Factors That Contribute to Persistence and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

The objective of this research was to identify specific factors that contribute to underrepresented minority (African American, Hispanic, Native American) undergraduate students‟ success in STEM disciplines at a regional university during the 2007-2010 timeframe. As more underrepresented minority (URM) students complete STEM degrees, many will possess the skills to become part of the domestic human capital needed to meet U. S. workforce demands and enhance the nation‟s STEM innovation. According to Burke and Mattis (2007), the lack of URM students in STEM education and in the workforce is one of the major contributors to STEM shortages in the United States. In this study, the investigator employed a sequential mixed method design to comprehensively examine which specific factors contributed to URM student success in STEM. Mixed methods design was necessary in order to capture the complexities of factors contributing to URM persistence and retention in STEM disciplines. Data collection and analysis was conducted to address four research objectives in two distinct sequential phases. In Phase I, quantitative analysis of archival data (taken from the regional university‟s ISIS and SAM databases) was used to explore the impact of specific factors on URM student persistence and retention. Logistic regression was used as the statistical procedure to examine objectives one and two. In Phase II, qualitative data were collected and analyzed using a nominal group technique. The researcher met with eighteen URM students (11 African American, four Hispanics, and three Native American) and posed two questions based on the quantitative findings as to why they persisted and were retained in STEM disciplines. This study was designed to help students and this institution better understand how URM students can navigate and overcome barriers to obtaining STEM degrees. According to George, Neale, Van Horne, and Malcolm (2001), tapping the reservoir of URM could help in meeting the STEM workforce demand as these minorities continue to show great increases in college enrollment. The findings for objectives one and two revealed four factors that were statistically significant contributors of URM student success in STEM disciplines. They included college GPA, academically rigorous curriculum, percent of hours completed, and percent of hours passed. The findings of objectives three and four revealed the top five rankings of URM persistence and retention factors in STEM success. The researcher employed a nominal group technique to collect and analyze this qualitative data

Senior Recital: Stephen Kirk Stroud, trombone

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents a Senior Recital: Stephen Kirk Stroud, trombone. This capstone is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Music Education.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1769/thumbnail.jp

Development and feasibility testing of an intervention to support active lifestyles in youths with Type 1 diabetes - the ActivPals programme : a study protocol

Background/objective: The global incidence of Type 1 diabetes is rising and youths with Type 1 diabetes continue to suffer poorer health than peers without diabetes. Evidence suggests youths with Type 1 diabetes have Physical Activity (PA) levels well below the recommendations for health and have high levels of sedentary behavior. An active lifestyle is therefore recommended to improve health. There is limited research showing effective lifestyle behavior change in this population, therefore an evidence gap exists between the need to promote physical activity in Type 1 diabetes care and lack of understanding on how to do this. This protocol paper describes a feasibility and pilot study of the ActivPals programme – an intervention to support active lifestyles in youths with Type 1 diabetes. Methods and design: Key intervention components have been identified from preliminary work (individual and family focus, peer mentoring, technology integration and improved communication and understanding) and are being developed into a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) supported by recruitment pathways. A steering group of health care professionals and managers will refine the intervention to patient needs. A pilot trial is providing data on intervention implementation, acceptability and feasibility. 20 youths with Type 1 diabetes are being recruited and randomised into an intervention or control group. Physical activity is being measured objectively using the Actigraph GT3X+ monitor at baseline and one month follow-up. Contextual factors associated with intervention delivery are being explored. Conclusions: This study will contribute to the development of evidence based, user informed and pragmatic interventions leading to healthier lifestyles in youths with Type 1 diabetes

What are we being told about how to teach games? a three-dimensional analysis of comparative research into different instructional studies in Physical Education and School Sports

Determining what pedagogical approach could be most effective in delivering the desired learning outcomes in teaching games has been one of the more relevant concerns for physical education teachers, coaches and researches in the last few decades. Nevertheless, until recently, the research carried out in this field has been little profuse, has met with several difficulties and has been made from different perspectives, which has complicated its analysis altogether. The present study follows three main objectives: a) to analyse the nature of the interventions used in the comparative investigation directed to teaching sports, b) to determine the effects of the levels of treatment and, c) to outline some didactic consequences. Twenty comparative studies were selected for a systematic review

Interrater reliability of directly-observed stepping and reclining in lower limb amputees in a laboratory setting

Introduction: Accurate measurement of physical behaviours in adults with lower limb absence is essential to report true patterns of physical behaviour and the effectiveness of interventions. Observation methods are often used for criterion-related validation. Establishing interrater reliability within direct observation methods is an important and necessary precursor to criterion-related validitystudies. Purpose: To assess the interrater reliability for quantifying steps and reclining time in simulated lifestyle activities in adults with unilateral lower limb absence. Methods: 15 adults completed three trials of a simulated set of lifestyle activities including kitchen work, sitting and lying and purposefulwalking. Trials were video recorded and subsequently analysed independently by three trained raters for three types of behavioural event (incidental stepping, purposeful stepping and reclining). Data were analysed using oneway intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and oneway repeated measures ANOVAand effect sizes (Cohen's d). Results: Reliability was high for the reliability of three raters (ICCs ranged from .98-1.00 for the three types of physical behaviours), and also when adjusted for a single rater (ICCsranged from .93-.99). Although there were significant (p < .05) mean differences among raters for incidental steps, total steps, and reclining time, these corresponded to small effect sizes (d = 0.08-0.29).Conclusions: Trained raters are able to consistently judge brief, incidental stepping and more prolonged stepping events as well as sitting and lying events performed by adults with unilateral lower limb absence in controlled laboratory simulations. Multiple raters are not needed in order to obtain reliable data. These data can be used to obtain a reliable record of physical behaviours for criterion-related validation of other measures such as accelerometers

Reliability and validity of the activPAL for measuring stepping and reclining in unilateral lower limb amputees

Introduction: Valid, reliable measurement of physical behaviours in adults with limb absence is essential to accurately describe physical behaviour patterns and intervention effects. Purpose: To assess parallel forms reliability and criterion-related validity of the activPAL for measuring steps and reclining time in simulated lifestyle activities in adults with unilateral lower limb absence. Methods: 15 adults completed three circuits of simulated kitchen work, sitting, lying and purposeful walking on level ground and stairs. Three trained raters independently analysed video recorded trials for incidental stepping, purposeful stepping and reclining. Simultaneous data were obtained from two activPAL monitors placed on the sound and prosthetic side. Data were analysed using oneway intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC; parallel forms reliability), and with Pearson correlations, oneway repeated ANOVAs, and Cohen's d (criterion-related validity). Results: Parallel forms reliability (prosthetic side vs. sound side) was poor for incidental steps (ICC = .05, d = 0.41) but acceptable for all other measures (ICC = .69-.98; d = 0.02-0.17). Correlations between direct observation and activPAL ranged from r = .65-.98 (activPAL on sound side) and from r = .30-.99 (activPAL on prosthetic side). Mean differences between observed measures and activPAL measures were generally large for all stepping variables (d = 0.56-4.22); observed mean scores were systematically higher than from the activPAL. Correlations were higher for reclining time (r = .98- .99), and differences were smaller (d = 0.25-0.28), although the pattern was similar (observed scores were higher). Conclusions: activPAL data from the sound side and prosthetic side are similar for adults with unilateral lower limb absence. Validity of the activPAL in this population seems poor in simulated lifestyle activities. These results may be at least partly due to the brief sampling period or the simulated activity protocol

Australian Capital Territory COVID-19 Intensive Care Triage Principles and Process: Consumer, Carer, and Community Consultation Report

Executive Summary The ACT Clinical Health Emergency Coordination Centre engaged the research team in May 2020 to conduct a review of the ethical decision-making processes for allocating critical care resources should demand exceed supply during the global COVID-19 pandemic. ES.1 Methodology The methodology for this review broadly included undertaking a scoping review of ethical decision-making frameworks in other jurisdictions; a systematic review of consumer, carer, and community engagement in ethical decision-making frameworks; and a series of consultative processes. The outcomes from each of these activities were then integrated into the ACT Ethical Decision-Making Framework which had been drafted by the Clinical Ethics Committee of Canberra Health Services earlier in the pandemic. Based on a ‘Scoping Review of Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks’ and a ‘Systematic Review of Consumer Engagement in Ethical Decision-Making Frameworks’, a consultation process was developed whereby relevant consumer, carer, and community groups from across the ACT region were given a range of opportunities to provide input into what principles should form the basis of ethical decision-making in the context of COVID-19 should demand for acute care resources exceed capacity. ES.2 Recommendations The recommendations developed through analysis of the consultations are: 1. There should be a primacy of Human Rights underpinning decision-making processes, 2. Non-discrimination should be embedded in triage, 3. Triage should be primarily based on immediate health concerns (that is, with no assumptions or value judgements about people’s health conditions), 4. Triage processes should minimise bias, and 5. Triage processes should be transparent