Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Feature - Factors Influencing Maize Farmers’ Adoption And Use Intensity Of Hermetic Storage Bags In Dormaa, Ghana, Namah Taku-Forchu, Misty D. Lambert, Michael S. Retallick, Jonathan D. Ulmer, George P. Opit

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

ABSTRACT

Maize is a key staple in Ghana with a high production rate. With the growing development of the poultry and livestock sector, there is a need to boost maize production to meet the growing demand. The unfortunate thing is a significant amount of maize produced is lost during storage. The hermetic storage bag is an innovation proven to reduce maize storage loss. This study ascertains factors influencing smallholder maize farmers' adoption and use intensity of hermetic storage bags in Dormaa, Ghana. We used a multi-stage sampling technique and collected data from 217 maize smallholder farmers from four communities where …

Maker Programs In Prek-12 School Libraries : Identifying The Drivers And Consequences, Shannon Mersand

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In 2005, Dale Dougherty and O’Reilly Media founded Make Magazine, and coined the term Makerspace, which is broadly defined as a community workspace where people come together to solve problems using materials and tools they might otherwise not have access to (Dougherty, 2012). Recently, schools have allocated funding and resources into creating and maintaining maker programs in classrooms and libraries. Despite the overwhelming discussion of making and makerspaces in library practitioner-oriented publications, there is little scholarly discussion of maker programs in PreK-12 school libraries. This research addresses that gap by examining makerspaces in libraries in PreK-12 public schools in New …

The Diffusion And Adoption Of Precision Agricultural Technologies And Practices In Six Selected Southern States, Patterson Perez Hilaire

Theses and Dissertations

Precision agriculture continues to be prevalent within row-crop production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the adoption status of precision agricultural practices among selected row-crop (soybean, wheat, corn, cotton, peanuts, and rice) producers in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Seventy-four percent of row-crop producers surveyed in this study had adopted precision agricultural practices in their farming operations. Eighty-three percent of respondents indicated they were using automated GPS technology such as autosteer, 66% were using manual guidance such as lightbar, 63% variable-rate prescription map, and 34% auto-sprayer boom section or nozzle control. The primary source for receiving …

Adult Transracial Adoptees' Childhood Experiences And Decision-Making In Forming Families Of Creation, Sarah J. Gray

MSU Graduate Theses

This study examined adult transracial adoptees’ (TRAs) childhood experiences and determined how specific factors influenced their likelihood to choose biological procreation, adoption, fostering, a combination of these options, or the choice to be child-free when forming their own families. These adoptees were Black, Indigenous and people of color adopted by white parents in the United States through domestic or international adoption. Childhood experiences included the TRAs’ sense of belonging, cultural socialization, and preparation for bias. The only dependent variable option predicted by a childhood experience was the preference to be child-free. TRAs who experienced higher levels of belonging were less …

Impact Of Agricultural Communication Interventions On Improving Agricultural Productivity In Malawi, Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa, Mary T. Rodriguez, Emily Buck, Jera Niewoehner-Green, Alexa J. Lamm

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Agricultural communication (AGCOM) has been known to aid in disseminating research-based agricultural information among Malawian farmers. In 1958 the Malawi Government, via the Ministry of Agriculture, established the Agricultural Communications Branch (ACB) in an attempt to increase access to and adoption of scientifically-proven technologies among farmers. Moreover, in 2000 the Malawi Government started implementing an agricultural extension policy that promoted pluralistic demand-driven extension, which led to the increased availability of non-governmental organizations providing AGCOM services to farmers. However, after several decades of using different communication tools to promote new technologies, low productivity in most small holder farms remains a challenge, …

Piloting Of The Concerns-Based Adoption Model: Farmer Concerns About The Participatory Guarantee System In Cambodia, Meghan Mize, Cary J. Trexler, Amanda Crump, Glenn M. Young, Borarin Buntong, Karen Legrand

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

While there is a large body of adoption and agricultural extension literature on the process of introducing a new technology, agricultural development projects are often expected to produce immediate results that do not always allow for the integration of these theories into practice. The Concerns-based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a framework that places participants at the center of the change process to identify their concerns and challenges, providing a roadmap for projects to guide individuals with the correct support for their particular stage of adoption. CBAM has typically been used for the introduction of new curriculum in formal education. But …

The Journey Of Life Before, During And After Foster Care And The Path To Resilience, Sara B. Wood

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Children who are impacted by abuse and situations that result in foster care have the ability to overcome trauma with the support of stable and nurturing adults. This presentation will take participants on a journey of the life of a foster child from the early years to adulthood from the point of view of a foster child, social worker, and teacher.

Review Of A Most Unusual Day By Sydra Malfery, Nicole Spencer

Library Intern Book Reviews

No abstract provided.

Agroforestry Livelihood Strategies And Factors Influencing Agroforestry Adoption In Nakai Resettlement Villages, Khammouan Province, Lao Pdr, Khampasith Sengsouvan, Rowena Dt. Baconguis, Evelie P. Serrano, Ma. Lpurdes S. Edaño

Journal of Public Affairs and Development

The study characterized the agroforestry livelihood strategies of resettled communities and the economic benefits associated with these, discussed the socio-economic factors associated with the adoption of the agroforestry livelihood strategies, and examined the agroforestry livelihood strategies in relation to perceived food sufficiency. Data gathering methods employed were survey, key informant interviews, and transect walk. Randomly selected adopters of agroforestry served as main respondents. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that adopters practiced five different agroforestry livelihood strategies. Rice (Oryza sativa)-based livelihood strategies assured farmers of rice supply, vegetable-based provided the highest income, and pineapple (Ananas comosus)-based …

Adoption, Cynical Detachment, And New Age Beliefs In Juno And Kung Fu Panda, Fu-Jen Chen

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Adoption, Cynical Detachment, and New Age Beliefs in Juno and Kung Fu Panda" Fu-Jen Chen situates his study within today's prevailing climate of global consumption to argue that the 2007 film Juno—featuring an unconventional portrayal of the adoption triad and a cynical detachment from public values—not only trivializes and depoliticizes the practice of adoption but also serves as an ideological supplement to today's global capitalism. Furthermore, Kung Fu Panda 1 & 2 (2008; 2011) provide two ideological messages of contemporary New Age spirituality—"the belief in nothing" in part I, and "the attitude of inner peace" …

Unknown Identities: How Transracial International Adoptees Racially And Culturally Identify In College, Amy Williamson

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative research study investigated transracial international adoptees (TRIAs) and how they racially and culturally identify in college. This study was meant to bring an awareness to student affairs professionals to increase their knowledge about a population they may encounter. Four TRIAs were interviewed. The findings from the data analysis revealed many TRIAs were uninterested in their birth country growing up, they were connected to their adoptive culture, and they racially identified with their birth race. Areas for future research and recommendations for student affairs are included.

Advisor: Stephanie Bondi

Factors Influencing Self-Efficacy And Adoption Of Ict Dissemination Tools By New Extension Officers, Wayne G. Ganpat, Jeet Ramjattan, Robert Strong

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer Extension systems opportunities to expand participation and provide information faster to stakeholders. The study included fifty-seven new extension officers drawn from the public, private and state assisted extension organizations in Trinidad. Participants were surveyed to assess their level of confidence in the use of ICTs and the factors that impacted their use of these dissemination tools. The survey, which was conducted during March to May 2015 on themandatory office days of the agents, consisted of five sections which captured socio demographic variables, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and self-efficacy in the use of ICTs. …

Young Children's Identity Formation In The Context Of Open Adoption In Nsw: Summary And Key Findings, Marc De Rosnay, Betty Luu, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A review into how open adoption can support developmental outcomes and establish healthy identity formation of children was commissioned by Barnardos Australia. The focus is on children who are up to 5 years of age in out-of-home care (OOHC) for whom there is no realistic chance of restoration to their birth family or kinship care. The options facing such children, according to recent amendments in late 2014 to the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, are either for adoption or parental responsibility of the Minister (i.e., foster care) until they are 18 years of age. Healthy identity …

Young Children's Identity Formation In The Context Of Open Adoption In Nsw: An Examination Of Optimal Conditions For Child Wellbeing, Marc De Rosnay, Betty Luu, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This working paper was commissioned by Barnardos Australia, through its Centre for Excellence in Open Adoption, to establish how open adoption can support the best interests of children in optimising developmental outcomes and establishing healthy identity formation. This paper focuses on children who are up to 5 years of age in out-of-home care (OOHC) for whom there is no realistic chance of restoration to their birth family or kinship care. Therefore, the options facing such children, according to recent amendments to the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (hereafter referred to as the Care Act) in …

Open Adoption From A Birth Mother's Perspective: A Story To Help Educators At All Levels Understand And Help Others Heal, Sara Elizabeth Villeneuve

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

When I was just 17, and in my first year of college, I found out I was pregnant and I had to navigate my way through adoption and healing after relinquishment. Adoption is a difficult choice. There is no one path that each birth parent follows, and there is no one road to healing that works either. Each birth parent's experience is unique. Adoption and being a birth parent has historically carried a stigma of shame for "giving up' a child. In just the last 40 years, an adoption renaissance has brought new understandings about the process, the opportunities for …

Eleven Design-Based Principles To Facilitate The Adoption Of Internet Technologies In Indigenous Communities, Michelle J. Eady

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Internationally, the internet is a critical component of many projects that aim to improve literacy and build skills in indigenous communities. It is claimed that online platforms provide flexible learning opportunities to suit individual learner schedules and needs, enabling them to learn in 'anytime, anywhere' environments. However, good intentions and a learning platform deemed suitable by non-indigenous people do not necessarily lead to successful user outcomes. There is a need to understand how Western culture influences the design and implementation of online projects with Indigenous communities and to avoid technological colonisation of the local community. Flexibility, understanding and respect must …

More Than Just Plain Old Technology Adoption: Understanding Variations In Teachers' Use Of An Online Planning Tool, Heather Leary, Victor R. Lee, Mimi Recker

Heather Leary, Ph.D.

This paper examines variability in teachers’ usage patterns as they interacted with an online teacher support tool, the Curriculum Customization Service (CCS), as part of their professional work. The CCS is a web application that supports teachers in planning, adapting, sequencing, and enacting differentiated instruction in Earth science education. By mining the usage log files of over 40 teachers who used the CCS over a yearlong period, we analyzed for variability using a framework developed in marketing research to characterize appropriation of technology. This analysis helped reveal different kinds of teachers’ patterns along two dimensions: frequency and variability of use. …

More Than Just Plain Old Technology Adoption: Understanding Variations In Teachers' Use Of An Online Planning Tool, Heather Leary, Victor R. Lee, Mimi Recker

Heather Leary, Ph.D.

This paper examines variability in teachers’ usage patterns as they interacted with an online teacher support tool, the Curriculum Customization Service (CCS), as part of their professional work. The CCS is a web application that supports teachers in planning, adapting, sequencing, and enacting differentiated instruction in Earth science education. By mining the usage log files of over 40 teachers who used the CCS over a yearlong period, we analyzed for variability using a framework developed in marketing research to characterize appropriation of technology. This analysis helped reveal different kinds of teachers’ patterns along two dimensions: frequency and variability of use. …

More Than Just Plain Old Technology Adoption: Understanding Variations In Teachers' Use Of An Online Planning Tool, Heather Leary, Victor R. Lee, Mimi Recker

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper examines variability in teachers’ usage patterns as they interacted with an online teacher support tool, the Curriculum Customization Service (CCS), as part of their professional work. The CCS is a web application that supports teachers in planning, adapting, sequencing, and enacting differentiated instruction in Earth science education. By mining the usage log files of over 40 teachers who used the CCS over a yearlong period, we analyzed for variability using a framework developed in marketing research to characterize appropriation of technology. This analysis helped reveal different kinds of teachers’ patterns along two dimensions: frequency and variability of use. …

Web 2.0 Adoption And User Characteristics, Jennifer Allyson Dooley, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson

Sandra Jones

A literature review and online search were conducted to document the rate of Web 2.0 adoption and to profile user characteristics. Substantial increases over time in reach and growth of the Internet and Web 2.0 by geography, technology, and age were found. Usage of the Internet, blogging, wikis, video sharing, and social networking demonstrates initially high rates among teens and young adults; recent shifts suggest older age categories are now also using Web 2.0. Internet users engage in Web 2.0 for various reasons, such as to seek or create news, entertainment, and even health information. Findings illustrate the potential for …

A Case Study Of The Adoption And Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports (Pbis) Tier 2 In Two Elementary Schools, Kathleen Emma Affigne

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study was designed to explore four primary research questions. Why do schools and districts adopt PBIS? Which stakeholders were included in the decision-making process to adopt PBIS? Do these adoption dynamics influence PBIS Tier 2 implementation? With PBIS Tier 2 implementation fidelity as a desirable outcome, what are the relevant facilitators, constraints, and obstacles?

Web 2.0 Adoption And User Characteristics, Jennifer Allyson Dooley, Sandra C. Jones, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A literature review and online search were conducted to document the rate of Web 2.0 adoption and to profile user characteristics. Substantial increases over time in reach and growth of the Internet and Web 2.0 by geography, technology, and age were found. Usage of the Internet, blogging, wikis, video sharing, and social networking demonstrates initially high rates among teens and young adults; recent shifts suggest older age categories are now also using Web 2.0. Internet users engage in Web 2.0 for various reasons, such as to seek or create news, entertainment, and even health information. Findings illustrate the potential for …

Determinants Of Adoption Of Improved Maize Varieties And Chemical Fertilizers In Mozambique, Eunice Cavane, Cynthia Donavan

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

In Mozambique, adoption of improved maize seed and chemical fertilizers is still limited. This study assessed farmers’ attitudes towards hybrid maize SC513, Nitrogenous (N) Phosphorous (P) Potassium (K), (NPK 12-24-12) and urea fertilizers in highlands and lowlands of the Manica District. The study determined the influence of farmers’ characteristics, attitudes, sources of information, and agro-ecological conditions on adoption of these technologies during 1995 through 2005. A questionnaire was administered during April and May 2006 with a randomly selected sample of 293 households. In general, farmers held positive attitudes towards improved maize varieties and chemical fertilizers, but the strength of attitudes …

Adoption Of An Infection Prevention And Control Programme (Ipcp) In The Republic Of Kiribati: A Case Study In Diffusion Of Innovations Theory, Peta-Anne Zimmerman, Heather Yeatman, Michael Jones, Helen Murdoch

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the International Conference on Prevention & Infection Control (ICPIC 2011) Geneva, Switzerland. 29 June - 2 July 2011

Birth Parents In Adoption: Research, Practice, And Counseling Psychology, Amanda Baden, Mary O'Leary Wiley

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

This article addresses birth parents in the adoption triad by reviewing and integrating both the clinical and empirical literature from a number of professional disciplines with practice case studies. This review includes literature on the decision to relinquish one’s child for adoption, the early postrelinquishment period, and the effects throughout the lifespan on birth parents. Clinical symptoms for birth parents include unresolved grief, isolation, difficulty with future relationships, and trauma. Some recent research has found that some birth mothers who relinquish tend to fare comparably to those who do not relinquish on external criteria of well-being (e.g., high school graduation …

Breaking The Silence: Advancing Knowledge About Adoption For Counseling Psychologists, Amanda Baden, Kathy P. Zamostny, Mary O'Leary Wiley, Karen M. O'Brien, Richard M. Lee

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

Provides an introduction to the Major Contribution for this issue of Counseling Psychologist. The Major Contribution consists of an overview article describing the practice of adoption and two detailed reviews of recent empirical literature related to adoptive families and transracial adoptees. Given the prevalence of people affected by adoption, the lack of knowledge regarding adoption among researchers and practitioners, the inattention to adoption research by psychology, and the negative myths about and stigma faced by adoptive triad members, the Major Contribution will have the following as its purposes: (a) to increase awareness of the psychological and sociocultural issues involved in …

The Practice Of Adoption: History, Trends, And Social Context, Amanda Baden, Kathy P. Zamostny, Karen M. O'Brien, Mary O'Leary Wiley

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

This article presents an overview of the practice of adoption to counseling psychologists to promote clinical understanding of the adoption experience and to stimulate research on adoption. The article includes definitions of adoption terminology, important historical and legal developments for adoption, a summary of adoption statistics, conceptualizations of adoption experience, themes and trends in adoption outcome research related to adoptees and birthparents, and selected theoretical models of adoption. The importance of considering social context variables in adoption practice and research is emphasized.

The Practice Of Adoption: History, Trends, And Social Context, Amanda Baden, Kathy P. Zamostny, Karen M. O'Brien, Mary O'Leary Wiley

Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works

This article presents an overview of the practice of adoption to counseling psychologists to promote clinical understanding of the adoption experience and to stimulate research on adoption. The article includes definitions of adoption terminology, important historical and legal developments for adoption, a summary of adoption statistics, conceptualizations of adoption experience, themes and trends in adoption outcome research related to adoptees and birthparents, and selected theoretical models of adoption. The importance of considering social context variables in adoption practice and research is emphasized.