Digital Commons Network^™

Dog And Owner Emotional Relationship Training, Andrea Sowles

Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone experience was to develop a program for emotional relationship training to create a human-animal interaction (HAI) with a dog and their owner. Along with promoting the importance of mental health and engagement in occupations. The program focused on helping the dog provide emotional support to their owner through participating in the training of the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. This outline helped deepen the bond between dog and owner and allowed them to become more connected as a team. There is a gap in knowledge between the use of animal assistance in therapy and the …

Impact Of Cooking Groups On Children And Adolescents With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Abigail Willinger

Capstone Projects

Engagement in play and leisure activities is an important component of daily life for individuals of all ages. However, there is still a lack of leisure and recreation availability and knowledge regarding children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their participation in daily activities specifically related to play, recreation, and socialization. With healthcare advocacy efforts on the rise, the implementation of a meaningful leisure occupation, such as cooking, through group classes is evident in order to improve one’s overall quality of life. The aim of this 14- week education and program development based capstone project is to improve inclusivity and …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Transition Programs For High School Students With Disabilities, Taylor Kehren

Capstone Projects

Public schools are required to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) include transition planning to prepare for life after graduation focusing on employment and independent living. Although these services are required, high school students with disabilities have lower rates of employment and independent living compared to their peers. OT services are reimbursed under IEPs, but there is a gap in service with under-utilization in transition planning. The purpose of this DCE was program development with the transition program, Project SEARCH, while also exploring the role OT has in transition planning for high school students with …

Please Wait: Re-Defining The Waiting Experience Through Design, Kedzie Rutan

Capstone Projects

Waiting is an unavoidable part of the commercial flying experience. From checking into the airport, navigating through the maze of security checkpoints, to checking personal belongings, every traveler experiences the ritual of waiting.

While airports aid in assisting travelers from one destination to another, airport designs and programs risk being too vast to understand differences in user sensitivity.Cultivating customer satisfaction presents a challenge in the context of air travel. The unfamiliar environment, noise levels, large crowds, long lines and changes in routine are inherent in the airport journey and can be anxiety-provoking for travelers.

Airport waiting areas are often designed …

Development Of A Community Living Coffee Shop, Micah Taniguchi

Capstone Projects

Providing employment opportunities for individuals with a disability has multiple benefits for the employer and for the individual (Lindsay et al., 2018). In addition, occupational therapy within a community-based living setting could decrease the risks for social isolation and increase engagement in occupation for older adults (Domville, 2019). This capstone project focused on program development at Self-Help Alternative Living of Michigan (SHALOM). SHALOM is a community-based living program who was seeking to provide additional employment opportunity for their participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Limited research available made it difficult to develop a training manual for coaches, participants, and volunteers …

Entry Level Ota Module Content: Sexual Activity As An Adl, Peightyn Larson

Capstone Projects

Sexuality is a “state of mind that represents how individuals feels about themselves, relate to other people, establish relationships, and express themselves” (AOTA, 2013). Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants have the skill set necessary to address sexuality in practice, however, it is neglected in occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs throughout the United States of America (Lohman et al., 2017). The absence of sexuality in curriculum stems from lack of time, low priority, and various client factors including age, marital status, therapist safety, personal beliefs, and fear of offending the client (Lohman et al., 2017; McGarth …

Exploration Of Driving Rehabilitation Best Practices To Sustain An Occupation Focused Driver Rehabilitation Program, Kelsey East

Capstone Projects

In the United States driving dominates as the primary mode of transportation connecting people to resources including work, school, stores, and hospitals. Driving enables individuals to participate in the occupations they need or want to do, which is why it is a critical Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). Because driving falls within an occupational therapist’s scope of community mobility, many driving rehabilitation specialists have a background in occupational therapy. Driving rehabilitation is an expanding practice area, with emerging evidence supporting the use of an IADL based assessment for determining fitness to drive. Therefore, the main goal of this doctoral …

Advocacy Efforts For The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, Caitlin Cornish

Capstone Projects

Advocacy efforts for the occupational therapy profession are critical in order to promote the scope of practice and what benefits occupational therapy can provide to consumers. However, many occupational therapists and occupational therapy students find there are many barriers to becoming involved in advocacy efforts. The barriers to advocacy decrease the amount of individuals involved in advocacy efforts that allow forward progress within our profession. Clinicians and students need to be involved in the advocacy efforts at the policy level and engage in conversations with legislators. There are pieces of legislation that exist at the state-policy level that would advance …

Expanding Trauma Treatment With Sensory Based Occupational Therapy, Domonique Chambers

Capstone Projects

Sensory based occupational therapy is bridging the gap between the brain and body for individuals who have experienced complex trauma or have a barrier within their functional skills due to the integration of their sensory system. This can include individuals who have experienced complex trauma or individuals who are neurodivergent experiencing barriers to function in their lives. My objectives throughout my capstone experience is to support these clients seeking occupational therapy through educational handouts and videos on the what and why, pursuing grant information, and advancing my clinical skills within this outpatient clinic. These have resulted in increased resources for …

Occupational Therapy Integration In Psychosocial Rehabilitation: The Clubhouse Model, Kenzie Callahan

Capstone Projects

There is a growing need for individuals with any mental illness to receive services in community-based settings. The profession of occupational therapy uses occupation-based practice to engage people in daily activities of living, identify individualized goals, promote health, wellness, and quality of life. These practitioners are a component of the interdisciplinary care that complements holistic mental health treatment. The capstone project was designed to integrate occupational therapy practice into the clubhouse model setting. Primary modes of capstone project and experience included participating in the work-ordered day alongside members, informal assessments, lunch and learn educations, advocation for occupational therapy integration in …

Ins And Outs Of Running A Successful Non-Profit Organization At Northern Michigan Equine Therapy, Megan Morrill

Capstone Projects

My capstone experience took place at Northern Michigan Equine Therapy (NMET) and focused on leadership, administration, advocacy, education, and clinical practice skills. NMETs equine- assisted occupational therapy and HorseSense® self-development programs play an integral role in the northern Michigan community, yet insurance will not cover these services since they are flagged as “alternative” therapies due to utilizing a horse as a therapeutic tool. Because of this NMET relies on donations, grants, and fundraisers for program income. During a SWAT analysis NMET stated their biggest weakness and threat is not having enough program income to hire an additional part-time or full-time …

Improving Efficiency Of Referrals And Documentation At Drive Well Michigan Driver Rehabilitation Clinic, Paige Norgan

Capstone Projects

The doctoral capstone project focused on developing a current website for Drive Well Michigan driver rehabilitation clinic that incorporated web content accessibility strategies and increased patient autonomy by allowing them to initiate referrals, schedule appointments online, and pay online. This mechanism was concurrently developed to decrease the amount of time that occupational therapists on site previously dedicated towards completing the entire referral, scheduling and payment process over the phone. Additionally, two electronic record systems were researched, demonstrated, and presented to site mentor, and two documentation summary templates were designed to be integrated into the chosen future system. Lastly, practice management …

Increasing Quality Of Life: Providing Education And Resources For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jeanette Kymes

Capstone Projects

This 14-week capstone project aimed to develop and implement meaningful modifications to an early intensive behavioral intervention center from an occupational therapy (OT) perspective. An evidence-based evaluation of the existing program was conducted, and it was identified that parents of children 18 months to 6 years old with autism lacked the awareness of available resources to support their overall quality of life. A new process was developed and implemented for parents to get connected with resources that met their current needs, resulting in a total of 18 different categories of resources. Parents also received education regarding caregiver burnout and developmental …

Features Of Optics And Mounts That Facilitate Participation In Birding For Power Wheelchair Users: An Exploratory Study, Alexander Field

Capstone Projects

Birding as a leisure task may facilitate increased quality of life and regulate the nervous system through nature-based experiences; however, there are no prior published studies that examine adaptive birding equipment, making this research a crucial addition to the field of occupational therapy. Existing birding equipment is built very heavily, making it difficult for users to apply and reposition during the act of birding. This capstone project focused on adaptive birding equipment use by power wheelchair users to determine the supportive features that best facilitated participation in birding from their mobility devices. Researchers purchased lighter weight mounts and various optics …

2023-03-31_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

2023-03-30 Michiganoverview_Covidoutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats/outbreak-reporting.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

COVID-19 outbreaks are generally defined as two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household. Local health departments report the number of new and ongoing outbreaks they are investigating by the setting of the outbreak. New outbreaks are those outbreaks that were first identified during the current reporting week. Ongoing outbreaks are …

2023-03-29_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

2023-03-29_Michiganoverview_Covidvaccinestats, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Data

The COVID Vaccine Dashboard page was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/resources/covid-19-vaccine/covid-19-dashboard.

First-dose tracker above is for entire Michigan Population. Coverage maps below are for age 5+.

Previously reported numbers of administered vaccine doses may change as new data are received. A possible lag in reporting vaccine doses will result in increases in numbers previously reported.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of Immunization from data reported to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR).

The dashboard contained the tabs Primary Series Doses Administered, Primary Series Doses by Vaccine, …

2023-03-28_Michiganoverview_Covidlongtermcare, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Long Term Care Data

The COVID Long Term Care Facilities page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats/data-about-places/long-term-care-data.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by long-term care facilities into EMResource. Data for all reporting facilities is posted weekly each Monday.

The information below represents COVID-19 data reported directly to MDHHS by licensed and operating Skilled Nursing, Home for the Aged and Adult Foster Care facilities (licensed to serve 13 or more individuals) in Michigan from January 1, 2020. All long-term care facilities additionally have an obligation to report COVID-positive residents and/or staff …

2023-03-28_Michiganoverview_Covidstats, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Cumulative Michigan COVID-19 Data

The COVID Overview page was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled. COVID case and testing data will be posted once a week on Tuesdays.

This report is provisional and subject to change. City of Detroit and Wayne County are reported separately. MDHHS began tracking probable cases April 5, 2020. FCI indicates federal correctional institute. MDOC indicates Michigan Department of Corrections. Diagnostic tests, including nucleic acid amplification/real-time polymerase chain reaction (NAAT/RT-PCR) …

2023-03-28_Michiganoverview_Isdreporting, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The K-12 Aged ISD Reporting page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats/k-to-12-aged-isd-reporting.

This report is created from data reported by the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' web-based communicable disease reporting system. Data is updated every week.

The purpose of the dashboard is to report the 7 day average of COVID-19 cases in Michigan school students aged 5 through 18 at the intermediate school district and school district levels, as well as display trends over time to better illustrate the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases are attributed to …

2023-03-28_Michiganoverview_Covidcounts, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Confirmed Cases by Date of Onset Data

Data was downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet which appeared in the Public Use Datasets section under the Cumulative Data link of Michigan's Coronavirus webpage, under the url https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats.

Cases are aggregated by the date of onset of COVID-19 symptoms, if known, otherwise by laboratory specimen date if known, otherwise by case referral date. Deaths are aggregated by the date of death if known, otherwise by the last date of a change to the case status.

2023-03-27_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

2023-03-24_Michiganoverview_Covidbedppe, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Hospital Data

Contains the tables Statewide Hospital Capacity Report for COVID-19, COVID-19 Metrics, Statewide Hospital Available PPE Tracking for COVID-19, as well as the tables PPE Days On Hand and Patient Census.

2023-03-23 Michiganoverview_Covidoutbreak, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Michigan COVID-19 Outbreak Reports

The Outbreak Data page was obtained from Michigan's COVID-19 data page: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/stats/outbreak-reporting.

This report is created by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services from data self-reported by local health departments. Data is updated every week.

COVID-19 outbreaks are generally defined as two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household. Local health departments report the number of new and ongoing outbreaks they are investigating by the setting of the outbreak. New outbreaks are those outbreaks that were first identified during the current reporting week. Ongoing outbreaks are …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session March 23, 2023, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

Acceptance of the Agenda

Approval of the Minutes (January 26, 2023 Meeting)

Remarks by the Chair

Remarks by the President

Updates by the Faculty Senate President

Updates by the Western Student Association President

Celebrating Regional Student Achievement

Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Resolution Celebrating Men's Basketball 25-Year Anniversary 1998 MAC Championship Team
• Purchase of Aircraft, College of Aviation with Investment from WMU Foundation

Consent Items

• Curriculum Proposals
• Personnel Report
• One-Day Liquor License Applications, International Congress on Medieval Studies
• WMU Valley Dining Center, May 11-12, 2023
• Annuity and Life Income Funds Performance Report
• Operating Cash Investment Performance Report

General …

Interventions To Improve Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs About Writing And Writing Instruction: Lessons Learned And Areas For Exploration, Jadelyn Abbott, Tracey Hodges, Sherry Dismuke, Katherine Landau Wright, Claire Schweiker

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

The present study explores the findings of a systematic literature review of research about teachers’ self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction to demystify what is known and what remains unknown. We analyzed the pool of research on self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction from January 1992 to August 2020. Our final inclusion of articles resulted in 22 articles that examine teacher self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction while meeting our standards of examining changes in self-efficacy. We examined how shifts in self-efficacy are measured, specific interventions that increase teachers’ self-efficacy for writing and writing instruction as well as interventions that …

Creating Communities Of Practice Focused On Writing Instruction, Katie Schrodt, Brandi Nunnery, Brian Kissel, Melissa Knapp

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This article will share the literacy coaches' experiences of engaging in a literacy community of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991). It will share the writing cohort process, topics discussed, books read, professional developments enacted, and materials generated during their time of study. The writing cohort enacted meaning and identity to the community to create learning and growth. Effective communities of practice promote innovation, spread knowledge, develop social capital, and facilitate existing knowledge (Lave and Wenger, 1991). These communities learn and grow through requesting information, problem solving, and reusing available assets. After a thorough description of the writing community and its …

Writing Without Audiences: A Comprehensive Survey Of State-Mandated Standards And Assessments, James E. Warren

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

Writing studies professionals agree that students must learn to write for specific audiences. Despite this professional consensus, there is reason to believe that this skill is not widely tested in state-mandated writing assessments. In this study, we survey the state content standards for English Language Arts and the state-mandated writing tests for high school students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. While all states have adopted standards that require students to write for specific audiences, only a small percentage test this skill on state-mandated assessments. We argue that the consequences of this misalignment between standards and assessment …

“I Think Writing Is…” A Multi-State Study Of Teacher Candidates’ Changing Beliefs About Writing, Jenn Raskauskas, Sonia M. Kline, Amanda Wall, Grace Y. Kang, Chinwe H. Ikpeze, Joy Myers, Roya Q. Scales, Linda D. Smetana, Kelly Tracy

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

While writing scholarship framed by sociocultural theory illuminates the complexity of writing, writing in schools is frequently presented in simplistic ways. For this to change, teacher educators must support future teachers to develop complex understandings of writing. The purpose of this multi-state study was to investigate teacher candidates’ changing beliefs about writing and to consider the implications for teacher preparation. Data sources were written responses from 113 teacher candidates to questions about good writing and the purposes of writing that were collected at the beginning and end of semester-long literacy courses in six institutions across the United States. The responses …