8,456 research outputs found

    Apprenticeship funding rules : August 2023 to July 2024 : Version 1 : May 2023

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    Our pride, our joy: An intersectional constructivist grounded theory analysis of resources that promote resilience in SGM communities

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    Introduction Sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and Two-Spirit people, have historically been researched from a deficits-based approach that fails to highlight the ways communities survive and thrive in the face of adversity. This study endeavored to create a model of resources that promote SGM resilience using a sample that amplified traditionally underrepresented perspectives, including individuals from racial and/or ethnic minority groups, trans and/or gender diverse individuals, individuals on the asexual spectrum, and older adults. Methods Participant responses to three open-ended questions from The PRIDE Study’s (an online national longitudinal cohort study of SGM people) 2018 Annual Questionnaire were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. These questions examined what brings people joy and what they appreciate most about their SGM identity. Participants (n = 315) were randomly selected from a larger sample of people who had responded to demographic questions and at least one open-ended question (N = 4,030) in a manner to ensure diverse representation across race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and region of residence. Results The proposed model includes social resources (Connecting with Others, Cultivating Family, Helping Others, Participating in Culture and Spirituality), affective generative resources (Engaging in Enriching Pursuits, Accessing Economic Resources), and introspective resources (Exploring One’s Authentic Self, Persevering through Hardship) that are theorized to contribute to SGM resilience across the life course. Conclusions SGM communities may tap into various resources to promote resilience. As public health practitioners, we can help to foster this resilience by resourcing and supporting initiatives that foster social connection, create spaces for community members to engage with various types of enrichment, facilitate access to economic resources, and provide support and inclusion for all SGM community members

    Guidelines for Impact Assessment in Law Drafting

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    These guidelines replace the Guidelines for Impact Assessment in Law Drafting issued by the Government in 2007. The purpose of the revised guidelines is to improve the quality of impact assessments and thus the acts to be drafted. The guidelines help law drafters plan impact assessments, identify and assess different types of impacts and, where necessary, seek further information. The first part of the guidelines lays down general principles for impact assessments. This part deals with starting points for an impact assessment, the stages of the impact assessment as part of the law drafting process, the special features of impact assessments in projects concerning EU legislation and treaties, and information collection, methods and documentation in connection with impact assessments. The second part of the guidelines provides instructions on special questions related to the assessment of different types of impacts. The guidelines describe what the different types of impacts mean, how they can be assessed, and what information sources are available for this purpose. The impacts to be assessed are divided into economic impacts, environmental impacts and other human and societal impacts. In addition, the guidelines contain a checklist for the impact assessment process, a checklist for the identification of impacts and a list of further instructions and information sources referred to in the guidelines

    Exploring the Training Factors that Influence the Role of Teaching Assistants to Teach to Students With SEND in a Mainstream Classroom in England

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    With the implementation of inclusive education having become increasingly valued over the years, the training of Teaching Assistants (TAs) is now more important than ever, given that they work alongside pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (hereinafter SEND) in mainstream education classrooms. The current study explored the training factors that influence the role of TAs when it comes to teaching SEND students in mainstream classrooms in England during their one-year training period. This work aimed to increase understanding of how the training of TAs is seen to influence the development of their personal knowledge and professional skills. The study has significance for our comprehension of the connection between the TAs’ training and the quality of education in the classroom. In addition, this work investigated whether there existed a correlation between the teaching experience of TAs and their background information, such as their gender, age, grade level taught, years of teaching experience, and qualification level. A critical realist theoretical approach was adopted for this two-phased study, which involved the mixing of adaptive and grounded theories respectively. The multi-method project featured 13 case studies, each of which involved a trainee TA, his/her college tutor, and the classroom teacher who was supervising the trainee TA. The analysis was based on using semi-structured interviews, various questionnaires, and non-participant observation methods for each of these case studies during the TA’s one-year training period. The primary analysis of the research was completed by comparing the various kinds of data collected from the participants in the first and second data collection stages of each case. Further analysis involved cross-case analysis using a grounded theory approach, which made it possible to draw conclusions and put forth several core propositions. Compared with previous research, the findings of the current study reveal many implications for the training and deployment conditions of TAs, while they also challenge the prevailing approaches in many aspects, in addition to offering more diversified, enriched, and comprehensive explanations of the critical pedagogical issues

    Implementing Health Impact Assessment as a Required Component of Government Policymaking: A Multi-Level Exploration of the Determinants of Healthy Public Policy

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    It is widely understood that the public policies of ‘non-health’ government sectors have greater impacts on population health than those of the traditional healthcare realm. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a decision support tool that identifies and promotes the health benefits of policies while also mitigating their unintended negative consequences. Despite numerous calls to do so, the Ontario government has yet to implement HIA as a required component of policy development. This dissertation therefore sought to identify the contexts and factors that may both enable and impede HIA use at the sub-national (i.e., provincial, territorial, or state) government level. The three integrated articles of this dissertation provide insights into specific aspects of the policy process as they relate to HIA. Chapter one details a case study of purposive information-seeking among public servants within Ontario’s Ministry of Education (MOE). Situated within Ontario’s Ministry of Health (MOH), chapter two presents a case study of policy collaboration between health and ‘non-health’ ministries. Finally, chapter three details a framework analysis of the political factors supporting health impact tool use in two sub-national jurisdictions – namely, Québec and South Australia. MOE respondents (N=9) identified four components of policymaking ‘due diligence’, including evidence retrieval, consultation and collaboration, referencing, and risk analysis. As prospective HIA users, they also confirmed that information is not routinely sought to mitigate the potential negative health impacts of education-based policies. MOH respondents (N=8) identified the bureaucratic hierarchy as the brokering mechanism for inter-ministerial policy development. As prospective HIA stewards, they also confirmed that the ministry does not proactively flag the potential negative health impacts of non-health sector policies. Finally, ‘lessons learned’ from case articles specific to Québec (n=12) and South Australia (n=17) identified the political factors supporting tool use at different stages of the policy cycle, including agenda setting (‘policy elites’ and ‘political culture’), implementation (‘jurisdiction’), and sustained implementation (‘institutional power’). This work provides important insights into ‘real life’ policymaking. By highlighting existing facilitators of and barriers to HIA use, the findings offer a useful starting point from which proponents may tailor context-specific strategies to sustainably implement HIA at the sub-national government level

    ENHANCING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY, AND PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH MORNING MEETING IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

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    This study examined the experiences of educators in a small, rural elementary school who provided live instruction in an online setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scholarly practitioner collaborated with inquiry partners to enhance student engagement, teacher self-efficacy, and principal leadership skills by implementing Morning Meeting, a social and emotional learning program from Responsive Classroom®, when students participated in remote online learning. The scholarly practitioner used over four decades of research about efficacy and identified leadership strategies and approaches that assisted in building individual and collective teacher efficacy so that teachers could effectively engage students. Behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement were identified in research and used by teachers to determine the quality of participation in Morning Meeting. Teachers took daily and weekly attendance to measure engagement, and the scholarly practitioner facilitated team meetings with groups of teachers to compile comments and statements regarding student engagement. These statements were coded using pre-selected codes based on research about types of student engagement. The scholarly practitioner facilitated the administration of a pre-study and post-study Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale so that individual, grade-span, and full-school efficacy data could be compiled. In addition, the scholarly practitioner held team meetings with the teachers to compile comments and categorize those statements into four areas: job accomplishment, skill development, social interaction, and coping with job stress. These four areas were also coded using the four categories described on the Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale. The scholarly practitioner also maintained a journal using a self-reflection tool about the lived experiences before, during, and after the study. The emphasis on this journal was about the development and growth of leadership skills, and the categories were pre-coded using Bernard Bass’s categories of transformational leadership: individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and intellectual stimulation. Student engagement increased throughout the study, and 77 percent of students were fully engaged during the study. Teachers expressed an increase in collective efficacy at the conclusion of the study, and six of the eight teachers reported individual increases in efficacy. The scholarly practitioner’s use of differentiation within the context of transformational leadership was observed most frequently in the study

    Quantitative Study of Predictive Relationships Between English Language Proficiency, Academic Growth, and Academic Achievement Assessments in North Georgia

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    This study examined the predictive relationship between ELs' proficiency levels on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for ELs 2.0, students' performance on English language arts Georgia Milestones Assessment System, and academic growth on the Measures of Academic Progress. It was comprised of third through fifth grade English Language Learners. The study compared the percentage of English language learner students at each proficiency level, gender, and grade level and their achievement of English language arts on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System and growth from the beginning of the year to the end of the year on Measure of Academic Progress. The study was evaluated by conducting Pearson correlation coefficients, one-way ANOVA, and mediation analysis. Results for this research question indicated a significant positive relationship between academic achievement and academic growth. There was a significant positive relationship between academic achievement and all eight domains of English proficiency. The results indicated as grade level increased, English proficiency increased, and academic growth and achievement decreased. Results for this research question indicated a significant effect on all eight domains of English proficiency. The results indicated academic achievement is not obtained for almost 77% of ELs scoring in the 4.3 – 4.9 English proficiency level. There were significant results for all eight domains of English proficiency and academic achievement. The three domains of speaking, oral, and composite were mediated by academic growth. Keywords: English Language Proficiency; Academic Growth; Academic Achievement Assessments; English Language Learners; ELLs; EL;ABSTRACT i -- TABLE OF CONTENTS ii -- LIST OF TABLES vi -- LIST OF FIGURES vii -- ACKNOWLEDGMENT viii -- DEDICATION ix -- Chapter I INTRODUCTION 1 -- Overview 1 -- Statement of the Problem 4 -- Purpose 5 -- Research Questions 7 -- Significance of the Study 8 -- Conceptual Framework 9 -- Summary of Methodology 13 -- Limitations 14 -- Summary 14 -- Definitions of Terms 15 -- Chapter II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 17 -- Overview 17 -- ELs 17 -- Accommodations 18 -- Exit Criteria 19 -- Post Exit Monitoring 20 -- ELs in the Classroom: Best Practices 21 -- Challenges in the Classroom 21 -- The Role of Leadership 24 -- State and Federal Mandates 25 -- Standards 26 -- Every Student Succeed Act 26 -- Georgia Standards of Excellence 27 -- World-Class Instructional Design Assessment Consortium 27 -- English Language Proficiency: Years to Proficiency 28 -- Gender 30 -- Reclassifying ELs 31 -- Language Proficiency Assessment 35 -- Academic Achievement Assessment 36 -- Adaptive Academic Assessment 36 -- Summary 37 -- Chapter III METHODOLOGY 39 -- Overview 39 -- Research Questions 40 -- Research Design 40 -- Sample 42 -- Description of the Population 43 -- Data Collection 44 -- Procedures 47 -- Threats to Validity 50 -- Summary 50 -- Chapter IV RESULTS 52 -- Data Analysis 53 -- Descriptive Statistics 54 -- Results by Questions 55 -- Research Question 1 55 -- Research Question 2 64 -- Research Question 3 69 -- Summary 79 -- Chapter V SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION 82 -- Overview 82 -- Overview of the Sample and Data Collection 86 -- Quantitative Findings 87 -- Implications of Findings 89 -- Limitations to the Study 94 -- Recommendations for Future Research 95 -- Summary 96 -- REFERENCES 98 -- Appendix A Institutional Review Board Protocol Exemption Report 109 -- Appendix B Letter of Cooperation 1 111 -- Appendix C Letter of Cooperation 2 113 -- Appendix D Data Collection 115Bochenko, MichaelSakhavat, MammadovHsiao, E-LingHill, D. LaverneEd.D.Education in Leadershi

    The Adirondack Chronology

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    The Adirondack Chronology is intended to be a useful resource for researchers and others interested in the Adirondacks and Adirondack history.https://digitalworks.union.edu/arlpublications/1000/thumbnail.jp

    The Impact of a Play Intervention on the Social-Emotional Development of Preschool Children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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    Practitioners working with children have emphasized that play is vital to children’s development, Links between children’s social-emotional development and play have been widely documented. However, rigorous research evidence of these links remains limited. This study’s objectives were to measure the impact of play on children’s social-emotional development in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia; identify teachers’ viewpoints around the use of play intervention; and understand the children’s experience of play intervention. Fifty-nine children aged between five and six years, with mean age of 5.5 (SD 3.376) and eight teachers participated in the study. The study used a mixed-method strategy including questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions. Children’s social-emotional development was measured by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questioner (SDQ). A pre-/post-test counterbalanced design was used to measure the impact of the play intervention on children’s development. Teachers’ perspectives on play were obtained by interviewing eight teachers. Children’s views were gathered through focus group discussions. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to determine the differences in the SDQ score over three time points. Results showed that using unstructured loose parts play had positively impacted children’s social-emotional development. After participation in the play intervention, scores from the SDQ indicated that children demonstrated significantly less problematic emotional, conduct and peer relationship issues. They also scored significantly higher in their positive prosocial behaviour. These positive effects were sustained after six weeks of stopping the intervention. The play intervention did not however impact children’s hyperactivity level. The interviews analysis illustrates four main themes: concept and characteristics of play, play functions, developmental benefits of play, and play and practice. Regarding children’s discussion, affordance emerged as a main theme; this includes emotional, social, and functional affordances. Unstructured loose parts play intervention was demonstrated to have positive impacts on children’s social-emotional development. The study’s findings support the view that play is a way to increase children’s development
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