Digital Commons Network^™

Change Agent: Eunice Muthengi At Work In Kenya, Sonya Jongsma Knauss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

State Of The Arts: Dordt Students And Alumni Explore What It Means To Pursue Fine Arts As A Calling, Aleisa Dornbierer-Schat

The Voice

No abstract provided.

"Red & Blue, Black & White", Kate Henreckson

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Niso Celebrates 30th Birthday, Sally Jongsma

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Defender Women's Volleyball Reaches Grandest Stage, Shelbi Gesch, Lydia Marcus

The Voice

No abstract provided.

A Website That Fits In Your Palm, Lydia Marcus

The Voice

No abstract provided.

New Mpa Program Will Equip Dordt Students For Public Service, Lydia Marcus

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Statistics Education For Undergraduate Sociology Majors: Survey Findings Across Institutions, Natalie M. Delia Deckard

Numeracy

The need to close the quantitative literacy gap for sociology majors is a perennial topic in discussions of undergraduate sociological training. More and better statistical education with a greater focus on active research and engaged analysis is recommended by the major disciplinary association, as well as virtually all pedagogical agencies. This project explores these differences in the implementation of these recommendations, employing a survey (n=90) to report on the structure of quantitative training for undergraduates majoring in sociology. It finds that the type and extent of this education available to, and required for, sociology majors varies widely across not only …

Lanthorn, Vol. 52, No. 01, July 10, 2017, Grand Valley State University

Volume 52, July 10, 2017 - April 23, 2018

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

Coming Together: How Science, Art, And Law Affect Change In The Treatment Of Lgbtq Persons, Lucas Liner

Honors Projects

The ongoing LGBTQ rights movement saw one of its biggest victories in the landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized same-sex marriages in the United States. This decision was affected by not just scientific understanding of homosexual persons, but by artistic portrayal, demonstrations, and previous judicial decisions regarding homosexuality. The course of the American LGBTQ rights movement seems to run parallel to that of the German gay rights movement of the early 20th century, with a coming together of science, law, and art leading to change, both public and political. This paper highlights the work of Magnus Hirschfeld, a …

The Experiences Of Elderly Immigrants Of Mexican Origin With Life-Limiting Illness: A Critical Ethnography, Sandra Scott Lee

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Although limited studies have explored the health care needs of elderly immigrants of Mexican origin, Mexican immigrants account for the largest immigrant group in the United States. As of 2014, 28% of the total immigrant population is of Mexican origin, with 8% of Mexican immigrants being age 65 years and older (Zong & Batalova, 2016). Furthermore, studies to-date do not make recommendations for nursing practice. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and explain the health care experiences of elderly immigrants of Mexican origin who face life-limiting illness in the United States. The study aimed to answer …

Creative Movement Dance Class For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zoe N. Brennan, Abigail L. Koning, April L. Miller

Pediatrics

Objective: The objective of this phenomenological study was to identify how an occupational therapy developed Creative Movement Dance Class (CMDC) addresses social interaction skills in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Method: Interviews were conducted with a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), Occupational Therapist (OT), ballet instructor, student intern, teacher, and an aide that were directly involved with the CMDC.

Results: Three themes were identified. The first theme, structure of the class, consisted of eight sub-themes including opportunity to practice, fulfilling sensory needs, the Just Right Challenge, classroom support, classroom expectations, interprofessional collaboration, themes, and format of the class. The …

Use Of Evidence-Based Practice To Enhance Decision-Making In Rural Child Welfare Practiceuse Of Evidence-Based Practice To Enhance Decision-Making In Rural Child Welfare Practice, Karen Rice

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Child welfare practitioners need to ensure they employ effective decision-making when implementing services to families at risk for abuse and/or neglect of their children. Utilizing a structured decision making process, specifically an evidence-based process, may enhance case outcomes (Hagermoser-Sanetti, & Kratochwill, 2009). Evidence-based practice is an attempt to bridge the gap between research and practice (Hagell, & Spencer, 2004). Evidence-based practice (EBP) is defined as a “process that blends current best evidence, community values and preferences, and agency, societal, and political considerations in order to establish programs and policies that are effective and contextualized” (Regehr, Stern, & Shlonsky, 2007, p. …

Rural Social Work: Recruitment, Job Satisfaction, Burnout, And Turnover, Aaron R. Brown, Jayme E. Walters, Aubrey E. Jones, Omotola Akinsola

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Rural agencies have unique challenges related to recruitment and retention of social workers. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine job satisfaction, burnout and turnover among rural social workers. Based on 28 included articles, results indicate: (a) rural social workers tend to be from rural areas or have completed training in rural settings; (b) poor job satisfaction predicts turnover among rural social workers; (c) rural vs. urban differences for satisfaction, burnout, intention to leave, and turnover are mixed; and (d) greater work-life balance and supervisory support increase retention among rural social workers. This study provides recommendations for informing education, …

Gullah Geechee Families: Land And Culture, Lisa Moore

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The legacy of Black land ownership and cultural autonomy is not a well-known narrative of Black history in the United States, which is reflected in the dearth of material addressing these legacies. This history presents a narrative of Black rural life in the United States that offers rural social work professionals another framework to understand the legacies of fictive kin and collective values often overlooked when engaging Black families and communities. Gullah/Geechee families represent a narrative of Black life in the United States that reflects the power of being left with opportunities to develop a culture and tradition of collective …

An Assessment Of The Strengths And Needs Of Rural Social Workers In The Northwestern United States, Jon William Talebreza-May, Rachel Jensen, Nathan Shay

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Although rural social work continues to be on the fringe of social work practice in the United States, a committed group of practitioners work to update and expand upon current knowledge (Lohmann & Lohmann, 2005). Studies have been carried out across the country as to the state of rural social work practice, the unique barriers and strengths that come from this line of work, as well as the problems that lead social work to be necessary in rural areas (Daley, 2015; Lohman & Lohmann, 2005; Mackie et al., 2016). Though well-researched in the United States, examination of rural social work …

Book Review: The Small-Town Midwest: Resilience And Hope In The Twenty-First Century, Peter A. Kindle

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Julianne Couch 2016 Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa Press 233 pages Paperback: $35.00

Childhood Obesity: A Survey Of The Nutrition And Physical Activity Components Of The Coordinated School Health (Csh) Program In Rural Tennessee, Courtney Nichole Haun, Zachary Mahafza, Aj Good, Victor Nettey

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

With the rise in childhood overweight and obesity rates in the United States, understanding the issue has become of mainstay importance. This study provides insight into the nutritional knowledge and related health perceptions of parents’ whose children have participated in a Coordinated School Health (CSH) program in rural Tennessee. Surveys were distributed between two elementary grade level school systems in Washington County, Tennessee, to serve the need of interpreting the knowledge, values, and ideas on childhood health regarding CSH program effectiveness. While our findings across both schools revealed moderate levels of parental knowledge on health and nutritional issues, we also …

Don’T Get The Epizootus! Challenges And Promises Of Modern Rural Health Care, Michael Daley

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Rural communities face a crisis in terms of access, funding for health care, and the overall health needs of these communities. There are also shortages of health care professionals in rural areas. As national priorities shift away from health care to border security, small towns may be hard pressed to meet their residents’ health care needs. Professional advocacy for rural people to address these issues is recommended.

Book Review: Social Work Practice For Promoting Health And Wellbeing: Critical Issuesbook Review, Denise Raven

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Book Review: Liz Beddoe and Jane Maidment (Eds.) 2014 New York, New York: Routledge Press 280 pages Softcover: $52.95 US ISBN-13: 978-0-415-53521-2

From The Editor, Peg Munke

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

No abstract provided.

In Memoriam: Rip Barry Lane Locke, Peg Munke

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

No abstract provided.

Rural Social Work: Recruitment, Job Satisfaction, Burnout, And Turnover, Aaron Raymond Brown, Jayme Walters, Aubrey Jones, Omotola Akinsola

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Rural agencies have unique challenges related to recruitment and retention of social workers. A systematic literature review was conducted to examine job satisfaction, burnout and turnover among rural social workers. Based on 28 included articles, results indicate: (a) rural social workers tend to be from rural areas or have completed training in rural settings; (b) poor job satisfaction predicts turnover among rural social workers; (c) rural vs. urban differences for satisfaction, burnout, intention to leave, and turnover are mixed; and (d) greater work-life balance and supervisory support increase retention among rural social workers. This study provides recommendations for informing education, …

Perception Of Bullying In A Rural Independent School District: A Survey Of Pal Students, Edward Randle, Deneece Ferrales, Shaquita Scott

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The objective of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of bullying in intermediate (fifth and sixth grades) and middle school (seventh and eighth grades) students in a rural school in southern Texas. Analysis of student-led and student-developed surveys provided a description of 271 student responses. The results are consistent with previous research but raise some questions about how students perceive bullying and how they perceive themselves or others as victims, bullies, or witnesses.

Sex Trafficking And Rural Communities: A Review Of The Literature, Ruby Aguirre, Katelyn Harris, Molly Rose Hilgenberg, Melody Soper, Pamela H. Bowers

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Sex trafficking is a pervasive threat across the globe and all fifty states of the United States, especially for underage female youth. However, there is a dearth of literature and awareness in domestic rural areas. Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking that threatens all communities, including rural areas. This extended literature review looks closely at recent studies, and the grey literature to garner a better understanding of the implications for rural social work practice. The review concludes with recommendations and implications for future research, policy, and practice.

Maneuverability Experiences Faced By Individuals Who Use Wheelchairs In Rural Settings: A Qualitative Analysis, Kaycee Lynn Bills

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

People who have never been in a wheelchair do not understand how difficult simple tasks such as going to work, school, or completely daily living tasks can be. Many studies have discussed the experiences of those who use wheelchairs for mobility. This study qualitatively examines the daily experiences those who use wheelchairs face, despite the advances in policies to accommodate for people who have disabilities. The purpose of this study was to address this social problem by interviewing those who use wheelchairs in order to identify the day-to-day challenges that these individuals face. The sample derived from young adults living …

Working With Latinos In Rural Communities: “Nuts And Bolts”, Wilma Cordova, Aparecida De Fátima Cordeiro Dutra

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Latinos currently compromise 16% of the entire U.S. population and 9.3% live in rural areas ((U.S. Census, 2010). These current percentages indicate that most social workers will work with this population at least once during their careers. Therefore, it is important that social workers develop skills and knowledge to work effectively with Latinos. Working with Latinos in our current sociopolitical climate poses many challenges for social workers working in rural areas. However, if social workers adhere to the guidelines and standards initially established by the profession and implement best practices many of their efforts will be successful. This chapter aims …

Social Workers’ Evidence-Based Practice Use And Challenges In Rural Environments: A Systematic Review, Mingun Lee

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

Over the past decade, the demand for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in the social work field has increased. Previous studies indicate that EBP promotes clinical decision making based on current best evidence and decreases the use of ineffective interventions. However, social workers still face a variety of barriers to become evidence-based practitioners. Particularly, social workers practicing in rural areas face increased barriers to make use of evidence in practice. This study conducted a systematic review of current literature to find evidence related to social workers’ use of EBP and their barriers in rural settings. Reviews were limited to social work studies …

The Big Picture: Conceiving A Digital Edition Of Jane Addams' Papers, Cathy Moran Hajo

Women's History in the Digital World

Jane Addams (1860-1935), renowned during her lifetime, continues to be recognized as a central figure in 19th and 20th century American political and social history. Best known for co-founding Chicago’s Hull-House social settlement in 1889, by 1915 Addams’ eloquent arguments for social reform made her one of the most influential women in America and a leader of the Progressive movement. A prolific writer and intellectual, Jane Addams was a popular speaker, commentator, and author, publishing eleven books and hundreds of articles. The Jane Addams Papers was established in 1976; in 1985 produced a microfilm edition of 83 reels, and in …

Not Just A Year Of Social Justice Education: A University-Community Collaboration To Enhance And Support Social Justice, Linda P. Thurston

eJournal of Public Affairs

This article describes an educational initiative originating in a college of education and engaging both the larger university and the community; it examines the role of leadership for social justice through an educational leadership lens and analyzes the role of the university in promoting social justice education across a university-community context. The case study examined in the article, an initiative called “Not Just a Year of Social Justice Education” (NJAY), was a practice in distributed and transformative leadership, community engagement, and informal social justice education. The author explores the theoretical and pedagogical foundations of the initiative and analyzes the case …