Health Information Services Available for People Living With HIV/AIDS: Perspectives of Library and Information Professionals

There is an urgent need for availability of life-saving health information services as well as adequate marketing, advertising, and dissemination strategies to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), and to the broader public at large, especially in the context of a recent UNAIDS estimation that the number of people living with HIV in the United States, at the end of 2003, exceeded one million for the first time. This study explores the HIV/AIDS health information services that are available within the local community of Knoxville, Tennessee, and presents focus group perspectives of nine library and information professionals about awareness and use of these services by PLWHAs. The study forms part of a larger plan to apply a community informatics (CI) approach to examine the provision of health information services for PLWHAs in terms of how PLWHAs and other stakeholders including health care service providers, academic community at the University of Tennessee, community leaders and activists, and faith-based organizations, use and apply information and communication technologies (ICTs) to empower and enable PLWHAs to meet their information needs, goals, and aspirations. Here we report findings from the project’s first phase of documenting perspectives of library and information professionals about existing HIV/AIDS information services, users of these services, barriers and challenges to effective use, and the role of health information professionals in the context of developing ideal information support services for PLWHAs

Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing: An Experimental Inquiry on College Students’ Awareness of, Interest in, and Intention to Participate in a Campus Recreation Special Event

This study examined the effectiveness of social media marketing on college students attending a recreation special event. Facebook and Twitter were assessed via an experimental design. To measure the effectiveness of these applications (through updating statuses) on a college student’s awareness, interest, and intent of attending a special event, three groups were employed (Facebook, Twitter, and Control). A total of 134 participants were recruited via six undergraduate courses and were assigned into three groups based on their social media consumption. Subjects responded to a pre-survey, joined their respective treatment group, and completed a post-survey. Descriptive statistics revealed that awareness increased for those who received Facebook status updates and tweets. The interest level of the treatment groups decreased from the pre to the post-test and the intention of participants to participate increased slightly for the Facebook treatment group, but the intent level of participants in the Twitter and Control groups decreased

A world-systems perspective on the role of telecommunications in global development

Until recently, an economic perspective has dominated studies of the effect of telecommunications on social and economic development. There are reasons to believe, however, that this perspective unnecessarily limits our understanding of the problems of development. Theories of development and world structure converge in world-systems theory. This world-systems perspective combined with information society theory provides a theoretical basis for understanding the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in globalization, not only for developing countries, but for the worldsystem as a whole. This research is premised on the view that the world operates as an interconnected network with increasingly interdependent economies. Since ICTs have not yet reached a substantial level of measurability in many countries, measures of telecommunications serve as a proxy for ICT growth and measurement of the effects of information content. The world-systems approach offers an alternative perspective that can provide a richer examination of the complex relationship between telecommunications and development. The role of telecommunications in development, broadly defined as economic, political, social, and cultural change, is explored. A structural equation model is developed to examine that perspective within the context of information society theory. Results of this model suggest telecommunications plays a broader role in development than that which has typically been limited to an economic perspective. Results also suggest that policies of multilateral development organizations do not reflect this broad perspective of development and do not, therefore, collect the data that are necessary to fully understand the role of telecommunications in development

Prostitution Law: A Study of the Impact of the Sex Buyer Law in Northern Ireland on Sex Violence

In this body of research, the Sex Buyer Law in Northern Ireland is critically examined. Specifically, this thesis examines the question, “Does the Sex Buyer Law have an effect on the sex violence rates in Northern Ireland?” England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland are all used as control groups to measure the efficacy of the policy in Northern Ireland. Through analysis of a difference in differences regression, this research demonstrates that the policy had no effect on sex violence in Northern Ireland. Scotland and Ireland proved to be better control groups for Northern Ireland in terms of the identifying assumptions as England and Wales was not a strong enough control group

Making the Grade: Authentic Assessment through Music Portfolios

Research shows assessment is an important part of education. However, information on assessment in music is often limited to secondary education leaving elementary music teachers to devise their own systems of evaluation students. This teacher research addresses elementary music assessment by examining the implementation of student portfolios as a way to manage the data that is created in the music classroom. The portfolios were compiled using fourth grade student work which was divided into section that mirror the MENC National Standards. This research shows that student portfolios provide tangible evidence of student understanding to be shared with teachers, parents, and administrators. Portfolios save time by utilizing embedded assessments and result in more authentic assessment. The portfolios reveal the standards students struggle with as well as the standards in which they show competency. This research also provides suggestions on how to improve the process of creating student portfolios

Bullydozing with Kevin Henkes [2nd grade]

This is a beginning of the year unit designed to reinforce story elements through an author’s study of Kevin Henkes but also to set up our classroom as a place where every student is safe and respected. We will read seven of his stories and will focus on the story elements of plot and setting. The plot will be defined as the beginning, middle, and end of a story. The setting will be defined as the time and place of the story. It will also discuss character development, and practice identifying inner and outer traits, including their motivations, and feelings. The other major component of this unit will be making sure we are actively treating everyone with respect and keeping our environment as safe as possible. Many books by Kevin Henkes model different problem solving scenarios. We will be recognizing how similarities and differences can be a wonderful thing, learning about each other’s names, learning about boundaries, and learning about and practicing different techniques for peacefully solving conflict. In the culminating task, students will create a story where a Kevin Henkes character is faced with a bullying situation. They will need to address the situation safely. They can choose writing a story, drawing a comic strip, or performing a skit with other students

Mediating effects of youth-serving programs on adjustment in youth with temporarily-absent parents

The purpose of this study is to examine how youth-serving programs support youth during the temporary absence of a parent. For this study, temporarily-absent parents have been identified as those who are absent from the home due to work, separation or divorce, incarceration, and more. There have been many negative outcomes associated with youth adjustment in the absence of a parent, particularly with socio-emotional development and academics. While youth-serving programs have been historically known for promoting positive youth adjustment, research lacks the specifics as to how youth-serving programs support positive youth adjustment when filling the void of a temporarily-absent parent. One-hundred-five students from the University of Missouri were recruited to participate in this study, and nine qualified to complete the author-created survey. Largely, findings suggest that youth have a positive experience when attending youth-serving programs, during the temporary absence of their parent. While some participants indicated feelings of sadness and loneliness, many participants suggest that involvement in youth-serving programs has a positive influence on social engagement, such as development of friendships and sense of belonging. While program participation positively affected social engagement, perceived influence on academic outcomes varied. Implications of the findings are discussed. Specifically, methods for how youth and families can be better supported during the temporary absence of a parent/caregiver will be suggested.Includes bibliographical reference

The Effects of Library Instruction on the Legal Information Research Skills of Students Enrolled in a Legal Assistant Studies Program

Literature searching on the subject of effective library instruction in the use of legal materials reveals that this topic has been extensively researched with regard to law students (graduate, Juris Doctor-seeking candidates); however, the question of library instruction for paralegal students is decidedly under-researched. This article reports on efforts made by two faculty members—a Legal Assistant Studies Lecturer at Valdosta State University and a Reference Librarian (who was employed at Valdosta State University’s Odum Library at the time the research was conducted)—in assessing the effectiveness of library instruction that was provided to an online class of legal assistant studies students in the fall semester of 2012. The research found that students with high levels of confidence in their existing research abilities tended to perform poorly when tasked with finding primary legal sources. Additionally, a common research deficiency on the part of such students was to rely on simple Google searching as opposed to using the legal databases demonstrated during the library instruction