Deconstructing Media in the College Classroom: A Longitudinal Critical Media Literacy Intervention

While many studies have addressed the impact of media literacy interventions on knowledge of specific topic areas, few have explored improvements in media literacy skills as outcome measures. This study analyzed the impact of a media literacy intervention on participants’ critical thinking skills and understanding of media literacy principles by addressing the topics of body image and media representations of gender and race. A two-group, longitudinal experimental design was implemented using college-aged student participants across multiple course sections (n = 198) at a public university in the southeast. Results were significant for several media literacy measures for the treatment group after exposure to the intervention compared to the control group. These findings were persistent over the duration of the semester as demonstrated in the second posttest

Integrating Trust in technology and Computer Self- Efficacy within the Post-Adoption Context: An Empirical Examination

This work in progress examines the roles that Trust in Technology (TRIT) and Computer Self-efficacy (CSE) play in predicting post-adoptive usage behavior. Under the umbrella of social cognitive theory, it uses attribution theory and the trust literature to develop an integrative model of trust and self-efficacy. Specifically, we posit that TRIT impacts users’ CSE and that these beliefs lead to post-adoptive information technology (IT) usage. To examine our model, we propose a study that brings CSE, TRIT, Deep System Usage, and Trying to Innovate with IT into a single articulated model. Using data from 372 students, we use PLS to examine the hypothesized relationships. We conclude with a discussion of findings

Letter Report: Rio Blanco Sampling of Proximate Producing Natural Gas Wells

Two wells proximate to the Rio Blanco gas stimulation test were sampled and the gas analyzed. The samples from two wells showed no tritium above the detection limit concentrations of 10 and 12.4 (TU), respectively. The analytical results from the gas production wells show no impact from the Rio Blanco nuclear tes

11. An examination of the species-area-energy relationship driving decomposer diversity within “sponge” habitats in an estuarine bay

The species-area relationship is a well-known pattern in ecology detailing a strong positive relationship between habitat area and species richness. Alternatively, the species-energy hypothesis suggests that total energy availability drives species richness, with higher richness in systems with more energy input. While these two hypotheses are difficult to separate as they are positively related, they can be mutually exclusive. Species richness may increase with both area and energy availability independently. Here we test the relative importance of habitat area vs energy availability by placing two artificial substrates, polypropylene and cellulose sponges, with four different surface areas in two estuarine habitats. Cellulose sponges are organic and therefore should increase biodiversity by providing both protective structure and nutrition, while polypropylene sponges only provide structure. Organic sponges with large surface areas should promote more diversity than synthetic sponges with the same surface area. To test this, 40 cellulose and 40 polypropylene pre-weighed sponges of each surface area were placed in salt marshes and the open ocean of Terrebonne Bay in Louisiana. After one month, organisms were removed and categorized, and dry weight of the sponges collected. Preliminary results show that abundance was negatively related to surface area, contrary to predictions. However, organic sponges lost more mass, but supported similar abundances of organisms than polypropylene sponges. These results suggest that cellulose sponges are primarily used as nutrition as their effect should be additive if used as structure as well. This project offers important insights into the complexities that habitat diversity has on decomposer systems

An Evaluation of Findings from a SBIRT Training Program in Counselor Education

The effective implementation of empirically supported interventions is critical for the mitigation of problematic substance use. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) has been identified as an efficacious approach for initial response to individuals who have, or are at risk of developing, a substance use disorder. For SBIRT to be delivered appropriately, helping professionals must be adequately trained in its implementation. As a part of a three-year grant project, counselor educators at a large Midwestern university provided intensive training on SBIRT to students in a counselor education program. The outcomes of this training, specifically related to satisfaction, opinion, knowledge, and perceived competence, are presented in this article

Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Training with Counselor Education Students

Counselors should be proficient in screening for problematic substance use and also demonstrate the ability to provide a brief intervention, when appropriate. As part of a three-year grant project, counselor educators at one institution provided intensive training on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) to clinical mental health counseling students. This SBIRT protocol is designed to promote early detection and effective intervention for clients at risk of developing a substance use disorder. The purpose of this article is to present an in-depth narrative related to the process, content, and pedagogical methods of the training. The authors also address the lessons learned throughout the experience and provide recommendations to core faculty that may plan on incorporating SBIRT into curriculum

Moran Eigenvector Filtering of Multi-year Yield Data with Application to Zone Development

A time‐series of yield monitor data may be used to identify field areas of consistently low or high yield to serve as productivity zones for site‐specific crop management. However, transient factors that affect yield in 1 yr, but not every year, detract from this approach. The objective of this study was to illustrate Moran eigenvector spatial filtering (MESF) with results from analysis of multi‐year crop yield data from two farm fields in the United States. The MESF method accounts for temporal autocorrelation within a common factor map representing the correlation across years and partitions stochastic geographic variation into spatially structured and unstructured components. Crop rotation data were utilized from a dryland field in east‐central South Dakota and an irrigated field in southwestern Georgia. A random effects (RE) model was estimated that utilized eigenfunctions of a geographic connectivity matrix to account for spatially structured random effects (SSRE) and unstructured random effects (SURE) in standardized z scores of multi‐year crop yield. The MESF method was evaluated with conventional averaging of unfiltered yield data as a reference for comparison. In South Dakota, the SSRE accounted for 26% of the yield variance shared across years. Distinct patterns appeared to be related to changes in soil type and landscape position. The Georgia field yielded similar results. The MESF is effective for revealing structured variation in a time series of yield monitor data and may be useful for defining productivity zones within fields