Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Reliability And Validity Of The Task Analysis Recording Procedure (Tarp), Russell Brown Psyd

All Student Scholarship

Task analysis data collection typically focuses on the acquisition of skills by recording the percentage of steps in the response chain completed independently and correctly. While useful as a measure of skill acquisition, percentage correct does not promote a step based analysis of factors that may promote or interfere with skill acquisition, including necessary prompts and the occurrence of challenging behavior. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Task Analysis Recording Procedure (TARP) in recording physical stereotypy, a behavior often emitted by participants with autism or other developmental disabilities, by comparing TARP obtained physical stereotypy data to that …

A Pilot Investigation Of A Multi-Tier System Of Mathematics Instruction For Prekindergarten Students, William Benjamin Roy Psyd

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A Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) for academic skills is widely recognized as the best practice framework for supporting all students. Additionally, the recent shift from constructivist pedagogy toward more intentional teaching of mathematics at the preschool level has encouraged more explicit mathematics instruction with younger children. In spite of these advances, there are no published best practice guidelines for implementing MTSS for mathematics at the prekindergarten level. The current study sought to investigate one possible way to implement effective instructional practices for preschool mathematics within a multi-tier system, including the use of validated screening and progress monitoring instruments. A …

Monhegan: A Prescription For Resilience, Kenneth Paul Kiel Gross

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Monhegan, like many island communities, is threatened by the loss of population as its young adults migrate to the mainland. The purpose of this study is to develop a resilient population on Monhegan Island.

Knowing the problem is easy, as is asking the obvious question, “How do we get people to move to this area?” This is a problem that confronts not only Monhegan, but also other Maine islands and even Maine itself.

Several factors make Monhegan’s future uncertain. The first is the gradual shift from commercial fishing, the mainstay of its economy, as it becomes more reliant on tourism …

Implementing A Good Catch Program In Nursing Homes, Leigh Raposo

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Rationale and processes for reporting near misses and evidence-based tools were collected by a literature search, seminal works by Sidney Dekker and James Reason, and websites for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Tools, information, and strategies found in this research were evaluated for implementation in Maine nursing homes. The tools provide a communication vehicle for nursing home staff to safely report to management near misses, or mistakes that do not harm residents. To emphasize a positive approach, the project replaces the term …

An Examination Of Teacher Understandings Of Technology Integration At The Classroom Level, Shawn M. Carlson Phd

All Student Scholarship

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and understand how teachers describe the changes in their practices as a result of ten years participation in a one-to-one environment. This research study focuses on one successful middle school’s adoption of laptops to support teaching and learning. A qualitative study using interviews of key participants was undertaken with teachers and administrators. The Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was used in conjunction with Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation framework to understand from the participants’ perspective changes to their practice. The results indicate teachers underwent changes in their use of technology to …

Capstone Summary Report, Kayla Blais

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Leadership is vital to the practice of public health. The following review of current literature delves into present understanding of leaders that the public health field needs. As leadership within public health is being explored, specific skills required of future leaders, different types of leaders, and the impacts we can expect to see are being defined.

An Analysis Of Women’S Access To Acute Opioid Detoxification Services In Maine: Identifying The Barriers To Treatment, Karen E. Conley

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The lack of treatment facilities and services for opioid use disorder in Maine, combined with an increased prevalence of addiction, creates a potential for health inequity between men and women that may be intensified by barriers in access to care. This capstone study utilized detoxification screening inquiry forms and data obtained from the Milestone Foundation’s acute opioid detoxification program to assess and categorize barriers to access by gender. A barriers model was developed based on existing literature and was to identify potential associations among and between the known barriers to accessing treatment. Barriers were described as internally or externally based, …

A Comparison Of A Discrete Trial Teaching Procedure And An Incidental Teaching Procedure To Help Children With Developmental Disorders Acquire Sight Word Reading Skills, Adam Golonka Psyd

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Knowing how to read words that are relevant and important has the potential to help individuals with developmental disorders gain independence within both school and community settings. The current study compares the effectiveness of two teaching procedures targeting reading skills in children with developmental disorders. Discrete trial teaching (DTT) is a commonly used method of teaching multiple pre-academic and academic skills to individuals with developmental disorders. It involves a systematic presentation of stimuli, a teaching procedure, and delivery of reinforcement, and is often delivered in a mass trial format. Incidental or naturalistic teaching, on the other hand, takes place in …

Rural Brain Drain: A Quantitative Study Of The Potential Impact On The Youth In Rural Aroostook County, Jill Bouchard Cairns Ma

All Student Scholarship

The present research explores the phenomenon commonly referred to as rural brain drain and whether it occurs in rural, Aroostook County Maine. The aim of the study also included an examination of how family, friends, community, school counselors, teachers, social media and early college courses are impacting student decisions post-high school graduation.

Writing Life Stories: A Phenomenological Study Of Memory And Meaning For People With Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease, Jennifer E. Dimond Msw

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There are an estimated five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease; experts believe that by mid-century, that number will more than triple. The disease is the sixth leading case of death in the U.S., and the only one among the top ten with no known cure, treatment or means of prevention. An emerging body of research suggests that providing people with Alzheimer’s opportunities to tell their life stories can help them negotiate their personal identities and may have positive impacts on their sense of self. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach is used to understand the lived experience of people with early …

An Examination Of Response To Intervention Development And Implementation Relative To Best Practices, Paul W. Austin Phd

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For the past 30 years, public education in the United States has been under fire for its failure to address a long decline in student performance. Education reform has been a focal point of the country, calling for improved student performance, and a reduction of the achievement gap for students struggling to meet academic standards. Following the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the U.S. Department of Education reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 (U.S. Department of Education, 2006). One important issue addressed in the reauthorization was the criteria needed to identify children under the …

Currency, Elisha M. Emerson Mfa

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The privileged Watters family, David, Winnie, and their 14-year-old daughter, Faye, struggle to adjust their suburban Charlotte lifestyle to fit a much-reduced income. Their fast failure leads them down separate paths: David after enlightenment through Transcendental Meditation, Faye after the power she feels in the company of her handsome Earth Science teacher, and Winnie in a romantic foray to Alaska after buried gold. Currency probes that moment when everything changes size, when initial annoyances shrink and reality resumes a new and disturbing sense of proportion.

A Pilot Benefit And Cost Analysis Study Of Sponsors Of Registered Apprenticeships In Maine, Jonathan R. Payne Phd

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A skills gap exists in Maine because of lack of diversity in educational opportunity offered to students. Preparation for college and career readiness has become conflated. High schools focus primarily on core academic knowledge, often forsaking the knowledge necessary to prepare for jobs that do not require college educations. College is not for everyone, and some students fail to graduate, leaving them without a credential, often in debt, and lacking any skills that would lead to meaningful employment.

In countries across the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada those issues are addressed through apprenticeship, and empirical research suggests that …

Effectiveness Of High-Fidelity Simulation In Changing Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Police, Jeffrey A. Pardue Ma

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The use of deadly force is the most serious decision a police officer has to make. Recent highly-publicized law enforcement lethal encounters have led to a growing need for police to proactively engage in educational discussions with community members in hopes of improving the perceptions of their work.

Communication Efficacy Using Technology Within Virtual Teams, Jeremy Daros Ma

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Technology has given businesses the flexibility to allow employees to collaborate beyond the limitations of geography. Today’s businesses are taking advantage of collaborative teams that are separated by distance, but work together as if they are in the same room.

Engagement, Gamification, And Workplace Satisfaction: A Convergent Study Of User Indicators, Josiah J. Eikelboom Ma

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The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between the personal indicators of gamification users, game preferences, and workplace engagement. A three-part survey was deployed through an online, opt-in gamification platform in order to gauge individual user preferences.

Leadership Within Collegiate Student Organizations: Does Membership Contribute To Leadership Development?, Shawn Plante Ma

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Student organizations vary in membership size, values, mission, and organizational structure, which can create a variety of leadership opportunities for students. However, there is an unclear understanding regarding the association between student organizational leadership, career preparation, and leadership development.