and scoring systems which are largely unvalidated. The study identified initiatives aimed at addressing attrition/retention, however most had not been evaluated often due to the multi-factorial nature of attrition/retention and difficulties with measurement. Recruitment selection and retention initiatives were rarely evaluated, and if so, adopted a relatively superficial approach. Evidence from existing studies to support practices was mostly weakly supportive or absent. The study highlights the need for a coordinated approach, supporting the development of a robust evidence base through the evaluation of local initiatives, and evaluation of new strategies. Evaluation strategies must take account of the local context to facilitate transferability of findings across different settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of University Students' Understanding of Graphs in Different Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Planinic, Maja; Ivanjek, Lana; Susac, Ana; Milin-Sipus, Zeljka

2013-01-01

This study investigates university students' understanding of graphs in three different domains: mathematics, physics (kinematics), and contexts other than physics. Eight sets of parallel mathematics, physics, and other context questions about graphs were developed. A test consisting of these eight sets of questions (24 questions in all) was…

Comparison of Tropical and Extratropical Gust Factors Using Observed and Simulated Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, R. P.; Schroeder, J. L.

2011-12-01

Questions of whether differences exist between tropical cyclone (TC) and extratropical (ET) wind have been the subject of considerable debate. This study will focus on the behavior of the gust factor (GF), the ratio of a peak wind speed of a certain duration and a mean wind speed of a certain duration, for three types of data: TC, ET, and simulated. For this project, the Universal Spectrum, a normalized, averaged spectrum for wind, was un-normalized and used to create simulated wind speed time series at a variety of wind speeds. Additional time series were created after modifying the spectrum to simulate the additional low-frequency energy observed in the TC wind spectrum as well as the reduction of high-frequency energy caused by a mechanical anemometer. The T and ET data used for this study were collected by Texas Tech University's mobile towers as part of various field efforts since 1998. Before comparisons were made, the database was divided into four roughness regimes based on the roughness length to ensure that differences observed in the turbulence statistics are not caused by differences in upstream terrain. The mean GF for the TC data set (open roughness regime), 1.49, was slightly higher than the ET value of 1.44 (Table 1). The distributions of GFs from each data type show similarities in shape between the base-simulated and ET data sets and between the TC and modified-simulated data set (Figure 1). These similarities are expected given the spectral similarities between the TC and modified-simulated data sets, namely additional low-frequency energy relative to the ET and base-simulated data. These findings suggest that the higher amount of low-frequency energy present in the tropical wind spectrum is partially responsible for the resulting higher GF for the tropical cyclone data. However, the modest increase in GF from the base to the modified simulated data suggest that there are more factors at work.

Professional Development for Secondary Science Teachers in a Contextual Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, C. Riley; Hanegan, Nikki L.

This paper discusses an intensive professional development program designed by a science education specialist in conjunction with university science research professors demonstrating quality science teaching practices for secondary teachers in a contextual setting. The intensive professional development model was designed using research based,…

Aspects and the Overlap Function.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Marilyn M.; Levine, Leonard P.

1984-01-01

Presents system for automatic handling of ordered sets, states based on these sets, and differing points of view regarding Universe of Discourse. Aspects are represented by new logical "overlap" function with examples taken from Ranganathan's horse and carriage parable and several books involving four main concepts (history, geography,…

The Role of Genre-Based Activities in the Writing of Argumentative Essays in EFL (El papel de actividades basadas en géneros en la escritura de ensayos argumentativos en inglés como lengua extranjera)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chala Bejarano, Pedro Antonio; Chapetón, Claudia Marcela

2013-01-01

This article presents the findings of an action research project conducted with a group of pre-service teachers of a program in modern languages at a Colombian university. The study intended to go beyond an emphasis on linguistic and textual features in English as a foreign language argumentative essays by using a set of genre-based activities and…

Healthy universities: an example of a whole-system health-promoting setting.

PubMed

Newton, Joanne; Dooris, Mark; Wills, Jane

2016-03-01

The health-promoting settings approach is well established in health promotion, with organisational settings being understood as complex systems able to support human wellbeing and flourishing. Despite the reach and evident importance of higher education as a sector, 'healthy universities' has not received high-level international leadership comparable to many other settings programmes. This study explores how the concept of a healthy university is operationalised in two case study universities. Data collection methods included documentary analysis, observation field notes and semi-structured interviews with staff and students. Staff and students understood the characteristics of a healthy university to pertain to management processes relating to communication and to a respectful organisational ethos. Enhancers of health and wellbeing were feeling valued, being listened to, having skilled and supportive line managers and having a positive physical environment. Inhibitors of health and wellbeing were having a sense of powerlessness and a lack of care and concern. The concept of the healthy university has been slow to be adopted in contrast to initiatives such as healthy schools. In addition to challenges relating to lack of theorisation, paucity of evidence and difficulties in capturing the added value of whole-system working, this study suggests that this may be due to both their complex organisational structure and the diverse goals of higher education, which do not automatically privilege health and wellbeing. It also points to the need for a whole-university approach that pays attention to the complex interactions and interconnections between component parts and highlights how the organisation can function effectively as a social system. © The Author(s) 2015.

Improving patient health engagement with mobile texting: A pilot study in the head and neck postoperative setting.

PubMed

Sosa, Alan; Heineman, Nathan; Thomas, Kimberly; Tang, Kai; Feinstein, Marie; Martin, Michelle Y; Sumer, Baran; Schwartz, David L

2017-05-01

Cell phone ownership is nearly universal. Messaging is one of its most widely used features. Texting-based interventions may improve patient engagement in the postoperative setting, but remain understudied. Patients were recruited before discharge from the hospital and received automated daily texts for 1 week providing information about expected recovery. Patients were encouraged to text questions to providers, which were triaged for intervention. Web-based surveys solicited patient feedback about the platform. Thirty-two patients were approached, and 23 patients (72%) were enrolled in the study. All study patients texted their providers, although frequency (median, 7 texts; range, 2-44 texts) varied. Unmarried patients and those facing surgical complications used the platform more frequently. Mean patient satisfaction with the platform was high (mean, 3.8 on a 4-point Likert scale). Text messaging seems feasible in the acute postoperative setting and potentially improves engagement of patients with head and neck cancer. Further study is warranted to confirm scalability and impact. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 988-995, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Applying Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses: Pedagogical and Practical Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dell, Cindy Ann; Dell, Thomas F.; Blackwell, Terry L.

2015-01-01

Inclusion of the universal design for learning (UDL) model as a guiding set of principles for online curriculum development in higher education is discussed. Fundamentally, UDL provides the student with multiple means of accessing the course based on three overarching principles: presentation; action and expression; and engagement and interaction.…

Strategies for Increasing Response Rates for Online End-of-Course Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Diane D.; Joines, Jeffrey A.

2017-01-01

Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs) are used by nearly all public and private universities as one means to evaluate teaching effectiveness. A majority of these universities have transitioned from the traditional paper-based evaluations to online evaluations, resulting in a decline in overall response rates. This has led to scepticism about the…

The Field: The Proper Location for Methods Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardarelli, Aldo F.

1981-01-01

The position taken here is that extensive field work with children which is built around a particular set of competencies which the university student is responsible to demonstrate will accomplish far more than the campus-centered, inferentially-based lecture approach. Such a program operating at an urban university is outlined. (Author/SJL)

Novel Primer Sets for Next Generation Sequencing-Based Analyses of Water Quality

PubMed Central

Lee, Elvina; Khurana, Maninder S.; Whiteley, Andrew S.; Monis, Paul T.; Bath, Andrew; Gordon, Cameron; Ryan, Una M.; Paparini, Andrea

2017-01-01

Next generation sequencing (NGS) has rapidly become an invaluable tool for the detection, identification and relative quantification of environmental microorganisms. Here, we demonstrate two new 16S rDNA primer sets, which are compatible with NGS approaches and are primarily for use in water quality studies. Compared to 16S rRNA gene based universal primers, in silico and experimental analyses demonstrated that the new primers showed increased specificity for the Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria phyla, allowing increased sensitivity for the detection, identification and relative quantification of toxic bloom-forming microalgae, microbial water quality bioindicators and common pathogens. Significantly, Cyanobacterial and Proteobacterial sequences accounted for ca. 95% of all sequences obtained within NGS runs (when compared to ca. 50% with standard universal NGS primers), providing higher sensitivity and greater phylogenetic resolution of key water quality microbial groups. The increased selectivity of the new primers allow the parallel sequencing of more samples through reduced sequence retrieval levels required to detect target groups, potentially reducing NGS costs by 50% but still guaranteeing optimal coverage and species discrimination. PMID:28118368

Understanding facilitators and barriers to reengineering the clinical research enterprise in community-based practice settings.

PubMed

Kukafka, Rita; Allegrante, John P; Khan, Sharib; Bigger, J Thomas; Johnson, Stephen B

2013-09-01

Solutions are employed to support clinical research trial tasks in community-based practice settings. Using the IT Implementation Framework (ITIF), an integrative framework intended to guide the synthesis of theoretical perspectives for planning multi-level interventions to enhance IT use, we sought to understand the barriers and facilitators to clinical research in community-based practice settings preliminary to implementing new informatics solutions for improving clinical research infrastructure. The studies were conducted in practices within the Columbia University Clinical Trials Network. A mixed-method approach, including surveys, interviews, time-motion studies, and observations was used. The data collected, which incorporates predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors in IT use, were analyzed according to each phase of ITIF. Themes identified in the first phase of ITIF were 1) processes and tools to support clinical trial research and 2) clinical research peripheral to patient care processes. Not all of the problems under these themes were found to be amenable to IT solutions. Using the multi-level orientation of the ITIF, we set forth strategies beyond IT solutions that can have an impact on reengineering clinical research tasks in practice-based settings. Developing strategies to target enabling and reinforcing factors, which focus on organizational factors, and the motivation of the practice at large to use IT solutions to integrate clinical research tasks with patient care processes, is most challenging. The ITIF should be used to consider both IT and non-IT solutions concurrently for reengineering of clinical research in community-based practice settings. © 2013.

Analysis of 2014 Post UTME Score of Candidates in the University of Ibadan with Two Methods of Standard Setting to Set Cut Off Points

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oladele, Babatunde

2017-01-01

The aim of the current study is to analyse the 2014 Post UTME scores of candidates in the university of Ibadan towards the establishment of cut off using two methods of standard settings. Prospective candidates who seek admission to higher institution are often denied admission through the Post UTME exercise. There is no single recommended…

The University of Washington's Community-Oriented Public Health Practice program and Public Health-Seattle & King County partnership.

PubMed

House, Peter J; Hartfield, Karen; Nicola, Bud; Bogan, Sharon L

2014-01-01

The Community-Oriented Public Health Practice (COPHP) program, a 2-year in-residence MPH degree program in the University of Washington School of Public Health, has partnered with Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC) since 2002 to create a mutually beneficial set of programs to improve teaching and address community-based public health problems in a practice setting. The COPHP program uses a problem-based learning approach that puts students in small groups to work on public health problems. Both University of Washington-based and PHSKC-based faculty facilitate the classroom work. In the first year for students, COPHP, in concert with PHSKC, places students in practicum assignments at PHSKC; in the second year, students undertake a master's project (capstone) in a community or public health agency. The capstone project entails taking on a problem in a community-based agency to improve either the health of a population or the capacity of the agency to improve population health. Both the practicum and the capstone projects emphasize applying classroom learning in actual public health practice work for community-based organizations. This partnership brings PHSKC and COPHP together in every aspect of teaching. In essence, PHSKC acts as the "academic health department" for COPHP. There are detailed agreements and contracts that guide all aspects of the partnership. Both the practicum and capstone projects require written contracts. The arrangements for getting non-University of Washington faculty paid for teaching and advising also include formal contracts.

Physics Learning Achievement Study: Projectile, Using Mathematica Program of Faculty of Science and Technology Phetchabun Rajabhat University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutem, Artit; Kerdmee, Supoj

2013-01-01

The propose of this study is to study Physics Learning Achievement, projectile motion, using the Mathematica program of Faculty of Science and Technology Phetchabun Rajabhat University students, comparing with Faculty of Science and Technology Phetchabun Rajabhat University students who study the projectile motion experiment set. The samples are…

[Care practices for neonates while setting up a neonatal unit in a university hospital].

PubMed

Pedron, Cecília Drebes; Bonilha, Ana Lúcia de Lourenzi

2008-12-01

The hospitalization process of neonates makes them vulnerable to several care practices. The aim of this study was to get to know the care practices adopted by health professionals while setting up a neonatal unit at the Hospital de Clínicas of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is a qualitative study based on the New History Theory. The study collected data from October 2006 to January 2007. Fifteen health professionals responsible for the project and/or its implementation from 1972 to 1984 provided information. The thematic data analysis highlighted the concern among health professionals of making good use of technological advances, as well as unifying scientifically-based conducts. Besides, they tried to establish routines enabling neonate's parents to stay at the bedside during the whole hospitalization period. Finally, it was inferred that the main objective of these practices was to increase the survival of neonates.

Mathemagenic Activities Program: [Reports on Cognitive/Language Development].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smock, Charles D., Ed.

This set of 13 research reports, bulletins and papers is a product of the Mathemagenic Activities Program (MAP) for early childhood education of the University of Georgia Follow Through Program. Based on Piagetian theory, the MAP provides sequentially structured sets of curriculum materials and processes that are designed to continually challenge…

C-STARS. School Based Interprofessional Case Management: An Interagency Program for At-Risk Students and Their Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Albert, Jr.; Oaks, Merrill

The documents in this collection provide information about the Center for the Study and Teaching of At-Risk Students (C-STARS), a center committed to meeting the challenge of providing integrated services for at-risk youth and their families. Because C-STARS is housed in a university setting, it has the opportunity to promote interprofessional and…

Reading and Reflecting Sacred Texts in the Presence of the Other. An Empirical Study on the Use of "Scriptural Reasoning" in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welling, Katharina; Roebben, Bert

2018-01-01

In this article the method of Scriptural Reasoning (SR), a text-based approach to interreligious dialogue between participants of the three Abrahamic religions, was implemented for a teacher education setting at a German university. Not only students with an outspoken religious conviction but also agnostic and atheist students, preparing…

A Short Dance-Exercise Intervention as a Strategy for Improving Quality of Life in Inactive Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barranco-Ruiz, Yaira; Mandic, Sandra; Paz-Viteri, Susana; Guerendiain, Marcela; Sandoval, FaustoVinicio; Villa-González, Emilio

2017-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effects of a short exercise intervention based on the use of a Zumba Fitness® programme on the quality of life (QoL) in inactive adult workers. Design: Non-experimental pre-test/post-test study involving one experimental group of inactive university workers. Setting: Riobamba in the Andean region of central Ecuador.…

Universal portfolios generated by weakly stationary processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Choon Peng; Pang, Sook Theng

2014-12-01

Recently, a universal portfolio generated by a set of independent Brownian motions where a finite number of past stock prices are weighted by the moments of the multivariate normal distribution is introduced and studied. The multivariate normal moments as polynomials in time consequently lead to a constant rebalanced portfolio depending on the drift coefficients of the Brownian motions. For a weakly stationary process, a different type of universal portfolio is proposed where the weights on the stock prices depend only on the time differences of the stock prices. An empirical study is conducted on the returns achieved by the universal portfolios generated by the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process on selected stock-price data sets. Promising results are demonstrated for increasing the wealth of the investor by using the weakly-stationary-process-generated universal portfolios.

MO-G-201-01: A Multi-Institutional Study Investigating the Performance of a Knowledge-Based Planning System Against Pinnacle Auto-Planning Engine in SIB-IMRT for the Head-And-Neck Cancer

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

Wu, B; Pang, D; Kusters, M

Purpose: Knowledge-based Planning (KBP) founded on prior planning experience and Auto-Planning Engine (APE; commercialized in Pinnacle v9.10 TPS) based on progressive optimization algorithm both aim to eliminate the trial-and-error process in radiotherapy inverse planning. This study investigates the performance of the approaches in a multi-institutional setting to evaluate their functionalities in oropharyngeal cancer and offers suggestions how they can be implemented in the clinic. Methods: Radboud University Medical Center (RUMC) provided 35 oropharyngeal cancer patients (SIB-IMRT with two-dose-level prescription: 68 Gy to PTV68 and 50.3 Gy to PTV50.3) with corresponding comparative APE plans. Johns Hopkins University (JHU) contributed to amore » three-dose-level (70 Gy 63 Gy and 58.1 Gy) plan library for RUMC’s patient KBP generation. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH) contributed to a KBP approach employing overlap-volume histogram (OVH-KBP) for generating RUMC’s patient KBP plans using JHU’s plan library. Since both approaches need their own user-defined parameters as initial inputs the first 10 patients were set aside as training set to finalize them. Meanwhile cross-institutional comparisons and adjustments were implemented for investigating institutions’ protocol discrepancies and the approaches’ user-defined parameters were updated accordingly. The finalized parameters were then applied to the remaining 25 patients for OVH-KBP and APE generation. A Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for statistical comparison with significance level of p<0.05. Results: On average PTV68’s V95 was 96.5% in APE plans vs. 97% in OVH-KBP plans (p=0.36); PTV50.3’s V95 in APE plans was 97.8% vs.97.6% in OVH-KBP plans (p=0.6); cord’s D0.1 cc was 38.6 Gy in OVH-KBP plans vs. 43.7 Gy in APE plans (p=0.0001); mean doses to larynxes oral cavities parotids and submandibular glands were similar with p>0.2. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that KBP and APE can generate plans of comparable quality in a multi-institutional setting. Variations in clinical protocols can be effectively addressed for cross-institutional adaptations. Binbin Wu and Todd McNutt are the co-inventors of a patent associated with the proposed knowledge-based planning system which was licensed to Varian Medical Systems in 2015; This research was in part supported by Philips Radiation Oncology Systems.« less

Effective Coordination of Multiple Intelligent Agents for Command and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

System Architecture As an initial problem domain in E - commerce , we chose collective book purchasing. In the university setting, relatively large numbers... a coalition server, an auctioneer agent, a set of supplier agents, and a web- based interface 9 for end users. The system is based on a simple...buyers are able to request and sellers to respond to a list of items, within a particular category. Sellers present

Comparing K-mer based methods for improved classification of 16S sequences.

PubMed

Vinje, Hilde; Liland, Kristian Hovde; Almøy, Trygve; Snipen, Lars

2015-07-01

The need for precise and stable taxonomic classification is highly relevant in modern microbiology. Parallel to the explosion in the amount of sequence data accessible, there has also been a shift in focus for classification methods. Previously, alignment-based methods were the most applicable tools. Now, methods based on counting K-mers by sliding windows are the most interesting classification approach with respect to both speed and accuracy. Here, we present a systematic comparison on five different K-mer based classification methods for the 16S rRNA gene. The methods differ from each other both in data usage and modelling strategies. We have based our study on the commonly known and well-used naïve Bayes classifier from the RDP project, and four other methods were implemented and tested on two different data sets, on full-length sequences as well as fragments of typical read-length. The difference in classification error obtained by the methods seemed to be small, but they were stable and for both data sets tested. The Preprocessed nearest-neighbour (PLSNN) method performed best for full-length 16S rRNA sequences, significantly better than the naïve Bayes RDP method. On fragmented sequences the naïve Bayes Multinomial method performed best, significantly better than all other methods. For both data sets explored, and on both full-length and fragmented sequences, all the five methods reached an error-plateau. We conclude that no K-mer based method is universally best for classifying both full-length sequences and fragments (reads). All methods approach an error plateau indicating improved training data is needed to improve classification from here. Classification errors occur most frequent for genera with few sequences present. For improving the taxonomy and testing new classification methods, the need for a better and more universal and robust training data set is crucial.

Emergency Protocol and Violence Prevention in a University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Dylan

2012-01-01

This study analyzed the emergency protocol and violence prevention methods utilized at an American university. The four research questions were: (1) What are the sources of violence at the university? a. How has the university addressed these sources? (2) What constitutes an emergency in the eyes of the university? (3) How do emergency protocols…

Carotid artery B-mode ultrasound image segmentation based on morphology, geometry and gradient direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunarya, I. Made Gede; Yuniarno, Eko Mulyanto; Purnomo, Mauridhi Hery; Sardjono, Tri Arief; Sunu, Ismoyo; Purnama, I. Ketut Eddy

2017-06-01

Carotid Artery (CA) is one of the vital organs in the human body. CA features that can be used are position, size and volume. Position feature can used to determine the preliminary initialization of the tracking. Examination of the CA features can use Ultrasound. Ultrasound imaging can be operated dependently by an skilled operator, hence there could be some differences in the images result obtained by two or more different operators. This can affect the process of determining of CA. To reduce the level of subjectivity among operators, it can determine the position of the CA automatically. In this study, the proposed method is to segment CA in B-Mode Ultrasound Image based on morphology, geometry and gradient direction. This study consists of three steps, the data collection, preprocessing and artery segmentation. The data used in this study were taken directly by the researchers and taken from the Brno university's signal processing lab database. Each data set contains 100 carotid artery B-Mode ultrasound image. Artery is modeled using ellipse with center c, major axis a and minor axis b. The proposed method has a high value on each data set, 97% (data set 1), 73 % (data set 2), 87% (data set 3). This segmentation results will then be used in the process of tracking the CA.

Incidence of Infectious Mononucleosis in Universities and U.S. Military Settings

PubMed Central

Williams-Harmon, Yolonda J; Jason, Leonard A; Katz, Ben Z.

2016-01-01

Objective The reported incidence rates for Infectious Mononucleosis (IM) within universities and military settings vary widely from study to study. Several factors may have contributed to the discrepancy in these incidence rates include misdiagnosis, ambiguity in the reported sample populations, and number of students who visited and were diagnosed at their campus's health service centers. The current review examines previously reported literature on the incidence rate in universities and military settings of infectious mononucleosis taking into account these possible confounding factors. Methods Articles examined for the literature review were selected by searching several databases within Google Scholar and PubMed. Results Variance in the incidence rates could be due to differences in the populations studied, true geographic or epidemiologic variation or inconsistent number of students who visited and were diagnosed at their campus's health service centers. PMID:27583306

Incidence of Infectious Mononucleosis in Universities and U.S. Military Settings.

PubMed

Williams-Harmon, Yolonda J; Jason, Leonard A; Katz, Ben Z

2016-06-01

The reported incidence rates for Infectious Mononucleosis (IM) within universities and military settings vary widely from study to study. Several factors may have contributed to the discrepancy in these incidence rates include misdiagnosis, ambiguity in the reported sample populations, and number of students who visited and were diagnosed at their campus's health service centers. The current review examines previously reported literature on the incidence rate in universities and military settings of infectious mononucleosis taking into account these possible confounding factors. Articles examined for the literature review were selected by searching several databases within Google Scholar and PubMed. Variance in the incidence rates could be due to differences in the populations studied, true geographic or epidemiologic variation or inconsistent number of students who visited and were diagnosed at their campus's health service centers.

Universal ethical principles in a diverse universe: a commentary on Monshi and Zieglmayer's case study.

PubMed

DuBois, James M

2004-01-01

Monshi and Zieglmayer's case study presents Sri Lankan participants as having views on the privacy of health information that differ radically from those commonly found in Western nations. This article explores 2 questions that their case study raises for the ethical review of research in international settings: First, are allegedly universal ethical principles--of the sort promulgated in the Belmont Report (National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1978)--useful in international settings?, and second, how should research oversight bodies address the challenges that arise in international behavioral and social science research?

A Duty of Care: Non-Drinkers and Alcohol Related Harm among an Australian University Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikhailovich, Katja; George, Amanda; Rickwood, Debra; Parker, Rhian

2011-01-01

Studies documenting the harm associated with excessive drinking amongst university students are numerous. Fewer studies have explored the experience of non-drinkers in the university setting. In 2008, 826 students aged 18-29 years responded to an online survey aiming to investigate alcohol use and alcohol related harm at an Australian university.…

Entering the University: The Differentiated Experience of Two Chinese International Students in a New Zealand University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skyrme, Gillian

2007-01-01

This article draws on findings from a longitudinal study of Chinese international students beginning study in a New Zealand university, and focuses on the very different experience of two students in relation to a single course and its assessment requirements, as they sought ways to negotiate identities as university students in their new setting.…

Effectiveness of suicide prevention gatekeeper-training for university administrative staff in Japan.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Naoki; Suzuki, Yuriko; Kato, Takahiro A; Fujisawa, Daisuke; Sato, Ryoko; Aoyama-Uehara, Kumi; Fukasawa, Maiko; Asakura, Satoshi; Kusumi, Ichiro; Otsuka, Kotaro

2016-01-01

Suicide is a leading cause of death among Japanese college and university students. Gatekeeper-training programs have been shown to improve detection and referral of individuals who are at risk of suicide by training non-mental-health professional persons. However, no studies have investigated the effectiveness of such programs in university settings in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the gatekeeper-training program for administrative staff in Japanese universities. We developed a 2.5-h gatekeeper-training program based on the Mental Health First Aid program, which was originally developed for the general public. Seventy-six administrative staff at Hokkaido University participated in the program. Competence and confidence in managing suicide intervention, behavioral intention as a gatekeeper and attitude while handling suicidal students were measured by a self-reported questionnaire before, immediately after and a month after the program. We found a significant improvement in competence in the management of suicidal students. We also found improvements in confidence in management of suicidal students and behavioral intention as a gatekeeper after training, though questionnaires for those secondary outcomes were not validated. These improvements continued for a month. About 95% of the participants rated the program as useful or very useful and one-third of the participants had one or more chances to utilize their skills within a month. The current results suggest the positive effects of the training program in university settings in Japan. Future evaluation that includes comparison with standard didactic trainings and an assessment of long-term effectiveness are warranted. © 2015 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2015 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Barriers to the implementation of checklists in the office-based procedural setting.

PubMed

Shapiro, Fred E; Fernando, Rohesh J; Urman, Richard D

2014-01-01

Patient safety is critical for the patients, providers, and risk managers in the office-based procedural setting, and the same standard of care should be maintained regardless of the healthcare environment. Checklists may improve patient safety and potentially decrease risk. This study explored utilization of checklists in the office-based setting and the potential barriers to their implementation. A cross-sectional prospective study was performed by using a 19-question anonymous survey designed with REDCap®. Medical providers including physicians and nurses from 25 different offices that performed procedures participated, and 38 individual responses were included in the study. Only 50% of offices surveyed use safety checklists in their practice. Only 34% had checklists or equivalent protocol for emergencies such as anaphylaxis or failed airway. As many as 23.7% of respondents indicated that they encountered barriers to implementing checklists. The top barriers identified in the study were no incentive to use a checklist (77.8%), no mandate from a local or federal regulatory agency (44.4%), being too time consuming (33.3%), and lack of training (33.3%). Reasons identified that would encourage providers to use checklists included a clear mandate (36.8%) and evidence-based research (26.3%). Checklists are not being universally utilized in the office-based setting. There are barriers preventing their successful implementation. Risk managers may be able to improve patient safety and decrease risk by encouraging practitioners, possibly through incentives, to use customizable safety checklists. © 2014 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

Perspectives on Distance Education. Quality Assurance in Higher Education: Selected Case Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tait, Alan, Ed.

This publication consists of a set of case studies of quality assurance practices in distance teaching universities. The case studies are particularly relevant at a time when universities in many parts of the world, both new and established distance teaching universities, are placing great emphasis on reviewing and revising what they do in…

UD and UDL: Paving the Way toward Inclusion and Independence in the School Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blue, Elfreda V.; Pace, Darra

2011-01-01

Universal Design (UD) is widely used in architecture. It is evidenced in public and private spaces to ensure environmental access (facilities and equipment) to the broadest range of users. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based set of principles that provide a practical framework for using technology to maximize learning…

Teaching Biochemistry Online at Oregon State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahern, Kevin

2017-01-01

A strategy for growing online biochemistry courses is presented based on successes in ecampus at Oregon State University. Four free drawing cards were key to the effort--YouTube videos, iTunes U online free course content, an Open Educational Resource textbook--Biochemistry Free and Easy, and a fun set of educational songs known as the Metabolic…

From Data Entry to Evidence-Based Decision-Making: How Data and Analysis Can Drive Improvements in Admissions Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hourigan, Clare

2011-01-01

Academic standards and performance outcomes are a major focus of the current Cycle 2 Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) audits. AUQA has clearly stated that universities will need to provide "evidence of setting, maintaining, and reviewing institutional academic standards and outcomes" (2010, p. 27). To do this, universities…

Screening and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful alcohol use among university students in South Africa: results from a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pengpid, Supa; Peltzer, Karl; van der Heever, Hendry; Skaal, Linda

2013-05-21

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) for alcohol problems among university students in South Africa. The study design for this efficacy study is a randomized controlled trial with 6- and 12-month follow-ups to examine the effects of a brief alcohol intervention to reduce alcohol use by hazardous and harmful drinkers in a university setting. The unit of randomization is the individual university student identified as a hazardous or harmful drinker attending public recruitment venues in a university campus. University students were screened for alcohol problems, and those identified as hazardous or harmful drinkers were randomized into an experimental or control group. The experimental group received one brief counseling session on alcohol risk reduction, while the control group received a health education leaflet. Results indicate that of the 722 screened for alcohol and who agreed to participate in the trial 152 (21.1%) tested positive for the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) (score 8 or more). Among the 147 (96.7%) university students who also attended the 12-month follow-up session, the intervention effect on the AUDIT score was -1.5, which was statistically significant (P = 0.009). Further, the depression scores marginally significantly decreased over time across treatment groups, while other substance use (tobacco and cannabis use), self-rated health status and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) scores did not change over time across treatment groups. The study provides evidence of effective brief intervention by assistant nurses with hazardous and harmful drinkers in a university setting in South Africa. The short duration of the brief intervention makes it a realistic candidate for use in a university setting.

Estimating average shock pressures recorded by impactite samples based on universal stage investigations of planar deformation features in quartz - Sources of error and recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holm-Alwmark, S.; Ferrière, L.; Alwmark, C.; Poelchau, M. H.

2018-01-01

Planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz are the most widely used indicator of shock metamorphism in terrestrial rocks. They can also be used for estimating average shock pressures that quartz-bearing rocks have been subjected to. Here we report on a number of observations and problems that we have encountered when performing universal stage measurements and crystallographically indexing of PDF orientations in quartz. These include a comparison between manual and automated methods of indexing PDFs, an evaluation of the new stereographic projection template, and observations regarding the PDF statistics related to the c-axis position and rhombohedral plane symmetry. We further discuss the implications that our findings have for shock barometry studies. Our study shows that the currently used stereographic projection template for indexing PDFs in quartz might induce an overestimation of rhombohedral planes with low Miller-Bravais indices. We suggest, based on a comparison of different shock barometry methods, that a unified method of assigning shock pressures to samples based on PDFs in quartz is necessary to allow comparison of data sets. This method needs to take into account not only the average number of PDF sets/grain but also the number of high Miller-Bravais index planes, both of which are important factors according to our study. Finally, we present a suggestion for such a method (which is valid for nonporous quartz-bearing rock types), which consists of assigning quartz grains into types (A-E) based on the PDF orientation pattern, and then calculation of a mean shock pressure for each sample.

Integrating the transportation system with a university campus transportation master plan : a case study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-04-01

University campuses are considered major trip attractors. This intense level of activity generates significant : congestion levels within the campuses and in their vicinity, particularly in urban campus settings. With : university enrollment trends e...

Digital data base application to porphyry copper mineralization in Alaska; case study summary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trautwein, Charles M.; Greenlee, David D.; Orr, Donald G.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this report is to summarize the progress in use of digital image analysis techniques in developing a conceptual model for assessing porphyry copper mineral potential. The study area consists of approximately the southern one-half of the 1? by 3? Nabesna quadrangle in east-central Alaska. The digital geologic data base consists of data compiled under the Alaskan Mineral Resource Assessment Program (AMRAP) as well as digital elevation data and Landsat spectral reflectance data from the Multispectral Scanner System. The digital data base used to develop and implement a conceptual model for porphyry-type copper mineralization consisted of 16 original data types and 18 derived data sets formatted in a grid-cell (raster) structure and registered to a map base in the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projection. Minimum curvature and inverse distance squared interpolation techniques were used to generate continuous surfaces from sets of irregularly spaced data points. Processing requirements included: (1) merging or overlaying of data sets, (2) display and color coding of maps and images, (3) univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, and (4) compound overlaying operations. Data sets were merged and processed to create stereoscopic displays of continuous surfaces. The ratio of several data sets were calculated to evaluate relative variations and to enhance the display of surface alteration (gossans). Factor analysis and principal components analysis techniques were used to determine complex relationships and correlations between data sets. The resultant model consists of 10 parameters that identify three areas most likely to contain porphyry copper mineralization; two of these areas are known occurrences of mineralization and the third is not well known. Field studies confirmed that the three areas identified by the model have significant copper potential.

Network evaluation: principles, structures and outcomes of the German working group of Health Promoting Universities.

PubMed

Stock, Christiane; Milz, Simone; Meier, Sabine

2010-03-01

With more than 60 participating universities, the German working group of Health Promoting Universities (German HPU network) is the largest and most active network of universities as healthy settings. This study aims at evaluating processes and effects of the German HPU network and at supporting the future development of the network. The evaluation was based on the multi faceted network assessment instrument developed by Broesskamp-Stone (7). We used a document analysis, two expert interviews and a survey among members (n = 33) to collect relevant data for the assessment. The analysis showed that the visions of the network can be regarded as fulfilled in most aspects. The members of the network received network support through trustful and mutual relationships. The network ranked high on general network principles like implementation of mutual relationships, sharing of information, risks and resources, equal access to resources, responsibility and consensus orientation. However, a high degree of centralization was found as a negative indicator. Other critical aspects of the network's structures and processes have been the regional predominance of universities from the northern and middle part of Germany, the low representation of students in the network, and the low proportion of members that could successfully implement health promotion into the guiding principles of their university. Overall, the evaluation has shown that the network has worked effectively, has developed meaningful processes and structures and has formulated practical guidelines. Since its 12 years of existence the German HPU network has been able to adapt and to adequately respond to changing contextual conditions regarding health promotion at universities in Germany. The network should develop strategies to counteract the critical aspects and detected imbalances in order to further increase its impact on universities as healthy settings.

University Social Responsibility and Brand Image of Private Universities in Bangkok

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plungpongpan, Jirawan; Tiangsoongnern, Leela; Speece, Mark

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of university social responsibility (USR) on the brand image of private universities in Thailand. Brand image is important for entry into the consideration set as prospective students evaluate options for university study. USR activities may be implicit or explicit, i.e., actively…

Integrating Aesthetics: Transforming Continuing Education through Africentric Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Auburn E.

2013-01-01

Background: Manuscript written for the Adult Education Research Conference based on dissertation research completed at National Louis University. Purpose: To increase knowledge base of art based learning as a mode of anti-racist pedagogy and the use of an Africentric framework for continuing and professional education. Setting: African Centered…

Variables Affecting University Academic Achievement in a Distance- versus a Conventional Education Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darwazeh, Afnan N.

The aim of this study was to investigate some of the learner variables that may have an influence on university academic achievement in a distance versus a conventional education setting. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze data by using "Pearson r," and "F-test." Results revealed that the university…

48 CFR 252.226-7000 - Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... black college or university and minority institution set-aside. 252.226-7000 Section 252.226-7000... Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside. As prescribed in... Minority Institution Set-Aside (APR 1994) (a) Definitions. Historically black colleges and universities, as...

A Dual-Focus Motivational Intervention to Reduce the Risk of Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velasquez, Mary M.; Ingersoll, Karen S.; Sobell, Mark B.; Floyd, R. Louise; Sobell, Linda Carter; von Sternberg, Kirk

2010-01-01

Project CHOICES developed an integrated behavioral intervention for prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure in women at high risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Settings included primary care, university-hospital based obstetrical/gynecology practices, an urban jail, substance abuse treatment settings, and a media-recruited sample in three large…

Provision of Auricular Acupuncture and Acupressure in a University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oyola-Santiago, Tamara; Knopf, Rachel; Robin, Tracy; Harvey, Kristen

2013-01-01

Auricular acupuncture using the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol stimulates 5 points in each ear--the Shen Men, sympathetic nervous system, liver, kidney, and lung. This protocol is also known as Acu Detox, and has been used for recovery in community-based settings and drug use treatment programs. It has also been…

A Comprehensive Multi-Level Model for Campus-Based Leadership Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosch, David; Spencer, Gayle L.; Hoag, Beth L.

2017-01-01

Within this application brief, we propose a comprehensive model for mapping the shape and optimizing the effectiveness of leadership education in campus-wide university settings. The four-level model is highlighted by inclusion of a philosophy statement detailing the values and purpose of leadership education on campus, a set of skills and…

Baseball Stadium Design: Teaching Engineering Economics and Technical Communication in a Multi-Disciplinary Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahm, Kevin; Newell, James

2001-01-01

Reports on a course at Rowan University, based on the economic design of a baseball stadium, that offers an introduction to multidisciplinary engineering design linked with formal training in technical communication. Addresses four pedagogical goals: (1) developing public speaking skills in a realistic, business setting; (2) giving students…

THE ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL CHANGE, THE UNITED STATES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GUBA, EGON G.; AND OTHERS

FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ARE IDENTIFIED BY S.D. SIEBER--(1) UNIVERSITY BASED, (2) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES, (3) STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION, (4) LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND (5) PRIVATE TESTING AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS. FOUR PROBLEM AREAS RELATED TO EACH SETTING ARE DEALT WITH BY N.L.…

Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support in an Alternative School Setting: An Evaluation of Fidelity, Outcomes, and Social Validity of Tier 1 Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farkas, Melanie S.; Simonsen, Brandi; Migdole, Scott; Donovan, Mary E.; Clemens, Katharine; Cicchese, Victor

2012-01-01

The paucity of research investigating the effectiveness of universal behavioral strategies for supporting students in alternative educational settings is of great concern. However, a growing literature base supporting schoolwide positive behavioral support interventions (SWPBS) has been encouraging. This program evaluation provides additional…

Homesickness in University Students: The Role of Multiple Place Attachment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scopelliti, Massimiliano; Tiberio, Lorenza

2010-01-01

The transition to college or university can lead to the challenge of adapting to a new setting. Homesickness has been frequently investigated as a potential negative consequence of relocation. This study analyzed the role of multiple place attachment in the development of homesickness among university students. The study used a multicausal…

Using an action research process in pharmacy practice research--a cooperative project between university and internship pharmacies.

PubMed

Sørensen, Ellen Westh; Haugbølle, Lotte Stig

2008-12-01

Action research (AR) is a common research-based methodology useful for development and organizational changes in health care when participant involvement is key. However, AR is not widely used for research in the development of pharmaceutical care services in pharmacy practice. To disseminate the experience from using AR methodology to develop cognitive services in pharmacies by describing how the AR process was conducted in a specific study, and to describe the outcome for participants. The study was conducted over a 3-year period and run by a steering group of researchers, pharmacy students, and preceptors. The study design was based on AR methodology. The following data production methods were used to describe and evaluate the AR model: documentary analysis, qualitative interviews, and questionnaires. Experiences from using AR methodology and the outcome for participants are described. A set of principles was followed while the study, called the Pharmacy-University study, was being conducted. These principles are considered useful for designing future AR studies. Outcome for participating pharmacies was registered for staff-oriented and patient-oriented activities. Outcome for students was practice as project leaders and enhancement of clinical pharmacy-based skills. Outcome for researchers and the steering group conducting the study was in-depth knowledge of the status of pharmacies in giving advice to patient groups, and effective learning methods for students. Developing and implementing cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS) involves wide-reaching changes that require the willingness of pharmacy and staff as well as external partners. The use of AR methodology creates a platform that supports raising the awareness and the possible inclusion of these partners. During this study, a set of tools was developed for use in implementing CPS as part of AR.

Characterizing the motivational orientation of students in higher education: a naturalistic study in three Hong Kong universities.

PubMed

Kember, David; Hong, Celina; Ho, Amber

2008-06-01

Consideration of motivation in higher education has often been drawn upon theories and research that were based upon school or workplace studies. This paper reports an open naturalistic study to better characterize the motivational orientation of students in higher education. Open semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 36 students from three universities in Hong Kong. The analysis used an exploratory grounded theory approach. Motivation was characterized as a framework with six continua with positive and negative poles. On enrolment, students had positions on the six facets of motivation, which shifted as they progressed through their degree, according to perceptions of their teaching and learning environment. The positive poles of the six continua were given labels: compliance, individual goal setting, interest, career, sense of belonging and university lifestyle. The formulation of motivational orientation is consistent with contemporary social cognitive theories of motivation in that it has been characterized as a multifaceted phenomenon, with students expressing context-dependent multiple motives.

Student evaluations of teaching: teaching quantitative courses can be hazardous to one’s career

PubMed Central

Smibert, Dylan

2017-01-01

Anonymous student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are used by colleges and universities to measure teaching effectiveness and to make decisions about faculty hiring, firing, re-appointment, promotion, tenure, and merit pay. Although numerous studies have found that SETs correlate with various teaching effectiveness irrelevant factors (TEIFs) such as subject, class size, and grading standards, it has been argued that such correlations are small and do not undermine the validity of SETs as measures of professors’ teaching effectiveness. However, previous research has generally used inappropriate parametric statistics and effect sizes to examine and to evaluate the significance of TEIFs on personnel decisions. Accordingly, we examined the influence of quantitative vs. non-quantitative courses on SET ratings and SET based personnel decisions using 14,872 publicly posted class evaluations where each evaluation represents a summary of SET ratings provided by individual students responding in each class. In total, 325,538 individual student evaluations from a US mid-size university contributed to theses class evaluations. The results demonstrate that class subject (math vs. English) is strongly associated with SET ratings, has a substantial impact on professors being labeled satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory and excellent vs. non-excellent, and the impact varies substantially depending on the criteria used to classify professors as satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory. Professors teaching quantitative courses are far more likely not to receive tenure, promotion, and/or merit pay when their performance is evaluated against common standards. PMID:28503380

Student evaluations of teaching: teaching quantitative courses can be hazardous to one's career.

PubMed

Uttl, Bob; Smibert, Dylan

2017-01-01

Anonymous student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are used by colleges and universities to measure teaching effectiveness and to make decisions about faculty hiring, firing, re-appointment, promotion, tenure, and merit pay. Although numerous studies have found that SETs correlate with various teaching effectiveness irrelevant factors (TEIFs) such as subject, class size, and grading standards, it has been argued that such correlations are small and do not undermine the validity of SETs as measures of professors' teaching effectiveness. However, previous research has generally used inappropriate parametric statistics and effect sizes to examine and to evaluate the significance of TEIFs on personnel decisions. Accordingly, we examined the influence of quantitative vs. non-quantitative courses on SET ratings and SET based personnel decisions using 14,872 publicly posted class evaluations where each evaluation represents a summary of SET ratings provided by individual students responding in each class. In total, 325,538 individual student evaluations from a US mid-size university contributed to theses class evaluations. The results demonstrate that class subject (math vs. English) is strongly associated with SET ratings, has a substantial impact on professors being labeled satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory and excellent vs. non-excellent, and the impact varies substantially depending on the criteria used to classify professors as satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory. Professors teaching quantitative courses are far more likely not to receive tenure, promotion, and/or merit pay when their performance is evaluated against common standards.

Put Posters over the Glass Bit on the Door and Disappear: Tutor Perspectives on the Use of VLEs to Support Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Linda; Abbott, Lesley

2008-01-01

This study examines the perspectives of teacher tutors on the value of the online components of PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) courses at the University of Ulster. The work has been undertaken as part of the ESRC-funded project, "A Values-based Approach to Teacher Education." It is set within the value-laden contexts of…

A Study on User Interface Design of Knowledge Management Groupware in Selected Leading Organizations of Pakistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

Information Systems, Faculty of ICT, International Islamic University, Malaysia . Abstract. Several techniques for evaluating a groupware...inspection based techniques couldn’t be carried out in other parts of Pakistan where the IT industry has mushroomed in the past few years. Nevertheless...there are no set standards for using any particular technique. Evaluating a groupware interface is an evolving process and requires more investigation

Developing a pressure ulcer risk factor minimum data set and risk assessment framework.

PubMed

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

2014-10-01

To agree a draft pressure ulcer risk factor Minimum Data Set to underpin the development of a new evidenced-based Risk Assessment Framework. A recent systematic review identified the need for a pressure ulcer risk factor Minimum Data Set and development and validation of an evidenced-based pressure ulcer Risk Assessment Framework. This was undertaken through the Pressure UlceR Programme Of reSEarch (RP-PG-0407-10056), funded by the National Institute for Health Research and incorporates five phases. This article reports phase two, a consensus study. Consensus study. A modified nominal group technique based on the Research and Development/University of California at Los Angeles appropriateness method. This incorporated an expert group, review of the evidence and the views of a Patient and Public Involvement service user group. Data were collected December 2010-December 2011. The risk factors and assessment items of the Minimum Data Set (including immobility, pressure ulcer and skin status, perfusion, diabetes, skin moisture, sensory perception and nutrition) were agreed. In addition, a draft Risk Assessment Framework incorporating all Minimum Data Set items was developed, comprising a two stage assessment process (screening and detailed full assessment) and decision pathways. The draft Risk Assessment Framework will undergo further design and pre-testing with clinical nurses to assess and improve its usability. It will then be evaluated in clinical practice to assess its validity and reliability. The Minimum Data Set could be used in future for large scale risk factor studies informing refinement of the Risk Assessment Framework. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Supervisory needs of research doctoral students in a university teaching hospital setting.

PubMed

Caldwell, Patrina Hy; Oldmeadow, Wendy; Jones, Cheryl A

2012-10-01

Teaching hospitals affiliated with universities are now common sites for research higher degree supervision. We hypothesised that the hospital environment poses unique challenges to supervision compared with the traditional university research institute setting. This study aimed to identify and rank important supervision issues in a clinical setting from the students' perspective. Using the Delphi method to explore issues and facilitate consensus, small group discussions were conducted with 10 research doctoral students from a tertiary teaching hospital. We identified supervision issues that are unique to the hospital-based context. These include the demands placed on supervisors combining clinical and supervisory roles, the challenges of academic medical/scientific writing and career issues for students who are already established in their professions. Other issues identified, common to all doctoral students, include differing expectations between students and supervisors (with students wanting support for their career plans, training in research skills and increasing autonomy and responsibility), supervisor access, quality and frequency of meetings, lack of training in writing and dealing with conflicts. Our research identified that postgraduate students of supervisors who combine clinical and supervisory roles report significant issues with supervision, some of which are unique to the clinical setting. Clinician researchers who supervise postgraduate students need to balance clinical and supervisory responsibilities, identify and negotiate student expectations early in candidature and provide career counselling to students who are already highly experienced. Furthermore, clinician supervisors should undertake postgraduate supervisor training programme tailored to the hospital setting to better support their students. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2012 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Application of 4G wireless network-based system for remote diagnosis and nursing of stomal complications

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiulian; Cao, Yingjuan; Luan, Xiaorong

2014-01-01

Background: This study aims to apply 4G wireless network in the remote diagnosis of stoma complications for the first time. Background: Remote diagnosis and nursing care for a variety of illnesses are urgently needed in clinical settings. Objectives: Combining with relevant clinical manifestations, an Android phone-based intelligent diagnosis system was designed to construct a universe, easy access to exploitation and human-computer interaction database and exploitation environment for applications and programs. Methods: “Production rule” and forward reasoning method were utilized to design arborescence structures and logic reasoner associated with stoma complications. Stoma physicians were responsible for delivering evaluation scores on patients’ health status using analytic hierarchy process. The emphasis of this study is to exploit an “Android phone-based system for remote diagnosis of stoma”, which is of certain universe usage. Results: Such system was tested in the Medicine Information Center of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and initially applied in the city of De Zhou, Shandong province, China. Conclusions: These results collectively demonstrated that the system is easy to carry, of high utility and free from the limitations of wire network environment, etc. It provides clinical evidence for establishing a novel type model for the exchange between patients and physicians. PMID:25550986

Why Study Abroad? Sorting of Chinese Students across British Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cebolla-Boado, Héctor; Hu, Yang; Soysal, Yasemin Nuhog¯lu

2018-01-01

This research contributes to the booming literature on the mobility of international students in higher education. We analyse university-level factors that affect the sorting of Chinese international students across British universities. We produced a unique data-set merging university-level data from the 2014 UK Higher Education Statistics Agency…

Exploring the Utility and Application of Framing Devices in College/University President Speeches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Ira George

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility and application of the framing devices identified by Fairhurst (1993) and Fairhurst and Sarr (1996) in the college/university setting as evidenced through college/university presidents' speeches. Fifty-seven college/university presidents' speeches were collected from institution…

Academic Venturing in Higher Education: Institutional Effects on Performance of University Technology Transfer. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Joshua B.

This study investigated institutional resource factors that may explain differential performance with university technology transfer--the process by which university research is transformed into marketable products. Using multi-source data on 108 research universities, a set of internal resources (financial, physical, human capital, and…

Benchmarking Jiangsu University to Improve Its Academic Ranking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xinchao; Thige, Joseph Muiruri

2017-01-01

This paper collates research on global ranking through U.S.News.com in relation to Jiangsu University's nonappearance in global ranking of higher education institutions. The author critiques the Academic set up of the University in comparison with universities Ranked as World Class. The author navigates the study largely through descriptive and…

Curricular Change Using an ID (Instructional Development) Model: Application within a Malaysian/American Cooperative University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Kim Hughes

A project to improve a program in English for academic purposes in Malaysia is described. The program is a university preparatory curriculum for Malaysian students wishing to attend colleges in the United States. In the program, students are placed in one of three tracks based on English language proficiency. The project was intended to integrate…

How Prepared Are America's Colleges and Universities for Major Crises? Assessing the State of Crisis Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitroff, Ian I.; Diamond, Michael A.; Alpaslan, Murat C.

2006-01-01

This article outlines a set of recommendations to college and university leaders and governing bodies on how to develop crisis-management systems to ensure that their institutions are as well prepared as possible for a wide range of crises. These recommendations are based, in part, on crisis-management programs developed for various business…

A variational approach to multi-phase motion of gas, liquid and solid based on the level set method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoi, Kensuke

2009-07-01

We propose a simple and robust numerical algorithm to deal with multi-phase motion of gas, liquid and solid based on the level set method [S. Osher, J.A. Sethian, Front propagating with curvature-dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulation, J. Comput. Phys. 79 (1988) 12; M. Sussman, P. Smereka, S. Osher, A level set approach for capturing solution to incompressible two-phase flow, J. Comput. Phys. 114 (1994) 146; J.A. Sethian, Level Set Methods and Fast Marching Methods, Cambridge University Press, 1999; S. Osher, R. Fedkiw, Level Set Methods and Dynamics Implicit Surface, Applied Mathematical Sciences, vol. 153, Springer, 2003]. In Eulerian framework, to simulate interaction between a moving solid object and an interfacial flow, we need to define at least two functions (level set functions) to distinguish three materials. In such simulations, in general two functions overlap and/or disagree due to numerical errors such as numerical diffusion. In this paper, we resolved the problem using the idea of the active contour model [M. Kass, A. Witkin, D. Terzopoulos, Snakes: active contour models, International Journal of Computer Vision 1 (1988) 321; V. Caselles, R. Kimmel, G. Sapiro, Geodesic active contours, International Journal of Computer Vision 22 (1997) 61; G. Sapiro, Geometric Partial Differential Equations and Image Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 2001; R. Kimmel, Numerical Geometry of Images: Theory, Algorithms, and Applications, Springer-Verlag, 2003] introduced in the field of image processing.

Scalar perturbations in the late Universe: viability of the Chaplygin gas models

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

Bouhmadi-López, Mariam; Brilenkov, Maxim; Brilenkov, Ruslan

We study the late-time evolution of the Universe where dark energy (DE) is parametrised by a modified generalised Chaplygin gas (mGCG) on top of cold dark matter (CDM) . We also take into account the radiation content of the Universe. In this context, the late stage of the evolution of the universe refers to the epoch where CDM is already clustered into inhomogeneously distributed discrete structures (galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies). Under these conditions, the mechanical approach is an adequate tool to study the Universe deep inside the cell of uniformity. To be more accurate, we study scalar perturbationsmore » of the Friedmann-Lemaȋtre-Robertson-Walker metric due to inhomogeneities of CDM as well as fluctuations of radiation and mGCG, the later driving the late-time acceleration of the universe. Our analysis applies as well to the case where mGCG plays the role of DM and DE . We select the sets of parameters of the mGCG that are compatible with the mechanical approach. These sets define prospective mGCG models. By comparing the selected sets of models with some of the latest observational data results, we conclude that the mGCG is in tight agreement with those observations particularly for a mGCG playing the role of DE and DM.« less

Participant dropout as a function of survey length in internet-mediated university studies: implications for study design and voluntary participation in psychological research.

PubMed

Hoerger, Michael

2010-12-01

Internet-mediated research has offered substantial advantages over traditional laboratory-based research in terms of efficiently and affordably allowing for the recruitment of large samples of participants for psychology studies. Core technical, ethical, and methodological issues have been addressed in recent years, but the important issue of participant dropout has received surprisingly little attention. Specifically, web-based psychology studies often involve undergraduates completing lengthy and time-consuming batteries of online personality questionnaires, but no known published studies to date have closely examined the natural course of participant dropout during attempted completion of these studies. The present investigation examined participant dropout among 1,963 undergraduates completing one of six web-based survey studies relatively representative of those conducted in university settings. Results indicated that 10% of participants could be expected to drop out of these studies nearly instantaneously, with an additional 2% dropping out per 100 survey items included in the study. For individual project investigators, these findings hold ramifications for study design considerations, such as conducting a priori power analyses. The present results also have broader ethical implications for understanding and improving voluntary participation in research involving human subjects. Nonetheless, the generalizability of these conclusions may be limited to studies involving similar design or survey content.

Feasibility of a blended group treatment (bGT) for major depression: uncontrolled interventional study in a university setting

PubMed Central

Fichtenbauer, Isabelle; Sparr, Verena Maria; Laireiter, Anton-Rupert

2018-01-01

Objective This study investigated the feasibility of a novel blended (face-to-face and computer-based) group intervention for the reduction of depressive symptoms in major depression. Design Patient-centred uncontrolled interventional study. Setting University setting in a general community sample. A multimodal recruitment strategy (public health centres and public areas) was applied. Participants Based on independent interviews, 26 participants, diagnosed with major depressive disorder (81% female; 23% comorbidity >1 and 23% comorbidity >2), entered treatment. Intervention Acceptance and mindfulness based, as well as self-management and resource-oriented psychotherapy principles served as the theoretical basis for the low-threshold intervention. The blended format included face-to-face sessions, complemented with multimedia presentations and a platform featuring videos, online work sheets, an unguided group chat and remote therapist–patient communication. Main outcome measures The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Results Large to very large within group effect sizes were found on self-reported depression (F (2, 46.37)=25.69, p<0.001; d=1.80), general health (F (2,46.73)=11.47, p<0.001; d=1.32), personal resources (F (2,43.36)=21.17, p<0.001; d=0.90) and mindfulness (F (2,46.22)=9.40, p<0.001; d=1.12) after a follow-up period of 3 months. Treatment satisfaction was high, and 69% ranked computer and multimedia use as a therapeutic factor. Furthermore, participants described treatment intensification as important advantage of the blended format. Half of the patients (48%) would have preferred more time for personal exchange. Conclusion The investigated blended group format seems feasible for the reduction of depressive symptoms in major depression. The development of blended interventions can benefit from assuring that highly structured treatments actually meet patients’ needs. As a next step, the intervention should be tested in comparative trials in routine care. Trial registration number DRKS00010894; Pre-results. PMID:29530905

The Art of Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jukola, Paivi

A researcher who does not master the art of speech, who does not know how to write about results in the most outstanding and efficient manner is less likely to be able to persue investors to fund experiments, to receive support from other researchers, and is less likely to be able to publish the results. In many universities it is common to only focus in the particular subject matter. Less emphasis is set on learning to manage innovations, to understand the big picture, to study basics of corporate finance or strategic management, patent rights. Scientific writing and debate, teaching 'tutorials' is one of the keys of education in New England Liberal Arts Colleges, Harvard and MIT, Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, however, tutorials are not commonly used elsewhere. Hands on education -is another key that is similarily often overseen either due to lack of resources or simply due to lack of teaching skills. The discussion is based on past teaching and lectures as visiting professor at Williams College (2008-2009) and Howard University / NASA Marshall Space Center Lunar Base project (2009-2010). The discussion compares also teaching at MIT aero-astro, Aalto University /Helsinki University of Technology-School of Art and Design-School of Economics, Strate College in Paris, and Vienna University of Technology and Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst. u

Is diabetes and hypertension screening worthwhile in resource-limited settings? An economic evaluation based on a pilot of a Package of Essential Non-communicable disease interventions in Bhutan.

PubMed

Dukpa, Wangchuk; Teerawattananon, Yot; Rattanavipapong, Waranya; Srinonprasert, Varalak; Tongsri, Watsamon; Kingkaew, Pritaporn; Yothasamut, Jomkwan; Wangchuk, Dorji; Dorji, Tandin; Wangmo, Kinzang

2015-10-01

In response to a lack of cost-effective data on screening and early treatment of diabetes and hypertension in resource-limited settings, a model-based economic evaluation was performed on the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Package of Essential Non-communicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary health care in Bhutan. Both local and international data were applied in the model in order to derive lifetime costs and outcomes resulting from the early treatment of diabetes and hypertension. The results indicate that the current screening option (where people who are overweight, obese or aged 40 years or older who visit primary care facilities are screened for diabetes and hypertension) represents good value for money compared to 'no screening'. The study findings also indicate that expanding opportunistic screening (70% coverage of the target population) to universal screening (where 100% of the target population are screened), is likely to be even more cost-effective. From the sensitivity analysis, the value of the screening options remains the same when disease prevalence varies. Therefore, applying this model to other healthcare settings is warranted, since disease prevalence is one of the major factors in affecting the cost-effectiveness results of screening programs. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Examining Concurrent Validity and Predictive Utility for the Addiction Severity Index and Texas Christian University (TCU) Short Forms

PubMed Central

PANKOW, JENNIFER; SIMPSON, D. DWAYNE; JOE, GEORGE W.; ROWAN-SZAL, GRACE A.; KNIGHT, KEVIN; MEASON, PAUL

2012-01-01

Treatment providers need tools which are designed to identify risk, treatment needs, and monitor client engagement. These are essential components in substance abuse treatment for offender populations. This study evaluated a flexible set of 1-page modular assessments known as the TCU Short Forms and compared them with the measures of global domains contained in the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). The sample was based on 540 adult males and females in corrections-based substance abuse treatment services located in Arkansas and Missouri. Results suggest the set of TCU forms and ASI both reliably represent core clinical domains, but TCU Short Forms explained more variance in therapeutic engagement criteria measured during treatment. Similarities and differences of the assessment tools are discussed, along with applications PMID:23087588

76 FR 3081 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2012 Economic Census Covering the Retail Trade...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-19

... universe. We estimate that the 2012 Economic Census mail canvasses for the Retail Trade and Accommodation... conduct a study of the potential respondent universe. This study will produce a set of industry-specific... component of the potential respondent universe. We estimate that the 2012 Economic Census mail canvasses for...

Designing a Master's Program in Corporate Communication at an Urban University: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Margaret Jones

To assess how an urban university can take advantage of its setting to design a master's program in corporate communication, a 1987 study of the master's program in corporate communication at Duquesne University of Pittsburgh was conducted. Data were obtained through a survey of 590 local communication professionals, of whom 270 responded (a…

The Management of Chemical Waste in a University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coons, David Michael

This thesis describes a study of the management of chemical waste at the State University of New York at Binghamton. The study revealed that the majority of chemical waste at the university is in the form of hazardous waste. It was hypothesized that the volume, related costs, and potential long-term liability associated with the disposal of…

Assessing Goal Intent and Achievement of University Learning Community Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfeffer-Lachs, Carole F.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the goal intent and achievement of university students, during the Fall 2011 semester, at Blue Wave University, a high research activity public institution in the southeast United States. This study merged theories of motivation to measure goal setting and goal attainment to examine if students who chose to…

Comparison of student learning in the out-patient clinic and ward round.

PubMed

Davis, M H; Dent, J A

1994-05-01

In undergraduate medical education there is a trend away from ward-based teaching towards out-patient and community-based teaching. To study the potential effects of this altered emphasis on student learning, a pilot group of final-year medical students at the University of Dundee was asked to keep individual structured log-books. These contained details of patients seen during their 3-week orthopaedic attachment in both a ward and out-patient setting. A comparison of perceived learning in the two settings showed that students learned more from attending an out-patient clinic than a ward round, but did not make full use of the learning potential of either. The setting did not particularly influence the balance of learning as categorized here but only the ward round supplied experience of surgical complications. The amount of learning taking place in an out-patient clinic was influenced by student ability, measured by examination performance, but not by clinic work-load. The implications of increased use of out-patient clinics and the advantages and disadvantages of the approach employed are discussed. It is concluded that in the situation studied student learning in the outpatient setting is as good as or superior to the ward setting but should not totally replace it.

The GuideLine Interchange Format

PubMed Central

Ohno-Machado, Lucila; Gennari, John H.; Murphy, Shawn N.; Jain, Nilesh L.; Tu, Samson W.; Oliver, Diane E.; Pattison-Gordon, Edward; Greenes, Robert A.; Shortliffe, Edward H.; Barnett, G. Octo

1998-01-01

Objective: To allow exchange of clinical practice guidelines among institutions and computer-based applications. Design: The GuideLine Interchange Format (GLIF) specification consists of the GLIF model and the GLIF syntax. The GLIF model is an object-oriented representation that consists of a set of classes for guideline entities, attributes for those classes, and data types for the attribute values. The GLIF syntax specifies the format of the test file that contains the encoding. Methods: Researchers from the InterMed Collaboratory at Columbia University, Harvard University (Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital), and Stanford University analyzed four existing guideline systems to derive a set of requirements for guideline representation. The GLIF specification is a consensus representation developed through a brainstorming process. Four clinical guidelines were encoded in GLIF to assess its expressivity and to study the variability that occurs when two people from different sites encode the same guideline. Results: The encoders reported that GLIF was adequately expressive. A comparison of the encodings revealed substantial variability. Conclusion: GLIF was sufficient to model the guidelines for the four conditions that were examined. GLIF needs improvement in standard representation of medical concepts, criterion logic, temporal information, and uncertainty. PMID:9670133

Sticking with it: Psychotherapy outcomes for adults with autism spectrum disorder in a university counseling center setting.

PubMed

Anderberg, Emily; Cox, Jonathan C; Neeley Tass, E Shannon; Erekson, David M; Gabrielsen, Terisa P; Warren, Jared S; Cline, Jared; Petersen, Devin; South, Mikle

2017-12-01

Young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience high rates of comorbid mental health concerns in addition to distress arising from the core symptoms of autism. Many adults with ASD seek psychological treatment in outpatient facilities in their communities that are not specifically geared toward individuals with ASD. However, few studies have looked at the effectiveness of standard psychotherapeutic care in adults with ASD. This study aimed to discover how individuals with ASD fare in psychotherapy within a college counseling setting, compared to their neurotypical peers. Clients with ASD (n = 76) or possible ASD (n = 91) were retrospectively identified from counseling center case notes. Data from the Outcome Questionnaire-45 (OQ) were retrieved for each therapy session as a measure of client distress. Clients with ASD showed no difference in level of distress at intake compared to their neurotypical peers (n = 21,546), and improved about the same amount from pre- to post-treatment. However, students with ASD stayed in treatment for significantly more sessions than neurotypical clients, and took significantly longer to achieve maximum improvement on OQ reports. Results are discussed with implications for university and other community based treatment settings. Autism Res 2017, 10: 2048-2055. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This study aimed to discover how individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) fare in psychotherapy within a university counseling setting, compared to their neurotypical peers. Clients with ASD showed no difference in level of distress at intake compared to their neurotypical peers, and improved about the same amount from pre- to post-treatment. However, students with ASD stayed in treatment for significantly more sessions than neurotypical clients, and took significantly longer to achieve maximum improvement on Outcome Questionnaire-45 reports. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A preliminary study of subjective frequency estimates of words spoken in Cantonese.

PubMed

Yip, M C

2001-06-01

A database is presented of the subjective frequency estimates for a set of 30 Chinese homophones. The estimates are based on analysis of responses from a simple listening task by 120 University students. On the listening task, they are asked to mention the first meaning thought of upon hearing a Chinese homophone by writing down the corresponding Chinese characters. There was correlation of .66 between the frequency of spoken and written words, suggesting distributional information about the lexical representations is generally independent of modality. These subjective frequency counts should be useful in the construction of material sets for research on word recognition using spoken Chinese (Cantonese).

Investigation into Undergraduate International Students' Use of Digital Technology and Their Application in Formal and Informal Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strachan, Rebecca; Aljabali, Sanaa

2015-01-01

Digital technologies are being increasingly used in wider society including in educational settings. There are many examples that illustrate how universities embed technology enhanced learning within their educational provision. However there has been less research and evaluation of how these and other readily available technology based resources…

Teaching Mathematics in the PC Lab--The Students' Viewpoints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Karsten; Kohler, Anke

2013-01-01

The Matrix Algebra portion of the intermediate mathematics course at the Schmalkalden University Faculty of Business and Economics has been moved from a traditional classroom setting to a technology-based setting in the PC lab. A Computer Algebra System license was acquired that also allows its use on the students' own PCs. A survey was carried…

Innovation Development--An Action Learning Programme for Medical Scientists and Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beniston, Lee; Ellwood, Paul; Gold, Jeff; Roberts, James; Thorpe, Richard

2014-01-01

There is increasing evidence that action learning is valuable in a higher education setting. This paper goes on to report a personal development programme, based on principles of critical action learning, where the aim is to equip early-career scientists and engineers working in a university setting with the knowledge, skills and confidence to…

Combination of graph heuristics in producing initial solution of curriculum based course timetabling problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Juliana; Hussin, Naimah Mohd

2016-08-01

The construction of population of initial solution is a crucial task in population-based metaheuristic approach for solving curriculum-based university course timetabling problem because it can affect the convergence speed and also the quality of the final solution. This paper presents an exploration on combination of graph heuristics in construction approach in curriculum based course timetabling problem to produce a population of initial solutions. The graph heuristics were set as single and combination of two heuristics. In addition, several ways of assigning courses into room and timeslot are implemented. All settings of heuristics are then tested on the same curriculum based course timetabling problem instances and are compared with each other in terms of number of population produced. The result shows that combination of saturation degree followed by largest degree heuristic produce the highest number of population of initial solutions. The results from this study can be used in the improvement phase of algorithm that uses population of initial solutions.

Factors associated with final year nursing students' desire to work in the primary health care setting: Findings from a national cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Bloomfield, Jacqueline G; Aggar, Christina; Thomas, Tamsin H T; Gordon, Christopher J

2018-02-01

Registered nurses are under-represented in the primary health care setting both internationally and in Australia, and this shortage is predicted to worsen. To address the increasingly complex healthcare needs of an ageing population, it is vital to develop and sustain a primary health care nursing workforce, yet attracting nurses is challenging. In Australia, registered nurses graduating from university typically commence their careers in hospital-based transition to professional practice programs. Similar programs in primary health care settings may be a valuable strategy for developing the primary health care nursing workforce, yet little is known about nursing students desire to work in this setting, factors that influence this, or their expectations of primary health care-focused transition to professional practice programs. This study sought to identify factors associated with final year nursing students' desire to work in primary health care setting including demographic factors, expectations of future employment conditions, and job content. It also explored expectations of graduate transition programs based in primary health care. A cross-sectional survey design comprising a quantitative online survey. 14 Australian universities from all states/territories, both rural and urban. 530 final-year nursing students. Binary logistic regression identifying factors contributing to desire to work in primary health care. The desire of nursing students to work in primary health care is associated with older age, greater perceived value of employment conditions including flexibility, and less perceived importance of workplace support. Collaborative efforts from primary health care nurses, health professionals, academics and policy makers are needed to attract new graduate nurses to primary health care. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case study: the Health SmartLibrary* experiences in web personalization and customization at the Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University

PubMed Central

Shedlock, James; Frisque, Michelle; Hunt, Steve; Walton, Linda; Handler, Jonathan; Gillam, Michael

2010-01-01

Question: How can the user's access to health information, especially full-text articles, be improved? The solution is building and evaluating the Health SmartLibrary (HSL). Setting: The setting is the Galter Health Sciences Library, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. Method: The HSL was built on web-based personalization and customization tools: My E-Resources, Stay Current, Quick Search, and File Cabinet. Personalization and customization data were tracked to show user activity with these value-added, online services. Main Results: Registration data indicated that users were receptive to personalized resource selection and that the automated application of specialty-based, personalized HSLs was more frequently adopted than manual customization by users. Those who did customize customized My E-Resources and Stay Current more often than Quick Search and File Cabinet. Most of those who customized did so only once. Conclusion: Users did not always take advantage of the services designed to aid their library research experiences. When personalization is available at registration, users readily accepted it. Customization tools were used less frequently; however, more research is needed to determine why this was the case. PMID:20428276

Universal Health Coverage and the Right to Health: From Legal Principle to Post-2015 Indicators.

PubMed

Sridhar, Devi; McKee, Martin; Ooms, Gorik; Beiersmann, Claudia; Friedman, Eric; Gouda, Hebe; Hill, Peter; Jahn, Albrecht

2015-01-01

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is widely considered one of the key components for the post-2015 health goal. The idea of UHC is rooted in the right to health, set out in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Based on the Covenant and the General Comment of the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which is responsible for interpreting and monitoring the Covenant, we identify 6 key legal principles that should underpin UHC based on the right to health: minimum core obligation, progressive realization, cost-effectiveness, shared responsibility, participatory decision making, and prioritizing vulnerable or marginalized groups. Yet, although these principles are widely accepted, they are criticized for not being specific enough to operationalize as post-2015 indicators for reaching the target of UHC. In this article, we propose measurable and achievable indicators for UHC based on the right to health that can be used to inform the ongoing negotiations on Sustainable Development Goals. However, we identify 3 major challenges that face any exercise in setting indicators post-2015: data availability as an essential criterion, the universality of targets, and the adaptation of global goals to local populations. © SAGE Publications 2015.

Nutrition screening tools: an analysis of the evidence.

PubMed

Skipper, Annalynn; Ferguson, Maree; Thompson, Kyle; Castellanos, Victoria H; Porcari, Judy

2012-05-01

In response to questions about tools for nutrition screening, an evidence analysis project was developed to identify the most valid and reliable nutrition screening tools for use in acute care and hospital-based ambulatory care settings. An oversight group defined nutrition screening and literature search criteria. A trained analyst conducted structured searches of the literature for studies of nutrition screening tools according to predetermined criteria. Eleven nutrition screening tools designed to detect undernutrition in patients in acute care and hospital-based ambulatory care were identified. Trained analysts evaluated articles for quality using criteria specified by the American Dietetic Association's Evidence Analysis Library. Members of the oversight group assigned quality grades to the tools based on the quality of the supporting evidence, including reliability and validity data. One tool, the NRS-2002, received a grade I, and 4 tools-the Simple Two-Part Tool, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)-received a grade II. The MST was the only tool shown to be both valid and reliable for identifying undernutrition in the settings studied. Thus, validated nutrition screening tools that are simple and easy to use are available for application in acute care and hospital-based ambulatory care settings.

Provocative Encounters Reflecting Struggles with Change: Power and Coercion in a Japanese University Situation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toh, Glenn

2017-01-01

This article examines a case of what Olssen et al. (2004) call "managerial oppression" set in a faculty of international studies of a Japanese university. Japanese universities have, in recent times, been facing the financial pressures of a falling birthrate and dwindling enrolments. To remain solvent, some universities have had to…

Ethics in Community-University-Artist Partnered Research: Tensions, Contradictions and Gaps Identified in an 'Arts for Social Change' Project.

PubMed

Yassi, Annalee; Spiegel, Jennifer Beth; Lockhart, Karen; Fels, Lynn; Boydell, Katherine; Marcuse, Judith

Academics from diverse disciplines are recognizing not only the procedural ethical issues involved in research, but also the complexity of everyday "micro" ethical issues that arise. While ethical guidelines are being developed for research in aboriginal populations and low-and-middle-income countries, multi-partnered research initiatives examining arts-based interventions to promote social change pose a unique set of ethical dilemmas not yet fully explored. Our research team, comprising health, education, and social scientists, critical theorists, artists and community-activists launched a five-year research partnership on arts-for-social change. Funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council in Canada and based in six universities, including over 40 community-based collaborators, and informed by five main field projects (circus with street youth, theatre by people with disabilities, dance for people with Parkinson's disease, participatory theatre with refugees and artsinfused dialogue), we set out to synthesize existing knowledge and lessons we learned. We summarized these learnings into 12 key points for reflection, grouped into three categories: community-university partnership concerns ( n  = 3), dilemmas related to the arts ( n  = 5), and team issues ( n  = 4). In addition to addressing previous concerns outlined in the literature (e.g., related to consent, anonymity, dangerous emotional terrain, etc.), we identified power dynamics (visible and hidden) hindering meaningful participation of community partners and university-based teams that need to be addressed within a reflective critical framework of ethical practice. We present how our team has been addressing these issues, as examples of how such concerns could be approached in community-university partnerships in arts for social change.

Cost effectiveness of universal umbilical cord blood gas and lactate analysis in a tertiary level maternity unit.

PubMed

White, Christopher R H; Doherty, Dorota A; Cannon, Jeffrey W; Kohan, Rolland; Newnham, John P; Pennell, Craig E

2016-07-01

There is an increasing body of literature supporting universal umbilical cord blood gas analysis (UCBGA) into all maternity units. A significant impediment to UCBGA's introduction is the perceived expense of the introduction and associated ongoing costs. Consequently, this study set out to conduct the first cost-effectiveness analysis of introducing universal UCBGA. Analysis was based on 42,100 consecutive deliveries ≥23 weeks of gestation at a single tertiary obstetric unit. Within 4 years of UCBGA's introduction there was a 45% reduction in term special care nursery (SCN) admissions >2499 g. Incurred costs included initial and ongoing costs associated with universal UCBGA. Averted costs were based on local diagnosis-related grouping costs for reduction in term SCN admissions. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and sensitivity analysis results were reported. Under the base-case scenario, the adoption of universal UCBGA was less costly and more effective than selective UCBGA over 4 years and resulted in saving of AU$641,532 while adverting 376 SCN admissions. Sensitivity analysis showed that UCBGA was cost-effective in 51.8%, 83.3%, 99.6% and 100% of simulations in years 1, 2, 3 and 4. These conclusions were not sensitive to wide, clinically possible variations in parameter values for neonatal intensive care unit and SCN admissions, magnitude of averted SCN admissions, cumulative delivery numbers, and SCN admission costs. Universal UCBGA is associated with significant initial and ongoing costs; however, potential averted costs (due to reduced SCN admissions) exceed incurred costs in most scenarios.

Risk management policies and practices regarding radio frequency electromagnetic fields: results from a WHO survey.

PubMed

Dhungel, Amit; Zmirou-Navier, Denis; van Deventer, Emilie

2015-04-01

This study aims to describe current risk management practices and policies across the world in relation to personal exposures from devices emitting radiofrequency fields, environmental exposures from fixed installations and exposures in the work environment. Data from 86 countries representing all WHO regions were collected through a survey. The majority of countries (76.8 %) had set exposure limits for mobile devices, almost all (90.7 %) had set public exposure limits for fixed installations and 76.5 % had specified exposure limits for personnel in occupational settings. A number of other policies had been implemented at the national level, ranging from information provisions on how to reduce personal exposures and restrictions of usage for certain populations, such as children or pregnant women to prevention of access around base stations. This study suggests that countries with higher mobile subscriptions tend to have set radiofrequency exposure limits for mobile devices and to have provisions on exposure measurements about fixed installations. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Coping With Moral Distress in Oncology Practice: Nurse and Physician Strategies.

PubMed

Lievrouw, An; Vanheule, Stijn; Deveugele, Myriam; Vos, Martine; Pattyn, Piet; Belle, Van; Benoit, Dominique D

2016-07-01

To explore variations in coping with moral distress among physicians and nurses in a university hospital oncology setting.
. Qualitative interview study.
. Internal medicine (gastroenterology and medical oncology), gastrointestinal surgery, and day clinic chemotherapy at Ghent University Hospital in Belgium.
. 17 doctors and 18 nurses with varying experience levels, working in three different oncology hospital settings. 
. Patients with cancer were interviewed based on the critical incident technique. Analyses were performed using thematic analysis.
. Moral distress lingered if it was accompanied by emotional distress. Four dominant ways of coping (thoroughness, autonomy, compromise, and intuition) emerged, which could be mapped on two perpendicular continuous axes. Moral distress is a challenging phenomenon in oncology. However, when managed well, it can lead to more introspection and team reflection, resulting in a better interpersonal understanding.
. Team leaders should recognize their own and their team members' preferred method of coping and tailored support should be offered to ease emotional distress.

An Exploratory Study of the Conflict Management Styles of Department Heads in a Research University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley, Christine A.; Algert, Nancy E.

2007-01-01

Conflict in the university setting is an inherent component of academic life. Leaders spend more than 40% of their time managing conflict. Department heads are in a unique position--they encounter conflict from individuals they manage and from others to whom they report such as a senior administrator in the position of dean. There are very few…

Ready, Set, Grow: Illinois Preschool. A Framework for Universal Access to Quality Preschool in Illinois.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallen, Margie

The Illinois Governor's Task Force on Universal Access to Preschool is part of a broad-based effort to increase the quality of life for all children in Illinois. This report presents the action plan developed by this task force and calls for the creation of Illinois Preschool, a program giving all Illinois families quality preschool options for 3-…

Ongoing university studies and the risk of suicide: a register-based nationwide cohort study of 5 million young and middle-aged individuals in Sweden, 1993–2011

PubMed Central

Lageborn, Christine Takami; Vaez, Marjan; Dahlin, Marie

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate the risk of suicide, unnatural death and all-cause death in university students compared with non-students, taking previous educational attainment into account. Design Open cohort study of all residents aged 18–39 and living in Sweden at any time between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2011. Setting We linked data from national registers and calculated person-years during university studies for three time periods (1993–1999, 2000–2005 and 2006–2011). Time as non-student was calculated and categorised according to attained educational level. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% CIs were calculated with Poisson regression models, controlling for age and period. Participants The cohort consisted of 5 039 419 individuals, 51% men and 49% women. Main outcome measures Incidence of suicide (International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9: E950–E959, ICD-10: X60–X84) or death with undetermined intent (ICD-9: E980-E989, ICD-10: Y10-Y34), unnatural death (ICD-9: E800-E999 and ICD-10: V01-Y99) and all-cause death. Results A total of 7316 deaths due to suicide were identified, of which 541 were registered among university students. The risk of suicide was twofold during ongoing university studies compared with when having attained university education, IRR 2.37 (95% CI 2.07 to 2.72) in men and IRR 2.15 (95% CI 1.77 to 2.61) in women. Conclusions Having ongoing university studies was associated with a higher risk of suicide compared with having attained university-level education. This finding highlights the importance of achieving a deeper understanding of suicidal behaviour during years at university. Further studies should assess risk factors for suicide and suicidal behaviour in university students. PMID:28363927

Building capacity in implementation science research training at the University of Nairobi.

PubMed

Osanjo, George O; Oyugi, Julius O; Kibwage, Isaac O; Mwanda, Walter O; Ngugi, Elizabeth N; Otieno, Fredrick C; Ndege, Wycliffe; Child, Mara; Farquhar, Carey; Penner, Jeremy; Talib, Zohray; Kiarie, James N

2016-03-08

Health care systems in sub-Saharan Africa, and globally, grapple with the problem of closing the gap between evidence-based health interventions and actual practice in health service settings. It is essential for health care systems, especially in low-resource settings, to increase capacity to implement evidence-based practices, by training professionals in implementation science. With support from the Medical Education Partnership Initiative, the University of Nairobi has developed a training program to build local capacity for implementation science. This paper describes how the University of Nairobi leveraged resources from the Medical Education Partnership to develop an institutional program that provides training and mentoring in implementation science, builds relationships between researchers and implementers, and identifies local research priorities for implementation science. The curriculum content includes core material in implementation science theory, methods, and experiences. The program adopts a team mentoring and supervision approach, in which fellows are matched with mentors at the University of Nairobi and partnering institutions: University of Washington, Seattle, and University of Maryland, Baltimore. A survey of program participants showed a high degree satisfaction with most aspects of the program, including the content, duration, and attachment sites. A key strength of the fellowship program is the partnership approach, which leverages innovative use of information technology to offer diverse perspectives, and a team model for mentorship and supervision. As health care systems and training institutions seek new approaches to increase capacity in implementation science, the University of Nairobi Implementation Science Fellowship program can be a model for health educators and administrators who wish to develop their program and curricula.

A Polar Specific 20-year Data Set of Cloud Fraction and Height Derived from Satellite Radiances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francis, Jennifer; Schweiger, Axel

2004-01-01

This is a final report to fulfill reporting requirements on NASA grant NASA NAG5-11800. Jennifer Francis, PI at Rutgers University is currently continuing work on this project under a no-cost extension. Work at the University of Washington portion of the project is completed and reported here. Major accomplishments and results from this portion of the project include: 1) Extension and reprocessing of TOVS Polar Pathfinder (Path-P) data set; 2) Analysis of Arctic cloud variability; 3) Validation of Southern Hemisphere ocean cloud retrievals; 4) Intercompared cloud height information from AVHRR retrievals and surface-based cloud radar information.

An Iterative Needs Assessment/Evaluation Model for a Japanese University English-Language Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Kathleen A.

2009-01-01

The focus of this study is the development and implementation of the Iterative Needs Assessment/Evaluation Model for use as part of an English curriculum reform project at a four-year university in Japan. Three questions were addressed in this study: (a) what model components were necessary for use in a Japanese university setting; (b) what survey…

Gambling and its clinical correlates in university students.

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Lust, Katherine; Christenson, Gary A; Redden, Sarah A; Chamberlain, Samuel R

2018-02-09

This study sought to examine the prevalence of gambling disorder (GD) in a university sample and its associated physical and mental health correlates. A 156-item anonymous online survey was distributed via random email generation to a sample of 9449 university students. Current use of alcohol and drugs, psychological and physical status and academic performance were assessed, along with questionnaire-based measures of impulsivity and compulsivity. Positive screens for GD were based upon individuals meeting DSM-5 criteria. A total of 3421 participants (59.7% female) were included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of GD was 0.4%, while an additional 8.4% reported subsyndromal symptoms of GD. GD was significantly associated with past-year use of cocaine, heroin/opiate pain medications, sedatives, alcohol and tobacco. Those with GD were more likely to have generalized anxiety, PTSD and compulsive sexual behavior. Questionnaire-based measures revealed higher levels of both compulsivity and impulsivity associated with disordered gambling. Some level of gambling symptomatology is common in young adults and is associated with alcohol and drug use, as well as impulsive and compulsive behaviors. Clinicians should be aware of the presentation of problematic gambling and screen for it in primary care and mental health settings.

Organization-based incident management: developing a disaster volunteer role on a university campus.

PubMed

Fulmer, Terry; Portelli, Ian; Foltin, George L; Zimmerman, Rae; Chachkes, Esther; Goldfrank, Lewis R

2007-01-01

Catastrophic events are an ongoing part of life, affecting society both locally and globally. Recruitment, development, and retention of volunteers who offer their knowledge and skills in the event of a disaster are essential to ensuring a functional workforce during catastrophes. These opportunities also address the inherent need for individuals to feel necessary and useful in times of crisis. Universities are a particularly important setting for voluntary action, given that they are based in communities and have access to resources and capabilities to bring to bear on an emergency situation. The purpose of the study was to discern how one large private organization might participate and respond in the case of a large scale disaster. Using a 2-phase random sample survey, 337 unique respondents (5.7%) out of a sample of 6000 replied to the survey. These data indicate that volunteers in a private organization are willing to assist in disasters and have skills that can be useful in disaster mitigation. Much is to be learned related to the deployment of volunteers during disaster. These findings suggest that volunteers can and will help and that disaster preparedness drills are a logical next step for university-based volunteers.

Mind the gaps: what's missing from current economic evaluations of universal HPV vaccination?

PubMed

Marsh, Kevin; Chapman, Ruth; Baggaley, Rebecca F; Largeron, Nathalie; Bresse, Xavier

2014-06-24

Since the original licensing of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination for women, evidence is accumulating of its effectiveness in preventing HPV-related conditions in men, and universal vaccination (vaccinating men and women) is now recommended in some countries. Several models of the cost-effectiveness of universal HPV vaccination have been published, but results have been mixed. This article assesses the extent to which economic studies have captured the range of values associated with universal HPV vaccination, and how this influences estimates of its cost-effectiveness. Eight published economic evaluations of universal HPV vaccination were reviewed to identify which of the values associated with universal HPV vaccination were included in each analysis. Studies of the cost-effectiveness of universal HPV vaccination capture only a fraction of the values generated. Most studies focused on impacts on health and health system cost, and only captured these partially. A range of values is excluded from most studies, including impacts on productivity, patient time and costs, carers and family costs, and broader social values such as the right to access treatment. Further, those studies that attempted to capture these values only did so partially. Decisions to invest in universal HPV vaccination need to be based on a complete assessment of the value that it generates. This is not provided by existing economic evaluations. Further work is required to understand this value. First, research is required to understand how HPV-related health outcomes impact on society including, for instance, their impact on productivity. Second, consideration should be given to alternative approaches to capture this broader set of values in a manner useful to decisions-makers, such as multi-criteria decision analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association rules search of Indonesian university graduate’s data using FP-growth algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faza, S.; Rahmat, R. F.; Nababan, E. B.; Arisandi, D.; Effendi, S.

2018-02-01

The attribute varieties in university graduates data have caused frustrations to the institution in finding the combinations of attributes that often emerge and have high integration between attributes. Association rules mining is a data mining technique to determine the integration of the data or the way of a data set affects another set of data. By way of explanation, there are possibilities in finding the integration of data on a large scale. Frequent Pattern-Growth (FP-Growth) algorithm is one of the association rules mining technique to determine a frequent itemset in an FP-Tree data set. From the research on the search of university graduate’s association rules, it can be concluded that the most common attributes that have high integration between them are in the combination of State-owned High School outside Medan, regular university entrance exam, GPA of 3.00 to 3.49 and over 4-year-long study duration.

Entomological Monitoring and Evaluation: Diverse Transmission Settings of ICEMR Projects Will Require Local and Regional Malaria Elimination Strategies

PubMed Central

Conn, Jan E.; Norris, Douglas E.; Donnelly, Martin J.; Beebe, Nigel W.; Burkot, Thomas R.; Coulibaly, Mamadou B.; Chery, Laura; Eapen, Alex; Keven, John B.; Kilama, Maxwell; Kumar, Ashwani; Lindsay, Steve W.; Moreno, Marta; Quinones, Martha; Reimer, Lisa J.; Russell, Tanya L.; Smith, David L.; Thomas, Matthew B.; Walker, Edward D.; Wilson, Mark L.; Yan, Guiyun

2015-01-01

The unprecedented global efforts for malaria elimination in the past decade have resulted in altered vectorial systems, vector behaviors, and bionomics. These changes combined with increasingly evident heterogeneities in malaria transmission require innovative vector control strategies in addition to the established practices of long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying. Integrated vector management will require focal and tailored vector control to achieve malaria elimination. This switch of emphasis from universal coverage to universal coverage plus additional interventions will be reliant on improved entomological monitoring and evaluation. In 2010, the National Institutes for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) established a network of malaria research centers termed ICEMRs (International Centers for Excellence in Malaria Research) expressly to develop this evidence base in diverse malaria endemic settings. In this article, we contrast the differing ecology and transmission settings across the ICEMR study locations. In South America, Africa, and Asia, vector biologists are already dealing with many of the issues of pushing to elimination such as highly focal transmission, proportionate increase in the importance of outdoor and crepuscular biting, vector species complexity, and “sub patent” vector transmission. PMID:26259942

Entomological Monitoring and Evaluation: Diverse Transmission Settings of ICEMR Projects Will Require Local and Regional Malaria Elimination Strategies.

PubMed

Conn, Jan E; Norris, Douglas E; Donnelly, Martin J; Beebe, Nigel W; Burkot, Thomas R; Coulibaly, Mamadou B; Chery, Laura; Eapen, Alex; Keven, John B; Kilama, Maxwell; Kumar, Ashwani; Lindsay, Steve W; Moreno, Marta; Quinones, Martha; Reimer, Lisa J; Russell, Tanya L; Smith, David L; Thomas, Matthew B; Walker, Edward D; Wilson, Mark L; Yan, Guiyun

2015-09-01

The unprecedented global efforts for malaria elimination in the past decade have resulted in altered vectorial systems, vector behaviors, and bionomics. These changes combined with increasingly evident heterogeneities in malaria transmission require innovative vector control strategies in addition to the established practices of long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying. Integrated vector management will require focal and tailored vector control to achieve malaria elimination. This switch of emphasis from universal coverage to universal coverage plus additional interventions will be reliant on improved entomological monitoring and evaluation. In 2010, the National Institutes for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) established a network of malaria research centers termed ICEMRs (International Centers for Excellence in Malaria Research) expressly to develop this evidence base in diverse malaria endemic settings. In this article, we contrast the differing ecology and transmission settings across the ICEMR study locations. In South America, Africa, and Asia, vector biologists are already dealing with many of the issues of pushing to elimination such as highly focal transmission, proportionate increase in the importance of outdoor and crepuscular biting, vector species complexity, and "sub patent" vector transmission. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Vaccination program in a resource-limited setting: A case study in the Philippines.

PubMed

Chootipongchaivat, Sarocha; Chantarastapornchit, Varit; Kulpeng, Wantanee; Ceria, Joyce Anne; Tolentino, Niña Isabelle; Teerawattananon, Yot

2016-09-14

Implementing national-level vaccination programs involves long-term investment, which can be a significant financial burden, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although many studies have assessed the economic impacts of providing vaccinations, evidence on the positive and negative implications of human resources for health (HRH) is still lacking. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the HRH impact of introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) using a model-based economic evaluation. This study adapted a Markov model from a prior study that was conducted in the Philippines for assessing the cost-effectiveness of 10-valent and 13-valent PCV compared to no vaccination. The Markov model was used for estimating the number of cases of pneumococcal-related diseases, categorized by policy options. HRH-related parameters were obtained from document reviews and interviews using the quantity, task, and productivity model (QTP model). The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) of general practitioners, nurses, and midwives increases significantly if the universal vaccine coverage policy is implemented. A universal coverage of PCV13 - which is considered to be the best value for money compared to other vaccination strategies - requires an additional 380 FTEs for general practitioners, 602 FTEs for nurses, and 205 FTEs for midwives; it can reduce the number of FTEs for medical social workers, paediatricians, infectious disease specialists, neurologists, anaesthesiologists, radiologists, ultrasonologists, medical technologists, radiologic technologists, and pharmacists by 7, 17.9, 9.7, 0.4, 0.1, 0.7, 0.1, 12.3, 2, and 9.7, respectively, when compared to the no vaccination policy. This is the first attempt to estimate the impact of HRH alongside a model-based economic evaluation study, which can be eventually applied to other vaccine studies, especially those which inform resource allocation in developing settings where not only financial resources but also HRH are constrained. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Relationships between college settings and student alcohol use before, during and after events: a multi-level study.

PubMed

Paschall, Mallie J; Saltz, Robert F

2007-11-01

We examined how alcohol risk is distributed based on college students' drinking before, during and after they go to certain settings. Students attending 14 California public universities (N=10,152) completed a web-based or mailed survey in the fall 2003 semester, which included questions about how many drinks they consumed before, during and after the last time they went to six settings/events: fraternity or sorority party, residence hall party, campus event (e.g. football game), off-campus party, bar/restaurant and outdoor setting (referent). Multi-level analyses were conducted in hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine relationships between type of setting and level of alcohol use before, during and after going to the setting, and possible age and gender differences in these relationships. Drinking episodes (N=24,207) were level 1 units, students were level 2 units and colleges were level 3 units. The highest drinking levels were observed during all settings/events except campus events, with the highest number of drinks being consumed at off-campus parties, followed by residence hall and fraternity/sorority parties. The number of drinks consumed before a fraternity/sorority party was higher than other settings/events. Age group and gender differences in relationships between type of setting/event and 'before,''during' and 'after' drinking levels also were observed. For example, going to a bar/restaurant (relative to an outdoor setting) was positively associated with 'during' drinks among students of legal drinking age while no relationship was observed for underage students. Findings of this study indicate differences in the extent to which college settings are associated with student drinking levels before, during and after related events, and may have implications for intervention strategies targeting different types of settings.

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry †

PubMed Central

Luginbuhl, Sarah C.; Hamilton, Paul T.

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students’ professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting. PMID:24358386

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry.

PubMed

Luginbuhl, Sarah C; Hamilton, Paul T

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students' professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting.

Determinants of completion of advance directives: a cross-sectional comparison of 649 outpatients from private practices versus 2158 outpatients from a university clinic

PubMed Central

Pfirstinger, Jochen; Bleyer, Bernhard; Blum, Christian; Rechenmacher, Michael; Wiese, Christoph H; Gruber, Hans

2017-01-01

Objectives To compare outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic regarding the determinants of completion of advance directives (AD) in order to generalise results of studies from one setting to the other. Five determinants of completion of AD were studied: familiarity with AD, source of information about AD, prior experiences with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care and motives in favour and against completion of AD. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting Private practices and a university clinic in Germany in 2012. Participants 649 outpatients from private practices and 2158 outpatients from 10 departments of a university clinic. Outcome measures Completion of AD, familiarity with AD, sources of information about AD (consultation), prior experiences (with own life-threatening disease and family members in need of care), motives in favour of or against completion of AD, sociodemographic data. Results Determinants of completion of AD did not differ between outpatients from private practices versus university clinic outpatients. Prior experience with severe disease led to a significantly higher rate of completion of AD (33%/36% with vs 24%/24% without prior experience). Participants with completion of AD had more often received legal than medical consultation before completion, but participants without completion of AD are rather aiming for medical consultation. The motives in favour of or against completion of AD indicated inconsistent patterns. Conclusions Determinants of completion of AD are comparable in outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic. Generalisations from university clinic samples towards a broader context thus seem to be legitimate. Only one-third of patients with prior experience with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care had completed an AD as expression of their autonomous volition. The participants’ motives for or against completion of AD indicate that ADs are considered a kind of ‘negative autonomy’ as instruments to prevent particular forms of therapy. Interactive, repeated and situation-based AD discussions might reach a higher percentage of patients and concurrently enable personal volitions and thereby strengthen individual ‘positive autonomy’. PMID:29273648

REBOUND: A Media-Based Life Skills and Risk Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kröninger-Jungaberle, Henrik; Nagy, Ede; von Heyden, Maximilian; DuBois, Fletcher

2015-01-01

Background: REBOUND is a novel media-based life skills and risk education programme developed for 14- to 25-year olds in school, university or youth group settings. This paper outlines the programme's rationale, curriculum and implementation. It provides information of relevance to researchers, programme developers and policymakers. Methods/design…

Syllabus Design and Construction in Criminal Justice Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culbertson, Robert G.; Carr, Adam F.

Undergraduate course syllabi on law enforcement, courts-law, corrections, and general criminal justice-criminology were assessed, based on 759 usable submissions from 193 junior, community, and senior colleges and universities. Based on the analysis, a set of syllabi to represent the core of a criminal justice curriculum was constructed. Course…

Neonatal Information System Using an Interactive Microcomputer Data Base Management Program

PubMed Central

Engelke, Stephen C.; Paulette, Ed W.; Kopelman, Arthur E.

1981-01-01

A low cost, interactive microcomputer data base management system is presented which is being used in a neonatal follow-up program at the East Carolina University School of Medicine. The features and flexibility of the system could be applied to a variety of medical care settings.

Setting Evidence-Based Language Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goertler, Senta; Kraemer, Angelika; Schenker, Theresa

2016-01-01

The purpose of this project was to identify target language benchmarks for the German program at Michigan State University (MSU) based on national and international guidelines and previous research, to assess language skills across course levels and class sections in the entire German program, and to adjust the language benchmarks as needed based…

Discovering Student Web Usage Profiles Using Markov Chains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marques, Alice; Belo, Orlando

2011-01-01

Nowadays, Web based platforms are quite common in any university, supporting a very diversified set of applications and services. Ranging from personal management to student evaluation processes, Web based platforms are doing a great job providing a very flexible way of working, promote student enrolment, and making access to academic information…

Inference and the Introductory Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfannkuch, Maxine; Regan, Matt; Wild, Chris; Budgett, Stephanie; Forbes, Sharleen; Harraway, John; Parsonage, Ross

2011-01-01

This article sets out some of the rationale and arguments for making major changes to the teaching and learning of statistical inference in introductory courses at our universities by changing from a norm-based, mathematical approach to more conceptually accessible computer-based approaches. The core problem of the inferential argument with its…

Clinical learning environment at Shiraz Medical School.

PubMed

Rezaee, Rita; Ebrahimi, Sedigheh

2013-01-01

Clinical learning occurs in the context of a dynamic environment. Learning environment found to be one of the most important factors in determining the success of an effective teaching program. To investigate, from the attending and resident's perspective, factors that may affect student leaning in the educational hospital setting at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). This study combined qualitative and quantitative methods to determine factors affecting effective learning in clinical setting. Residents evaluated the perceived effectiveness of the university hospital learning environment. Fifty two faculty members and 132 residents participated in this study. Key determinants that contribute to an effective clinical teaching were autonomy, supervision, social support, workload, role clarity, learning opportunity, work diversity and physical facilities. In a good clinical setting, residents should be appreciated and given appropriate opportunities to study in order to meet their objectives. They require a supportive environment to consolidate their knowledge, skills and judgment. © 2013 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

E-Learning of Andalusian University's Lecturers. Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tena, Rosalía Romero; Almenara, Julio Cabero; Osuna, Julio Barroso

2016-01-01

This study forms part of the research project: "Use of eLearning in Andalusian Universities: current status and analysis of good practice". Our research focuses on two fundamental areas: firstly, the Virtual Andalusian Campus (VAC) as defined in the Digital University project set up by the Andalusia's Regional Administration, and…

Planning a Safe Environment: Occupational Safety in a University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drost, Donald A.

1988-01-01

A study of occupational safety issues at a state university with data collected from forms filed with the state's Department of Worker's Compensation Industrial Commission is discussed. University occupations that appear to be more susceptible to injury and the causes of these injuries are identified. (MLW)

The Impact of University Religious Affiliation on Presidential Leadership Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savior, Richard David

2014-01-01

Colleges and universities in the United States face a set of significant and progressive challenges requiring exemplary senior leadership. The purpose of this study was to measure and analyze the senior leadership practices at private/secular and private/religious affiliated colleges and universities to identify differences in leadership practices…

Mathemagenic Activities Program: [Reports from a Conference on New Perspectives in Developmental Assessment (1st, Athens, Georgia, November 15, 1972)].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smock, Charles D., Ed.; And Others

This set of four research reports is a product of the Mathemagenic Activities Program (MAP) for early childhood education of the University of Georgia Follow Through Program. Based on Piagetian theory, the MAP provides sequentially structured sets of curriculum materials and processes that are designed to continually challenge children in…

Adjunct Faculty: Perception of Leadership Styles, Leadership Outcomes, and Organizational Commitment in Online and Faith-Based Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope Zinsser, Kam Lara

2017-01-01

Research indicates that adjunct faculty continues to grow in the higher education setting. Overall, universities continue to hire adjunct faculty to facilitate online courses and as a cost saving measure. While institutions continue to rely on adjunct faculty, a disconnection exists between the adjunct and the higher education administrators. This…

Systematic Review of Universal Resilience-Focused Interventions Targeting Child and Adolescent Mental Health in the School Setting.

PubMed

Dray, Julia; Bowman, Jenny; Campbell, Elizabeth; Freund, Megan; Wolfenden, Luke; Hodder, Rebecca K; McElwaine, Kathleen; Tremain, Danika; Bartlem, Kate; Bailey, Jacqueline; Small, Tameka; Palazzi, Kerrin; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Wiggers, John

2017-10-01

To examine the effect of universal, school-based, resilience-focused interventions on mental health problems in children and adolescents. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of universal, school-based interventions that included strategies to strengthen a minimum of 3 internal resilience protective factors, and included an outcome measure of mental health problems in children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years. Six databases were searched from 1995 to 2015. Results were pooled in meta-analyses by mental health outcome (anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct problems, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and general psychological distress), for all trials (5-18 years). Subgroup analyses were conducted by age (child: 5-10 years; adolescent: 11-18 years), length of follow-up (short: post-≤12 months; long: >12 months), and gender (narrative). A total of 57 included trials were identified from 5,984 records, with 49 contributing to meta-analyses. For all trials, resilience-focused interventions were effective relative to a control in reducing 4 of 7 outcomes: depressive symptoms, internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and general psychological distress. For child trials (meta-analyses for 6 outcomes), interventions were effective for anxiety symptoms and general psychological distress. For adolescent trials (meta-analyses for 5 outcomes), interventions were effective for internalizing problems. For short-term follow-up, interventions were effective for 2 of 7 outcomes: depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. For long-term follow-up (meta-analyses for 5 outcomes), interventions were effective for internalizing problems. The findings may suggest most promise for using universal resilience-focused interventions at least for short-term reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms for children and adolescents, particularly if a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based approach is used. The limited number of trials providing data amenable for meta-analysis for some outcomes and subgroups, the variability of interventions, study quality, and bias mean that it is not possible to draw more specific conclusions. Identifying what intervention qualities (such as number and type of protective factor) achieve the greatest positive effect per mental health problem outcome remains an important area for future research. Systematic Review of Universal Resilience Interventions Targeting Child and Adolescent Mental Health in the School Setting; http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13643-015-0172-6; PROSPERO CRD42015025908. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Managerialism on the Strategy Work of University Middle Managers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Annemarie; Jansen van Rensburg, Mari; Venter, Peet

2016-01-01

In an attempt to understand the effects of managerialism on university managers in a developing country, we set out to gather rich data on the strategy work of middle managers through a single case study at a South African university. Managerialism has the potential to solve inefficiencies in university systems and processes, as it could help to…

Mothers' and fathers' attendance in a community-based universally offered parenting program in Sweden.

PubMed

Wells, Michael B; Sarkadi, Anna; Salari, Raziye

2016-05-01

Using a public health perspective, this study examined the characteristics of mothers and fathers who attended, compared to those who did not attend, a community-based practitioner-led universally offered parenting program. Mothers (141) and fathers (96) of 4- to 5-year-olds completed a set of questionnaires, including their demographic characteristics, their child's behavioral and emotional problems, and their own parenting behavior. They were all then given the opportunity to attend level 2 of the Triple P--Positive Parenting Program. During the first six months of the study, 33 mothers and 11 fathers opted to attend the program. The relation between program attendance and parental characteristics was similar for mothers and fathers. In general, fathers, non-native and lower educated parents were less likely to attend the program. Mothers, but not fathers, were more likely to attend if they reported more child behavior problems, while fathers, but not mothers, were observed at a trend level to attend if they perceived their child as having more emotional problems. In addition, parents in general were more likely to attend if they used more harsh parenting strategies. Although the universal offer did not reach parents universally, generally those parents who needed it were more likely to attend. Furthermore, this study shows that different factors may impact mothers' and fathers' attendance; therefore, parental data should be analyzed separately and different recruitment strategies should be used for mothers and fathers. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Integration of Problem-Based Learning and Web-Based Multimedia to Enhance Soil Management Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strivelli, R.; Krzic, M.; Crowley, C.; Dyanatkar, S.; Bomke, A.; Simard, S.; Grand, S.

2012-04-01

In an attempt to address declining enrolment in soil science programs and the changing learning needs of 21st century students, several universities in North America and around the world have re-organized their soil science curriculum and adopted innovative educational approaches and web-based teaching resources. At the University of British Columbia, Canada, an interdisciplinary team set out to integrate teaching approaches to address this trend. The objective of this project was to develop an interactive web-based teaching resource, which combined a face-to-face problem-based learning (PBL) case study with multimedia to illustrate the impacts of three land-uses on soil transformation and quality. The Land Use Impacts (LUI) tool (http://soilweb.landfood.ubc.ca/luitool/) was a collaborative and concentrated effort to maximize the advantages of two educational approaches: (1) the web's interactivity, flexibility, adaptability and accessibility, and (2) PBL's ability to foster an authentic learning environment, encourage group work and promote the application of core concepts. The design of the LUI case study was guided by Herrington's development principles for web-based authentic learning. The LUI tool presented students with rich multimedia (streaming videos, text, data, photographs, maps, and weblinks) and real world tasks (site assessment and soil analysis) to encourage students to utilize knowledge of soil science in collaborative problem-solving. Preliminary student feedback indicated that the LUI tool effectively conveyed case study objectives and was appealing to students. The resource is intended primarily for students enrolled in an upper level undergraduate/graduate university course titled Sustainable Soil Management but it is flexible enough to be adapted to other natural resource courses. Project planning and an interactive overview of the tool will be given during the presentation.

[Professional burnout among university and high school teachers--comparative study].

PubMed

Swietochowski, Waldemar

2011-01-01

Professional burnout is a set of negative emotional and behavioral symptoms, observed in workers of widely understood human service occupations, including teachers. In spite of the considerable number of studies of burnout in teachers, a few of them concern university teachers. The aim of the article was to estimate the degree of burning threat in this professional group and to analyze individual determinants and dynamics of burning out in academic teachers. Gender, age, personality traits and temperament traits were given the status of main factors in the study. The role of the perceived social support was also analyzed. 97 academic workers of three state universities (University, Medical University and Technical University) in Łódź took part in the study; 100 teachers of high schools formed a comparative group. MBI General Survey was applied to measure dependent variables (burnout and its three components: Emotional Exhaustion, Cinicism and Professional Efficacy). The level of factors was measured with standard psychological tests: NEO-FFI and FCZ-KT. The Scale of Perceived Social Support was also applied. The results show considerably lower threat of the burning out syndrome in university than in high school teachers. Among individual factors only two temperament traits (emotional reactivity and perseveration) and one personality trait (extroversion) seem to be important determinants of professional burnout. The perceived social support does not prevent the progress of burnout syndrome. Based on the obtained results several practical conclusions were formulated. They refer mainly to preventive training for beginners in teaching and changes in the organization of academic teachers' work.

A Collaborative Team Teaching Model for a MSW Capstone Course.

PubMed

Moore, Rebecca M; Darby, Kathleen H; Blake, Michelle E

2016-01-01

This exploratory study was embedded in a formative process for the purposes of improving content delivery to an evidence-based practice class, and improving students' performance on a comprehensive exam. A learning and teaching model was utilized by faculty from a three-university collaborative graduate social work program to examine the extent to which course texts and assignments explicitly supported the process, application, and evaluation of evidence-based practices. The model was grounded in a collaborative culture, allowing each faculty to share their collective skills and knowledge across a range of practice settings as they revised the course curriculum. As a result, faculty found they had created a unique community that allowed a wider context for learning and professional development that translated into the classroom. Students enrolled in the revised course across all three universities showed improvement on the comprehensive exam. When faculty themselves invest in collaborative learning and teaching, students benefit.

Priority-setting and hospital strategic planning: a qualitative case study.

PubMed

Martin, Douglas; Shulman, Ken; Santiago-Sorrell, Patricia; Singer, Peter

2003-10-01

To describe and evaluate the priority-setting element of a hospital's strategic planning process. Qualitative case study and evaluation against the conditions of 'accountability for reasonableness' of a strategic planning process at a large urban university-affiliated hospital. The hospital's strategic planning process met the conditions of 'accountability for reasonableness' in large part. Specifically: the hospital based its decisions on reasons (both information and criteria) that the participants felt were relevant to the hospital; the number and type of participants were very extensive; the process, decisions and reasons were well communicated throughout the organization, using multiple communication vehicles; and the process included an ethical framework linked to an effort to evaluate and improve the process. However, there were opportunities to improve the process, particularly by giving participants more time to absorb the information relevant to priority-setting decisions, more time to take difficult decisions and some means to appeal or revise decisions. A case study linked to an evaluation using 'accountability for reasonableness' can serve to improve priority-setting in the context of hospital strategic planning.

Performance deficits following failure: learned helplessness or self-esteem protection?

PubMed

Witkowski, T; Stiensmeier-Pelster, J

1998-03-01

We report two laboratory experiments which compare two competing explanations of performance deficits following failure: one based on Seligman's learned helplessness theory (LHT), and the other, on self-esteem protection theory (SEPT). In both studies, participants (Study 1: N = 40 pupils from secondary schools in Walbrzych, Poland; Study 2: N = 45 students from the University of Bielefeld, Germany) were confronted with either success or failure in a first phase of the experiment. Then, in the second phase of the experiment the participants had to work on a set of mathematical problems (Study 1) or a set of tasks taken from Raven's Progressive Matrices (Study 2) either privately or in public. In both studies failure in the first phase causes performance deficits in the second phase only if the participants had to solve the test tasks in public. These results were interpreted in line with SEPT and as incompatible with LHT.

Students Setting out to Alleviate "Poverty of Spirit" in Rural China Found Themselves Transformed: Self-Organized Volunteerism among University Students for Rural Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geng, Diane

2008-01-01

Most university students in China have their sights firmly set on future job and study opportunities in urban cities and abroad. However, a network of student volunteers felt compelled to join the cause of rural development and villager empowerment, reminiscent of efforts promoted forty years ago by Chairman Mao who sent "educated youth"…

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

Essman, Eric P.; Aganagic, Mina; Okuda, Takuya

We study quantum entanglements of baby universes which appear in non-perturbative corrections to the OSV formula for the entropy of extremal black holes in type IIA string theory compactified on the local Calabi-Yau manifold defined as a rank 2 vector bundle over an arbitrary genus G Riemann surface. This generalizes the result for G=1 in hep-th/0504221. Non-perturbative terms can be organized into a sum over contributions from baby universes, and the total wave-function is their coherent superposition in the third quantized Hilbert space. We find that half of the universes preserve one set of supercharges while the other half preservemore » a different set, making the total universe stable but non-BPS. The parent universe generates baby universes by brane/anti-brane pair creation, and baby universes are correlated by conservation of non-normalizable D-brane charges under the process. There are no other source of entanglement of baby universes, and all possible states are superposed with the equal weight.« less

UpSetR: an R package for the visualization of intersecting sets and their properties.

PubMed

Conway, Jake R; Lex, Alexander; Gehlenborg, Nils

2017-09-15

Venn and Euler diagrams are a popular yet inadequate solution for quantitative visualization of set intersections. A scalable alternative to Venn and Euler diagrams for visualizing intersecting sets and their properties is needed. We developed UpSetR, an open source R package that employs a scalable matrix-based visualization to show intersections of sets, their size, and other properties. UpSetR is available at https://github.com/hms-dbmi/UpSetR/ and released under the MIT License. A Shiny app is available at https://gehlenborglab.shinyapps.io/upsetr/ . nils@hms.harvard.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Effect of Dispositional Traits on Pharmacy Students’ Attitude Toward Cheating

PubMed Central

Saulsbury, Marilyn D.; Brown,, Ulysses J.; Heyliger, Simone O.

2011-01-01

Objective To explore the relation between dispositional traits and pharmacy students’ attitudes toward cheating in a university setting. Methods A questionnaire was administered primarily to pharmacy students at a comprehensive university in the southeastern United States to assess self-esteem, self-efficacy, idealism, relativism, student attitudes toward cheating, tolerance for peer cheating, detachment from the university, Machiavellian behavior, and demographic information. Results Gender, degree of idealism, relativism, and Machiavellian traits were found to influence student attitudes toward cheating, while age, grade-point average (GPA), race, income, and marital status did not. Conclusions Considered collectively, these data support the study model prediction that the major determinants of student attitudes toward cheating are based on the degree of idealism and relativism evident in the students’ dispositional trait. Idealism was found to be inversely related to the likelihood of a student engaging in cheating or tolerating peer cheating. PMID:21769145

Understanding student complaints in the service learning pedagogy.

PubMed

Rosing, Howard; Reed, Susan; Ferrari, Joseph R; Bothne, Nancy J

2010-12-01

This study draws upon student evaluations across 3 years of service learning (SL) courses at a large, urban, faith-based university identifying issues of greatest concern to students. Analysis of qualitative responses revealed perspectives on the limits, pitfalls, and barriers to successful SL student work in the community replicated over the 3 year timeframe. Over 2,200 written responses were coded and tested for reliability for each of 3 years. The top three comments SL students were most likely to express included: (1) concern about their placement in the community, for example, that sites were not prepared or that further goal-setting, communication and training by the university was necessary; (2) that the university's choice of sites may have been ill considered; and, (3) that there were problems with time and scheduling. Ongoing assessment of students' perspectives on their placement experience identifies practices that can enhance their learning and contributions toward building stronger communities.

The Other Voices of International Higher Education: An Empirical Study of Students' Perceptions of British University Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moufahim, Mona; Lim, Ming

2015-01-01

Against a backdrop of globalised higher education (HE)--one in which a number of British universities are setting up campuses overseas--China represents a vast and lucrative market. This paper presents data on the perceptions and experiences of 20 Chinese students who are currently studying at a British university's campus located in China.…

First- and Final-Semester Non-Native Students in an English-Medium University: Judgments of Their Speech by University Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Sara; Trofimovich, Pavel

2014-01-01

By the end of their studies, non-native speakers of English studying at English-medium universities have had several years of exposure to English in that setting. Do non-native students, particularly those enrolled in non-language related programs, show different levels of second language (L2) speaking ability in their final semester of studies…

Corporate Culture in a University Setting: An Analysis of Theory "X," Theory "Y" and Theory "Z" Cultures within University Academic Departments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semlak, William D.; And Others

A study used M. Cuffe and J. F. Cragan's three-dimensional model for understanding corporate culture within an organization to describe the managerial styles of chairpersons at Illinois State University. Case studies were completed for 18 chairpersons, who then sorted 60 statements on leadership style on a forced choice continuum from most…

48 CFR 252.226-7000 - Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... black college or university and minority institution set-aside. 252.226-7000 Section 252.226-7000... Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside. As prescribed in 226.370—9(a), use the following clause: Notice of Historically Black College or University and...

48 CFR 252.226-7000 - Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... black college or university and minority institution set-aside. 252.226-7000 Section 252.226-7000... Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside. As prescribed in 226.370—9(a), use the following clause: Notice of Historically Black College or University and...

48 CFR 252.226-7000 - Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... black college or university and minority institution set-aside. 252.226-7000 Section 252.226-7000... Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside. As prescribed in 226.370—9(a), use the following clause: Notice of Historically Black College or University and...

48 CFR 252.226-7000 - Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... black college or university and minority institution set-aside. 252.226-7000 Section 252.226-7000... Notice of historically black college or university and minority institution set-aside. As prescribed in 226.370—9(a), use the following clause: Notice of Historically Black College or University and...

Investigating the Criterion-Related Validity of the TOEFL® Speaking Scores for ITA Screening and Setting Standards for ITAS. TOEFL iBT Research Report. TOEFL iBT-03. ETS RR-08-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xi, Xiaoming

2008-01-01

Although the primary use of the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ Internet-based test (TOEFL® iBT Speaking test) is to inform admissions decisions at English medium universities, it may also be useful as an initial screening measure for international teaching assistants (ITAs). This study provides criterion-related…

Instructional Modules for Training Special Education Teachers: A Final Report on the Development and Field Testing of the CUNY-CBTEP Special Education Modules. Case 30-76. Toward Competence Instructional Materials for Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

City Univ. of New York, NY. Center for Advanced Study in Education.

The City University of New York Competency Based Teacher Education Project (CUNY-CBTEP) in Special Education studied Modularization, focusing on the variables in the instructional setting that facilitate learning from modular materials for a wide range of students. Four of the five modules for the training of special education teachers developed…

Nurse Managers' prerequisite for nursing development: a survey on pressure ulcers and contextual factors in hospital organizations.

PubMed

Gunningberg, Lena; Brudin, Lars; Idvall, Ewa

2010-09-01

To describe and compare pressure ulcer prevalence in two county councils and concurrently explore Nurse Managers' perspective of contextual factors in a hospital organization. Despite good knowledge about risk factors and prevention of pressure ulcers, the prevalence of pressure ulcers remains high. Nurse Managers' have a key role in implementing evidence-based practice. The present study included five hospitals in two Swedish county councils: county council A (non-university setting) and county council B (university setting). A pressure ulcer prevalence study was conducted according to the methodology developed by the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. The Nurse Managers' answered a (27-item) questionnaire on contextual factors. County council B had significantly less pressure ulcers grade (2-4) (7.7%) than county council A (11.3%). The Nurse Managers' assessed only two out of the 27 general contextual items significantly differently. Some significant differences were observed in ward organization. In county council B, the Nurse Managers' seemed more aware of prevention strategies compared with Nurse Managers' in county council A. The Nurse Managers' should take more responsibility to develop the prerequisite for quality improvement in nursing. Nursing outcomes (e.g. pressure ulcers) should be incorporated into national quality registries for benchmarking and Nurse Managers' competence in evidence-based practice and research methodology increased. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Reflective Practice in the Clinical Setting: A Multi-Institutional Qualitative Study of Pediatric Faculty and Residents.

PubMed

Plant, Jennifer; Li, Su-Ting T; Blankenburg, Rebecca; Bogetz, Alyssa L; Long, Michele; Butani, Lavjay

2017-11-01

To explore when and in what form pediatric faculty and residents practice reflection. From February to June 2015, the authors conducted focus groups of pediatric faculty and residents at the University of California, Davis; Stanford University; and the University of California, San Francisco, until thematic saturation occurred. Transcripts were analyzed based on Mezirow's and Schon's models of reflection, using the constant comparative method associated with grounded theory. Two investigators independently coded transcripts and reconciled codes to develop themes. All investigators reviewed the codes and developed a final list of themes through consensus. Through iterative discussions, investigators developed a conceptual model of reflection in the clinical setting. Seventeen faculty and 20 residents from three institutions participated in six focus groups. Five themes emerged: triggers of reflection, intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors, timing, and outcome of reflection. Various triggers led to reflection; whether a specific trigger led to reflection depended on intrinsic and extrinsic factors. When reflection occurred, it happened in action or on action. Under optimal conditions, this reflection was goal and action directed and became critical reflection. In other instances, this process resulted in unproductive rumination or acted as an emotional release or supportive therapy. Participants reflected in clinical settings, but did not always explicitly identify it as reflection or reflect in growth-promoting ways. Strategies to enhance critical reflection include developing knowledge and skills in reflection, providing performance data to inform reflection, creating time and space for safe reflection, and providing mentorship to guide the process.

In Search for the Open Educator: Proposal of a Definition and a Framework to Increase Openness Adoption among University Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nascimbeni, Fabio; Burgos, Daniel

2016-01-01

The paper explores the change process that university teachers need to go through in order to become fluent with Open Education approaches. Based on a literature review and a set of interviews with a number of leading experts in the field of Open Educational Resources and Open Education, the paper puts forward an original definition of Open…

Interdisciplinary problem-based learning as a method to prepare Micronesia for public health emergencies.

PubMed

Yamada, Seiji; Durand, A Mark; Chen, Tai-Ho; Maskarinec, Gregory G

2007-03-01

The University of Hawai'i Pacific Basin Bioterrorism Curriculum Development Project has developed a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for teaching health professionals and health professional students about bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. These PBL cases have been incorporated into interdisciplinary training settings in community-based settings, such as in the small island districts of the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands. Quantitative and qualitative methods have been utilized in the evaluation of the PBL cases, PBL tutorials, and the accomplishment of learning objectives. Evaluation of the PBL tutorials demonstrates that PBL is an educational and training modality appropriate for such settings. Participants found it helpful to learn in interdisciplinary groups. The educational process was modified in accordance with local culture. PBL is a useful educational modality for settings where healthcare staffing and available resources are limited.

Analysis of an Unusual Mirror in a 16th-Century Painting: A Museum Exercise for Physics Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swaminathan, Sudha; Lamelas, Frank

2017-04-01

Physics students at Worcester State University visit the Worcester Art Museum (WAM) at the end of a special 100-level course called Physics in Art. The students have studied geometrical optics, and they have been introduced to concepts in atomic physics. The purpose of the museum tour is to show how physics-based techniques can be used in a nontraditional lab setting. Other examples of the use of museum-based art in physics instruction include analyses of Pointillism and image resolution, and of reflections in soap bubbles in 17- and 18th-century paintings.

Rain-rate data base development and rain-rate climate analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, Robert K.

1993-01-01

The single-year rain-rate distribution data available within the archives of Consultative Committee for International Radio (CCIR) Study Group 5 were compiled into a data base for use in rain-rate climate modeling and for the preparation of predictions of attenuation statistics. The four year set of tip-time sequences provided by J. Goldhirsh for locations near Wallops Island were processed to compile monthly and annual distributions of rain rate and of event durations for intervals above and below preset thresholds. A four-year data set of tropical rain-rate tip-time sequences were acquired from the NASA TRMM program for 30 gauges near Darwin, Australia. They were also processed for inclusion in the CCIR data base and the expanded data base for monthly observations at the University of Oklahoma. The empirical rain-rate distributions (edfs) accepted for inclusion in the CCIR data base were used to estimate parameters for several rain-rate distribution models: the lognormal model, the Crane two-component model, and the three parameter model proposed by Moupfuma. The intent of this segment of the study is to obtain a limited set of parameters that can be mapped globally for use in rain attenuation predictions. If the form of the distribution can be established, then perhaps available climatological data can be used to estimate the parameters rather than requiring years of rain-rate observations to set the parameters. The two-component model provided the best fit to the Wallops Island data but the Moupfuma model provided the best fit to the Darwin data.

Good quality sleep is associated with better academic performance among university students in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Lemma, Seblewengel; Berhane, Yemane; Worku, Alemayehu; Gelaye, Bizu; Williams, Michelle A

2014-05-01

This study assessed the association of sleep quality with academic performance among university students in Ethiopia. This cross-sectional study of 2,173 college students (471 female and 1,672 male) was conducted in two universities in Ethiopia. Students were selected into the study using a multistage sampling procedure, and data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Sleep quality was assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and academic performance was based on self-reported cumulative grade point average. The Student's "t" test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression were used to evaluate associations. We found that students with better sleep quality score achieved better on their academic performance (P value = 0.001), while sleep duration was not associated with academic performance in the final model. Our study underscores the importance of sleep quality on better academic performance. Future studies need to identify the possible factors which influence sleep quality other than the academic environment repeatedly reported by other literature. It is imperative to design and implement appropriate interventions to improve sleep quality in light of the current body of evidence to enhance academic success in the study setting.

The Challenges and Opportunities for Chinese Overseas Postgraduates in English Speaking Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xu

2015-01-01

An increasing number of Chinese students pursue their higher education degree in an overseas university. This research paper sets out to raise a discussion about some of the major challenges that such Chinese postgraduates might experience when studying at universities in English speaking countries drawing from ethnographic and sociological…

Expectations versus Realities of Higher Education: Gap Analysis and University Service Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yooyen, Ayooth; Pirani, Mohammed; Mujtaba, Bahaudin G.

2011-01-01

The university education providers are waking to student recruitment challenges, competition, and the realities of marketing. With these changes, a related and equally important issue has emerged; that is, the student service quality and evaluating of the educational encounter. Using university services as the primary study setting, the study…

Self-Admitted Pretensions of Mac Users on a Predominantly PC University Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Wood, Whitney L. Muhlenkamp; Firmin, Ruth L.; Wood, Jordan C.

2010-01-01

The present qualitative research study addressed the overall research question of college students' pretention dynamics in the context of a university setting. Thirty-five Mac users were interviewed on a university campus that exclusively supports PC machines. Mac users shared four self-admitted pretensions related to using Macintosh computers.…

Height as a Measure of Success in Academe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Wayne E.

This paper presents the results of two studies at a large mid-Atlantic university that examined the height/success paradigm within the context of the university settings. Specifically, are the trends observed among taller persons in police and sales work equally valid for university professors? A random sample of faculty (N=90), revealed that…

Self-Reported Learning from Co-Teaching Primary Science Lessons to Peers at University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Peter; Nykvist, Shaun; Mukherjee, Michelle

2016-01-01

Universities are challenged continuously in reviews to improve teacher education, which includes providing substantial theory-practice connections for undergraduates. This study investigated second year preservice teachers' (n = 48) self-reported learning as a result of co-teaching primary science to their peers within the university setting. From…

The Psychology of Black Males Attending Urban Private Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Bryant T.; Smith, Chauncey; Madison, Jordan; Junior, Cary

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to describe the psychology of Black males attending private, not-for-profit, colleges and universities in urban areas. Surveys were administered over three semesters to 886 Black male college students attending 28 national colleges/universities in various urban settings across the United States. The psychological…

Social Norms of Alcohol, Smoking, and Marijuana Use within a Canadian University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P.; Kwan, Matthew Y. W.; Lowe, David; Taman, Sara; Faulkner, Guy E. J.

2010-01-01

Objective: To study actual and perceived substance use in Canadian university students and to compare these rates with US peers. Participants: Students (N = 1,203) from a large Canadian university. Methods: Participants were surveyed using items from the National College Health (NCHA) Assessment of the American College Health Association…

Fostering Collaborative Leadership through Playbuilding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Kathy; Weigler, Will; Lloyd, Tracey; Beare, David

2017-01-01

Playbuilding is one response to the search for creative ways to approach leadership and learning. Drawing upon their practical experiences within community-based, secondary school, and university settings, the authors share stories and strategies for fostering collaborative leadership through playbuilding.

Assessment of generalizability, applicability and predictability (GAP) for evaluating external validity in studies of universal family-based prevention of alcohol misuse in young people: systematic methodological review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Fernandez-Hermida, Jose Ramon; Calafat, Amador; Becoña, Elisardo; Tsertsvadze, Alexander; Foxcroft, David R

2012-09-01

To assess external validity characteristics of studies from two Cochrane Systematic Reviews of the effectiveness of universal family-based prevention of alcohol misuse in young people. Two reviewers used an a priori developed external validity rating form and independently assessed three external validity dimensions of generalizability, applicability and predictability (GAP) in randomized controlled trials. The majority (69%) of the included 29 studies were rated 'unclear' on the reporting of sufficient information for judging generalizability from sample to study population. Ten studies (35%) were rated 'unclear' on the reporting of sufficient information for judging applicability to other populations and settings. No study provided an assessment of the validity of the trial end-point measures for subsequent mortality, morbidity, quality of life or other economic or social outcomes. Similarly, no study reported on the validity of surrogate measures using established criteria for assessing surrogate end-points. Studies evaluating the benefits of family-based prevention of alcohol misuse in young people are generally inadequate at reporting information relevant to generalizability of the findings or implications for health or social outcomes. Researchers, study authors, peer reviewers, journal editors and scientific societies should take steps to improve the reporting of information relevant to external validity in prevention trials. © 2012 The Authors. Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The impact of using different modern climate data sets in pollen-based paleoclimate reconstructions of North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladd, M.; Way, R. G.; Viau, A. E.

2015-03-01

The use of different modern climate data sets is shown to impact a continental-scale pollen-based reconstruction of mean July temperature (TJUL) over the last 2000 years for North America. Data from climate stations, physically modeled from climate stations and reanalysis products are used to calibrate the reconstructions. Results show that the use of reanalysis products produces warmer and/or smoother reconstructions as compared to the use of station based data sets. The reconstructions during the period of 1050-1550 CE are shown to be more variable because of a high latitude cold-bias in the modern TJUL data. The ultra-high resolution WorldClim gridded data may only useful if the modern pollen sites have at least the same spatial precision as the gridded dataset. Hence we justify the use of the lapse-rate corrected University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit (CRU) based Whitmore modern climate data set for North American pollen-based climate reconstructions.

The role of researchers in disseminating evidence to public health practice settings: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

McVay, Allese B; Stamatakis, Katherine A; Jacobs, Julie A; Tabak, Rachel G; Brownson, Ross C

2016-06-10

Evidence-based public health interventions, which research has demonstrated offer the most promise for improving the population's health, are not always utilized in practice settings. The extent to which dissemination from researchers to public health practice settings occurs is not widely understood. This study examines the extent to which public health researchers in the United States are disseminating their research findings to local and state public health departments. In a 2012, nationwide study, an online questionnaire was administered to 266 researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and universities to determine dissemination practices. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between dissemination to state and/or local health departments and respondent characteristics, facilitators, and barriers to dissemination. Slightly over half of the respondents (58%) disseminated their findings to local and/or state health departments. After adjusting for other respondent characteristics, respondents were more likely to disseminate their findings to health departments if they worked for a university Prevention Research Center or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or received their degree more than 20 years ago. Those who had ever worked in a practice or policy setting, those who thought dissemination was important to their own research and/or to the work of their unit/department, and those who had expectations set by their employers and/or funding agencies were more likely to disseminate after adjusting for work place, graduate degree and/or fellowship in public health, and the year the highest academic degree was received. There is still room for improvement in strengthening dissemination ties between researchers and public health practice settings, and decreasing the barriers researchers face during the dissemination process. Researchers could better utilize national programs or workshops, knowledge brokers, or opportunities provided through academic institutions to become more proficient in dissemination practices.

Reality-Based Learning: Outbreak, an Engaging Introductory Course in Public Health and Epidemiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calonge, David Santandreu; Grando, Danilla

2013-01-01

Objective: To develop a totally online reality-based course that engages students and enables the development of enhanced teamwork and report-writing skills. Setting: Outbreaks of infectious diseases impacts upon commerce, trade and tourism as well as placing strains on healthcare systems. A general course introducing university students to…

Submission to the Review of Higher Education Base Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Group of Eight (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

The Review of Higher Education Base Funding gives Government an historic opportunity to set higher education funding on a sound footing for the future, and to commit the support needed to achieve its important quality and participation goals. There is a significant funding gap, which has led universities to neglect infrastructure and let class…

University Students' Emotions, Interest and Activities in a Web-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nummenmaa, Minna; Nummenmaa, Lauri

2008-01-01

Background: Within academic settings, students experience varied emotions and interest towards learning. Although both emotions and interest can increase students' likelihood to engage in traditional learning, little is known about the influence of emotions and interest in learning activities in a web-based learning environment (WBLE). Aims: This…

Performance-Based Funding as an Instrument of Competition in German Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orr, Dominic; Jaeger, Michael; Schwarzenberger, Astrid

2007-01-01

A central theme of approaches to new public management is the emulation of the market through state-induced competition. Basing state funding allocations on comparative performance is one way of setting an incentive for competitive practice amongst universities. Reforms in funding allocation have occurred in Germany at both state and university…

Changes Coming to the International System of Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubrecht, Gordon J., II

2012-01-01

The International System of Units (SI) is a coherent system based originally on measurements of properties of material objects. In more recent times, the adopted definitions depend on setting values of universal constants wherever possible. The last remaining human-made material object on which a standard is based is a platinum-iridium kilogram…

Presence and Promise: Religious Studies in the University. A Collection of Papers from two California State University's Institute for Teaching and Learning Religious Studies Seminars (California, April 1991, February 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatfield, John, Ed.; Hubbard, Benjamin, Ed.

This volume presents 12 papers on the role and teaching of religious studies at the undergraduate level in public universities. The first set of six papers all address the nature of religious studies as a discipline. In particular they address the changing view of this discipline which for its short period of existence (30 to 35 years) has often…

Does On-Line Distance Higher Education Pay off for Adult Learners? The Case of the Open University of Catalonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnoy, Martin; Rabling, Brenda Jarillo; Castano-Munoz, Jonatan; Montoliu, Josep Maria Duart; Sancho-Vinuesa, Teresa

2012-01-01

The increasing opportunities created for adults by on-line distance universities raise important issues about the payoff to such education. This study uses a unique set of survey data gathered by the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) in 2009 to estimate the earnings gains of the 2000-2003 cohorts of UOC students in six programmes of study over an…

Magnetic Leviation System Design and Implementation for Wind Tunnel Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Chin E.; Sheu, Yih-Ran; Jou, Hui-Long

1996-01-01

This paper presents recent work in magnetic suspension wind tunnel development in National Cheng Kung University. In this phase of research, a control-based study is emphasized to implement a robust control system into the experimental system under study. A ten-coil 10 cm x 10 cm magnetic suspension wind tunnel is built using a set of quadrant detectors for six degree of freedom control. To achieve the attitude control of suspended model with different attitudes, a spacial electromagnetic field simulation using OPERA 3D is studied. A successful test for six degree of freedom control is demonstrated in this paper.

Universality properties of school-based preventive intervention targeted at cannabis use.

PubMed

Miovský, Michal; Voňková, Hana; Gabrhelík, Roman; Šťastná, Lenka

2015-02-01

This study aims to examine the effect of school-based preventive intervention on cannabis use in Czech adolescents with different levels of risk factors and provide evidence of its universality. A randomized controlled prevention trial with six waves was conducted over a period of 33 months. We used a two-level logistic random-intercept model for panel data; we first looked at the statistical significance of the effect of the intervention on cannabis use, controlling for the characteristics of the children and time dummies. Then we analyzed the effects of the interactions between the intervention and the characteristics of the children on cannabis use and related it to the definition of universal preventive interventions. The setting for the study was in basic schools in the Czech Republic in the years 2007-2010. A total of 1,874 sixth-graders (mean age 11.82 years) who completed the baseline testing. According to our results, the prevention intervention was effective. We found all the selected characteristics of the children to be relevant in relation to cannabis use, except their relationships with their friends. We showed empirically that the intervention is universal in two dimensions for the selected characteristics of the children. First, all adolescents who undergo the intervention are expected to benefit. Second, with respect to the effect of the intervention on cannabis use, the total level of individual risk of cannabis use is superior to the composition of the risk factors in the individual risk profile. We present indicative evidence that the drug prevention intervention may be considered a true universal preventive intervention.

A Component-Centered Meta-Analysis of Family-Based Prevention Programs for Adolescent Substance Use

PubMed Central

Roseth, Cary J.; Fosco, Gregory M.; Lee, You-kyung; Chen, I-Chien

2016-01-01

Although research has documented the positive effects of family-based prevention programs, the field lacks specific information regarding why these programs are effective. The current study summarized the effects of family-based programs on adolescent substance use using a component-based approach to meta-analysis in which we decomposed programs into a set of key topics or components that were specifically addressed by program curricula (e.g., parental monitoring/behavior management, problem solving, positive family relations, etc.). Components were coded according to the amount of time spent on program services that targeted youth, parents, and the whole family; we also coded effect sizes across studies for each substance-related outcome. Given the nested nature of the data, we used hierarchical linear modeling to link program components (Level 2) with effect sizes (Level 1). The overall effect size across programs was .31, which did not differ by type of substance. Youth-focused components designed to encourage more positive family relationships and a positive orientation toward the future emerged as key factors predicting larger than average effect sizes. Our results suggest that, within the universe of family-based prevention, where components such as parental monitoring/behavior management are almost universal, adding or expanding certain youth-focused components may be able to enhance program efficacy. PMID:27064553

Social media, cyber-aggression and student mental health on a university campus.

PubMed

Mishna, Faye; Regehr, Cheryl; Lacombe-Duncan, Ashley; Daciuk, Joanne; Fearing, Gwendolyn; Van Wert, Melissa

2018-06-01

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) offer immense benefits for university students including enhancing engagement and connections with others and promoting self-directed and interactive learning. Perceived anonymity and the absence of social cues, however, may contribute to risk of interpersonal aggression. While extensive research examines bullying in child and adolescent educational settings, this study addresses a gap regarding post-secondary environments. An internet-based survey was provided to 5004 university students to examine the nature, extent and consequences of cyber-aggression. The survey received a response from 1350 students, a response rate of 28.5%. To enable further exploration, nine focus groups and eight individual interviews were conducted. This exploratory study found one quarter of respondents had a private video or photo shared without their permission and 28% were sent angry, vulgar, threatening or intimating messages. Perpetrators were most likely to be a friend (50%), another student (20%) or an intimate partner (18%). Focus group data revealed risks of ICTs and the need for resources and support to address students' wellbeing in the context of cyber-aggression. Cyber-aggression is experienced by a significant minority of university students, impacting their sense of wellbeing and mental health.

Studying medicine – a cross-sectional questionnaire-based analysis of the motivational factors which influence graduate and undergraduate entrants in Ireland

PubMed Central

Sulong, Saadah; McGrath, Deirdre; Finucane, Paul; Horgan, Mary; O’Flynn, Siún

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives The number of places available in Ireland for graduate entry to medical school has steadily increased since 2006. Few studies have, however, characterized the motivational factors underlying decision to study medicine via this route. We compared the factors motivating graduate entrants versus undergraduate entry (UGE) students to choose medicine as a course of study. Design The present study was a quantitative cross-sectional questionnaire-based investigation. Setting The study was conducted in University College Cork and University of Limerick, Ireland. Participants It involved 185 graduate entry (GE) and 120 UGE students. Outcome measures Questionnaires were distributed to students addressing the following areas: demographic/academic characteristics; factors influencing the selection of academic institution and motivation to study medicine; and the role of career guidance in choice of study. Results When asked to list reasons for selecting medicine, both groups listed a wish to help and work with people, and a desire to prevent and cure disease. UGE students were significantly more motivated by intellectual satisfaction, encouragement by family/friends, financial reasons, and professional independence. Approximately half of GE students selected their first degree with a view to potentially studying medicine in the future. GE and UGE students differed significantly with respect to sources consulted for career guidance and source of study information. Conclusions This study is the first systematic examination of study and career motivation in GE medical students since the programme was offered by Irish universities and provides insight into the reasons why graduate entrants in Ireland choose to study medicine via this route. PMID:25057383

Global long-term ozone trends derived from different observed and modelled data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coldewey-Egbers, M.; Loyola, D.; Zimmer, W.; van Roozendael, M.; Lerot, C.; Dameris, M.; Garny, H.; Braesicke, P.; Koukouli, M.; Balis, D.

2012-04-01

The long-term behaviour of stratospheric ozone amounts during the past three decades is investigated on a global scale using different observed and modelled data sets. Three European satellite sensors GOME/ERS-2, SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT, and GOME-2/METOP are combined and a merged global monthly mean total ozone product has been prepared using an inter-satellite calibration approach. The data set covers the 16-years period from June 1995 to June 2011 and it exhibits an excellent long-term stability, which is required for such trend studies. A multiple linear least-squares regression algorithm using different explanatory variables is applied to the time series and statistically significant positive trends are detected in the northern mid latitudes and subtropics. Global trends are also estimated using a second satellite-based Merged Ozone Data set (MOD) provided by NASA. For few selected geographical regions ozone trends are additionally calculated using well-maintained measurements of individual Dobson/Brewer ground-based instruments. A reasonable agreement in the spatial patterns of the trends is found amongst the European satellite, the NASA satellite, and the ground-based observations. Furthermore, two long-term simulations obtained with the Chemistry-Climate Models E39C-A provided by German Aerospace Center and UMUKCA-UCAM provided by University of Cambridge are analysed.

Effectiveness of a universal school-based programme for preventing depression in Chinese adolescents: a quasi-experimental pilot study.

PubMed

Wong, Paul W C; Fu, King-Wa; Chan, Kim Y K; Chan, Wincy S C; Liu, Patricia M Y; Law, Yik-Wa; Yip, Paul S F

2012-12-15

Evidence of the effectiveness, rather than efficacy, of universal school-based programmes for preventing depression among adolescents is limited. This study examined the effectiveness of a universal depression prevention programme, "The Little Prince is Depressed" (LPD), which adopted the cognitive-behavioural model and aimed to reduce depressive symptoms and enhance protective factors of depression among secondary school students in Hong Kong. A quasi-experimental design was adopted for this pilot study. Thirteen classes were assigned to the intervention or control conditions according to the deliberation of the programme administrator of the four participating schools. Implementation was carried out in two phases, with a professional-led first phase and teacher-led programme second phase. LPD consisted of a 12-week school-based face-to-face programme with psycho-educational lessons and homework assignments. Students completed the programme generally showed positive development in help-seeking attitudes and self-esteem. For students who had more depressive symptoms at pre-assessment, the programme was found to be significant in enhancing cognitive-restructuring skills and support-seeking behaviours. The programme was not, however, found to be statistically significant in reducing depressive symptoms of the participants over the study period. A small sample size, a high attrition rate, and a short follow-up time frame. The LPD programme was successful in building resilience of the students in general and enhancing the cognitive-behavioural skills of students with depressive symptoms. While we did not find sufficient evidence for concluding that the LPD was effective in reducing depressive symptoms, we believe that these results highlight the challenges of implementing evidence-based practices generated from highly controlled environments in real-life settings. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes for children and adolescents: Cochrane systematic reviews.

PubMed

Foxcroft, David R; Tsertsvadze, Alexander

2012-05-01

Alcohol misuse by young people causes significant health and social harm, including death and disability. Therefore, prevention of youth alcohol misuse is a policy aim in many countries. Our aim was to examine the effectiveness of (1) school-based, (2) family-based and (3) multi-component universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes in children and adolescents. Three Cochrane systematic reviews were performed: searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Project CORK and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials up to July 2010, including randomised trials evaluating universal alcohol misuse prevention programmes in school, family or multiple settings in youths aged 18 years or younger. Two independent reviewers identified eligible studies and any discrepancies were resolved via discussion. A total of 85 trials were included in the reviews of school (n = 53), family (n = 12) and multi-component (n = 20) programmes. Meta-analysis was not performed due to study heterogeneity. Most studies were conducted in North America. Risk of bias assessment revealed problems related to inappropriate unit of analysis, moderate to high attrition, selective outcome reporting and potential confounding. Certain generic psychosocial and life skills school-based programmes were effective in reducing alcohol use in youth. Most family-based programmes were effective. There was insufficient evidence to conclude that multiple interventions provided additional benefit over single interventions. In these Cochrane reviews, some school, family or multi-component prevention programmes were shown to be effective in reducing alcohol misuse in youths. However, these results warrant a cautious interpretation, since bias and/or contextual factors may have affected the trial results. Further research should replicate the most promising studies identified in these reviews and pay particular attention to content and context factors through rigorous evaluation.

Wilson and Domainwall Kernels on Oakforest-PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanamori, Issaku; Matsufuru, Hideo

2018-03-01

We report the performance of Wilson and Domainwall Kernels on a new Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing based machine named Oakforest-PACS, which is co-hosted by University of Tokyo and Tsukuba University and is currently fastest in Japan. This machine uses Intel Omni-Path for the internode network. We compare performance with several types of implementation including that makes use of the Grid library. The code is incorporated with the code set Bridge++.

A Comparison of Student Outcomes and Student Satisfaction in Three MBA Human Resource Management Classes Based on Traditional vs. Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Jane Whitney

2008-01-01

The author taught three MBA Human Resource Management classes in the spring term of 2007 at a large private university in Florida. Two of the classes were taught in a 100% online format while the third was taught off campus in a university-owned building in Orlando where students met in a face-to-face, weekend setting. This traditional class was…

Nonuniform code concatenation for universal fault-tolerant quantum computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikahd, Eesa; Sedighi, Mehdi; Saheb Zamani, Morteza

2017-09-01

Using transversal gates is a straightforward and efficient technique for fault-tolerant quantum computing. Since transversal gates alone cannot be computationally universal, they must be combined with other approaches such as magic state distillation, code switching, or code concatenation to achieve universality. In this paper we propose an alternative approach for universal fault-tolerant quantum computing, mainly based on the code concatenation approach proposed in [T. Jochym-O'Connor and R. Laflamme, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 010505 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.010505], but in a nonuniform fashion. The proposed approach is described based on nonuniform concatenation of the 7-qubit Steane code with the 15-qubit Reed-Muller code, as well as the 5-qubit code with the 15-qubit Reed-Muller code, which lead to two 49-qubit and 47-qubit codes, respectively. These codes can correct any arbitrary single physical error with the ability to perform a universal set of fault-tolerant gates, without using magic state distillation.

First Zenith Total Delay and Integrated Water Vapour Estimates from the Near Real-Time GNSS Data Processing Systems at the University of Luxembourg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, F.; Teferle, F. N.; Bingley, R. M.

2012-04-01

Since September 2011 the University of Luxembourg in collaboration with the University of Nottingham has been setting up two near real-time processing systems for ground-based GNSS data for the provision of zenith total delay (ZTD) and integrated water vapour (IWV) estimates. Both systems are based on Bernese v5.0, use the double-differenced network processing strategy and operate with a 1-hour (NRT1h) and 15-minutes (NRT15m) update cycle. Furthermore, the systems follow the approach of the E-GVAP METO and IES2 systems in that the normal equations for the latest data are combined with those from the previous four updates during the estimation of the ZTDs. NRT1h currently takes the hourly data from over 130 GNSS stations in Europe whereas NRT15m is primarily using the real-time streams of EUREF-IP. Both networks include additional GNSS stations in Luxembourg, Belgium and France. The a priori station coordinates for all of these stem from a moving average computed over the last 20 to 50 days and are based on the precise point positioning processing strategy. In this study we present the first ZTD and IWV estimates obtained from the NRT1h and NRT15m systems in development at the University of Luxembourg. In a preliminary evaluation we compare their performance to the IES2 system at the University of Nottingham and find the IWV estimates to agree at the sub-millimetre level.

Pathway-based analysis of GWAs data identifies association of sex determination genes with susceptibility to testicular germ cell tumors.

PubMed

Koster, Roelof; Mitra, Nandita; D'Andrea, Kurt; Vardhanabhuti, Saran; Chung, Charles C; Wang, Zhaoming; Loren Erickson, R; Vaughn, David J; Litchfield, Kevin; Rahman, Nazneen; Greene, Mark H; McGlynn, Katherine A; Turnbull, Clare; Chanock, Stephen J; Nathanson, Katherine L; Kanetsky, Peter A

2014-11-15

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies of testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) have identified 18 susceptibility loci, some containing genes encoding proteins important in male germ cell development. Deletions of one of these genes, DMRT1, lead to male-to-female sex reversal and are associated with development of gonadoblastoma. To further explore genetic association with TGCT, we undertook a pathway-based analysis of SNP marker associations in the Penn GWAs (349 TGCT cases and 919 controls). We analyzed a custom-built sex determination gene set consisting of 32 genes using three different methods of pathway-based analysis. The sex determination gene set ranked highly compared with canonical gene sets, and it was associated with TGCT (FDRG = 2.28 × 10(-5), FDRM = 0.014 and FDRI = 0.008 for Gene Set Analysis-SNP (GSA-SNP), Meta-Analysis Gene Set Enrichment of Variant Associations (MAGENTA) and Improved Gene Set Enrichment Analysis for Genome-wide Association Study (i-GSEA4GWAS) analysis, respectively). The association remained after removal of DMRT1 from the gene set (FDRG = 0.0002, FDRM = 0.055 and FDRI = 0.009). Using data from the NCI GWA scan (582 TGCT cases and 1056 controls) and UK scan (986 TGCT cases and 4946 controls), we replicated these findings (NCI: FDRG = 0.006, FDRM = 0.014, FDRI = 0.033, and UK: FDRG = 1.04 × 10(-6), FDRM = 0.016, FDRI = 0.025). After removal of DMRT1 from the gene set, the sex determination gene set remains associated with TGCT in the NCI (FDRG = 0.039, FDRM = 0.050 and FDRI = 0.055) and UK scans (FDRG = 3.00 × 10(-5), FDRM = 0.056 and FDRI = 0.044). With the exception of DMRT1, genes in the sex determination gene set have not previously been identified as TGCT susceptibility loci in these GWA scans, demonstrating the complementary nature of a pathway-based approach for genome-wide analysis of TGCT. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

BRSCW Reference Set Application: Karen Abbott -University of Arkansas (2014) — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

Our earlier glycoproteomic studies have identified bisecting glycoslyation and core fucosylation changes on particular glycoproteins in endometrioid ovarian cancer tissues and plasma (Abbott et al, 2010, Proteomics). We have validated that these glycan changes occur on the same glycoproteins in serous ovarian cancer plasma using a lectin-pull down western blot assays. We would like to used pooled reference samples to develop a sensitive magnetic bead-based assay to detect these glycoproteins with bisecting and core fucosylation changes.

The importance of antipersistence for traffic jams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, Sebastian M.; Habel, Lars; Guhr, Thomas; Schreckenberg, Michael

2017-05-01

Universal characteristics of road networks and traffic patterns can help to forecast and control traffic congestion. The antipersistence of traffic flow time series has been found for many data sets, but its relevance for congestion has been overseen. Based on empirical data from motorways in Germany, we study how antipersistence of traffic flow time-series impacts the duration of traffic congestion on a wide range of time scales. We find a large number of short-lasting traffic jams, which implies a large risk for rear-end collisions.

The Effect of a Pedometer-based Program Improvement of Physical Activity in Tabriz University Employees.

PubMed

Baghianimoghaddam, Mohammad Hossein; Bakhtari-Aghdam, Fatemeh; Asghari-Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Allahverdipour, Hamid; Dabagh-Nikookheslat, Saeed; Nourizadeh, Roghaiyeh

2016-01-01

Regular physical activity (PA) has been shown to reduce risk of morbidity and overall mortality. A study has displayed that achieving 10,000 steps/day is associated with important health outcomes and have been used to promote PA. Pedometers are a popular tool for PA interventions in different setting. This study investigated the effects on pedometer-based and self-reported PA among Tabriz University employees. This experimental study assessed the effects of 16 weeks pedometer-based workplace intervention. Participants (n = 154) were employees of two worksites. Pedometer-based and self-reported PA from one intervention worksite was compared with the data of a comparison workplace. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) for self-reported measure of PA, and demographic (age, marital status, educational level, employment status, and stage of change) variables were obtained. To measure PA objectively pedometer was used. Participants reported to increase the step counts from baseline (end of summer) to posttest (winter). The intervention effect revealed significant increase in the intervention group (8279 ± 2759 steps/day than in the comparison work place (4118 ± 1136). Self-reported based on IPAQ concluded women in intervention worksite had a significant increase in the leisure time domain, but similar finding was not found in the comparison worksite. Pedometer used might rather benefit those individuals who want feedback on their current PA, also walking should be considered to increase PA in employee women.

Universal Design for Instruction and Learning: A Pilot Study of Faculty Instructional Methods and Attitudes Related to Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, R. David; Weinberg, Lois A.; Brodwin, Martin G.

2014-01-01

Universal design in the education setting is a framework of instruction that aims to be inclusive of different learners to reduce barriers for all students, including those with disabilities. We used the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL focuses on the learner) and Universal Design for Instruction (UDI focuses on instruction) as the…

Connecting Kids To The Universe: Partnering With 4-H Youth Development To Pilot 'Afterschool Universe' In New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaff, Nancy

2008-05-01

4-H Youth Development - as the youth program of the Cooperative Extension system associated with the land grant university in every state - is an ideal partner for statewide dissemination of EPO programs. With funding from a Chandra Cycle 9 EPO grant we are piloting `Afterschool Universe’ in five urban locations in New York State. `Afterschool Universe’ is an education/outreach effort sponsored by NASA's Beyond Einstein program and was developed in partnership with the Imagine the Universe EPO program. The program is targeted at middle school students in out-of-school-time settings and explores basic astronomy concepts focused on the Universe beyond the solar system. Consisting of 12 sessions of engaging hands-on activities, the flexibly structured program can be used in a variety of settings, including astronomy days, youth groups, summer camps, and afterschool programs. Partnering with 4-H Youth Development helps us reach large numbers of underserved and underrepresented minority youth and girls in widely dispersed areas of New York and fits ideally with the current national 4-H SET (science, engineering, and technology) initiative and emphasis on 4-H afterschool programming. The pilot program provides teaching kits and workshops for program leaders. Our 4-H county partners recruit afterschool program staff, science center staff, 4-H volunteers, 4-H teens, and other youth group leaders as workshop participants. The 4-H program will house and loan the kit to trained leaders. By providing kits and training in 2008, we are gearing up for International Year of Astronomy programs in 2009 in out-of-school settings. Based on pilot results, we will seek additional funding to expand the program. The poster will discuss kit development, 4-H partnership, workshops, participating organizations, target audiences, successes, and challenges.

Knowledge Transfer: A Case Study of a Community Nutrition Education Program at a Land-Grant University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurtado, Ghaffar Ali

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of knowledge transfer. The setting is a health and nutrition educational program at University of Minnesota Extension. The main research question was how is Knowledge Transfer being implemented in Extension, specifically Educational Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program? A case study,…

The Study of Collective Actions in a University Anchored Community Wireless Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuchibhotla, Hari N.

2012-01-01

The emergence of wireless devices and the ease in setting up wireless devices has created opportunities for various entities, and in particular to universities, by partnering with their local communities in the form of a university anchored community wireless network. This provides opportunities for students to be part of the community-based…

Resources and Research Production in Higher Education: A Longitudinal Analysis of Chinese Universities, 2000-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Liang; Bao, Wei; Sun, Liang

2016-01-01

In this study we examined the resource-research relationship at China's research universities. The stochastic frontier production function was employed in analyses of a panel data set on a group of the most research-intensive universities in China from 2000 to 2010. Results suggested overall tight relationships between various resources (including…

Sound Pressure Levels Measured in a University Concert Band: A Risk of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Nicholas V., III

2008-01-01

Researchers have reported public school band directors as experiencing noise-induced hearing loss. Little research has focused on collegiate band directors and university student musicians. The present study measures the sound pressure levels generated within a university concert band and compares sound levels with the criteria set by the…

From Home to Hall: The Transitional Experiences of Homeschooled Students Entering Residential University Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soufleris, Dawn Meza

2014-01-01

Research regarding homeschooled students and their transition to college has been focused on two distinct areas: their academic performance and success integrating into a university community. The purpose of this study was to analyze the transition experiences of students who were homeschooled prior to attendance at a residential university campus…

Board of Regents' Montana University System (MUS) Strategic Plan 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montana University System, 2016

2016-01-01

The Montana University System Strategic Plan is the primary planning document of the Board of Regents. The Plan sets forth an agenda for higher education in Montana by delineating the strategic directions, goals, and objectives that guide the Montana University System (MUS). In July 2006, after several years of study, public dialogue, and internal…

Psychology in an Interdisciplinary Setting: A Large-Scale Project to Improve University Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Franziska D.; Vogt, Joachim

2015-01-01

At a German university of technology, a large-scale project was funded as a part of the "Quality Pact for Teaching", a programme launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to improve the quality of university teaching and study conditions. The project aims at intensifying interdisciplinary networking in teaching,…

A Test of the Agenda-Setting Power of the Black Periodical Press: 1974-1982.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherry, Dianne Lynne

Defining agenda-setting as the ability of the mass media to influence the level of the public's awareness and perceptions of political issues, a study was conducted to examine the agenda-setting power of the black periodical press in the United States. Survey responses collected by the University of Michigan Center for Political Studies were…

The use of nutritional labels by college students in a food-court setting.

PubMed

Kolodinsky, Jane; Green, Jennifer; Michahelles, Marina; Harvey-Berino, Jean R

2008-01-01

Between January and September 2006, the authors examined when, why, if, and how nutrition labels impact food purchase decisions of college students. Participants were 16 college-aged students at a large northeastern university. As part of a larger study undertaken at a large northeastern university on the effect of nutrition labels in restaurant settings on food purchases, the authors held a focus group to look more deeply at when and why nutrition labeling impacted college student food purchases. Although results of the large study are still being discerned, the focus group results reveal that college women and men were interested in the provision of nutrition labels in the food court-like setting found at the university, and that those exposed to labels over the course of the study noticed these labels and often referred to them when making purchase decisions. Additional findings reveal that price and convenience also play a role in food purchases and that, of those items listed on each label, calories and fat were most important to the study population. Although more research is needed, this qualitative study finds that students want nutrition labels and would use them to make food purchasing decisions.

Scholarly Activities of Family Medicine Faculty: Results of a National Survey.

PubMed

Hinojosa, Jose; Benè, Kristen L; Hickey, Colleen; Marvel, Kim

2006-12-01

This survey examined how family medicine residency programs define scholarly activity, the productivity of programs, and perceived barriers to scholarly work. Five types of residency programs are compared: university-based, community-based (unaffiliated, university-affiliated, university-administered), and military. A 13 item web-based questionnaire was sent to all 455 U. S. family medicine residency programs. The survey solicited demographic information as well as program expectations of faculty, presence of a research coordinator/director, activities considered scholarly, productivity, and perceived barriers. A total of 177 surveys were completed for a response rate of 38%, similar to response rates of web-based surveys in the literature. 67.6% of programs encouraged, but did not require scholarly activity, and 44.5% indicated their program had no research coordinator/ director. University-based programs had the highest levels of productivity compared to other program types. Primary barriers to scholarly activity noted were lack of time (73/138, 53%) and lack of supportive infrastructure (37/138, 27%). While interpretations are limited by the response rate of the survey, results provide an increased understanding of how programs define scholarly activity as well as reference points for faculty productivity. This information can help program directors when setting criteria for scholarly work.

Employee Choice of Consumer-Driven Health Insurance in a Multiplan, Multiproduct Setting

PubMed Central

Parente, Stephen T; Feldman, Roger; Christianson, Jon B

2004-01-01

Objective To determine who chooses a Consumer-Driven Health Plan (CDHP) in a multiplan, multiproduct setting, and, specifically, whether the CDHP attracts the sicker employees in a company's risk pool. Study Design We estimated a health plan choice equation for employees of the University of Minnesota, who had a choice in 2002 of a CDHP and three other health plans—a traditional health maintenance organization (HMO), a preferred provider organization (PPO), and a tiered network product based on care systems. Data from an employee survey were matched to information from the university's payroll system. Principal Findings Chronic illness of the employee or family members had no effect on choice of the CDHP, but such employees tended to choose the PPO. The employee's age was not related to CDHP choice. Higher-income employees chose the CDHP, as well as those who preferred health plans with a national provider panel that includes their physician in the panel. Employees tended to choose plans with lower out-of-pocket premiums, and surprisingly, employees with a chronic health condition themselves or in their family were more price-sensitive. Conclusions This study provides the first evidence on who chooses a CDHP in a multiplan, multiproduct setting. The CDHP was not chosen disproportionately by the young and healthy, but it did attract the wealthy and those who found the availability of providers more appealing. Low out-of-pocket premiums are important features of health plans and in this setting, low premiums appeal to those who are less healthy. PMID:15230913

Hand hygiene knowledge and practice among university students: evidence from Private Universities of Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Sultana, Marufa; Mahumud, Rashidul Alam; Sarker, Abdur Razzaque; Hossain, Sarder Mahmud

2016-01-01

Hand hygiene has achieved the reputation of being a convenient means of preventing communicable diseases. Although causal links between hand hygiene and rates of infectious disease have also been established earlier, studies focusing on hand hygiene among university-going students are not adequate in number. This study evaluated handwashing knowledge, practice, and other related factors among the selected university students in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 undergraduate students from four selected universities. A pretested, semistructured questionnaire, that included a checklist associated with handwashing practice, was applied to capture all relevant data. The mean (± SD) age of the participants was 20.4 (±1.8) years. The majority of the students washed their hands with water, but only 22.5% washed their hands effectively by maintaining the correct steps and frequency of handwashing with water, and soap or hand sanitizer. The mean (± SD) score of the participants’ hand hygiene practice was 50.81 (±4.79), while the total score with all perfect answers was considered as 66. Regression coefficient demonstrated that age has a negative influence on hand hygiene practice, as older students have lower scores compared to the younger ones (P<0.01). However, the unmarried students were a significant predictor for influencing the incensement of handwashing practice compared to the married ones (P<0.01). Findings of this study designate widespread insufficient hand hygiene practice in the university-going students and indicate a need for an extensive public health education program on this topic. Furthermore, availability of soap and sufficient water supply is needed within the university setting to facilitate handwashing. Therefore, supporting quantity and quality of available campus-based public health education programs along with providing health-washing equipment is suggested. PMID:26929673

Hand hygiene knowledge and practice among university students: evidence from Private Universities of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Sultana, Marufa; Mahumud, Rashidul Alam; Sarker, Abdur Razzaque; Hossain, Sarder Mahmud

2016-01-01

Hand hygiene has achieved the reputation of being a convenient means of preventing communicable diseases. Although causal links between hand hygiene and rates of infectious disease have also been established earlier, studies focusing on hand hygiene among university-going students are not adequate in number. This study evaluated handwashing knowledge, practice, and other related factors among the selected university students in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 undergraduate students from four selected universities. A pretested, semistructured questionnaire, that included a checklist associated with handwashing practice, was applied to capture all relevant data. The mean (± SD) age of the participants was 20.4 (±1.8) years. The majority of the students washed their hands with water, but only 22.5% washed their hands effectively by maintaining the correct steps and frequency of handwashing with water, and soap or hand sanitizer. The mean (± SD) score of the participants' hand hygiene practice was 50.81 (±4.79), while the total score with all perfect answers was considered as 66. Regression coefficient demonstrated that age has a negative influence on hand hygiene practice, as older students have lower scores compared to the younger ones (P<0.01). However, the unmarried students were a significant predictor for influencing the incensement of handwashing practice compared to the married ones (P<0.01). Findings of this study designate widespread insufficient hand hygiene practice in the university-going students and indicate a need for an extensive public health education program on this topic. Furthermore, availability of soap and sufficient water supply is needed within the university setting to facilitate handwashing. Therefore, supporting quantity and quality of available campus-based public health education programs along with providing health-washing equipment is suggested.

Evaluation of variable selection methods for random forests and omics data sets.

PubMed

Degenhardt, Frauke; Seifert, Stephan; Szymczak, Silke

2017-10-16

Machine learning methods and in particular random forests are promising approaches for prediction based on high dimensional omics data sets. They provide variable importance measures to rank predictors according to their predictive power. If building a prediction model is the main goal of a study, often a minimal set of variables with good prediction performance is selected. However, if the objective is the identification of involved variables to find active networks and pathways, approaches that aim to select all relevant variables should be preferred. We evaluated several variable selection procedures based on simulated data as well as publicly available experimental methylation and gene expression data. Our comparison included the Boruta algorithm, the Vita method, recurrent relative variable importance, a permutation approach and its parametric variant (Altmann) as well as recursive feature elimination (RFE). In our simulation studies, Boruta was the most powerful approach, followed closely by the Vita method. Both approaches demonstrated similar stability in variable selection, while Vita was the most robust approach under a pure null model without any predictor variables related to the outcome. In the analysis of the different experimental data sets, Vita demonstrated slightly better stability in variable selection and was less computationally intensive than Boruta.In conclusion, we recommend the Boruta and Vita approaches for the analysis of high-dimensional data sets. Vita is considerably faster than Boruta and thus more suitable for large data sets, but only Boruta can also be applied in low-dimensional settings. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

A Profiling Float System for the North Arabian Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-29

purpose of this Defense University Research Instrumentation Program grant was to purchase a set of profiling floats to form an upper ocean observing ...purchase a set of profiling floats to form an upper ocean observing system for the Northern Arabian Sea Circulation - autonomous research (NASCar...resolution numerical simulations. To achieve these goals the DRI will utilize new observational methods that do not rely on a traditional ship-based

Teaching mathematics in the PC lab - the students' viewpoints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Karsten; Köhler, Anke

2013-04-01

The Matrix Algebra portion of the intermediate mathematics course at the Schmalkalden University Faculty of Business and Economics has been moved from a traditional classroom setting to a technology-based setting in the PC lab. A Computer Algebra System license was acquired that also allows its use on the students' own PCs. A survey was carried out to analyse the students' attitudes towards the use of technology in mathematics teaching.

An exploratory study of the need for curriculum review of Master of Public Health Degree at a Rural-based University in South Africa

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Master of Public Health (MPH) training programmes were developed worldwide in response to the crisis in human resources for health. Aim To determine whether the MPH programme at the selected rural-based university in South Africa enabled students to achieve the MPH core competencies relevant for Lower Middle Income Countries. Setting The study was carried out at a rural-based University in South Africa. The target population was the 2011 first-year cohort of MPH students who by the beginning of 2014 had just completed their coursework. Methodology A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research design was adapted. Eighty-five students were randomly selected to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire comprising seven competency clusters was developed. The selected students completed a self-administered questionnaire. Only those students who signed consent forms participated in this study. The questionnaire was tested for construct validity and reliability using 10 students with similar characteristics to those sampled for the study. Microsoft Excel software was used to analyse the data descriptively in terms of frequency and percentages. Results The students were confident of their competencies regarding public health science skills. Amongst these were analytical assessment, communication, community and inter-sectorial competencies as well as ethics. However, the students lacked confidence in context-sensitive issues, planning and management, research and development, and leadership competencies. Yet the latter is the backbone of public health practice. Conclusion and recommendation There is a need for revamping public health curricula. In this respect, a follow-up study that builds a deeper understanding of the subject is needed. PMID:27380845

Identifying and prioritising systematic review topics with public health stakeholders: A protocol for a modified Delphi study in Switzerland to inform future research agendas

PubMed Central

Mütsch, Margot; Kien, Christina; Gerhardus, Ansgar; Lhachimi, Stefan K

2017-01-01

Introduction The Cochrane Collaboration aims to produce relevant and top priority evidence that responds to existing evidence gaps. Hence, research priority setting (RPS) is important to identify which potential research gaps are deemed most important. Moreover, RPS supports future health research to conform both health and health evidence needs. However, studies that are prioritising systematic review topics in public health are surprisingly rare. Therefore, to inform the research agenda of Cochrane Public Health Europe (CPHE), we introduce the protocol of a priority setting study on systematic review topics in several European countries, which is conceptualised as pilot. Methods and analysis We will conduct a two-round modified Delphi study in Switzerland, incorporating an anonymous web-based questionnaire, to assess which topics should be prioritised for systematic reviews in public health. In the first Delphi round public health stakeholders will suggest relevant assessment criteria and potential priority topics. In the second Delphi round the participants indicate their (dis)agreement to the aggregated results of the first round and rate the potential review topics with the predetermined criteria on a four-point Likert scale. As we invite a wide variety of stakeholders we will compare the results between the different stakeholder groups. Ethics and dissemination We have received ethical approval from the ethical board of the University of Bremen, Germany (principal investigation is conducted at the University of Bremen) and a certificate of non-objection from the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland (fieldwork will be conducted in Switzerland). The results of this study will be further disseminated through peer reviewed publication and will support systematic review author groups (i.a. CPHE) to improve the relevance of the groups´ future review work. Finally, the proposed priority setting study can be used as a framework by other systematic review groups when conducting a priority setting study in a different context. PMID:28780546

Computer Language Settings and Canadian Spellings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuttleworth, Roger

2011-01-01

The language settings used on personal computers interact with the spell-checker in Microsoft Word, which directly affects the flagging of spellings that are deemed incorrect. This study examined the language settings of personal computers owned by a group of Canadian university students. Of 21 computers examined, only eight had their Windows…

Implementing Total Quality Management in a University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coate, L. Edwin

1991-01-01

Oregon State University implemented Total Quality Management in nine phases: exploration; establishing a pilot study team; defining customer needs; adopting the breakthrough planning process; performing breakthrough planning in divisions; forming daily management teams; initiating cross-functional pilot projects; implementing cross-functional…

Practice and Policy to Enhance Student Induction and Transition: A Case Study of Institution-Wide Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsford, Sally; Rose, Christine

2014-01-01

This case study gives an analytical account of institutional development in induction provision. Driven by student experience concerns, a London post-1992 University set up an "enhanced induction project" to provide a more integrated, personalised approach through more coordinated processes. In a large, diverse context, university-wide…

Examining the Marketing Strategies for Three Private Universities in Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadjiphanis, Lycourgos

2010-01-01

Previous studies have found a relationship between the implementation of marketing segmentation and promotion strategies in enrollment. However, these two factors had not yet been examined and applied to a university setting as a possible solution to decreased enrollment. The problem addressed in this study was that enrollment diminished when…

Community Engaged Service-Learning: The Effect on University Students and Community Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Susan C.

2012-01-01

The notion that an ethic of service can be fostered through participation in an academic community engaged service-learning program was the underlying premise for this program evaluation study. The purpose of this program evaluation study, using both quantitative and qualitative measures in a thoughtfully organized setting of university and…

Sustainable Imaginaries: A Case Study of a Large Suburban Canadian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughter, Philip; Alsop, Steve

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the concept of sustainability imaginaries--unifying core assumptions on what sustainability entails held by stakeholders--set within a large suburban Canadian university. The study aims to expand the field of research into imaginaries by focusing on imaginaries within an institution as opposed to a societal or…

Promising Practices: A Case Study on Public Health Emergency Preparedness at a University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathes, Amy L.

2013-01-01

There is little published literature on operational coordination during a real time disaster regardless of the setting. This study describes a university's emergency management plan and its execution in response to a specific natural disaster, the May 8, 2009 "inland hurricane," which was later classified as a "Super Derecho."…

Affective Learning in Higher Education: A Regional Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Nina; Ziaian, Tahereh; Sawyer, Janet; Gillham, David

2013-01-01

A pilot study was conducted in a regional university setting to promote awareness of the value of affective teaching and learning amongst staff and students. Academic staff and students from diverse disciplines at University of South Australia's (UniSA) Centre for Regional Engagement (CRE) were recruited to the study. The research investigated…

Spirituality in Indian University Students and its Associations with Socioeconomic Status, Religious Background, Social Support, and Mental Health.

PubMed

Deb, Sibnath; McGirr, Kevin; Sun, Jiandong

2016-10-01

The present study aimed to understand spirituality and its relationships with socioeconomic status (SES), religious background, social support, and mental health among Indian university students. It was hypothesized that (1) female university students will be more spiritual than male university students, (2) four domains of spirituality will differ significantly across socioeconomic and religious background of the university students in addition to social support, and (3) there will be a positive relationship between spirituality and mental health of university students, irrespective of gender. A group of 475 postgraduate students aged 20-27 years, 241 males and 234 females, from various disciplines of Pondicherry University, India, participated in the study. Students' background was collected using a structured questionnaire. Overall spirituality and its four dimensions were measured using the Spirituality Attitude Inventory, while mental health status was estimated based on scores of the psychological subscale of the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire. Female students were significantly more spiritual than male students, particularly in spiritual practice and sense of purpose/connection. Hindu religion and lower family income were associated with lower spirituality. Higher spirituality was associated with congenial family environment and more support from teachers and classmates. There was a strong association between overall spirituality and two spirituality domains (spiritual belief and sense of purpose/connection) with better mental health. Findings suggest an opportunity for open dialogue on spirituality for university students as part of their mental health and support services that fosters a positive mind set and enhancement of resilience.

A Performance-Based Teacher Education Curriculum in the Language Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudman, Masha

1972-01-01

Under a feasibility grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare for a Model Elementary Teacher Education Program (METEP), the University of Massachusetts' School of Education set up a language arts education program based on performance criteria, in that it is the performance of the student that is crucial, not the method…

School-Based Mental Health Services: Service System Reform in South Carolina.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motes, Patricia Stone; Pumariega, Andres; Simpson, Mary Ann; Sanderson, Jennifer

This paper reports on the University of South Carolina School-Based Mental Health Project, a program which provides mental health services within a public school setting in an effort to maximize the preventive and educational effects of mental health services within schools. The project is also developing a model to serve as a foundation for a…

Developing a framework for community-based sexual health interventions for youth in the rural setting: protocol for a participatory action research study

PubMed Central

Heslop, Carl William; Burns, Sharyn; Lobo, Roanna; McConigley, Ruth

2017-01-01

Introduction There is limited research examining community-based or multilevel interventions that address the sexual health of young people in the rural Australian context. This paper describes the Participatory Action Research (PAR) project that will develop and validate a framework that is effective for planning, implementing and evaluating multilevel community-based sexual health interventions for young people aged 16–24 years in the Australian rural setting. Methods and analysis To develop a framework for sexual health interventions with stakeholders, PAR will be used. Three PAR cycles will be conducted, using semistructured one-on-one interviews, focus groups, community mapping and photovoice to inform the development of a draft framework. Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 will use targeted Delphi studies to gather evaluation and feedback on the developed draft framework. All data collected will be reviewed and analysed in detail and coded as concepts become apparent at each stage of the process. Ethics and dissemination This protocol describes a supervised doctoral research project. This project seeks to contribute to the literature regarding PAR in the rural setting and the use of the Delphi technique within PAR projects. The developed framework as a result of the project will provide a foundation for further research testing the application of the framework in other settings and health areas. This research has received ethics approval from the Curtin University Human Research and Ethics Committee (HR96/2015). PMID:28559453

Restructuring the CS 1 classroom: Examining the effect of open laboratory-based classes vs. closed laboratory-based classes on Computer Science 1 students' achievement and attitudes toward computers and computer courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Jean Foster

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of classroom restructuring involving computer laboratories on student achievement and student attitudes toward computers and computer courses. The effects of the targeted student attributes of gender, previous programming experience, math background, and learning style were also examined. The open lab-based class structure consisted of a traditional lecture class with a separate, unscheduled lab component in which lab assignments were completed outside of class; the closed lab-based class structure integrated a lab component within the lecture class so that half the class was reserved for lecture and half the class was reserved for students to complete lab assignments by working cooperatively with each other and under the supervision and guidance of the instructor. The sample consisted of 71 students enrolled in four intact classes of Computer Science I during the fall and spring semesters of the 2006--2007 school year at two southern universities: two classes were held in the fall (one at each university) and two classes were held in the spring (one at each university). A counterbalanced repeated measures design was used in which all students experienced both class structures for half of each semester. The order of control and treatment was rotated among the four classes. All students received the same amount of class and instructor time. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) via a multiple regression strategy was used to test the study's hypotheses. Although the overall MANOVA model was statistically significant, independent follow-up univariate analyses relative to each dependent measure found that the only significant research factor was math background: Students whose mathematics background was at the level of Calculus I or higher had significantly higher student achievement than students whose mathematics background was less than Calculus I. The results suggest that classroom structures that incorporate an open laboratory setting are just as effective on student achievement and attitudes as classroom structures that incorporate a closed laboratory setting. The results also suggest that math background is a strong predictor of student achievement in CS 1.

Teaching Engineering Design in a Laboratory Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hummon, Norman P.; Bullen, A. G. R.

1974-01-01

Discusses the establishment of an environmental systems laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh with the support of the Sloan Foundation. Indicates that the "real world" can be brought into the laboratory by simulating on computers, software systems, and data bases. (CC)

The Evolution of the Penn State University Astronomy Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palma, C.; Charlton, J. C.

2008-06-01

The Penn State Dept. of Astronomy & Astrophysics has a long tradition of outreach. Faculty, students, and staff all participate as volunteers to create and deliver a variety of outreach programming to diverse audiences, including for example K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and senior citizens, in addition to open events that invite all members of the general public to attend. In the past four years, the University and the Department have provided institutional support for science outreach efforts. Many of our programs also receive financial support through NASA Education and Public outreach awards and through NSF awards to PSU Astronomy faculty. We actively collaborate with the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium, the Penn State Center for Science and the Schools, four local school districts, and our colleagues from other science disciplines at the University. With this set of partners we are able to continue to innovate and offer new outreach programming annually. In this poster, we present an overview of the variety of outreach programs offered recently and those in the development stages. We describe how each program fits into the Department and University structure. In this way we provide a case study of a large, dynamic, university-based astronomy outreach venture.

Characterizing Pedagogical Practices of University Physics Students in Informal Learning Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinko, Kathleen

2016-03-01

University educators (UEs) have a long history of teaching physics not only in formal classroom settings but also in informal outreach environments. The pedagogical practices of UEs in informal physics teaching have not been widely studied, and they may provide insight into formal practices and preparation. We investigate the interactions between UEs and children in an afterschool physics program facilitated by university physics students from the University of Colorado Boulder. In this program, physics undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers work with K-8 children on hands-on physics activities on a weekly basis over the course of a semester. We use an Activity Theoretic framework as a tool to examine situational aspects of individuals' behavior in the complex structure of the afterschool program. Using this framework, we analyze video of UE-child interactions and identify three main pedagogical modalities that UEs display during activities: Instruction, Consultation and Participation modes. These modes are characterized by certain language, physical location, and objectives that establish differences in UE-child roles and division of labor. Based on this analysis, we discuss implications for promoting pedagogical strategies through purposeful curriculum development and university educator preparation.

Toward a Set of Internationally Applicable Indicators for Measuring University Internationalization Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Yuan

2015-01-01

This article emphasizes the urgent demand for measurements of university internationalization and proposes a new approach to develop a set of internationally applicable indicators for measuring university internationalization performance. The article looks into existing instruments developed for assessing university internationalization,…

Lessons Learned from an Industry, Government and University Collaboration to Restore Stream Habitats and Mitigate Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Nicholas E.; Scrimgeour, Garry J.; Tonn, William M.

2017-01-01

Restoration ecologists conduct both basic and applied research using a diversity of funding and collaborative models. Over the last 17 years we have assessed the effectiveness of a stream compensation project in Canada's north, where an independent university-based research program was a condition of the regulatory approval process. This resulted in a non-traditional university-government-industry partnership. Here we share seven lessons that we learned from our collective experiences with the research partnership and use the Ekati diamond mine as a case study to illustrate and support lessons learned. Our advice includes opinions on the importance of: engaging collaborators early, defining roles and responsibilities, data sharing and standardization, the use of natural streams to set restoration targets, expect setbacks and surprises, treating restoration as an opportunity to experiment, and how to define success. Many of the lessons learned are broadly applicable to those whom embark on research collaborations among industry, universities, and consulting companies within a regulatory framework and may be of particular value to collaborators in early stages of their career.

The Experiences of Non-Signing Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students and Their Academic and Social Integration into a Primarily Signing Deaf University Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorminy, Jerri Lyn

2013-01-01

What is the value of a predominantly signing Deaf University such as Gallaudet University for an oral deaf or hard-of-hearing non-signing student who grew up in the mainstreamed or inclusive educational settings? This study sought to explore the experiences of ten non-signing oral deaf and hard-of-hearing university students as they integrated,…

Signatures of the Primordial Universe from Its Emptiness: Measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from Minima of the Density Field.

PubMed

Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Liang, Yu; Zhao, Cheng; Tao, Charling; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Eisenstein, Daniel J; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Kneib, Jean-Paul; McBride, Cameron; Percival, Will J; Ross, Ashley J; Sánchez, Ariel G; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Vargas-Magana, Mariana; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2016-04-29

Sound waves from the primordial fluctuations of the Universe imprinted in the large-scale structure, called baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs), can be used as standard rulers to measure the scale of the Universe. These oscillations have already been detected in the distribution of galaxies. Here we propose to measure BAOs from the troughs (minima) of the density field. Based on two sets of accurate mock halo catalogues with and without BAOs in the seed initial conditions, we demonstrate that the BAO signal cannot be obtained from the clustering of classical disjoint voids, but it is clearly detected from overlapping voids. The latter represent an estimate of all troughs of the density field. We compute them from the empty circumsphere centers constrained by tetrahedra of galaxies using Delaunay triangulation. Our theoretical models based on an unprecedented large set of detailed simulated void catalogues are remarkably well confirmed by observational data. We use the largest recently publicly available sample of luminous red galaxies from SDSS-III BOSS DR11 to unveil for the first time a >3σ BAO detection from voids in observations. Since voids are nearly isotropically expanding regions, their centers represent the most quiet places in the Universe, keeping in mind the cosmos origin and providing a new promising window in the analysis of the cosmological large-scale structure from galaxy surveys.

Development of universal genetic markers based on single-copy orthologous (COSII) genes in Poaceae.

PubMed

Liu, Hailan; Guo, Xiaoqin; Wu, Jiasheng; Chen, Guo-Bo; Ying, Yeqing

2013-03-01

KEY MESSAGE : We develop a set of universal genetic markers based on single-copy orthologous (COSII) genes in Poaceae. Being evolutionary conserved, single-copy orthologous (COSII) genes are particularly useful in comparative mapping and phylogenetic investigation among species. In this study, we identified 2,684 COSII genes based on five sequenced Poaceae genomes including rice, maize, sorghum, foxtail millet, and brachypodium, and then developed 1,072 COSII markers whose transferability and polymorphism among five bamboo species were further evaluated with 46 pairs of randomly selected primers. 91.3 % of the 46 primers obtained clear amplification in at least one bamboo species, and 65.2 % of them produced polymorphism in more than one species. We also used 42 of them to construct the phylogeny for the five bamboo species, and it might reflect more precise evolutionary relationship than the one based on the vegetative morphology. The results indicated a promising prospect of applying these markers to the investigation of genetic diversity and the classification of Poaceae. To ease and facilitate access of the information of common interest to readers, a web-based database of the COSII markers is provided ( http://www.sicau.edu.cn/web/yms/PCOSWeb/PCOS.html ).

Attrition bias in rheumatoid arthritis databanks: a case study of 6346 patients in 11 databanks and 65,649 administrations of the Health Assessment Questionnaire.

PubMed

Krishnan, Eswar; Murtagh, Kirsten; Bruce, Bonnie; Cline, Denise; Singh, Gurkirpal; Fries, James F

2004-07-01

Patient dropout (attrition) can bias and threaten validity of databank-based studies. Although there are several databanks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in operation, this phenomenon has not been well studied. We studied the attrition patterns of patients with RA in 11 long-running databanks where patients were followed using semiannual Health Assessment Questionnaires. Attrition rates were calculated as the proportion of living patients who were in active followup at the cutoff date. Mantel-Haenszel methods and Weibull regression were used to model the relationship between attrition and age, sex, race, education, disease duration, functional disability, and other characteristics. Overall, 6346 patients with RA were recruited into the study cohorts and followed for 32,823 person-years with 65,649 observations. The crude attrition rate was 3.8% per cycle. Rates were lowest in community-based databanks. Smaller size of the centers, inner-city location, and university clinic settings were associated with worse attrition. In multivariable analyses, younger age, lower levels of education, and non-Caucasian race predicted attrition. Level of disability and disease duration were not associated with attrition. Conclusion. In terms of person-years of followup and observation-points, this may be the largest study on attrition to date. While it is possible to have very high overall retention rates, certain types of databanks (smaller, inner-city-based, and university-based) are more likely to be biased due to selective retention of older, more educated Caucasian patients.

Guidelines for the air-sea interaction special study: An element of the NASA climate research program, JPL/SIO workshop report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A program in the area of air sea interactions is introduced. A space capability is discussed for global observations of climate parameters which will contribute to the understanding of the processes which influence climate and its predictability. The following recommendations are some of the suggestions made for air sea interaction studies: (1) a major effort needs to be devoted to the preparation of space based climatic data sets; (2) NASA should create a group or center for climatic data analysis due to the substantial long term effort that is needed in research and development; (3) funding for the analyses of existing data sets should be augmented and continued beyond the termination of present programs; (4) NASA should fund studies in universities, research institutions and governments' centers; and (5) the planning for an air sea interaction mission should be an early task.

Mutuality and reciprocity in the psychological contracts of employees and employers.

PubMed

Dabos, Guillermo E; Rousseau, Denise M

2004-02-01

The authors assessed the joint perceptions of the employee and his or her employer to examine mutuality and reciprocity in the employment relationship. Paired psychological contract reports were obtained from 80 employee-employer dyads in 16 university-based research centers. On the basis of in-depth study of the research setting, research directors were identified as primary agents for the university (employer) in shaping the terms of employment of staff scientists (employees). By assessing the extent of consistency between employee and employer beliefs regarding their exchange agreement, the present study mapped the variation and consequences of mutuality and reciprocity in psychological contracts. Results indicate that both mutuality and reciprocity are positively related to archival indicators of research productivity and career advancement, in addition to self-reported measures of Met Expectations and intention to continue working with the employer. Implications for psychological contract theory are presented. ((c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

E-Books from MyiLibrary at the University of Worcester: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Alison

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how an e-books project was set up at the University of Worcester Information and Learning Services with the aim of improving user access to the range of textbook materials available. Design/methodology/approach: Details of the background and circumstances of the University and the effect of these…

Student Response Behavior to Six Types of Caller/Sender When Smartphones Receive a Call or Text Message during University Lectures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chida, Kunihiro; Kato, Yuuki; Kato, Shogo

2016-01-01

This study, which targeted students in Japanese universities, used a written questionnaire to examine student response behavior when their smartphones received a call or message during university lectures. Phone and message transmissions were taken as the transmission media and six types of caller/sender were set. Survey results showed differences…

Defining Appropriate Professional Behavior for Faculty and University Students on Social Networking Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malesky, L. Alvin; Peters, Chris

2012-01-01

The vast majority of university students have profiles on social networking sites (e.g., Myspace, Facebook) (Salaway et al. 2008). However, it is yet to be determined what role this rapidly evolving method of communication will play in an academic setting. Data for the current study was collected from 459 university students and 159 university…

The Importance of Place for International Students' Choice of University: A Case Study at a Malaysian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Jasvir Kaur Nachatar; Schapper, Jan; Jack, Gavin

2014-01-01

The scholarly bias toward Western and English-speaking settings in the study of international education overlooks the experiences of international students in emerging education hubs in Asia. To redress this imbalance, this article offers insights into the crucial role of place in the study destination choices of a group of international…

Native American Studies in Higher Education: Models for Collaboration between Universities and Indigenous Nations. Contemporary Native American Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champagne, Duane, Ed.; Stauss, Jay, Ed.

This book compiles stories about the formation of American Indian/Native American studies in 12 mainstream university settings. Common elements of these successful programs include a highly committed core of Indian and non-Indian faculty and students who believe in the intellectual and nation-building agenda of Indian/Native studies; a strong…

The Development and Implementation of a Pre-International Experience Course: A Cultural Intervention in a University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Adam

2014-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to assess the impact and influence of a pre-international experience course on Arizona State University (ASU) students before they study or intern abroad. Currently, the study abroad pre-departure orientation for ASU participants consists of online modules and a two-hour face-to-face…

Why do primary care doctors undertake postgraduate diploma studies in a mixed private/public Asian setting?

PubMed

Lam, T P; Lam, K F; Tse, E Y Y

2006-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine the reasons why primary care doctors undertake postgraduate diploma studies in a mixed private/public Asian setting. Twenty four past or current postgraduate diploma students of the family medicine unit (FMU) of the University of Hong Kong participated in three focus group interviews. A structured questionnaire was constructed based on the qualitative data collected and was sent to 328 former applicants of postgraduate diploma studies at FMU. "Upgrading medical knowledge and skills" and "improving quality of practice" were two of the factors that most of the respondents considered to be significant in motivating them to undertake postgraduate diploma studies. "Time constraint" and "workload in practice" were however the most significant demotivating factors. Financial issues were more seriously considered by the junior than the senior doctors. To be able to "expand patient base and/or number" was considered to be a significant factor by the private doctors who were also keen to "improve communication and relationship with patients". These findings suggest that there are mixed reasons for primary care doctors to undertake postgraduate diploma studies. Course organisers should take into consideration these various reasons in planning their programmes.

Characterizing pedagogical practices of university physics students in informal learning environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinko, Kathleen A.; Madigan, Peter; Miller, Eric; Finkelstein, Noah D.

2016-06-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Preparing and Supporting University Physics Educators.] University educators (UEs) have a long history of teaching physics not only in formal classroom settings but also in informal outreach environments. The pedagogical practices of UEs in informal physics teaching have not been widely studied, and they may provide insight into formal practices and preparation. We investigate the interactions between UEs and children in an afterschool physics program facilitated by university physics students from the University of Colorado Boulder. In this program, physics undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers work with K-8 children on hands-on physics activities on a weekly basis over the course of a semester. We use an activity theoretic framework as a tool to examine situational aspects of individuals' behavior in the complex structure of the afterschool program. Using this framework, we analyze video of UE-child interactions and identify three main pedagogical modalities that UEs display during activities: instruction, consultation, and participation modes. These modes are characterized by certain language, physical location, and objectives that establish differences in UE-child roles and division of labor. Based on this analysis, we discuss implications for promoting pedagogical strategies through purposeful curriculum development and university educator preparation.

The Use of Music Technology across the Curriculum in Music Education Settings: Case Studies of Two Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cremata, Radio

2010-01-01

This study is an investigation of the uses of music technology in music education programs in two universities. The purpose of this study was to discover the ways in which music technology was used in two schools of music across the entire music curriculum for music education students. This study detailed the ways in which music technology was…

Reexamining free flap breast reconstruction in the community and university setting: is there a difference?

PubMed

Nelson, Jonas A; Stransky, Carrie A; Fischer, John P; Fosnot, Joshua; Serletti, Joseph M; Wu, Liza C

2014-12-01

This study aimed to compare free flap breast reconstruction outcomes in community and university settings to determine whether the latter is necessary for successful performance of this complex procedure. Free tissue transfer procedures for breast reconstruction from 1 university and 1 community hospital performed between 2005 and 2011 were included. Procedures were performed by the same 2 surgeons at both institutions. Demographics and outcome measures were evaluated. Of the 1293 free tissue breast reconstructions performed, 99 (7.7%) were performed in a community hospital and 1194 (92.3%) were performed in a university center. No differences were noted in demographics, comorbidities, or type of free flap reconstruction. However, a number of perioperative characteristics differed. In the community setting, operative time was less (7.3 vs 8.3 hours, P < 0.0001), estimated blood loss was higher (330 vs 248 mL, P < 0.0001), and blood transfusions were more prevalent (24.6% vs 8.3%, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, no significant differences were noted in overall postoperative complications, although a higher rate of abdominal wound infections was noted in the community setting (7.2% vs 2.6%, P = 0.03). The mean number of hospital days was similar between the community and the university (should include value P = 0.44). Although slight differences were noted in a number of perioperative variables and wound complications, we conclude that the key to a successful free tissue transfer reconstruction is in the expertise of the surgeon and not the setting in which it is performed. Despite its complexity, free flap breast reconstruction can be safely and successfully performed in the community setting.

Microdosimetric evaluation of the neutron field for BNCT at Kyoto University reactor by using the PHITS code.

PubMed

Baba, H; Onizuka, Y; Nakao, M; Fukahori, M; Sato, T; Sakurai, Y; Tanaka, H; Endo, S

2011-02-01

In this study, microdosimetric energy distributions of secondary charged particles from the (10)B(n,α)(7)Li reaction in boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) field were calculated using the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS). The PHITS simulation was performed to reproduce the geometrical set-up of an experiment that measured the microdosimetric energy distributions at the Kyoto University Reactor where two types of tissue-equivalent proportional counters were used, one with A-150 wall alone and another with a 50-ppm-boron-loaded A-150 wall. It was found that the PHITS code is a useful tool for the simulation of the energy deposited in tissue in BNCT based on the comparisons with experimental results.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of motivational interviewing with feedback to reduce drinking among a sample of college students.

PubMed

Cowell, Alexander J; Brown, Janice M; Mills, Michael J; Bender, Randall H; Wedehase, Brendan J

2012-03-01

This study evaluated the costs and cost-effectiveness of combining motivational interviewing with feedback to address heavy drinking among university freshmen. Microcosting methods were used in a prospective cost and cost-effectiveness study of a randomized trial of assessment only (AO), motivational interviewing (MI), feedback only (FB), and motivational interviewing with feedback (MIFB) at a large public university in the southeastern United States. Students were recruited and screened into the study during freshman classes based on recent heavy drinking. A total of 727 students (60% female) were randomized, and 656 had sufficient data at 3-months' follow-up to be included in the cost-effectiveness analysis. Effectiveness outcomes were changes in average drinks per drinking occasion and number of heavy drinking occasions. Mean intervention costs per student were $16.51 for MI, $17.33 for FB, and $36.03 for MIFB. Cost-effectiveness analysis showed two cost-effective interventions for both outcomes: AO ($0 per student) and MIFB ($36 per student). This is the first prospective cost-effectiveness study to our knowledge to examine MI for heavy drinking among students in a university setting. Despite being the most expensive intervention, MIFB was the most effective intervention and may be a cost-effective intervention, depending on a university's willingness to pay for changes in the considered outcomes.

Support in Clinical Settings as Perceived by Nursing Students in Iran: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Joolaee, Soodabeh; Ashghali Farahani, Mansoureh; Jafarian Amiri, Seyedeh Roghayeh; Varaei, Shokoh

2016-01-01

Background Although support is one of the most substantial needs of nursing students during clinical education, it is not clearly defined in the literature. Objectives The current study aimed to explore the concept of support in clinical settings as perceived by nursing students. Materials and Methods A qualitative content analysis was used to explore the meaning of student support in clinical settings. A purposive sampling with maximum variation was used to select the participants among bachelor nursing students in the nursing school of Babol University of Medical Sciences in the north of Iran. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the perceptions and experiences of seventeen nursing students. Conventional content analysis was applied to analyze the data. Results In the current study, the main theme, nurturance, was emerged with seven subthemes of humanistic behavior with the student, respectful communication with students, accepting the student in the clinical setting, sustaining confidence, need based supervision, accepting the profession in the society and empowerment. Conclusions Nursing students support in the clinical education requires a nurturing care; a care that leads to the sense of worthiness and respectability in students and contributes to the improvement of their clinical abilities. PMID:27331057

Three Case Studies in Making Fair Choices on the Path to Universal Health Coverage.

PubMed

Voorhoeve, Alex; Edejer, Tessa T T; Kapiriri, Lydia; Norheim, Ole F; Snowden, James; Basenya, Olivier; Bayarsaikhan, Dorjsuren; Chentaf, Ikram; Eyal, Nir; Folsom, Amanda; Tun Hussein, Rozita Halina; Morales, Cristian; Ostmann, Florian; Ottersen, Trygve; Prakongsai, Phusit; Saenz, Carla; Saleh, Karima; Sommanustweechai, Angkana; Wikler, Daniel; Zakariah, Afisah

2016-12-01

The goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can generally be realized only in stages. Moreover, resource, capacity, and political constraints mean governments often face difficult trade-offs on the path to UHC. In a 2014 report, Making fair choices on the path to UHC , the WHO Consultative Group on Equity and Universal Health Coverage articulated principles for making such trade-offs in an equitable manner. We present three case studies which illustrate how these principles can guide practical decision-making. These case studies show how progressive realization of the right to health can be effectively guided by priority-setting principles, including generating the greatest total health gain, priority for those who are worse off in a number of dimensions (including health, access to health services, and social and economic status), and financial risk protection. They also demonstrate the value of a fair and accountable process of priority setting.

Three Case Studies in Making Fair Choices on the Path to Universal Health Coverage

PubMed Central

Edejer, Tessa T.T.; Kapiriri, Lydia; Norheim, Ole F.; Snowden, James; Basenya, Olivier; Bayarsaikhan, Dorjsuren; Chentaf, Ikram; Eyal, Nir; Folsom, Amanda; Tun Hussein, Rozita Halina; Morales, Cristian; Ostmann, Florian; Ottersen, Trygve; Prakongsai, Phusit; Saenz, Carla; Saleh, Karima; Sommanustweechai, Angkana; Wikler, Daniel; Zakariah, Afisah

2016-01-01

Abstract The goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can generally be realized only in stages. Moreover, resource, capacity, and political constraints mean governments often face difficult trade-offs on the path to UHC. In a 2014 report, Making fair choices on the path to UHC, the WHO Consultative Group on Equity and Universal Health Coverage articulated principles for making such trade-offs in an equitable manner. We present three case studies which illustrate how these principles can guide practical decision-making. These case studies show how progressive realization of the right to health can be effectively guided by priority-setting principles, including generating the greatest total health gain, priority for those who are worse off in a number of dimensions (including health, access to health services, and social and economic status), and financial risk protection. They also demonstrate the value of a fair and accountable process of priority setting. PMID:28559673

Teleconsultation in school settings: linking classroom teachers and behavior analysts through web-based technology.

PubMed

Frieder, Jessica E; Peterson, Stephanie M; Woodward, Judy; Crane, Jaelee; Garner, Marlane

2009-01-01

This paper describes a technically driven, collaborative approach to assessing the function of problem behavior using web-based technology. A case example is provided to illustrate the process used in this pilot project. A school team conducted a functional analysis with a child who demonstrated challenging behaviors in a preschool setting. Behavior analysts at a university setting provided the school team with initial workshop trainings, on-site visits, e-mail and phone communication, as well as live web-based feedback on functional analysis sessions. The school personnel implemented the functional analysis with high fidelity and scored the data reliably. Outcomes of the project suggest that there is great potential for collaboration via the use of web-based technologies for ongoing assessment and development of effective interventions. However, an empirical evaluation of this model should be conducted before wide-scale adoption is recommended.

Paideia: Origins.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, John W.

The ideas in Mortimer Adler's educational manifesto, "The Paideia Proposal," are compared to the Greek concept of paideia (meaning upbringing of a child) and discredited. Committed to universal education, Adler wants schooling based on a set of uniformly applied objectives achieved by packaging pre-organized knowledge in established…

Adult Children of Alcoholics: Characteristics of Students in a University Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Judith P.; Kinnick, Bernard C.

1995-01-01

Characteristics of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) among traditional-age college students were investigated. Personality characteristics were examined based on birth order, gender of alcoholic parent, and honor society membership. Differences between ACOAs and non-ACOAs are discussed. (Author)

DYNAMICS OF PARTICIPATIVE GROUPS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GIBB, JACK R.; AND OTHERS

THROUGH UNIVERSITY LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN INDUSTRIAL, COMMUNITY, AND EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, AND EXPERIENCES IN CLASSES IN GROUP DYNAMICS, THE PARTICIPATIVE ACTION METHOD OF GROUP TRAINING FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING WAS DEVELOPED. IT IS BASED ON 8 PRINCIPLES--PHYSICAL REGROUPING, REDUCTION OF…

Usefulness of Interprofessional Education (Tsurumai-Meijo IPE) in Program Collaborating with Simulated Patients.

PubMed

Goto, Aya; Hanya, Manako; Yoshimi, Akira; Uchida, Mizuki; Takeuchi, Saori; Aida, Nobuko; Suematsu, Mina; Abe, Keiko; Yasui, Hiroki; Kamei, Hiroyuki; Noda, Yukihiro

2017-01-01

Collaboration with multiple healthcare professionals is important to provide safer and higher quality care. Interprofessional education (IPE) promotes the practice of team-based care. The establishment of Tsurumai-Meijo IPE, including interprofessional education and practice (IPEP) and video-teaching materials, was conducted in collaboration with school of medicine/nursing in Nagoya University and Fujita Health University, because Meijo University does not have its own clinical settings and faculties except for pharmacy. In the established Tsurumai-Meijo IPE, pharmacy, medicine, and nursing students interviewed simulated patients (SP) together or separately and practiced team-based care through Tsurumai-Meijo IPEP. Students could learn in advance and on their own about each professional's knowledge related to patient care by using video-teaching materials from the Meijo IPE homepage. Using a questionnaire survey at the end of program, this study was examined whether Tsurumai-Meijo IPEP, and video-teaching materials were useful for understanding importance of team-based care. More than 83% of students indicated that Tsurumai-Meijo IPE is useful on future clinical practice. This suggests that the program and materials are beneficial to the medical student education. In the optional survey of some clinical pharmacists, who had participated in Tsurumai-Meijo IPE before graduation, they utilized it in their work and it facilitated their work related to team-based care. Tsurumai-Meijo IPE collaborating with SP is likely to contribute to provide high quality and safe team-based care by taking advantage of specialized professional ability of healthcare professionals.

Making User-Generated Content Communities Work in Higher Education - The Importance of Setting Incentives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vom Brocke, Jan; White, Cynthia; Walker, Ute; Vom Brocke, Christina

The concept of User-Generated Content (UGC) offers impressive potential for innovative learning and teaching scenarios in higher education. Examples like Wikipedia and Facebook illustrate the enormous effects of multiple users world-wide contributing to a pool of shared resources, such as videos and pictures and also lexicographical descriptions. Apart from single examples, however, the systematic use of these virtual technologies in higher education still needs further exploration. Only few examples display the successful application of UGC Communities at university scenarios. We argue that a major reason for this can be seen in the fact that the organizational dimension of setting up UGC Communities has widely been neglected so far. In particular, we indicate the need for incentive setting to actively involve students and achieve specific pedagogical objectives. We base our study on organizational theories and derive strategies for incentive setting that have been applied in a practical e-Learning scenario involving students from Germany and New Zealand.

UDL and Intellectual Disability: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go?

PubMed

Rao, Kavita; Smith, Sean J; Lowrey, K Alisa

2017-02-01

As an instructional design framework that can be used to design curriculum for students with and without disabilities, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has the potential to support meaningful inclusion of students with intellectual disability (ID) in general educational settings. This article presents an overview of the existing set of research studies on UDL application for students with ID in PreK-12 settings. The current body of research illustrates that UDL is being applied to instructional activities for students with ID to examine a variety of interventions (e.g., adapted stories for individual students, inclusive general education curriculum) and outcomes (e.g., interaction, perceptions, knowledge gains) in self-contained and general educational settings. It also identifies important questions for consideration in future research as the field seeks to determine how UDL guidelines can be applied to curriculum, used with evidence-based and effective practices, and used to support schoolwide initiatives inclusive of students with ID.

Requirements for Calibration in Noninvasive Glucose Monitoring by Raman Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Lipson, Jan; Bernhardt, Jeff; Block, Ueyn; Freeman, William R.; Hofmeister, Rudy; Hristakeva, Maya; Lenosky, Thomas; McNamara, Robert; Petrasek, Danny; Veltkamp, David; Waydo, Stephen

2009-01-01

Background In the development of noninvasive glucose monitoring technology, it is highly desirable to derive a calibration that relies on neither person-dependent calibration information nor supplementary calibration points furnished by an existing invasive measurement technique (universal calibration). Method By appropriate experimental design and associated analytical methods, we establish the sufficiency of multiple factors required to permit such a calibration. Factors considered are the discrimination of the measurement technique, stabilization of the experimental apparatus, physics–physiology-based measurement techniques for normalization, the sufficiency of the size of the data set, and appropriate exit criteria to establish the predictive value of the algorithm. Results For noninvasive glucose measurements, using Raman spectroscopy, the sufficiency of the scale of data was demonstrated by adding new data into an existing calibration algorithm and requiring that (a) the prediction error should be preserved or improved without significant re-optimization, (b) the complexity of the model for optimum estimation not rise with the addition of subjects, and (c) the estimation for persons whose data were removed entirely from the training set should be no worse than the estimates on the remainder of the population. Using these criteria, we established guidelines empirically for the number of subjects (30) and skin sites (387) for a preliminary universal calibration. We obtained a median absolute relative difference for our entire data set of 30 mg/dl, with 92% of the data in the Clarke A and B ranges. Conclusions Because Raman spectroscopy has high discrimination for glucose, a data set of practical dimensions appears to be sufficient for universal calibration. Improvements based on reducing the variance of blood perfusion are expected to reduce the prediction errors substantially, and the inclusion of supplementary calibration points for the wearable device under development will be permissible and beneficial. PMID:20144354

A profile of sports science research (1983-2003).

PubMed

Williams, Stephen John; Kendall, Lawrence R

2007-08-01

A majority of sports science research is undertaken in universities and dedicated research centres, such as institutes of sport. Reviews of literature analysing and categorising research have been carried out, but categories identified have been limited to research design and data gathering techniques. Hence there is a need to include categories such as discipline, subjects and targeted sport. A study was conducted using document analysis method to gather data that described and categorised performance-based sports science research projects in Australian universities and institutes of sport. An instrument was designed that could be used by researchers to analyse and profile research in the area of sports science. The instrument contained six categories: targeted sport, primary study area, participant type, research setting, methodology and data gathering techniques. Research documents analysed consisted of 725 original unpublished research reports/theses. Results showed that over two-thirds of research projects were targeted to specific sports and, of this group, nearly half involved four sports: cycling, rowing, athletics and swimming. Overall, physiology was the most researched scientific discipline. The most frequently used research method was experimental design, and the most frequently used data gathering technique was physiological (performance) measures. Two-thirds of research was conducted in laboratory settings, and nearly half of the research was conducted with elite or sub-elite athletes as participants/subjects. The findings of this study provide an overall synopsis of performance-based sports science research conducted in Australia over the last 20 years, and should be of considerable importance in the ongoing development of sports science research policy in Australia.

Competency-based curriculum and active methodology: perceptions of nursing students.

PubMed

Paranhos, Vania Daniele; Mendes, Maria Manuela Rino

2010-01-01

This study identifies the perceptions of undergraduate students at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, College of Nursing (EERP-USP) concerning the teaching-learning process in two courses: Integrated Seminar: Health-Disease/Care Process in Health Services Policies and Organization, which was offered to first-year students in 2005 and 2006 and Integrality in Health Care I and II, which was offered to second-year students in 2006. The courses proposal was to adopt active methodology and competency-based curriculum. Data were collected from written tests submitted to 62 students at the end of the curse, focusing on the tests pertinence, development of performance, structure and pedagogical dynamics, organization and settings. Thematic analysis indicated that students enjoyed the courses, highlighted the role of the professor/facilitator at points of the pedagogical cycle and learning recorded in students portfolios. Students valued their experience in the Primary Health Care setting, which was based on, and has since the beginning of the program been based on, the theory-professional practice interlocution and closeness to the principles of the Unified Health System (SUS).

Segmentation Using Multispectral Adaptive Contours

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-02-29

Geometry, University of Toronto Press, 1959. 13. R . Malladi , J. Sethian, “Image Processing via Level Set Curvature Flow,” National Academy of Science, vol...92, pp. 7046, 1995. 14. R . Malladi , J. Sethian, C. Vemuri, "Shape Modeling with Front Propagation: a Level Set Approach," IEEE Transactions on...boundary-based active contour models are reviewed in this report; geometric active contours proposed by Caselles et al. [2] and by Malladi and Sethian [13

Sportsmanship Development Strategies for Coaches of University Athletes in South-South of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dada, Benson Olu

2016-01-01

Sportsmanship has become an important aspect of the sport through which individuals can mirror the moral life of athletes. Studies show that most University athletes do not possess the right sportsmanship spirit in sports. This study was set forth to determine sportsmanship development strategies that can be utilized by sports coaches for…

Teachers Matter: Expectancy Effects in Chinese University English-as-a-Foreign-Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zheng; Rubie-Davies, Christine Margaret

2017-01-01

This study was designed to investigate teacher expectation effects for intact student groups (rather than individuals) in tertiary settings, which have been little studied in the literature. The participants were 50 teachers and their 4617 first-year undergraduate students learning English as a foreign language at two universities in China.…

Transactional Distance among Open University Students: How Does it Affect the Learning Process?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kassandrinou, Amanda; Angelaki, Christina; Mavroidis, Ilias

2014-01-01

This study examines the presence of transactional distance among students, the factors affecting it, as well as the way it influences the learning process of students in a blended distance learning setting in Greece. The present study involved 12 postgraduate students of the Hellenic Open University (HOU). A qualitative research was conducted,…

Microsoft Excel®: Is It an Important Job Skill for College Graduates?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Formby, Sam K.; Medlin, B. Dawn; Ellington, Virginia

2017-01-01

Several studies have found that a large percentage of middle-skilled jobs require at least a basic understanding of spreadsheets, and some even advanced level skills. A study was conducted at a four-year university to identify Excel skill sets that were determined as necessary by employers of the university's current students, advisory boards,…

Preventing Smoking in Open Public Places in University Campus Settings: A Situational Crime Prevention Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Jing; Prenzler, Tim; Buys, Nicholas; McMeniman, Marilyn

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions using situational crime prevention approaches to reduce the smoking rate in outdoor areas of a university campus. Design/methodology/approach: A prospective intervention design was designed for the study. Surveys and observations were used to measure the impacts…

Measuring the Quality of Life of University Students. Research Monograph Series. Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Lance W.; Clifton, Rodney A.

This study sought to develop a valid set of scales in the cognitive and affective domains for measuring the quality of life of university students. In addition the study attempted to illustrate the usefulness of Thomas Piazza's procedures for constructing valid scales in educational research. Piazza's method involves a multi-step construction of…

An Examination of Biomedical Intellectual Reputation in Relationship to Graduates' Productivity, Regional Innovation and Absorptive Capacity at Selected Universities Worldwide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Gesulla

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was first to determine factors associated with intellectual reputation, specifically among selected biomedical departments worldwide within the university setting. Second, the study aimed to examine intellectual reputation in relationship to doctoral graduates' productivity in the biomedical sciences and in relationship…

A Moral Economy of Patents: Case of Finnish Research Universities' Patent Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauppinen, Ilkka

2014-01-01

The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of the concept of moral economy for higher education studies through a study of Finnish research universities' patent policies. Patent policies not only stimulate the commercialization of research, they also set norms for behavior and aim to clarify how to distribute rights and…

Why University Lecturers Enhance Their Teaching through the Use of Technology: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jump, Lynne

2011-01-01

The purpose of this systematic review is to add to current understanding of technology-enhanced teaching through a process of synthesis and analysis of a collection of contemporary case studies set within university contexts. The justification to review case studies comes from Pinch and Bijker's concept of the "social construction of technology"…

University Students Meeting the Recommended Standards of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Xiaofen; Castelli, Darla; Castro-Pinero, Jose; Guan, Hongwei

2011-01-01

This study investigated student physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in relation to the "Healthy Campus 2010" objectives set by the American College Health Association in 2002. Students (N = 1125) at a U.S. southern state university participated in the study. The percentages of students who were physically active and whose…

Earnings among Young and Mature Danish University Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klausen, Trond Beldo

2016-01-01

This paper studies the association between graduation age and earnings among university graduates in Denmark, which is a country with one of the oldest student populations in the world. Exploiting a rich data-set from administrative registers, the current study is able to track labour market career for a longer period of time and to control for…

Translanguaging Practices at a Bilingual University: A Case Study of a Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazak, Catherine M.; Herbas-Donoso, Claudia

2015-01-01

The objective of this ethnographic case study is to describe in detail one professor's translanguaging practices in an undergraduate science course at an officially bilingual university. The data-set is comprised of ethnographic field notes of 11 observed classes, audio recordings of those classes, an interview with the professor, and artifacts…

Universal Quantum Computing with Measurement-Induced Continuous-Variable Gate Sequence in a Loop-Based Architecture.

PubMed

Takeda, Shuntaro; Furusawa, Akira

2017-09-22

We propose a scalable scheme for optical quantum computing using measurement-induced continuous-variable quantum gates in a loop-based architecture. Here, time-bin-encoded quantum information in a single spatial mode is deterministically processed in a nested loop by an electrically programmable gate sequence. This architecture can process any input state and an arbitrary number of modes with almost minimum resources, and offers a universal gate set for both qubits and continuous variables. Furthermore, quantum computing can be performed fault tolerantly by a known scheme for encoding a qubit in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space of a single light mode.

Universal Quantum Computing with Measurement-Induced Continuous-Variable Gate Sequence in a Loop-Based Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Shuntaro; Furusawa, Akira

2017-09-01

We propose a scalable scheme for optical quantum computing using measurement-induced continuous-variable quantum gates in a loop-based architecture. Here, time-bin-encoded quantum information in a single spatial mode is deterministically processed in a nested loop by an electrically programmable gate sequence. This architecture can process any input state and an arbitrary number of modes with almost minimum resources, and offers a universal gate set for both qubits and continuous variables. Furthermore, quantum computing can be performed fault tolerantly by a known scheme for encoding a qubit in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space of a single light mode.

University students' emotions, interest and activities in a web-based learning environment.

PubMed

Nummenmaa, Minna; Nummenmaa, Lauri

2008-03-01

Within academic settings, students experience varied emotions and interest towards learning. Although both emotions and interest can increase students' likelihood to engage in traditional learning, little is known about the influence of emotions and interest in learning activities in a web-based learning environment (WBLE). This study examined how emotions experienced while using a WBLE, students' interest towards the course topic and interest towards web-based learning are associated with collaborative visible and non-collaborative invisible activities and 'lurking' in the WBLE. Participants were 99 Finnish university students from five web-based courses. All the students enrolled in the courses filled out pre- and post-test questionnaires of interest, and repeatedly completed an on-line questionnaire on emotions experienced while using the WBLE during the courses. The fluctuation of emotional reactions was positively associated with both visible collaborative and invisible non-collaborative activities in the WBLE. Further, interest towards the web-based learning was positively associated with invisible activity. The results also demonstrated that students not actively participating in the collaborative activities (i.e. lurkers) had more negative emotional experiences during the courses than other students. The results highlight the distinct impacts that emotions and interest have on different web-based learning activities and that they should be considered when designing web-based courses.

A Resident Engineer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Gary T.

This paper examines the work of resident engineers in a university setting. The need for engineers with industrial experience is established, and the benefits of using resident engineers in training programs are cited. Attributes and problems associated with the practice are studied from the viewpoints of industry, government, universities, and…

Predictors of Cyberloafing among Preservice Information Technology Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dursun, Ozcan Ozgur; Donmez, Onur; Akbulut, Yavuz

2018-01-01

The current mixed-method study investigated the extent of involvement in cyberloafing within classroom settings among preservice information technology teachers. Thirteen state universities were picked randomly from hierarchical clusters, which were determined according to the national university rankings. Then, a recent five-factor cyberloafing…

The Use of Resistivity Methods in Terrestrial Forensic Searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R. C.; Raisuddin, I.; Bank, C.

2013-12-01

The increasing use of near-surface geophysical methods in forensic searches has demonstrated the need for further studies to identify the ideal physical, environmental and temporal settings for each geophysical method. Previous studies using resistivity methods have shown promising results, but additional work is required to more accurately interpret and analyze survey findings. The Ontario Provincial Police's UCRT (Urban Search and Rescue; Chemical, Biolgical, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives; Response Team) is collaborating with the University of Toronto and two additional universities in a multi-year study investigating the applications of near-surface geophysical methods to terrestrial forensic searches. In the summer of 2012, on a test site near Bolton, Ontario, the OPP buried weapons, drums and pigs (naked, tarped, and clothed) to simulate clandestine graves and caches. Our study aims to conduct repeat surveys using an IRIS Syscal Junior with 48 electrode switching system resistivity-meter. These surveys will monitor changes in resistivity reflecting decomposition of the object since burial, and identify the strengths and weaknesses of resistivity when used in a rural, clandestine burial setting. Our initial findings indicate the usefulness of this method, as prominent resistivity changes have been observed. We anticipate our results will help to assist law enforcement agencies in determining the type of resistivity results to expect based on time since burial, depth of burial and state of dress of the body.

Tertiary alphabet for the observable protein structural universe.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Craig O; Zhou, Jianfu; Grigoryan, Gevorg

2016-11-22

Here, we systematically decompose the known protein structural universe into its basic elements, which we dub tertiary structural motifs (TERMs). A TERM is a compact backbone fragment that captures the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary environments around a given residue, comprising one or more disjoint segments (three on average). We seek the set of universal TERMs that capture all structure in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), finding remarkable degeneracy. Only ∼600 TERMs are sufficient to describe 50% of the PDB at sub-Angstrom resolution. However, more rare geometries also exist, and the overall structural coverage grows logarithmically with the number of TERMs. We go on to show that universal TERMs provide an effective mapping between sequence and structure. We demonstrate that TERM-based statistics alone are sufficient to recapitulate close-to-native sequences given either NMR or X-ray backbones. Furthermore, sequence variability predicted from TERM data agrees closely with evolutionary variation. Finally, locations of TERMs in protein chains can be predicted from sequence alone based on sequence signatures emergent from TERM instances in the PDB. For multisegment motifs, this method identifies spatially adjacent fragments that are not contiguous in sequence-a major bottleneck in structure prediction. Although all TERMs recur in diverse proteins, some appear specialized for certain functions, such as interface formation, metal coordination, or even water binding. Structural biology has benefited greatly from previously observed degeneracies in structure. The decomposition of the known structural universe into a finite set of compact TERMs offers exciting opportunities toward better understanding, design, and prediction of protein structure.

Tertiary alphabet for the observable protein structural universe

PubMed Central

Mackenzie, Craig O.; Zhou, Jianfu; Grigoryan, Gevorg

2016-01-01

Here, we systematically decompose the known protein structural universe into its basic elements, which we dub tertiary structural motifs (TERMs). A TERM is a compact backbone fragment that captures the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary environments around a given residue, comprising one or more disjoint segments (three on average). We seek the set of universal TERMs that capture all structure in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), finding remarkable degeneracy. Only ∼600 TERMs are sufficient to describe 50% of the PDB at sub-Angstrom resolution. However, more rare geometries also exist, and the overall structural coverage grows logarithmically with the number of TERMs. We go on to show that universal TERMs provide an effective mapping between sequence and structure. We demonstrate that TERM-based statistics alone are sufficient to recapitulate close-to-native sequences given either NMR or X-ray backbones. Furthermore, sequence variability predicted from TERM data agrees closely with evolutionary variation. Finally, locations of TERMs in protein chains can be predicted from sequence alone based on sequence signatures emergent from TERM instances in the PDB. For multisegment motifs, this method identifies spatially adjacent fragments that are not contiguous in sequence—a major bottleneck in structure prediction. Although all TERMs recur in diverse proteins, some appear specialized for certain functions, such as interface formation, metal coordination, or even water binding. Structural biology has benefited greatly from previously observed degeneracies in structure. The decomposition of the known structural universe into a finite set of compact TERMs offers exciting opportunities toward better understanding, design, and prediction of protein structure. PMID:27810958

Universality of human microbial dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashan, Amir; Gibson, Travis E.; Friedman, Jonathan; Carey, Vincent J.; Weiss, Scott T.; Hohmann, Elizabeth L.; Liu, Yang-Yu

2016-06-01

Human-associated microbial communities have a crucial role in determining our health and well-being, and this has led to the continuing development of microbiome-based therapies such as faecal microbiota transplantation. These microbial communities are very complex, dynamic and highly personalized ecosystems, exhibiting a high degree of inter-individual variability in both species assemblages and abundance profiles. It is not known whether the underlying ecological dynamics of these communities, which can be parameterized by growth rates, and intra- and inter-species interactions in population dynamics models, are largely host-independent (that is, universal) or host-specific. If the inter-individual variability reflects host-specific dynamics due to differences in host lifestyle, physiology or genetics, then generic microbiome manipulations may have unintended consequences, rendering them ineffective or even detrimental. Alternatively, microbial ecosystems of different subjects may exhibit universal dynamics, with the inter-individual variability mainly originating from differences in the sets of colonizing species. Here we develop a new computational method to characterize human microbial dynamics. By applying this method to cross-sectional data from two large-scale metagenomic studies—the Human Microbiome Project and the Student Microbiome Project—we show that gut and mouth microbiomes display pronounced universal dynamics, whereas communities associated with certain skin sites are probably shaped by differences in the host environment. Notably, the universality of gut microbial dynamics is not observed in subjects with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection but is observed in the same set of subjects after faecal microbiota transplantation. These results fundamentally improve our understanding of the processes that shape human microbial ecosystems, and pave the way to designing general microbiome-based therapies.

Digital Immigrants: An Exploration of Their Technological Knowledge and Skill Sets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Benjamin

2012-01-01

This instrumental case study explored the knowledge and skill set levels of adult learners over the age of 35 with an emphasis in emerging educational technologies. The case study focused on EdD students in four cohorts at the Drexel University Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento, CA. This research sought to answer the following research…

'Conversion course' to allow holders of the IMI Diploma in Medical Illustration to gain a BSc in Medical Illustration from Glasgow Caledonian University.

PubMed

Herd, A Y; Milligan, R G

1997-09-01

The 'conversion course' described in this paper has been set up following discussions between the Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI) and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU). The 'conversion course' will take the form of a degree triple module with a credit rating of 60 Scottish Credit and Accumulation Transfer (SCOTCAT) credits at Scottish Degree (SD) level 3. This module will require the student to undertake an extended theoretical based investigative project. The project will permit the student to study in-depth an aspect of his/her specialist interest that has a particular professional relevance. The topic of the project will be negotiated between the student and a scrutiny panel under the aegis of the department of Biological Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University. The project will be written up in the style of an academic paper for the Institute's journal. Successful students will be awarded the BSc in Medical Illustration.

COED Transactions, Vol. XI, No. 2, February 1979. A Student Designed Microcomputer Based Data Acquisition System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Eugene E., Ed.

In context of an instrumentation course, four ocean engineering students set out to design and construct a micro-computer based data acquisition system that would be compatible with the University's CYBER host computer. The project included hardware design in the area of sampling, analog-to-digital conversion and timing coordination. It also…

Deconstructing the Tower of Babel: A Design Method to Improve Empathy and Teamwork Competences of Informatics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanco, Teresa; López-Forniés, Ignacio; Zarazaga-Soria, Francisco Javier

2017-01-01

The competence-based education recently launched in Spanish universities presents a set of abilities and skills that are difficult to teach to students in higher and more technologically-oriented grades. In this paper, a teaching intervention that is based on design methodologies is proposed, to upgrade the competitive capacities of computer…

A Comparison of Lecture-Based and Challenge-Based Learning in a Workplace Setting: Course Designs, Patterns of Interactivity, and Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Mahony, Timothy K.; Vye, Nancy J.; Bransford, John D.; Sanders, Elizabeth A.; Stevens, Reed; Stephens, Richard D.; Richey, Michael C.; Lin, Kuen Y.; Soleiman, Moe K.

2012-01-01

We describe findings from a research partnership involving a global airline manufacturing company (The Boeing Company), and learning scientists and aeronautical engineers from the University of Washington. Our starting point for the partnership focused on an 8-hour introductory composites course that was designed for company employees. In phase…

A youth-led reproductive health program in a university setting.

PubMed

Djalalinia, Shirin; Ramezani Tehrani, Fahimeh; Malekafzali, Hossein; Hashemi, Zeynab; Peykari, Niloofar

2015-01-01

Reproductive health problems affect youths in all countries. There is an urgent need to enhance youths reproductive health services to provide a healthy life for this group. In this regard, the present study aimed to evaluate the Reproductive Health Peer Education Program based on the opinion of university students. This interventional study was conducted in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences through the peer education method. The participants of this study were 24 peer educators who received training in a 40 hour peer educator training course. The peer education program was implemented in the university. In order to evaluate this community- based intervention, 329 students were selected through the stratified sampling method and their opinion was assessed. Descriptive statistical methods were used by SPSS software for data analysis. The results of the study revealed that peer education was accepted by 64.7% (n= 213) of the students, according to their opinion. The educational priorities of the students were as follows: pre-marriage counseling (78%, n= 166); STI/AIDS (17%, n= 36); and contraception (5%, n= 11). The peer education program was recognized as the most required reproductive health service in the university by 55.3% (n= 118) of the students. They believed that the most important duties of the peer educators were: education (33.5%, n= 71); counseling (30.4%, n= 65); referring to a counseling center (21.6%, n= 46) and referring to a therapeutic center (14.5%, n= 31). Also, the students stated that confidentiality (53%, n= 113), suitable communication (26%, n= 55) and sufficient knowledge (21%, n= 45) were desired characteristics for the peer educators. According to the students' opinion, peer education could provide suitable reproductive health services and could also be beneficial for reproductive health promotion and might reinforce positive behaviors in youths. Reproductive health peer- counseling is a sensitive process, and it is best to be conducted under the supervision of specialists.

Role of DISC1 interacting proteins in schizophrenia risk from genome-wide analysis of missense SNPs.

PubMed

Costas, Javier; Suárez-Rama, Jose Javier; Carrera, Noa; Paz, Eduardo; Páramo, Mario; Agra, Santiago; Brenlla, Julio; Ramos-Ríos, Ramón; Arrojo, Manuel

2013-11-01

A balanced translocation affecting DISC1 cosegregates with several psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, in a Scottish family. DISC1 is a hub protein of a network of protein-protein interactions involved in multiple developmental pathways within the brain. Gene set-based analysis has been proposed as an alternative to individual analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to get information from genome-wide association studies. In this work, we tested for an overrepresentation of the DISC1 interacting proteins within the top results of our ranked list of genes based on our previous genome-wide association study of missense SNPs in schizophrenia. Our data set consisted of 5100 common missense SNPs genotyped in 476 schizophrenic patients and 447 control subjects from Galicia, NW Spain. We used a modification of the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis adapted for SNPs, as implemented in the GenGen software. The analysis detected an overrepresentation of the DISC1 interacting proteins (permuted P-value=0.0158), indicative of the role of this gene set in schizophrenia risk. We identified seven leading-edge genes, MACF1, UTRN, DST, DISC1, KIF3A, SYNE1, and AKAP9, responsible for the overrepresentation. These genes are involved in neuronal cytoskeleton organization and intracellular transport through the microtubule cytoskeleton, suggesting that these processes may be impaired in schizophrenia. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/University College London.

Teaching biochemistry online at Oregon State University.

PubMed

Ahern, Kevin

2017-01-02

A strategy for growing online biochemistry courses is presented based on successes in ecampus at Oregon State University. Four free drawing cards were key to the effort-YouTube videos, iTunes U online free course content, an Open Educational Resource textbook-Biochemistry Free and Easy, and a fun set of educational songs known as the Metabolic Melodies. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(1):25-30, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The Second Annual International Space University Alumni Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Les (Compiler); Robinson, Paul A. (Compiler)

1994-01-01

The papers presented at the conference reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the International Space University (ISU) and its alumni. The first papers presented hold special relevance to the design projects, and cover such topics as lunar-based astronomical instrumentation, solar lunar power generation, habitation on the moon, and the legal issues governing multinational astronauts conducting research in space. The next set of papers cover various technical issues such as project success assessment, satellite networks and space station dynamics, thus reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the ISU alumni.

Old data, new problems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Middleton, Beth

2010-01-01

Old data are a gold standard in climate change research, and much more use should be made of these data sets to document changes in wetlands in recent decades. Key data sets for the study of climate or land use change effects on wetlands may include historical field studies. Old data sets such as those from Iowa State University in the 1980s have immense value for assessing long term vegetation change over time. These data sets include classic studies of biomass production, decomposition, vegetation composition, water level tolerances, and seed bank structure.

Teachers or Psychologists: Who Should Facilitate Depression Prevention Programs in Schools?

PubMed Central

Wahl, Melanie S.; Adelson, Jill L.; Patak, Margarete A.; Pössel, Patrick; Hautzinger, Martin

2014-01-01

The current study evaluates a depression prevention program for adolescents led by psychologists vs. teachers in comparison to a control. The universal school-based prevention program has shown its efficacy in several studies when implemented by psychologists. The current study compares the effects of the program as implemented by teachers versus that implemented by psychologists under real-life conditions. A total of 646 vocational track 8th grade students from Germany participated either in a universal prevention program, led by teachers (n = 207) or psychologists (n = 213), or a teaching-as-usual control condition (n = 226). The design includes baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (at 6 and 12 months post-intervention). The cognitive-behavioral program includes 10 sessions held in a regular school setting in same-gender groups and is based on the social information-processing model of social competence. Positive intervention effects were found on the change in girls’ depressive symptoms up to 12 months after program delivery when the program was implemented by psychologists. No such effects were found on boys or when program was delivered by teachers. The prevention program can successfully be implemented for girls by psychologists. Further research is needed for explanations of these effects. PMID:24837667

Employee choice of consumer-driven health insurance in a multiplan, multiproduct setting.

PubMed

Parente, Stephen T; Feldman, Roger; Christianson, Jon B

2004-08-01

To determine who chooses a Consumer-Driven Health Plan (CDHP) in a multiplan, multiproduct setting, and, specifically, whether the CDHP attracts the sicker employees in a company's risk pool. We estimated a health plan choice equation for employees of the University of Minnesota, who had a choice in 2002 of a CDHP and three other health plans--a traditional health maintenance organization (HMO), a preferred provider organization (PPO), and a tiered network product based on care systems. Data from an employee survey were matched to information from the university's payroll system. Chronic illness of the employee or family members had no effect on choice of the CDHP, but such employees tended to choose the PPO. The employee's age was not related to CDHP choice. Higher-income employees chose the CDHP, as well as those who preferred health plans with a national provider panel that includes their physician in the panel. Employees tended to choose plans with lower out-of-pocket premiums, and surprisingly, employees with a chronic health condition themselves or in their family were more price-sensitive. This study provides the first evidence on who chooses a CDHP in a multiplan, multiproduct setting. The CDHP was not chosen disproportionately by the young and healthy, but it did attract the wealthy and those who found the availability of providers more appealing. Low out-of-pocket premiums are important features of health plans and in this setting, low premiums appeal to those who are less healthy.

Supply Chain Management: How the Curricula of the Top Ten Undergraduate Universities Meet the Practitioners' Knowledge Set

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahouth, Saba; Hartmann, David; Willis, Geoff

2014-01-01

The disciplines of logistics and supply chain management have the potential of having many areas of emphasis. Universities that have some kind of emphasis in this field have developed programs that depend on the need of potential employers and their own faculty mix. Several studies have previously looked at how universities deal with this field at…

Love and Other Grades: A Study of the Effects of Romantic Relationship Status on the Academic Performance of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Julia; Lockwood, Brian

2017-01-01

Of the few studies that have examined the effects of romantic relationships on academic performance, most have been concerned with adolescent students. This study analyzes a data set of more than 300 students at a midsized, private University in the northeast United States to determine if participating in a romantic relationship predicts grade…

Rural Compared to Urban Home Community Settings as Predictors of First-Year Students' Adjustment to University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ames, Megan E.; Wintre, Maxine G.; Prancer, S. Mark; Pratt, Michael W.; Birnie-Lefcovitch, Shelly; Polivy, Janet; Adams, Gerald R.

2014-01-01

Undergraduates (N = 2,823) at 6 universities were surveyed longitudinally to examine the relevance of student home setting on the transition to university. Preliminary results indicated that rural students seem less likely to attend large, ethnically diverse universities. Hierarchical linear models revealed that "proximal rural" students…

The Development of Open University New Generation Learning Model Using Research and Development for Atomic Physics Course PEFI4421

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prayekti

2017-01-01

This research was aimed at developing printed teaching materials of Atomic Physics PEFI4421 Course using Research and Development (R & D) model; which consisted of three major set of activities. The first set consisted of seven stages, the second set consisted of one stage, and the third set consisted of seven stages. This research study was…

Data article on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship curriculum contents on entrepreneurial interest and knowledge of Nigerian university students.

PubMed

Olokundun, Maxwell; Iyiola, Oluwole; Ibidunni, Stephen; Ogbari, Mercy; Falola, Hezekiah; Salau, Odunayo; Peter, Fred; Borishade, Taiye

2018-06-01

The article presented data on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship curriculum contents on university students' entrepreneurial interest and knowledge. The study focused on the perceptions of Nigerian university students. Emphasis was laid on the first four universities in Nigeria to offer a degree programme in entrepreneurship. The study adopted quantitative approach with a descriptive research design to establish trends related to the objective of the study. Survey was be used as quantitative research method. The population of this study included all students in the selected universities. Data was analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Mean score was used as statistical tool of analysis. The field data set is made widely accessible to enable critical or a more comprehensive investigation.

Performance evaluation of extension education centers in universities based on the balanced scorecard.

PubMed

Wu, Hung-Yi; Lin, Yi-Kuei; Chang, Chi-Hsiang

2011-02-01

This study aims at developing a set of appropriate performance evaluation indices mainly based on balanced scorecard (BSC) for extension education centers in universities by utilizing multiple criteria decision making (MCDM). Through literature reviews and experts who have real practical experiences in extension education, adequate performance evaluation indices have been selected and then utilizing the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic network process (ANP), respectively, further establishes the causality between the four BSC perspectives as well as the relative weights between evaluation indices. According to this previous result, an empirical analysis of the performance evaluation of extension education centers of three universities at Taoyuan County in Taiwan is illustrated by applying VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). From the analysis results, it indicates that "Learning and growth" is the significant influential factor and it would affect the other three perspectives. In addition, it is discovered that "Internal process" perspective as well as "Financial" perspective play important roles in the performance evaluation of extension education centers. The top three key performance indices are "After-sales service", "Turnover volume", and "Net income". The proposed evaluation model could be considered as a reference for extension education centers in universities to prioritize their improvements on the key performance indices after performing VIKOR analyses. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Rising Cost of Private Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suttle, J. Lloyd

1983-01-01

The informational and analytical bases by which Yale University sets tuition levels and long-term pricing policies are illustrated. The rising cost of private higher education is discussed, considering historical trends, inflation, the institution's financial condition, comparative costs from other schools, and effect on enrollment. (MSE)

Biological Collections: Chasing the Ideal

PubMed Central

Kamenski, P. A.; Sazonov, A. E.; Fedyanin, A. A.; Sadovnichy, V. A.

2016-01-01

This article is based on the results of an analysis of existing biological collections in Russia and abroad set up in the framework of the project “Scientific Basis of the National Biobank –Depository of Living Systems” by M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University [1]. PMID:27437135