The purpose of this study was to analyze the utilization of needs assessments by training and development professionals in a large metropolitan training association. The study sought to determine (1) how frequently needs assessments were used; (2) how the results of needs assessments were used; (3) whether the needs assessment model was developed by in-house staff or outside consultants; (4) whether needs assessments were utilized more frequently within specific industry groups; and (5) the respondents' perceived level of importance placed on the needs assessment process. To accomplish these objectives, this study surveyed members of the Dallas chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).

The first aspect of the problem of this study is to investigate a number of drawing characteristics, the interpretation of which is frequently associated with dynamics of the maladjusted personality. This investigation is primarily concerned with validity as it occurs in a significant appearance of these characteristics in the drawings of maladjustedd individuals as compared with an assumed significantly lesser appearance in the drawings of relatively well-adjusted individuals. The second aspect of the problem is concerned with distinguishing those characteristics which show the greatest significance of occurrence from those of no significant occurrence in the maladjusted group. The former can be, thus, considered as possibly valid and important for further testing.

The vulnerability of communities at risk from volcanic activity at Volcan Tungurahua, Ecuador and Mount Rainier in the USA provided the focus for this thesis. The research aimed to develop an integrated approach to risk assessments that combined both hazard and vulnerability analysis. In phase one, the study developed a novel methodology to assess volcanic threat that utilised previously published data. This semi-quantitative approach integrated measures of both hazard and exposure factors, allowing the relative threat to different communities to be ranked. By avoiding the complex quantitative analysis associated with traditional risk assessments of the multiple hazards associated with volcanic activity, this methodology may be applied where comprehensive historic and geological data may be lacking, as well as facilitating understanding amongst non-specialists and members of the public. The second phase of the research investigated human vulnerability, with an exploratory study carried out in Ecuador. This utilised a questionnaire survey aimed at eliciting an individual’s beliefs and attitudes towards volcanic risk, which provided the basis for a more comprehensive exploration of social vulnerability conducted in the USA. This investigated further the role of socio-economic features and psychological characteristics, such as risk perception, hazard salience and self-efficacy, in promoting self-protective behaviour, and examined the relative importance of these factors in determining vulnerability. The theoretical underpinnings of this research suggest that individuals with certain socio-economic characteristics may incur greater losses during a disaster, whilst perceptual processes may influence how an individual responds to a hazardous event. Little evidence was found to support the socio-economic model of vulnerability, which prevented the integration of the two research phases. However, perceptual factors were found to be significant predictors in the adoption of protective hazard adaption. This suggests that targeting risk mitigation and communication strategies to address these psychological constructs may be more important for reducing overall vulnerability than focusing efforts towards specific socio-economic groups.

Thesis advisor: David Krauss / In an attempt to better understand the biodiversity of an urban ecosystem, we have conducted plant and bird biodiversity assessments of 10 sites in the Greater Boston area from September 2002-April 2003. These sites have been identified by the Urban Ecology Institute as important green areas through the Natural Cities Program. The purpose of this program is to create a greater body of knowledge of urban green spaces and the greater urban ecosystem of Boston. Our objective was to quantify plant and bird biodiversity by focusing on species richness. We then compared this biodiversity information to various factors such as area of impervious surface, and area of maintained lawn. Our analysis did not demonstrate statistically significant relationships between these factors. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2003. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Biology. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Recent scientific evidence shows the incredible potential of the brain to grow and change. Students with a growth mindset view errors and obstacles as opportunities for growth. These students welcome challenges and the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Although some university instructors are incorporating growth mindset into their lectures, attitudes, and exams in small classes, the traditional exam method used in large lecture undergraduate mathematics classrooms follows a fixed mindset model. The growth mindset structured assessments developed for this study incorporate a testing center portion (matching, short answer, fill in the blank and free response) with structured rework opportunities, a written portion with peer reviews, and a group portion. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between (1) large lecture college algebra undergraduate growth mindset structured assessments and (2) students’ achievement, drop/fail/withdraw rates, mindsets, and anxiety. This relationship is determined using the final exam scores, the withdraw and fail rates, and the responses from a Likert scale survey and a Qualtrics free response survey. No statistically significant difference in mean final exam scores was found, however, withdrawal and fail rates were lower for the class participating in the growth mindset structured assessments than the control classes. Lower levels of math test anxiety and higher levels of growth mindset were demonstrated in the class participating in the growth mindset structured assessments.

Counselors sometimes use counseling assessments with transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) persons without understanding the experiences individuals have with those assessments. The American Counseling Association and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health identified that attention is needed with the practice of counseling assessments to ensure that helpful, ethical, and culturally sensitive services are available. The purpose of this study was to explore TGNC adults' experiences with counseling assessments. Gadamer's hermeneutics provided a framework to examine qualitative data as truth and validate the individuals' experiences with counseling assessments. Participants included 12 TGNC persons 18 years or older who had a counseling assessment provided by a mental health professional. Data were collected from questionnaires, a focus group, and individual interviews. Results from coding analysis revealed 6 themes: motivation, positive outcomes, barriers to participation, mental health professional, cultural sensitivity, and impact. Findings validated TGNC participants' experiences with counseling assessments and may be used to improve counseling assessment practices for TGNC persons.

A self-study at a local elementary school revealed that homework assignments appeared to be at lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, and students were inadequately prepared for summative assessments that required the application and critical thinking levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Formative assessment data, ideally, drives teachers’ instructional decisions in the classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the formative assessment processes that drive instructional decision making. The conceptual framework by Chappuis and influenced by Black and Wiliam includes the strategic process for successful formative assessment teaching and learning. The research questions explored the use of homework as a formative assessment in classrooms. In this intrinsic case study, data collection included face to face interviews with 10 general education Grade 3-5 teachers in 2 different schools within the same, a 2- week document analysis of homework assigned in language arts and mathematics, and a focus group of participants. The data were analyzed with open coding followed by axial coding to determine themes. Member checking and triangulation were used to ensure validity and accuracy. The themes that emerged from the coded data identified ineffective teacher use of feedback, self-assessment, and learning targets—essential practices of the formative assessment process. Improving the formative assessment process for teaching and learning may encourage positive social change through promoting teacher selfefficacy and collaboration through a professional development paired with a professional learning community. This study may also lead teachers to change their formative assessment processes and provide guided instruction that enhances student learning outcomes.

The study of measurement invariance in polytomous items that targets individual score levels is known as differential step functioning (DSF; Penfield, 2007, 2008). DSF methods provide specific information describing the manifestation of the invariance effect within particular score levels and therefore serve a diagnostic role in identifying the individual score levels involved in the item's invariance effect. The analysis of DSF requires the creation of a set of dichotomizations of the item response variable. There are two primary approaches for creating the set of dichotomizations to conduct a DSF analysis. The first approach, known as the adjacent categories approach, is consistent with the dichotomization scheme underlying the generalized partial credit model (GPCM; Muraki, 1992) and considers each pair of adjacent score levels while treating the other score levels as missing. The second approach, known as the cumulative approach, is consistent with the dichotomization scheme underlying the graded response model (GRM; Samejima, 1997) and includes data from every score level in each dichotomization. To date, there is limited research on how the cumulative and adjacent categories approaches compare within the context of DSF, particularly as applied to a real data set. The understanding of how the interpretation and practical outcomes may vary given these two approaches is also limited. The current study addressed these two issues. This study evaluated the results of a DSF analysis using both the adjacent categories and cumulative dichotomization schemes in order to determine if the two approaches yield similar results and interpretations of DSF. These approaches were applied to data from a polytomously scored alternate assessment administered to children with significant cognitive disabilities. The results of the DSF analyses revealed that the two approaches generally led to consistent results, particularly in the case where DSF effects were negligible. For steps where significant DSF was present, the two approaches generally guide analysts to the same location of the item. However, several aspects of the results rose questions about the use of the adjacent categories dichotomization scheme. First, there seemed to be a lack of independence of the adjacent categories method since large DSF effects at one step are often paired with large DSF effects in the opposite direction found in the previous step. Additionally, when a substantial DSF effect existed, it was more likely to be significant using the cumulative approach over the adjacent categories approach. This is likely due to the smaller standard errors that lead to greater stability of the cumulative approach. In sum, the results indicate that the cumulative approach is preferable over the adjacent categories approach when conducting a DSF analysis.

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine the level and extent of community participation in the Danga Ecological Sanitation Project carried out in the Zvishavane district of Zimbabwe. The people-centered approach was chosen as a theoretical background. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather relevant information. The results indicated that the community was not fully involved in the ecological sanitation project. As a result, the project had a poor performance record. In the course of this study, political interference in community projects carried out in Zimbabwean rural communities, resulting in the failure to reach the intended beneficiaries, was also noted. Full community participation in community projects may ensure that empowerment and ownership take place. Institutional arrangements, which in most cases impede development, need to be readdressed with clear demarcation of decision-making processes.</p>

Soil and groundwater is the final receptor environment of contamination on land, especially easy to contaminate groundwater aquifers, because of the underground environment often obscure, it is difficult to clarify the scope of pollution, in addition, the transport and chemical transformation process are also difficult to evaluate. Resulting that although consumes on huge cost and materials, and times on oil contaminated site investigation and remediation, obtaining the solution of the problem is still hard. In this study, it combines with the environmental site assessment and the triad rapid investigation, the establishment of site contamination conceptual model, the key designated contaminated area, collect samples of the implementation for laboratory analysis, Moreover, use cyclic evaluation process, continuously updated site conceptual model, to clarify the distribution of contaminated sites, impact of pollution, hydro-geological characteristics and pollution sources. It also discussed the effective reduction of pollution critical area, to obtain high-density results, in order to improve sampling and analysis to make the efficiency of the case of site investigation, and using environmental forensic techniques to determine and provide the evidence of pollution sources. ESA phase I implements the key results of the preliminary delineation of contaminated areas, soil and groundwater pollution concerns and possible sources of material. ESA phase II evaluates preliminary assessment of sites contaminated soil contamination is a high carbon number of oil and contaminants move to the surface to deeper soil 9 m at the lower, deeper pollution range is unknown. Groundwater test results garnered less than control standards, but the detection of trace gas station in MTBE, it is included in the possible sources of pollution. Taking ESA phase II assessment in a further analysis, the soil contaminants are TPHC10-C40 based, contamination depth of 8m, gas station area within the tank and pipeline testing values are low, there is no sign of oil leakage. Pollution more than 5m in depth the most serious, TPH concentrations in general are 10,000 mg/kg or more, the depth of 5m and the following have been significantly reduced, TPH concentrations than in the 5,000 mg/kg or less. Interviews showed that the specific relationship between the people, suspected underground oil refining line set 40 years ago, suspected of shipping oil from the waste obtained after the hull, after the system by then resold for profit. Identification of pollution sources than the results, TPHC10-C40 carbon number distribution or pattern of the peak are more similar to diesel. TIC illustration showed that the distillate oil mixture for two, than the peak apex, suggesting that the low-carbon should be diesel fuel, and the high-carbon would be fuel. Pr/Ph ratio than, presumably with the CPC diesel from different sources. Alkyl bicyclic sesquiterpene class fingerprint comparison results, the shape of the fingerprint sample slightly different, but the main features of the same types of compounds. Analysis of aromatic compounds, indicators showed that the samples compound ratio of methyl phenanthrene and methyl dibenzothiophene isomers, dibenzothiophene, and phenanthrene isomers are closer. Integrated fingerprint analysis (fingerprinting) results, similar to the site characteristics of pollutants, for the same pollution source. The site is semi-volatile pollutants, substances insoluble in water, more stored in the main pollution silt/clay layer, subject to geological conditions, ground remediation techniques are more difficult to grasp in the transmission path, remediation systems that require high density, break through the bottleneck transmission path, but a majority of sites on private land, during the remediation process it is difficult to obtain the burgage, therefore, it would be fit the inappropriate comprehensive ground handling. Subsequent remediation plan can be removed towards the high pollution of soil pollution, and long-term monitoring of permeable reactive barrier type with natural degradation. Recommendations for the future studies can be dust inhalation and skin contact with soil, groundwater ingestion, inhalation and skin contact exposure pathways for risk assessment, site management provided a basis for administrative control.