Utilization of a school specific intervention manual to increase teacher perceptions of the I&RS process and reduce special education referrals

One of the primary purposes of the Intervention and Referral Services (I & RS) process is to assist school staff in addressing students\u27 learning, behavior, or health needs (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.1 [a]). This study sought to improve I & RS process and student outcomes in a southern New Jersey elementary school that services students from grades Pre-Kindergarten through second grade. At the outset of the study, school administrators reported that an area of need was to formulate an intervention resource for the school\u27s I & RS committee and teaching staff. It was determined that an online/interactive intervention manual would be created allowing teaching staff to support each other when intervening with at-risk students. Interventions were developed for the manual by the researcher, and additional interventions were offered by teaching staff. Pre- and post-survey information, interview information, and referral statistics were used to identify and examine study effects. It was found that there was little effect on staff perceptions of the I & RS process and student referrals to the child study team were unchanged. The researcher concluded that the study did begin to move school I & RS processes in a more collaborative, supportive direction

Junior and Intermediate Educators' Perceptions of Play Pedagogy: Informing Future Policy Creation & Implementation

Play-based instruction has become the guiding framework of Ontario’s Full-Day Kindergarten curriculum; however, the benefits of playful learning have yet to be extended into higher elementary grades. Through semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study involves an investigation into twelve Junior (grades four to six) and Intermediate (grades seven and eight) teachers’ perceptions of play pedagogy and its implementation into classroom practice. A grounded theory approach to data analysis uncovers a detailed depiction of teachers’ local knowledge base and current cognitive schemas, from which recommendations for policy creation and implementation are conceived. As a Prospective Policy Analysis, this research strives to take into account Ontario’s current educational context so as to minimize discrepancies between actual and desired results of a future play policy for grades four through eight

The Road Less Travelled: First Experiences of Nontraditional-Age Students at Trinity College

Trinity College’s Individualized Degree Program (IDP), founded in 1973 for students over the age of 23, attracts nontraditional-age students to Trinity. We examined the application process and early retention efforts carried out by IDP and made recommendations to strengthen those activities. Recent studies suggest that colleges that encourage adult students to enroll must reduce obstacles in the application process and structure the initial phase of transition to college, because older students face unique challenges. Using a qualitative research approach, we interviewed thirteen IDP students. Our findings will help shape the IDP program’s outreach to the targeted population. More broadly, because IDP students come from and stay in the greater Hartford region, they help to support Trinity College’s goals to “integrate Hartford across the curriculum,” and have “positive impacts on the local community.

Indigenous youth justice programs evaluation

In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. Executive summary Diversion from the youth justice system is a critical goal for addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system. In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. The programs were evaluated, as part of a broader initiative, to determine whether and on what basis they represent good practice (ie are supported by evidence). State and territory governments nominated the programs for evaluation. The four programs sit at different points along a continuum, ranging from prevention (addressing known risk factors for offending behaviour, such as disengagement from family, school, community or culture), early intervention (with identified at-risk young people), diversion (diverting from court process—usually for first or second time offenders) and tertiary intervention (treatment to prevent recidivism): • Aboriginal Power Cup (South Australia)—a sports-based program for engaging Indigenous young people in education and providing positive role models (prevention). • Tiwi Islands Youth Development and Diversion Unit (Northern Territory)—a diversion program that engages Tiwi youth who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system in prevention activities, such as a youth justice conference, school, cultural activities, sport and recreation (early intervention and diversion). • Woorabinda Early Intervention Panel Coordination Service (Queensland)—a program to assess needs and make referrals for young Indigenous people and their families who are at risk or have offended and have complex needs (early intervention and diversion). • Aggression Replacement Training (Queensland)—a 10 week group cognitivebehavioural program to control anger and develop pro-social skills, delivered to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth assessed as ‘at risk’ of offending or reoffending (early intervention and tertiary intervention with offenders to reduce risk of reoffending). For each program, the evaluation team developed a ‘program logic’, identifying the activities and goals of the program, and how it articulates within a broader framework of criminal justice prevention. This informed the design of the evaluation and the approach to collecting both qualitative data (from young people participating in the program, program staff, family, or other service providers/community members) and quantitative data to identify any effects of the program on individuals, or the broader community

Implementation and Outcomes of the New York State YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program: A Multisite Community-Based Translation, 20102012

Weight loss and physical activity achieved through the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) have been shown to reduce type 2 diabetes risk among individuals with prediabetes. The New York State Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) delivered the 16-week evidence-based model at 14 YMCAs. A mixed methods process and outcomes evaluation was conducted

The relationship between organisational commitment and job satisfaction of commissioned officers within an arm of the South African National Defence Force

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS)Job satisfaction and organisational commitment are two of the most researched organisational behaviour constructs. It is generally agreed that low levels of satisfaction or commitment may result in employees voluntarily ceasing the employee-organisation relationship which results in organisations loosing professional and skilled individuals, which is a potentially crippling factor within any organisation, particularly Governmental Departments who relying on specialist and highly trained and skilled employees. The current study examined the organisational commitment, the level of job satisfaction and the relationship between satisfaction and commitment of fully functionally qualified permanent contract male and female officers on salary Grade C2 to Grade C6, extending across all occupational divisions and classes, namely operational, personnel, logistics, engineering and technical. The sampling technique used was a quantitative non-probability convenience sampling design with the sample consisting of 62 commissioned officers. The majority of the respondents were African with the sample being more representative of males than females. The majority of the respondents were married and between the age of 22 to 29 having at least a 3 year degree or diploma and from the operational occupational class. The respondent’s levels of satisfaction were measured by means of the Job Descriptive Index Questionnaire which measured the five job facets, namely pay, promotion, supervision, co-workers and the nature of work. The study found that respondents were moderately satisfied with their promotion opportunities, followed by the pay they receive. They were however, less satisfied with the supervision they receive, their co-workers and the work itself. Affective, continuance and normative commitment was assessed by means of the Organizational Commitment Scale. The findings of the study found that the respondents had below average levels of organisational commitment across all three components as well as overall commitment. Furthermore, results derived from the research indicated that there was a statistically significant and strong positive correlation between organisational commitment and job satisfaction. Additionally, the results of the study regarding differences between selected demographic variables and the core dependent and independent variable found that there was no statistically significant difference for organisational commitment or job satisfaction scores between males and females and tenure. There was however a statistically significant difference in organisational commitment and job satisfaction for different occupational classes

Extracellular Calcium-Sensing Receptor Inhibition of Intestinal EpithelialTNF Signaling Requires CaSR-Mediated Wnt5a/Ror2 Interaction

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and its receptor TNFR1 play a central role in the development of colitis-associated colon cancer. To understand a role for the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and its non-canonical Wnt mediators, Wnt5a/Ror2, we used reductionistic systems. We added lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mouse peritoneal macrophages, RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, and 18Co colonic myofibroblasts, to stimulate TNFα secretion and then activated endogenous CaSR. CaSR activation inhibited TNFα secretion, which in RAW264.7 cells knockdown of CaSR by short-interfering RNA (siRNA) duplex reversed. LPS-stimulated NFκB promoter activity in RAW264.7 cells was inhibited by CaSR activation with Ca2+ or other polyvalent CaSR agonists. Reducing CaSR expression with siRNA duplex prevented this inhibition. Following LPS addition to CaSR–HEK cells or RAW264.7 macrophages, CaSR stimulation deneddylated Cullin1. Wnt5a added to HT-29 cells which overexpressed Ror2 or T84 monolayers treated with 3 mM Ca2+ reduced TNFR1 protein expression ∼70%. TNFα/INFγ addition to high resistance T84 monolayers reduced transepithelial resistance 50% within 4 h. CaSR activation (3 mM Ca2+) together with rhWnt5a (200 ng/ml) prevented this reduction while Wnt3a addition had no effect. LPS-stimulated TNFα secretion from RAW264.7 cells was not effected by rhWnt5a but increased 10-fold by Wnt3a. Together our results suggest that following LPS challenge, CaSR activation will inhibit NFκB activity and reduce TNFα secretion from macrophages and stroma while Wnt5a/Ror2 engagement on intestinal epithelia reduces TNFR1 expression, allowing TNFα signaling to be titrated. Our results also suggest that canonical Wnt signaling may enhance TLR4 stimulation of TNFα secretion from murine macrophages

ISBS 2018 AUCKLAND CONFERENCE VIP APPRECIATION EVENING PROGRAMME

The VIP event is to acknowledge the work of the industry partners for their active engagement in the conference, and for being willing to take on a new format. The event will also acknowledge two special guests (yes it is a surprise!), and the reviewers for the ISBS 2018 Conference papers, the invited speakers and the ISBS Fellows, ISBS Life members and ISBS Board members. Professor Peter McNair will be the master of ceremonies. Peter is an internationally respected biomechanist for his work in musculoskeletal biomechanics, injury rehabilitation and sports biomechanics. Peter was the inaugural Director of the AUT Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute and is an active researcher and educator at AUT. Certificates of thanks will be awarded to ISBS 2018 Auckland Conference Industry Partners by Kelly Sheerin. Certificates of thanks awarded to ISBS 2018 Auckland Conference scientific committee members by Peter McNair. There will be a special International Society of Biomechanics in Sports 2018 Conference Honour citation and certificate awarded for contribution to biomechanics theory and practice. Guess who is having a birthday on the night

Advancing Innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador: Insights for Knowledge Mobilization and University-Community Engagement

In this paper, we provide insights for knowledge mobilization and university-community engagement based on the lessons learned from the Advancing Innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador Project. Out hope is to provide a window into the experiences of academics as they navigate the complexities and politics of mobilizing research and engaging with diverse stakeholders. Despite the challenges of this work, presented by factors inside and outside the academy, it is crucial to enhance our capabilities if we are to maximize the impact of universities in linking theory, research, and expertise with critical social and economic needs, such as enhancing innovation