Social Work Commons^™

Implementing Pbis In A Rural Junior High School: Reducing Negative Behaviors And Gaining Future Teacher Buy-In, Kelly T. Vourlos

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) improves student outcomes including higher graduation rates, improved classroom behaviors and management, less discipline referrals, increased student engagement, improved academic performance, increased faculty retention, and an overall better school experience for staff and students. Staff buy-in can be difficult to obtain, but is critically important for school-wide success of PBIS. The purpose of this project was to investigate if a short-term exposure to PBIS-like intervention would change buy-in for junior high school teachers in Belle Plaine School District and evaluate their opinions about PBIS, along with comparing student incident reports before and throughout the …

Training And Burnout Among Paraprofessionals Who Work With Children With Emotional Behavioral Disorders, Jenna Robinson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

To assist the Waseca school district in addressing the training and self-care needs of paraprofessionals, keeping the overall mission in mind of empowering students to succeed in the academic environment, this project examined the training received and factors related to subsequent professional burnout among paraprofessionals in Waseca schools.

The Impact Of Mindfulness And Relaxation Techniques Implemented Within Minnesota School Settings: A Program Proposal For Waseca Junior And Senior High School, Laura Bartsch

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project is to gain insight into the extent of the use of relaxation oriented curriculums within Minnesota schools through the distribution of an email survey. Additionally, a review of empirical literature was conducted to identify and evaluate evidence based relaxation-oriented curriculums and to create a proposal for implementation at Waseca Junior and Senior High School.

Parent Involvement Plan For Lincoln Elementary, Michelle Kaune

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to create a parent involvement plan for Lincoln Elementary using research based information. The information gathered during the literature review will be used to gain a better understanding of parent involvement along with evidence based strategies to improve parent involvement. This plan will then be used by the school to work to increase the amount of involvement parents during the 2012-13 school year. Creating a strategy to increase parent involvement has been identified as a need by the school. It is also part of the school’s Adequate Yearly Progress plan which was submitted …

Effectiveness Of The Whytry Curriculum With Adults Participating In A Vocational Training Program, Erika Kern

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhyTry curriculum with adults participating in a vocational training program specifically to develop retail skills. WhyTry is an interactive, multisensory program used to motivate participants to change patterns of indifference by using analogies, videos, and music to stimulate and inspire them to succeed. The curriculum has elements of Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Social and Emotional Intelligence, and multi-sensory learning (WhyTry, 2011). My research question is as follows: Is the WhyTry curriculum effective in increasing self-esteem and self-efficacy with adults who are participating in a vocational training program? …

Incredible Years Dina Dinosaur Program Evaluation, Amanda Holzapfel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the Incredible Years (IY) Dina Dinosaur Child Training Program in the Early Childhood Special Education Classroom (ECSE) at the GFW Elementary School, a small town school. The Dina Dinosaur Program is designed to promote children’s social, emotional, behavior and academic skills through social skills and problem solving curriculum. This program has been found to be appropriate for children with ADHD, language and/or developmental delays and mild autism spectrum disorders, which were all present in the ECSE classroom at GFW Elementary. All of the ECSE teachers and paraprofessionals had …

Computer Based Training: Understanding Schizophrenia, Elli Marie Bach

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to research, design and implement a computer based training module for staff who work with individuals experiencing mental illness. This training focused directly on schizophrenia, which is the most common mental health disorder treated at the Community Behavioral Health Hospital in St. Peter.

Evidence-Based Programs That Address Social Emotional Learning In An Early Childhood Setting, Jihan Ali

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to compare and contrast evidence-based curriculums that address social-emotional learning for children 3 to 5 years old in a rural early childhood setting. Factors that will be considered include the effectiveness of the program with diverse populations, implementation in rural areas, includes a parenting component, cost of training as well as other appropriate factors. By providing effective early childhood education to children and parents, Fernbrook will be able to give the parents skills to more effectively parent at the home and children skills to develop healthy social emotional skills.

Research Question: What evidence-based social …

Teacher Training For The Implementation Of The Incredible Years At Gfw Elementary School, Karen J. Appel

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether training the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff would increase the social and emotional literacy of the children as well as the staff in the ECSE classroom . The four areas of training & research consisted of: 1. Increasing staff’s positive attention, encouragement and praise while working as a team in the ECSE classroom; 2. Using incentives for the purpose of promoting positive attention in the classroom; 3. Using more proactive teaching techniques for the purpose of preventing behavior problems in the classroom, and 4. Increasing staff’s …

Whytry? A Program Evaluation, Tammie Knick

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In Minnesota, one out of every five students fail to graduate from high school (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2009). Long before students decide to drop out of school, a host of risk factors or early predictors undoubtedly emerged in childhood. The purpose of this research pilot project was to determine the efficacy of the WhyTry? program in helping to reduce some of those risk factors such as: Truancy, Behavior problems in school, Low academic achievement, and School disengagement. The WhyTry? Program uses a strengths-based approach to help youth overcome their challenges and improve their outcomes at school. WhyTry? is based …

Peer-To-Peer Mentoring Programs In The School Setting For Grades 7-12, Jennifer Crawford

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This Capstone project will provide a complete literature review on peer-to-peer mentoring programs; summarize findings; review evidence-based research regarding existing mentoring programs; compare and contrast the review findings; address potential limitations, and make recommendations to the school administration of United South Central School District #2134, regarding design and implementation of a research-based peer-to-peer mentoring program.

Fernbrook Family Center, Inc. Need Identification And Training, Catherine R. Johanneck

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Mental Health Practitioners (MHPs) provide services to clients with a variety of diagnoses and presenting problems. Continued education and training on evidence-based practice is needed. A survey was created and competed for the capstone project . MHPs at Fernbrook Family Center, Inc. (FFC) indicated that Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Behaviorism, and Systems Theories were areas of interest. A workshop was completed at the agency for MHPs practicing there. Post-workshop surveys indicated the information was applicable to current practice and would be shared with other professionals.

Social Work Ethics Computer-Based Training Minnesota State University, Mankato Department Of Social Work, Rebecca Robinson-Wargelin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

At the Community Behavioral Health Hospital, St.Peter (CBHH),a discussion was held regarding Ethics Continuing Education Hours(CEUs). The Minnesota Board of Social Work(MNBSW)and Minnesota State Statute 148D.130 require that Licensed Social Workers receive two hours of ethics-specific CEUsper licensure renewal. Through this discussion,it appeared that it would be beneficial to create an ethics computer-based training(CBT), which would be of no expense to State Operated Services(SOS)Social Workers.This option would also provide convenience for social workers, who as a majority,reside within rural areas.The CBT created is in accordance to requirements of the MNBSW and has an emphasis to include the National Association of …