Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2002. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-12, Section: B, page: 6107. Chair: Linda Reddy. Available also in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2003. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 64-07, Section: B, page: 3516. Chair: Linda A. Reddy. Available also in print.

This research was carried out to further the theoretical and practical understanding of peer assisted learning in undergraduate physiotherapy clinical education. A quasi-experimental study, with both a control group and an experimental group, was developed to examine the effects of peer assisted learning on the cognitive, psychomotor and affective components of clinical competence.On a more specific level, the main aim of the study was to investigate two models of clinical learning used in physiotherapy: the individualistic and reciprocal peer coaching models. Differences in history taking, physical examination and clinical reasoning were studied by having individual students, and pairs of students, complete an assessment of a simulated patient followed by a clinical reasoning test. A conceptual framework illustrates the main theoretical implications of this study. This framework incorporated current knowledge about clinical reasoning in medicine and the allied health sciences, in particular, reasoning from a novice practitioner's perspective. The conceptual framework, however, was expanded to demonstrate how peer assisted learning can influence the knowledge, cognitive and metacognitive aspects of clinical reasoning and performance.The main findings of the study were that reciprocal peer coaching led to statistically significant improvements in performance and clinical reasoning in the experimental group. In most cases, positive effect size differences appeared in favour of the experimental group. Most noteworthy differences were in the areas of physical examination and overall thoroughness of the patient encounter. Subjects in the experimental group also outperformed subjects in the control group on the overall clinical reasoning test to a statistically significant degree. A similar outcome was also noted in terms of patient management, that is, the planning and ++ / development of treatment interventions. Low achieving students in the reciprocal peer coaching group outperformed low achieving students who worked independently. Qualitative differences in the learning atmosphere of both models were also reported by subjects. While the actual clinical reasoning process did not appear to differ across both groups, practical differences in the actual learning experience did appear. Students in the experimental group reported being less anxious than students in the control group. The reciprocal peer coaching process was also an effective means of creating a supportive learning environment. These results are consistent with the major conclusions in the literature. Specifically, that peer assisted learning methods can increase achievement in learners (Goldschmid & Goldschmid, 1976; Johnson et al., 1998; Milson & Laatsch, 1996; Riggio et al., 1991; Riggio et al., 1994; Topping, 1996).

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Ensuring that speech pathology students are sufficiently competent to practise their profession is of critical importance to the speech pathology profession, students, their future employers, and clients/patients. This thesis describes the development and validation of a competency based assessment of speech pathology students’ performance in the workplace and their readiness to enter the profession. Development involved an extensive literature review regarding the nature of competency and its relationship to professional practice, the purpose and nature of assessment, and the validation of performance assessments. An online and hard copy assessment tool (paper) was designed through integrating multiple sources of information regarding speech pathology and assessment of workplace performance. Sources included research, theory, expert opinion, current practice, and focus group consultations with clinical educators and speech pathology students. The resulting assessment tool and resource material included four generic components of competency (clinical reasoning, professional communication, lifelong learning, and professional role) and seven occupational competencies previously developed by the speech pathology profession. The tool comprised an assessment format, either in a booklet or online, for clinical educators to rate students’ performances on the competencies at mid and end placement using a visual analogue scale. Behavioural descriptors and an assessment resource booklet informed and supported clinical educators’ judgement. The validity of the assessment tool was evaluated through a national field trial and using Messick’s six interrelated validity criteria which address content, substantive, structural, generalisability, external, and consequential aspects of validity (Messick, 1996). The validity of the assessment tool and its use with speech pathology students was evaluated through Rasch analysis, parametric statistical evaluation of relationships existing between information yielded by the Rasch analysis and other factors, and student and clinical educator feedback. The assessment tool was found to have strong validity characteristics across all validity components. Item Fit statistics generated through Rasch analysis ranged from .81 to 1.17 strongly upholding that the assessment items sampled a unidimensional construct of workplace competency for speech pathology students and confirming that generic and occupational competencies are both necessary for competent practice of speech pathology. High Item and Person Reliabilities (analogous to Cronbach’s alpha) were found (.98 and .97 respectively) and a wide range of person measures (-14.2 to 13.1) were generated. This indicated that a large spread of ability and a clear hierarchy of development on the construct was identified and that the assessment tool was highly reliable. This was further confirmed by high Intra Class Correlation coefficients for a small group of paired clinical educators rating the same student in the same workplace (.87) or in different workplaces concurrently (.82). Rasch analysis of the visual analogue scale used to rate student performance on 11 items of competence identified that clinical educators were able to reliably discriminate 7 categories or levels of student performance. This, in combination with careful calibration procedures, has resulted in an assessment tool that Australian Speech Pathology pre-professional preparation programs can use with confidence to place their students’ level of workplace competence into 7 zones of competency, with the seventh representing sufficient competence to enter the profession. The assessment tool also showed strong potential for identifying marginal students and for future use in promoting quality teaching and learning of professional competence. Limitations to the research and the tool validity were discussed, and recommendations made regarding future research. First, the clinical educator, who has dual and possibly conflicting roles as facilitator and assessor of student learning, made the assessment. Second, situating the assessment in the real workplace limits the students’ opportunities to demonstrate competence to those that naturally arise in the workplace. Paradoxically, both these factors also contributed to the validity of the assessment tool. It was recommended that the assessment tool be revised on the basis of the information gathered from the field trial, that further data be collected to ensure a broader proportional representation of speech pathology programs, to investigate possible threats to validity as well as those areas for which the tool showed promise. This research developed the first prototype of a validated assessment of entry level speech pathology competence that is grounded in a unified theoretical conception of entry level competence to the profession of speech pathology and the developmental progression required to reach this competence. This research will assist the profession of speech pathology by ensuring that speech pathologists enter the workplace well equipped to provide quality care to their future clients, the ultimate goal of any professional preparation program. Messick, S. (1996). Validity of performance assessments. In G. W. Phillips (Ed.), Technical Issues in Large-Scale Performance Assessment (pp. 1-18). Washington: National Centre for Education Statistics.

<p> The effect of emotional intelligence (EI) among students in education settings could prove essential to determining the needs of student satisfaction leading to retention and graduation. However, lack of research has yet to determine whether EI is an important factor of student satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to determine whether a relationship exists between EI in graduate students and satisfaction with their overall academic experience at their online institution of higher education. Participants included graduate students enrolled in a masters' or doctoral program at an online institution of higher education. They were surveyed to measure their level of EI by Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test v. 2 and satisfaction of overall academic experience measured by the Priorities Survey for Online Learners. Research questions were focused on satisfaction of graduate students and elements of EI including overall EI and the 4 branches of the EI model. Statistical regression analyses revealed no significant relationships between EI, branches of EI, and overall satisfaction. Nevertheless, the results have implications for positive social change. No significant relationship demonstrated between EI and satisfaction may help accentuate other factors such as motivation and expectations that affect student satisfaction. These results can contribute to social change by supporting focus and improvement of the quality of factors that do affect overall satisfaction of students.</p>

<p> Latina/os are the fastest growing minority group in the United States and in California, yet they have not been able to maintain an adequate educational attainment and achievement level in comparison to other ethnic groups (Marin &amp; Marin, 1991). Typically, Latinas are not able to achieve the amount of education they set out to accomplish because of factors such as poverty, family responsibilities, attending low quality primary and secondary schools, being placed in lower tracked classes, poor self-image, a limit in community resources, gender role expectations and the lack of role models (Zambrana &amp; Zoppi, 2002). It is essential to examine how Latinas are able to integrate their families' expectations, the community, perception of campus climate, and coping styles through the pursuit of the higher education process. </p><p> This study explores how cultural, social and psychological factors contribute to pursuing the attainment of a bachelor's degree utilizing bicultural identity theory. It is hypothesized that biculturalism is associated with Latinas being able to attain and achieve a bachelor's degree because of their ability to navigate through various environments in which they can adapt. </p><p> Nine current undergraduate women that identify as Latinas were interviewed. The participants each answered a demographic questionnaire during the qualification telephone interview as well as two demographic questions during the actual interview. The participants' age ranged between 18-36 years old with the mean age being 21-years-old. All the participants live in Northern California. All nine participants identify as Latina. Four participants attend San Jose State University, two attend California State University, Stanislaus, one attends the University of California at Berkeley, one attends Chico State University and one attends Santa Clara University. </p><p> There are several significant themes that emerged from the interviews and they include: 1. Cultural Awareness and Ethnic Pride 2. Family Support with Pursuing Higher Education 3. Discouragement 4. High School and College Campus Support 5. Peer Support in High School and College 6. Experience of College Peers 7. Self-Motivation and Ambition 8. Role Models 9. Barriers 10. Support Prior to Entering as Well as During College. The results of the study are thoroughly discussed, as well as study limitations, implications for practice, and suggestions for future research.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate how self-regulated learning and ethnic/racial variables predict minority first-generation college student persistence and related constructs. Participants were drawn nationally from the U.S. Department of Education funded TRiO Student Support Services Programs. Additional participants from the Talent Development program and General Psychology classes from the University of Rhode Island were also included if they were first-generation college students. Preliminary analyses of group differences based on minority status revealed few significant differences in self-regulated learning, ethnic/racial, and college persistence variables. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that academic self-efficacy, program use, and race rejection sensitivity were the strongest predictors of minority first-generation college students' persistence. Implications for practice, study limitations, and directions for future research are also discussed.</p>

<p> Children with autism are at an increased risk of experiencing coping challenges in healthcare environments. Since Child Life Specialists [CLSs] seek to maximize development and coping in hospitalized children, their understandings of autism are key to intervention. To better understand CLSs' perceptions of autism, this researcher surveyed 126 CLSs using a combined qualitative and quantitative questionnaire. CLSs were expected to express both strengths-based and deficit-based perceptions of autism, with more strengths-based perceptions from CLSs with education or training in disability or access to a special educator. Overall, participants expressed more strengths-based sentiments. No differences were found among CLSs based on education or access to a special educator. However, having a relative with autism was associated with more positive feelings about autism. Additionally, participants drew from child life theory; education, training, and experience; and their understandings of autism to inform their interventions with this population. This research adds to the current literature on perceptions of disability among healthcare professionals and opens the door for future research on how those perceptions are established.</p>

<p> This non-experimental quantitative study investigated the relationship between supervisory style, satisfaction with supervision, and the level of self-efficacy reported by the study participants. The study was based on counselor supervision theories found in the literature. The study investigated whether there was a difference between traditional and non-traditional students' perceived satisfaction with supervision and their level of reported self-efficacy. The Supervisory Style Inventory (SSI), The Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ), and Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) were the instruments used in this study. The study sample consisted of 72 female doctoral level graduate students who were completing, and post-doc fellows, who had previously completed, their internship training and clinical supervision at various Association of Psychology Postdoctoral &amp; Internship Center training sites in the United States. Correlational and regression analysis was used to investigate the questions and hypotheses one, two and three. Research question four used an Independent Sample <i>t</i> Test to test the difference between the variables. The results showed that there was not a significant correlation between supervisory style and satisfaction with supervision. However, there was a significant correlation between supervisory style, and level of self-efficacy reported by participants. Additional findings showed that there was not a significant correlation among traditional and non-traditional students' perceived satisfaction with supervision and level(s) of reported self-efficacy. Lastly, the research concluded that satisfaction with supervision and the level of self-efficacy reported by the study's participants, did have a significant relationship for both groups when comparing the traditional and non-traditional students who participated in this study.</p>

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Ensuring that speech pathology students are sufficiently competent to practise their profession is of critical importance to the speech pathology profession, students, their future employers, and clients/patients. This thesis describes the development and validation of a competency based assessment of speech pathology students’ performance in the workplace and their readiness to enter the profession. Development involved an extensive literature review regarding the nature of competency and its relationship to professional practice, the purpose and nature of assessment, and the validation of performance assessments. An online and hard copy assessment tool (paper) was designed through integrating multiple sources of information regarding speech pathology and assessment of workplace performance. Sources included research, theory, expert opinion, current practice, and focus group consultations with clinical educators and speech pathology students. The resulting assessment tool and resource material included four generic components of competency (clinical reasoning, professional communication, lifelong learning, and professional role) and seven occupational competencies previously developed by the speech pathology profession. The tool comprised an assessment format, either in a booklet or online, for clinical educators to rate students’ performances on the competencies at mid and end placement using a visual analogue scale. Behavioural descriptors and an assessment resource booklet informed and supported clinical educators’ judgement. The validity of the assessment tool was evaluated through a national field trial and using Messick’s six interrelated validity criteria which address content, substantive, structural, generalisability, external, and consequential aspects of validity (Messick, 1996). The validity of the assessment tool and its use with speech pathology students was evaluated through Rasch analysis, parametric statistical evaluation of relationships existing between information yielded by the Rasch analysis and other factors, and student and clinical educator feedback. The assessment tool was found to have strong validity characteristics across all validity components. Item Fit statistics generated through Rasch analysis ranged from .81 to 1.17 strongly upholding that the assessment items sampled a unidimensional construct of workplace competency for speech pathology students and confirming that generic and occupational competencies are both necessary for competent practice of speech pathology. High Item and Person Reliabilities (analogous to Cronbach’s alpha) were found (.98 and .97 respectively) and a wide range of person measures (-14.2 to 13.1) were generated. This indicated that a large spread of ability and a clear hierarchy of development on the construct was identified and that the assessment tool was highly reliable. This was further confirmed by high Intra Class Correlation coefficients for a small group of paired clinical educators rating the same student in the same workplace (.87) or in different workplaces concurrently (.82). Rasch analysis of the visual analogue scale used to rate student performance on 11 items of competence identified that clinical educators were able to reliably discriminate 7 categories or levels of student performance. This, in combination with careful calibration procedures, has resulted in an assessment tool that Australian Speech Pathology pre-professional preparation programs can use with confidence to place their students’ level of workplace competence into 7 zones of competency, with the seventh representing sufficient competence to enter the profession. The assessment tool also showed strong potential for identifying marginal students and for future use in promoting quality teaching and learning of professional competence. Limitations to the research and the tool validity were discussed, and recommendations made regarding future research. First, the clinical educator, who has dual and possibly conflicting roles as facilitator and assessor of student learning, made the assessment. Second, situating the assessment in the real workplace limits the students’ opportunities to demonstrate competence to those that naturally arise in the workplace. Paradoxically, both these factors also contributed to the validity of the assessment tool. It was recommended that the assessment tool be revised on the basis of the information gathered from the field trial, that further data be collected to ensure a broader proportional representation of speech pathology programs, to investigate possible threats to validity as well as those areas for which the tool showed promise. This research developed the first prototype of a validated assessment of entry level speech pathology competence that is grounded in a unified theoretical conception of entry level competence to the profession of speech pathology and the developmental progression required to reach this competence. This research will assist the profession of speech pathology by ensuring that speech pathologists enter the workplace well equipped to provide quality care to their future clients, the ultimate goal of any professional preparation program. Messick, S. (1996). Validity of performance assessments. In G. W. Phillips (Ed.), Technical Issues in Large-Scale Performance Assessment (pp. 1-18). Washington: National Centre for Education Statistics.