The New Normal

Flip the calendar back to March 2020. Economic activity went to zero and the country experienced a shutdown. Unemployment rose and people stayed home and didn’t go about their normal routine of buying things. To try and rebound the economy, the Federal Reserve issued several rounds of stimulus checks. “The economic decisions that we saw in March 2020 were driven completely by the fact that we were shut down,” said Eric Higgins, research director and the von Waaden Chair of Investment Management in the College of Business Administration. “Once the country opened back up, those issues began to go away and the economy came back.” Fast forward two-plus years. Every day we hear about inflation, unemployment and the volatile market. The economy is experiencing an increased labor shortage because of retirements or decisions not to return to the workforce, Higgins said. But Higgins wanted to know: Is the economy really bad or are we still experiencing the aftereffects of March 2020? Higgins and several collaborators tried to find the answers by analyzing and comparing 2020 to the 2008 Great Recession. Their research shows that 2020 was not a repeat recession, but was the result of financial issues and decisions directly correlated to the pandemic. As businesses began to reopen and people left their houses, we began to see increased growth and demand for products. “If there is a shortage of labor and people want to purchase things, that means the price of labor is going to go up and the price of stuff is going to go up,” Higgins said. “The economy isn’t bad. I think the economy has rebounded, but it hasn’t normalized in terms of what the new normal looks like and that might take a while.

The Search for a New OPAC: Selecting an Open Source Discovery Layer

In early 2011, an Indiana University Libraries task force was charged with selecting an open source discovery layer to serve as the public interface for IU's online catalog, IUCAT. This process included creating a rubric of core functionality and rating two discovery layers based on criteria in four main categories: general features and functionality; authentication and account management; export and share; and search functionality and results display. The article includes information about our rubric and the two discovery layers reviewed, Blacklight and VuFind, as well as a discussion of the priorities of the task force. The article concludes with future steps and anticipated highlights for IUCAT

Connecting Representations and Ways of Thinking about Slope from Algebra to Calculus

While slope is a topic in the algebra curriculum, having a robust understanding of slope is needed for students to truly understand several single and multivariable calculus topics with any depth. We begin with a review of the topic of slope and present what is known from its existing corpus of literature. We then outline the tenets of APOS theory. Building from there, we suggest what a robust, flexible understanding of slope involves, as well as how slope is used, with the APOS-slope framework acting as a theoretical lens. This is followed by the cases of two hypothetical students built from amalgamations of research and experience to emphasize why moving easily between different ways of thinking about and the various uses of slope is vital to successfully transition into calculus. We offer suggestions as to how university instructors might consider slope understanding when teaching calculus, then conclude with suggestions for future research on slope

Fostering Cognitive Presence in Online Courses: A Systematic Review (2008-2020)

Within the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, cognitive presence has been central to success in higher education settings. This systematic review examined 24 articles published between 2008-2020 that empirically analyzed cognitive presence in online courses. We share the patterns that emerged regarding the interplay between teaching and cognitive presence and social and cognitive presence. We also explore how the four phases of cognitive presence—triggering event, exploration, integration, and resolution—were evident within specific instructional activities. We conclude with implications for practice that will be helpful for course instructors and designers seeking to foster greater cognitive presence within their online courses

Probing Heme Signaling Dynamics Using Fluorescent Heme Sensors

Long considered to be a static protein cofactor, a growing body of evidence suggests that heme may function as a dynamic signaling molecule. To elucidate heme-based signal transduction, a library of genetically encoded fluorescent heme sensors with a wide range of heme binding affinities was developed. Moreover, new targets of heme signaling, namely the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), were characterized and a novel role for heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) in regulating heme availability independent of its role in catalyzing heme degradation was discovered. Together, the results reported herein expand the toolkit of reagents available to probe heme signaling, revealed novel heme homeostatic mechanisms, and demonstrated that heme plays important roles in signaling beyond its canonical function as an enzyme cofactor.Ph.D

Student Reported Distractions to Homework Completion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distractions that keep 8th grade students from completing their homework. Much research exists about homework across all grade levels. The bulk of this research highlights high school and university students. Research on middle school students and what affects their academic performance is lacking. The participants were 8th grade reading students. Students filled out a survey detailing what subjects they forgot to complete homework in. The survey also listed various distractions that caused incomplete homework assignments and asked students to detail one specific incident when they did not complete their homework. Data was limited due to a small number of consent forms returned. The surveys revealed that there are multiple distractions that keep students from completing their homework. No student chose one single distraction. Having students explore homework distractions through the survey motivated them to reflect on their own responsibility in their learning and offered more insight to the teacher about distractions during homework. Future research should focus on middle school distractions at specific grade levels so that educators can make teaching strategies for academic success a priority in the classroom

Blood Sugar, Your Pancreas, and Unicorns: The Development of Health Education Materials for Youth With Prediabetes

Background. The obesity epidemic has led to an increase in prediabetes in youth, causing a serious public health concern. Education on diabetes risk and initiation of lifestyle change are the primary treatment modalities. There are few existing age-appropriate health education tools to address diabetes prevention for high-risk youth. Aim. To develop an age-appropriate health education tool(s) to help youth better understand type 2 diabetes risk factors and the reversibility of risk. Method. Health education tool development took place in five phases: exploration, design, analysis, refinement, and process evaluation. Results. The project resulted in (1) booklet designed to increase knowledge of risk, (2) meme generator that mirrors the booklet graphics and allows youth to create their own meme based on their pancreas’ current mood, (3) environmental posters for clinic, and (4) brief self-assessment that acts as a conversation starter for the health educators. Conclusion. Patients reported high likability and satisfaction with the health education tools, with the majority of patients giving the materials an “A” rating. The process evaluation indicated a high level of fidelity and related measures regarding how the health education tools were intended to be used and how they were actually used in the clinic setting

The CADET Training Program Versus the Student Certification Program: A Study of IT- Support Training Programs at Western Kentucky University

Technology is a critical component of modern-day success. Advancements in technology have improved communication between individuals and companies. Technological advancements have allowed students to earn college degrees online. People who habitually use technology expect a high level of performance and support. As new technologies are implemented, such as complex web services or new operating systems, the dependence for information technology (IT) support grows in demand. Even learning curves can be cumbersome without proper assistance from IT professionals. Companies and institutions must accommodate user needs by implementing fast, efficient, and friendly support. In order to offer optimal customer support, representatives must be knowledgeable of the products and services that are supported. At Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) IT Helpdesk, a training program called Consultant Accelerated Development and Education in Technology (CADET) focuses on software, hardware, customer service, and procedures mandated by the IT Division. Prior to CADET, the Student Certification program was used to train student consultants. The Student Certification program was developed to satisfy training needs that allowed consultants to support end-user technical issues. CADET was developed in 2008 to replace the Student Certification program. This study explored the question if CADET training is more effective in preparing consultants to do their jobs than the Student Certification program. The study investigated the effectiveness of CADET training compared to the Student Certification program by surveying IT Helpdesk student consultants. The survey results indicated which program was more adequate. Both programs contained the same training content, but training delivery methods differed. A t-test was used to compare both programs and determine the outcome of the study’s hypotheses. The Student Certification program did not accommodate different learning styles. The teaching methods only included traditional classroom-style delivery. CADET training did accommodate different learning styles, delivering training through a wide variety of formats including video, audio, assessment, assignment, and face-to-face training. The research focused on the importance of addressing different learning behaviors. The study suggested that CADET is more adequate in preparing students to do their job duties. When both Student Certification survey and the CADET survey were compared, CADET training is more adequate in 26 out of the 27 training sessions. The results suggested that learning style accommodation is directly related in the success in the CADET training program over the Student Certification program

Preference Stability and Reinforcer Efficacy with Preschool-Age Children

Reinforcement-based teaching strategies are ubiquitous in early childhood settings; however, few studies have evaluated the stability of typically developing children’s preferences over time. Fluctuations in preference may lead to decrements in reinforcer efficacy. We conducted an initial paired-stimulus preference assessment (PSPA) and weekly brief multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (MSWO) preference assessments and reinforcer assessments. The purposes of the study were to evaluate the stability of children’s preferences; to assess correspondence between rankings produced by PSPA and MSWO preference assessments; and to evaluate the predictive validity of PSPAs and MSWOs. We used methods for evaluating preferences and reinforcer efficacy similar to those described by Call, Trosclair-Lasserre, Findley, Reavis, and Shillingsburg (2012); however, our participants included typically developing children and we assessed preference stability over several weeks. Results indicated that although the majority of participants demonstrated unstable preferences, rankings on PSPAs and MSWOs corresponded when statistically analyzed and both preference assessment types demonstrated similar predictive validity. Idiosyncratic reinforcement effects were observed across stimuli type and participants