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A gun violence epidemic had been a topic of conversation in America's schools in the form of mass shootings, homicides, nonfatal attacks, accidental discharges, and weapon suicides. The significance of this issue lies in its effects on student safety, well-being, and educational outcomes. A logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of free or reduced-price lunch (SES) and the adoption of restorative justice practices on the likelihood of firearm incidents in schools. Using social learning theory and trauma-informed care, this quantitative study used surveys from 7,290 individuals to analyze these correlations. The findings revealed significant reductions in gun-related incidents in schools that implement restorative justice strategies, especially in those with higher numbers of low-income students. Restorative justice strategies effectively addressed behavioral issues and contribute to a supportive school climate, which enhances emotional well-being. Human services professionals are essential in the implementation of restorative justice practices, and policy reforms should incorporate restorative justice into school disciplinary frameworks, moving away from zero-tolerance policies. Social change implications include support for restorative justice practices and their potential impact. Promoting restorative justice can lead to safer and more equitable learning environments, addressing social determinants of health and enhancing student well-being. Further research is recommended on the application of restorative justice practices in diverse school settings and their long-term effects.

Western society reflects an “eikoncentric era” when contemporary instruction has become image -centered. Textbooks, journals, popular media as well as computer-based and web- based instructional media are filled by pictures that are intended to accomplish learning. Imagery is widely believed to represent an efficient, understandable method for relaying information and clarifying instruction for nearly all learners. However, those who subscribe to the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” often fail to acknowledge individual differences in visual comprehension and cognition. The field dependent-independent (FDI) cognitive style describes individual learner differences that can thwart visual learning. Information graphics are among the frequently used types of imagery that portray data. There is little empirical evidence to guide their design, and their creation is often based on intuition or opinion. This study researched the ways FDI learners comprehend and aesthetically assess minimalist information graphics, pictograms and infographics. Those participants who represented the most extreme field-dependent or field-independent learners were invited to participate in a two-part study. An instrument named the Comparative Information Graphic Test (CIG-T) was developed for testing comprehension of and perceived aesthetic efficacy, value and preference for minimalist information graphics, pictograms and infographics by FDI learners

A successful blended classroom includes the important essentials of both traditional and online education; creating a new approach to instructional learning. With the steadily increasing number of blended classes offered at community colleges, an opportunity exists to inform the purposeful planning of blended classes to best meet students' needs through identifying and comparing both faculty and students' perceived course effectiveness factors and challenges. The specific problem is that faculty and students' perceived factors for possible increased course effectiveness and their perceived challenges for decreased course effectiveness have not been previously identified then compared and contrasted. Filling the gap with this specific perception knowledge allows educators to more purposefully and strategically plan curriculum, thus increase student success. The purpose of this quantitative methodology research study was to examine perceived attitudes of blended learning faculty and students. Secondarily, best practices were identified for developing blended courses that promote quality higher education instruction and learner success as perceived by both the students and the faculty at a large community college in the Southwestern United States. Two web surveys were administered, one for faculty and one for students to gather data through quantitative and open-ended questions. For this purposeful sample study, the participants were 31 faculty members who taught blended classes and 171 students over the age of 18 who attended blended classes at the specific college during the Spring 2014 and Fall 2014 semesters. The quantitative data obtained from each of the surveys was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Sixteen t test independent two-sample assuming unequal variances found the results were split depending on the course effectiveness factor being addressed. The null hypothesis was rejected for six of the twelve benefit factors (flexibility, time management, instructor access, interactive learning materials, optimized class time, and success measured by withdrawal rates) and one of the four challenge factors (reduced access to instructor). Themes that emerged from the open-ended responses included the focus on flexibility, technology, self-efficacy, and communication. Many of the factors identified, if addressed, could increase the course effectiveness, satisfaction, retention and completion, and ultimately, successful student learning in the blended class modality.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a participatory program evaluation of student engagement assessment in Colorado State University's (CSU) Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR). The college requested the evaluation after completing two pilot studies of undergraduate engagement which led them to consider establishing the Milestones Assessment Program of Student Engagement (MAPSE). WCNR leadership sought to determine (a) the mission, goals, and objectives of assessing WCNR student engagement; (b) how the goals and objectives aligned with CSU's and WCNR's strategic plans; (c) the variables, measures, and outcomes of student engagement assessment in natural resources at CSU; (d) how electronic and classroom survey administrations of WCNR undergraduate student engagement compared; and (e) the operational elements required to support MAPSE. The evaluation was to address these five areas, determine whether an electronic or classroom survey format was best suited for administration in the college, and recommend what survey interval ought to be observed. In conducting the evaluation, administrations of electronic and classroom surveys generated assessment data that were analyzed as an extension of the study. It was found that WCNR was well-positioned to go forward with establishing MAPSE. The college had mission, goals, and objectives for assessment of student engagement which aligned with CSU and WCNR strategic plans. The evaluation identified practices, indices, and themes of WCNR student engagement for use in MAPSE surveys, and survey findings provided college leadership baseline data to develop outcomes for undergraduate engagement. Both electronic and classroom survey administrations produced acceptable samples for assessment of WCNR student engagement, with the electronic survey having a more representative sample of students by department and the classroom survey having a more representative sample of students by sex. The electronic survey incurred fewer direct costs of time and human resources. It was recommended that either survey be administered under MAPSE and survey intervals not interfere with other campus-wide survey administrations at CSU. Analyses of the survey data revealed that WCNR students found the college's practices of engagement important and satisfying. As student satisfaction with course opportunities, faculty advising, and development as natural resource professionals increased, their intent to persist and sense of success in the college and their majors increased. Student satisfaction on development as natural resource professionals was the only variable to consistently influence student persistence and sense of success in the college and their majors. Study findings indicated that besides educationally purposeful activities associated with student engagement, professionally purposeful activities influence natural resource student persistence and success.

Purpose/problem. Telephone nursing care (TNC) has replaced some home visits to increase efficiency of The Ottawa Hospital Antenatal Home Care Program (AHCP). There is limited published research addressing TNC in similar settings to guide program development. Therefore, chose an evaluation strategy to explore the clients' the researchers and organization perceptions of TNC. Objectives. (1) Perform a systematic literature review of TNC in the high risk antenatal population. (2) Profile high risk antenatal population receiving telephone nursing care. (3) Describe clients' perceptions of telephone nursing care. (4) Explore the feasibility of this methodology for continuous program evaluation and informing development and improvement. Method. A mixed methods approach was used. Two surveys and a semi-structured interview were completed by 13 participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and constant comparative analysis. Results. Sample was similar to the population in diagnosis, maternal and fetal outcomes. Anxiety scores were high and women identified the highest needs related to high risk pregnancy, psychological and information domains. Four main themes emerged: the experience of being at home, perceptions of the telephone care, perceived benefits, and perceived health systems issues.

Writing for the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, Makela and Rooney (2012) held that: 'Well-trained, experienced career services professionals are educators, well-positioned to bridge the gap between the academic learning and personal development outcomes and help students learn [emphasis retained] how to explore career options, make career decisions, and develop career management skills that students will use throughout their lifetime. [...]in a 2011 study of over 400,000 undergraduates in the United States, student engagement in high-impact practices (Kuh, 2008), such as undergraduate research with a faculty member, internships, and service learning, was associated with almost 80% of seniors reporting \"perceived gains injobor work-related knowledge and skills\" (NSSE, 2011, p. 14).

The purpose of this study was to explore the multicultural competencies of entry level Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRSs). The study was designed to determine if there are differences in competency levels based upon identified demographic variables as well as to determine how CTRSs compare to other helping disciplines in terms of multicultural (MC) competencies. Finally, the study used qualitative data to determine what are the most commonly occurring client/therapist multicultural conflicts and the strategies used by CTRSs in resolving these conflicts. This study involved the use of both quantitative and qualitative data analyses using standardized self-report instruments. Quantitative data were collected using the Multicultural Counseling Inventory (MCI) (Sodowsky, Taffe, Gutkin, & Wise, 1994), and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Reynolds, 1982). Qualitative data were obtained from participant responses to the Cultural Conflicts in Therapeutic Recreation Practice form (CCTRP) (Blair, 2000). Analyses of qualitative data involved the development of themes from statements of respondents using the investigator's analyses, and TextSmart 1.0, a word mining software program for qualitative analyses. Information was obtained on 156 entry-level CTRSs who had been certified within the past three years. Respondents were predominantly Caucasian (79.5%), female (83%), and between the ages of 20–29 years. Analysis of variance and t-test analyses indicated that demographic, training/education, and employment variables impacted MC competency levels (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity, number of workshops taken that dealt with cultural diversity, whether there were courses taken where information about cultural diversity was infused, and minority caseload). There were also significant findings with respect to differences in MC competency areas among CTRSs but there were no significant differences in MC competency levels of CTRSs as compared to Nursing Students. Results from the study indicated that there were a number of cultural conflicts that occurred in therapeutic recreation practice (i.e., race/ethnicity differences, language/communication barriers, differing concepts of leisure and therapeutic recreation, age/gender issues, conflicts around culture sensitive programming, cultural lifestyle issues, and issues of cultural mistrust in healthcare). There were also several different successful strategies (open communication, education, client deferment, change of TR intervention approach, and modified communication) employed to resolve those cultural conflicts.

The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a replicable training model that will increase the effectiveness of bi-vocational and full-time local pastors in the core competencies of equipping laity for ministry and centering in Christ. The methodology for accomplishing this purpose was an evaluation study utilizing a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group. The intervention treatment consisted of six monthly two-hour enrichment sessions offered through three covenant groups, each composed of the researcher/designer, a mentor, and four to eight participants. Both quantitative instrumentation (a researcher-designed multiple choice questionnaire) and qualitative instrumentation (journals and interviews) were utilized in measuring changes effected by the intervention in the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of covenant group participants. This study verifies that participation in the intervention treatment resulted in an increase in awareness and positive attitudes related to the core competency of equipping laity for ministry. Changes in biblical/theological understandings and behaviors were initiated, though additional reinforcement was needed for significant biblical/theological changes and a longer time period for changed behavior. A serendipitous discovery was an increase in regular personal devotional practice by both covenant and control group participants. The researcher/designer hypothesizes that raising the question in the pre-test of having a regular devotional time with God heightened awareness in control and covenant group participants, evoking the significant level of change in devotional habits. The willingness of part-time and full-time local pastors to participate in this research project suggests an openness among bi-vocational pastors to participate in covenant group sessions that meet their hunger for fellowship and competency development.