Gaining Proficiency in French Through Service Learning: An Action Research Project with Secondary French Students in California and Secondary Students in a French School in France

Engaging in service learning at the high school level in a world language classroom is integral to gaining oral proficiency in the target language. Service learning helps students to see the practical application of the language and it increases student motivation. In many high schools, students have limited opportunities to engage in authentic experiences, use the target language outside of the classroom or with native speakers and they cannot envision practical application for the language. Through the implementation and evaluation of this service-learning project this study aims to increase the opportunity to use French in authentic situations and therefore increase the students’ oral proficiency. A review of the literature revealed that the more students interact in authentic situations the higher oral proficiency rates, augmenting motivation and helping students to see the connections between learning language and its usefulness in the real world. This is a qualitative study that examines students’ perceptions of their increased French language proficiency after experiences with native speakers in a variety of contexts including speaking one-on-one with native speakers, a lesson in sports from a native speaker and communicating virtually and a-synchronistically with students in France. The secondary students are from a fourth year French class at an urban high school who are corresponding with French literature students at a public French high school. Results indicated that students have an increased awareness of the magnitude of the French speaking community; they are able to make connections between language learning and the global community, and they have increased motivation and engagement when learning through this model of teaching

School Counselor Perceptions and Practices Advising Male High School Students Regarding a Career in Nursing

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2019) recognized the role of a culturally diverse workforce in improving the quality and cultural competence of care. The AACN identified the need to attract students from underrepresented groups, including men. According to the results of the 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey, only 9.4% of registered nurses in the United States are men, a 2.8% increase from 2013 (Smiley et al., 2021). The 2020 United States census reported 49.5% of the population is male (United States Census Bureau, 2020). A significant effort is needed to increase the percentage of men in nursing to better reflect the population of men in the United States. One strategy to increase the percentage of men in nursing is to increase the recruitment efforts of men in high schools. School counselors facilitate high school students’ exploration of career options (Pannoni & Moody, 2020) and influence the career path decisions of teenagers. Several studies have reported high school counselors often not encouraging high school students who reported an interest in nursing (Bartfay et al., 2010; Boughn, 1994; Grainger & Bolan, 2006; Kelly et al., 1996; Kronsberg, 2017; LaRocco, 2007; Meadus & Twomey, 2011). However, these studies are dated and may not reflect current school counselor practices. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the current practices and perceptions of school counselors when advising male high school students regarding a career in nursing. This information can assist with identifying any bias or barriers on the part of school counselors, inform future strategies to address these biases and/or barriers, and identify potential opportunities for partnerships between professional nursing and professional school counselor organizations. For the quantitative arm, the authors utilized a modified version of the Nursing Attitudes and Perceptions (NAP) Scale along with two open-ended questions. Data was collected via an anonymous Qualtrics survey. Participants were recruited via email utilizing the American Association of School Counselors (ASCA), National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) databases, public school district websites, and social media. Study participants were then provided a link to sign up for an interview for the qualitative arm. Interviews followed a semi-structured format with eight open-ended questions. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via Nvivo software. Sixty-one completed surveys were included in the quantitative analysis and nine interviews were included in the qualitative analysis. Data analysis is ongoing and completion is estimated for Fall, 2023. The NAP-SC (Cronbach\u27s = 0.879) mean is 24.426 and the median is 25, with scores ranging between -46 (negative attitudes and perceptions) to +46 (positive attitudes and perceptions). Participants from the Pacific region of the US had the lowest mean scores and participants from the Mid-Atlantic region had the highest mean scores. Results from an independent-samples t-test revealed a lower NAP-SC score among male participants (M = 17.83, SD = 10.30) than among female participants (M = 25.25, SD = 8.67), a statistically significant difference of -7.42 (95% CI, -15.10 to .26), t(52) = -1.938, p = .023. There were no statistically significant differences in NAP-SC mean scores between other variables (including age group, years of experience, certification status, ASCA membership, and working at a RAMP school). Individual NAP-SC item means between variables are currently being explored. The response rate of 61 to the quantitative arm was a limitation of this study. Qualitative data provided insight into the current school counselor experience, their personal views on/experiences with men in nursing, how they counsel students on a nursing career, and what they need to improve their ability to do so. One of the most common themes was the need to connect and expose students to male nurses, but none of the participants were aware of AAMN. This provides AAMN an opportunity to partner with school counselors and school counselor organizations to fulfill this and other identified needs. References American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2019, April). Fact sheet: Enhancing diversity in the nursing workforce. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Factsheets/Enhancing-Diversity-Factsheet.pdf Bartfay, W. J., Bartfay, E., Clow, K. A., & Wu, T. (2010). Attitudes and perceptions towards men in nursing education. The International Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 8(2), 1-7. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol8/iss2/6/ Boughn, S. (1994). Why do men choose nursing? Nursing & Health Care, 15(8), 406-411. Grainger, P., & Bolan, C. (2006). Perceptions of nursing as a career choice of students in the baccalaureate nursing program. Nurse Education Today, 26, 38-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2005.06.004 Kelly, N. R., Shoemaker, M., & Steele, T. (1996). The experience of being a male student nurse. Journal of Nursing Education, 35(4), 170-174. Kronsberg, S. (2017). Exploring male nurses’ experience in nursing education and entry into practice: A phenomenological study (Order No. 10622962) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Phoenix]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. LaRocco, S. A. (2007). A grounded theory study of socializing men into nursing. Journal of Men’s Studies, 15(2), 120-129. https://doi.org/10.3149/jms.1502.120 Meadus, R. J., & Twomey, J. C. (2011). Men student nurses: The nursing education experience. Nursing Forum, 46(4), 269-279. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6198.2011.00239.x Pannoni, A., & Moody, J. (2020, January 2). “How high school counselors can help students, parents.” U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2015/02/02/3-ways-high-school-counselors-can-help-students-parents Smiley, R. A., Ruttinger, C., Oliveira, C. M., Hudson, L. R., Allgeyer, R., Reneau, K. A., Silvestre, J. H., & Alexander, M. (2021). The 2020 national nursing workforce survey. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 12, S1 – S96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(21)00027-2 United States Census Bureau. (2020). Quick facts: Female persons, percent. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/SEX25521

Process Evaluation of an Email-based Walking Program with Extension Educators

This study evaluated the implementation process of an email-based walking program from the perspectives of program deliverers. Twenty-four Extension Educators participated in the process evaluation. We used an online survey to examine the perceptions of the implementation process of Get WalkIN’, a twelve-week email-based walking program. Educators agreed that the provided program training and recruitment materials were sufficient for successful program delivery. Program implementation involved sending emails to program participants at least weekly. Educators also agreed that the program was easy to deliver and took twenty minutes or less to implement each week. Strengths and areas for program improvement are discussed. Suggestions included training on evaluation measures, inclusion of a process to send emails via tablets instead of only desktops, and ideas for engaging participants during program delivery. While the outcomes of this email-based program show positive behavior changes without face-to-face interaction between participants and Extension Educators, the face-to-face interactions familiar to Extension staff were still desired. Results will be used to improve implementation. Findings from this study can facilitate the development and implementation of other email-based Extension programs

Joe Smith’s Ethical Dilemma: Apex Energy Group (A Critical Incident)

This critical incident case examines an ethical dilemma faced by Joe Smith, an accounting professional for Apex Energy Group. Joe was the liaison between the accountants and the Information Technology department. This case details Joe’s actions when he discovers he has access to a sensitive data file and the ramifications to Joe, his superiors and fellow coworkers. Individuals are allowed to analyze decisions that were made and provide an ethical alternative by analyzing what Joe and Apex Energy Group’s responsibilities were and to whom and how the situation should have been handled

What Works and for Whom? Outcome Evaluation of an E-mail Walking Program Delivered Through Cooperative Extension

Introduction: Get WalkIN’ is a 12-week, e-mail-based walking promotion program. The purpose of this study was to (1) compare sociodemographics of participants who enrolled versus completed the program; and (2) evaluate program feasibility/acceptability from perspectives of program participants and county-based Extension Educators who implemented the program. Methods: Participants (N = 875), recruited by county-based Extension Educators, were asked Likert-scale questions (eg, ease of reading the e-mails and frequency of e-mails) to assess program acceptability and open-ended questions regarding improvements. Educators (N = 55) were asked Likert-scale and open-ended questions regarding program training, recruitment, strengths, and areas for improvement. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, acceptability, and feasibility data. Open-ended responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: There were no significant sociodemographic differences between participants (N = 875) who started the program and completed the program (n = 438). Participants reported intervention e-mails were easy to read (mean = 4.5 ± 0.7), understand (mean = 4.5 ± 0.7), and encouraged more walking (mean = 4.1 ± 0.9). Participants would like to connect/interact with other participants/Educators, have more monitoring tools for accountability, and more visuals/videos embedded within e-mails. Educators reported program training was adequate, e-mail messages were helpful and easy to use, and requested more visuals (eg, videos) to help with recruitment. Educators thought adding a social component (eg, kick-off walk or walking group) would be helpful. Conclusions: This Extension-delivered walking program is acceptable to participants and feasible to deliver. However, participants and Educators reported they would like more interaction, even if virtual. Future e-mailbased programs should consider ways to incorporate social interaction among users as well as provide a wide variety of recruitment resources

Trends in Dengue Cases Imported into the United States from Pan America 2001–2012

The objective of this study was to improve risk assessments of travel on dengue (DEN) virus (DENV) distribution. We investigated the exposure risk of US citizens traveling to DEN-endemic Pan American countries. The number of DEN cases reported in 51 Pan American countries from 2001 to 2012 was compared to the population of the same countries. The number of US travelers visiting the Pan American countries was categorized by region, and travel-related DEN infections were analyzed. US residents visiting the Dominican Republic exhibited the highest traveler-related DEN incidence. Brazil showed the most DEN cases in its residents (>1 million reported cases in 2010). The number of DEN cases continues to rise as does international travel and the geographic range of potential DENV vectors. DENV risk assessments may be improved by analyzing the possible routes of entry. Underreporting remains an issue for calculating DENV transmission risk by country and region

Insect Succession on Pig Carcasses to Determine Post-Mortem Interval in Eastern North Carolina

2013 Online Presentations RCA

Insights into Diversity in the Environmental Health Science Workforce

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 LicenseEnvironmental Health Science (EHS) professionals protect the public from environmental threats by conducting risk assessments and recommending preventative measures based on scientific findings. The EHS field itself is diverse in scientific areas (eg, air quality, water quality, food safety, healthy homes, preparedness, climate change, vectors/pests, tracking/informatics, occupational health, industrial hygiene) studied and evaluated by researchers and practitioners (https://www.neha.org/eh-topics). Scientific findings discovered in the EHS field help health leaders analyze and develop policies to protect health based on practical knowledge.1 Diversity is currently a wide-ranging societal topic, and this issue impacts the EH field. Many aspects related to diversity in EH involve the communities affected by environmental exposures and the EHS workforce serving these communities.OA publication support through Carolina Consortium agreement with Sag

Statewide Dissemination of an Evidenced-Based Email Walking Program Delivered Through Cooperative Extension

Using the RE-AIM framework, this study evaluates the statewide dissemination of an evidenced-based, email-delivered physical activity intervention implemented through Cooperative Extension. The Get WalkIN\u27 program is comprised of 16 email messages sent over 12 weeks. Email messages target social cognitive theory constructs of self-efficacy, goal-setting, self-monitoring, and social support. Program reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance were assessed with quantitative measures in a pre-post design. Findings indicate that within the Extension system, program adoption was high and program maintenance was moderate. Program effectiveness was demonstrated with an increase of 77.1 ± 49.9 min in weekly walking post-program. This increase in walking was maintained 3 months post-program. Capturing data on the implementation process was challenging. Overall, the results indicate success in program adoption and maintenance with further efforts needed to improve follow-up data collection from participants

Trends in Dengue Cases Imported into the United States from Pan America 2001–2012

The objective of this study was to improve risk assessments of travel on dengue (DEN) virus (DENV) distribution. We investigated the exposure risk of US citizens traveling to DEN-endemic Pan American countries. The number of DEN cases reported in 51 Pan American countries from 2001 to 2012 was compared to the population of the same countries. The number of US travelers visiting the Pan American countries was categorized by region, and travel-related DEN infections were analyzed. US residents visiting the Dominican Republic exhibited the highest traveler-related DEN incidence. Brazil showed the most DEN cases in its residents (.1 million reported cases in 2010). The number of DEN cases continues to rise as does international travel and the geographic range of potential DENV vectors. DENV risk assessments may be improved by analyzing the possible routes of entry. Underreporting remains an issue for calculating DENV transmission risk by country and region