Transforming Teaching in Inclusive Settings: An Educator Looks at VIM

Inclusive classrooms are those in which students with special needs are educated alongside their non-disabled peers. This article examines the attitudes that teachers in inclusive settings may hold that are believed to be barriers to successful inclusion. Given that historically, students with special needs in inclusive classrooms have made limited academic progress through traditional whole-class instruction, it is suggested that a transformation in inclusive teaching take place. This article suggests that educators apply Dallas Willard’s (2002) concept of VIM, outlined in his book, Renovation of the Heart. Christian teachers may find the vision, intention, and means Willard advocates to be useful in bringing about the desired transformation

The Effects of Conceptual Factors on Visual Masking

Potter (1975, 1976) has shown that visual masks can exert effects both at the level of the icon and at higher levels of processing. Her methodology involved presenting pictures in a sequence at very fast rates, in order to mimic naturalistic saccadic viewing. The present study used similar methodology in order to investigate whether a picture which violates an expectation about pictures in that series exerts more of a masking effect than a picture which coincides with the expectation. Each of 38 subjects was shown 36 sequences of eight pictures. In nine trials, every picture in the trial was drawn from the same category. In 27 of the trials, seven pictures were from the same category, and one picture (the mask) was from a different category. The mask appeared in nine trials in the fourth position of the serial presentation, in nine trials in the fifth position, and in nine trials in the sixth position. Before each trial, the category of the majority of the pictures was annonuced. After each trial, subjects were given a forced-choice recognition task. Recognition of pictures presented in the series adjacent to non-conceptually related items was compared to recognition for items adjacent to conceptually related items. Mask items tended to be remembered more frequently than conceptually related items located in the same serial position. In four of six comparisons, items adjacent to masks were recognized less frequently than control items. In one of six comparisons, items were remembered more frequently. Thus, in a quickly presented series of conceptually related pictures, a non-conceptually related mask exerts more of a masking effect on adjacent items than does a conceptually related item. In some mask positions, however, this finding was not obtained. Possible explanations for the discrepancy are discussed

A New Hedonism, A New Spirituality: The Mystical Aesthetics in Late Victorian Letters

This investigation will begin by delineating the basic concepts that Pater establishes in his early work and that become the starting point for each of these writers. The section on Pater will draw special attention to his focus on Hellenic and Renaissance art and how they bring into focus the ideas that structure his aesthetics. Using his novel Marius the Epicurean as an example of these theories in action, the chapter will demonstrate how his approach towards aesthetics, utilizing the concept of Heiterkeit, blitheness, manages to locate the importance of the spiritual in the blending of heterogeneous—some might say contradictory—systems of thought. The section devoted to Oscar Wilde will challenge the idea that his work is simply a refutation of Pater’s thought and show the trajectory of his spiritual aesthetics, culminating in his identification with the image of Christ. Finally, Vernon Lee’s critical works, an essay and several philosophical dialogues, will outline the ways in which her sociopolitical ideals are united with her aesthetic and spiritual posture. This study aims to complicate these writers’ relationship to spirituality and bring to greater attention to which the extent their critical perspectives are structured by spiritual thinking.Bachelor of Art

Toward Enhancing the Quality and Quantity of Marketing Majors

This article reports the findings of a survey of undergraduate students designed to examine the key factors involved in selecting a marketing major. A discussion follows, dealing with the initiatives undertaken by marketing departments at various universities in an attempt to enhance the quality and quantity of marketing majors.Statistics Working Papers Serie

Does Interprofessional Education Change Student Attitudes about Interprofessional Learning and Patient Safety?

INTRODUCTION The Fort Wayne Area Interprofessional Education Consortium (FWAIPEC) evaluated the outcomes of its educational initiative with a pre and post assessment utilizing the Readiness for Interprofessional Education tool (RIPLS). The seminar series was designed as a longitudinal team building experience to foster competency toward interprofessional collaborative practice. METHODS Participants from pharmacy, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse educator, nurse executive, medical and family practice residency programs were surveyed as part of the curriculum assessment. RESULTS Primarily reflecting the required attendance of the pharmacy and physician assistant students, 122 participants completed both assessments (89.7% response rate). Wilcoxon signed rank tests were conducted on the 19 RIPLS items. Contrary to the goals of the program, there was a statistically significant change on six of the nineteen items which should have theoretically improved. CONCLUSIONS The RIPLS did not capture the results from informal qualitative reporting that included debriefing sessions, program level debriefing, or and program journaling assignments. To that end, FWAPIEC is in process of piloting a new pre/ post assessment tool in an effort to capture its outcomes

Customer Retention and Unplanned Purchases on the Web

The explosion of business to consumer electronic commerce creates new challenges for companies to design electronic systems and interactions that retain customers and increase sales. This exploratory study examines the impacts of select system design and other variables that can influence customer intention to return and the number of unplanned purchases made in an online store. We find that both the level of perceived control and the shopping enjoyment experienced by new web customers can increase their intention to return. However, repeat customers do not seem to be influenced by either perceived control or shopping enjoyment in terms of their intention to return. We also find that an engaging web store design that utilizes value-added search mechanisms and presents a positively challenging experience can increase the customers' perceived control and enjoyment. Our results also indicate that product involvement is less important to new customers as opposed to repeat customers but the more often customers return to a web store the more their shopping enjoyment is determined by their product involvement. Finally, our study shows that neither perceived control nor shopping enjoyment have any significant impact on the number of unplanned purchases made by customers. Our results deepen our understanding of the consumer online shopping experience and suggests the need for the design of systems which increase the user's perceived control to encourage repeat use of online storesInformation Systems Working Papers Serie

Customer Retention and Unplanned Purchases on the Web

With the explosion of business to consumer commerce on the web, many companies are faced with new challenges in their efforts to retain customers and increase sales. Our study explores some of the important factors that increase customer intention to return and the number of unplanned purchases made. We find that both the level of perceived control and the shopping enjoyment experienced by new web customers can increase their intention to return. However, repeat customers do not seem to be influenced by either perceived control or shopping enjoyment in terms of their intention to return. We also find that an engaging web store design that utilizes value-added search mechanisms and presents a positively challenging experience can increase the customers' perceived control and enjoyment. Our results also indicate that product involvement is less important to new customers as opposed to repeat customers but the more often customers return to a web store the more their shopping enjoyment is determined by their product involvement. Finally, our study shows that neither perceived control nor shopping enjoyment have any significant impact on the number of unplanned purchases made by customers. Our results deepen our understanding of the consumer online shopping experience and provide guidelines for the more effective design and implementation of web-based stores.Information Systems Working Papers Serie