Research Methods

This paper discusses three common research approaches, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, along with the various research designs commonly used when conducting research within the framework of each approach. Creswell (2002) noted that quantitative research is the process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the results of a study, while qualitative research is the approach to data collection, analysis, and report writing differing from the traditional, quantitative approaches. This paper provides a further distinction between quantitative and qualitative research methods. This paper also presents a summary of the different research methods to conduct research in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies

The Detriments of Factory Farming

This thesis discusses the detrimental effects that industrialized farming practices have on public health, animal welfare, and ecological systems and includes factual support. It also provides practical application of this information as well as possible solutions and a detailed description of a related art exhibition

The Art and Media Communications course : a case study of one teacher’s perspective

This study investigates the teaching experience of one Texas high school visual art teacher as she integrates the Arts and Media Communication course into her curriculum for the first time. Through an open-ended interview and class observation, this case study inquires how the teacher teaches the lessons and curriculum. This study examines literature on learning theories, digital and media literacy and technology in the secondary art classroom. The explanations of the results highlight the efficacy of the course and how the students responded to the projects. The findings of this study suggest that technology is an effective tool for the Art and Media Communications class and a student-centered instructional approach works well for this course. Therefore, it is proposed that teachers, principals, school districts and other community organizations may find that art and technology curricula are valuable, assessable, and supported.Art Educatio

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Treating Developmental Trauma in Appalachia

Abstract This study aimed to investigate and determine the knowledge and education of occupational therapy practitioners who evaluate and treat developmental trauma in Appalachia and adjacent counties by answering the following research questions. 1.) What is the level of education, years of experience, and what formal diagnosis practitioners received on referrals? 2.) Are practitioners satisfied with resources to treat trauma histories? Do they participate in self-learning activities, and what disciplines do practitioners find in their self-learning education? 3.) What theoretical frameworks and assessment tools do practitioners utilize to develop treatment plans? 4.) What are the barriers to treatment when children have trauma histories? The study analyzed data collected from 80 practitioners, as a non-experimental, descriptive study, through an online survey offered to pediatric occupational therapy practitioners in Appalachia and adjacent counties. The instrument used was an author-developed, web-based survey containing 18 questions about practitioners’ experience with developmental trauma. Practitioners offered insight into demographics, education, self-directed learning, diagnoses, barriers, and occupational therapy-specific theories and tools to assess developmental trauma. Pediatric practitioners with access to trauma-informed care resources can bring awareness to adverse childhood events (ACE) by identifying early signs of exposure and can implement evidence-based practice to reduce the developmental effects of childhood trauma. By understanding the barriers, education, and available resources, therapists can build a network specifically for pediatric occupational therapy practitioners in Appalachia for trauma-informed best-care practices. Keywords: developmental trauma, occupational therapy, trauma-informed practic

Evaluating an online support package delivered within a disability unemployment service: study protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility study

Background Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression are known to be higher in those who are unemployed. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a recognised support for people with such problems and can improve the ability of people to get back to work.<p></p> Methods/design Participants with symptoms of low mood will be recruited from the disability employment service, Remploy. Participants will receive either immediate or delayed access to an online CBT-based life skills intervention, the “Living Life” package. The primary end point will be at 3 months when the delayed group will be offered the intervention. This feasibility study will test the trial design and assess recruitment, retention, acceptability and adherence, as well as providing efficacy data.<p></p> Discussion The study will inform the design and sample size for a future full randomised controlled trial (RCT) which will be carried out to determine the effectiveness of the online package in improving mood and employment status.<p></p&gt

The Impacts of Integrated Teaching in the Elementary Classroom

The world in which our students live, and the one which they will inherit, is integrated and cross-disciplinary. In schools, we break the world down into fragments, but the preference is to consider phenomena coherently-to identify the pattern and structure with context as a clue. (Jones and Thomas, 2006, p. 64). Due to the current trends of standardized testing, non-testable subjects such as art and social studies have taken a backseat in the elementary classroom. The purpose of this research is to attempt to overcome these pressures through the approach of integrated, or multi-subject, teaching. My research was conducted in two separate classrooms, kindergarten and the fourth grade. Through teaching multiple lessons students were exposed to an integrated approach to learning. These lessons centered on pulling elements of core subjects such as math and language arts into lessons focused on non-testable areas like art and social studies. By doing this I hoped to give merit to these subjects while building connections between the different areas of academia as well as the real world

Health Implications of Incarceration and Reentry on Returning Citizens: A Qualitative Examination of Black Men’s Experiences in a Northeastern City

While a great deal of research captures the lived experiences of Black men as they navigate through the criminal legal system and onto reentry, very little research is grounded in how those processes are directly connected to their health. Although some research argues that mass incarceration is a determinant of poor health, there is a lack of qualitative analyses from the perspective of Black men. Black men face distinct pathways that lead them into the criminal legal system, and these same pathways await them upon reentry. This study aims to examine the health implications associated with incarceration and reentry of Black men. While adopting a phenomenological approach alongside interviews, our findings show both race- and gender-specific outcomes for the men in our sample. For example, health and wellness appear to be a significant theme that governs their (in)ability to matriculate society. Moreover, their contact with the criminal legal system appears to exacerbate health concerns and hindrances toward reentry. Other themes include mental health and the role of masculinity. We conclude with implications on policy and future research