Head Start since the War on Poverty: Taking on New Challenges to Address Persistent School Readiness Gaps

This article explores Head Start’s overall effectiveness in improving school readiness outcomes and its potential to reduce gaps in these outcomes in light of changing program goals, resource and funding capacity, and the demographic changes in the low-income child population it serves. Although not an explicit goal of the Head Start program, we assess whether and how the program can address reducing school readiness gaps between children of different racial and ethnic backgrounds and income groups. Because of changing policy priorities and targeting vulnerable groups of children with diverse needs, meeting Head Start goals within funding constraints can be challenging. Yet, as we will show in this paper, the program has successfully adapted to its changing environment, and despite the evolving nature of its goals and populations served, it has managed to demonstrate a favorable impact on children. Future research on tailored programming, program implementation and impacts on specific groups of children is needed to help Head Start further improve its ability to address persistent school readiness gaps

Storytelling and Racial Identity: How First-Generation Students of Color Navigate Their Identities at Predominately White Institutions

Utilizing the Narrative Paradigm (Fisher, 1984) and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) the present study seeks to explore and further understand the ways in which first-generation students of color navigate, and thus make meaning, of their race and class identities at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Through qualitative interviews with 14 first-generation students of color (henceforth, FGSOC), themes that emerged included: (1) being used to “it”, (2) financial differences cause a clash with belonging, and (3) cultural spaces bring welcoming feelings. Findings were consistent with previous research regarding barriers faced by first-generation students of color. The current study adds to the growing body of research on intersectionality within the Communication discipline. Theoretical and practical implications are offered. Study limitations and directions for further research are discussed

Transnational Advocacy and Labor Rights Conditionality in the International Trading Order

This dissertation examines whether the incorporation of labor rights provisions into trade agreements promotes labor rights enforcement in developing countries. It draws on the international relations literature on transnational advocacy as the starting point to ask how labors allies engage the trade mechanisms as potential tools for promoting labor rights in supranational arenas. Using original data, field observation, primary documents and interviews with key participants, I examine how transnational labor rights advocates have engaged these institutions through a research design that pairs quantitative analysis of the NAFTA labor side agreement, with qualitative examination of a number of the NAFTA cases and a set of labor violations cases in Puebla, Mexico. The empirical chapters discuss the ways that transnational labor rights advocates engage the labor rights enforcement mechanism as they attempt to secure a review of their petitions from the quasi-judicial bodies charged with investigating labor rights compliance. Transnational support has led to outcomes for labor that include firm-level redress of labor rights violations and institutional changes within Mexico. The implication for this work is that where labor clauses have had an effect on labor rights practices within states, it has been at the intersection of transnational civil society and international institutions. The research suggests that the process of engaging the petitions mechanism can persuade or coerce states into enforcing labor rights commitments, and emphasizes that transnational advocacy provides a crucial element to realizing labor rights enforcement where domestic efforts are weak

The Evolving Family Mealtime: Findings From Focus Group Interviews With Hispanic Mothers

Background: Background: Given the protective effects of shared family mealtimes and the importance of family in the Hispanic culture, this context should be explored further to determine how it can be leveraged and optimized for interventions. Objective: Objective: This study aimed to explore contextual factors associated with family mealtimes in Mexican and Puerto Rican families. Methods: Methods: Sixty-three mothers participated in 13 focus group interviews across four states. Thematic analysis was used to analyze transcripts. Results: Results: Sixty-three mothers participated in the focus group interviews. Seven overarching themes were identified through the thematic analysis. Themes reflected who was present at the mealtime, what occurs during mealtime, the presence of television, the influence of technology during mealtime, and how mealtimes have changed since the mothers were children. Conclusions: Conclusions: Hispanic mothers may be adapting family mealtimes to fit their current situations and needs, keeping the television and other devices on during mealtimes, and making additional meals for multiple family members to appease everyone\u27s tastes. All of these are areas that can be incorporated into existing culturally-tailored obesity prevention programs to help families lead healthier lives

The landscape of knowledge translation interventions in cancer control: What do we know and where to next? A review of systematic reviews

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Effective implementation strategies are needed to optimize advancements in the fields of cancer diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care. We conducted a review of systematic reviews to better understand the evidentiary base of implementation strategies in cancer control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using three databases, we conducted a search and identified English-language systematic reviews published between 2005 and 2010 that targeted consumer, professional, organizational, regulatory, or financial interventions, tested exclusively or partially in a cancer context (primary focus); generic or non-cancer-specific reviews were also considered. Data were extracted, appraised, and analyzed by members of the research team, and research ideas to advance the field were proposed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-four systematic reviews providing 41 summaries of evidence on 19 unique interventions comprised the evidence base. AMSTAR quality ratings ranged between 2 and 10. Team members rated most of the interventions as promising and in need of further research, and 64 research ideas were identified.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While many interventions show promise of effectiveness in the cancer-control context, few reviews were able to conclude definitively in favor of or against a specific intervention. We discuss the complexity of implementation research and offer suggestions to advance the science in this area.</p

Reflexiones de la práctica pre profesional realizada en el primer y tercer grado de primaria de una institución educativa pública del distrito de Pueblo Libre

El presente Informe de Suficiencia Profesional Docente tiene como objetivo evidenciar la adquisición de las 10 competencias docentes que propone la Facultad de Educación de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú según su perfil de egreso en educación primaria y, además, medir el nivel de logro alcanzado por mi persona de dichas competencias en estos 5 años de formación académica. En este sentido, este documento se caracteriza por ser el resultado de una práctica reflexiva que considera las vivencias de la formación recibida en facultad y la práctica pre profesional realizada en el primer y tercer grado de primaria en una escuela pública del distrito de Pueblo Libre. Asimismo, el documento da muestra de la movilización de dichas competencias en las reflexiones que surgen de una experiencia docente realizada específicamente en el tercer grado de primaria de dicha institución. Para concluir, solo destacar que la lectura del informe se complementa con el portafolio virtual, el cual será la herramienta que contiene las evidencias del logro de los desempeños de las competencias previamente mencionadas.The objective of this Teaching Professional Proficiency Report is to demonstrate the acquisition of the 10 teaching competences proposed by the Faculty of Education of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru according to their progress profile in primary education and, in addition, measure the level of achievement obtained by myself in differents skills in these 5 years of academic training. In this sense, this document is characterized by being the result of a reflective practice that considers the experiences of the training received in faculty and the preprofessional practice carried out in the first and third grade of primary school in a public school in the district of Pueblo Libre. Likewise, the document shows the mobilization of diverse competences in the reflections that arise from a teaching experience carried out specifically in the third grade of said institution. To conclude, just note that the reading of the report is complemented by the virtual portfolio, which will be the tool that contains the evidence of the achievement of the performance of the previously determined competencies