Can Teachers Tell Which Students are at Risk? Comparing Teacher Reading Risk Determinations with STAR Reading Risk Determinations

The theoretical framework for this study was Michael Polanyi’s concept of tacit knowing, that a professional’s knowledge is composed of both the things he or she can describe explicitly and a tacit component that is difficult, if not impossible, to define or describe. In the national context of an increasing emphasis on accountability, the use of data, and standardized testing, teachers’ judgments, composed as they are of a tacit component that can be difficult to express, are not always valued. A review of the literature revealed a gap in the research related to teachers’ abilities to identify individual student risk in reading. The purpose of this research was to determine if, in the context of a Response to Intervention framework, teachers’ professional judgments were equally predictive at determining risk level as the results provided by the screening tools in common use in school districts to identify students who would benefit from a reading intervention. This study examined two research questions: (a) what is the relationship between teacher judgment of student reading risk levels and the screening tool risk levels, and (b) are there variations in the relationships related to student characteristics? Using a tracking tool, 31 3rd and 4th grade teachers in a suburban school district in the Pacific Northwest recorded their determinations of their students’ reading risk. Those results were then compared with the fall universal screening reading risk determinations from STAR Reading. Percent exact agreement tests were used to determine the concurrent validity of the two measures. Overall there was an 83% match between STAR Reading and the teacher evaluations of each student’s reading risk. When the results were disaggregated, most groups had percent exact agreement rates above 80%. This study might suggest that a teacher’s professional judgment could be used as a screening tool, eliminating the need to purchase and maintain a commercially published assessment for the purposes of universal screening

Vocal Hygiene for Musical Theatre Performers

There have been numerous “do’s - and - don’t’s” vocal hygiene pamphlets made for voice users, however, a guide for vocal hygiene for musical theatre performers is not typically included in these pamphlets. Musical theatre performers differ from other professional voice users, because in addition to singing, they also have the taxing responsibilities of acting and dancing. As a result, many musical theatre performers have questions and often seem confused about what proper vocal hygiene should be for them. The goal of this honors project was to create an advisory brochure on vocal hygiene specifically for musical theatre performers. This brochure is based upon information published by professionals from various disciplines such as medicine, speech-language pathology, music, and theatre. This brochure addresses a number of aspects that musical theatre performers should be aware of as a result of the many demands that are placed upon them. This resulted in the following categories for the creation of the brochure: preventing overuse, medical care, nutrition/hydration, environmental factors, and utilizing proper technique. The background information and sources for this project are found in the annotated bibliography at the end of this paper

“Enxugando Gelo?”: o trabalho dos profissionais na fiscalização sanitária de medicamentos na internet

A sociedade contemporânea convive com incertezas e vulnerabilidades que exigem a atuação dos sistemas regulatórios na fiscalização do comércio eletrônico de medicamentos não registrados e/ou falsificados. Investiga-se o trabalho dos profissionais da vigilância sanitária federal na fiscalização de medicamentos na internet e os elementos que orientam sua decisão técnica. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso único, ancorada na abordagem ergológica, entre dezembro de 2020 e setembro de 2021, por meio de entrevistas e observação participante. Os mapas ergodialógicos, elaborados no Atlas.ti, subsidiaram a análise das práticas discursivas classificadas conforme esquema tripolar saber-agir-valor, resultando em três categorias. O profissional é sempre convocado a fazer escolhas e gerir situações imprevisíveis, havendo inquietações sobre a capacidade institucional para compreender e agir sobre o problema. O trabalho adquire, assim, o sentido de “enxugar gelo”, em função do volume de demandas e dos poucos efeitos da fiscalização no mercado eletrônico de medicamentos. As normas, o conhecimento técnico, a experiência e a responsabilidade social, dentre outros elementos, estão presentes na tomada de decisão dos profissionais, conscientes de que, ao agir, protegem a saúde da população. Constata-se que diferentes saberes, científicos ou empíricos, podem qualificar melhor o sistema decisório na fiscalização, tornando-o mais efetivo, assertivo e transparente.Contemporary society is plagued with uncertainties and vulnerabilities, demanding from regulatory systems the surveillance of unregistered and/or falsified medicines sold online. This study investigates the work of federal health surveillance professionals in the inspection of medicines sold online and the elements that guide their technical decision. A qualitative, single case study based on the ergological approach was conducted between December 2020 and September 2021, with data collected by interviews and participant observation. Ergodialogical maps, developed using Atlas.ti, underlined the analysis of discursive practices classified according to the tri-polar knowledgeaction- value schema, resulting in three categories. Professionals are always called upon to decide on and manage unpredictable situations, questioning the institutional capacity to understand and act on the problem. The work thus takes on the sense of “rolling a stone uphill” due to the volume of demands and the limited effects of surveillance on the e-commerce of medicines. Norms, technical knowledge, experience, and social responsibility, among other elements, inform the decision-making process of professionals, who are aware that, by acting, they protect public health. Different forms of knowledge, scientific or experiential, can better qualify decision-making in surveillance, making it more effective, assertive, and transparent

Promoting cognitive support technology use and employment success among postsecondary students with traumatic brain injuries

OBJECTIVE: This article applies positive psychology principles to the purpose and objectives of a five-year, federally-funded initiative to provide cognitive support technology (CST) training and career preparatory services for undergraduate college students with mild and moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBI). METHODS: A total of 48 students with TBI have participated in the project during its first 18 months of operation - 14 of whom are military veterans with disabilities who were in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan theaters. CONCLUSION: Positive psychology interventions such as Best Possible Self, Intensely Positive Experiences, and Asset-based Assessments provide a framework for examining the activities of this multi-site development project

Re-placing place in marketing: A resource-exchange place perspective

This study clarifies the marketing discipline's conceptualization of place by presenting a revised perspective and conceptual framework of place, referred to as REPLACE. Drawing from resource exchange theory and attention restoration theory, the framework problematizes the assumption that places are merely physical locales by foregrounding how places can become inseparable aspects of consumers' lives. We present an alternative resource-based perspective of place, namely as a repository of resources that are potentially available to consumers through exchange processes. These exchange processes, and the complexity of the offered resources, influence consumers' relationship with a locale as well as their sense of well-being. With this alternative perspective, we bridge the place concept to public health and extend the understanding of attachment in service settings

Effectiveness of a primary care based complex intervention to promote self-management in patients presenting psychiatric symptoms: study protocol of a cluster-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Anxiety, Depression and Somatoform (ADSom) disorders are highly prevalent in primary care. Managing these disorders is time-consuming and requires strong commitment on behalf of the General Practitioners (GPs). Furthermore, the management of these patients is restricted by the high patient turnover rates in primary care practices, especially in the German health care system. In order to address this problem, we implement a complex, low-threshold intervention by an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) using a mixture of case management and counseling techniques to promote self-management in these patients. Here we present the protocol of the “Self-Management Support for Anxiety, Depression and Somatoform Disorders in Primary Care” (SMADS)-Study. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is designed as a cluster-randomized controlled trial, comparing an intervention and a control group of 10 primary care practices in each case. We will compare the effectiveness of the intervention applied by an APN with usual GP-care. A total of 340 participants will be enrolled in the study, 170 in either arm. We use the Patient Health Questionnaire-German version (PHQ-D) as a screening tool for psychiatric symptoms, including patients with a score above 5 on any of the three symptom scales. The primary outcome is self-efficacy, measured by the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), here used as a proxy for self-management. As secondary outcomes we include the PHQ-D symptom load and questionnaires regarding coping with illness and health related quality of life. Outcome assessments will be applied 8 weeks and 12 months after the baseline assessment. DISCUSSION: The SMADS-study evaluates a complex, low threshold intervention for ambulatory patients presenting ADSom-symptoms, empowering them to better manage their condition, as well as improving their motivation to engage in self-help and health-seeking behaviour. The benefit of the intervention will be substantiated, when patients can enhance their expected self-efficacy, reduce their symptom load and engage in more self-help activities to deal with their everyday lives. After successfully evaluating this psychosocial intervention, a new health care model for the management of symptoms of anxiety, depression and somatoform disorders for ambulatory patients could emerge, supplementing the work of the GP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT0172638

Museum education programs : Portland, Oregon

In this study I explored the variety of educational opportunities available in museums. Next, I examined the museum education programs in the Portland, Oregon area and described what types of opportunities are available to teachers. Finally, I made suggestions for teachers on how to best access museum programs and for museum educators on how to best reach teachers. Interactions between schools and museums exist on a variety of levels. From limited interactions to collaborative programming, schools and museums have found ways to work together to accomplish their joint goal of education. Museums offer self-guided or guided tours, curriculum packets, teacher education programs, access to collections or informational programs related to special exhibits. Some museums and schools have developed deeper relationships in which each give and receive help carrying out their missions. I interviewed museum educators at nine museums in Portland and the surrounding areas. I asked questions regarding the types of programs available, especially focusing on programs suitable for school groups or those that might be helpful to teachers. The programs available in the Portland area vary by institution. Each museum, historic home or zoo offers unique programs on a variety of topics. While history predominates, science, math, social studies and art are readily available. Teachers should be able to supplement nearly any classroom topic. Teachers should take the time to get to know the educators in the institutions. Overall, the key for an individual teacher seeking museum education for students is to ask what is available. The programming at most institutions is flexible, especially when there are traveling or temporary exhibitions. Teachers should get onto mailing lists so they will be notified when special or new programs are available. Also, teachers need to keep in contact with the museum educators. Developing a personal relationship will prove invaluable for a teacher who is trying to fill a gap in a unit or supplement his or her curriculum. Museum educators will benefit from time spent analyzing where their current programs meet state guidelines or focusing planning on meeting specific state common curriculum goals (CCGs) when designing new programs. Schools are reorganizing their curriculum to meet state standards and museum personnel would be wise to do the same

Psychometric properties of the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire for children

In order to broaden the alexithymia concept, we identified six aspects in a newly developed questionnaire for children which aims to measure emotion awareness: Differentiating Emotions, Verbal Sharing of Emotions, Bodily Awareness, Acting Out Emotions, Analyses of Emotions, and Others? Emotions. First, the six-factor structure of this Emotion Awareness Questionnaire was identified in children (692 children, 9-16 years old), although the scale Acting Out Emotions showed poor psychometric properties. Second, the predictive validity of the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire showed promise with respect to self-reported somatic complaints (in samples from two different countries, the UK and the Netherlands), depression and worry. Only Acting Out Emotions did not contribute to any of the criterion variables whilst Bodily Awareness and Others? Emotions contributed in the unexpected direction. It is proposed that the Emotion Awareness Questionnaire could help to identify which specific elements of emotional (dys)functioning are related to different kinds of psychological problems