The thesis presents a series of principles, similar to those developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in relation to policy oriented indicators, intended to codify best-practice with regards to the design of pesticide risk indicators for use by farmers. Development of these principles was based upon extensive reviews of the literature concerning the potential exposure to and impacts of pesticides on non-target organisms and the relative merits and limitations of different methodological approaches, discussions with farmers concerning the suitability of different approaches to risk indicators and experimental assessments of indicator performance. These assessments took the form of a three-year field trial examining the impact of different levels of pesticide input upon non-target arthropods and several smaller trials that compared the performance of different insecticides and investigated the effect of differences in pesticide dose on non-target arthropods. The data were then compared with the theoretical results generated by a number of different risk indicators. The thesis also identifies a number of barriers to the implementation of these principles in the form of new pesticide risk indicators. These include restrictions on the range of non-target organisms and potential effects for which high quality data is available and the methodological difficulties associated with the incorporation of sublethal, indirect and ecosystem-level effects into risk indicators. Improvements in the validation of pesticide risk indicators that enable objective evaluations of indicator performance to be made are also required.

This study evaluated the utility of structured descriptive assessment (SDA) to generate a hypothesis regarding the operant function of problem behavior when the analogue functional analysis (FA) failed to evoke problem behavior for an adult with developmental disabilities. The effectiveness of interventions based on that hypothesis was evaluated in the natural environment. The SDA succeeded in producing a relatively controlled baseline of problem behavior where the FA and direct observation could not. However, the extent to which treatment procedures affected problem behavior could not be determined due to confounding variables outside the control of the experimenter. The results provide cautionary evidence highlighting both the potential utility of SDA and challenges that may be encountered when conducting SDA and evaluating treatments in natural environments.

The purpose of this research was to examine and describe attrition and analyze factors that affect attrition at the United States Naval Academy. Specifically, the research attempts to identify characteristics that may signal a student's propensity to attrite from school. The intention is to determine if there are common characteristics among those who attrited from the Academy and to determine what role organizational factors and Academy experiences had on attrition. The desired end state is to identify a partial list of characteristics the Company Officer may use to flag at risk Midshipmen and when appropriate, intervene to reduce attrition. The results of the research indicate those who fail one or more physical readiness tests, females, and minorities have a greater probability of attriting from the Academy. This study summarizes the results, makes recommendations to the United States Naval Academy and for future research. / US Marine Corps (USMC) author.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a subjective, distressing symptom for a majority of cancer patients and survivors. CRF is commonly an under-diagnosed, under-treated, and underreported symptom that negatively affects the lives of patients causing decreased quality of life,impairment, and negative socioeconomic consequences (NCCN, 2014; Weis & Horneber, 2015). The purpose of this study is to determine whether oncology providers are assessing for CRF utilizing an evidence-based tool and understanding their attitudes towards CRF assessment inpractice. The aim of this project is to evaluate and potentially improve the awareness and assessment of CRF in the cancer patient population by utilizing an evidence-based assessment tool. A survey was administered to oncology providers (Advanced Practice Registered Nurses(APRNs), MDs, DOs, and PAs) in the state of Arizona via emails and flyers. Data collected included demographics of participants, practice characteristics, CRF assessment and use of evidence-based tools, CRF assessment barriers, CRF interventions, and CRF assessment attitudes and beliefs. Data from 31 surveys were used for analysis. A majority of the respondentswere female (84%, n=26) and APRNs (76%, n=22). All of the providers surveyed reported assessing for CRF in practice; however, 62% (n=18) of providers did not utilize an evidence based tool for CRF assessment. Every provider agreed they felt comfortable assessing for CRF,that it was important, and their responsibility in practice. Sixty-two percent of providers (n=18)stated they were likely to research more information on CRF assessment for use in their practice after the survey. A Fisher's exact test was completed to determine if there was a relationship between the type of provider and use of an evidence-based CRF assessment tool. With the alpha set at 0.05 the p-value was 0.677, not significant, meaning there was no relationship between the type of provider and use of an evidence-based CRF assessment tool. After analysis of results, it was concluded that further education would be beneficial to enhance provider knowledge of evidence-based CRF tools and available clinical practice guidelines on CRF. The continued education would work to improve patient CRF assessment and treatment in cancer patients. Further research is also needed to improve knowledge of CRF evidence-based tools and barriers to their use in practice.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of the current study was to create a new measure of parenting practices, constituted by items from already established measures in order to advance the measurement of parenting practices in clinical and research settings. The current study utilized five stages designed to select only the best parenting items, establish a factor structure consisting of positive and negative dimensions of parenting, meaningfully consider child developmental stage, ensure strong psychometric properties, and provide initial evidence for the validity of the final measure. METHODS: A total of 1,790 parents (44% fathers) were recruited online through Amazon's Mechanical Turk for three cohorts: Stages 1 (N = 611), 2 (N = 615), and 3 (N = 564). Each sample was equally divided by child developmental stage: Young childhood (3 to 7 years old), middle childhood (8 to 12 years old), and adolescence (13 to 17 years old). Parenting items were selected and adapted from several well-established parenting scales. Measure development followed five rigorous stages using separate samples for each set of factor analyses as advocated by methodologists. Advanced statistical methods were employed for determining final factor structure (e.g., exploratory structural equation modeling - ESEM) and reliability (omega coefficient; longitudinal ESEM), as well as providing initial support for validity (e.g., latent curve modeling - LCM). RESULTS: Through a five-stage empirical approach, the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS) was developed, successfully achieving all aims. The MAPS factor structure included both positive and negative dimensions of warmth/hostility and behavioral control that were appropriate for parents of children across the developmental span. Seven out of eight MAPS subscales demonstrated excellent reliability (above .80). LCM analyses provided initial support for the validity of all MAPS subscales. DISCUSSION: Although the stages of the current study embody an empirical approach to scale development, it also has important theoretical aspects. The factor structure of the MAPS updates prior the theoretical conceptualization of parenting practices (Schaefer, 1959) in order to inform new research and applications. Future directions are discussed.

Increased state and federal accountability measures have made the assessment of student performance one of the most critical responsibilities of classroom teachers; yet, inadequate opportunities for preservice and inservice training leave many teachers feeling ill-prepared for this task. Adding to the complexity of building teachers’ assessment literacy is the relationship between assessment beliefs and classroom assessment practices. This quantitative study utilizes a validated, online survey to examine how elementary teachers’ (n = 79) define their assessment beliefs (conceptions) and how these beliefs influence which assessment practices are valued within the classroom. Findings suggest that despite teachers’ limited exposure to assessment training, four distinct assessment beliefs exist within the elementary classroom: assessment for school accountability, assessment for student certification, assessment for improvement of teaching and learning, and assessment as irrelevant. Assessment for the improvement of teaching and learning yielded the highest composite mean and was negatively correlated with the irrelevance belief and positively related to school accountability. An analysis of the importance of assessment practices revealed authentic assessments, short answers, teacher-made assessments, and performance assessments as the most valued, while publisher assessments and major exams had the lowest means. Significant relationships were identified between demographics and beliefs and practices, with the most practical findings related to exposure to assessment training and level of degree attainment. Significant relationships were also noted between all beliefs and the value of specific assessment practices, with the exception of the irrelevance belief. No significant relationships were noted between the irrelevant belief and value of assessment practices; however, many negative correlations were documented. Results are discussed in light of other research, indicating that a greater understanding of assessment beliefs and importance of practices can contribute to the development of relevant professional development aimed at the improvement of teachers’ assessment pedagogies and practices can contribute to greater educational success.

No description available.

In psychology, the self-serving bias refers to a person's tendency to claim responsibility for his or her successes rather than failures. In acting, it takes on new meaning. The study of acting requires that the student use any source that will lead to his or her growth. The bias refers to this tendency towards self-betterment in the artistic process. This study is an attempt to document this process in my creation of the role of Kate in Dancing at Lughnasa. Included in the experiment are outlines of my basic process and the techniques I used to supplement it, how the creation of Kate fit into that process and an assessment of my performance and the usefulness of the various techniques in strengthening my abilities as an actor.

School-based speech-language therapists play a significant role in terms of education and rehabilitation in the lives of learners with multiple disabilities. Assessment forms a critical part of a speech-language therapist’s post description and is the cornerstone of any type of intervention. The assessment of learners with multiple disabilities poses as a great challenge to speech-language therapists. These challenges include a lack of guidelines, resources, appropriate standardized tests and the heterogeneity of the group of learners labelled as multiply disabled. This research project aimed at describing the methods of assessment that school-based speech-language therapists use when assessing learners with multiple disabilities. Additionally, these methods were compared to international best practice. The first phase of the study consisted of compiling a set of guidelines with the purpose of providing a framework for a proposed set of guidelines for the assessment of learners. These guidelines were based on the principles as recommended by the literature regarding best practice. Because a qualitative approach was adopted for this research project, the second phases consisted of data collection, utilising eight focus groups as well as document reviews. On average, each focus group consisted of two to four participants. The data was then analysed thematically and compared to a checklist. The results indicated that speech-language therapists encountered many obstacles when assessing learners with multiple disabilities. It was evident that the participating speech-language therapists assessed within a multidisciplinary team and that they used formal as well as informal methods of assessment with learners with multiple disabilities. Discrepancies were found between the collected data and the guidelines. The guidelines were then used to propose a way forward for speechlanguage therapists when assessing learners with multiple disabilities in schools in Gauteng.

University students worldwide regularly encounter assessments in their courses and the results obtained are used to make important decisions about their movement from one year of study to the next. This makes students vital stakeholders in the assessment practices of institutions and illustrates how issues related to the topic of assessment and assessment practices are critical to students. Many authors and researchers advocate the idea that the perspectives of students’ themselves are important wherever questions of assessment arise. Furthermore, assessments take on various forms and are understood and therefore utilised in a particular manner depending on their context. This study thus aimed to describe assessments used at a specific South African university from the students’ perspective. Seventeen third year level Psychology students participated by completing a demographic questionnaire and taking part in one of four focus groups which were transcribed. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The research yielded results pertaining to many different aspects of assessment. Participants perceived the purposes of assessment in the same manner as described in the literature, namely to measure knowledge, ability to cope and institutional standards. They viewed each form of assessment (multiple choice tests, open-ended test and examinations, essay assignments and group work) as having a specific purpose and different advantages and disadvantages and indicated that they prepared for each type of assessment using different strategies, depending on the form. Participants understood assessments in terms of the types of task that each required them to complete but were more concerned about the conditions under which they were expected to complete them. The time constraint element in particular was viewed as detracting from performance rather than as part of the assessment task. Other individual and contextual factors were perceived as important but were often not accounted for or able to be accounted for in assessments. Participants appeared motivated to succeed by achieving high marks rather than by achieving the intended course outcomes and assessment purposes and time management was identified as an important aspect of coping. In general, the participants seemed to perceive assessment and the various forms thereof in a similar manner and in line with literature.