Digital Commons Network^™

Goal-Free Evaluation: An Orientation For Foundations’ Evaluations – Updated 2024, Brandon W. Youker, Allyssa Ballard

The Foundation Review

Editor’s Note: This article, first published in print and online in 2014, has been revised for The Foundation Review with substantive additions, new examples, and minor updates.

Goal-free evaluation is a model in which official or stated program goals and objectives are unknown by the evaluator, serving as a counter to assessing impact solely according to goal achievement. Foundation-supported program evaluation, however, has historically focused on goal attainment as intuitively and inextricably linked to evaluation.

This focus has persisted despite the fact that goal-free product evaluations have been a norm for more than 75 years. Yet persuading funders to consider …

Anti-Bullying Prevention: The Importance Of Identifying Risk Factors And Effective Interventions And Programs, Emma R. Pritt

Masters Projects

Bullying is a complex public health concern, with Research suggesting that prevention is dependent on school and local demographics. Bully victimization is also heavily associated with students who have adverse childhood experiences. Additionally, Research supports the use of positive behavior supports and interventions as well as the involvement of the greater community to prevent bullying. Forest Hills Public Schools has yet to adopt this Research within their policies and anti-bullying programs. They also do not offer professional development regarding this topic. This project addresses current anti-bullying prevention curriculum, programs, and interventions while also considering the impact that adverse childhood experiences …

Empowering Educators: Enhancing Technology Integration For Engaging Learning Experiences, Jed Roelofs

Masters Projects

This project highlights the pivotal role of administrators in supporting teachers to effectively integrate technology into classroom instruction. Grounded in the Technology, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPCK) and Replacement, Amplify, and Transformative, (RAT) frameworks, administrators provide targeted professional development to enhance teachers' confidence and skills in utilizing technology. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, administrators enable teachers to engage in meaningful learning experiences and practice new technological approaches. The ultimate objective is to equip educators with the necessary resources and support to cultivate innovative teaching practices and optimize student learning outcomes in today's digital landscape.

Grand Valley Magazine, Vol. 23, No 2, Spring 2024, Grand Valley State University

Grand Valley Magazine

Grand Valley Magazine is a quarterly publication about Grand Valley State University produced by University Communications since 2001.

Using Ubuntu As A Research Paradigm To Unpack How Ghanaian Novice Teachers And Their Collaborators Engaged Virtually In Collaborative International Qualitative Research, Adeline M. Borti, Rakesh K. Maurya, Ivy S. Jones-Mensah, Thilina I. Wickramaarachchi

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

The article details how Ubuntu was incorporated into each step of the research project, shares the authors’ experiences and key learnings, and provides recommendations for researchers utilizing Ubuntu as a research paradigm. Ubuntu is an ancient African philosophy emphasizing a way of life grounded in interdependence, collaboration, harmony, and community. In recent years, researchers have incorporated Ubuntu as a research paradigm to decolonize research in a sub-Saharan African context. The present article used international collaborative qualitative research conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate the application of Ubuntu as a research paradigm for conducting research in the African context. …

Lanthorn, Vol. 58, No. 12, February 12, 2024, Grand Valley State University

Volume 58, August 7, 2023 - April 15, 2024

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present. Issue 12 is misnumbered as "Issue 11."

Sw 601 Handout, Ashley Rosener

Handouts

Library Resources for Social Work 601 graduate class.

Decent Work-Life-Flow And Its Assessment, Jan Philipp Czakert, Florian Scheibein, John Wells, Leonor Pais, Nuno Rebelo Dos Santos, Rita Berger

Papers from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology Conferences

This paper presents the underlying theoretical framework, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research activities, as well as preliminary findings on influencing factors for a healthy and sustainable Work-Life-Flow (WLF) in diverse countries. The research is conducted within the scope of the cross-cultural Erasmus+-project, "Excellence based profiling to identify and apply tools and training for a better and sustainable Work-Life-Flow" (2020-1-ES01-KA203-083282). Within this framework, we promote the re-conceptualization of the concept of work-life balance towards a more dynamic and inclusive resource-demands based concept of WLF. The project develops assessment and training tools to foster WLF for individual and organizations alike. To justify this …

Sw 317 Class Handout, Ashley Rosener

Handouts

This handout highlights resources to find statistical information for class assignments.

Gvsu Undergraduate And Graduate Catalog, 2024-2025, Grand Valley State University

Course Catalogs, 1963 - Current

Grand Valley State University 2024-2025 undergraduate and graduate course catalog. Course catalogs are published annually to provide students with information and guidance for enrollment.

Investigating The Curricular Practices Of Social Innovation Master’S Programs In The United States, Ty M. Krueger

Masters Projects

The study of social innovation in higher education has increased as more schools add undergraduate and graduate programs on the broad topic. Discussion on what should be included as part of social innovation education has been occurring for decades, but there is little determination as to what could be considered as standards or even a baseline for curricular practices. This research aims to look at how current graduate programs for social innovation are defining the topic, what courses they include in their curriculum, what teaching methods are used in the delivery of these topics, and how the topics and teaching …

A Framework For Creating Systems Change, William Brown, Wynn Rosser

The Foundation Review

This article draws on a system-change framework developed by the Nicholson Foundation as part of a 20-year initiative to substantively change the state of New Jersey’s health and social welfare systems, and modifies and expands a single case study on system change to align with related ideas and concepts. A results-based accountability approach is integrated into the model to draw attention to the importance of monitoring and evaluation of population-based outcomes.

Drawing on extensive literature from systems change and performance management, the discussion provides insight and perspective on contemporary frameworks in systems change and the role of grantmaking foundations. The …

The Quality Of Life In Assisted Living Facilities In Grand Rapids, Nina Alpers

Honors Projects

This research study looked at the quality of life of residents in assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids. The purpose of this study is to consider the life satisfaction of residents of assisted living facilities in Grand Rapids and explore the determinants that can make their time spent at assisted living facilities as enjoyable as possible. This study highlighted the voices of the residents in assisted living facilities by doing a qualitative study using an interview-styled approach that asked the residents about a variety of topics, such as routines, feelings, values, personal facts, health status, care provided, relationships, and views …

Risks In Grantmaking: A Study Of Australian Foundations, Daniel Archibald, Reza Tajaddini, Mary Dunkley

The Foundation Review

In the pursuit of more effective giving, the nonprofit sector has been increasingly advocating for foundations to take on more risk in their grantmaking. This article investigates the risk experience in the charitable funding process and the approaches taken to mitigate unwanted risks. Failure to adequately manage such risks can negatively influence the legacy of a foundation and the effectiveness of the programs and projects it funds.

Particularly, this article contributes to the improvement of managing the risks that arise in the grantmaking process by identifying those key risks faced by different types of foundations, thus helping to prioritize the …

Lanthorn, Vol. 58, No. 07, November 13, 2023, Grand Valley State University

Volume 58, August 7, 2023 - April 15, 2024

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

A Review Of Two Decades Of Research On Language In International Management (1997 - 2022) - Supplemental Material, Yung-Hwal Park, Kevin Lehnert

Other Faculty Publications

This research reviews over two decades of research on language within international management. This comprehensive review codes and summarizes 263 articles, highlighting the impact of language in various strategic areas of management: language policy; HRM and organizational behavior; internationalization; HQ-subsidiary relationship; knowledge sharing; corporate reporting and governance; and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and inter-firm strategic collaboration. This study also highlights two major needs within the discipline (internal vs. external focus of language and level of analysis – individual, group and organizational), and addressed the call for a broader future research agenda.

Learning Circles As A Tool For Participant- Owned Evaluation, Virginia Roncaglione, Chan Brown, Jennifer James, Courtney Huff

The Foundation Review

Learning circles are an approach where individuals with a common interest meet regularly to learn from each other about a self-identified topic in a format chosen by the group. Honoring a group’s collective wisdom, centering participants’ learning needs, and prioritizing relationships and trust are all features of learning circles. This practice is of increasing interest to funders and evaluators as a tool for practicing learning and evaluation aligned with the Equitable Evaluation Framework™.

Kansas Health Foundation and its strategic learning partners, Innovation Network and Harder+Company Community Research, are exploring learning circles in two of the foundation’s initiatives: Integrated Voter Engagement …

Lanthorn, Vol. 58, No. 02, August 28, 2023, Grand Valley State University

Volume 58, August 7, 2023 - April 15, 2024

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Early Education Mentor Match, Erik W. Taylor

Masters Projects

Literature has revealed important information on how establishing mentoring can foster ongoing learning and effective teaching, yet few west Michigan early education environments incorporate any opportunities to encourage these essential relationships. This project explores the recent history of early education learning environments as well as contemporary challenges presented to these programs. Effective teacher supports and ongoing training must acknowledge the necessary out-of-classroom time needed for high-quality instruction and its influence on teacher wellbeing. Mentoring can offer teachers at various points in their careers with rich opportunities to coach and be coached as part of their existing professional development network. The …

Social Work 603 Library Handout, Ashley Rosener

Handouts

A handout designed for SW 603 students who need to learn how to find articles and policies on a chosen topic.

Tfr 15.2 Full Issue

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Systems-Change Philanthropy: It’S Essential, And It’S Our Responsibility, Emily Bhandari, Alison Mohr Boleware, Octavio N. Martinez Jr.

The Foundation Review

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health’s mission is to transform how communities promote mental health in everyday life. Policy engagement — fundamental to improving the social and structural determinants of mental health — has always been a strategic priority for the foundation, which has become a trusted resource for mental health and substance use policy issues in Texas. Yet, the state’s mental health and substance use policy community is limited in size, capacity, and training.

To address that reality, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health Policy Academy and Policy Fellow Initiative was launched to invest in a mental health policy …

Potential Occupational Therapy Interventions For People With Borderline Personality Disorder: A Scoping Review, Annette Leep, Darcie A. Shaw, Meghan E. Lloyd, Stephanie M. Voelck, Hannah R. Ghneim

Masters Projects

There is limited research highlighting occupational therapy (OT) interventions utilized with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This scoping review analyzes current literature by data-charting psychosocial interventions that are or could be applied by OT practitioners for BPD treatment. Five health sciences and psychology databases were searched; the search strategy included keywords and subject headings related to BPD and psychosocial interventions. A variety of evidence-based interventions applicable to the BPD population were identified for OT implementation. Themes included awareness of behaviors and skill training for functional performance. There is a need for training and professional development opportunities for OT practitioners treating this …

Talking About Death: Exploration Of The Impact Of Death Communication Norms On End-Of-Life Caregivers, Maureen H. Mckenzie

Masters Theses

This study seeks to understand the experience of end-of-life caregivers and how their subscribed communication norms regarding death impacted their caregiving experience and preparedness to make decisions on their person’s behalf. Eight participants were recruited from a Midwestern support group facility with a population of nearly 8,000 members that include cancer and grief support members. Criteria required adult participants that were less than 10 years out from their caregiving experience. Phenomenological research methods were used capturing eight opened ended interviews about participants death communication history, caregiving experience, and reflection on current death communication norms. Thematic analysis was utilized to assess …

Formalized Diabetes Self-Management Education In A Safety-Net Clinic, Emanpreet Kaur

Masters Projects

Diabetes is a complex and chronic illness requiring continuous medical care with multifactorial risk reduction strategies (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2021). More than 37 million Americans are suffering from diabetes and 90% of them have Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (DMT2) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). The purpose of this article is to review the background, an organizational assessment, a literature review, and the results of the quality improvement project that took place at a safety-net clinic in the Midwest. This project included 16 patients and data was analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results include improved hemoglobin (Hg) A1c, Body …

Building Student-Athlete Resilience On And Off The Field, Hannah Beatus

Masters Projects

Literature continues to demonstrate that student-athletes have a difficult time understanding how the skills they acquire as a student-athlete are transferrable to a non-sport environment. Student-athletes are exposed to messages about resilience early on in their athletic careers yet lack the understanding of how these skills are applicable to life outside of athletics. This project examines the aforementioned problem through an ecological systems theory lens. A workshop series designed to bring together student-athletes and coaches addresses this knowledge gap. It is hoped that by bringing together student-athletes and coaches that the development of resilience can be understood through a more …

Corpus Expositum: Fat Studies As Critical Education Material For Student Affairs Professionals, Jenna J. Weatherwax

Masters Projects

As Fat Studies is an emerging field within higher education student affairs, research shows that the academic, social, and personal development of students who face fatphobia or discrimination is stunted (Brown, 2016; McHugh and Kasardo, 2012; Ramseyer Winter, 2017; Ropers-Huilman et al., 2016; Stevens, 2018; Wann, 2009). But, as colleges have historically and continuously ignored or erased the presence of fat students on their campuses, fat students are often left without support during their college experiences (Wann, 2009). Several factors impact fat college students and this project explores these factors, including the gendered aspect to fatphobia, the medicalization of fatness …

The Efficacy Of Implementing Financial Literacy Curriculum For College Students, Nyia M. Slade

Masters Projects

As college students continue to rely on student loans, it is concerning that only a few interventions are in place to promote financial literacy. The federally required Loan Entrance Counseling and Loan Exit Counseling are ineffective, leaving students at a disadvantage. This project addresses this issue by examining the significance and effectiveness of financial literacy programs at postsecondary institutions. A more comprehensive approach is necessary by implementing a financial education course that covers loan processes, financial literacy, and overall financial wellness.

Supporting Students In Inclusive Settings, Jordan B. Tucker

Masters Projects

Inclusion provides students in special education the opportunity to learn alongside their same-aged peers to the greatest extent that is appropriate. Although many special education students are included in general education classrooms, it is common that teachers do not practice asset-based approaches during instruction. Understanding and recognizing student strengths will help educators organize teaching strategies to equip students with the skills to identify what they learn well and what areas they have challenges in. It is crucial for teachers to provide meaningful learning opportunities that allow students to use their assets throughout the learning process. It is important for teachers …

Overrepresentation Of African American Children In Child Welfare, Mareeta M. Bracken

Masters Projects

African American children continue to be overrepresented in the child welfare system. This study will show how existing research illustrates how the systems are used to put many Black families and youth into the sights of the school-to-prison pipeline via this intervention. This specific issue is rooted in systemic and historical racism. The literature has revealed this and continues to show how teachers as mandated reporters play a role in shaping the outcome through how they perceive Black children to be subjected to abuse or neglect. The child welfare system is one of many institutional frameworks that has been shaped …