Sustainable strategies for green hotel design

Many of today’s commercial industries are realizing the negative impact they have on the environment and taking steps to become more sustainable in hopes of lessening that impact. The hotel industry is one of those industries. Hotel owners and guests are expressing their concern for the environment, and both are playing a role in making the hotel industry more sustainable. With the help of government organizations, better technology, and green education, the idea of environmentally friendly hotels is not just an idea; it is becoming the norm

Socioeconomic Status and Cognitive Outcomes: Mediating Role of the Home Environment

Low socioeconomic status (SES) in early childhood is associated with increased risk for deficits in cognitive development. Early home environment quality has been shown to mediate between SES and cognition in toddlers from low-income families. This study explored the mediation of home environment quality between SES and cognition in socioeconomically diverse toddlers. 26 families completed a HOME interview (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment). Child cognitive ability was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. The Monte Carlo method for testing indirect effects was used to test for mediation of HOME standardized total scores between SES and developmental measures. Data demonstrated a significant mediation of home environment quality between family SES and toddlers cognition. This study replicated past findings of significant mediation of home environment quality between SES and cognition. Findings uniquely extend previous evidence of this relationship in socioeconomically diverse and typically developing toddlers ages 18-40 months

Effects of residential learning communities, on -campus housing, and gender on students\u27 perception of their living environment

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in the perception of residential living experiences between students living in residential learning communities and those living in traditional residence halls. These two groups were further disaggregated based on their living environment location, on- or off-campus, and their gender. The quality of experience was based on students\u27 perception of their living environment assessed using the Student Residence Environment Scales.;The participants in this study were undergraduate students at a large southeastern public Research I institution enrolled as full-time status students. The on-line survey solicited 600 usable responses (35% usable response rate). of that total, 225 students lived in university owned and operated on-campus residence halls and 375 lived in the privately-owned off-campus residence halls.;Results of this study show that differences do exist between students living in residential learning communities and those living in traditional residence hall environments; however those differences are contingent upon the location of students\u27 residence hall and gender. Location of residence hall and gender impact students\u27 perceptions of their living environment in an interactive relationship with the type of residence hall.;Recommendations for further research included: a replication of this study on multiple campuses to obtain a norm for responses; qualitative data gathering for greater understanding of students experiences; and exploration of the differences between university-owned residence halls and privately-owned residence halls. Recommendations for practitioners included: annual assessment of residential learning communities; and conduct multivariate analysis for a greater understanding of the multiple variables impacting students\u27 perception

Proclaiming Jubilee: Preaching that Sets Women Free

In Luke 4, Jesus outlines his mission: to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and free the oppressed. Yet the marginalization and oppression of women have been structurally normalized throughout history, both in secular society as well as Christian culture. Through historical, cultural, biblical, exegetical, hermeneutical, and homiletical analysis, this study posits that a jubilee homiletic is a crucial part of embodying liberation from textual interpretations that have prioritized those who are privileged, so that women may reclaim scripture as a source of freedom

The Practitioner\u27s Corner: An exploration of municipal active living charter development and advocacy

Background: Numerous municipal active living-­‐related charters have been adopted to promote physical activity in Canada throughout the past decade. Despite this trend, there are few published critical examinations of the process through which charters are developed and used. Purpose: Thus, the purpose of this study was to establish greater understanding of active living charter development and advocacy. Methods: Semi-­‐structured interviews were conducted with eight primary contributors to different active living-­‐related charters across Ontario, Canada. Interview questions explored participants’ experiences developing and advocating for an active living charter. Interviews were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Results and Conclusions: Participants consistently described a process whereby an impetus triggered the development of a charter, which was subsequently adopted by regional or municipal council. Continued advocacy to develop awareness of the charter and to promote desired outcomes in the community was valued and the capacity of the working group as well as the local political context played pivotal roles in determining how the charter was implemented. Outcomes were, however, only objectively evaluated in one case that was described – evaluation being a process that many participants thought was omitted in regard to their own charter. This work provides practical guidance for health professionals developing regional active living charters as a component of broader advocacy efforts

Postmodern Influence in Family Therapy Research: Reflections of Graduate Students

Postmodernism has influenced family therapy in significant ways, from clinical work to family therapy research. Little has been written, however, on how to conduct postmodern research in a manner reflecting marriage and family therapy inquiries. The present study seeks to investigate doctoral students understanding of postmodern family therapy research. Using collaborative language theory and collaborative inquiry, students participated in a dialogue to answer several questions: a) what is postmodernism, b) what is postmodern research, c) what does postmodern research look like, and d) what does this mean for the field of marriage and family therapy. Students indicated that postmodern research is characterized by its flexibility in methods, translates into a new way of conducting research, and creates a natural bridge between family therapy researchers and clinicians

Comparing Ecological Sensitivity with Stream Flow Rates in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin

Environmental Economics and Policy, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Sustaining Engineering Education Research: Sharing Qualitative Research Data For Secondary Analysis

The need for secondary data analysis practices emerges from multiple sources. Qualitative researchers often have rich data sets that far exceed the time available for data analysis, and many of us wish that someone could spend more time with the data. We also recognize that local data sets would benefit from further analysis that linked our data with related data collected in different contexts. Many also grapple with increasing data sharing requirements from funding agencies that raise concerns about participant confidentiality and data integrity. This workshop provides a chance to explore potential responses to these concerns through a robust dialogue around secondary data analysis practices and pitfalls