Evaluation of a computing and engineering outreach program for girls in grades 8–10

An outreach program of workshops and guided group activities for New Hampshire\u27s eighth, ninth and tenth grade girls was offered to stimulate the girls\u27 interest in computing and engineering coursework and careers. Attitude changes before and after participation were measured using a survey instrument adapted from one developed by the Georgia Tech\u27s Institute for Computing and Education. Eight attitudinal themes were surveyed. With suitable adjustments for simultaneous testing of multiple hypotheses, statistically significant changes with moderate effect sizes were detected for three of the themes: enjoyment of technology-related activities, motivation to succeed in technical problem solving, and intention to persist in computing and engineering courses and careers

PRICING STRATEGY USED AS A TOOL FOR BUILDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN THE RETAIL SECTOR

The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of pricing strategy in the retail sector and the power of their influence on consumer behavior. Merchants should consider the price generates perceptions and can influence consumer behavior and buying customers. They must also understand how to participate in the price of consumer satisfaction.Consumer behaviour, price strategy, retail, price satisfaction, price fairness

Representative Names of Computing Degree Programs Worldwide

Through the auspices of ACM and with support from the IEEE Computer Society, a task group charged to prepare the IT2017 report conducted an online international survey of computing faculty members about their undergraduate degree programs in computing. The purpose of this survey was to clarify the breadth of and disparities in nomenclature used by diverse communities in the computing field, where a word or phrase can mean different things in different computing communities. This paper examines the English-language words and phrases used to name the computing programs of almost six hundred survey respondents, and the countries in which those names are used. Over eight hundred program names analysed in this paper reveal six program names that together account for more than half of all program names. The paper goes on to consider possible correspondence between reported program names and the five areas of computing identified by the ACM. Names such as computer science and information technology appear to dominate, but with different meanings, while the names of other computing disciplines show clear geographic preferences. Convergence towards a very small number of highly representative program names in computing education worldwide might be deceptive. The paper calls for further examination and international collaborations to align program names with program curriculum content

Latin American perspectives to internationalize undergraduate information technology education

The computing education community expects modern curricular guidelines for information technology (IT) undergraduate degree programs by 2017. The authors of this work focus on eliciting and analyzing Latin American academic and industry perspectives on IT undergraduate education. The objective is to ensure that the IT curricular framework in the IT2017 report articulates the relationship between academic preparation and the work environment of IT graduates in light of current technological and educational trends in Latin America and elsewhere. Activities focus on soliciting and analyzing survey data collected from institutions and consortia in IT education and IT professional and educational societies in Latin America; these activities also include garnering the expertise of the authors. Findings show that IT degree programs are making progress in bridging the academic-industry gap, but more work remains

Initiating change at the local level: Delivery of Educational Services to Students with Moderate to Severe Handicapping Conditions

This article describes program initiat1ves undertaken by a rural educational cooperative In an effort to bridge the gap between current best practices and local educational program opportunities for school-aged students with moderate, severe, and profound handicapping conditions. It compares previous program characteristics with current practices in areas such educational placement, student groupings, curriculum, community-based Instruction, therapeutic services, end post-school preparation. Factors which influenced major program changes are discussed

Comparaison Des Consommations De Charbon De Bois Des Foyers Améliorés Et Des Foyers Métalliques, Une Approche Modélisée

A survey of households in a suburban area of Madagascar has enabled us to discern the use of improved cook stoves and metal charcoal stoves, depending on the socio-economic, cultural and technical factors characterizing the households. This study presents a model of charcoal consumption for these two stoves, using quantitative and qualitative variables. The models developed make it possible to compare the two stoves in terms of the average quantity of charcoal consumed monthly by the households. As a result, for both stoves, household size correlates positively with charcoal consumption, while price correlates inversely. A forecast charcoal price of 725 Ariary (local currency) per kilo results in an 11.3% drop in consumption, on average, for both types of charcoal stove. However, a 2.8% reduction in charcoal expenditure with improved cook stoves, and just 0.15% with metal stoves. Households with metal households are therefore less sensitive to price variations. The life-standing character of the electricity bill is also verified, i.e. wealthier families consume more electrical energy than poorer ones. With metal stoves, the number of baccalaureate holders correlates positively with charcoal consumption. As for the type of housing occupied by households, the better it is, the lower the charcoal consumption. Furthermore, it is proved that the charcoal saved by using improved cook stoves is only 2.44% by weight. Households using improved cook stoves consumed an average of 9.663 kg/cap/month, compared with 9.899 kg/cap/month for metal stoves. This is still a long way from the expected results. Market regulation, training and sensitizing activities concerning improved cook stoves are needed to achieve the objectives set and to ensure the sustainability of the programs promoting these stoves

Research report: Exploring the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of MSM engaged in substance use and transactional sex in Ghana

This study was implemented by Boston University in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 2010. The content and views expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of USAID or the U.S. Government.This report presents findings from a qualitative study examining the vulnerability to HIV of young men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kumasi, Ghana, and their prevention needs. The study was jointly conducted in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest urban center, by Boston University’s Center for Global and Health and Development (CGHD) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). It was carried out as a component of Project SEARCH funded by the United States Agency for International Development. The study was designed and conducted in collaboration with FHI 360 (formerly Family Health International (FHI)), an international non‐governmental organization based in the capital city of Accra which operates programs targeting MSM and other key populations in Kumasi, and the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC). Preventing HIV among key populations in Ghana is a major goal for the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) and the GAC.1 MSM are a particularly stigmatized population in Ghana, in part because male‐to‐male sex has traditionally been viewed as illegal, making them a difficult yet critical to reach population with HIV/AIDS‐related services. This qualitative study was conducted in order to enhance understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescent and young MSM (aged 15‐29). In this population, we particularly sought to focus on two sub‐groups: MSM who engage in transactional sex and those who use alcohol or illicit substances (hereinafter “substances”). The specific objectives were to explore: 1) the types and extent of substance use by MSM; 2) the overlap between substance use and transactional sex among MSM; 3) the beliefs and attitudes related to substance use and transactional sex; 4) knowledge and risk behaviors of both subgroups. The study’s broader goal was to collect and analyze in‐depth data that can be used to improve the outreach and effectiveness of local programs that aim to reach these groups with important HIV prevention and treatment information and with services appropriate to their needs.Support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 201

Attitudes and behaviors among older MSM in Ghana

This study was implemented by Boston University in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 2010. The content and views expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of USAID or the U.S. Government.This report provides the findings of a qualitative study that explored vulnerability to HIV of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kumasi, Ghana. It is the second of two related studies focusing on MSM. The first study, “Exploring the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of MSM engaged in substance use and transactional sex in Ghana,”1 focused on adolescent and young adult MSM aged 15 to 29 years. This companion study focused on ‘older MSM’, encompassing individuals aged 30 years and above. This research was conducted by a collaborative team comprised of researchers from Boston University’s Center for Global and Health and Development (CGHD) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The team conducted this research in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest urban center. It is a component of the ‘Operations Research for Key Populations in Ghana’ Program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). We designed and carried out the study in collaboration with FHI 360, an organization based in the capital of Accra that operates programs targeting MSM and other high‐risk individuals in Ghana, as well as the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC). Reducing vulnerability to HIV infection among high‐risk populations in Ghana is a major goal for the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) and the GAC. MSM are highly stigmatized in Ghana, in part because male‐to‐male sex is illegal. This makes it extremely challenging to understand the challenges these men face and ensure that they have access to HIV‐ and AIDS‐related services. We designed this qualitative study to add to what is known about the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of older MSM in Ghana. We focused on two groups among older MSM: those aged 30‐39 years and those aged 40 years and above. Given the need for more data on these groups to better reach them with effective HIV prevention and treatment information, the study aimed to explore: 1) How older MSM find their sex partners; 2) Their views of HIV risk; 3) Their risky behaviors, including those situations in which they are most likely to engage in risky sex; 4) HIV‐related services they receive; and 5) What services would be most helpful to them. The broad goal of the study was to collect and analyze in‐depth data in order to improve the outreach and effectiveness of local programs that aim to reach older MSM with important HIV prevention and treatment information and with services appropriate to their needs.Support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 201