Abstract Background. Physical therapists report inconsistent use of valid and reliable measures of walking post-stroke. Objective. To describe the methods physical therapists use to evaluate walking, reasons for selecting these methods, and the use of the evaluation results in clinical practice along the continuum of an organized system of stroke care. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured telephone interviews of physical therapists in Ontario was conducted. A thematic analysis was performed. Results. Participants (n=28) used both standardized and non-standardized methods to assess walking. A hierarchy of factors influencing use of both methods was observed. Assessment results were commonly used for communication with other healthcare professionals or education of the patient. Conclusions. A variety of factors influence physical therapists to use standardized assessment tools. Future knowledge translation interventions should focus on these factors to improve the standardized assessment of walking post-stroke.

Abstract Background. Physical therapists report inconsistent use of valid and reliable measures of walking post-stroke. Objective. To describe the methods physical therapists use to evaluate walking, reasons for selecting these methods, and the use of the evaluation results in clinical practice along the continuum of an organized system of stroke care. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured telephone interviews of physical therapists in Ontario was conducted. A thematic analysis was performed. Results. Participants (n=28) used both standardized and non-standardized methods to assess walking. A hierarchy of factors influencing use of both methods was observed. Assessment results were commonly used for communication with other healthcare professionals or education of the patient. Conclusions. A variety of factors influence physical therapists to use standardized assessment tools. Future knowledge translation interventions should focus on these factors to improve the standardized assessment of walking post-stroke.

Isn’t the report card just a way to distinguish the “have” schools from the “have not” schools? This is the ninth in a series of frequently asked questions that can be found on the school performance section of the Fraser Institute’s website. Importantly, the report cards in question are both produced and published by the Fraser Institute, an independent public policy research group that ranks Canadian elementary schools on a set of indicators gleaned from the results of provincial standardized testing. While the Fraser Institute answers this question with a simple No, the thesis research presented here uses a mixed methods approach to examine the accuracy of this simplistic answer. Using socioeconomic data and regression analysis, this research endeavors to uncover if standardized test results can indeed stand independently of class and other demographic factors to produce a valid point of school comparison. This research also provides an in depth exploration of the Fraser Institute’s annual elementary school report card from the perspective of current elementary teachers in Ontario. Lastly, this research presents findings regarding the ways that parents of elementary school children use and understand the Fraser Institute’s school ratings.

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2007. / Title from screen (viewed on January 9, 2008). Department of Communication Studies, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Stuart M. Schrader, Kim D. White-Mills, Elizabeth M. Goering, Jane E. Schultz. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-94).

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Hamburg, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-351).

When a private school works to serve a diverse student population and provide excellence in education, academic aptitude is important to evaluate to better predict whether a student will be provided an education that is appropriately leveled. Comparing the previous grades of a diverse applicant pool may prove problematic because of the differing scaling and grading methods utilized in differing educational systems. A nonverbal aptitude test may be utilized to fill this purpose by not only gauging a student’s aptitude, but also by minimizing bias associated with cultural or linguistic differences, as well as differences that may present themselves because of sex. The present study included an ex post facto review of data collected over three academic years from 2013 to 2016 at a private secondary school. The nonverbal aptitude of applicants was gauged utilizing the Naglieri Nonverbal Aptitude Test (NNAT). The students’ overall GPA during their second semester at the school was identified to gauge academic achievement. These two values were then compared utilizing a hierarchical regression analysis to identify the ability of nonverbal aptitude to predict academic achievement. Additionally, the mean values of nonverbal aptitude between the sexes as vi well as between native and non-native English speakers were compared utilizing a t-test. The sample consisted of 203 students. The study will add to the existing literature on the ability of nonverbal aptitude as measured by a nonverbal intelligence test to predict academic achievement in an academic setting. The study found that the NNAT was statistically significant at the .005 alpha level in predicting academic achievement. The amount of variance explained by the overall model was 15.5% suggesting that other factors also explain the variance in academic achievement. Additionally, the t-tests performed in comparing the difference of means between the sexes as well as between native and non-native English speakers did not reflect any potential bias within the NNAT for these groups. As part of an overall admissions process, the NNAT test can be utilized to better predict academic achievement while at the same time reduce bias toward minority students that is found in numerous aptitude tests commonly utilized in student placement processes.

Isn’t the report card just a way to distinguish the “have” schools from the “have not” schools? This is the ninth in a series of frequently asked questions that can be found on the school performance section of the Fraser Institute’s website. Importantly, the report cards in question are both produced and published by the Fraser Institute, an independent public policy research group that ranks Canadian elementary schools on a set of indicators gleaned from the results of provincial standardized testing. While the Fraser Institute answers this question with a simple No, the thesis research presented here uses a mixed methods approach to examine the accuracy of this simplistic answer. Using socioeconomic data and regression analysis, this research endeavors to uncover if standardized test results can indeed stand independently of class and other demographic factors to produce a valid point of school comparison. This research also provides an in depth exploration of the Fraser Institute’s annual elementary school report card from the perspective of current elementary teachers in Ontario. Lastly, this research presents findings regarding the ways that parents of elementary school children use and understand the Fraser Institute’s school ratings.

This thesis examines the impacts of inclement weather days on AP exam scores in public schools, specifically low socioeconomic districts, and the assessment of their current closure procedures. By investigating the potential disruption in scores by inclement weather days, I can create a new dataset in analyzing a field that has yet to be studied through this lens, in addition to advising future policy for district superintendents and state government officials. The areas studied include Massachusetts and Georgia, representing states that are properly prepared for inclement weather closures and are under-prepared for inclement weather, respectively. I use two research methods to fully understand the quantitative and qualitative effects of inclement weather closures. The first is a quantitative analysis of district-level data on inclement weather days and AP exam scores over the past five years. To accomplish this, I contacted public-school districts in the two states involved in the case study to get raw data on school closures and combine this with already available datasets on AP exam score performance. The second is a qualitative account of inclement weather days from teachers and superintendents from districts across both states to establish their opinions regarding school closures and investigate the decision-making process in canceling school. In this qualitative assessment, I observe the roles that socioeconomic status and public transportation, among other factors, play in cancelations. This thesis seeks to challenge the argument proposed by previous research that snow days have no effect on test performance. Previously, this was measured by looking at state-wide exams. By using AP exams as a performance measure instead, a more direct impact on exam scores is expected due to the immovable testing dates and content- specific nature of the exams. Policy recommendations are given to accommodate the negative relationship between closures and test scores, given socioeconomic status.

Objective. To determine whether using standardized patients dressed in moulage improves pharmacy students' ability to assess skin disorders compared to using picture-based paper cases. To determine pharmacy student preferences when learning assessment of skin disorders through these two educational methods. Methods. Faculty members investigated student assessments of drug-induced skin disorders and contact dermatitis by using picture-based paper cases compared with using standardized patients dressed in moulage in a patient assessment course. Faculty members measured student knowledge via multiple-choice questions before laboratory, immediately after laboratory, and during a final examination 3 weeks later. Student preferences were measured immediately after laboratory via survey instrument in this randomized, non-blinded, crossover design educational study. Results. No significant differences in knowledge scores related to skin disorders were found after laboratory or 3 weeks later when comparing the two educational methods. However, survey results suggested student preferences for using standardized patients dressed in moulage for drug-induced skin disorders. No significant differences were found for contact dermatitis cases. Conclusion. Using standardized patients dressed in moulage did not improve pharmacy students' ability to assess skin disorders compared to using picture-based paper cases. Pharmacy students preferred standardized patients dressed in moulage only when learning assessment of drug-induced skin disorders.

Within the context of healthcare delivery, human lives are at risk when health care professionals fail to communicate effectively. Audits by The Joint Commission from 1995 to 2005 revealed that 65% of sentinel events occurred as a result of staff miscommunication, prompting the requirement that standardized handoff tools be deployed. Therefore, this project was completed to improve safety in the hospital through implementation of a standardized tool that could enhance the quality of nurse handoff communication. Mohorek & Webb's (2015) linear model of communication, which emphasizes the importance of encoding, transmission, and decoding in the communication process, provided the framework for this project. Participants included 11 registered nurses (RNs) and 14 licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) who completed the pre-and-post intervention survey using the Handover Evaluation Scale. The RNs reflected significant difference in improvement in the perceived quality of handoff following the implementation of standardized handoff tool: pre-test (M = 66.91, SD = 7.27) compared to post-test (M = 80.91, SD = 7.45); t(10) = -5.09, p = 0.000. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant change noted with the LVN group before implementation of standardized handoff tool: pre-test (M = 70.71, SD = 9.72) compared to post- test implementation (M = 73.57, SD = 7.73); t(13) = -1.06, p = 0.309. The findings resulting from this project suggest that there are important differences in provider types when using standardized handoff tools and that more attention to this dynamic is warranted. The social change mandate of protecting the safety of patients is enhanced through effective communication among nurses and was demonstrated in the project.