Fresh start: a group-based intervention to promote physical activity among college freshman

Master of ScienceDepartment of KinesiologyEmily MaileyPhysical activity levels tend to decline as students transition from high school to college, and freshmen college women may be particularly susceptible to physical activity barriers. It is possible that providing physical activity resources and support via text messages could assist freshmen women in increasing their physical activity levels. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mobile group-based intervention for freshmen female college students on physical activity and sedentary behavior. In addition, we examined intervention effects on social support, enjoyment, and stress in this population. Freshmen females (n=30) were recruited to participate in a 9-week intervention that involved wearing a physical activity monitor for three individual weeks (week 0, week 5, and week 9) and receiving tailored weekly messages via GroupMe. Participants were randomly assigned to groups of 6-7 participants, and each group was moderated by one research assistant. GroupMe discussions were specifically formatted to provide physical activity social support, promote physical activity enjoyment, enhance knowledge about benefits of physical activity, suggest ways to decrease sedentary behavior, and increase awareness of various physical activity resources on campus, such as the recreational center. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Additionally, follow-up focus group sessions were conducted during the fall semester of the participants’ sophomore year to gain further feedback about the intervention. We hypothesized that students would demonstrate increases in physical activity, enjoyment, and social support, and decreases in sedentary behavior and stress after participating in the intervention. Results revealed no significant changes in physical activity or sedentary behavior based on objective data from the activPALs. A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test of self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) indicated increases in self-reported sitting time from baseline to post-intervention (Z=-2.654, p<0.008). There were no significant changes in enjoyment, social support, or stress from baseline to post-intervention. A total of 10 participants attended a follow-up focus group session. Key recommendations included incorporating more face to face interaction, a change of topics within the messages to focus on more nutrition and exercise and or guided exercises, and running the intervention during the fall semester rather than the spring. Aspects of the program that participants liked the best included the feedback of activity provided by the activPAL, the idea of using GroupMe for the program, and the length of the program. Overall, results did not align with our hypotheses, but the intervention results and feedback from participants will help with intervention refinement. Future studies should continue to seek creative ways to promote physical activity in this population, with an overall purpose of sustaining physical activity habits beyond the intervention

Fresh Start: A Program to Promote Physical Activity Among College Freshmen

Fresh Start: A Program to Promote Physical Activity Among College Freshmen Mia Taylor, Emily Mailey, Eryn Coates, Jerica Garcia, Hailey Hunter, Courtney Moore Department of Kinesiology College of Human Ecology Physical activity levels tend to decline as students transition from high school to college, and freshmen college women have been a population of interest. It is possible providing unique physical activity information via text messages could support freshmen women in increasing their physical activity levels. Freshmen females (n=30) were recruited to participate in a 9-week program that involved wearing an ActivPal for 3 individual weeks (beginning, middle, and end) and receiving tailored weekly messages via GroupMe. GroupMe discussions were specifically formatted to promote group social support, encouragement of physical activity, and for enhancement of knowledge about physical activity. Each GroupMe consisted of 7-8 participants and was run by one research assistant. Baseline data from the ActivPal revealed participants averaged 8945 steps per day and 185 minutes of standing per day. However, participants spent over 12 hours per day sitting. These data were sent to the participants for a visual representation of their physical activity and for encouragement throughout the program. We expect with the implementation of this program participants will increase self-awareness of their physical activity and use the sources provided to develop more ways to enhance their physical activity. Within these groups, we will reshape their understanding of healthy behaviors, encourage different forms of physical activity into their everyday life, and promote the use of social support for encouragement of a healthier lifestyle

Investigating Possible Synergies in Intermodal Operations With Truck and Rail

As the trucking industry continues to examine ways to provide better service at lower cost, many companies are more heavily utilizing intermodal (IM) strategies between truck and rail, especially for those loads that are relatively non-critical in terms of delivery time requirements and that have longer lengths of haul. As IM business grows, supporting dray infrastructure naturally develops around IM rail yards. What is unknown is whether it is best to have a dedicated set of drivers performing dray operations or if efficiency and cost savings can result when utilizing a joint driving fleet to concurrently support IM and traditionally dispatched truckload freight transportation. This paper describes a set of experiments utilizing a comprehensive discrete-event system simulation model and historical data from J.B. Hunt Transport to determine whether or not operating synergies exist when IM dray operations are integrated with local, regional, and long-haul trucking operations. Performance metrics of interest to drivers, customers, and trucking companies are utilized to ensure that the research addresses issues of importance to all constituencies. The results show that there is a trade-off between different performance variables when combining operations, but that generally speaking synergies do exist when considering the needs of professional drivers. Results are more mixed with respect to the needs of carriers and customers, but the authors reach the conclusion that the positive aspects of combining OTR and IM dispatching activities outweigh the negative. Because the evaluative simulation model itself is considered to be a major contribution, it is also described in some detail herein

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Assessing Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches to Measure Program Outcomes in Human Service Organizations

Leadership and organizational performance are interconnected, and in many cases the two go hand in hand. In nonprofit organizations, leaders are expected to guide and produce positive program outcomes that reflect the mission of the organization. One problem nonprofit leaders face, however, is how to measure program outcomes. What metrics, including impact measurement and performance measurement, of outcomes are available for nonprofit leaders to use? How does a leader know if his or her nonprofit is performing well? Are there any new frameworks or models to consider that may help with this problem? This paper addresses these questions by exploring the nonprofit literature on performance measurement specific to human service organizations. In addition, the paper creates three frameworks that can be used by nonprofit leaders to help measure their program outcomes

Training in Open Dialogue and Dialogical Practice: creatively responding as trainers and writers

This paper emerges from a series of conversations about training in Open Dialogue and dialogical practice. In our dialogue, we found ourselves moving away from seeking definitive answers about content (what to include) or process (how to include). We asked, “Why are we asking this question about training at all?” Maybe it is because many helpers and all kinds of professionals all over the world are truly asking, “How do we do, or how do we learn how to do ‘open dialogue’?.” That question starts with “How to train others in the practice?”We moved toward responding to our own questions—what are we offering as trainers and what are the trainees seeking? We sought to explore what is required for a training space that accommodates the hopes of both trainers and trainees. Words arose during our talking, and we listened to them, let them sink in, and reflected on them. Some words resonated with us as trainers; some linked with observing trainees’ experiences (including our own); some showed a glimpse of the relationship between trainer and trainees. These emergent words point to a series of learnings, aspects of the training that we as trainers have come to believe are important. The following paper expands upon these words while also including actual portions of our dialogues and vignettes from training. As such, we illustrate our ongoing learning as trainers of Open Dialogue and dialogical practice as it occurs within the unique nature of each training we provide

Hypergender Ideology and Social Norms Influence Attitudes Towards Bystander Intervention

• Bystander intervention can help prevent future cases of sexual assault that might otherwise go unreported without help to the victim and without justice against the perpetrator. • However, according to Burn (2009) and Planty (2002), a bystander witnesses a third of all sexual assaults yet only intervenes a third of the time. • Little is known about factors that may ultimately influence attitudes toward bystander intervention, but emerging evidence indicates that hypergender ideology and strong adherence to social norms may lead to a lesser likelihood of bystander intervention. • For example, hypermasculinity has been linked to approval of sexual aggression (Gold, Fultz, Burke, Prisco, & Willett, 1992; Hamburger, Hogben, McGowan, & Dawson, 1996; Mosher & Sirkin, 1984), and studies have also shown that if peers are unsupportive of intervention then a bystander is less likely to act (Banyard et al., 2014). • As such, there is reason to believe that these ideologies and norms are associated with inaction and apathy toward bystander intervention. Hypothesis: Individuals endorsing greater levels of hypergender ideology and sexually aggressive social norms will be less likely to hold positive attitudes toward bystander intervention in sexual risk scenarios

Enhancing spaceflight safety with UOS3 cubesat

Earth orbits are becoming increasingly congested. This will not only impact future space operations but also become a concern for the population on the ground; with more spacecraft being flown, more objects will re-enter the atmosphere in an uncontrolled fashion. Parts of these satellites can reach Earth surface and endanger the ground population (e.g. ROSAT or UARS satellites). A student-run project from the University of Southampton aims to build a 1U cubesat (approx. 10 by 10 by 10 cm satellite), which will gather data that will improve the accuracy of re-entry predictions. The cubesat will record and deliver its position and attitude during the orbital decay, thus providing validation data for re-entry prediction tools. This will reduce the risk to the ground population because more accurate prognoses will allow mitigation measures to be implemented in the areas at risk. The mission could also allow the risk of collision between spacecraft to be estimated more accurately thanks to improvement of the atmospheric models. This would give the decision makers more complete information to use, for instance, in collision avoidance manoeuvre plannin

Understanding Campus Environmental Sustainability: A Thematic Analysis of Interviews with Facilities Management Staff and Administrators at the University of Denver

This project sought to understand what influences sustainability choices on the University of Denver campus. Universities and colleges play a pivotal and influential role in shaping sustainable future discourse in society. As centers for innovation and research, universities continue to generate new knowledge and skills necessary to create awareness of the negative impact of human activities on the environment and pathways to mitigate these impacts. Over the past decades, there has been a growing transformation of universities from places of knowledge creation to places where created knowledge is implemented. Thus, in the field of environmental change, there is a growing movement to transition universities from passive creators of knowledge of sustainability to models of sustainability