Exploring Barriers to the Generalization of Social Skills Interventions for Children Diagnosed with ASD: A Qualitative Analysis of ‘Youth Engagement Through Intervention’

Many children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with social skills and maintaining friendships. In turn, many social skills interventions have been developed to aid in the treatment of children diagnosed with ASD. Children with ASD, however, have difficulty generalizing the skills learned in social skills interventions to more natural settings like the home and school. This study, therefore, explored the barriers to the generalization of a social skills intervention, Youth Engagement Through Intervention (YETI) for children with ASD. Barriers to the generalization of YETI were explored through the qualitative examination of parents’ acceptability of the evidence-based strategies used in YETI and how these strategies played a role in generalization of social skills in the home setting. The qualitative analysis analyzed data collected from parent rating scales and semi-structured interviews designed specifically for YETI

The Problem-Based Learning Approach towards Developing Soft Skills: A Systematic Review

In this paper, we review systematically the role of problem-based learning (PBL) in developing soft skills in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and other fields of studies. The Systematic Literature Review (SLR) includes the most recent empirical, review, and conceptual studies from TVET and other multiple fields of studies including medicine, humanities, and engineering between the years of 2001 and 2016 collected from four databases. A qualitative method was used to accomplish the systematic review. After the collection of articles, the selected studies were analyzed through thematic analysis. From this review, we concluded that PBL as an instructional approach has a significant role in the development of soft skills among students of various disciplines including TVET; empirical evidence is predominantly conclusive in identifying the acquisitions of various soft skills including communication skills, conflict resolution skills, leadership skills, and interpersonal skills, and finally, several factors might influence the relationship of PBL and soft skills such as duration and process of PBL instruction, role of facilitator, and awareness and training of learners. Moreover, there are fewer number of empirical studies on the role and effects of PBL approach to developing soft skills in TVET

Transitional Care Interventions as Implemented By Faith Community Nurses

Hospitals are seeking innovative and efficient methods of decreasing avoidable readmissions. Despite the volume of nursing literature exploring the use of advanced practices nurses in providing transitional care, only one study mentions the use of a faith community nurse. The faith community nurse operates in the community and has the skills to provide transitional care. The purpose of this study was to describe transitional care as implemented by faith community nurses using a standardized nursing language: the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC). A mixed method descriptive design was selected to facilitate a thorough exploration of the interventions implemented by faith community nurses. The findings suggested that the majority of interventions are in the coping assistance, communication enhancement, and patient education Classes of the Behavioral Domain. The most frequently selected nursing interventions in NIC (n=26) were found and validated by the faith community nurse focus group. Results were compared to evidenced-based priority transitional care interventions described in research. In addition, results were compared to previous faith community nursing research describing the practice. Results were also described using the Faith Community Nursing conceptual framework. The results may provide the underpinnings for further testing of transitional care interventions

The key elements for design of online learning resources in the field of European Integration Studies : a case of European NAvigator

The aim of this study was to describe current usage patterns of Online Learning Resources in the field of the European Integration Studies. The ultimate goal is to develop the theoretical framework of pedagogical elements which are specific for this scientific field and needed for the successful design of Online Learning Resources. There was one main sample group. Those were the university level teachers, who are teaching courses related to History, Economics, Law or Political science, but within the European Integration Studies. All participants completed the same survey, which consisted of multiple choice questions, rating scales evaluating importance of some OLRs aspects, and open-ended questions about preferences when using applications. In addition to this survey, four interviews were conducted with four university professors teaching four different subjects related to the European Integration. Findings indicate that teachers' pedagogical beliefs and educational theory which they follow play important role in the way they chose and use Online learning resources. Some differences are apparent also within the four mentioned subjects. Finally, a key set of pedagogical elements needed for design of Online learning resources was provided.Joint Master Degree in Digital Library Learning (DILL

Knowledge Transfer Preferences of Expert Employees Nearing Retirement

Managers of organizations face increasing rates of retiring Baby Boomers as that generation begins to leave the workforce. Some managers of organizations have no formalized knowledge transfer strategies in place to reduce the lost productivity and negative financial effects of these retiring employees. The purpose of this single-site case study was to explore the knowledge transfer preferences of expert scientific support employees nearing retirement at a United States national laboratory in northern California. Understanding the preferences of employees nearing retirement may allow managers to affect the business practice of promoting organizational learning by implementing strategies that catalyze knowledge transfer from expert employees. Systems theory, expectancy theory, knowledge management theory, and organizational learning theory concepts provided the framework. Semistructured interviews with 24 expert scientific support employees provided data, which were subsequently coded and analyzed using the pawing technique. The analysis of themes revealed mentoring to be the preferred method of knowledge transfer, the barriers to knowledge transfer and multiple types of knowledge transfer, and the impact of lack of knowledge transfer on productivity. Public research organization managers implementing effective knowledge transfer programs may increase the potential for scientific discoveries affecting social change through increased prosperity of citizens who could benefit from the derivative advances in energy research

A Quantitative Exploration of Conflict Potential and Perceptions of Threats, Benefits and Barriers: Toward Conflict Prevention When Dogs Visit Nature Trails

The managers of natural settings, that welcome visitors with dogs, often post regulations requiring dog waste to be collected and dogs to be leashed, but noncompliant behavior persists. Using an outdoor-recreation conflict model (ORCM) dog-walking practices were positioned as potential sources of conflict. The overarching purpose of this study was to explore the utility of pairing the ORCM with an expectancy decision-making model (the health belief model, HBM) when developing a persuasive message to promote the collection of dog waste. As a cross-sectional, descriptive, online survey, responses from 284 trail visitors who walk with a dog were used to test for relationship between self-reported dog-walking practices and respectively perceptions of antecedent conflict factors, conflict potential and/or HBM factors. Some antecedent conflict factors were related to dog-walking behaviors. Conflict potential related to dog-waste collection and to attachment, visit frequency and tolerance. The usefulness of applying the HBM to promote dog-waste collection was questioned because only one HBM factor related to dog-waste collection. By using ORCM factors as stratifying variables, the significant relationship between HBM barrier and dog-waste collection was attributed to specific levels of visit frequency, tolerance for human-dog interactions, and conflict potential. Strength of relationships were typically weak. For land-managers, these findings suggest that visitors who walk with a dog may be more varied than one might assume of a same-activity group; and they justify further exploration of perceptions of conflict potential rooted in human-dog interactions for the purpose of fostering positive experiences and resource preservation in shared natural settings

September 28, 1995

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Sustainability and collegiate recreational sports facilities.

Sustainability is a hot topic in higher education. Buzz words such as green and renewable have helped brand modern environmentalism. A greater emphasis on facility planning, development, and management is contributing to sustainability efforts. Collegiate recreational sports programs often include facilities that pose a challenge to the green movement, due to their size and operational requirements. To identify efforts within the collegiate recreational sports industry, this dissertation focuses on assessing the state of facility sustainability. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of personnel familiarity and institutional level of adoption related to sustainable initiatives at collegiate recreational sports facilities. Additionally, the study collected the perceptions of the benefits and challenges of implementing such initiatives. This foundational study attempted to create some benchmark data for the collegiate recreation industry within the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). The Collegiate Recreational Sports Sustainability Survey was developed to assess the variables in the study and was sent to directors of NIRSA member institutions. This hybrid study utilized both quantitative and qualitative research methods and produced primarily descriptive research. Data were analyzed by calculating descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as by employing content analysis techniques. This research produced a number of key findings: the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) certification is virtually non-existent among collegiate recreational sports professionals; institutions that led in adoption levels per their respective category type were two-year public institutions, large enrollment institutions, institutions from NIRSA Region VI, and institutions that contain large collegiate recreational sports facilities; statistically significant differences in adoption levels existed between four-year public and four-year private institutions, between large and small enrollment institutions, and between institutions that had large and small facilities; Environmental and Fiscal were the top two perceived benefits of implementing sustainable initiatives; and Fiscal and Administrative were the highest reported perceived challenges of moving toward sustainability. Implications from this study include providing benchmark data, LEED-AP credential considerations, creating advisory committees, and modeling NIRSA Region VI institutions. This study establishes a foundation for further research on sustainability efforts in collegiate recreational sports

Awakening The Potential of Positive Computing: A Transversal, Heliotropic Design Paradigm for Human Flourishing

Positive Computing literature does not consider the complex implications stemming from the evidence of computing technologies’ harmful effects. Moreover, present approaches to integrating well-being science into the design of interactive systems are built on deficit-oriented models. In response, a transversal, social constructionist paradigm of Positive Computing sensitive to the social complex and views technology as a part ofcivilization as a living, human construction is explored as a means of advancing the Positive Computing domain. The work argues the well-being of civilization needs to be routinely re-secured through the development of a metacognitive, affirmative competency that recognizessocial systems as capable of creating their own realities. To effectuate the change, adoption of an integral awareness of the socio-technical complex and a new, positively oriented model of design for interactive computing technologies are proposed