Humane Education: Perspectives of Practitioners on Program Evaluation Efforts and Analysis of Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, and Empathy in Two Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs

This descriptive and comparative study examined the current landscape of humane education program evaluation and data analysis through a survey of humane educators across the country. Results of the humane education survey show that data collection and evaluation are occurring in humane education programs but these efforts do not capture and measure empathy, the primary goal of most humane education programs. Humane educators reported they felt the profession is progressive and relevant to a broad host of purposes, from building positive relationships with animals to playing a role in the larger social justice scheme. They also suggested that the field is in need of leadership and clearer direction and that they want more rigorous humane education evaluation practices. This study also examined the potential effects of humane education violence prevention and intervention programs on youth from at-risk environments. Students who participated in the violence prevention and intervention programs, TLCTM or jTLCTM, between 2001 and 2014 at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (spcaLA) took pre and post surveys that identify their attitudes towards animals, others, and self. Paired survey data, totaling 395 TLC TM and jTLCTM students, were archived and, for this dissertation, were digitized from their original paper and pencil format. In September 2013 the pre and post surveys for these programs were changed to collect data that focused on changes in empathy, using the Bryant Empathy Index (BEI) (Bryant, 1982). Seventy-one BEI surveys were included in this study’s analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. The mean scores increased significantly on knowledge scales and subscales for the participants in TLCTM or jTLCTM, across all cases and variables of gender and school level. Mean scores increased significantly on attitude scales and subscales for the jTLCTM participants, across all cases and gender. Mean empathy scores increased for two of the three BEI subscales for TLCTM or jTLCTM participants across all cases and the variable of gender. Significant increases in attitudes varied by program, gender, and school level. jTLC™ students had the most prominent increase in attitudes, possibly due to their lower pretest means. The research found significant increases in empathy for all participants in the TLCTM or jTLCTM. The TLCTM and jTLCTM program participants showed a significant increase in mean scores on the empathy scale. Females and males showed significant increases on the BEI as well. The electronic version of this Dissertation is at the OhioLink ETD Center, http://ohiolink.edu/et

Humane Education: Perspectives of Practitioners on Program Evaluation Efforts and Analysis of Changes in Knowledge, Attitudes, and Empathy in Two Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs

This descriptive and comparative study examined the current landscape of humane education program evaluation and data analysis through a survey of humane educators across the country. Results of the humane education survey show that data collection and evaluation are occurring in humane education programs but these efforts do not capture and measure empathy, the primary goal of most humane education programs. Humane educators reported they felt the profession is progressive and relevant to a broad host of purposes, from building positive relationships with animals to playing a role in the larger social justice scheme. They also suggested that the field is in need of leadership and clearer direction and that they want more rigorous humane education evaluation practices. This study also examined the potential effects of humane education violence prevention and intervention programs on youth from at-risk environments. Students who participated in the violence prevention and intervention programs, TLCTM or jTLCTM, between 2001 and 2014 at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (spcaLA) took pre and post surveys that identify their attitudes towards animals, others, and self. Paired survey data, totaling 395 TLC TM and jTLCTM students, were archived and, for this dissertation, were digitized from their original paper and pencil format. In September 2013 the pre and post surveys for these programs were changed to collect data that focused on changes in empathy, using the Bryant Empathy Index (BEI) (Bryant, 1982). Seventy-one BEI surveys were included in this study’s analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. The mean scores increased significantly on knowledge scales and subscales for the participants in TLCTM or jTLCTM, across all cases and variables of gender and school level. Mean scores increased significantly on attitude scales and subscales for the jTLCTM participants, across all cases and gender. Mean empathy scores increased for two of the three BEI subscales for TLCTM or jTLCTM participants across all cases and the variable of gender. Significant increases in attitudes varied by program, gender, and school level. jTLC™ students had the most prominent increase in attitudes, possibly due to their lower pretest means. The research found significant increases in empathy for all participants in the TLCTM or jTLCTM. The TLCTM and jTLCTM program participants showed a significant increase in mean scores on the empathy scale. Females and males showed significant increases on the BEI as well. The electronic version of this Dissertation is at the OhioLink ETD Center, http://ohiolink.edu/et

The Relation Between Childhood Maltreatment and Marriage Quality in Adulthood

Childhood maltreatment poses the potential for lasting effects on survivors as they enter adulthood. Research lacks investigations into these potential effects, such as the impact on interpersonal relations. This study investigates the correlation between different types of childhood maltreatment and overall quality of marriage, as well as aims to identify which type of childhood maltreatment may be the strongest relative predictor of marital quality. Analyses on a newlywed dataset from Lancaster County, NE yielded results of a strong negative association between measures of childhood maltreatment and marital quality through the application of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Quality of Marriage Inventory. Further, maltreatment in the form of emotional neglect was found to be the strongest predictor of marital quality. Gender differences between the couples were also investigated in an exploratory manner. The findings demonstrate the existence of potential lasting, negative effects from childhood maltreatment into adulthood and call for more concrete intervention into each maltreatment type earlier on

Utah Visual Farm Guide: Year-round Soil Care

The Utah Visual Farm Guide uses a pictorial format to teach farming basics. This fact sheet illustrates soil management practices for each season

Utah Visual Farm Guide: What is Healthy Soil?

The Utah Visual Farm Guide uses a pictorial format to teach farming basics. This fact sheet illustrates the components of soil and the difference between healthy and unhealthy soils in Utah

Preparing and Improving Garden Soil

A great garden starts with healthy soil. In Utah, there are unique considerations for creating and maintaining healthy soils. Native Utah soils are relatively low in organic matter. One of Utah’s most troublesome, pH-related deficiencies is iron chlorosis, a deficiency of plant-available iron. Soil salinity easily increases in Utah. This fact sheet addresses these challenges to help gardeners transform garden soils from brutal to beautiful

Giving Users Control Over How Peers Handle Their Data: A Design Science Study

In today’s interconnected world, Internet users are increasingly concerned about losing control over the data they share with peers, which indicates a need for higher levels of control and notification mechanisms. We address this need by building on design science methodology and developing a socio-technical artifact, i.e., a peer-privacy-friendly online messaging service. We draw on Malhotra et al.’s (2004) Internet Users’ Information Privacy Concerns framework and refine and evaluate our artifact via focus groups, interviews, and a survey among users of online messaging services. Our artifact provides senders with the ability to control how their personal information is processed by peers and allows receivers to be made aware of the sender’s privacy expectations. We contribute to the growing literature on peer privacy concerns by developing and evaluating design requirements, principles, and an instantiation that can mitigate peer privacy concerns that go beyond concerns about organizational data practices