Professional Development Needs for General Education Teachers to Educate Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study was to identify areas in which educational leadership could aid in preparing general education teachers to educate children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A needs assessment was conducted through a case study in a rural Missouri school district to identify the level of efficacy noted by teachers of various experience levels. Pre-service preparation and provided professional development were examined to identify ways in which educational leaders could further the knowledge base and effectiveness of general education teachers to teach students with ASD

Teacher Needs for Educating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the General Education Classroom

The purpose of this study was to gather information on experiences of general education teachers concerning inclusion practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In this case study third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in a rural Southwest Missouri school district provided the data source to keep a narrowed focus on the needs of education teachers for inclusion. The sample accounted for 16 elementary education teachers. Surveys were sent to all third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in the district. Perceptions of general education teachers on proper inclusion training were identified as necessary for the study; comprehensive sampling was utilized as all third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers had the opportunity to participate. The surveyed group of teachers had the opportunity to participate in focus groups with their same grade level peers to further elaborate on their experiences. The focus group questions were open-ended and conducted by the researcher. The study found the participants had minimal experience in preservice preparation with minor background knowledge on ASD. Limited knowledge of teaching strategies and experiences in collaboration were also noted. Finally, teacher efficacy was measured through the perceptions of preparedness, confidence, and effectiveness in educating children with ASD. Participants felt low efficacy levels in these areas. An eagerness to increase training for educating children with ASD was widespread

Teacher Needs for Educating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the General Education Classroom

The purpose of this study was to gather information on experiences of general education teachers concerning inclusion practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In this case study third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in a rural Southwest Missouri school district provided the data source to keep a narrowed focus on the needs of education teachers for inclusion. The sample accounted for 16 elementary education teachers. Surveys were sent to all third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in the district. Perceptions of general education teachers on proper inclusion training were identified as necessary for the study; comprehensive sampling was utilized as all third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers had the opportunity to participate. The surveyed group of teachers had the opportunity to participate in focus groups with their same grade level peers to further elaborate on their experiences. The focus group questions were open-ended and conducted by the researcher. The study found the participants had minimal experience in preservice preparation with minor background knowledge on ASD. Limited knowledge of teaching strategies and experiences in collaboration were also noted. Finally, teacher efficacy was measured through the perceptions of preparedness, confidence, and effectiveness in educating children with ASD. Participants felt low efficacy levels in these areas. An eagerness to increase training for educating children with ASD was widespread

Business and Corporation Engagement With Higher Education: Models, Theories and Best Practices

Co-authored by Cynthia MacGregor, MSU faculty member. This book further explores the behavior aspects of corporate-higher education inter-organizational relationships by culminating various theories and models addressing the space where U.S. corporations and American higher education intersect. Examples are provided regarding the attraction, motivations, and maintenance needed for higher education to create win-win relationships with businesses. This work offers a new approach to the corporate citizenship literature by providing a broad, holistic review of frameworks to understand the range of motives and expectations of corporate engagement in the American society as evidenced by inter-organizational relationships with higher education. By providing an insight to better design and to manage inter-organizational relationships, this book will prove invaluable to both higher education practitioners and corporations alike.https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/books/1003/thumbnail.jp

Partnering for Business Value: The Shared Management of the IS Infrastructure

It would he expensive indeed if every new information system required the selection and implementation ofall the hardware, software, middleware and data the system required, from the ground up, as well as the selection and hiring of all the skilled individuals who would implement these components. Instead, with some advance planning, the equipmenl, software, data and skilled individuals already in place can often be used as a basis for subsequent applications, reducing their costs considerably

Modulatory effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism on prefrontal regions in major depressive disorder

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism contributes to the development of depression (major depressive disorder, MDD), but it is unclear whether neural effects observed in healthy individuals are sustained in MDD. Aims To investigate BDNF Val66Met effects on key regions in MDD neurocircuitry: amygdala, anterior cingulate, middle frontal and orbitofrontal regions. Method Magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired in 79 persons with MDD (mean age 49 years) and 74 healthy volunteers (mean age 50 years). Effects on surface area and cortical thickness were examined with multiple comparison correction. Results People who were Met allele carriers showed reduced caudal middle frontal thickness in both study groups. Significant interaction effects were found in the anterior cingulate and rostral middle frontal regions, in which participants in the MDD group who were Met carriers showed the greatest reduction in surface area. Conclusions Modulatory effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on distinct subregions in the prefrontal cortex in MDD support the neurotrophin model of depression