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International Journal Of African Development, Vol. 1, Issue 2

International Journal of African Development

Complete issue of International Journal of African Development, Volume 1, Issue 2.

Lhc Lines - August 2014, Lee Honors College

Lee Honors College News

A newsletter for friends and alumni of the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University

College Of Arts And Sciences E-News Issue 16: August 2014, College Of Arts And Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

• Good governance in Africa is focus of August conference
• WMU Hosts the First Annual Michigan Autism Conference
• WMU researchers receive grant to study fatal fungus in bats
• State group elects WMU executive to vice presidential post
• Most Delicious of Privileges
• Damar Foundation President
• English language and culture center gets new director

Enewsletter - August 2014, College Of Education And Human Development

College of Education and Human Development News

• TLES alumni named Bridgman High School Prinicipal
• FCS students win regional competition for 2nd consecutive year
• Exercise Science alumni named NDC Strength and Conditioning Coach
• ELRT welcomes Dominican Republic administrators
• CECP congratulates the newest Mu Beta Members
• CTE faculty members secure federal grant
• Alumnus Named Martin School District Superintendent
• Graduate Receives Teacher of the Year Award
• TLES Alumnus named Theatre Coach of the Year

Implementation Of A Modified Reading Program In An Urban High School Setting, Ann Vayre

Dissertations

READ 180 is a popular reading program among high schools seeking to improve their reading scores. To date, few studies have examined modified versions of the program, with none focusing on the fidelity of implementation. This study examines a modified READ 180 program where scheduling only allowed for a 50-minute per day block of time, in contrast to the 90-minutes utilized in the original design. Research questions focus on urban high school teachers’ usage of READ 180 components and strategies, consistency with the program’s original design, the level of importance teachers attached to each of the components and strategies, and …

A Comparison Of Two Variations Of A Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing Procedure On Novel And Infrequent Vocalizations Of Children With Autism, Andrew J. Bulla

Masters Theses

Despite the growth in a behavioral technology for the treatment of autism, a small population of individuals with autism fails to develop functional language. One procedure used for inducing vocalizations in non-verbal children is a stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) procedure. In an SSP procedure a vocalization is paired with a reinforcer over a period of time to establish the vocalization as a learned reinforcer, and any utterance of the target vocalization is believed to be automatically reinforced thus increasing the frequency of the vocalization. Past research has yielded mixed results with the SSP procedure, and more research is warranted to identify …

A Gross National Happiness Infused Curriculum: The Promise Of A More Meaningful Education In Bhutan, Sonam Zangmo

Masters Theses

Schooling in our modern society is aimed primarily to secure a career so that individuals will find their places in the political and economic systems. However, many believe that education should be reconceived so that student skills and attributes are understood more fully in relation to their impact on the local as well as the global community. The Gross National Happiness infused curriculum aspires to facilitate the holistic education that would address some of the humanistic values we need in this era. In this paper I study the concepts of Gross National Happiness and how the Gross National Happiness infused …

Urban School Counseling Impact: An Aba Reversal Single Subject Time-Series Analysis Of Academic, Suspension, And Attendance Data, Katherine L. N. Colles

Dissertations

While there is a dearth of longitudinal outcome research on comprehensive school counseling program impact (Carey & Dimmitt, 2006; Carey, Dimmitt, Hatch, Lapan, & Whiston, 2008; Gysbers, 2001; Whiston, 2002) on indicators of importance to school systems (Borders, 2002; Lapan, 2001), school counseling research primarily studies program components (Borders, 2002; Herr, 1979; Whiston, 2002; Whiston & Sexton, 1998) and component outcomes (Hughes & James, 2001; Schmidt, 1984, 2000; Sink, 2002). Grounded in a historical review of the school counseling field and pertinent related research, this research investigated the school counseling program impact of one kindergarten through eighth grade urban school …

Males’ Expectations Of Counseling, Sheryl Kelly

Dissertations

In today’s society, a man upholding masculinity alone is not enough. There is a constant need to “prove” their masculinity. Men’s inability to recognize when they are experiencing stress, strain, and sickness is noted as being due to them being socialized to ignore their feelings (Wilson, n.d.). Although research that addresses the concept of help-seeking has expanded, it continues to be limited in its focus on men. In addition, not much attention has been given to counseling expectations. The purpose of the present study is to expand the current knowledge base on men and their counseling expectations. This study examined …

Effects Of Various Partial Body Cooling Techniques On Core Temperature During Recovery From Prolonged Cycling-Induced Heat Stress, Afton Danielle Seeley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using an ice-vest and a palm cooling device on core and skin temperatures, heart rate, and perceived thermal comfort during a one hour recovery period following exercise in the heat. Ten recreationally active adults cycled for one hour at 50% V0₂ peak on a cycle ergometer while exposed to 36°C 45%relative humidity environmental conditions. Following exercise, each subjectwas exposed to an ice vest, a palm cooling device, or a non cooling control while seated in the environmental chamber for 60 more minutes. No significant differencewas found betweenany of …

The Experiences Of Women In Post Graduate Physics And Astronomy Programs: The Roles Of Support, Career Goals, And Gendered Experiences, Ramón S. Barthelemy

Dissertations

In physics and astronomy the low representation of women is obvious at every stage of the educational pathway from undergraduate students to full professors. These low numbers perpetuate themselves by failing to create new mentors to foster the next generation of women. Women and men also have different experiences as they traverse into physics and astronomy careers. Women often experience chilly climates, discrimination, and challenges coordinating the demands of young families with their careers. In the literature exploring this topic, little focus is put on the experiences of women graduate students in physics and no focus is put on women …

Exploring Help-Seeking Intentions Among Black American Church-Goers, Krystelle Jean-Michel

Dissertations

The present study examined the strength of certain help-seeking barriers and predictor variables in predicting the help-seeking intentions of African American churchgoers. Research suggests numerous barriers impede mental health use among African Americans; however, the present study focused on help-seeking attitudes, cultural mistrust, psychological distress, self-stigma, public stigma, and perceived behavioral control (Hines-Martin, Malone, Kim, & Brown-Piper, 2003; Sullivan, Harris, Collado & Chen, 2006). The theory of planned behavior (TPB) served as a theoretical underpinning, guiding the integration of theory-based and culture-specific variables in one model. The present sample included 159 Black American churchgoers and attendees. The study‘s variables were …

Efficacy Of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy With The Use Of In-Room Coaching, Cassie Shacklett Reeve

Dissertations

One significant consequence of oppositional and defiant behavior is an increase in negative interactions between caregivers and the child exhibiting those behaviors (Greene & Doyle, 1999). Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically supported treatment that targets the development of a nurturing parent-child relationship along with teaching effective discipline strategies to decrease child noncompliance (Bodiford-McNeil & Hembree-Kigin, 2010). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of PCIT when modified by utilizing strictly in-room coaching. This type of research would allow for expanded use of this empirically supported treatment into community agencies and clinics which do not …

The Counselor Experience In Counseling Clients Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted, Carrie J. Tremble

Dissertations

Despite sexual assault being the second highest reported violent crime in the United States, the literature regarding the experience of counselors who counsel clients who have been sexually assaulted is limited. This qualitative study explored and described the lived experiences of 9 counselors who, in the last five years, have provided counseling services to at least five clients who had been sexually assaulted when they were at least 18 years of age. The phenomenological data analysis approach of Moustakas (1994) was utilized to guide the data collection and analysis. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, the participants were able to share their …

The Effects Of Varying Duration Of Reinforcement On Novel Selection-Based Mands Versus Topgraphy-Based Mands, Nicholas S. Acker

Masters Theses

In recent years, researchers have evaluated individuals' preferences for different mand modalities and its effects on the acquisition of novel mands during functional con1munication training (i.e., FCT; e.g., Falcomata, Ringdahl, Christensen, & Boelter, 20 I 0). In many of these studies, the modality of responding that Michael ( 1985) classified as selection-based responding, is preferred by participants (e.g., Falcomata et al., 201 0). Wraikat, Sundberg, and Michael (1991) suggest that topography-based responses may be preferable for the acquisition of complex language. However, selection-based verbal responses may have faster acquisition in learning initial verbal operants (Charlop-Christy, Carpenter, Le, LeBlanc & Kellet, …

Mentors Support Grandfamilies Raising Grandchildren, Susan G. Weinberger

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

The role of mentors to provide support to Grandfamilies and their grandchildren is examined in this paper. How youth benefit when they are matched with mentors serving as their external advocates, assisting them and seeking resources for their success in school and life is discussed. Grandfamilies who wish to find mentors for youth need to know what resources are available and how to access them. These resources are also reviewed. In addition. non-profit agencies who design programs to serve Grandfamilies need to follow quality assurance standards. Tips are suggested to make this happen.

Grandfamilies Outcome Workgroup’S (Grow) Review Of Grandfamilies Support Groups: An Examination Of Concepts, Goals, Outcomes And Measures, Kerry A. Littlewood

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

A support group is the most widely used intervention for grandparents and other relatives raising children. Support groups require few resources to establish and are relatively inexpensive to implement. Despite the popularity of support groups for grandfamilies, there is little evidence evaluating their effectiveness to improve the lives of its members. In response to this issue and to support outcome-based research in the field, the Grandfamilies Outcome Workgroup (GrOW) was established. This study highlights GrOW’s review of the literature on the effectiveness of support groups for grandfamilies. Next, the GrOW Inventory of Support Groups (GrOW Inventory) was developed to explore …

The Rewards Of Caring For Grandchildren: Black Canadian Grandmothers Who Are Custodial Parents, Co-Parents, And Extensive Babysitters, Esme Fuller-Thomson, Sarah Serbinski, Leanne Mccormack

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Grandparent caregiving is a growing phenomenon in both the United States and Canada. The burgeoning research on the topic has focused on custodial grandparents with an emphasis on negative aspects including poor physical and mental health outcomes for older adults. Less attention has been paid to the rewards of grandparent caregiving and to different intensities of caregiving provision. This grounded theory qualitative study of 16 Black Caribbean Canadian grandmothers sought to address this gap in the literature. We examined three types of grandparent caregivers: custodial grandparents (n=7), co-parent grandparents (n=5) and extensive babysitters (n=4). The average age of the children …

Complete Issue - Grandfamilies - #1

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

GrandFamilies

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session July 23, 2014, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Minutes of the July 23, 2014 WMU Board of Trustees meeting include:

• Remarks by board chair James Hettinger
• Remarks by president John Dunn

Impact Of International Collaborative Project On Cultural Competence Among Occupational Therapy Students, Divya Sood, Danila Cepa, Sebestina Anita Dsouza, Shovan Saha, Ruby Aikat, Alicia Tuuk

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) educators recognize a need to ensure that OT students are culturally competent. The researchers developed the International Collaborative Project on Cultural Competence (ICPCC) to help students understand the impact of cultural context on client care. Entry-level MOT students from a university in the US (N = 18) collaborated with BOT students (N = 4) and advanced MOT students (N = 9) from two universities in India using an online course management system WebCT. The study explored the impact of the ICPCC on OT students’ cultural competence and discusses students’ perceptions of culture on the OT process. The …

The Relationship Between Admission Criteria And Fieldwork Performance In A Masters-Level Ot Program: Implications For Admissions, Molly Bathje, Rebecca Ozelie, Elisabeth Deavila

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) graduate programs strive to produce an effective OT workforce with competent and engaged OT practitioners. Admission into OT graduate programs is an increasingly competitive process, with most programs having more applicants than spaces available. Programs need to select applicants that will be the most successful in meeting graduation requirements, including both academic and clinical components. This pilot study was designed to examine the relationship between admission criteria and fieldwork (FW) performance. The study utilized a retrospective analysis with a convenience sample of 108 students with complete data from a private university in the Midwest. Independent variables of …

Developing Bilateral And Spatial Concepts In Primary School-Aged Children: An Empirical Evaluation Of The Anker Bilateral Spatial System, Janet E. Richmond, Myra Taylor, Sarah Evans

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties contribute to school-aged learning problems. Hence, a need exists to address children’s visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties as early as possible in the child’s school career. Thus, this study reports on the evaluation of the Anker Bilateral Spatial System’s (ABSS) effectiveness in remediating primary school children’s perceptual difficulties.

Method: Thirty-one children (17 boys and 14 girls) aged 6 to 12 years who had been identified by their classroom teacher as having observable visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties participated in a 10-week pre/posttest intervention study. The study’s pre/posttest assessments included the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor …

The Impact Of Fear Of Falling On Functional Independence Among Older Adults Receiving Home Health Services, Katherine A. Lawson, Eugenia Catalina Gonzalez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Falls are the fifth leading cause of death for adults aged 65 years and older. Several intrinsic and extrinsic fall risk factors have been identified, butthere is less understanding of the impact of a fear of falling on falls. Seventy percent of recent fallers and 40% percent of non-fallers report a fear of falling. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between a fear of falling and a history of falls, as well as the impact on the functional independence of community-dwelling older adults receiving home health services.

Methods: The participants completed the …

Influence Of Home Environment On Participation In Home Activities Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Divya Sood, Patti Lavesser, Caren Schranz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study explored the key physical and social factors within the home environment that influence the participation of children with an ASD in home activities.

Method: Step 1 used a correlational research design to identify relationships between the home environment and participation patterns of children with ASD. Twenty-two children, ages 3 to 6 years, with a diagnosis of ASD participated. Data were collected using the Preschool Activity Card Sort (PACS), Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory (HOME), Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Social Status (ISS). In Step 2, …

Discovery, July 2014, Office Of Vice President For Research

Research and Discovery News

• Discovery communities
• Discovery experts, July 31 deadline
• $1.4 million HHMI grant
• Sustainability award from second nature
• Diversity change initiative grant RFP
• $4 million for autism
• Facilities & administrative cost rates

College Of Arts And Sciences E-News Issue 15: July 2014, College Of Arts And Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

• WMU to receive $4 million to boost autism research and training
• Dr. Keith Hearit named new CAS associate dean
• Twenty-two CAS faculty celebrated during Board of Trustees luncheon
• Sean Laraway '03 wins Teaching Excellence Award from San Jose State University
• Bob Hercules '79 producing and co-directoring documentary on Maya Angelou
• Koty Neelis '11 goes viral with her top ten lists
• PhD student, Becky Straples named editor of The Hilltop Review
• Mallinson Institute for Science Education international students share their experiences

Western Michigan University Magazine, Summer 2014, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• University News
• Autism Answers
• Autism and Art
• Sweet Consumption
• Leeched and Light
• Potash Mining
• Lest We Forget
• Farming Ambition
• Expert Insights
• Pilot Light
• College News

Sexism Across Musical Genres: A Comparison, Sarah Neff

Honors Theses

Music is a part of daily life for most people, leading the messages within music to permeate people’s consciousness. This is concerning when the messages in music follow discriminatory themes such as sexism or racism. Sexism in music is becoming well documented, but some genres are scrutinized more heavily than others. Rap and hip-hop get much more attention in popular media for being sexist than do genres such as country and rock. My goal was to show whether or not genres such as country and rock are as sexist as rap and hip-hop. In this project, I analyze the top …

Autism Funding News Conference With Representative Margaret O'Brien, John M. Dunn

WMU President John Dunn

No abstract provided.