Evading Emergency: Strengthening Emergency Response Through Integrated Pluralistic Governance

This Article examines the significant governance challenges that arise during responses to public health emergencies and proposes a new multifaceted strategy-integrated pluralistic governance-to address these challenges. Emergency preparedness is an inherently complex problem that entails the integration ofscientific and medical expertise, good logistical planning, and clear laws and policies. The governance function has particular import for public health emergencies because pandemics, hurricanes, and other disasters can have profoundly divisive social and political consequences. Moreover, recent disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill revealed an emergency preparedness and response infrastructure in the United States that was broken: starved of necessary resources, beset by problems at all levels of government, and undermined by poor decision making at each of these levels. Governance theories are particularly relevant to addressing the challenges posed by public health emergencies because these theories can help to explain and shape outcomes within complex systems. This Article delineates and explores three categories of governance models: traditional governance models, New Governance models, and diffuse governance models. These models provide insight into existing efforts to govern public health emergencies within and outside of formal emergency response systems and highlight unexplored avenues for strengthening these systems. Integrated pluralistic governance adopts aspects of all three governance models and encourages the development of concurrency, coordination, and redundancy to create a more effective and resilient public health emergency response system

Hard Times and an Uncertain Future: Issues that Confront the Field of Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

In this article, I examine challenges to better preparing teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD). Foremost among these challenges is the lack of agreement regarding a conceptual framework upon which to build quality prevention/intervention practices; instead, various authorities advocate disparate approaches, not all of which have empirical support. I assert that unresolved issues surrounding translating scientific research into classroom practice further hinder efforts to apply the most efficacious intervention options, as does our failure to exert control over the infrastructure of public education and the context in which we serve students with E/BD. Finally, I offer some modest proposals for removing obstacles to better preparing those who serve students with E/BD. Reprinted by permission of the publisher

Raising kind children (2002)

"Information from Human Environmental Sciences Extension.""Child development."New 11/97, Reprinted 9/02/5M

Protecting children from unintentional injuries (2002)

"Information from Human Environmental Sciences Extension.""Human relations."Revised 10/00, Reprinted 8/02/5M

Black Family Life: An African American parenting magazine

Abstract only availableParenting magazines geared toward strengthening the traditional northern European family have been around for decades. Yet, they have not focused on the different family types or the needs of African American families. African American parenting has unique features and qualities that are deeply rooted in their past ancestry. Black families are so diverse and are made up of so many unique backgrounds, so it is necessary to have a parenting magazine geared toward their different needs. A scripture often lamented in the black community is "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart." The meaning behind the phrase is to raise children in a manner that they will succeed from, so that when they are adults they will stay true to their roots. Though this scripture is very popular it is not being properly applied to the upbringing of African American children. One solution to these issues is "Black Family Life" magazine. This magazine will enhance the mentality and skills of the modern black parent by providing alternative tips on raising their children from specialists and ordinary people who have experienced similar situations. The magazine will also encourage black parents to better prepare their children for challenges in the world ahead by providing advice on effective discipline, techniques to assist children in developing study skills, college preparation methods(both academically and financially) and much more.Emerge Summer Undergraduate Research Internshi

Closing the Gap Between Technological and Best Practice Innovations: TPACK and DI

Implementing differentiated instruction with the fast changing landscape of technology is a complex process (Fullan, 2014; Tomlinson; 2014) and requires widespread diffusion of multiple innovations by educators (Meyer, 2004). However, most U.S. classrooms remain stagnant in their attempts to successfully incorporate innovative pedagogies (Darling-Hammond, 2010; November, 2014; Prensky, 2010; Robinson, 2011). Thus Fullan (2014) reported, “The time is right to bring together knowledge of systems change, new pedagogies and technologies that allow change to scale through diffusion” (p. 13). To understand this problem, this pragmatic, mixed-methods study (Creswell, 2009) collected data through the following condensed research questions: What are the relationships between educators’ TPACK and DI self-efficacy and the following demographics: grade level, years of teaching, adopter category, device-student ratio, professional development hours in technology or DI, class size, certification(s), and educational background? How do teachers describe their use of technology to differentiate instruction? A questionnaire with open-ended questions provided quantitative and qualitative data (N=72). Of the respondents, 22% were categorized as innovators and 32% as early adopters-considered teacher leaders. Even though both groups demonstrated more confidence with DI-T than later adopter categories, neither showed significantly stronger TPACK. However, Grade 8-12 teachers demonstrated significantly higher TPACK and self-efficacy to DI than pre-kindergarten to grade 4 teachers. Qualitative themes confirmed the problem. Educators demonstrated misconceptions of TPACK and self-efficacy to DI, and these innovative practices were not successfully being diffused. Thus, recommendations identified specific professional development needs, and for educational systems to create communication channels to more rapidly diffuse innovational pedagogies

Measuring IS-Support: A Conceptual Model

This paper reports on a conceptual model of a larger research effort proceeding from a central interest in the importance of assessing the IS-Support provided to key-user groups. This study conceptualised a new multidimensional IS-Support construct with four dimensions: training, documentation, assistance and authorisation, which form the overarching construct – IS-Support. We argue that a holistic measure for assessing IS-Support should consist of dimensions, and measures, that together assess the variety of the support provided to IS key-user groups. The proposed IS-Support construct is defined as the support the IS key-user groups receive to increase their capabilities in utilising information systems within the organisation. With two interrelated phases, conceptualisation phase and validation phase, to rigorously hypothesise and validate a measurement model, the IS-Support model, proposed in this study, is intended to include the characteristics of analytic theory

Strategies for Maintaining Positive Behavior Change Stemming from Functional Behavioral Assessment in Schools

Nationwide, schools are struggling to prepare IEP teams and other school personnel to conduct functional behavioral assessment and develop positive behavioral intervention plans and supports. While there is a growing evidence that functional behavioral assessment is effective in identifying the reason(s) behind student misbehavior, less is known about producing positive, long-term changes that are both functionally and socially relevant. Drawing upon the available research, we explore an emerging technology for promoting maintenance and generalization of behavior change. We discuss various strategies and procedures and offer recommendations to IEP teams regarding maintaining positive changes in student behavior that stem from functional behavioral assessment in schools. Reprinted by permission of the publisher

Supporting New Teachers: Aligning Professional Development to Educator Evaluation Data

Professional development programs and teacher evaluation systems should go hand-in-hand to support teachers across all career stages (Danielson, 2007). The professional development (PD) opportunities in a K-12 district were examined to determine the extent to which they related to, and supported, the novice teachers’ rating on their evaluations. This district addressed teacher evaluation and teacher professional development jointly with their local and state level teachers’ unions with the collective “conception of teacher evaluation as part of a teaching and learning system that supports continuous improvement” (Darling-Hammond, 2014, p. 5). However, in 2014/15, this district did not have a mentoring/induction program to specifically address the PD needs of novice teachers. This study re-examined the data from a mixed-methods study of the perceived confidence of educators in relation to their PD needs and their evaluation standards (Torregrossa, 2015) to address the following research questions: What is the relationship between teachers’ perceived PD needs and the demographic variable of number of years teaching? What are the perceived PD needs of novice teachers (1 to 3 years in the profession) in the following educator evaluation areas: Standard 1: Planning and Preparation, 2: Classroom Environment, 3: Instruction, and 4: Professional Growth and Responsibilities? The respondents to the initial study’s (Torregrossa, 2015) online questionnaire (N=602) were a subset of the district’s 967 educators. The questionnaire, with openended questions and a 5-point Likert scale, indicated the predominate PD needs of teachers across all grade spans and years of service. For the purposes of this paper, the specific focus was on the data for new teachers (perceptions of confidence on their evaluation rubric and their professional development needs). This current study analyzed the data specifically within the demographic variable of number of years (1-3) in the profession. The results indicated the demographic of number of years teaching had an impact on perceived confidence (1-3, 4-6 \u3c 16-20, 20+). Further, the data showed that novice teachers have the greatest significant discrepancy in confidence on the evaluation tasks within Evaluation Standard Two - Classroom Environment (7 of 9 tasks = 78%): Understanding the Importance of Content (F=8.14, p\u3c.001, 3 ת²=.00),Setting Expectations for Learning and Achievement (F=8.38, p\u3c.001, ת²=.07), Managing Instructional Groups (F=4.71, p\u3c.001, ת²=.04), Managing Student Transitions (F=3.38, p\u3c.005, ת²=.03), Managing Materials and Supplies (F=3.74, p\u3c.002, ת²=.03), Setting Behavioral Expectations (F=7.52, p\u3c.001, ת²=.06), and Responding to Student Misbehavior (F=9.39, p\u3c.001, ת²=.08). Through this study, several overarching themes were identified for professional development to support novice educator practice and evaluations. The data indicated novice teachers have a lower perceived confidence level on 50% of the evaluation elements compared to their more veteran peers. There is a clear need for this district to establish a mentor/induction program to assist with supporting new teachers in the areas of planning and preparation, establishing the classroom environment, and instructional strategies

Promoting family strengths (2001)

In our society, families take on many different structures. Although they may be formed in different ways, most families accomplish similar tasks, such as childbearing, providing for members' basic needs, providing emotional support, socializing members, establishing family traditions and delegating responsibility. By accomplishing these tasks, families influence the way individuals and society function. Few other social institutions have such a great impact on society. This profound influence makes evident the importance of strengthening families.Reviewed April 2001--MU Extension website (viewed June 2019)New 10/99/5M.--Page 4