<p>Peer assessment is used by health care professionals as a way to share knowledge and evaluate the performance of colleagues. Peer assessment is used widely in medical education as a preparatory tool for students, but peer assessment research in athletic training education is lacking. Athletic trainers are healthcare providers with a similar skill-set to physicians, thus, athletic training education can benefit from the use of peer assessment. Athletic training educators need to research the use of peer assessment as an evaluation tool in order to better prepare students to practice as healthcare professionals. This study investigated the accuracy and reliability of undergraduate athletic training students in their ability to assess their peers. This quasi-experimental study used between-group and within-group designs to answer the research questions. Junior-level students, senior-level students, and their instructors were enrolled as participants. Each student group&rsquo;s ratings of clinical skills and professional behaviors were compared to instructor ratings to measure accuracy, and each student group&rsquo;s ratings were compared for reliability. Cohen&rsquo;s kappa coefficient measured inter-rater agreement for all statistical analyses. Both groups of students were accurate raters (<i>p</i> &lt; .05) of their peers on clinical skills, but only the senior-level students were accurate in rating professional behaviors. Both groups of students were reliable in rating their peers on about half of the clinical skills. The senior-level students were also reliable in evaluating professional behaviors, but the junior-level students were not. The data for this study showed high levels of observed agreement for most clinical skills, subscales and the professional behaviors, but some items had low Cohen&rsquo;s kappa values, most likely due to a known paradox that occurs with the kappa statistic. As the first study in athletic training education to use undergraduate students, live data collection, and rating of professional behaviors, the findings were promising for future research. Future research needs to include training in peer assessment, use of repeated measures, and comparison of instructor scores in order to better understand peer assessment in this population. Additionally, there is a need to establish consistent, quality measures in peer assessment research, including those used in athletic training education. </p>

<p> This study investigated the relationships between birth order, personality, mental toughness, and performance as they relate to trained collegiate athletes in the sports of Men's and Women's Basketball. There were three variables measured: personality, mental toughness, and performance. There were 238 participants in this study: 149 females and 89 males. All participants were NCAA collegiate basketball players. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 24. Participants were administered the NEO Five Factor Inventory questionnaire to assess personality, while mental toughness was assessed using the Mental Toughness Scale (Madrigal &amp; Hamill, 2013). To measure performance, statistics were obtained from the 2013-14 collegiate regular season and computed into an overall performance score (Ramos-Villagrasa &amp; Navarro, 2013). Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the relationships between birth order, personality, mental toughness, performance score, and performance statistics. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that middleborns would score the highest in mental toughness while firstborns would score higher than lastborns (who will score the lowest). Hypotheses for the big five traits were as follows: Openness: middleborns would score the highest, followed by lastborns, then firstborns. Conscientiousness: firstborns would score the highest, then middleborns, then lastborns. Extroversion: middleborns would score the highest, then firstborns, and finally lastborns. Agreeableness: lastborns and middleborns would not differ, but would both score higher than firstborns. Neuroticism: lastborns would score highest, followed by firstborns, then middleborns. It was hypothesized that high conscientiousness and extroversion, along with low neuroticism would indicate higher mental toughness, while other big five traits would not factor into determining mental toughness. Higher mental toughness scores were hypothesized to result in higher performance scores. Middleborns were hypothesized to have the highest performance scores, followed by firstborns, and finally lastborns. The results of this study did not support any of the hypotheses regarding birth order. The results did support the hypothesis that high conscientiousness and extroversion, along with low neuroticism would predict higher mental toughness. The results also partially supported the hypothesis that higher mental toughness would yield higher performance scores.</p>

<p> This study took place at a Wake Technical Community College, a multi-campus institution in Raleigh, North Carolina. An evaluation of the return on investment in high fidelity simulation used by an associate degree of nursing program was conducted with valid and reliable instruments. The study demonstrated that comparable student outcomes are attainable when traditional clinical study is replaced with high fidelity simulation curriculum. Limited clinical practice space justifies the spread of simulation in college health science programs. North Carolina Administrative Code permits community colleges to replace 25% of traditional clinical with simulation. The lack of research on the cost effectiveness of high fidelity simulation has been cited as a barrier to its diffusion. Sound research demonstrating performance-based and patient-centric outcomes can provide governing bodies with evidence supporting the diffusion of high fidelity education.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to increase the knowledge level and change self-reported behavioral intent among a sample of healthcare providers regarding safe sleep messaging. From 1995 through 2015 in New York City, an average of one infant died every week from unsafe sleeping conditions. One agency in New York City experienced four unsafe sleep infant deaths within two months in 2010. In 2011, the city provided case managers with training on infant safety. Before this training, up to six sleep-related infant deaths were reported annually. The following year, one sleep-related infant death occurred. None occurred during the second year subsequent to the training. Current literature demonstrates healthcare providers have considerable influence on safe sleep messaging. This current study utilized a similar educational training designed for healthcare providers working in an urban health facility.</p><p> A single group pre/post-test quasi-experimental design was delivered to 23 participants. The design incorporated an online educational intervention in order to increase healthcare provider&rsquo;s knowledge level and change their self-reported behavioral intent to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of safe sleep practices. Data were gathered at pre-test and post-test to assess changes.</p><p> Final analysis, using a repeated measures general linear model, was carried out on data from the twenty-three participants who returned completed pre- and post-class surveys. There was a statistically significant change in the overall 13-item composite score reflecting knowledge level and change the self-reported behavioral intent from pretest (M=6.13, SD=2.78) to post-test (M=8.78, SD=3.79) at the p &lt;.001 level. These findings support current literature recommendations for healthcare providers to incorporate the safe sleep message into their practice. Nonetheless, supplementary research is needed to conclude whether these results coincide with communities elsewhere and to examine the issues regarding knowledge and behavioral intent regarding safe sleep messaging.</p>

<p> The high incidence of medical and surgical errors in U.S. hospitals and clinics affects patients&rsquo; safety. Not enough is known about the relationship between physician characteristics and medical error rates. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between selected physician characteristics and surgical errors in U.S. hospitals. The ecological model was used to understand personal and systemic factors that might be related to the incidence of surgical errors. Archived data from the National Practitioner Data Bank database of physician surgical errors were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Independent variables included physicians&rsquo; home state, state of license, field of license, age group, and graduation year group. The dependent variable was surgical medical errors. Physicians&rsquo; field of license and state of license were significantly associated with surgical error. Findings contribute to the knowledge base regarding the relationship between physician characteristics and surgical medical errors, and findings may be used to improve patient safety and medical care.</p>

<p> Sexuality education in public schools in the United States excludes a large population of students. These exclusions are due to a long history of legal and economic battles, as well as the politicized nature of adolescent sexuality. This critical interpretive inquiry explored the long history of sexuality education through the lens of economics, law, and psychological paradigms and examined the way in which each of these lenses furthered the exclusion of nonheterosexual males in curricula. Using a framework comprised of critical feminist theory, critical pedagogy, and queer theory, this manuscript provides an understanding of the social structures of sexuality education and how they continue to marginalize students labeled as &ldquo;other.&rdquo; Using critical discourse analysis, this study reviewed legal and political documents, state and private curricula, and works in the sociology and psychology fields. </p><p> The outcomes of interpretive research do not lend themselves to specific answers, but to a greater understanding of the experience of marginalized individuals and the structures in place that keep this experience intact. Through a critical review of current programming initiatives, recommendations are made to continue moving toward a more gender- and identity-inclusive sexuality education curriculum. These recommendations, which are grounded in current legal and economic requirements, include teacher certification requirements, implementation of the Advocates for Youth 3Rs curriculum, utilization of a rights-based approach to program design, and adoption of national sexuality education by the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than by the Department of Education.</p>

<p> Heart failure readmissions place a significant financial burden on the healthcare system. Stakeholders of this system have utilized many approaches to reduce the number and costs of heart failure readmissions, without significant improvement. The purpose of this practice improvement project was to determine whether education on the financial impact associated with readmissions improved a patient&rsquo;s measured quality of life, encouraged adherence to a therapeutic regimen, and thereby reduced readmission rates in Medicare and Medicaid patients diagnosed with heart failure. Theoretical support is derived from the theory of self-care of chronic illness, which recognizes the complex self-care processes a patient with chronic illness negotiates. The project used a quantitative methodology with a pre-test/post-test design. A convenience sample was enrolled of 10 Medicare and Medicaid patients who had recurrent heart failure readmissions. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) was used to collect pre/ post-intervention data which was then analyzed by two-tailed paired t-test. There was no statistically significant difference from the intervention to determine any impact on the participant&rsquo;s measured quality of life (<i>p</i> = .953; &alpha; = .05). However, none of the participants were readmitted during the 30 day period of this project. The findings indicate heart failure patients acknowledge their financial constraints but quality of life is not as impacted by finances as anticipated. Polypharmacy and uncertainty with managing daily regimens during symptom exacerbation were the greatest concerns. It is recommended that heart failure patient education should be persistent and individualized to address the patient&rsquo;s unique needs. </p><p>

Creative arts education is integral to the diverse, extramural, formally taught and non-accredited landscapes of Adult Education. Traditionally popular with adults in later life, it is correlated with improvements in subjective well-being (Hughes and Adriaanse, 2017), health (Humphrey et al., 2011) and social inclusion (Feinstein et al., 2008). However, UK government support for arts curricula is in decline (Hughes et al., 2016), despite the rising demographics for older age groups (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2018). Funding for remaining programmes is increasingly rationalised through perceived improvements to well-being (Hughes et al., 2016) and the attainment of objective and functional learning outcomes (Schuller, 2017). This thesis explores the relationships of three women in later life with creative arts education. The interpretive bricolage methodology draws together their experiences and considers the impacts of rationalising education exclusively through objective criteria. The research material is analysed using writing-as-inquiry and emergent interpretations are refined in iterative dialogues between researcher and participants. Thus, meaning is made in a 'continuing realignment of life events and life possibilities' (Rolling, 2010, p.157). The analysis is (re)presented as a series of evocative narratives, interwoven with the reflexive and autoethnographic positioning of the researcher. This process seeks to 'fracture the boundaries that normally separate social science from literature' (Ellis and Bochner, 2000, p.744). The research highlights the participants' perceptions of motivational factors, barriers and constraints and explores aspects of personal meaning-making, spirituality and transformation. It also illustrates the importance of 'place' in fostering collaborative learning and curiosity and questions fixed notions of well-being. The latter is reconceptualised as 'well-becoming' to acknowledge its fluid and transient qualities. The women's experiences are set against a prevailing culture of accountability and lie beyond the immediate gaze of policymakers. Therefore, the research assists in promoting more sustainable and context-appropriate practice by exploring some of the otherwise 'unseen' landscapes of Adult Education in later life.

This dissertation has examined the conditions for teachers who teach Physical Education and Health (PEH) in elementary school (age 11-12) and their opportunities to pursue inclusive teaching with the aim of reaching all pupils. The compilation thesis consists of four different articles and provides knowledge from the perspectives of pupils and teachers, but it also includes teaching and learning processes that were studied in situ. The first article contributes to knowledge on how different related variables affect learning motivation and how cultural aspects influence and affect shaping patterns of attitudes, beliefs, and values shared by pupils. Based on and selected from the sample of the first study, the second article examines low-motivated pupils’ perceptions about learning in the subject and their representations of teaching, learning and participating in PEH. The third article takes the teacher’s perspective into account and examines teachers’ discursive representations of low motivated pupils and related beliefs regarding inclusive teaching and strategies for reaching all pupils. The last article presents a case study examining teaching and learning in PEH in situ and demonstrating how a teacher’s assumptions about the purpose of PEH and consequent interactions with a student assumed to be “low motivated” had effects that were detrimental to the student’s confidence and capacity to engage and learn in PEH. The general major findings and the suggested implications of the results have been discussed and organized from the two major dichotomies involved in the two fundamental inclusive perspectives: a categorical perspective (problems are sited within individuals) and a relational perspective (perceived problems occur in the interaction between an individual and the surrounding environment). Applying a categorical perspective, pupils categorized as “low motivated” toward learning in PEH experienced little opportunity to influence either content or form and also had difficulties in verbalizing the aim and purpose of the subject. Despite long-term health-related goals, they had difficulties understanding and connecting to PEH. The pupils also had difficulties connecting with their teachers, who were described as being insensitive, uncaring, or inflexible and forcing “unrealistic” goals on them when they did not feel competent at mastering the content relative to their peers. The studies confirm that learning motivation is strongly related to perceived competence, and low learning motivation is related to feelings of anxiety, especially for girls. Teachers, on the other hand, attributed motivation problems to the individual (the pupil) or the context (social background, parents, etc.) rather than the situation, their own teaching in class. Teachers had various strategies for teaching inclusively. Cooperative and collaborative methods, such as using skilled pupils or pupils with the “right” attitude as role models for behavioral transfer or “strategic grouping,” were mentioned as inclusive teaching strategies. Adapting the rules of games or traditional sports so that everyone started on the same level was another strategy. By presenting a multi-activity approach to teaching with many different sports, pupils were assumed to be able to find “their” particular sports. Results also showed that the stereotyping of “low motivated” pupils often is related to the teacher’s own perception of what is experienced as essential learning in the subject. Applying a relational perspective, focus is on the system beyond the individual. Based on the results of these studies, the subject seems to be influenced and guided by two logics or discourses: fostering to sports and related values, and health and fitness. Both logics also highlight the importance of content and form in teaching. The sport discourse seems to create a situation where normative performance-oriented components have negative consequences for certain pupils. A general use of a multi-activity approach for structuring the content with short-term units, using primarily team sports and ball games, can be argued counterproductive for pupils, especially for those pupils who start at lower skill levels. This approach with fragmentary or blurred learning objectives may then contribute to disservice in a long-term perspective. This, combined with the effect of high activity and unilateral focus on exercise risks blurring of other possible learning dimensions in the subject, and may also contribute to the alienation of pupils who lack skill, ability, or interest in the subject. With inclusive intentions abilities in the subject may need to be reconceived and alternative abilities recognized to challenge the established order and normalized ways of thinking in terms of content and form. Teaching efforts that give primary consideration to the individual needs of “marginalized” pupils may be necessary if inclusive intentions are to be met. It is therefore suggested that teachers need to look beyond the traditionally trodden paths and challenge the currently dominating discourses that influence PEH. Reinforcing other learning dimensions and reconceiving abilities to go beyond the emphasis on skill and performance may strengthen pupils in other areas they possess. Differentiated teaching must not lose sight of needs that are common to a group or a class as a whole, but rather, it must also consider the needs of each individual.

Heart Rate and Accelerometry during Footbag Net Singles Play