The cost of remediation is high, for both postsecondary institutions (Pain, 2016) and the students who are enrolled in developmental math courses (Attewell et al., 2006). Academic support services such as tutoring, have been associated with positive student outcomes in developmental math (Bonham & Boylan, 2012). The Learning Center is a fee for service program at a four-year postsecondary institution that provides comprehensive academic support services for students with learning and attention challenges. Little is known, however, if these types of support services are effective for students with learning and attention challenges. Thus, a program evaluation study was conducted on the effectiveness of tutoring services at the Learning Center. Specific research questions are (a) What is the effect of peer tutoring on the incidence of passing developmental math? (b) How do students with learning and attention challenges engage with on-campus academic support services? Four cohorts of developmental math students from fall semesters 2012 through 2015 were examined in this cross-sectional study, which consisted of 182 complete cases. Variables to conduct this program study included a binary outcome of passing the developmental math course, and the primary independent variable of math tutoring usage at the Learning Center. Controls variables included student demographic information, prior academic achievement in mathematics, and student usage of additional available academic support services on campus and at the Learning Center. A logistic regression analysis revealed that usage of math tutoring at the Learning Center was not an effective intervention. Nearly half of the students did not engage in math tutoring services at the Learning Center. Engagement with tutoring for other subjects at the Learning Center was significantly related to the outcome with an eight percent increase in the likelihood of passing the developmental math course for each additional hour of usage χ2 (1, n = 182) = 10.43, p = .001. Prior academic achievement in math also was significantly related with the likelihood of passing developmental math χ2 (1, n = 182) = 10.1, p = .001 with an increased odds of 78 percent for every one standard deviation increase in math performance on a standardized math exam. Thus, student characteristics such as prior academic achievement in math and engagement with other academic support services were indicators of passing developmental mathematics. Recommendations for adjusting future academic support intervention efforts at the Learning Center for developmental math based upon the unique characteristics of these students are provided as a result of these findings.

Academic computing is one major component of Information Technology infrastructure affecting the availability and utilization of technologies at universities. The study here evaluated two different colleges at the University of Oregon in comparison to a minimal logic model proposed here, the Support for Academic Computing Model (SAC). Based on the differences in IT needs and implementation of existing instructional technology services, the evaluation investigated the utility of the logic model and information regarding the two settings. The two colleges are the College of Education (COE) and the School of Architecture and Allied Arts (AAA). My hypothesis is that empirical evaluation studies based on a comparison with a base logic model for infrastructure needs across contexts may help to provide information to better align resources. Results show that a strong use case of 100% of faculty interviewed at COE rely on Learning Management Systems (LMSs), Data Visualization and Video & Audio tools, making them a core part of the SAC model. Most faculty interviewed in AAA utilize LMSs at 89%, then Productivity/Content Creation/Research Tools at 83%, and as an extension Instructional Media Tools at 46%, which helps to validate the SAC model across this second context. Other information in the model evaluation allows more specific comparisons of gaps in areas such as access to resources, knowledge of and about resources, mission-driven need for resources, and some patterns. Common themes that emerged from the faculty interviews are the need to showcase technology usage among colleagues, that services are not always well advertised, that technology may not be accessible or that there may be issues regarding limited or unclear funding for both support and resources that limits their use. This indicates that this style of a model might be helpful in planning and evaluating academic computing support programs and services. Future work would be needed to investigate the degree to which intervening according to the findings of such a model might be efficacious to improve the perceived quality of services or the usage patterns and outcomes, as well as the degree to which such a model could be generalized and evolve over time.

[pt] Esse artigo realiza um estudo dos efeitos do Programa Bolsa Escola Federal sobre as despesas das famílias. A base de dados utilizada foi a Pesquisa dos Orçamentos Familiares (POF), que por tratar de forma detalhada das despesas das famílias e por fornecer o valor recebido pelas famílias do Programa Bolsa Escola Federal, propicia uma excelente oportunidade de responder a questão referente ao destino do dinheiro recebido do programa. O principal resultado é que famílias que recebem a bolsa do Programa Bolsa Escola tendem a gastar mais em alimentos e não reduzem seus gastos em educação. / [en] This article studies the effects of the Brazilian conditional cash transfer program, the Bolsa Escola Federal, on household expenditures. The dataset used was a survey of household budgets (Pesquisa dos Orçamentos Familiares), which, in providing detailed information regarding family expenditures and the value households received through the Bolsa Escola Federal Program, offers an excellent opportunity to answer the question concerning the destination of the money received through the program. The main result of the article is that households receiving the grant from the program tend to spend more on food and do not reduce their expenditures on education.

Thesis advisor: Henry I. Braun / City Connects is a school-based model that identifies the strengths and needs of every student and links each child to a tailored set of intervention, prevention, and enrichment services in the school or community. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the City Connects treatment effects on academic performance (both MCAS scores and grade point average (GPA) grades) in middle school using student longitudinal records. Parallel analyses were conducted: one evaluated the City Connects elementary intervention (serving kindergarten to fifth grades) and the other one evaluated the City Connects middle school intervention (serving sixth to eighth grades). A series of two-level hierarchical linear models with middle school achievement scores adjusted and/or propensity score weights applied were used to answer the research questions of interest. In addition, to make a causal inference, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine whether or not the estimated treatment effects resulted from the first two analyses were robust to the presence of unobserved selection bias. The results showed that students who were exposed to the City Connects elementary intervention significantly outperformed their counterparts, who graduated from the comparison elementary schools, on academic achievement in all middle school grades. However, in the case of the City Connects intervention schools that served middle school grades, since all students only received a maximum of one year of City Connects middle school intervention, it was still too soon to expect any significant changes. Moreover, the estimated treatment effects of the City Connects elementary intervention were only mildly sensitive to the presence of some forms of hidden bias, which made the causal inference of City Connects on middle school academic achievement quite plausible. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

Thesis advisor: Thanh V. Tran / ABSTRACT This dissertation has the following specific aim: to measure outcomes of social work emergency certificates produced by a Mobile Crisis Team to determine the effectiveness of these certificates at linking clients to services. Linkage to services is a programmatic goal and is achieved by ensuring clients receive adequate crisis and follow up services as a result of Emergency Certificates. In doing so, risks of homicide, suicide and grave disability are mitigated. Under its administrative umbrella, Mobile Crisis Team operates a police-social work collaboration known as Crisis Intervention Team, and both are administered by the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in southeastern Connecticut. The data comes from 233 consecutive cases that involved Emergency Certificate's to transport clients to the local emergency department for psychiatric evaluation and treatment. Data was gathered post-hoc by reviewing copies of each specific certificate and cross-referencing those certificates with an agency risk management report and an electronic data base that stores demographic data on all clients. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariable analysis, such as cross tabulations and binary logistic regression, were used to analyze the data in this study. Additionally, the chi-square automatic interaction detector (CHAID) was used to construct outcome trees to describe subgroups of interest. This research is a continuation of previously published research on the various permutations and outcomes of mobile crisis programs, and contributes two unique programmatic features: the use by social workers of a legally proscribed coercive tool to send people to the emergency department for assessment, and the effectiveness of police-social work collaborations compared to social work only referrals. Overall, linkage occurs in over 80% of cases, with significant predictors of linkage identified as substance abuse, Hispanic ethnicity, criminal justice involvement, suicide, affective disorders, and insurance status. Implications for program evaluation, future research and limitations of the study are also discussed / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

Thesis advisor: Lauren Saenz / Methods for classifying and treating an outcome variable are critical to explore in health research and evaluation, given the potential impact the choice of method may have on the findings and subsequent recommendations (Merbitz, Morris, & Grip, 1989). Further, given the prominent application of the Transtheoretical Model in health research, the stages of change construct continues to be a critical outcome measure concept used in various applied evaluation studies (Bridle et al., 2005; Nigg, 2002; Prochaska, DiClemente, & Norcross, 1992). The purpose of this dissertation study was to determine if findings differ depending on the approach to categorizing and analyzing a stage of change outcome variable, and if so, to highlight how these may affect policy and programmatic decision-making. Using data from a study on evidence-based program adoption decisions, this dissertation examined five approaches to treating and analyzing a single Decision to Adopt outcome variable. These different approaches were compared from both a methodological and pragmatic perspective. Hypothetical stakeholder illustrations were used to highlight differences in decision-making priorities and use of findings based on role, background, and organizational priorities. In comparing methods for classifying and treating the stage of change outcome variable, findings revealed notable differences in effect size, estimation, implication of major findings, and limitations of approach. The hypothetical stakeholder illustrations stressed the significance of personal values and preferences as key influential factors in decision-making and use of evaluation results. This dissertation highlighted how decisions are inextricably linked to the logic model and underlying theory, particularly as it relates to defining evaluation questions, determining how to categorize constructs, and assigning value to codes. Further, it reinforces the significance of contextual considerations in evaluation and how these cannot be ignored in the decision-making process (e.g., budgetary limitations, practical constraints, political factors). The proposed directions for future research seek to continue advancing this understanding of the impact of methodological decisions in different contexts and help improve the utility of evaluations more broadly. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

O jogo patológico tem sido amplamente analisado na literatura e, apesar do reconhecimento do impacto que ele causa nos familiares, poucos estudos se dedicaram à família. A maior parte destes baseou-se exclusivamente na experiência profissional dos autores, sem metodologia adequada que permitisse a comparação ou generalização de resultados. O presente estudo tem o objetivo de descrever a estrutura do núcleo familiar de jogadores patológicos e analisar seu funcionamento após a intervenção de um programa psicoeducacional. Familiares que moravam junto com um jogador patológico que aderiu a um programa de tratamento foram convidados para a avaliação familiar. As avaliações constaram de três etapas. A primeira fase foi composta por uma entrevista e aplicação das três escalas da Medida de Avaliação Familiar (FAM Geral, FAM Auto-avaliação, FAM Diádica) e da Escala de Adequação Social. Na avaliação intermediária, antes e após o psicoeducacional, foi aplicada a versão breve da FAM. Finalmente, após um intervalo de um a dois anos os familiares repetiram as escalas da avaliação inicial. Os jogadores foram avaliados no início pela FAM versão breve. A intervenção foi composta por quatro encontros psicoeducacionais baseados em um manual desenvolvido especialmente para familiares de jogadores patológicos e fundamentado no método “Reforço Comunitário e Treinamento Familiar". A amostra inicial (n = 91) diminui significativamente depois de seis meses (n=54), sendo que apenas aproximadamente um terço participou da reavaliação final (n = 30). A proporção de mulheres em todas as ocasiões foi expressivamente maior que a de homens (>70%), o que demonstra que são as mulheres que mais aderem a programas intervencionais. A estrutura das famílias dos jogadores patológicos apresenta o jogador ocupando a posição de pai (40,7%) ou de mãe (36,2%) na maior parte das vezes. A maioria dos familiares (83,5%) sabia exatamente quando o jogo havia começado. O fator financeiro foi apontado por 55% dos familiares como o primeiro problema causado pelo jogo, e o relacionamento por 34% da amostra. Tanto o familiar como o jogador percebem o jogador como o paciente identificado. Os familiares consideram o funcionamento da família muito comprometido, sendo que os quesitos mais problemáticos foram a realização de tarefas, a atribuição de papéis, o controle e os valores e normas. Os escores da Escala de Adequação Social indicaram que o ajustamento social dos familiares de jogadores patológicos está prejudicado em todas as áreas exceto relação com filhos em relação a sujeitos normais. Após o programa psicoeducacional em curto prazo os familiares não apresentaram diferença significativa e em longo prazo eles evidenciaram uma redução significativa da questão do controle. Também passaram a perceber os valores e normas do jogador como mais adequados, e descreveram uma melhora na situação econômica. Apesar de alguns resultados começarem a surgir depois do psicoeducacional, esta intervenção não se mostrou suficiente para promover uma mudança consistente no funcionamento familiar. O caráter informativo do psicoeducacional pode ter contribuído em alguns momentos para minimizar o estresse, porém em outros parece não ter dado conta da demanda. / The pathological gambler has been widely investigated in the literature and beyond recognizing the impact they have on family members, few studies have addressed the family itself. The majority of studies have been based exclusively on the professional experience of the authors, without employing suitable methods allowing comparison or generalizing of findings. The present studies aims to describe the structure of the family unit of pathological gamblers and analyze its functioning following intervention by a psychoeducation program. Family members that live together with pathological gambler that joined a treatment program were invited to the family evaluation. Assessments consisted of three stages. The first phase comprised an interview and application of the three Family Assessment Measure scales)(General Scale, Self-Rating Scale, Dyadic Scale) together with the Social Adjustment Scale. The brief version of the FAM was applied both before and after psychoeducation at the intermediate assessment. Finally, following a one to two- year interval, the families repeated the scales of the initial assessment. The gamblers were assessed using the brief version of the FAM. Intervention consisted of four psychoeducation sessions based on a specially developed manual for family members of pathologic gamblers, employing the underlying method of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). The initial sample (n = 91) reduced significantly after six months (n = 54), where only around a third took part in the final assessment (n = 30). The proportion of women present at sessions was markedly greater than men (> 70%), showing that women adhere more to intervention programs. The structure of pathologic gamblers’ families show the gambler tends to be the father (40.7%) or the mother (36.2%) in most cases. The majority of family members (83.5%) knew exactly when the gambling had commenced. The financial factor was mentioned by 55% of family members as representing the major problem caused by the gambling whilst relationships accounted for 34% of the sample. Both family member and gambler recognized the gambler as a patient. The family members considered family functioning to have been severely compromised, where most problematic issues proved to be Task accomplishment, Role performance, Control and Values and norms. The scores of the Social Adjustment Scale indicated poorer social adjustment in all areas but parental role for the pathological gamblers’ family in relation to normal subjects. Following psychoeducation program, family members presented no significant difference in the short term, whereas over the long term they showed a significant reduction on the Control scale. They also reported Values and norms of the gambler as having become acceptable, and described improvement in Economic adequacy. Although some positive results began to emerge after the psychoeducation program, this intervention did not prove sufficient to bring about a consistent change in family functioning. The informative nature of the psychoeducation may have contributed at times by minimizing stress, whilst in other areas it seems to have been unable to address the problems.

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar os desafios dos programas de graduação em Ciências Contábeis face às mudanças que emergem na pós-modernidade, em relação à estrutura e orientação do currículo, prática docente e formação dos estudantes. Foram elecionados para estudo os cursos de graduação em Contabilidade de duas instituições, por apresentarem características distintas de formação, conforme análise preliminar. Entre as bases teóricas relevantes para direcionamento do estudo destacam-se, em relação às propostas educacionais para a pós-modernidade as obras de Doll Jr. (1997), Pourtois e Desmet (1999), Santos (2003) e Morin (2003, 2005). O estudo foi delineado seguindo as diretrizes da abordagem metodológica pós-positivista e da estratégia de estudo de caso. O estudo reuniu informações de fontes documentais e da percepção de professores, estudantes e egressos coletadas por meio de questionários, entrevistas e focus group. A trajetória de coleta de evidências foi orientada pelo protocolo de estudo de casos e a análise e triangulação dos dados pela avaliação responsiva, adaptada no modelo delineado para avaliação dos programas. Em síntese, a comunidade acadêmica salientou inúmeros desafios. Quanto ao currículo, consideram importante a participação dos estudantes no debate e planejamento de diretrizes para os programas, a observação das demandas do mundo do trabalho e o desenvolvimento de processos que estimulem a interdisciplinaridade e a articulação dos saberes. No processo educacional, entre os desafios, aparece com maior frequência a capacitação didáticopedagógica do corpo docente, para que o grupo enriqueça as estratégias de ensino e amplie a reflexão da prática, alinhando-a à nova geração de estudantes e à motivação dos estudantes para participação e desenvolvimento da proatividade e autonomia. Quanto à formação, os grupos destacaram a importância de pensar a formação que equilibre desenvolvimento profissional e a autonomia do estudante e proporcione visão transdisciplinar. O estudo identificou lacunas, contradições e inúmeros desafios em cada dimensão observada em ambos os cursos. A problematização dos caminhos listados é atividade fundamental. Esse processo poderá ser de grande valia aos envolvidos, às instituições de ensino e a sociedade, tendo em vista as necessidades de formação no contexto de mudanças emergentes na pós-modernidade. / The aim of this study was to analyze the challenges of undergraduate programs in Accounting regarding the emerging changes in the post-modernity in relation to structure and orientation of the curriculum, teaching practices and student training. Two institutions were selected which present different characteristics, according to a preliminary analysis pursued. Among the relevant theoretical frameworks for directing the study stand out in relation to educational proposals for the postmodernity the works of Doll Jr. (1997), Pourtois and Desmet (1999), Santos (2003) and Morin (2003, 2005 ). The study was designed following the guidelines of post-positivist methodological approach and the case study strategy. The study gathered information from documentary sources and perception of faculty, students and alumni collected through questionnaires, interviews and focus group. The trajectory of the evidence collection was guided by case study protocol and the analysis and triangulation of the data by responsive evaluation, adapted in the model delineated for programs evaluation. In summary, the academic community highlighted several challenges. As for the curriculum, it is consider important the student participation on the discussion and planning guidelines for the programs, as well as on the observation of the workplace demands and the development of processes that stimulate interdisciplinarity and articulation of knowledge. In the educational process, which includes the challenges, what appears more frequently are didactic-pedagogic training skills so that the group may use the teaching strategies in order to expand the reflection on this practice, aligning it to the new generation of students and students\' motivation to participate and develop of proactivity and autonomy. As for the education, we noticed that the groups stressed the importance of thinking that is important to exist a balance between professional training and the development of the student\'s autonomy that provide the so required transdisciplinary vision. The study identified gaps, contradictions and numerous challenges in each dimension observed in both courses. The problematization of the paths listed is a fundamental activity. This process can be of great value to those involved, to the higher education institutions and to the society in general regarding formation needed in a context of changes emerging in the postmodernity.

Tema:Cuidadores podem ter importante papel na recuperação de afásicos.Objetivo: Estudar o impacto de ações educativas junto a cuidadores. Método: Dez afásicos foram avaliados e seus cuidadores questionados e observados sobre percepções de dificuldades de comunicação. A intervenção foi realizada em grupos com ênfase em aspectos educativos, em 6 sessões. Resultados: Houve mudanças positivas do cuidador, no que diz respeito à possibilidade de melhor capacidade de compreensão e avaliação das dificuldades de linguagem, embora com pouca expressão, se considerados os indicadores propostos no programa.Conclusão: Nota-se benefícios no emprego de programas de educação junto a cuidadores de afásicos moderados e graves. Constata-se a necessidade de se aprimorar indicadores de resultados terapêuticos. / Background: Caregivers can have important paper in aphasic's recuperation. Aim: To study the impact of educational actions in caregivers. Method: Ten aphasic patients were assessed and their caregivers questioned and observed about perceptions regarding the communication funcionality. The intervention was accomplished in group and was oriented to educatives' aspects, in 6 sessions. Results: There were caregiver's positive changes in the possibility of better capacity of comprehension and evaluation of laguage difficulties, although with little expression, if indicators proposed in the program are pondered

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