Writing to Learn Writing

The literature and research regarding writing to learn writing was explored. Data were presented to support teaching writing in a holistic process approach such as the Writing Workshop. Mini-lessons for use in sixth grade Writing Workshop were developed to use as models for additional lessons created by the author or others. Implications for using a Writing Workshop format were discussed

Process Evaluation of the Basic Training Program at a State Corrections Academy in the Southeast

This applied dissertation was designed to provide law enforcement and corrections administrators with current information about the components of basic training that can affect the retention of newly employed trainees during basic training. Attracting qualified applicants for law-enforcement jobs is a challenging task, and the preemployment screening and hiring processes are very expensive for agencies already plagued with reduced budgets. By the time a trainee actually makes it to basic training, a great deal of time and money has already been invested by the agency, and the trainee becomes an investment. When more than 20% of trainees exit a basic training program before completion, it becomes an operational and financial concern for law-enforcement agencies. The researcher conducted a process evaluation of a basic training program at a state corrections academy in the southeastern United States in an effort to identify what factors were affecting trainee retention during the critical first couple of months of employment. Using various instruments, the researcher collected data from trainees and academy instructors with emphasis on (a) pretest and posttest trainee perceptions and attitudes of basic training; (b) effectiveness of instructors, curriculum topics, and training methods; and (c) reasons given by trainees for withdrawing from the program prior to completion. An analysis of the data revealed significant differences in trainee perceptions before and after basic training, as well a relationship between instructor sense of efficacy and instructor delivery of content. A relationship was also observed between instructor delivery of content and trainee academic achievement. Finally, the reasons provided by trainees for departing the program before completion were identified and considered when presenting recommendations to agency administrators for possible program modification

Minnie Evans: Art of the Gatekeeper

Minnie Evans: Art of the Gatekeeper focuses on African American early to mid-twentieth-century social and cultural issues that were experienced by the self-taught artist Minnie Evans (1892-1987). Evans was the gatekeeper at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, North Carolina and is known for having experienced visions and dreams, which she attributed to her deep Christian faith. This study provides an extensive overview of past scholarship and offers previously undocumented oral histories and photographs that were acquired while visiting Airlie Gardens and St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington. The subjects discussed include the Airlie Gardens gate, gates to dreams, African American gardening, World War II combat, and twentieth-century civil rights issues, pop-culture, folklore, astrology, and mythology. This study also explores the link between the African Methodist Episcopal Church, mythology, religion, and Prince Hall Freemasonry. Ultimately, by exploring the above mentioned subjects Evans\u27 artworks are better understood

Physical Activity, Body Mass Index, and Clustered Metabolic Risk in U.S. Adolescents: 2007-2012 NHANES.

Objectives: To examine variation in clustered metabolic risk (cMetS) in adolescents classified as not overweight/active (NOA), not overweight/not active (NONA), overweight/active (OA), and overweight/not active (ONA). Background: While studies to date have shown that children and adolescents who meet the current physical activity (PA) recommendations and maintain a healthy body weight demonstrate significantly lower cardiometabolic risk, there are some studies that suggest the relationship between PA and metabolic risk may be mediated by adiposity. Methods: The sample included adolescent participants (n=875; 12-17 years) of the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The cMetS score included triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and mean arterial pressure. Age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) percentiles were utilized; overweight was defined as BMI percentile ≥ 85th. Activity data included self-reported frequency of moderate-to-vigorous PA. Adolescents reporting ≥ 60 min/day of PA were considered “active”. General linear models, adjusted for age, sex, and race-ethnicity, were used. A six-year fasting sample weight was applied to the analyses in order to ensure representativeness of the data. Results: The cMetS scores were significantly (p Conclusions: The cMetS scores were higher in OA and ONA adolescents when compared to those classified as NOA. Whereas only ONA males demonstrated significantly higher cMetS score when compared to the NOA referent, both OA and ONA cMetS scores (vs NOA) were significantly higher in females

Postpartum Safety and Satisfaction Following Early Discharge

Two Ontario sites were involved in the evaluation of an obstetrical discharge program. Before program implementation a group of eligible women were enrolled as the preprogram control group (n = 542). During the program, eligible women who agreed to early discharge (ED) became the ED group (n = 319), and those opting not to go home early but consenting to participate in the evaluation became the concurrent group (n = 456). All groups were mailed a self-administered postpartum questionnaire. On demographic characteristics, safety and satisfaction, the ED group was comparable to the concurrent group. Hospital readmission rates did not differ across groups after stratification by site or hospital. Multiple classification analyses revealed a similar pattern for overall satisfaction levels. This unique ED program, which allowed pre- or postnatal enrollment and did not require an initial home assessment, appears to be a safe, effective and flexible approach to obstetrical care