Joint Labor-Management Training Programs for Healthcare Worker Advancement and Retention

[Excerpt] Filling vacancies and retaining workers in shortage areas such as nursing and other allied health occupations remains a challenge in today’s healthcare industry. At the same time, low-wage workers in the healthcare industry often lack the educational credentials necessary to move into higher-paying occupations. This study seeks to understand the role of multi-employer joint labor-management healthcare worker training in meeting the needs of employers for career ladder advancement in their incumbent workforce. The study focuses on hospital employers and their experience with strategies for the advancement of low-wage and entry level workers into healthcare career pathways

One-loop Corrections to the S Parameter in the Four-site Model

We compute the leading chiral-logarithmic corrections to the S parameter in the four-site Higgsless model. In addition to the usual electroweak gauge bosons of the Standard Model, this model contains two sets of heavy charged and neutral gauge bosons. In the continuum limit, the latter gauge bosons can be identified with the first excited Kaluza-Klein states of the W^\pm and Z bosons of a warped extra-dimensional model with an SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R \times U(1)_X bulk gauge symmetry. We consider delocalized fermions and show that the delocalization parameter must be considerably tuned from its tree-level ideal value in order to reconcile experimental constraints with the one-loop results. Hence, the delocalization of fermions does not solve the problem of large contributions to the S parameter in this class of theories and significant contributions to S can potentially occur at one-loop.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figure

A community programme to reduce salt intake and blood pressure in Ghana

Background In Africa hypertension is common and stroke is increasing. Detection, treatment and control of high blood pressure (BP) is limited. BP can be lowered by reducing salt intake. In Africa salt is added to the food by the consumer, as processed food is rare. A population-wide approach with programmes based on health education and promotion is thus possible. Methods We carried out a community-based cluster randomised trial of health promotion in 1,013 participants from 12 villages (628 women, 481 rural dwellers); mean age 55 years to reduce salt intake and BP. Average BP was 125/74 mmHg and urinary sodium (UNa) 101 mmol/day. A health promotion intervention was provided over 6 months to all villages. Assessments were made at 3 and 6 months. Primary end-points were urinary sodium excretion and BP levels. Results There was a significant positive relationship between salt intake and both systolic (2.17 mmHg [95% CI 0.44 to 3.91] per 50 mmol of UNa per day, p < 0.001) and diastolic BP (1.10 mmHg [0.08 to 1.94], p < 0.001) at baseline. At six months the intervention group showed a reduction in systolic (2.54 mmHg [-1.45 to 6.54]) and diastolic (3.95 mmHg [0.78 to 7.11], p = 0.015) BP when compared to control. There was no significant change in UNa. Smaller villages showed greater reductions in UNa than larger villages (p = 0.042). Irrespective of randomisation, there was a consistent and significant relationship between change in UNa and change in systolic BP, when adjusted for confounders. A difference in 24-hour UNa of 50 mmol was associated with a lower systolic BP of 2.12 mmHg (1.03 to 3.21) at 3 months and 1.34 mmHg (0.08 to 2.60) at 6 months (both p < 0.001). Conclusion In West Africa the lower the salt intake, the lower the BP. It would appear that a reduction in the average salt intake in the whole community may lead to a small but significant reduction in population systolic BP

Centered Partition Process: Informative Priors for Clustering

There is a very rich literature proposing Bayesian approaches for clustering starting with a prior probability distribution on partitions. Most approaches assume exchangeability, leading to simple representations in terms of Exchangeable Partition Probability Functions (EPPF). Gibbs-type priors encompass a broad class of such cases, including Dirichlet and Pitman-Yor processes. Even though there have been some proposals to relax the exchangeability assumption, allowing covariate-dependence and partial exchangeability, limited consideration has been given on how to include concrete prior knowledge on the partition. For example, we are motivated by an epidemiological application, in which we wish to cluster birth defects into groups and we have prior knowledge of an initial clustering provided by experts. As a general approach for including such prior knowledge, we propose a Centered Partition (CP) process that modifies the EPPF to favor partitions close to an initial one. Some properties of the CP prior are described, a general algorithm for posterior computation is developed, and we illustrate the methodology through simulation examples and an application to the motivating epidemiology study of birth defects

Factors Influencing Individual Performance in an Indonesian Government Office

Reformation in Indonesian government offices leads to many substantial changes, and demands improved job performances while arguably loading employees with more work. This research aims to understand factors that potentially influence job performance in Indonesian government offices that carries on such reformation. Using adapted scales from previous studies, this research investigates the role of workload, responsibility for others (level of responsibility to care for other people) and need for achievement on employee&rsquo;s performance.&nbsp; A survey to all full-time workers in an Indonesian government office is conducted. Contrary to expectation, workload does not influence employee&rsquo;s performance. Instead, regression analysis demonstrates that, employee&rsquo;s need for achievement and responsibility for others are significant factors affecting individual performance. These results are important because they highlight the significance of need for achievement for the success of reformation in this office, and by extension for reformation in Indonesia. The results are also interesting because this is the first study that points out to the role of responsibility for others in influencing individual performance in Indonesia which is characterized by collectivistic culture. This paper discusses the contributions of these results for theory and practice. &nbsp

Higgs Triplets, Decoupling, and Precision Measurements

Electroweak precision data has been extensively used to constrain models containing physics beyond that of the Standard Model. When the model contains Higgs scalars in representations other than SU(2) singlets or doublets, and hence rho not equal to one at tree level, a correct renormalization scheme requires more inputs than the three needed for the Standard Model. We discuss the connection between the renormalization of models with Higgs triplets and the decoupling properties of the models as the mass scale for the scalar triplet field becomes much larger than the electroweak scale. The requirements of perturbativity of the couplings and agreement with electroweak data place strong restrictions on models with Higgs triplets. Our results have important implications for Little Higgs type models and other models with rho not equal to one at tree level.Comment: 23 page

과학 논변 수업에서 나타나는 교사들의 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행과 학생들의 행위주체성 탐색

학위논문(박사)--서울대학교 대학원 :사범대학 과학교육과(생물전공),2019. 8. 김희백.본 연구에서는 과학 수업에서 나타나는 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행과 전략을 주제별로 탐색하였다. 대화적 탐구는 교사와 학생 사이의 상호작용을 요구하고 있어서, 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩에 대해 학생들이 보이는 논변적 행위주체성을 탐색하는 것이 필요하다. 본 연구는 조작에 초점을 둔 탐구활동 및 실험활동 수행이 어려운 필리핀 생물 수업에서 인지에 초점을 둔 탐구 교수/학습 방법으로 논변활동을 활용할 가능성을 탐색하는데 그 목적을 두고 있다. 본 연구에서는 필리핀의 과학 교사 4명과 그들이 가르치는 학생들을 참여자로 하여 질적 사례 연구가 수행되었다. 총 20차시의 수업에 대한 녹화, 녹음 전사본을 주된 자료로 사용하였으며, 반복적 비교분석법을 사용하여 담화에서 드러나는 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩과 학생들의 논변적 행위주체성을 찾았다. 또한 질적 자료들의 타당성을 확보하기 위해 설문조사, 공식 및 비공식 면담, 비참여 관찰 자료를 추가적으로 사용하였으며, 이러한 자료를 활용하여 교수/학습의 본성, 교실 논변활동의 본성과 장점에 대한 교사들의 지식과 신념을 이해할 수 있었다. 근거이론의 반복적 비교분석법을 통하여 우발적 지원 단계(contingency phase)와 지원 소멸 단계(fading phase)에서 나타나는 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행 및 학생들의 논변적 행위주체성을 찾아내어 범주화하였다. 4개 반에서 각각 5차시씩 총 20차시의 수업을 분석하여 우발적 지원 단계로부터 지원 소멸 단계로 이행하는 논의과정을 찾고, 여기서 드러나는 교사와 학생 간의 대화적 상호작용을 대주제와 소주제로 범주화하였다. 선행연구에서 제시된 분석틀 활용 방법과 데이터로부터 귀납적으로 찾아내는 방법을 혼합·적용하여 각 주제들을 도출하였다. 코드체계는 교사와 학생의 대화적 상호작용을 이해하기 위해 만들어진 것으로, 대화의 유형 분석과 대화에서 나타나는 역할 분석에 초점을 두었다. 대화적 스캐폴딩은 학생들의 행위주체성 발현을 위해 교사가 담화적 지원으로 제공한 것이다. 학생들은 우발적 지원 단계에서는 요청된 반응을 주로 하면서 대화적 탐구에 참여하고자 한 데 비해, 지원 소멸 단계에서는 요청받지 않은 반응을 하면서 대화적 탐구에 참여하였다. 본 연구는 교사와 학생들의 대화적 상호작용에 초점을 두고 있어서, 두 단계에서 나타나는 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩 프롬프트와 학생들의 반응이 모두 기록되었다. 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩 프롬프트는 개념적, 분석적, 반성적으로 범주화되었고, 이들은 각 단계별로 다른 역할을 한다고 드러났다. 교사의 스캐폴딩은 우발적 지원 단계에서는 사전 지식 연계 요구, 내용의 재요약 요구, 수업 담화에 기여 요구, 진술의 재구성 요구, 예상된 반응을 위한 힌트 제공, 학생들의 지속적인 토론 참가를 위한 책임감 부여 등의 역할을 한 데 비하여, 지원 소멸 단계에서는 토론 지속을 위한 지원, 토론 확장을 위한 프롬프트 제공, 학생들의 역량 확장 기회 제공 등의 역할을 하였다. 대화적 상호작용에서 학생들이 드러낸 논변적 행위주체성은 두 단계에서 모두 긍정적 역할을 하였다. 자신의 주장 제공과 지지를 위한 추론을 하였으며, 기존 주장에 대한 명료화, 이에 대한 반박과 평가 과정에서 비판적 사고를 드러냈다. 연구 결과에서 4명의 교사는 논변활동 지원을 위해 서로 다른 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행을 보인 것으로 나타났는데, 이러한 차이는 교사들의 교수/학습에 대한 지식과 신념, 논변활동의 본성과 장점에 대한 지식과 신념이 다양한 수준을 보인다는 것과 관련이 있다. 이러한 신념들은 논변활동의 교수적 접근(SSI 기반 또는 내용 기반)에 대한 프레이밍에 영향을 미쳤고, 더 나아가 그들의 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행과 전략에 영향을 주었다. 교사가 우발적 지원 단계에서 교수적 접근에 대한 프레이밍과 관련하여 제시한 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행은 적절한 인식적 실행을 위한 전략 구사하기, 협상 문화 구축하기, 개념적-반성적 질문하기, 공동의 합의를 위해 학생들의 아이디어에 유연한 자세 가지기로 나타났다. 지원 소멸 단계에서는 학생들의 지식 자원 인식하기, 학생의 대화적 상호작용 참여 의지에 민감하기 등의 스캐폴딩을 보였다. 각 교사는 우발적 지원 단계에서 학생들의 논변적 행위주체성 지원을 위해 두 가지의 서로 다르지만 연관된 대화적 스캐폴딩 전략을 사용하였다. 교사 Loida는 SSI 기반 수업에서 적절한 인식적 실행을 위한 전략을 구사함으로써 1) 학생들로 하여금 사전 과학 지식을 사용하여 단순한 개념으로부터 추상적인 개념을 구성하도록 하였고, 2) 그들이 실제로 경험했음직한 시나리오를 제공하였다. 교사 Carlo는 협상 문화 구축을 위해 1) 중립적 관점을 제공함으로써 통합 방향의 협상이 이루어지도록 하였고, 2) 이질적 아이디어를 수렴시켜 공동의 합의를 이끌어내었다. 교사 Don은 내용 기반 수업에서 1) 사실적인 정규 개념을 이용한 질문하기, 2) 반성적 탐구를 통한 논의 확장하기를 실행함으로써 개념적-반성적 질문의 스캐폴딩을 드러냈다. 마지막으로, 공동의 합의를 위해 학생들의 아이디어에 유연한 자세 가지기를 보인 교사 Maria는 1) 대화적 실행에서 우발적 지원을 강화하였고, 2) 학생들의 지지 증가와 이들의 담화적 정체성 증진을 조율하였다. 분석 결과는 필리핀의 과학 수업에서 논변활동을 통해 인지에 초점을 둔 탐구학습이 가능함을 보여준다. 조작에 초점을 둔 탐구활동 및 실험 기반 탐구 활동 수행이 제한적인 필리핀 교실 환경에서 탐구 기반 교육의 긍정적인 대안을 제공한 연구라 하겠다. 교사의 대화적 스캐폴딩 실행이 그들의 교수/학습의 본성, 교실 논변활동의 본성과 장점에 대한 다양한 수준의 지식/신념과 관련되었다는 결과로 볼 때, 예비 교사와 현직 교사들의 구성주의적 신념을 계발시킬 수 있는 교사 전문성 향상(PD) 프로그램이 요구된다. 이러한 프로그램은 교사들로 하여금 탐구 기반 교수에 대한 프레이밍을 갖도록 하고 대화적 스캐폴딩을 통하여 논변활동과 같은 탐구 기반 교수 실행을 할 수 있도록 도울 것이다. 또한, 이러한 교사 전문성 향상 프로그램이 모국어 기반 다언어 교육(MTB-MLE) 프로그램의 성공과 함께 논변활동 촉진을 위한 언어 사용 극대화에 그 목적을 두는데 대해 함의를 제공하고, 추가적인 후속 연구를 제안하였다.The study thematically explored the teachers dialogic scaffolding practices and strategies in classroom argumentation implementation. As dialogic inquiry involves interrelated responses, students expressions of argumentative agency in response to their teachers dialogic scaffolding were also thematically explored. This study was conducted to investigate the potentials of classroom argumentation to become a minds-on inquiry teaching method in the Philippine biology education due to the limitations of schools for hands-on or laboratory-based instructions. The study employed the qualitative multiple-case study research design which involved four science teachers and their students in the Philippines. Robust amount of data which were analyzed through constant comparison method to establish themes representative of the teachers dialogic scaffolding and students expressions of argumentative agency where taken from audio- and video transcripts of a total of 20 lesson transcripts; five lessons observed from each teacher. These were supplemented with other data obtained through survey, formal and informal interview, and non-participant observations to establish the teachers profile regarding their knowledge and beliefs on the nature of teaching and learning and on the nature and advantages of classroom argumentation. Thematic analyses for both the teachers dialogic scaffolding practices and students expressions of argumentative agency in both the contingency and fading phases followed the grounded theory methodology through constant comparison method. This was applied to the total of 20 classroom transcripts (five from each) of the four classes to develop the themes and subthemes which represented the interrelated categories of teachers and students dialogic exchange which sustained their argumentative discussions from the contingency phases to the fading phases. In the coding process, themes were developed using the combined inductive and template approaches which merged the a priori and data-driven codes. The codebooks that were generated were particularly focused on types of dialogues and the roles played by these dialogues to establish the interplay of teachers and students dialogic interactions. Dialogic scaffolding in this study was used as discursive support provided by the teachers to elicit students expressions of argumentative agency. Students expressions of argumentative agency on the other hand, were focused on their willingness to participate in the dialogic inquiry with solicited responses in the contingency phases and unsolicited responses in the fading phases. As the study was focused on the dialogic exchange, the roles of the teachers dialogic scaffolding prompts and students responses were noted in both the contingency and fading phases of their discussions. Teachers dialogic scaffolding prompts were classified as conceptual, analytical, and reflective and were expressed in different roles such as linking statements to prior knowledge, recapitulating, appropriating, recasting, cued eliciting, and increasing perspectives in the contingency phase while supporting, being a tool for communication, and extending students capacities in the fading phase. Students dialogic roles to express their argumentative agency on the other hand, can either be constructive which supported or provided reasons to claims or critic which clarified, challenged, or evaluated existing claims. Results showed that the teachers had different dialogic scaffolding practices for classroom argumentation implementation. These differences were affected by their varying levels of knowledge and beliefs on the nature of teaching and learning and on the nature and advantages of classroom argumentation. These beliefs eventually affected their framing of instructional approaches to implement classroom argumentation (SSI-based or content-based) which further influenced their dialogic scaffolding practices and strategies. Four themes, which were associated to their framing of instructional approaches, emerged as the teachers dialogic scaffolding practices in the contingency phase namely: 1) appropriation strategies, 2) enactment of the culture of negotiation, 3) conceptual-reflective questioning, and 4) flexible affirmations of students ideas for collective consensus. In the fading phase, two themes represented the teachers dialogic scaffolding and similarly, these were aligned to their instructional approaches to classroom argumentation implementation. In order to implement their personal dialogic scaffolding practices, each teacher employed two different but related dialogic scaffolding strategies to support the students expressions of argumentative agency in the contingency phases. In the SSI-based classes, using the appropriation strategies, Teacher Loida dialogically scaffolded the students by: 1) using prior scientific knowledge to build abstract concepts from simple ones, and 2) providing scenarios that may be experienced by the students. In the enactment of the culture of negotiation, Teacher Carlo used the strategies: 1) offering neutral points of view as prerequisites for integrative negotiation, and 2) converging disparate ideas leading to collective consensus. In the content-based classes, Teacher Don implemented his conceptual-reflective questioning by: 1) questioning using factual-canonical concepts, and 2) extending discussion through reflective inquiry. Finally, using the flexible affirmations of students for collective consensus, Teacher Mara implemented this by: 1) providing reinforcement for a mutually contingent dialogic exercise, and 2) revoicing to increase students backing and enhance their discursive identity. Results of the analysis point out the possibility of implementing classroom argumentation as a minds-on inquiry process in the Philippine biology education. This is in response to the advocacy for inquiry-based teaching despite the limits posed by the scarcity of resources for hands-on or laboratory-based inquiry teaching practices. With the varying dialogic scaffolding practices of the teachers employed in this study based on their varying levels of knowledge and beliefs on the nature of teaching and learning and on the nature and advantages of classroom argumentation, the study recommends professional development (PD) programs that would facilitate the development of the constructivist beliefs of pre-service and in-service education. This would eventually lead them to framing and implementing inquiry-based teaching such as classroom argumentation through their dialogic scaffolding. Implications for pre-service and in-service teachers PDs which aim to maximize the use of language in promoting classroom argumentation with the success of the mother tongue-based-multi-language Education (MTB-MLE) program in the Philippines were discussed. Further recommendations for future related studies were discussed.Table of Contents Contents Page Dedication ii Acknowledgement iii Abstract vi Table of Contents x List of Tables xiii List of Figures xiv Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Statement of the Problem 8 1.2. Objectives of the Study 12 1.3. Significance of the Study 13 1.4. Limitations of the Study 15 1.5. Overview of the Dissertation 16 Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework and Conceptual Definition of Terms 19 Chapter 3. Review of Related Literature 26 3.1. Dialogic scaffolding argumentation as an inquiry-based approach in science education 27 3.2. Defining a dialogic learning environment . 31 3.3. Scaffolding in science education 35 3.4. Argumentative agency in the current research 37 3.5. Developing students epistemic agency for classroom argumentation 40 3.6. Advantages of classroom argumentation 42 3.7. Developing teachers PCK for argumentation teaching 43 3.8. The secondary school science education in the K to 12 curriculum of the Philippines 45 3.9. Improving the constructivist teaching approaches of science teachers in the Philippines 47 Chapter 4. Methodology 50 4.1. Research design 50 4.2. Sampling and settings of the study 52 4.3. Participants of the Study 54 4.4. Classroom dynamics 57 4.5. Data collection 59 4.5.1. Procedure 59 4.5.2. Instruments 61 4.6. Data analysis and interpretation 65 4.6.1. Analysis and interpretation on the teachers dialogic scaffolding practices and implementation strategies for students expressions of argumentative agency in both the contingency and fading phases 66 4.6.2. Descriptive analysis and interpretation on the teachers knowledge and belief systems on nature of teaching and learning and on the nature and advantages of classroom argumentation 68 4.6.3. Analysis and interpretation on what and how the students expressed argumentative agency as a response to their teachers dialogic scaffolding practices in both the contingency and fading phases 70 4.7. Establishing the research quality 74 4.8. Ethical considerations 75 Chapter 5. Results and Discussion 77 5.1. Teachers dialogic scaffolding practices 80 5.1.1. Dialogic scaffolding practices and implementation strategies in the contingency phase 80 For the SSI-based implementing teachers 80 Theme 1: Appropriation strategies 81 Theme 2: Enactment of the culture of negotiation 90 For the content-based implementing teachers 97 Theme 3: Conceptual-reflective questioning strategies 98 Theme 4: Flexible affirmations of students ideas for collective consensus 107 5.1.2. Teachers dialogic scaffolding practices and implementation strategies in the fading phases 114 Theme 1: Recognition of students scientific knowledge capitals for the SSI-based implementing teachers 116 Theme 2: Sensitivity to students willingness to participate in the dialogic exchange in the content-based classes 130 5.2. Teachers knowledge and beliefs on the nature of teaching and learning and on the nature and advantages of classroom argumentation 144 SSI-based implementing teachers 144 Content-based implementing teachers 154 5.3. Students expressions of argumentative agency in response to their teachers dialogic scaffolding practices and strategies 165 5.3.1. Theme 1: Neutral and immediate application of scientific knowledge in the dialogic response in the contingency phase 168 5.3.2. Theme 2: Use of science concepts, willingness to take part, and recognition of the advantages of turn-taking in the fading phase 190 Chapter 6. Summary and Conclusion 217 Chapter 7. Implications and Recommendations 229 References 234 국문초록 254 Appendices 258 I. Communications 258 II. SNU IRB Approval Sheets 259 III. Sample Research Instruments 267 A. TBTLQ 267 B. TKBAS 268 C. TBTLI 269 D. TDSAOC 270 E. TSCAIG 271Docto

Social Costs of Herbicide Resistance: The Case of Resistance to Glyphosate

Unlike in the pesticide and antibiotic resistance literature, potential social costs and externalities associated with herbicide resistance have not generally been considered by economists. The economics of managing herbicide resistance in weeds has focused on cost-effective responses by growers to the development of resistance at the individual farm and field level. Economic analyses of optimal herbicide use have focused on optimising farmer returns in the long run. Weeds have been considered less mobile, compared to insects and diseases, suggesting that externalities resulting from resistance spread will be minimal and any consequent social costs low. Glyphosate is the world's most widely used broad-spectrum non-selective herbicide. Declining glyphosate prices, the adoption of no-till and minimum-till systems and the adoption of glyphosate-tolerant crops, have combined to cause a rapid increase in the use of glyphosate, and resistance is now appearing. In this paper we argue that the increasing possibility of widespread glyphosate resistance, exacerbated in some situations by spread through resistance mobility, presents a case where social costs associated with glyphosate resistance need to be considered when assessing optimal use of this herbicide resource at the farm level. Possible social costs associated with the loss of glyphosate efficacy include potential failure of herbicide-resistant crop systems, reduced use of conservation tillage techniques, and potentially more reliance on herbicides with greater environmental and health risks.glyphosate resistance, herbicide resistance, social costs, externalities, resistance mobility, Crop Production/Industries,