The literature on formative evaluation advocates the use of both subject matter and learner experts to review instructional materials, yet there has been little research to support this recommendation. The present study investigates the distinguishing characteristics of these two expert reviewers, in particular the type and amount of oral feedback they produced and the cognitive processes they engaged in. The think-aloud method was employed to obtain feedback about a six page instructional unit from eight experts; four subject matter and four learner experts. Comments from the experts were transcribed, segmented and coded according to three coding systems. Results indicated that the two groups produced similar data. In addition, the findings showed that both groups referred to similar domains of knowledge, evoked or constructed similar plans and identified their task as detecting problems. These findings contradict the use of both types of experts during formative evaluation. Some practical recommendations for practitioners are offered.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The main aim of the work presented in this thesis was to delineate the natural history and pathogenesis of HIV related heart muscle disease. Additional studies examined the influence of HIV infection on the risk and course of infective endocarditis. Two hundred and ninety-six HIV positive adults were examined by echocardiography in a four year prospective study. Abnormal cardiac function was identified in 14.8%. Dilated cardiomyopathy was present in 4.4% borderline left ventricular dysfunction in 6.4% and isolated right ventricular dysfunction in 4%. Dilated cardiomyopathy was strongly associated with reduced survival compared to those with normal hearts (median survival from diagnosis 101 days, compared to 472 days for those with structurally normal hearts). A newly developed ELISA for anti α-myosin autoantibodies revealed abnormal results in 43% of patients with HIV heart muscle disease, 19% of HIV positive patients with normal hearts and 3% of HIV negative controls. Cardiac specific autoantibodies were also more common in HIV positive patients. Autoimmunity may therefore be important in the pathogenesis of HIV related heart muscle disease. There were no significant socio-economic differences between the HIV positive patients with and without heart disease or the lifestyle matched HIV negative controls studied but mean serum selenium was 33% lower in the HIV positive individuals. Similar differences in toenail (15% lower) and myocardial (17% lower) levels and glutathione peroxidase (15% lower) were also found, but there were no specific differences between patients with and without cardiac abnormalities. Mean α- and γ- tocopherol and α- and β- carotene levels were significantly reduced in our HIV positive patient group, compared to the local HIV negative population, but similar differences existed in a socio-economically matched group of HIV negative drug users. Intravenous drug use was the most important risk factor for the development of the condition.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between live and recorded determinations of most comfortable loudness levels (MCL's) and to determine if a relationship existed between MCL's, tolerance levels (TL's), and acoustic reflex thresholds so that further research might be conducted regarding the use of acoustic impedance measures in hearing aid fitting.Thirty normal hearing female subjects were tested in this investigation. MCL's using live and recorded stimuli, TL's, and contralateral and ipsilateral acoustic reflex thresholds were obtained for each subject. Correlation coefficients were computed to determine if a relationship existed between any of the measurements.It was concluded that live voice stimuli yielded highly equivalent results to recorded stimuli in finding MCL's. Acoustic reflex thresholds were found to be poor predictors of MCL's and TL's. Before acoustic reflex measurements can be used in hearing aid fitting procedures, further research is warranted.

The main purpose of this study was to describe and compare nurses' and nursing students' attitudes toward AIDS patients. A corollary aim was to ascertain whether these two groups of health care providers differed in their perceptions of the quality of care AIDS patients receive compared to other patients. This study also examined nurses across type of educational background (i.e., ADN, BSN, Diploma) in regards to differences in attitudinal tolerance towards AIDS patients as measured by the Aids Attitude Survey (AAS). Fishbein and Ajzen's (1975) Theory of Reasoned Action was the theoretical framework of this study. A convenience sample of 58 registered nurses and 58 nursing students from East Central Indiana completed the AAS and a demographic sheet. The attitudes of these two groups toward AIDS patients were examined in a comparative descriptive design.Cronbach's alpha (1947) equaled .95 for 54 items using 116 valid cases. Findings revealed no significant difference between nurses and nursing students in tolerance of attitudes towards AIDS patients (F = .0966, df - 1,114, p < .76). Also no significant difference was found between nurses and nursing students in their perceptions regarding the quality of care given to AIDS patients versus other patients (X2 = 5.77412, df = 4, p < .22). No significant difference was found between ADN, BSN, and Diploma nurses in their tolerance of attitudes toward AIDS patients (F = 2.0924, df = 2,55, p < .1331). A post hoc finding revealed a significant difference between nurses' and nursing students reported use of universal precautions (x2 = 12.97276, 3 df, p < .00470).Analysis of AAS individual items revealed that only 4 percent of respondents believed that AIDS patients should be sent to sanitariums to protect others from AIDS. Ninety-four percent of respondents believed that people would not be so afraid of AIDS if individuals knew more about the disease. / School of Nursing

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether five different brands of directional hearing aids would perform with the same efficiency. Using fifteen normal hearing subjects, the efficiency of the directionality of the aids was first evaluated by obtaining pure tone and. speech reception thresholds from both in front and behind each listener. To evaluate the hearing aids' effects on subjects' word discrimination ability, discrimination scores were obtained both in quiet and noise. Finally, each subject expressed his feelings regarding the performance of each aid using a rating scale.The results indicated there was a significant difference in the overall attenuation abilities of the aids, and the aids significantly attenuated some threshold conditions pore efficiently than others. The overall discrimination scores for the aids did not differ significantly, but all five aids provided a significantly higher score in quiet as compared to noise. The results of the subjective ratings indicated no significant differences among the five aids.

I världen är det idag 30-35 miljoner människor som lever med HIV/AIDS och i Sverige lever idag 6 500 människor med HIV. Den HIV-drabbade är inte den enda som drabbas, då även de närstående drabbas av sjukdomens påfrestningar. Syftet med litteraturstudien var att beskriva närståendes upplevelser när en familjemedlem eller någon i närkretsen lever med HIV/AIDS. Metoden var litteraturstudie, som genomfördes med Polit och Becks niostegsmodell. Artikelrsökningen genomfördes på databaserna CINAHL och PubMed. De artiklar som inkluderades i litteraturstudien gick igenom en urvalsprocess med inklusionkriterier och granskningsmallar. Det var 11 artiklar som behölls efter urvalsprocessen med sex kvalitativa, tre kvantitativa och två med blandad metod. Resultatet är uppdelat i två huvudkategorier Emotioner samt Psykisk belastning. Underkategorierna var frustration/ilska, rädsla/oro, hopp och hopplöshet, sorg/besvikelse respektive stigmatisering, ansvar/brist på stöd samt stress. Slutsats: Dessa olika upplevelser påverkar den närstående negativt på olika sätt och kan medföra ohälsa och försämrad livskvalitet hos de närstående. Ytterligare forskning behövs.

Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.