Relevancy=QSEN + Complete Baccalaureate Curriculum Redesign

Faculty in the WSON opted to consider a complete curriculum redesign of the baccalaureate nursing program to assure relevancy to practice. A quality improvement process was used to accomplish the curriculum redesign

Factors Predicting Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers\u27 Levels of Self-Efficacy in STEM Education

Education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become widely promoted in recent years. Quality STEM education could maintain or increase the number of individuals preparing for careers in these fields and increase STEM literacy for the population. Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education has always used science to improve home life while reinforcing technology, engineering, and mathematics principles through hands on, relevant learning activities in the classroom. However, it is not usually recognized as a STEM subject. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors may affect FCS teachers’ level of self-efficacy in teaching STEM education in order to provide supports that improve teaching practices. This quantitative study surveyed middle and high school FCS teachers in Pennsylvania using the T-STEM Survey for Elementary Teachers. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The first research question explored the level of self-efficacy of FCS teachers regarding teaching STEM concepts. The second research question explored how each of the teacher demographic variables respectively predict the level of self-efficacy of FCS teachers when teaching STEM concepts. The five independent teacher demographic variables were participation in FCCLA, number of STEM courses taken, education level, number of years in teaching, and gender. Overall, FCS teachers scored highest in 21st century learning attitudes and lowest in STEM instruction. The results indicated that the independent variable number of STEM courses taken was a significant predictor of 21st century learning attitudes (β= .02, SE = .01, p = .019)

Lessons from the Past and Strategies for the Future: Using Domestic, International and Comparative Law to Overturn Sodomy Laws

This Article will first discuss the legal importance of challenging sodomy laws, even though those laws are rarely enforced. It will then discuss the importance of incorporating international and comparative law in formulating these challenges. In Section II, Professor Charlene Smith will discuss past and future strategies, focusing on the topics of equal protection, morality, and the difference (or lack thereof) between acts and status. In Section III, Professor Jim Wilets will explore incorporating international and comparative law into domestic challenges to U.S. sodomy laws. This Article will demonstrate that there is binding Supreme Court authority requiring all U.S. courts to respect, whenever possible, the international obligations of the United States federal government when interpreting federal and state law. This Article will also demonstrate that there is a clearly articulated federal policy, by both the Executive Branch and United States Senate, to respect and implement those international obligations that require the United States to decriminalize same-sex consensual sexual relations

Lessons from the Past and Strategies for the Future: Using Domestic, International and Comparative Law to Overturn Sodomy Laws

This Article will first discuss the legal importance of challenging sodomy laws, even though those laws are rarely enforced. It will then discuss the importance of incorporating international and comparative law in formulating these challenges. In Section II, Professor Charlene Smith will discuss past and future strategies, focusing on the topics of equal protection, morality, and the difference (or lack thereof) between acts and status. In Section III, Professor Jim Wilets will explore incorporating international and comparative law into domestic challenges to U.S. sodomy laws. This Article will demonstrate that there is binding Supreme Court authority requiring all U.S. courts to respect, whenever possible, the international obligations of the United States federal government when interpreting federal and state law. This Article will also demonstrate that there is a clearly articulated federal policy, by both the Executive Branch and United States Senate, to respect and implement those international obligations that require the United States to decriminalize same-sex consensual sexual relations

Functional Behavioral Analysis and Social Scripting for the Older Patient with Schizophrenia: A Staff Development Program

Executive functioning is the ability to plan, strategize, organize, and focus on details. Impaired executive functioning plays a significant role in behavior disturbances. Lack of inhibition, impaired abstract reasoning, thought perseverance, rigidity in routine, and lack of insight disrupt social skills and daily life. Autism and schizophrenia present some similar behaviors, including impaired executive functioning, often resulting in pharmacological management as many healthcare professionals receive limited training in executive functioning. Non-pharmacological tools used in autism for behavior management include functional behavioral analysis and social scripting, which help to identify causes of behavior and teach more appropriate behavioral responses. Described here is an educational program for healthcare workers in a long-term care skilled nursing facility, to help them understand the basis for behaviors in individuals with impaired executive function, to use these same tools for behavioral modification techniques, and to help patients learn more appropriate social skills. Program evaluation suggested the educational program was successful in increasing the staff\u27s knowledge and comfort level in addressing the behavioral issues that arise with this population and staff also reported less use of medication as first-line treatment for behavioral issues

Identity: Lesbian Lawyers in South Florida an Oral History

Individual identity is a key concept in legal classifications. However, the concept of identity has an identity crisis of sorts. Some theorists embrace identity—feminist theorists—and other groups eschew it— queer theorists. Identity inhabits realms beyond the theoretical—its spectrum continues all the way to the individual. Identity can be construed as biological, personal, public, legal, political, historical, and fluid among many other sometimes complementary, but often conflicting classifications. Therefore, identities are more complex than mere singular categories. Kimberle Crenshaw was the first to specifically discuss the ideas of intersectionality and identity in a discussion of violence against women, noting, “experiences of women of color are frequently the product of intersecting patterns of racism and sexism, and how these experiences tend not to be represented within the discourses of either feminism or antiracism.”

Families Redefined: Kinship Groups that Deserve Benefits

In Families Redefined: Kinship Groups that Deserve Benefits, the authors examine 1) the nature of kinship families, 2) the benefits accorded to married couples, 3) kinship families that lack protection and benefits, 4) the impact of denying kinship families protection and benefits, 5) the use of contract law in kinship relationships, and 6) using legislation to benefit kinship relationships. This exploration of expanding family law protections to kinship groups addresses a series of interrelated topics. The first two sections of the article explore the characteristics and creation of kinship families in different societies. The third section addresses the legal benefits provided by marriage, while the fourth and fifth sections examine, respectively, the types of kinship relationships that should have similar benefits and the effect of denying such benefits. The next two sections present legal solutions that propose using contract law and adopting legislation to provide legal protection and benefits to kinship units. Accordingly, the article advocates for the expansion of legal concepts of family to include kinship relationships by comparing the treatment of these issues in various states and nations. In this manner, the authors support a new definition of family that goes beyond conjugal arrangements