Best Practices in Information Systems Program Assesment

What are some effective ways to assess your IS program educational objectives and program outcomes? Today, assessment is a focus point for AACSB, ABET as well as regional accrediting agencies. Practical examples for different aspects of assessment will be presented that help faculty develop meaningful and comprehensive program assessment techniques and tools. Eight experienced speakers will share their best practices with time allowed for questions and answers from the audience. Topics in the workshop include: 1. Building an Assessment Plan from the Ground Up – Barbara Denison, Wright State University 2. Experiences with the Information Systems Exit Exam - Daniel J. McFarland, Rowan University 3. The Capstone Course in IS Assessment – Meg Murray, Kennesaw State University 4. Framework for performance evaluation and program outcome assessment– Janos Fustos, Metropolitan State University of Denver 5. Direct Assessment: Some Best Practices - Lynn McKell, Brigham Young University 6. Integrating Soft Skills Assessment through University, College, and Programmatic Efforts, Ken Surendran, Southeast Missouri State University 7. Program Assessment Reporting System – Rich Redmond, Virginia Commonwealth University 8. Direct Assessment methods. A review of assessment methods on accredited campuses – Bruce White, Quinnipiac Universit

Multicriteria assessment and communication of effects of organic food systems

This project will provide analyses, methods and prototypes of multicriteria assessment, to help organic actors and stakeholders develop, document and communicate balanced overall assessments of the effects of organic food systems on society and nature. The project will carry out interdisciplinary analyses of existing methods for multicriteria assessment and communication; establish a framework for how to develop such methods for organic food systems and relate them to the organic principles; and test prototypes in practice. This shall help sustain an integrated development of the organic production, contribute to open and credible communication about the benefits of organics, and thereby support long term growth

Guest Editorial: The 2014 Capstone Design Conference

The goal of the 2014 Capstone Design Conference held in Columbus, OH was to build upon the success of three previous conferences (2007 and 2010 in Boulder, CO, and 2012 in Champaign, IL) and expand the community of educators, students, and industry members engaged in discussing, analyzing, and improving capstone design education. Sessions at the 2014 Capstone Design Conference were designed for vibrant sharing of ideas and experiences across the capstone community via interactive panel sessions, poster session socials, and hands-on workshops. This editorial discusses conference planning, structure, and feedback. Technical papers that follow in this issue document scholarship surrounding noteworthy capstone course innovations. Most of these began as four page peer-reviewed papers included in the conference proceedings

Measuring Food Safety Control in U.S. Hog Farms Using a Composite Indicator

Consumer demand for reliable food product quality and safety is growing. This trend, together with increased public regulation and attention to the legal liability of food processors and retailers creates derived demand for food safety assurance in farm production. In consequence, farms have adopted different measures, voluntarily or compulsorily, in their production practice to ensure reduced food safety risks from the farm product. Multiple individual indicators exist which reflect different facets of food safety practice. In fact, it is likely that production of a safer product is a result of several factors. However, little is known about what practices effect greater food safety control at the farm level, or how farms that take greater food safety control fare in comparison to other farms. This study develops a composite food safety control indicator by aggregating data from a set of individual indicators of food safety control and investigates the variation in food safety practices across farms. Moreover, we show how some relevant variables may influence farm food safety control, thus provide empirical evidence for the design of food safety-enhancing agricultural policy measures.food safety control, hog farm, composite indicator, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Lessons for PreK-3rd From Montgomery County Public Schools

Presents a case study of how a district improved third-grade reading proficiency rates and narrowed the achievement gap, in spite of growing English Language Learner and low-income populations, by implementing an integrated early learning strategy

Development of predicting model for safety behaviour based on safety psychology and working environment

The increasing trend of occupational accident due to unsafe act and unsafe condition especially in construction site suggests the need for more proactive safety assessment model. Therefore this research aimed to establish a prediction model of safety behaviour based on safety psychology and working environment factors in construction site. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TpB) was adapted to examine on the prediction model of safety behaviour among construction workers using safety psychology representing unsafe act and working environment factors representing unsafe condition. A modified perception questionnaire named Safety Psychometric Model (SPM) was proposed based on TpB questionnaire and safety attitude questionnaire (SQA). Previously, the approach has successfully applied in health care and manufacturing sector. The questionnaire has been validated by three industrial and academic experts. A total of 554 respondents among 92 construction site were selected as the subjects for analysis. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) was use for analysis purpose which involve correlation, regression and structural equation analysis. The results demonstrated that safety psychology and work environment factor was related positively with safety behaviour intention. The elements of workers’ attitude, subjective norm and perceived control that form the safety psychology context found to be significantly has the ability to predict safety behaviour. The demographics variances of personal and education background, working experiences and training background also determine as the factors of safety behaviour of the construction workers. The research also successfully established a safety behaviour prediction model that named Safety Psychometric Model. The model can be benefited by safety practitioners, organizations and researchers to explore the safety behaviour prediction. It also enhanced the knowledge in the area of employee behaviour prediction and modelling

Assessment of faculty training program for the use of e-learning platforms: analysis of current use

5th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (Barcelona, Spain. 1-3 July, 2013)This paper shows the results of a survey carried out among faculty member that use Moodle to support their classroom teaching, in the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. The aim of this work is to determine: a) How Moodle is being used b) Whether the training program helped them improve their teaching by the use of Moodle. c) What are the further training needs. The results showed that the use of the learning platform was mainly oriented to present materials or resources, followed by the attempt to improve the communication with the students and to monitor and grade assignments. We also found that training faculty members only on courses for a didactic use of Moodle, was most effective in the use of collaborative learning strategies. The more trained teachers demand further training in the didactic use of Moodle

Unique Challenges in Risk Assessment with Rural Domestic Violence Victims: Implications for Practice

Through interviews with violence against women (VAW) workers (n=14), the present study examined workers’ perspectives of risk factors and the challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. The present study also examined what promising practices VAW workers are utilizing when working with women experiencing DV in rural locations. Qualitative analysis indicated several risk factors including the location (i.e., geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and lack of community resources) and cultural factors (i.e., accepted and more available use of firearms, poverty, and no privacy/anonymity). Moreover, qualitative analyses indicated several challenges for VAW workers assessing risk including barriers at the systemic (i.e., lack of agreement between services), organizational (i.e., lack of collaboration and risk assessment being underutilized/valued), and individual (i.e., complexity of issues) levels. The findings support other research in the field that highlight the increased vulnerability of women experiencing DV in rural locations and the added barriers and complexities in assessing risk for this population. However, participants outlined promising practices being implemented for rural locations such as interagency collaboration, education, growing awareness, and outreach programs. Implications for future research and practice include further examination of the identified promising practices, a continued focus on collaborative approaches, and innovative ways to prevent and manage risk in rural locations

A SURVEY OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN THE WORLD IN COMPARISON WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION AND TURKEY PRACTICES

As public became more aware of the possible hazardous effects of the conventional farming products, organic agriculture practices have been increasingly spreading all over the world. Since the 1980’s, organic agriculture has been an important topic in the research agenda of the scientists active in various fields from science to biology or even economics. Economic Unions have been increasingly important in the last decade, in which one of them is the European Union (EU) being the most integrated of all. It is an enlarging body that has achieved considerable degree of economic integration. The EU is considered to be important for Turkey. The EU has a supporting role in agricultural policy. Organical agriculture, which is considered to have an important role in EU economics, became more important issue between Turkey and EU relations, due to Turkey’s agriculture potential. Organic agriculture started in Turkey through the demand from foreign countries in 1990’s. Due to the lack of information sharing on organic agriculture, organic agriculture sector in Turkey was not aware of its potential. It is one of the factors that affects organic farming sector negatively. By creating the body which enables data sharing system by more number of people and significant support by organic agriculture sides would lead the sector to benefit from the existing potential. Organic agriculture market in Turkey will have a chance to compete with other world organic agriculture markets. Organic agriculture’s products are healthy for consumers. On the other hand what is also argued within this thesis is organic agriculture’s beneficial effects on the nature