Center for Teaching and Learning Impact on Adjunct Job Satisfaction: Examining Their Lived Experiences

Adjunct faculty have become a significant part of the collegiate workforce in times of financial constraints; however, they are not supported like their full-time counterparts and have lower career and job satisfaction. Some institutions have responded to the increase in dependence on adjuncts by developing support systems in the form of teaching and learning centers. This phenomenological case study’s purpose was to explore the lived experiences of adjunct faculty using a center for teaching and learning (CTL) and explore the impacts the CTL has on adjunct job satisfaction. A purposive sample of six adjunct faculty, two CTL leaders, and one American Association of Community Colleges leader participated in in-depth interviews recorded through Zoom. The collected data were transcribed and used to construct four major themes and six subthemes through the processes of using in vivo coding, initial coding, and descriptive coding. The major themes included the CTL practices, inclusiveness, confidence, and satisfaction. The findings from this study imply that factors which enhance job satisfaction are totally distinct from those associated with job dissatisfaction; the presence of certain job attributes (motivators) lead to satisfaction, and the presence of hygiene factors, such as working conditions, prevents dissatisfaction. Overall, the results of this study could encourage institutions’ administrators to refine certain features within the CTL to manage adjunct faculty’s job satisfaction

The Spectre of the Slave Ship: Caryl Phillips’s Adaptation for the Stage of Rough Crossings by Simon Schama

The representation onstage of traumatic historical events is met with various challenges: for example, the conventions of dramaturgy may humanize the perpetrators of wide-scale criminal acts through the requirement for complex characterization; there is a risk of misrepresentation when the fictional content diverges from reality. There is also the problem of archival silence around those who were the victims of atrocities such as the slave trade. Caryl Phillips's adaptation of Simon Schama's Rough Crossings demonstrates the way in which dramaturgical strategies can be deployed to confront some of these challenges by rejecting the concept of authenticity altogether. His play also shows how this dramaturgical intervention can offset the limitations of the archive in order to retrieve the lost voices of the enslaved

"The entitlement to home ownership in the HIV and AIDS-related orphaning process"- A case study of Winnie Mandela

Student Number : 0217201P - MA (Housing) dissertation - School of Architecture and Planning - Faculty of HumanitiesSouth Africa currently has the fastest growing HIV/AIDS pandemic in the world. Against this backdrop it is therefore not suprising to learn that 4 million children or about 10% of the entire South African population will be orphaned by the year 2015 (Davis, 2002:52; Whiteside & Sunter, 2000 in Madhavan, [2000:1]). These projections paint a clear picture of the challenges that lie ahead for accommodating and sustaining a prevailing family structure of households that are headed by children who are left behind by parents succumbing to the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Because of their vulnerable age and laws and policies that do not fully cater for their needs, these children become victims of exploitation and abuse and forfeit their human rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the South African Constitution (1996). This study aims to unearth the plight of these children. In particular it will focus on the right of entitlement to family property when their parents die or are debilitated by HIV/AIDS related diseases. It concludes by challenging government and other stakeholders to review existing policies and to ensure that legislation is in place that mitigates against any form of violence, abuse, trauma or ostracism to which orphaned children are subjected to by unscrupulous caregivers

The Experiences of Obese African American Women and Their Utilization of Preventive Healthcare Services

Obesity is associated with higher death rates from breast and gynecological cancers. African American women(AAW) are more likely to be diagnosed with these cancers at later stages and have lower survival rates than Caucasian women. African American women are also disproportionately affected by obesity. Studies suggest that the healthcare experiences of obese women (primarily stigmatization), may contribute to their decisions to utilize healthcare services. However, these studies have largely comprised Caucasian women; there remains a paucity of studies addressing this issue in AAW. The purpose of this study was to explore the healthcare experiences of obese AAW and their utilization of preventive healthcare services. Interpretive phenomenology, based on the work of Maxx van Manen, was used to describe and interpret the healthcare experiences of 15 obese AAW living in communities in Georgia. The women ranged in age from 23 to 62, with body mass index ranging from 35-55. The majority of the sample (83%) had adequate health insurance. This was a well educated sample with 87% having college degrees or some college education. Individual, audio-taped interviews were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological methods, with analysis and collection occurring concurrently. Data were analyzed as a whole then line by line to identify themes across transcripts. Two patterns and five themes were identified. Patterns were: They\u27re not listening and Good or bad, it\u27s my decision. Themes were: Attributing all problems to weight; They say lose weight but give us no tools; Stigmatization; Cancel my appointment please: I won\u27t be back, and Empowerment. The women recalled a pleothra of negative encounters with providers that they termed demeaning and nastiness for no reason. Many women reacted by delaying or avoiding healthcare, some not returning for preventive health screens for many years. The significant association between obesity and mortality from cervical and breast cancers necessitates timely preventive screens by obese women. The results of this study can help to inform practice, education, and research. Recommendations for all three areas were deleneated in the study

Study Abroad Influencing Factors: An Investigation of Socio-Economic Status, Social, Cultural, and Personal Factors

The purpose of this study was to determine what factors (socio-economic status, social, cultural, and personal factors) most influence undergraduate decisions to study abroad. An online survey was completed by a target sample of 128 UNC students. The 49-item questionnaire consisted of items measuring student awareness of study abroad offerings, factors that influence students to study abroad, and financial ability/socio-economic status. Analysis included Pearson’s correlation tests, descriptive statistics, and cross-tab analysis. Results revealed that students prefer to study abroad in European countries and in countries that speak English. Results revealed a high awareness of study abroad offerings at the university. Cultural factors were the most important factors influencing student decisions to study abroad. Despite varying socio-economic status, most respondents indicated they would need financial aid to study abroad. Overall this study revealed that awareness levels, cultural factors, and financial ability most influence student decisions to study abroad

Meeting the Davis Family: A Case Study Examination of Values Education and Home Schooling

This research examines values education of a home schooling family operating within Australia\u27s education system, including a comparison the National Values Education framework. Home schooling as an alternative form of education is growing rapidly around the world, with current analysis suggesting that there are ten to twenty thousand children undergoing home schooling in Australia. Many parents choose this alternative education out of concern for the values being taught to their children. Research has reinforced the current priority being given to values education as an essential part of effective schooling, also the primacy of the home in values formation, and the importance of home and school working together. The aim of this study is to investigate whether home-schooled children are able to identify and enact values they have learned as part of their education, if there is a values system that has been passed between parents and children, and if the values education of a home schooling family fulfils the requirements of the Australian Government. The methodology chosen to explore this phenomenon was a case study of the Davis family. It was found that values education situated within home schooling did not disadvantage children. The results showed that values, as an educational goal and outcome were a high priority, intentional and fulfilled the requirements of the Australian Government. Also, the study confirmed that values education had real life and significant impact on the children of the Davis family. This research will be valuable not only for bridging a gap in literature, but also in attempting to focus attention on the need to understand the phenomenon of home schooling from all aspects, including values education

Transforming Leaders Into Stewards Of Teaching Excellence: Building And Sustaining An Academic Culture Through Leadership Immersion

Nursing must transform education and practice to meet the changing healthcare environment; yet, steps to desired change remain unknown. Academic leaders are well-positioned to initiate change and transform the academic landscape. However, many advance to leadership positions with minimal orientation to the role. Moreover, leaders in academic nursing often have expertise as clinicians and administrators, and not as academics. It is incumbent on nurse leaders to acquire needed competencies to fulfill the academic role. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to immerse leaders in an exploration of steps to initiate and sustain change in the teaching and learning process. Self-reported low- and high-level outcomes were analyzed using Kirkpatrick’s Model (1994) to evaluate the effectiveness of the immersion in preparing leaders to build and sustain a quality academic culture. Leadership immersions were implemented to transform leaders into stewards of teaching excellence. Pre- and post-immersion surveys captured data across three levels: satisfaction, knowledge and skill acquisition, and change in behavior. Seventy-three participants were evaluated. Participants for inclusion in the three-month analysis culminated in a 41% response rate. Findings were analyzed using ANOVA and t-tests. Further analysis was performed using Cohen’s d to determine effect size. Three-month follow-up surveys revealed no significant effect change (p<0.05). Results suggest immersion is effective in preparing leaders of academic nursing to build a quality academic culture. Through immersion, leaders established a collective vision of teaching excellence and proficiency in confronting and resolving actual and desired teaching practices, while enriching the life and work of faculty

Effect of linguistic context on metaphor comprehension in Cantonese-speaking children

Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2009."A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2009."Includes bibliographical references (p. 28-30).published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science

Food security in New Zealand

There was growing concern in New Zealand in the 1990's that Food Security: access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy life, was not being achieved, despite an abundant food supply. A study of a convenience sample of 40 families with children (58 adults and 92 children) whose sole income was a government welfare benefit was undertaken. Two-thirds of these households regularly relied on a limited variety of food; one-half did not have a sufficient amount of food because of lack of money and outstanding debts. Over the previous year two thirds had sourced food from a food bank and one-third had been gifted food from friends or relatives. Women's intakes were compromised regularly but not children's. All of the women experienced worry about feeding their household. One-fifth were overweight and over 40% obese despite low reported daily energy intakes (median (SE) 5.7 (0.5) MJ) compared to national data. Six repeated 24-hour diet recalls collected randomly over a two-week period enabled calculation of usual daily intake and the prevalence of inadequate intake for eight micronutrients which were disturbingly high. The children's growth patterns compared favourably with US population percentiles. The National Nutrition Survey (NNS97) allowed the adaption of eight questions developed by Reid using qualitative methods-to eight indicator statements about food security to be addressed by each participant on behalf of them or their household. Prevalence was significantly higher (p<0.05) for females compared to males for the majority of indicator statements among New Zealand European and Others (NZEO) and Maori. NZEO reported the most food security; Pacific people reported the least and Maori fell between the two. There was a significant increasing linear trend of food security with age (p<0.001) after adjusting for gender. Rasch analysis was performed on 1868 households where participants reported some food insecurity. The responses were ranked according to the proportion and ordering of their positive responses to eight indices of food security, achieving reliability (Cronbach's Alpha) close to the conventionally accepted level of 0.7. The eight indices were ranked on the same scale; the minimum score -1.66 was achieved by the index 'use special food grants/banks' (the index least reported and most severe) and the maximum score 1.86 was achieved by the index 'variety of foods eaten limited' (the index most reported and least severe). Categories of food security were assigned using scale cut points: 'fully/almost fully food secure'; 'moderate food security'; 'low food security'. Category status was associated with consumption of recommended number of daily serves of fruit, vegetables, fruits and vegetables, consumption of leaner meats, fatty meats and daily serves of bread. By ANOV A and controlling for sex, ethnicity, Index of Deprivation, urban/rural location, age, level of education, income, and household size, category of household food security was associated with the level of daily intake of total fat, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, cholesterol, glucose, fructose, lactose, vitamin B6, vitamin B 12, and vitamin C. Dietary data were from the primary 24-hour diet recall of respondents. Participants in the fully/almost fully food secure category of households had a mean BMI of 28. 7 compared to those moderately secure (29.2) and of low food security (29.5) (p=0.015 for difference among categories). In the Children's Nutrition Survey 2002 (CNS02) data set, the same eight indices were used and food insecurity was experienced significantly more often by children in the largest households, those in the most deprived areas of residence (NZDepO 1 Quintile) and those of Pacific and Maori ethnicity compared to NZEO children. Rasch analysis was performed on responses for 1561 households with children which reported some food insecurity. Subject reliability was close to 0.7 (the conventionally acceptable level). The distribution of the eight indices on the Rasch scale was similar to that observed among the NNS97 households and almost identical to the sub-set of households with children, from that dataset. Categories of food security status were assigned as in the NNS97 and they predicted daily nutrient intake levels of children: total sugars, lactose, vitamin A, ~-carotene, vitamin B 12 and calcium. A more rigorous assigning of categories at the low/moderate scale cut-off, resulted in a further association with level of intake of glucose, fructose and folate. Mean BMI across categories of food security did not differ. Collectively these data provide unequivocal evidence that food insecurity exists in New Zealand, that it can be quantified and associated with nutrition outcomes. It has a negative impact on the nutrient intakes of both adults and children and a negative impact on the body weight status of adults. These data have implications for nutrition and health professionals and policy makers in New Zealand. They also add to the world-wide body of knowledge of the experience of, and the measurement and predictive potential of food security in populations where the food supply appears plentiful