Seeking a Language that Heals: Teaching and Writing from a Ruined Landscape

I first heard Iowa referred to as a ruined landscape when I was riding a shuttle bus from an airport to a conference... The statement led me to wonder... what does ruined mean

Development of Practice Guidelines Based on Need-Driven Dementia-Compromised Behavior Model

People with dementia, who experience cognitive decline, memory loss, and reasoning difficulties, often exhibit compromised behaviors such as agitation or aggressive behavior that impact negatively upon the person’s quality of life and increase safety risks. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) to improve the use of effective evidence-based interventions by staff in a skilled long-term care nursing facility to manage the compromised behavior of residents with dementia. The Need-Driven Behavioral Model, which suggests that compromised behaviors occur when patient attempts to accomplish a goal or express a need, provided the framework CPG development. To assess what evidence would support the CPG development, an exhaustive review of the literature was completed. Of the 386 articles evaluated according to GRADE II tool, 36 articles were used to support the guidelines. Findings based on responses to the AGREE II tool by a 5-member expert panel and 7 key stakeholders suggest a high level of agreement to supports the accuracy of the guidelines and a recommendation for implementation in practice in this long-term care setting. Implementing these practice guidelines has the potential for positive social change by providing staff with effective intervention to manage disruptive behaviors and improve the quality of life for people with dementia

Anesthesia Preoperative Clinic Referral for Elevated Hba1c Reduces Complication Rate in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is risk factor for complications after orthopedic surgery. Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that anesthesia preoperative clinic (APC) referral for elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduces complication rate after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 203) with and without DM were chosen from 1,237 patients undergoing TJA during 2006 - 12. Patients evaluated in the APC had surgery in 2006 - 8 regardless of HbA1c (uncontrolled). Those evaluated between in subsequent two-year intervals were referred to primary care for HbA1c ≥ 10% and ≥ 8%, respectively, to improve DM control before surgery. Complications and mortality were quantified postoperatively and at three, six, and twelve months. Length of stay (LOS) and patients requiring a prolonged LOS (\u3e 5 days) were recorded. Results: Patients (197 men, 6 women) underwent 71, 131, and 1 total hip, knee, and shoulder replacements, respectively. Patients undergoing TJA with uncontrolled HbA1c and those with HbA1c \u3c 10%, but not those with HbA1c \u3c 8%, had a higher incidence of coronary disease and hypercholesterolemia than patients without DM. An increase in complication rate was observed in DM patients with uncontrolled HbA1c versus patients without DM (P \u3c 0.001); the complication rate progressively decreased with tighter HbA1c control. More DM patients with preoperative HbA1c that was uncontrolled or ≥ 10% required prolonged LOS versus those without DM (P \u3c 0.001 and P = 0.0404, respectively). Conclusions: APC referral for elevated HbA1c reduces complication rate and the incidence of prolonged hospitalization during the first year after surgery in diabetics undergoing TJA

An Investigation of the Role Programming Support Services Have for Mature Students

[ES] Programming support services for introductory programmers have seen a rise in popularity in recent years with third level institutions around the world providing “safe spaces” for students to practice their programming skills and get supports without the risk of being judged by anyone. These services appear in many different structures including Support Centres, Software Studios and help desks. The common trend however is that all the users of these services, in general, report that the service has helped them in their studies and garnered them with more confidence in their ability. This paper examines the role which our Computer Science Centre played for students who attended the support service during an intensive higher diploma course. The intensive course is a 3-week course tailored to students who have previously completed a degree in a field not related to CS, and covers CS1 and CS2 material. The structure and design of the support service is outlined in this paper along with the supports offered. A high-level survey was conducted to investigate the effect of the service on students programming self-efficacy. Study design and methodology are described in detail. Early findings suggest that the support services offered to these students improved their belief in their own programming ability which in turn improved their exam grade outcome. The findings provide valuable evidence to justify future research into the functions of support services with the computer science domain.Nolan, K.; Thompson, A.; Noone, M.; Mooney, A. (2020). An Investigation of the Role Programming Support Services Have for Mature Students. En 6th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'20). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. (30-05-2020):625-633. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd20.2020.11118OCS62563330-05-202

Decentralization, democratization, deconcentration--a theoretical perspective with emphasis on the African experience

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies, 1987.Bibliography: leaves 112-120.by Amy Upton Nolan.M.C.P

Kentucky Youth At Risk Transitions: A Report to the Commonwealth

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, there are over 22,000 youth being educated in programs that are funded, operated or contracted by state agencies. These state agency children come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and bring a multiplicity of social, psychological, behavioral and educational problems that challenge teachers and staffs. These particular Kentucky students, more than any others, are at the greatest risk of not making successful transitions into adulthood. It is critical that all such young people be afforded the highest quality of transition planning and support so that they can become successful and productive adults. This report is a detailed and comprehensive account of a year-long study that identified and described key elements of student transition in education programs for state agency children in Kentucky. The study included all 105 non-traditional education programs funded and supervised by the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC). The study design used a mixed methods approach that included input from state agency youth and administrators

The Myth of the 50-Minute Epiphany: #MeToo and Implications for Teaching

Because university campuses are microcosms of broader political and social climates, the increasingly polarized climates outside universities can permeate the classroom, challenging faculty who teach topics characterized by controversy and discomfort. We conducted a lesson study project at a college in the southeastern United States in three first-year courses from different disciplines to examine how the broader tensions of the #MeToo movement emerged and affected a class activity focused on gender. We sought to understand our students’ responses to a moment of discomfort generated by discussions of sexual roles, consent, and assault—issues that are relevant in both this cultural moment and in the lives of many first-year college students. We observed responses ranging from affirmation to resistance in what felt at times like our own failure. Without this collaboration, each of us may have been left with a narrower view of what the students learned and an incomplete sense of our own work. What began as an investigation into students’ transformative learning experiences ended as a transformative experience in our own understanding of the acts of teaching and the complexities of student learning. Click here to read the corresponding ISSOTL blog post