Evaluation of Behavioural Skills Training with Volunteers Teaching Motor Skills to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Reaching early motor milestones is essential for positive growth and development. Individuals with developmental disabilities may fail to reach these milestones due to gross and fine motor impairments. However, very few physical education programs address motor development issues that may be a concern for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Special Needs Activity Program at Brock University capitalizes on university student volunteers to support individuals with developmental disabilities in developing motor skills. Evaluating various methods to train these volunteers may positively impact training outcomes, and save valuable time and resources. This research employed a mixed methods evaluation to evaluate volunteer training through: (1) a component analysis of behavioural skills training for teaching volunteers how to also use this methodology to support individuals with developmental disabilities in a movement program; and (2) a thematic analysis of the volunteers’ experiences and approaches to teaching this population. The component analysis results were variable across participants; however, following all training phases, all volunteers met a predetermined performance criterion. Through a qualitative analysis five themes in the volunteers’ approach to teaching individuals with developmental disabilities were identified: individualization, respect, collaboration, flexibility, and commitment. Strengths and limitations of this evaluation are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided

Cyber-Physical Security Strategies

Cyber-physical security describes the protection of systems with close relationships between computational functions and physical ones and addresses the issue of vulnerability to attack through both cyber and physical avenues. This describes systems in a wide variety of functions, many crucial to the function of modern society, making their security of paramount importance. The development of secure system design and attack detection strategies for each potential avenue of attack is needed to combat malicious attacks. This thesis will provide an overview of the approaches to securing different aspect of cyber-physical systems. The cyber element can be designed to better prevent unauthorized entry and to be more robust to attack while its use is evaluated for signs of ongoing intrusion. Nodes in sensor networks can be evaluated by their claims to determine the likelihood of their honesty. Control systems can be designed to be robust in cases of the failure of one component and to detect signal insertion or replay attack. Through the application of these strategies, the safety and continued function of cyber-physical systems can be improved

Maggie Garrett and John Alec Briggs to present faculty cabaret at Ouachita April 12

Dr. Margaret “Maggie” Garrett, associate professor of music at Ouachita Baptist University, will present a faculty cabaret, “Everything Changes,” on Thursday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. John Alec Briggs, adjunct lecturer in music at Ouachita, serves as the music director and collaborative pianist for the show. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall in Mabee Fine Arts Center

Can ‘Emotionally Intelligent’ Coping Promote Adaptation in Young People?

A growing body of research supports a link between emotional intelligence (EI) and better educational and health outcomes in young people. However, little is known about the processes underpinning this association. Literature suggests that EI may promote adaptation by influencing coping processes. This article evaluates how far extant research supports these claims. It is concluded that whilst EI appears to make an adaptive contribution to the mental health of young people and has the potential to do so for educational achievement, effects appear context-specific. Gaps in current knowledge are highlighted together with recommendations for progression of the field

Stories of Mothers of Medically Vulnerable Infants

As with any new baby, a medically vulnerable infant must be incorporated into the life of the family. The work of this transition is principally the work of the mother as primary caretaker. The mother considers what it will mean to have this infant in the family, how he will fit in, and what things will change. The mother wonders about how his personality will unfold and what his future will bring. She thinks about her role as a mother and how to best meet her child\u27s special needs. With a medically vulnerable infant, a mother also has to consider the implications of health and developmental problems. She has relationships with multiple health care professionals who are now a part of her family\u27s life. The mothers in this study touched upon all of these matters. They seemed to be exploring and grappling with three overarching issues: a) the infant and his future, b) navigating relationships with health care professionals, and c) discovering what it means to be the mother of this child