Language tutors at the OUUK – their (e)-competencies in Open and Distance Learning

The OUUK has been teaching distance courses in languages for more than ten years. Students learn by means of specially-designed course materials, increasingly web-based resources and through direct interaction with tutors, who provide personalised feedback on the students’ assignments as well as offering tutorials for communicative practice. The role of OUUK tutors embraces, however, more than just teaching and giving feedback. They play a central role in supporting students in every aspect of their learning, forming the interface between the institution and the learner. The importance of the tutor role in ODL in general has been the subject of some informative research, but much less has been written about the skills needed by tutors of languages at a distance. This international research project has been set up to address this shortfall, and to gather evidence and insights into this particular role. The project aims to investigate the skills, attributes and (e-)competencies required by language tutors of whom a substantial number deliver the tuition online. Initially, a selected group of OUUK language tutors generated what they perceived to be the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to carry out this complex and demanding role which included the requisite skills for online tuition delivery. In the next stage the outcomes they had produced were refined and regrouped by the researchers. In the third stage a wider sample of tutors commented and added to the listings. This paper will report on the findings so far and summarise the next stages which are planned

Childhood Obesity: The Role of Health Policy

This first policy report from the CPRC and the NICHQ Childhood Obesity Action Network was released on March 18, 2008 in Miami Florida as part of the Second Childhood Obesity Congress

Motivational Signs, Artwork, and Stair Use in a University Building

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two interventions, motivational signs and artwork, on stair use in a campus building. Methods: A longitudinal intervention study with no control group was designed to evaluate the effects of motivational signs and art murals on stair use in a six-story building. Sensors were installed in stairwells to monitor stair use. After a three week baseline period, two intervention periods (motivational signs and art murals, both three weeks in length) were utilized to encourage stair use. Weekly values for stair trips/day were calculated and expressed relative to estimated campus student enrollment and faculty and staff with offices in the building (means+SEM). Values were compared using ANOVA and post-hoc tests (p<0.05). Results: Stair use significantly increased relative to baseline after motivational signs were posted (0.08+0.01 vs. 0.11+0.01 stair trips/day/students, faculty and staff (SFS), p<0.05). Stair use had decreased to levels similar to baseline after creation of art murals (0.07+0.00 stair trips/day/SFS). Conclusions: These results suggest that motivational signs may be an inexpensive and effective way to increase stair use and daily physical activity, while artwork may not affect stair use. Additional studies are needed to determine the most effective intervention to increase stair use in different populations

RIVPACS database documentation. Final report

With the advent of the EU Water Framework Directive the concept of the 'reference condition' has become explicit within the legislative framework of the European Union. Reference condition has been established as a quality standard against which assessments of biological degradation must be compared. It is therefore essential that Member States can demonstrate that the biological datasets used to define their reference conditions meet the criteria of the WFD. The RIVPACS reference site dataset is therefore central to the definition of reference conditions for macroinvertebrates in streams and rivers in the United Kingdom. Objectives of research: • To establish the ownership of the RIVPACS reference site dataset • To liaise with all stakeholders of the dataset to establish unhindered access to the RIVPACS reference site dataset for the UK agencies (in perpetuity) • To deliver the RIVPACS reference site dataset to the UK agencies and to the public domain in a readily accessible database together will its accompanying physicochemical variables (both existing and newly collated as part of this project), historical and current anthropogenic stress data, and a range of calculated biotic indices. Key findings and recommendations: Ownership of the RIVPACS dataset resides with no single organization and several different organizations consider that they own different portions of the dataset. Formal permissions to release the dataset into the public domain have been obtained from all twelve extant organizations that have been identified as having funded various phases of RIVPACS research. In addition, CEH/NERC has also agreed to release the RIVPACS dataset to the public domain. Terms and conditions relating to the end use of the RIVPACS dataset have now been established. The RIVPACS database has been assembled in Microsoft® Access and can now be downloaded from the CEH web site. This report details the terms and conditions that apply to all end users of the database and it documents the tables given in the database, their structure and the origin of their data. A separate Pressure Data Analysis report describes the screening of the RIVPACS sites in terms of the current and emerging definitions of reference condition

The Impact of a Two-Visit Occupational Therapy Home Modification Model on Low-Income Older Adults

Background: Various studies support the benefit of occupational therapist-led home modification to support successful aging in place for older adults. However, methodological differences limit generalizability. This study aimed to determine the impact of a replicable two-visit occupational therapy home modification program on occupational performance of low-income, community-dwelling older adults. Method: The researcher used a quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design. The participants were low-income homeowners, age 55 years and older, with decreased performance and/or satisfaction in one or more ADLs and IADLs as determined by the COPM. An occupational therapist provided the participants with a home safety assessment using the Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist, along with a follow-up visit to deliver equipment and education. Results: Data analysis using paired t-tests revealed statistically significant increases in COPM performance and satisfaction ratings from pretest to posttest for the nine participants. The mean average total costs for home modification were $10,396.65 compared to average annual health care costs from$22,763 to $154,478. Conclusion: A two-visit model of occupational therapist-led home modifications benefits low-income older adults. This study provides support for these cost-effective services in support of AOTA’s Vision 2025, to maximize health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living

Attitudes of a Multiethnic Group of Immigrants towards Online Social Networking and Physical Activity: Results from Focus Group Discussions

Background and Purpose: Sedentary behavior contributes to the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Increasing physical activity is particularly important for new immigrants to the U.S., since the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease increases with acculturation to U.S. society. This study examined facilitators and barriers of using social media to provide information on physical activity, perceptions of the benefits of physical activity, and barriers to physical activity in low English proficiency immigrants in a New England city. Methods: Three focus groups were conducted to collect information from 25 adults in a New England city (Mean= 47.7+13.2 year, 68% female, 64% Asian). Results: Participants reported using social media to connect with family and friends, rather than to make new social connections. Barriers to social media use included access and privacy concerns. While the participants believed physical activity was necessary for health, they identified a number of barriers to exercise, including lack of access to exercise facilities, financial issues, and information on safe and effective ways to exercise. Conclusion: Using social media may be a convenient way to provide information about physical activity to low English proficiency immigrants, but researchers need to address the barriers to utilizing social media and engaging in physical activity

Access to Services for New Americans with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Building Capacity Through the Ramirez June Initiative

New Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are a significantly underserved community in New York State (NY) facing complex barriers accessing IDD services and fully integrating into their communities. New American communities lack connections with IDD service systems and struggle to find culturally and linguistically accessible information about disability services and resources. New Americans may be fearful of engaging with service providers, especially if they lack lawful immigration status and are undocumented. In acknowledgement of these barriers, NY implemented an initiative to create a navigator model that is the first of its kind in the nation. The Initiative is named the Ramirez June Initiative (Initiative) which was created in 2019 to build capacity at the local and state level to better serve new Americans with IDD. In this article, we outline the background, context, and key components of this navigator model. By providing a comprehensive and detailed overview of the Initiative, we hope to support the model’s replication across the nation, while considering local strengths and needs

Early Developmental Screening in High-Risk Communities: Implications for Research and Child Welfare Policy

Early detection of developmental delays in children living in high-risk communities enables effective intervention and promotes positive outcomes. Until now, the mechanisms by which these risks and benefits arise and persist have yet to be documented from a synergistic perspective. We take a dynamic, ecological theoretical approach to examine the interplay between developmental surveillance, professional support and parental understanding of children's developmental progress. The Regional ASQ Developmental Screening Project* used geo-mapping to target the highest risk communities in three metropolitan Detroit counties. Statistical analyses using paired t tests compared screening results for 1,640 children in high-risk communities to results for 24,220 children living in surrounding communities. Children in high-risk communities had a substantially higher risk of developmental delay than the rest of Metro Detroit (43% vs. 28%). There were significant differences in the overall scores from the initial screens (M =2.38, SD = .788) to subsequent screens (M = 2.46, SD =.706): t (1,640) = -5.104 p < .05, suggesting that risk of delay decreases over time. There were statistically significant differences in the overall risk for developmental delay and within in the domain of fine motor development. These results 19 provide an empirical basis to develop prevention and intervention programs and child welfare policy. We suggest ways to build capacity at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Future research should focus on exploring the unique interplay of community-level risk with family and child level risk and protective factors

Forecasted flow and temperature changes in fish-bearing streams of the Hood Canal and Strait of Juan de Fuca

Critical freshwater fish spawning and rearing habitats in western Washington State are sensitive to environmental changes. Concern is growing among tribes and other natural resources managers over the impacts that climate change might have on economically and culturally important fish populations. In 2016, the Point No Point Treaty Council initiated a multi-stage project which aims to forecast stream flow and stream temperature changes throughout the 21st century for fish-bearing watersheds which drain into the Hood Canal and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca. The high-resolution Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation model (DHSVM) and coupled RBM stream temperature model are used to simulate hydrological conditions in select watersheds. Publically available gridded meteorology data (Livneh et al., 2013) and climate forecasts downscaled using the multivariate adaptive constructed analogs method (MACA; Abatzoglou and Brown, 2012) for 10 climate models under two emissions scenarios are used as forcings for the hydrology simulations. Presented and discussed here are stream flow and preliminary stream temperature forecast results for the high-relief and mountainous Big Quilcene River watershed and the relatively low-lying and smaller Tarboo Creek watershed. Topography and watershed relief play an important role in western Washington hydrology and we contrast the forecasted impacts of climate change on the two watersheds as an example of how climate impacts may vary within a similar geographic region. Areas of particular climate sensitivity are identified so that natural resources managers and planners can be better prepared for the future