Digital Commons Network^™

Nutrition And Dietetics Educators’ Experiences Using Systems Thinking In Teaching, Erin E. Bergquist, Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt, Scott Smalley, Christina G. Campbell, Awoke Dollisso, Shuyang Qu

Journal of Dietetic Education

Objective: Describe educator experiences teaching systems thinking in nutrition and dietetics education. Design: Qualitative, semi-structured, online interviews. Setting: Educators teaching in accredited nutrition and dietetics programs. Participants: Purposive sample of thirteen Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (92% female, 77% with > 6 years teaching experience) from each U.S. census region and accredited program type. Phenomenon of Interest: Educators described experiences teaching systems thinking in accredited programs, including benefits. Analysis: Transcribed interviews were analyzed using qualitative grounded theory iterative coding. Excel was used for data organization and thematic coding analysis. Results: Educators described four themes when teaching systems thinking: (1) a holistic approach to …

Perceptions Of Assessment Processes, Enhanced Competency Integration, And Practice Preparation Among Future Education Model Graduate Program Alumni, Katherine Wiley, Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia, Laura Byham-Gray, Jennifer Tomesko

Journal of Dietetic Education

Background: Competency-based assessment (CBE) focuses on applying knowledge and skills to progress from novice to expert in clinical areas. The Future Education Model Graduate Program (FEMGP) incorporates CBE to meet enhanced competencies for nutrition and dietetics. Objective: This study explored FEMGP graduates’ perceptions of assessment methods and practices and perceptions of enhanced competency (EC) integration and preparedness for entry-level practice. Methods: This was a basic descriptive qualitative study. Ninety-eight graduates from one FEMGP in the northeastern US were recruited via email to participate in one of 13 virtual focus groups from April-June of 2023. Directed content analysis was conducted with …

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ Knowledge, Confidence, And Experiences With Treating Trafficked Individuals: A Call For Interprofessional Continuing Education, Christen C. Cooper, Lydia Mcroberts

Journal of Dietetic Education

Background: Victims of human trafficking (HT) frequently face malnutrition, dehydration, low food security, and infections. When identified, victims of HT are normally treated with interprofessional team (IPT) care that often excludes Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). Although RDNs are trained to treat these conditions, they may lack knowledge, confidence, and skills, for working with this population, as well as the opportunities to work on such IPTs. To date, no study has explored RDNs’ knowledge of or work with individuals who are trafficked. Objective: To explore RDNs’: HT knowledge, confidence in the ability to work with victims of HT, and barriers to …

Emphasizing Interprofessional Education Through A Virtual Case Study In A Medical Nutrition Therapy Course, Natalie B. Allen, Traci A. Garrison, Wendy R. Jackson, Bonnie K. Slavych

Journal of Dietetic Education

This observational research presents multi-year findings of a project using an online case study implemented in an undergraduate Medical Nutrition Therapy class that fostered interprofessional collaboration among students from various healthcare disciplines. The case study focused on a fictional patient with an ischemic stroke and all work was virtual. Students from various allied healthcare fields were represented: dietetics and nutrition, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and social work. Both undergraduate and graduate students participated in developing a virtual care plan for the patient, with an emphasis on helping students explain their role to the team, while simultaneously learning how to collaborate …

Are We Really Basic Bitches? A Call For Resistance And Recognition, Joshua E. Young, Allison D. Brenneise

Basic Communication Course Annual

We explore the history and position of the foundational communication course (FCC) in communication education. The material impact of calling the course basic since the 1940s has caused internalized oppression, which results in a lack of innovation and general disempowerment. The use of the term basic to describe the foundational communication course reflects little cultural awareness of the impact of the word. The term basic also demonstrates a need to adapt the course to meet the needs of its constituents. Failing to adapt may result in more oppressive conditions for communication education, a problem if the discipline is to make …

Assessment ‘Responsabilities’ In The Basic Course: Evaluating Public Speaking Rubrics, Miranda N. Rouse

Basic Communication Course Annual

Procedures and practices that are ableist in the educational system have been long overlooked. Speakers having differing abilities than neurotypical or able-bodied individuals is often not something that is considered in basic course assessment tools. This is important to address because although there are institutional policies and procedures in place to help students with differing abilities, instructors of public speaking have the autonomy or power to determine how such accommodations will affect the speech grade determined by the assessment tool. Power relations are significantly complicated in educational settings when strict hierarchies are imposed, and when instructors abuse their authority, which …

Student Perceptions Of An Undergraduate Nutrition Peer Mentoring Program, Sarah Hudnall, Rayanna Becker, Laura Meza Esparza, Sara Sanders, Ann Diker

Journal of Dietetic Education

Background: Peer mentoring programs help students navigate challenges and stressors in their undergraduate education. There is minimal research on the effectiveness of these programs in nutrition and dietetics. Objective: The objective was to explore the perceptions of student mentors and mentees in an undergraduate nutrition peer mentoring program. Design: This qualitative research study utilized thematic analysis of student reflection papers. One hundred students were contacted via email to provide consent to review reflection papers. Reflection papers were collected from 33 students: 11 mentees and 22 mentors. Papers were imported into NVivo qualitative analysis software and coded for themes. Participants: Thirty-three …

Challenges Of Competency Management For Dietetics Program And Internship Directors: An Application Of Design Thinking, David Gaviria, Elizabeth Chen

Journal of Dietetic Education

Objective: Dietetics education transitioned to competency-based education (CBE) in July 2022. Despite its benefits, managing competencies may be a challenging aspect of CBE for dietetics program and internship directors (PDIDs), yet it is unclear what specific aspects of competency management are difficult. Using design thinking, this study sought to capture the impact recent CBE implementation had on PDIDs by identifying specific pain points (i.e., challenges) related to competency management. The results of this work serve to document such pain points and may be used to generate solutions to address or eliminate the pain points. For example, this research can support …

Bridging Worlds: The Role Of Universities In Promoting Human Rights, Satang Nabaneh

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

I believe that a compassionate and harmonious society can only be created when the rights of everyone, without distinction, are recognized, appreciated, respected and safeguarded by all others, including in all Nation States. Thus, my end goal is to contribute to a more equitable and just world while shedding light on the issues that marginalized communities are facing and advocating for meaningful 40 and impactful changes to the world order that perpetuate these injustices and inequalities.

Preparing Future Leaders In The Arts Through The Community Arts Engagement Certificate Program: What I Learned From Teaching The First Introductory Seminar, Sharon Davis Gratto

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The University of Dayton’s Community Arts Engagement certificate program was recently launched with the teaching of its first introductory seminar. The program and this course were conceived to be broader in scope for arts majors than the more familiar arts administration minor program. Several of the outcomes of the seminar—both those planned and those unforeseen—can be informative in thinking more expansively about experiential learning and community collaboration in arts education or other disciplines. This article represents a narrative description of the program and its introductory seminar and a personal reflection after teaching the seminar for the first time.

Effectiveness Of Simulation-Based Learning On Clinical Competence In Dietetics Students: A Narrative Review, Claudia W. Scott, Rena Zelig, Diane L. Rigassio Radler

Journal of Dietetic Education

Clinical supervised practice experiences offered through dietetic internships have historically been among the most challenging to obtain. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the scarcity of these experiences and forced dietetics education programs to offer alternative experiences in the absence of direct patient care opportunities. Simulation-based learning experiences (SBLE) or objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) are one method of providing these alternative options, and if effective, could be routinely incorporated into dietetics education. This review evaluates five original research articles to determine the effectiveness of simulation-based learning on perceived or observed clinical competence in dietetic students. The findings of the studies unanimously …

Undergraduate And Graduate Students’ Retrospective Perception Of Flipped Learning In Dietetics Curricula, Rachel L. Vollmer, Teresa Drake

Journal of Dietetic Education

Most studies investigating flipped learning fail to assess how student perceptions of flipped learning may change once the class is complete, and students have a chance to reflect on the experience. Follow-up studies are needed to evaluate the sustainability of the benefits from flipped learning among students and how they feel it prepares them, if at all, for future classes and/or their professional lives. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore how graduate and undergraduate dietetics students retrospectively perceive a course that used flipped learning 2 years after they completed the course. Two focus groups with undergraduate (n=5) …

The Impact Of A Graduate-Level Applied Research Course On Graduate-Level Nutrition Students’ Research-Related Perceptions, Attitudes, And Knowledge, Alexandria Caljean, Kaitlyn M. Eck

Journal of Dietetic Education

Nutrition professionals report low levels of research utilization and engagement. This study explored the associations between completion of an applied nutrition research (capstone) course and students’ research-related perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge. Nutrition graduate students at a university in Pennsylvania completed an online survey at the beginning and end of a semester. The survey assessed perceptions of research participation and application, attitudes regarding research, and self-efficacy for conducting research, engaging in evidence-based practice, and collaborating on research. Students in a capstone course (n=17) learned about applying research in the field and conducted a research project. Non-capstone students (n=11) were not in …

A Cross‐Sectional Survey Of Research Involvement And Interest Among Graduate Dietetics Students, Courtney Wedemire, Rebecca Brody, Joachim Sackey, Laura Byham-Gray

Journal of Dietetic Education

Background: Dietitians are not frequently participating in or leading research. Cultivating greater research interest and involvement starts with dietetics education, but little is known about dietetics students’ research involvement and interest. This study examines relationships between research involvement and interest among graduate dietetics students. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey design incorporating participant characteristic data, the Practice-Based Dietitian Research Involvement Survey (PBDRIS), and the modified Interest in Research Questionnaire (IRQ) tools; 89 of 327 (27.2%) graduate dietetic students from 3 US universities were included. Participant characteristics, PBDRIS scores, and IRQ scores were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Relationships between variables …

Examining The Impact Of Gender, Caretaking On Faculty Research Productivity, Tenure And Promotion Progress During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Erin O'Mara Kunz, Corinne Brion, Hannah Kessler, Eden Michelson

Reports from the Gender Equity Research Fellowship

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the working and home lives of faculty. The largest impact was felt by women and caregivers, who suffered a staggering setback to their research productivity throughout the pandemic, and declines in research productivity have negative downstream consequences for tenure and promotion. The current research sought to examine gender and caregiving differences in research productivity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic among University of Dayton faculty. In two primary studies, research-active faculty were surveyed (Study 1) and interviewed (Study 2) to better understand the impact of gender and caregiving on research productivity during the pandemic. Study 1 …

Digital Micro-Credential Efficacy And Impact On Learner Confidence, Brian Laduca, Josephine Lang, Melinda O'Halloran, Naomi Boyer, Margo Griffith

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

This white paper details the findings of a research study conducted in 2022 over a six month period, in collaboration with a group of international cross-sector partners, as part of a Global Victoria EdTech Innovation Alliance initiative. Edalex’s Innovation Sprint aimed to increase learners’ confidence in the expression of their workplace skills by issuing a Personal Evidence Record of the skills they had developed in their studies. This evidence could then be shared with employers, sending a "signal to hire" by demonstrating workplace readiness or "signal of recognition" in the workplace of upskilling. This research validated the proof of concept …

Improving Well-Being In The Basic Course: The Impact Of Interpersonal Communication Competence And Public Speaking Anxiety On Loneliness, Belongingness, And Flourishing, Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post, Aayushi Hingle Collier, Henri K. Huber

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study evaluated whether interpersonal communication competence and public speaking anxiety had an impact on three indicators of student well-being (loneliness, belongingness, and flourishing) as well as evaluated whether the two most popular types of the introductory communication course (public speaking and hybrid/fundamentals) impacted interpersonal communication competence and public speaking anxiety to the same extent. Survey data was collected from 1378 students enrolled in one of these two introductory communication courses. Results showed that interpersonal communication competence was the strongest predictor of all three outcome variables, and the public speaking anxiety predicted some additional variance in loneliness and belongingness, but …

Securing The Right Skills: A Longitudinal Assessment Of College Students’ Writing And Public Speaking Self-Efficacy, T. Kody Frey, Jessalyn I. Vallade

Basic Communication Course Annual

This research investigated the developmental patterns of students’ writing and public-speaking self-efficacy throughout their experience in the basic communication course (BCC). Questions were posed regarding (a) whether students grew in their reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy over two semesters, (b) whether growth differed based on biological sex, and (c) whether affinity and apprehension (as sources of performance self-efficacy) played a role in student growth. Two multilevel models revealed significant differences in students’ initial status and rate of growth for each outcome. Specifically, sex, affinity, and apprehension influenced students’ starting positions in the course, while only apprehension had a significant …

Salary Negotiation Among Dietetics Professionals: Lived Experiences And A Three-Pronged Approach To Advancing Negotiation Skills And Confidence, Leila M. Shinn, Suzi Hinck, Lisa Jones, Katie Goldberg, Adrien B. Paczosa, Erin M. Mckinley

Journal of Dietetic Education

There is a lack of tools and training to assist in salary and benefit (S&B) negotiations within the nutrition profession. This study is the first to analyze thoughts, feelings, and experiences with S&B negotiations among nutrition and dietetics professionals. The 32-item, web-based, cross-sectional survey study was completed by English-speaking individuals of any gender who identified as a “nutrition and dietetics professional,” were 18 years of age or older in the United States or US Territory. Participant demographics, experience, confidence, and success with negotiation of S&B, value of negotiation, and interest in learning more were the primary outcome measures determined before …

Exploring Dietary Patterns With The Rapid Eating And Activity Assessment For Patients (Reap) Tool In A Dental School Clinic, Katherine Wiley, Rena Zelig, Hamed Samavat, Diane Rigassio Radler

Journal of Dietetic Education

Background: Dietary pattern assessment by healthcare providers leads to a better understanding of usual intake and evaluation of nutritional status, systemic health, and disease. Interprofessional team members can use such information to provide interventions leading to improved health outcomes. Objective: The aim was to explore the dietary patterns of adults seen in a dental clinic using the Rapid Eating and Activity Assessment for Patients (REAP) tool. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of data from 220 adult patients (aged 18-89 years) who had a diet evaluation completed in a dental school clinic. Demographic information and REAP responses were obtained from …

Perspectives On Care Coordination For Youth With Tbi: Moving Forward To Provide Better Care, Jennifer P. Lundine, Erika Hagen, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Care coordination aligns services and optimizes outcomes for children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet numerous obstacles can impede effective care coordination following a TBI.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work is to identify barriers and facilitators to care coordination from the perspective of individuals who care for young people impacted by TBI.

METHODS: Twenty-one care providers participated in semi-structured interviews to gather their perspectives on systems of care coordination for youth with TBI and potential areas for improvement. Using reflexive thematic analysis, researchers identified key themes across interviews.

RESULTS: Three themes were identified: 1) gaps in knowledge; 2) …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On School Psychology Internship Outcomes, Julie Q. Morrison, Kizzy Albritton, Elana Bernstein, Susan C. Davies, Laurice Joseph, Katherine R. Mezher, Jennifer Reynolds, Richard W. Vanvoorhis

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The Ohio Internship Program in School Psychology was forced to adapt abruptly to the changing circumstances brought on by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic beginning in March 2020. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the school psychology internship outcomes were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of supervisors' ratings of intern competencies, the number of students served by interns, and the outcomes of academic and behavior interventions supported by interns. Findings of the annual evaluation of the Ohio Internship Program in School Psychology for the school year directly affected by the pandemic …

#Badgedtohire Final Report, Brian Laduca, Education Design Lab, Excalibur Education Group

IACT Reports, Publications and Resources

Education Design Lab, through professional input and focus groups, developed eight badges that address the instruction of “soft skills” to postsecondary students. With the emergence of alternative credentialing and badging, Education Design Lab wanted to contribute to the evidence of student confidence differences as attributed to completing the badge content as expressed on their resume, interview, and through application or example. Postsecondary institutions were engaged in this evaluation across the nation and allowed for three differing viewpoints on badge importance and expression – student, instruction, and employer.

Policy And Practice: Evaluating Workflows And Communication For Maternity Leave At The University Of Dayton (Presentation), Christina A. Beis, Kayla Harris, Gabby Campana

Reports from the Gender Equity Research Fellowship

Project assesses the experiences of faculty and staff who have taken maternity leave since the implementation of the 2017 policy.

Examining Motivation In Turbulent Times: A Self-Determination Theory Replication, Jessalyn I. Vallade, Renee Kaufmann, T. Kody Frey

Basic Communication Course Annual

The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend previous work (Chiu, 2021a, 2021b; Vallade et al., 2020) by applying self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) to student motivation and engagement in the basic communication course during the shift to online learning in the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicated that students were most often motivated and engaged through instructor communication and behavior that met their need for relatedness, with a particular emphasis on instructor presence. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed within the context of the basic communication course.

Exploring Introductory Communication Course Administrators' Relationship Management During Covid-19, Ashley N. Aragón, Drew T. Ashby-King

Basic Communication Course Annual

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly changed the context of higher education during the Spring 2020 semester. As the virus began to spread across the United States, colleges and universities canceled in-person classes and activities, closed campus, and moved all operations online. Within the communication discipline, introductory communication course (ICC) administrators and instructors were not only dealing with these challenges, but they were also navigating the transition of large multi-section, often standardized, courses online at large institutions. This research project used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 18 ICC administrators from institutions located in 14 states across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, Southeastern, and West Coast …

Public Speaking In A Pandemic: A Situational, Compensatory, And Resilient Undertaking, Joshua F. Hoops

Basic Communication Course Annual

The introductory public speaking class includes topics such as audience analysis, credibility, organization, visual aids, and delivery. While the pedagogy I employ in this class tends to be very interactive and require a lot of group work, 2020 will forever be known as the year of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which produced social distancing, stay-at-home-orders, and mask wearing. This study examines the impacts of pandemic precautions on public speaking practice, specifically situational communication apprehension. In addition to recording my own observations throughout my face-to-face public speaking class, I also periodically interviewed students about their experience taking the course during a …

Africa In Our Century: Proceedings Of The 2022 Global Voices Symposium, Julius A. Amin

Proceedings: 2022 Global Voices on the University of Dayton Campus

Full proceedings of the 2022 Global Voices Symposium

Front Matter, University Of Dayton

Proceedings: 2022 Global Voices on the University of Dayton Campus

Table of Contents; About the Presenters

Why Focus The Symposium On Africa In Our Century?, Julius A. Amin

Proceedings: 2022 Global Voices on the University of Dayton Campus

First, despite its growing significance, Africa continues to be among the least understood places. Second, Africa provides and has provided so much for the global economy. Third, Africa is huge, complex, and very diverse. Fourth, there exists so much ignorance about Africa’s historic contributions to the development of the idea of the West. Fifth, the twenty-first century has added another dimension toward the understanding of Africa’s contributions to the contemporary world. Sixth, rapid changes are taking place globally, and we can no longer afford to remain ignorant about the rising tide taking place in Africa. Seventh, Africa’s population growth has …