How Orientation Programs at West Virginia Community Colleges Affect Mid-level Administrators\u27 Perceptions of Adjunct Faculty Quality

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the relationship between the presence of orientation programs for adjunct faculty at West Virginia community and technical colleges and mid-level administrators’ perceptions of adjunct faculty quality. Using data obtained through an Internet-based questionnaire administered to 91 mid-level administrators at West Virginia community and technical colleges, the study resulted in several notable findings, many of which reinforced similar findings uncovered in the review of the literature. Most researchers agree that the results of high-quality orientation programs can be a tremendous asset to adjunct faculty, leading to an adjunct group that knows what to expect, knows how to access information, and feels affiliated with their institution

Improving the Care of Children with Diabetes in School Through Staff Education

Background: Diabetes is a growing problem in the United States. The number of school-aged children with diabetes is increasing annually. Diabetes is a disease that requires ongoing management throughout the day. Since children spend a large portion of the day at school, it is imperative that all school staff are educated about the care and management of diabetes. Results: Research has indicated that non-medical school staff lack knowledge and are not confident in the management of diabetes. There has also been research conducted on ways to improve school staff education through policies, presentations, and eLearning materials. The material presented to the school staff has been shown to improve staff knowledge and confidence in managing children with diabetes at school. Conclusion: Because the number of school-aged children with diabetes is increasing, non-medical school staff need to be aware of the complications and management of diabetes. This will ensure that diabetic students have a safe learning environment

Utilizing Medical Simulation as Exposure to Ignite Interest in the Medical Field for High School Students from Rural Appalachia

Around 20% of America’s population lives in rural communities; however, only 9% of all physicians practice within these rural areas. Consequently, there is a consistent shortage of healthcare resources for these populations.1 To help this shortage, medical institutions should reach out to their local youth because a majority of the physicians who practice medicine in rural areas experienced their childhood in similar communities.2,3 The simulated Medicine in Action camp at Quillen College of Medicine provided an opportunity for local, rural high school students to learn more about the healthcare field in the hopes of eventually playing a role in alleviating the rural healthcare deficiencies. Twenty-one high school students from rural Appalachia with an interest in the healthcare field were recruited by the Simulated Medicine in Action camp to participate in a five-day medical simulation experience developed by the Quillen College of Medicine Center for Experiential Learning. The program employed interactive simulation platforms to provide education to students about various aspects of patient centered care, including communication skills, physical exam skills, technical skills, and integrative clinical reasoning skills. Through a lecture followed by simulation format, students exercised real world medical skills to assess, diagnose, and treat their “patients” in clinical scenarios. This format challenged the students to work as a team and provided students with the opportunity to experience the role of medical professionals. The curriculum also provided students with the opportunity to listen to a panel of physicians as well as a panel of other healthcare professionals to provide exposure to the breadth of the healthcare. Participants completed two surveys using the Likert scale: an entrance survey on the first day of camp and an exit survey on the final day. The likert scoring scale is as follows: 5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, and 1=strongly disagree. Students responded to the following prompts in both of the entrance survey and the exit survey: (1) I have had enough exposure to the medical field to know that I am interested or not interested in the field; (2) If I decide that I want to be a physician, I believe that I am capable of achieving that goal; (3) If I decide I want to be a physician, I think I know enough about the educational process to pursue that career. Entrance survey had an average of 3.8, 4.5, and 3.7 respectfully. Exit survey had an average of 4.2, 4.7, 4.2 respectfully. Students also responded to the following prompts exclusively in the exit survey with the respected results: The Simulated Medicine in Action Camp improved my desire to pursue a career in healthcare (4.8); The Simulated Medicine in Action Camp improved my desire to become a physician (4.5); The Simulated Medicine in Action Camp improved my desire to pursue further education (4.7). Due to the upward trend and the high Likert scores in the exit survey, we conclude that using medical simulation experience with hands on opportunities and exposure to healthcare providers both clarifies and increases interest among high school students in regards to entering the healthcare field. We hope that this interest propels them into their careers where they may potentially serve their local rural community. References: 1Rosenblatt, R. A., & Hart, L. G. (2000). Physicians and rural America. The Western journal of medicine, 173(5), 348–351. doi:10.1136/ewjm.173.5.348 2Easterbrook, M., Godwin, M., Wilson, R., Hodgetts, G., Brown, G., Pong, R. and Najgebauer, E. (2019). Rural background and clinical rural rotations during medical training: effect on practice location. [online] CMAJ. Available at: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/160/8/1159.short [Accessed 18 Sep. 2019]. 3Feldman, Kymm, et al. The difference between medical students interested in rural family medicine versus urban family or specialty medicine. Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, vol. 13, no. 2, 2008, p. 73+. Gale Academic Onefile, Accessed 18 Sept. 2019

Hard Times Ahead: Creating Alternative Revenue Streams for Extension

Many 4-H professionals have overlooked the largest source of charitable funding in the United States--individual donors. Former members and volunteers are a likely source of donations. Many former members and volunteers fall into two main generational cohorts: Generation X and the Millennials. Understanding the characteristics of these two groups can improve your chances of turning them from prospective donors to actual donors

Resident Identified Violations of Usability Heuristic Principles in Local Electronic Health Records

Introduction. Difficulties with the electronic health record (EHR) are known to be associated with high physician burnout. Usability studies can evaluate and identify usability issues with the EHR at the end user level. This study was conducted to determine physician perspectives and usability issues of local EHR systems. Methods. Survey and focus group methodology were employed. Participants were resident physicians who were members of a resident council in the Midwest. Survey data collected included demographics and perceptions. Focus group data included participants identification of usability principle violations and potential impact to end user. Results. There were 15 survey respondents (across 11 residency programs) who reported use of three different EHR systems: Cerner®, Meditech, and Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Satisfaction was greatest with Cerner® as well as most reported level of experience. Focus group respondents reported a variety of usability violations which lead to provider confusion, increased time, alert fatigue, and potential patient safety issues. Discussion. Violations of usability principles can result in disruption of physician workflow processes and lead to increased documentation time as well as fatigue. These issues have been associated with increased provider burnout. Continuous usability assessments should be conducted at the end user level to promote the development of more effective and efficient EHR interface designs

How Knowledge, Experience, and Educational Level Influence the Use of Informal and Formal Sources of Home Canning Information

In the research study reported here, West Virginia University Extension educators surveyed the public about their current canning knowledge and practices in 2010. The results showed that educational background and canning experience were the most important factors in understanding how clients seek canning information and the degree to which they preserve foods safely. Home canners primarily use family members as first sources of canning information and consider Extension one of the less important sources of information. Improved marketing efforts are needed to increase canners\u27 understanding of the importance of formal canning sources, especially those offered by Extension programs

Promoting wellness and reducing stigma through accessible sex education: A human centered design approach

This project explores ways to promote wellness and knowledge and reduce the stigma surrounding sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) by using a mobile platform to create accessible sexual education. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young people ages 15 to 24 in the United States are disproportionately affected by STDs. Though they only comprise one-quarter of the sexually active population, teens and young adults account for one-half of all new STDs each year in the United States. Additionally, over half of adults aged 18 to 44 have never been tested for an STD other than HIV/AIDS. Gaps in STD-related knowledge, barriers to health care, and social stigma are major contributors to these discrepancies. This paper describes the research and design progression for the SexEd app, a mobile-optimized website that presents sexual health information in a way that is both comprehensive and accessible for teens and young adults. The research phase of this project presented new discoveries and problems, which generated new opportunities to create a meaningful and delightful solution for the user. Intentional design was used to craft an experience that is authentic and meaningful; each feature and aspect of the visual design within the app were shaped with the target user in mind, from the typography and the copy to the imagery and the illustration styling. Although this thesis project began as an exploration of sexual health knowledge among young people, it evolved into a digital experience that could be used to both combat STD-related stigma and expand sexual health knowledge. The goal of the SexEd app is to promote healthy sexual relationships and wellness while reducing STD-related stigma

Exploring Factors That Influence Computational Thinking Skills in Elementary Students’ Collaborative Robotics

Recently educational robotics has expanded into curriculum beyond traditional STEM fields, and which can also be used to foster computational thinking (CT) skills. Prior research has shown numerous interdisciplinary benefits related to CT, however, these influential factors have often been investigated with relatively few variables. This study investigated factors that may lead to 4th and 5th grade elementary school students’ development of computational thinking skills in collaborative robotics activities by hypothesizing a model which proposed that a problem solving inventory, intrinsic motivation, and enjoyment were the main predictors of computational thinking skills. The model was then tested by surveying students with several psychometric inventories where a revised model was then constructed. The study found significant relationships between perceived competence and enjoyment, and learning motivation, and intrinsic motivation. Another important finding was that problem solving was a significant predictor of computational thinking skills. Results were interpreted with reference to implications for possible means of improving learning outcomes when using collaborative robotics in an educational setting

Engaging Employers as Partners in Subsidized Employment Programs

The majority of studies of subsidized employment programs for public assistance recipients and low-income, unemployed individuals have focused on employment and earnings outcomes for participants. As employers are key stakeholders in a subsidized employment program, engaging them effectively is essential. This paper reports on interviews with 81 employers in four Northern California counties regarding their experiences in working with employees in a subsidized employment program. The findings focus on marketing, program structure, and suggestions for program improvement