Interactive Elements to Boost Motivation in a Self-Paced Online Course

This applied research project aims to deliver specific recommendations for JMU Libraries to consider implementing in its self-paced online onboarding program to increase completion rates, satisfaction, and the perceived relevance of its training for new employees. This qualitative research design uses an interpretive/inductive approach and informant sampling strategy—interviews with five instructional designers—to collect, analyze, and create practicable suggestions for interactive, non-graded activities that can be added to increase the adult learners’ motivation to engage with the content. The themes that emerged in these interviews pointed to three types of activities: reflection, discussion, and authentic tasks. These activities are well supported by the literature as effective strategies for supporting motivation in adult learners, and the final report for the client includes suggested activities in these three categories for each of 30 pages of the onboarding training. The project also explores the role of knowledge check questions such as multiple choice, true/false, and matching and how they may affect motivation in adult learners completing an optional course or training program. The final product of this applied research study is a collection of themes and hermeneutics that can be applied across all the modules of the Libraries onboarding training, as well as examples of non-graded activities that may be added to specific modules

The Impact of a minimally processed high fat meal on postprandial glucose, lipids and metabolic index in prediabetics.

There is an increasing global prevalence of prediabetes, which often progresses to Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may result in other cardiovascular complications. Elevated levels of glucose (GLU) and triglycerides (TRG) have also been linked with other diabetes-related complications such as kidney disease, nerve damage, vision impairment, and so on. Even a single high-fat meal (HFM) may result in adverse metabolic outcomes which are a better predictor of risk for cardiovascular disease risk than measuring fasting levels. Also, a single HFM induces a greater TRG, GLU and metabolic load index (MLI; GLU + TRG) response in prediabetics compared to healthy control subjects. Therefore, reducing these metabolic outcomes after a typical HFM which is often consumed in the Western diet is of critical importance to reduce chronic disease risk. Various lifestyle interventions, dietary modifications, and drug therapies have been explored for managing prediabetes. Our study aimed to investigate whether incorporating polyphenols and dietary fiber into a high-fat meal HFM would reduce postprandial TRG, GLU and MLI in prediabetics compared to the HFM without added polyphenols and fiber. Further, we wanted to identify whether the polyphenols and/or the fiber content of the pies contributed to the greatest attenuation in postprandial TRG, GLU and MLI. We hypothesized that the HPHF meal would exhibit the largest attenuation in postprandial TRG, GLU, and MLI compared to the other three meal conditions. A randomized crossover design was utilized where eight subjects diagnosed with prediabetes by fasting GLU or HbA1c levels between 5.7-6.4% were randomly assigned to four HFM conditions: (1) a standard high-fat meal (HFM) we have previously shown to increase TRG and GLU, (2) a high polyphenol, high fiber (HPHF) meal, (3) a high polyphenol, low fiber (HPLF) meal, and (4) a low polyphenol, high fiber (LPHF) meal. Each HFM was matched in kcals, fat and carbohydrate, and each HFM was 12 kcals/kg of body weight. On each trial day, subjects arrived after a 12-hour overnight fast, and their weights were measured to ensure stability throughout the study. Catheter insertion was performed to assess baseline values before administering the meal. Meals were consumed within 20 minutes, and blood samples were drawn from the catheter at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 minutes to evaluate metabolic markers (i.e. TRG, GLU, MLI, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) cholesterol and total cholesterol (TC)

The JMU Lab Band Initiative

The primary objective of the JMU Lab Band is to facilitate equitable access to music education within the Shenandoah Valley while providing JMU music education students with an authentic and well-supported teaching environment. This initiative offers a fun platform for collaborative ensemble experiences and musical skill development aimed at band students in grades 7-10. No formal application, fee, or audition process is required for participation. All local students within the specified grade range are welcome in the program, which is hosted by JMU students, faculty, and staff. The conception and implementation of the JMU Lab Band, beginning in Spring 2023, stemmed from my vision to mitigate educational barriers for young musicians and aspiring music educators alike. Today, the program flourishes, catering to a diverse cohort of over 70 middle and high school students across six school districts, spanning four adjacent counties: Rockingham, Augusta, Page, and Shenandoah. My presentation will explore the launching, development, and maintenance of this creative project, a comprehensive community music education engagement program

THE IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM POLICY INTERVENTIONS ON ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT OUTCOMES

Participants in Drug Treatment Courts (DTC) often fail to attend the treatment services, which hinders the behavioral changes that the DTC and participants aim to achieve. This study uses a systemic purposive sampling of 176 high-risk high-needs participants in the Rockingham Harrisonburg Drug Treatment Court (RHDTCP) over a 15-month period. We analyzed the impact of an absenteeism policy on absences and program outcomes using an inquiry mode, an explanatory research design, and a quantitative analysis methodology approach to provide empirical support for our research findings. The study also examines the individual subgroup absences and their effect on program outcomes. Since there is limited research on absenteeism policies in DTCs, this study uses a healthcare study on potential barriers to attending treatment for comparison. The findings suggest that implementing an attendance policy significantly reduces the number of participant absences from treatment. However, there are other factors, such as employment, housing, substance abuse, mental health, and absences, that negatively impact DTC participant graduation. Further research is necessary to address the barriers to attending DTCs, including Can\u27t Go, Won\u27t Go, Don\u27t Know, to increase the success rates of Drug Treatment Courts and support participants in their journey toward successful recovery from addiction. We recommend that DTCs mitigate absences by implementing an absenteeism policy that contains specific consequences for non- compliance, is reviewed frequently with participants, and is accessible in all formats and languages

Exploring the Causal Effect of Test-Optional Policies on Enrollment Rates for Underrepresented Minority Students

Test-optional policies have become increasingly prevalent among institutions of higher education over the past decade. As of fall 2023, more than 80% of U.S. bachelor-degree granting institutions no longer require SAT or ACT scores of applicants (FairTest.org). While the SAT and ACT were designed with the intention of promoting access to college, some have argued that standardized tests have perpetuated socioeconomic and racial divides in higher education admissions (e.g., Grodsky et al., 2008). Historically, student scores on standardized admissions tests like the SAT and ACT have had significant weight in admissions decisions. Thus, as the number of universities adopting test-optional policies continues to grow, a notable shift is occurring in college admissions. This has sparked a broader conversation about the impact of admissions policy changes on equity and access in higher education. Researchers have recently begun investigating the impacts of changes in test-optional policies on various outcomes such as enrollment rates, graduation rates, and academic achievement (i.e., GPA). In particular, researchers have explored potential differential impacts of these policies across various aspects of student identity (e.g., race, gender, socioeconomic status). In general, there have been conflicting findings; some have found that test-optional policies increase enrollment rates for underrepresented groups, while others have claimed test-optional policies stifle diversity efforts. This lack of agreement may be attributed to different samples (e.g., public vs. private, R1 vs. R2 vs. R3, more/less selective) and different methodology (e.g., pre-post t-tests, difference-in-differences). The current study aims to include as many institutions with available data as possible, to attempt to generalize the effects of test-optional policies on American institutions as a whole. Several prior studies implemented DiD analysis, which estimates the effect of an intervention or treatment by comparing changes in outcomes measured at two single time points (i.e., before intervention, after intervention) for a treatment group and a control group. This method is limited as it only includes observations at two individual time-points, thus making it difficult to meet the parallel trends assumption (Bernal et al., 2019). The current study implements comparative interrupted time series (CITS) which uses multiple consecutive observations pre- and post- intervention. Results yield opportunities for more generalizable discussions regarding the impact of test-optional policies on underrepresented minority enrollment over time

The Efficacy of ASIST Training for Students in Allied Health and Related Fields

Background/Problem: Suicide remains a significant public health concern, claiming 45,979 lives in the United States in 2020 alone. The importance of addressing this issue is reinforced by its ranking as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., with a prevalence among individuals aged 15-24. Research shows only few states have current mandates for suicide prevention training for health professionals, which leaves most without the necessary training to help those at risk. While primary care providers play a crucial role in suicide prevention, current data indicates a gap in their training, which emphasizes a need for a comprehensive approach to education and intervention for health care professionals. Objectives: The primary objective of this research project is to evaluate the effectiveness of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), an evidence-based gatekeeper training that has been found to improve participants attitudes, knowledge, and comfort levels regarding suicide. Additionally, it aims to improve allied health students\u27 attitudes towards suicide and ensure they maintain competence in suicide intervention by enhancing their confidence levels. The study aims to bridge the gap in formal education in relation to suicide prevention. Methodology: A non-experimental mixed method design was employed, involving allied health students from the College of Health and Behavioral Studies. Two quantitative assessments, the Attitudes Towards Suicide Scale (ATTS) and the Suicide Response Intervention Inventory (SIRI-2), were utilized to measure participants\u27 attitudes and intervention competency. Assessments were administered pre and post ASIST training, along with a follow-up three months post-training for the SIRI-2, to evaluate the sustainability of acquired skills. Impact: This research project aims to contribute valuable insights into the effectiveness of ASIST Training in enhancing suicide prevention attitudes and competency among allied health students. By applying established theoretical frameworks and robust methodology, the study aspires to address the critical need for comprehensive suicide prevention training in the formal education of future health practitioners. The outcomes of this research may pave the way for broader integration of suicide prevention training into allied health academic curricula, ultimately playing a pivotal role in reducing suicide rates and improving the overall mental health field. Results: Through data analysis processes, significant change in overall attitudes towards suicide were found (p=0.007); however, no significant differences were observed in individual attitude categories, or in regards to maintaining intervention competency (p = 0.223) regarding suicide prevention. Conclusion: This study indicates that a collective shift in attitude regarding suicide improved among participants; however, this change was not constant across all individuals. Further, in regards to maintaining competency in retained skills, results suggests that participants did not exhibit significant improvement in their perceived skills for intervening in suicide situations. Our findings align with prior research on emphasizing the need for ongoing efforts in suicide prevention education. Further research is required to enhance greater clarity on the effectiveness of ASIST training for healthcare professionals

School of Strategic Leadership Studies Leadership Instruments Library 2.0

Created by the School of Strategic Leadership Studies (SSLS) program at James Madison University. Anyone should feel free to suggest updates, expand the information on instruments or add new instruments. Send the information to SSLS and we’ll screen the info before adding it to the library. Suggested changes/additions need to be well documented with citations. To provide corrected or new information, please contact the School of Strategic Leadership Studies at James Madison University: [email protected]. We hope you find it useful

Study to Understand the Effects of Biofouling and Corrosion on Underwater Munitions: Implications for Risk Management and Resource Allocation

The project\u27s primary objective is to understand the impacts of the underwater environment on munitions as a means to identify the residual risk these munitions pose, so people undertaking detection and clearance efforts can reliably assess operational risk and make informed decisions

Out of Print: Gay Periodicals and the Construction of Gay Community, 1969-1980

As the Gay Liberation movement spread across the cities of the United States during the 1970s, one institution bolstered it more than any other: the gay press. This thesis examines the role of the gay press in constructing an imagined community of gay men during the 1970s, uncovering the methods in which it fashioned a gay world that both encompassed and reached beyond the temporal and geographic boundaries of the United States. Throughout its three chapters, it argues that writers in gay periodicals built gay community and the Gay Liberation movement in numerous ways, such as reporting on gay history (Chapter One), uncovering foreign gay communities and culture (Chapter Two), and by solidifying the concerns and aspirations of the movement through public discussions of its multifarious struggles (Chapter Three). Furthermore, It aims to show how the gay press’ reportage not only built a gay world by mapping the universality of homosexuality across time and space, but also how it fostered harmful divisions within the gay community just as it was pulling it together. By looking at how racist and imperialist thought was utilized in the construction of a global gay community, the thesis highlights a dual relationship where gay periodicals brought men from around the world together into a singular gay community, while at the same time stratifying this community through the language of race and empire. It accomplishes this task by utilizing nearly a dozen periodicals catered to gay men from the era, including Gay Liberation periodicals such as Gay Liberator and Gay Sunshine, gay entertainment and tourism magazines like QQ and Ciao!, and local gay newspapers such as Boston’s Gay Community News, examining repeated coverage on gay history, foreign gay communities, and gay politics throughout this diverse selection of publications. In turn, this thesis provides insight into how print cultures can construct social movements and imagined communities through a variety of mechanisms, while also spotlighting how they represent and even foster malignant divisions within the worlds they are building. Moreso, it also aims to demonstrate the challenges faced by the American Gay Liberation movement and other movements for sexual liberation throughout the twentieth century in addressing the intersectional struggles shared by many LGTBQ+ individuals. By uncovering these “pitfalls of sexual liberation,” as described by historian Laurie Marhoefer, a better understanding of the American Gay Liberation movement and the manners in which it conceived and constructed gay community, a community largely made for white gay men, can be obtained

Shaping Tomorrow\u27s Ethical Leaders

This phenomenological qualitative research study sought to explore the essences of ethical leadership and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders in leadership development. The researcher became curious about this topic when a question was proposed during the Adult Education and Human Resource Development (AHRD) graduate course, Foundations of AHRD, on whether leaders are born, or made. After a class discussion ensued on the key aspects of leadership development, a genuine interest in the research of ethical leadership was established. The purpose for this research study was twofold: First, there was a need to comprehend the essences of ethical leadership. Discovering the essence simply refers to the sense or logic of a particular human experience and how it essentially presents itself in a phenomenological study (Dukes, 1984). This understanding occurred through a comprehensive literature review and by conducting transcendental phenomenological interviews of four self-identified, ethical leaders across industries: A global non-profit organization, an agricultural manufacturing facility, a public school system, and a financial service company. The second purpose of this study was to use the findings from the literature review and phenomenological interviews to make recommendations on the development of a survey as a measurement tool to assess key factors of ethical leader behavior and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders when faced with challenging decisions. To further expand the research on the essences of ethical leadership, three research questions were developed: 1) Based on the review of the literature, what are the core essences of ethical leadership? 2) How do leaders across industries define and describe the core essences of ethical leadership? 3) How do the findings from this study inform recommendations for the development of an instrument measuring ethical leadership and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders in leadership development? To answer the first question, a thorough literature review was completed to gain a better understanding of how researchers have defined ethical leadership over the last couple of decades, leadership styles that best represent ethical behaviors, the essences of ethical leadership in characteristics and behaviors, the motivations of ethical leaders, and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders to make ethical decisions when faced with challenging workplace situations. The second question was answered through transcendental phenomenological interviews that were conducted with four self-identified ethical leaders across the industries of agricultural manufacturing, a global non-profit organization, a public school system, and a financial servicing company. The participants were leaders in the roles of executive director, HR coordinator, operations manager, and accountant/team manager. Through the interview data collection of participant transcripts, the researcher was able to create themes and subthemes that represented the most important behaviors and characteristics of ethical leaders. Findings from the literature review and participant interviews were used to inform research question three, and the researcher was able to recommend the development of a survey measurement tool for the purpose of assessing the self-efficacy of emerging leaders in leadership development when faced with challenging ethical decisions in the workplace