Defining a Service-Learning Pedagogy of Access and Success

Ask most college administrators how they define access and they would probably reply inclusive opportunity. Ask most college faculty how they would identify a benchmark of success and they would probably reply critical thinking skills. Indeed, our traditional notions of educational access and success tend to be either numerically delineated, the number of entering or graduating students or characterized as producing rationally oriented leaders and citizens

Accent on Student Success: Engaged Together for Service (ASSETS) Initiative, 2010 Report

This report is an analysis of survey data from a grant involving community college campuses who received funding from the Community College National Center for Community Engagement (CCNCCE) through a Learn and Serve America Higher Education grant as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service in an effort to expand the field of service-learning and civic engagement in diverse communities nationwide. The Accent on Student Success: Engaged Together for Service (ASSETS) grant intended to develop an intergenerational approach of service through projects that incorporated baby boomers, K-12, and community college students; promoted academic and civic engagement opportunities for disadvantaged youth by engaging middle and high school students in service-learning projects in their communities; supported previous LSAHE grantee work on service-learning homeland security projects; and facilitated professional development to all sub-grantee colleges, especially those initiating service-learning courses and programs. Survey data indicate overwhelming project success with nine out of ten college students reporting improved attitudes for academic learning and increased likelihood of involving themselves in community service in the future. In particular, the service-learning experience significantly increased students of color plans for completing their college degree. Nearly 90% of American Indian, Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino students agreed that after participating in service-learning, they are now more likely to complete a college degree

Leadership Reconsidered: Engaging Higher Education in Social Change

Colleges and universities can provide effective environments for the development of future leaders. This book addresses the application of transformative leadership to higher education, identifies resources to use in the process, and..

Osteo-cise: Strong Bones for Life: protocol for a community-based randomised controlled trial of a multi-modal exercise and osteoporosis education program for older adults at risk of falls and fractures

Background : Osteoporosis affects over 220 million people worldwide, and currently there is no \u27cure\u27 for the disease. Thus, there is a need to develop evidence-based, safe and acceptable prevention strategies at the population level that target multiple risk factors for fragility fractures to reduce the health and economic burden of the condition. Methods : The \u27Osteo-cise: Strong Bones for Life\u27 study will investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a multi-component targeted exercise, osteoporosis education/awareness and behavioural change program for improving bone health and muscle function, and reducing falls risk in community-dwelling older adults at an increased risk of fracture. Men and women aged 60 years or above will participate in an 18-month randomised controlled trial comprising a 12-month structured and supervised community-based program and a 6-month \u27research to practise\u27 translational phase. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the \u27Osteo-cise\u27 intervention or a self-management control group. The intervention will comprise a multi-modal exercise program incorporating high velocity progressive resistance training, moderate impact weight-bearing exercise and high challenging balance exercises performed three times weekly at local community-based fitness centres. A behavioural change program will be used to enhance exercise adoption and adherence to the program. Community-based osteoporosis education seminars will be conducted to improve participant knowledge and understanding of the risk factors and preventative measures for osteoporosis, falls and fractures. The primary outcomes measures, to be collected at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months, will include DXA-derived hip and spine bone mineral density measurements and functional muscle power (timed stair-climb test). Secondary outcomes measures include: MRI-assessed distal femur and proximal tibia trabecular bone micro-architecture, lower limb and back maximal muscle strength, balance and function (four square step test, functional reach test, timed up-and-go test and 30-second sit-to-stand), falls incidence and health-related quality of life. Cost-effectiveness will also be assessed. Discussion : The findings from the Osteo-cise: Strong Bones for Life study will provide new information on the efficacy of a targeted multi-modal community-based exercise program incorporating high velocity resistance training, together with an osteoporosis education and behavioural change program for improving multiple risk factors for falls and fracture in older adults at risk of fragility fracture.<br /

Integrating an internet-mediated walking program into family medicine clinical practice: a pilot feasibility study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Regular participation in physical activity can prevent many chronic health conditions. Computerized self-management programs are effective clinical tools to support patient participation in physical activity. This pilot study sought to develop and evaluate an online interface for primary care providers to refer patients to an Internet-mediated walking program called Stepping Up to Health (SUH) and to monitor participant progress in the program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In Phase I of the study, we recruited six pairs of physicians and medical assistants from two family practice clinics to assist with the design of a clinical interface. During Phase II, providers used the developed interface to refer patients to a six-week pilot intervention. Provider perspectives were assessed regarding the feasibility of integrating the program into routine care. Assessment tools included quantitative and qualitative data gathered from semi-structured interviews, surveys, and online usage logs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In Phase I, 13 providers used SUH and participated in two interviews. Providers emphasized the need for alerts flagging patients who were not doing well and the ability to review participant progress. Additionally, providers asked for summary views of data across all enrolled clinic patients as well as advertising materials for intervention recruitment. In response to this input, an interface was developed containing three pages: 1) a recruitment page, 2) a summary page, and 3) a detailed patient page. In Phase II, providers used the interface to refer 139 patients to SUH and 37 (27%) enrolled in the intervention. Providers rarely used the interface to monitor enrolled patients. Barriers to regular use of the intervention included lack of integration with the medical record system, competing priorities, patient disinterest, and physician unease with exercise referrals. Intention-to-treat analyses showed that patients increased walking by an average of 1493 steps/day from pre- to post-intervention (<it>t </it>= (36) = 4.13, <it>p </it>< 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Providers successfully referred patients using the SUH provider interface, but were less willing to monitor patient compliance in the program. Patients who completed the program significantly increased their step counts. Future research is needed to test the effectiveness of integrating SUH with clinical information systems over a longer evaluation period.</p

Worldwide trends in population-based survival for children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with leukaemia, by subtype, during 2000–14 (CONCORD-3) : analysis of individual data from 258 cancer registries in 61 countries

Background Leukaemias comprise a heterogenous group of haematological malignancies. In CONCORD-3, we analysed data for children (aged 0–14 years) and adults (aged 15–99 years) diagnosed with a haematological malignancy during 2000–14 in 61 countries. Here, we aimed to examine worldwide trends in survival from leukaemia, by age and morphology, in young patients (aged 0–24 years). Methods We analysed data from 258 population-based cancer registries in 61 countries participating in CONCORD-3 that submitted data on patients diagnosed with leukaemia. We grouped patients by age as children (0–14 years), adolescents (15–19 years), and young adults (20–24 years). We categorised leukaemia subtypes according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3), updated with International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, third edition (ICD-O-3) codes. We estimated 5-year net survival by age and morphology, with 95% CIs, using the non-parametric Pohar-Perme estimator. To control for background mortality, we used life tables by country or region, single year of age, single calendar year and sex, and, where possible, by race or ethnicity. All-age survival estimates were standardised to the marginal distribution of young people with leukaemia included in the analysis. Findings 164563 young people were included in this analysis: 121328 (73·7%) children, 22963 (14·0%) adolescents, and 20272 (12·3%) young adults. In 2010–14, the most common subtypes were lymphoid leukaemia (28205 [68·2%] patients) and acute myeloid leukaemia (7863 [19·0%] patients). Age-standardised 5-year net survival in children, adolescents, and young adults for all leukaemias combined during 2010–14 varied widely, ranging from 46% in Mexico to more than 85% in Canada, Cyprus, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Australia. Individuals with lymphoid leukaemia had better age-standardised survival (from 43% in Ecuador to ≥80% in parts of Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia) than those with acute myeloid leukaemia (from 32% in Peru to ≥70% in most high-income countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania). Throughout 2000–14, survival from all leukaemias combined remained consistently higher for children than adolescents and young adults, and minimal improvement was seen for adolescents and young adults in most countries. Interpretation This study offers the first worldwide picture of population-based survival from leukaemia in children, adolescents, and young adults. Adolescents and young adults diagnosed with leukaemia continue to have lower survival than children. Trends in survival from leukaemia for adolescents and young adults are important indicators of the quality of cancer management in this age group.peer-reviewe

Accent on Student Success: Engaged Together for Service (ASSETS) Initiative, Three Year Report

This report is the culmination of three years of data (of a three year grant project, 2006-2009) involving community college campuses who received funding from the Community College National Center for Community Engagement (CCNCCE) through a Learn and Serve America Higher Education grant as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service in an effort to expand the field of service-learning and civic engagement in diverse communities nationwide. The CCNCCE Accent on Student Success: Engaged Together for Service (ASSETS) grant intended to develop an intergenerational approach of service through projects that incorporated baby boomers, K-12, and community college students; promoted academic and civic engagement opportunities for disadvantaged youth by engaging middle and high school students in service-learning projects in their communities; supported previous LSAHE grantee work on service-learning homeland security projects; and facilitated professional development to all sub-grantee colleges especially those initiating service-learning courses and programs. Outcomes from student and community partner survey data are highlighted below. This report also includes college student survey data from four California campuses who received funding from California Campus Compact (CACC) through a similar Learn and Serve America Higher Education grant as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service in an effort to increase college readiness among youth from disadvantaged communities (Youth-to-College grant initiative, Y2C). The four lead institutions served as regional hubs for service-learning projects while collaborating with other colleges and community partners

Community College National Center for Community Engagement Accent on Student Success: Engaged Together for Service (ASSETS) Initiative Report

This report is the first year of data findings (of a three year grant project) involving nine of the ten community colleges (one college did not submit data) who received funding from the Community College National Center for Community Engagement through a Learn and Serve America Higher Education grant as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service in an effort to expand the field of service-learning and civic engagement in diverse communities nationwide. The grant is intended to address two dimensions of this effort: 1) training and technical assistance; and 2) facilitation of sub-grantee projects in meeting community needs. This report focuses on data gathered as part of the second dimension in 4 pre-identified categories of college-community projects: a) Baby Boomers; b) Disadvantaged Youth; c) Homeland Security/Domestic Preparedness; and d) Start-up Service-Learning

A Community of Scholars Educating for Political Engagement

California Campus Compact (CACC) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching first conceived the Service Learning for Political Engagement Faculty Fellows Program in the autumn of 2006. The idea was to bring together a diverse group of faculty, eventually 23, from across California representing disciplines from engineering and English to agriculture and Asian American studies, from small and large colleges, as well as public, private, and faith-based institutions. These faculty, starting in the summer of 2007, would participate in a two-year effort to define political engagement, explore what their definitions meant for planning service learning projects, and assess their students’ learning with an eye towards implications for refining instruction geared towards greater political engagement