Peer coaching : a collegial support for bridging the research to practice gap

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 25, 2007)Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.The purposes of this study were to 1) determine if teacher knowledge of the instructional components of opportunity to respond (OTR) including academic prompting, wait time and positive feedback increase as a result of a reciprocal peer coaching (PC) intervention, 2) observe whether teacher delivery of the OTR components increase as a result of the PC intervention, 3) observe whether a change in teacher delivery of OTR components results in a change in at-risk student performance during academic instruction, and 4) examine teacher perceptions of PC as a beneficial process for improving their knowledge and use of effective practices. A single-subject, multiple baseline design was used to examine the impact of the peer coaching intervention on teacher instructional practice and at-risk students' academic and social behaviors. Findings indicated teachers were able to implement with fidelity a proscribed form of reciprocal peer coaching, and they perceived the process as beneficial for improving their knowledge and delivery of OTR components. However, there were not clear and strong functional relationships between the intervention and changes in teacher and student behavior. These results call into question the promotion of peer coaching for improving teacher knowledge and delivery of research based instructional practices.Includes bibliographical reference

Analysis of Outcomes in Ischemic vs Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation A Report From the GARFIELD-AF Registry

IMPORTANCE Congestive heart failure (CHF) is commonly associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and their combination may affect treatment strategies and outcomes