Digital Commons Network^™

#Socialworkadvocacy, Angela N. Bullock, Alex D. Colvin

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

What separates social work from other fields of human services is the underlying need to work toward equality and social justice for every population. This is often accomplished by working on behalf of those who are oppressed, marginalized, or disenfranchised. For that reason, it can be argued that advocacy is at the foundation of social work practice (Belluomini, 2014). The growth of social media and availability of low-cost and user-friendly innovations have changed the way people engage in advocacy. Social media has become an emerging tool for electronic advocacy. In the 21st century, social workers have engaged in electronic advocacy …

Victimization Of The Homeless: Public Perceptions, Public Policies, And Implications For Social Work Practice, Marion M. Turner, Simon P. Funge, Wesley J. Gabbard

Journal of Social Work in the Global Community

Homeless individuals are particularly vulnerable to victimization, sometimes resulting in fatalities. Theories of victimization prove useful to understanding the risks inherent in being homeless as well as the public’s perception of the homeless population. Problematically, public policy that criminalizes this population may exacerbate the victimization of this group. Municipalities have turned to law enforcement and the criminal justice system to respond to people living in public spaces. Programs that ensure adequate income, affordable housing, and supportive services to prevent homelessness and address the needs of those who are homeless are essential. In addition, increased law enforcement training and the implementation …

Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno, Peter Ross, Kathleen Dimino, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article ventures to address the gap in special education practices by providing a metacognitive reading strategy to support the emerging reading comprehension skills of kindergarten students with intellectual disabilities. Historically, students with intellectual disabilities have low reading comprehension skills that can impede their overall academic success. There is a gap in practice regarding the identification and effective use of evidence-based reading comprehension instructional strategies for students with intellectual disabilities. Guided by Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s constructivist theories, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a metacognitive reading strategy on the emerging reading comprehension (ERC) skills of …

Security Mechanisms On Web-Based Exams In Introductory Statistics Community College Courses, Yelena Feinman

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The credibility of unsupervised online exams is an ongoing concern in higher education. Proctoring, in the form of physical or remote supervision, has been the main mechanism for maintaining academic integrity. However, both forms of proctoring are expensive and inconvenient. Several researchers have examined security mechanisms as a substitute for proctoring and obtained mixed results. This article describes a quasi-experimental study, the main goal of which was to examine the effectiveness of nonbiometric security mechanisms. The security mechanisms were selected based on the taxonomy of cheating reduction techniques rooted in the fraud triangle theory. The security mechanisms were considered effective …

The Significance Of Articulating An Institution’S Intellectual Distinctions In Response To The Crisis Of The Liberal Arts, Christian Teeter

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This case study details an investigation to gain greater insight about the intellectual distinctions that prevail within the academic environment at Crestline College, a pseudonym for an eastern institution of higher learning, in support of the significance of a liberal arts education. While many graduates of Crestline report satisfaction with their academic experience, many alumni volunteers have felt more work could be done to explain the exact nature of what makes Crestline strong academically, articulating the practical value of a liberal arts education. Developing a compelling argument for a strong vision for academics would help reinforce the value and importance …

Using The Txvaas To Improve Teacher Effectiveness: Investigating The Research-Situated “Truths” Behind Txvaas Claims, Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, Clarin Collins

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

At the time of this study, the Texas Value-Added Assessment System (TxVAAS) was being piloted throughout Texas to hold teachers more accountable for their effects on students' achievement (i.e., teachers’ value added). It is still being used by districts throughout Texas today. Using a framework informed by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, researchers conducted a content analysis of the marketing and research-based claims asserted about the TxVAAS, to (a) examine the “truth” of each claim to (b) help others critically consume the marketing claims using (c) nonproprietary, peer-reviewed literature. Given that the more popular, and also proprietary …

Relevance Of The Ies/Nsf Protocol To Identification Of Evidence-Based Practices, Barbara R. Schirmer, Alison S. Lockman, Todd N. Schirmer

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued common guidelines that provide a protocol by which the use of particular methodological designs in a line of research inquiry provides evidence for each successive step in the process of bringing any given instructional intervention into practice. Our purpose was to determine if research on two widely used literacy instruction approaches has been conducted at each methodological stage in the IES/NSF protocol and is relevant to identifying the approach as an evidence-based practice. We applied the IES/NSF pipeline-of-evidence guidelines to assess whether practices touted as having a …

Using Focus Groups To Explore Sources Of Self-Efficacy In Puerto Rican Preservice Teachers, Yitza A. Arcelay-Rojas

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article used focus groups to explore Puerto Rican preservice teachers' perceptions of sources of self-efficacy. The present study allowed, through a qualitative design, examination of the experiences of preservice teachers at the end of their student teaching practicum. The qualitative design and the use of the focus group technique provided insight into the main sources of their perceived self-efficacy through the self-assessment of their field experience. The beginning of the student teaching practicum provoked an intense process of emotions in which the preservice teachers needed support and guidance, particularly in aspects of planning, differentiation, and classroom management. The participants …

Employee Perceptions Of Well-Being Programs, Alice V. Edwards, Susan Marcus

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Measuring the effectiveness of well-being programs in the workplace is important for optimizing the return on investment and selection of programs that meet organizational objectives. A pilot study was performed to assess employee well-being using the Happiness Mini-Survey and a one-sample pre–post study design intended to quickly allow employees to subjectively rate their well-being before and after participating in various classes as part of a well-being program. The findings demonstrated statistical significance in employee subjective ratings; they reported feeling better emotionally, physically, and mentally after participating in the classes. The employees’ self-rating for stress level also had statistically significant improvement …

Two Birds, One Stone: Integrating Communication Proficiency Development Into Existing Academic Courses, Yehudith Weinberger

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article discusses the pedagogical knowledge required to develop students' communication proficiencies as part of their academic experience, proposes a method of doing so, and illustrates that method using a recent example. Using the case-study approach, first, the challenge is presented while its complexity in the context of academic studies is analyzed. Then, with implementation of the conceptual framework of “disciplinary literacy,” an original solution is offered in the form of a rolling multistage task in a seminar course that was a part of the master’s in teaching program. The rolling multistage task revolves around the development of the pedagogical …

Punishment Or Policy Change: A Case Of Plagiarism In A Dissertation, Patricia Deubel

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article examines a case of plagiarism in a dissertation, which was found after the doctoral degree had been awarded. Plagiarism detection is discussed in relation to the methodology, which included manual analysis, Google searches, and originality reports from Turnitin. Questions on the role of the dissertation committee, processes used to complete the dissertation, and consequences of plagiarism are addressed, as well as factors influencing a decision to report the case. Procedures for reporting plagiarism allegations and those the university used to investigate are included. Because this case illustrates that revoking a degree is not necessarily a sanction when plagiarism …

Confidence In The Use Of Technology Of Low-Income First-Year College Students' Retention, Irene Marie Hudson

2018 Program & Posters

Compared to their peers, low-income students are 90% less likely to graduate within 6 years and are more likely to drop out. At the local site, this problem was also evident in that the retention rate for the Fall 2014-15 cohort was 78.3%, but just 60.2% for those defined as low-income students.

Immigration Attorneys’ Perceptions And Attitudes About Delays In Removal Proceedings Hearings, Awa C. Diawara

2018 Program & Posters

The problem investigated in this study is the myriad of backlogged cases that immigration courts in the United States (U.S.) need to adjudicate. Participants shared that due to the overwhelming number of undocumented immigrants, government agencies are overburdened with identifying, vetting, and processing deportations, putting a strain on the resources allocated. The participants expressed genuine concern for the well-being of their clients and often discussed the ways in which they sought to help their clients.

Community Public-Private Partnership Leadership Synergy In Tanzania, Hawa Yatera-Mshana Dr.

2018 Program & Posters

Although the public-private partnership(PPP) concept in health and social health has been politically accepted as a best pathway to improving health outcomes in many developing countries, implementation lacks leadership synergy (LS). Lack of awareness and engagement of community leaders about PPP interventions and their benefits affect accountability and ownership of health and social care interventions. Lack of accountability on PPP interventions and lack of community engagement requires a synergistic approach between public and private sector to improve health and social welfare of the population (Cramm et al., 2013; Itika, et al., 2011:White et al., 2013). The leadership gap in the …

Multi-Ethnic Differences In Online Learning Among Students In Nigerian And Ghanaian Universities, Blessings F. Adeoye

2018 Program & Posters

The growing multicultural nature of education and training environments makes it critical that instructors and instructional designers, especially those working in online learning environments, develop skills to deliver culturally sensitive and culturally adaptive instruction (Parrish & Linder-VanBerschot, 2010). Many studies have dealt with cultural orientation regarding online learning, but not an online learning motivation among students from various ethnicity.

Students’ Perception Of A Required Community Service In Kenya, Rispa Achieng' Odongo

2018 Program & Posters

The X University attempts to foster in students a culture and habit of providing service to others and initiated community service in 2004, which requires all students to complete 200 hours of service to community before graduation. The effectiveness of the program had not been assessed from students’ perspectives.

Nurses’ Perception Of Their Role In Patient Safety, Janeane Walker

2018 Program & Posters

There is a growing concern that, despite the fervent increase in focus on preventing medical errors in the last few decades, small achievements have been made in patient safety efforts. This study fills the gap in gaining an understanding on why medical errors are still occurring from the nurses perspective.

Exploring Factors Of Effective Virtual Mentoring Of Novice, Rural K-12 Teachers, Kendra Berger Turpeinen

2018 Program & Posters

Novice, rural K-12 teachers are at risk of leaving the teaching profession because of a lack of suitable access to effective mentoring support associated with the limited personnel and material resources in their rural school systems.

Discipline Patterns In A Public-School District With A History Of Disproportionate Suspensions, Barbara M. Slingerland

2018 Program & Posters

In the 2013-2014 school year, one school district in the southeastern United States disciplined Black students with disabilities at nearly 3 times the rate of White students with disabilities. This type of disproportionality was a concern for the district. Prior to this study, a complete analysis of other types of disproportionality in the district derived from other variables, such as student related characteristics, had not been done.

Systematic Review Of Sedation Management In The Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Myrlene Madelon

2018 Program & Posters

Sedation plays a significant role in ensuring comfort in the care of critically ill children. It helps to reduce patient pain and anxiety, decrease agitation and facilitate mechanical ventilation. Sedation management practices, in general, vary widely among institutions. The absence of evidence-based nursing guidelines for assessing patients can lead to ineffective management of mechanically ventilated patients in the pediatric critical care unit (Vet et al., 2013).

Effects Of Micronutrients On The Status Of Hiv-Infected African American Women, Veronica Alicia Graham

2018 Program & Posters

As of 2017 there are 48,126 of African American Women (AAW) who are infected with HIV each year who report weight loss within the first year of HIV and then progress to AIDS without the use of micronutrients. Without micronutrients the weight loss would be greater.

Alternative To Proctoring In Introductory Statistics Community College Courses, Yelena Feinman

2018 Program & Posters

The credibility of unsupervised online exams, which is an ongoing concern in higher education, has been mainly maintained by physical and remote proctoring (Malesky et al., 2016; Shute & Rahimi, 2017). However, both forms of proctoring are expensive and inconvenient (Ladyshewsky, 2015; Lee-Post & Hapke, 2017). The disconnect between high demand in online testing and the inability to maintain credibility of unsupervised web-based exams without inconvenient and expensive proctoring constitutes a problem.

A Faith-Based Organization’S Engagement Of An African American Community In Disaster Preparation, Tronda L. Douglas

2018 Program & Posters

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are essential disaster resource tools that could be used to prepare and assist rural community members in recovering from disasters. Current research is lacking in understanding how FBOs could be utilized in African American rural communities for disasters (McGeehan & Baker, 2017; Muller et al., 2014).

Effective Leadership Strategies, Employee Performance, And Organizational Sustainability In The Boxing Industry, Rita Ali

2018 Program & Posters

The general business problem was that some organizations do not provide adequate training and implementation of leadership strategies to enable their leaders to enhance employee performance. The specific business problem was that some leaders in the boxing promotion industry lack leadership strategies to improve employee performance.

Predictors Of Incarceration For African American Males Aging Out Of Foster Care, Marlean.Wrotten Wrotten

2018 Program & Posters

African American males who age out of foster care group homes often experience incarceration and other unfavorable outcomes because they are unprepared for transitioning into independent living.

Strategies For Improving Healthcare Efficiency While Reducing Costs, Jean Calvin Tchatchoua Mbitcha

2018 Program & Posters

• In comparison to the European healthcare system, the U.S. healthcare system has lower quality care, higher costs, and covers a smaller percentage of the population (Thomas et al., 2016).

• The United States spends annually approximately $9,523 per person on healthcare, which is more than 2.5 times the average paid by the other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries (Abbott, Sutton, & Edwards, 2014; Martin et al., 2016).

• The general business problem is that the high cost of limited and modest healthcare services jeopardizes the standard of living and the economic security of U.S. citizens.

• The specific business problem …

Development Of A Doctoral Internship Program For Walden’S Journals, Leann Stadtlander, Amy Sickel, Daniel Salter

2018 Program & Posters

A challenge facing all doctoral students is to learn to write with a scholarly voice, so that they can be successful in academic careers. A question arose about whether participation in a doctoral internship program for Walden’s 4 journals would improve interns' research skills, writing skills, writing efficacy, and knowledge of the publication process.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Mental Health Assistance Programs At A Suburban Chicago Fire Department, Christina Spoons

2018 Program & Posters

The increase in suicide rates among fire personnel has been an ongoing challenge for jurisdictions. One survey of more than 4,000 first responders found that 6.6 percent had attempted suicide, which is more than 10 times the rate in the general population (Venteicher, 2017). Between 2008-2009, the Chicago Fire Department experienced seven active duty suicides within 18 months (DeGryse, 2015). There is a significant amount of literature addressing suicide, discussing symptoms, behaviors to be aware of, and demographics of those who have committed suicide. Despite increased attention to the topic, the number of firefighter suicides in the United States has …

Effectiveness Of Prisoner Reentry Programs For Reduction Of Repeat Incarcerations In Nigeria, Emmanuel Dejo Oluwaniyi

2018 Program & Posters

In spite of the prevailing high rate of repeat incarcerations among the Nigerian ex-felons, there's an absence of empirical evidence to suggest the effectiveness of faith and nonfaith-based reentry programs in Nigerian.

Police Officers’ Perceptions Of Body-Worn Camera Technology, Jonah E. Obasi

2018 Program & Posters

There is a concern that police officers will not use body-worn cameras, or comply with requirements if implementation is too difficult or seen negatively (Godoe & Johansen, 2012). It is unknown if ease of use and usefulness influence the actual use of the cameras and additional research has been indicated (Daly, 2015; Fouche, 2014).