Optical illusion? The growth and development of the Optics Valley of China

The ‘cultivated’ nature of the Chinese science parks, against the background of a transitional economy, differentiates them from spontaneous and cooperative Western models, and is a phenomenon deserving close examination. We study the dynamics and features of the so-called Optics Valley of China (OVC) in Hubei, aiming to explore the characteristics of an embryonic local innovation system constructed in a less-favoured region. The results show that institutional factors are the leading forces in a cultivated science park like the OVC. However, along with the shifting focus of the local government, the OVC’s industrial scale has remained small and its industrial chain has remained incomplete. Moreover, the lack of trust and interactions between various components in this innovation system has been highly noticeable. All these features may be seen as warnings to the OVC that a revision of this innovation system is needed in order to avoid the fate of becoming an ‘optical illusion’

Self-Selection vs. Writing Prompts: A Study to Examine the Effects Topics Have on Elementary Students\u27 Writing

The purposes of this study were: 1) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who were given a writing prompt, 2) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who self-selected their own writing topic, and 3) to determine if there were any differences in the quality of writing between the two groups. The researcher was the instructor for all the students who participated in the study. Included in the study were first, second, and third grade students who were present on the day the researcher visited. Approximately half of the students wrote on a given prompt, while the remaining students wrote on a self-selected topic. Prior to writing, students and teachers were asked to complete a brief survey about writing. The writing samples were rated on four different criteria: paper\u27s focus, grammar, sentence structure, and capitalization and punctuation. Three raters individually rated each piece of writing and the results were compiled. Raters received instruction from the researcher prior to reading the samples. The following conclusions were based on the findings of the study: 1. There is a difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of the paper\u27s focus, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 2. There is no significant difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of grammar, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 3. There is no significant difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of sentence structure, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 4. There is a difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of capitalization and punctuation, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic

Relationships of Self-Direction and Attitude toward Continuing Education in Community College Allied Health Programs

Continuing education is a vital component in health care because professionals operate in a complex discipline that is continuously evolving. Ongoing social, technological, and medical changes present many trials and challenges to professionals in health care (Cadorin, Suter, Dante, Williamson, Devetti, & Palese, 2012). Additionally, health care professionals who acknowledge continuing education as a lifelong exercise are well suited to remain well-informed of innovative developments (Cadorin et al., 2012; Evans, Gallatin, Taylor, & Brodnik, 2008; El-Gilany & Abusaad, 2013; Levett-Jones, 2005). In health care, self-directed learning can contribute to increased confidence, independence, inspiration, and growth of skills (O’Shea, 2003; Yuan et al., 2012). Individuals with the capability to be highly self-directed can utilize this to discern any level of personal weakness then work to rectify the deficiency (Avdal, 2013; Yuan et al., 2012).The study’s purpose was to explore relationships among self-directed learning and attitude toward continuing education among students participating in community college Allied Health programs. For this study, 113 students in Allied Health degree programs at a southeastern community college participated. Respondents completed Stockdale’s (2003) Personal Responsibility Orientation-Self Directed Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS), Blunt and Yang’s (2002) Revised Attitude toward Continuing Education Scale (RAACES), as well as answered two demographic questions (age and class rank).The results revealed that level of self-direction has a significant relationship between several factors and items related to attitude toward continuing education. One of the strongest findings was that participants with high levels of self-direction viewed adult education as a way to make better use of their lives. The information resulting from this study will enhance the current literature and allow for better understanding of self-directed learning principles and their relationship with attitude toward continuing education. Applying this information in Allied Health programs may have a substantial effect on how faculty facilitates self-directed learning principles in their area of study (El-Gilnay & Abusaad, 2013). Future recommendations for research comprise of a duplication of the study using a more diverse and increased sample size across multiple community colleges and conducting other studies that would examine introducing self-directed learning principles into Allied Health programs

Self-Selection vs. Writing Prompts: A Study to Examine the Effects Topics Have on Elementary Students\u27 Writing

The purposes of this study were: 1) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who were given a writing prompt, 2) to evaluate the quality of writing in first, second, and third graders who self-selected their own writing topic, and 3) to determine if there were any differences in the quality of writing between the two groups. The researcher was the instructor for all the students who participated in the study. Included in the study were first, second, and third grade students who were present on the day the researcher visited. Approximately half of the students wrote on a given prompt, while the remaining students wrote on a self-selected topic. Prior to writing, students and teachers were asked to complete a brief survey about writing. The writing samples were rated on four different criteria: paper\u27s focus, grammar, sentence structure, and capitalization and punctuation. Three raters individually rated each piece of writing and the results were compiled. Raters received instruction from the researcher prior to reading the samples. The following conclusions were based on the findings of the study: 1. There is a difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of the paper\u27s focus, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 2. There is no significant difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of grammar, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 3. There is no significant difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of sentence structure, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic. 4. There is a difference in the quality of writing samples, in the area of capitalization and punctuation, between giving a student a writing prompt and allowing a student to self-select a topic

The cancer good news project

Abstract presented at the International Social Marketing Conference 2014, 17-18 July 2014, Melbourne, Australi

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Self-Esteem, and Identity Among College Students

The purpose of this study was to explore if Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is related to identity in undergraduate adults, as well as their self-esteem. Also investigated was whether prior diagnosis (including early detection versus later-in-life detection) would be related to higher self-esteem and healthier identity formation. College students in large metropolitan southeastern universities enrolled in psychology classes (N = 368) took an anonymous online self-report survey battery in exchange for course credit. The screening tool for ADHD identified close to 50% of the sample as possibly having ADHD, which is much higher than any previous study has reported. Possible reasons for and implications of this surprising finding are also discussed. Those that met the screening criteria for ADHD had significantly higher levels of identity distress and unproductive ruminative identity exploration. They also had higher levels of identity exploration in depth and lower levels of identification with identity commitments. Those with previous diagnosis of ADHD reported lower levels of self-esteem than those who met the screening criteria used in this study, but had never been diagnosed, suggesting that the diagnostic label itself might be contributing to the lower levels of self-esteem

A Qualitative Phenomenological Exploration of Teachers’ Experience with Nutrition Education

Background: Nutrition education delivered by classroom teachers has become a popular intervention designed to combat childhood obesity. However, few qualitative studies have explored nutrition education with teachers. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how elementary teachers describe their experience with nutrition education. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used. Semistructured interviews, observations, and document analysis were conducted with 10 teachers who delivered nutrition education in their classrooms. Inductive coding was used to determine invariant constituents, reduce constituents to categories, and cluster categories into themes. Reliability and validity were accomplished through intercoder agreement, audio recording, triangulation, bracketing, and member checking. Results: Results identified 5 core themes related to roles teachers play in nutrition education, the importance placed upon nutrition, motivation for supplementary activities, barriers, and a triadic relationship between students, teachers, and curriculum. Discussion: Findings reveal interactions within the nutrition education experience in which teachers balance barriers with their value of nutrition education and motivation to help students make healthy choices. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health educators should work with classroom teachers at the program design, implementation, and evaluation stages of curriculum development to better address needs and facilitate the delivery of high-quality nutrition education for students