Education Commons^™

Improving Dental Students' Knowledge And Confidence In Treating Tobacco Use, Victoria Pierce

DNP Projects

Background: Tobacco use can lead to numerous chronic health conditions. Healthcare professionals in the dental field are in a unique position to broach this issue with patients. Research shows that dental students do not feel equipped to provide tobacco cessation care, citing lack of education on the subject among their top reasons for this.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate changes in dental students’ knowledge and confidence related to treating tobacco use after participation in an educational intervention about the 5A’s, behavioral counseling, and first-line prescription medications.

Methods: This quality improvement initiative utilized a quasi-experimental survey design …

Improving Nutrition Screening Practice In The Hospitalized Heart Failure Patient Population, Amanda J. Bourgeois

DNP Projects

Background: Heart Failure is a disease known to affect nearly 6.5 million adults in the United States. Characterized by recurrent hospitalizations, heart failure significantly contributes to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in the United States and worldwide. Because malnutrition is prevalent in the heart failure population, healthcare providers must perform nutritional assessments on admission to intervene in the case of malnutrition, prevent deterioration, and improve patient prognosis. Without intervention and early identification of malnutrition, heart failure hospitalizations will remain a significant problem.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based educational program for cardiac …

Utilizing Podcast Education To Improve Nurse Knowledge, Confidence, And Behaviors Related To Palliative Care Conversations In The Intensive Care Unit, Brittany Estridge

DNP Projects

Background: The personal connection that Registered Nurses (RNs) build with patients and their families puts them at the forefront of many conversations during the patient’s stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Some of the most difficult conversations are related to palliative care (PC). It can be challenging to know how to respond to the complex questions posed in palliative care conversations (PCC) when patients and their caregivers are making decisions that will alter the course of the patient’s treatment, as well as affect the quality and length of their life.

Purpose: Nurses receive inadequate training in PCC. The purpose …

Evaluating Kentucky Advanced Practice Registered Nurses’ Confidence, Comfort, And Knowledge Levels Regarding Dermatology Care After A Web-Based Video Training, Victoria Hayden

DNP Projects

Background: It can take an average of 38.9 days to see dermatology from referral to initial appointment. As a result, delays in diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening conditions such as malignant melanoma could occur. Primary care providers frequently refer patients for benign conditions that can be appropriately managed in the primary care setting; often due to lack of knowledge or confidence in their clinical management skills. Educational resources equip providers with the knowledge and tools to feel confident in their management of various skin conditions in a primary care setting. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Teacher Grit, Technology Self-Efficacy, And Technology Integration, Joshua Jeremiah Shiloh Marsh

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The use of educational technology applications has grown tremendously in the last decade. Instructors are now equipped with hardware and software applications previously unavailable, such as mobile and interactive technologies. These tools can have tremendous impact on students’ learning and teacher practices. Teachers can improve their assessment capabilities through technology integration, provide better learning opportunities for students with learning disabilities, and promote deeper learning practices. Due to these benefits, budgets at the federal, state, and local levels of the United States now have specific allocations regarding technology-related purchases. Nevertheless, barriers remain regarding the effective integration of technologies in public schools. …

Facts And Trends Regarding Performance And Funding Of K-12 In Kentucky, John Garen

Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise Working Papers

Kentucky’s K-12 experienced an 80% in increase in per pupil funds, after inflation, from 1990 to 2019. However, there have been only modest changes in its nationally-administered test scores, and no increases in the past decade. Moreover, per pupil funding seems to exceed that of all but the most exclusive private school tuition. Just over one-half of public funds goes directly to instruction and most funds to local schools come from Frankfort. Scoring on Kentucky’s own student assessment tests, the K-PREP, are higher than that of the comparable nationally-administered tests. Also, K-PREP shows improvement, while the other tests do not. …

Kentucky Public Schools As Educational Bright Spots (September 2020), Michael T. Childress

CBER Research Report

Understanding the reasons for better‐than‐expected performance across Kentucky's 173 school districts, taking into account student outcomes, backgrounds, and school district characteristics. Building on the previous work with school districts and using school-level data, this paper discusses the estimated expected level of school-level performance using district-level fixed effects. From this broad range of student outcomes, family and community backgrounds, and school characteristics, we identify schools that have performed better than expected—which we refer to as “bright spots.”

Breaking Up The Grade, Thomas R. Guskey

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

To make grading more meaningful, course grades should reflect a range of distinct criteria that make up student learning.

Generational Differences In Faculty And Student Comfort With Technology Use, Amanda Culp-Roche, Debra Hampton, Angie Hensley, Jessica L. Wilson, Amanda Thaxton-Wiggins, Jo Ann Otts, Sharon Fruh, Debra K. Moser

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Navigating through online education courses continues to be a struggle for some nursing students. At the same time, integrating technology into online courses can be difficult for nursing faculty.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess faculty technology integration practices, student attitudes about technology use, and generational differences related to faculty and student technology use.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain data for this study.

Results: Integration of technology into online courses and student attitudes about technology use were not significantly different by generation. Faculty and students from the Baby Boomer and Generation …

Education Through Time: Representations Of U.S. Education On Time Magazine Covers, Dani Kachorsky, Stephanie F. Reid, Kathryn Chapman

Educational Leadership Studies Faculty Publications

This study examined how TIME Magazine has visually represented and communicated ideas about education from TIME Magazine’s inception in 1923 through 2019. Drawing on theories of visual culture and social semiotic approaches to multimodality, the researchers conducted a qualitative multimodal content analysis of 115 covers that featured content related to education and schooling. The findings included (a) names and places are used to suggest authority, power, or relevance in education circles; (b) learning and schooling are presented as having not changed over time; (c) overgeneralized and metonymic representations can stand for broad categories of education stakeholders; (d) schools are presented …

Kentucky School Districts As Educational Bright Spots, Michael T. Childress

CBER Research Report

Every year a select group of Kentucky school districts perform better than expected on measures of educational achievement. These measures include things like the percentage of elementary students who achieve proficiency or distinguished in reading, or the proportion of less‐advantaged middle school students who show a similar level of competency on the math assessment.

There are wide differences in the learning environments, finances, and student outcomes among and within Kentucky’s 173 school districts. This is not surprising given that the largest school district in the state, Jefferson County, has 97,000 students and 165 schools, while the smallest, West Point Independent …

Development And Validation Of The Awareness Of Privilege And Oppression Scale-2, Michael James Mcclellan, Lori Patricia Montross-Thomas, Pamela Remer, Yoshie Nakai, Addison D. Monroe

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

The two studies presented describe the revision process that led to the development of the Awareness of Privilege and Oppression Scale–2 (APOS-2) and efforts to evaluate the new measure’s reliability and construct validity. In Study 1, a 26-item measure was developed from data gathered from a sample of 484 undergraduate students. An exploratory factor analysis suggested a four-factor solution made up of awareness of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and classism was appropriate. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis suggested the proposed hierarchical four-factor solution was the best available fit of the data using a second sample of 520 undergraduate students. The …

A Quasi-Experimental Study Of Middle Level Student Engineering Understanding Pre-And Post-Treatment, Emily Driessen

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

This qualitative quasi-experimental study analyzed middle-level students’ understanding of engineering before and after instruction. Students from four teachers were examined. Before and after instruction, all students completed the Draw an Engineer Test (DAET) and the Views of Nature of Engineering (VNOE) survey. Additionally, sixteen students (eight girls and eight boys) from each group (Treatment and Comparison) were interviewed before and after instruction. Findings revealed that after instruction (1) many students viewed engineers as makers/builders/workers (just as they did pre-instruction), however, the percentage of students who listed engineers as inventors, designers, and creators increased; (2) fewer students from both groups noted …

Deaffa: An Exploration Of Agricultural Education In Schools For The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Sarah Danielle Warren

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

The Kentucky School for the Deaf agriculture program and FFA chapter is the second Deaf FFA chapter in the nation and has proven itself to be unique, successful, and worthy of investigation. This exploratory, collective/intrinsic Case Study examines the historical evidence of agriculture on the school’s campus, collects observations and interviews regarding agricultural education at the school, and provides insight to advise other educational institutions and organizations on the nature of agricultural education in a school for deaf and hard of hearing students.

The Effect Of An Educational Video On Device-Related Concerns In A Single-Center Left Ventricular Assist Device Population, Devan Costelle

DNP Projects

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of various concerns among left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients and evaluate the effect of an educational video intervention on reducing those concerns in a single-center adult LVAD population.

METHODS:A 15-point LVAD Concerns Scale was created to evaluate the prevalence of specific device-related concerns. An educational video was created to address the concerns presented in the LVAD Concerns Scale. Data collection took place from November 2018 to February 2019. A cross-sectional, pre- post-test implementation study design was used to both identify various device-related concerns that exist among LVAD patients and …

Future And Value: The Library As Strategic Partner, Antje Mays

Library Presentations

Broader economic trends spawn budget pressures for education and libraries, prompting a plethora of studies on the value and relevance of libraries. Numerous reports on economic decline in libraries and studies with mixed pronouncements on the value of libraries have led to a negative self-image within the library profession. Yet libraries' leadership in connecting learners to knowledge is at the heart of producing many of the key skills sorely needed in robust societies and economies. Librarianship has many untapped opportunities for positioning itself as a prominent strategic partner. This paper outlines current research on the economic and societal context for …

Mayflower: Ode To New Beginnings — A New Column For New Times With A Positive Mission, Antje Mays

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

Numerous studies and articles downplay the value of libraries, citing instances of library defunding, layoffs, and outright closures, along with studies on the waning usefulness of libraries based on flawed quantifiables. Such pronouncements spread fear of obsolescence and irrelevance, contributing to dissatisfaction in the library profession. Yet polls in the United States and Great Britain reveal the library profession's enduring value among the most trusted professions.

To kick off the column "Mayflower: Ode to New Beginnings", this article frames library pressures in a context of broader trends affecting economic and educational conditions, examines professional stewardship and the library profession’s enduring …

The Indigenous Archive: Religion And Education In Eighteenth-Century Mexico, Mónica Díaz

Hispanic Studies Faculty Publications

This article argues that eighteenth-century native elites played a significant role in the larger intellectual scene of colonial Mexico by participating in the same debates as their creole and European counterparts. I contend that the documentation produced by native elites related to the indigenous schools (colegios), convents, and seminaries during the eighteenth century provides an important context for understanding the ways in which knowledge circulated between natives, creoles, and Europeans. In addition, when this "indigenous archive" is read in tandem with more traditional historiographical native sources, we can better appreciate the indigenous roots of the dominant narrative of …

How White Teachers’ Identity Development Translates To Classroom Interactions With Minority Students, Chelsea Arsenault

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Historically, research on racial microaggressions has focused on adult populations within clinical as well as work environments. The literature is just beginning to examine microaggressions within the K-12 education system and with younger populations. It is important to assess how racial microaggressions are impacting high school students given that research has indicated that this population is experiencing racial injustices. The perpetration of racial microaggressions is the basis for students’ discriminatory experiences within these institutions. This work has recently become even more necessary given that the high school student population is becoming increasingly racially diverse while our teaching population has remained …

Predictors Of Post-Secondary Employment And Education Among Kentucky Transition-Aged Youth With Traumatic Brain Injury, Lebogang Tiro

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The State of Kentucky has a high and increasing number of reported cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), mostly attributed to motor vehicle crashes, falls, and being struck by or against an object. Young adults are among those most at-risk for experiencing a TBI through motor vehicle crashes. Using existing data from the Kentucky Post-School Outcomes Center (KyPSO), 90 youth with TBI were identified within a period of 6-years of the longitudinal study (2012-2017). The majority were males and White. Descriptive statistics, chi square, and logistic regression were used to examine the post-secondary outcomes for youth with TBI, using four …

Four Essays On A Student's Expectation That They Will Complete College, Martin Gray Hunter

Theses and Dissertations--Economics

It has been common practice in the economics literature to utilize data on observed outcomes and negate what individuals believe or expect will happen in the future. Using responses to a unique set of questions in the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97) I show that the literature could benefit in several ways by incorporating such data. The leading essay documents a positive association between a student's subjective probabilistic belief that they will complete a four-year college degree and whether or not they attend and complete college. The results indicate the following. First, although overconfident, individuals as young as …

A Pedagogy For Justice: Kant, Hegel, Marcuse And Freire On Education And The Good Society, Michelle J. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Philosophy

Rousseau’s educational treatise Emile is a well-known pedagogical work often noted for its progressive educational insights. Although Kant’s Lectures on Pedagogy is much less well known, Kant suggests a solution to an educational problem Rousseau is unable to solve: the problem of whether or not education can work for the good of humanity. Rousseau is concerned that society, and the schools in society, inflames people’s passions and leads to inequality and enslavement. Rousseau sketches an educational program that ideally develops students’ autonomous moral reasoning untainted by inflamed passion, an education which enables students to be moral and just citizens, working …

Kentucky's Educational Performance & Points Of Leverage, Michael T. Childress

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

This issue brief explores the links between obstacles students face and educational outcomes.

A Biomechanically Based Observational Tennis Serve Analysis Method Can Be Used To Assess Serve Mechanics, Natalie Myers

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Traditional sports science motion analysis techniques using three-dimensional (3D) kinematics have demonstrated that proper mechanics enhance serve performance and improper mechanics overload tissues resulting in injury. However 3D analysis is costly, time-consuming, and requires extensive knowledge of biomechanical properties and data analysis. Currently there are no simple, reliable, and valid observational methods for health care providers (HCP) and tennis professionals to evaluate tennis serve mechanics. Researchers investigating observational analyses have determined that superior reliability may be a result of specific operational definitions and the incorporation of educational training sessions on how to perform the analysis.

The first purpose of this …

Enhancing Education Through Digitization, Jessica Muetterties

Kaleidoscope

As technology becomes more a part of everyday life, it is increasingly important that future and current educators learn how to integrate the use of technology into day-to-day classroom activities. Teachers must learn to embrace the fact that computers and other aspects of technology are used by children everyday; the classroom needs to incorporate new and emerging technology. In this essay, I describe my experiences as an education major working in a research laboratory in Computer Science at the University of Kentucky. My work in the lab taught me how to digitize, process, and prepare on-line presentations of a variety …

Want A Job? Get A College Degree, Christopher R. Bollinger

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

While it is well known that a positive relationship exists between educational attainment and earnings for those who are in the labor market, an important part of how education impacts the well-being of families in Kentucky is the access to employment that it provides. In this brief, we examine the relationship between education and two measures of employment status: unemployment and labor force participation. What we find is quite striking: not only do those with higher education experience less unemployment, they are far more likely to be participating in the labor market. Education leads to better access to employment.

Education Pays Everywhere!, Christopher R. Bollinger

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

Economists and other researchers have long demonstrated the relationship between education and earnings. In this brief, we focus on the relationship between educational attainment and earnings in the state of Kentucky. Our results, in many ways, are unsurprising, as the old ad campaign said, “Education Pays.” What may be surprising is that we demonstrate that education pays not only in the big cities of Lexington and Louisville, but also in the more rural parts of the state, such as eastern Kentucky and western Kentucky.

Moving People Off Public Assistance Programs Through Education, Christopher R. Bollinger

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

Two of the largest federal transfer programs are the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Federal expenditures on SNAP exceeded $74 billion in 2014, and SSI exceeded $3 billion. While these programs provide families in distress with important support, ideally we desire that Kentucky families would not require this kind of assistance. In 2014, over 800,000 Kentuckians received SNAP assistance each month while over 190,000 received SSI. This brief examines the relationship between participation in these programs and educational attainment for Kentuckians. We find that education is highly related to participation and that those with higher …

Crime And Punishment And Education, Christopher R. Bollinger, Bethany L. Paris

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

Crime impacts the lives of Kentuckians in myriad ways. It has direct costs to victims and indirect costs through property values and business activity. Citizens and policymakers alike desire to reduce and limit crime. In this brief, we investigate the link between crime rates in Kentucky’s counties and the aggregate level of education. Perhaps surprisingly, higher education, and specifically the percent of the population with a Bachelor’s degree, is associated with lower crime. We find that increasing educational attainment in Kentucky to the U.S. levels could reduce the costs of crime by over $3 million annually.

How To Raise State Revenue Without Raising Taxes, Christopher R. Bollinger

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

A positive relationship exists between educational attainment and earnings, which has been well established in the literature through multiple studies. This, in turn, influences the revenues generated for the state of Kentucky through the personal income tax. We predict even the modest change of increasing Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree holders by 1% would increase revenue by $37 million. Kentucky loses between $300 million and $500 million in state tax revenues every year because our educational attainment is lower than the national average.