M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study examines how paralegal training in Lesotho was designed and managed. It analyses the content of the training and methods used. An assessment is made of how the participants used the training in the field. Since the inception of paralegal training in 1993 in Lesotho, no systematic and consolidated analysis lias been done to present a story on the existence o f the paralegal training programme. Paralegal training in this context is defined as the training of community-based people who are given skills to help disadvantaged individuals and groups to fight for thcirrights through the legal system. The legal profession adopted the use o f "barefoot lawyers" to address the imbalance in the accessibility o f legal services and facilities. Internationally the use of paralegals has taken root. In Lesotho the use of paralegals is fairly new, so there is the need to explore mis approach. There are two organisadons involved in paralegal training - the Community Legal Resource and Advice Centre (CLRAC) and the Lesotho Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). Both serve urban and rural populations. Lesotho being a case in point, this is a study aimed at obtaining in-depth information to highlight the paralegal training programme in Lesotho. It sought to ask critical questions about who were recruited as paralegal trainees, which topics were handled in the paralegal training programme, what training methods were used and what responsibilities paralegals fulfil after training. The outcome of this study has already contributed towards establishing a common content and methodology by presenting a systematic analysis of differences and common issues. The methods used to compile the Lesotho case study of paralegal training were reference to files and reports kept by CLRAC and FIDA,in house interviews and observations and interviews with paralegals and village leaders. Forty paralegals, who were trained by the two organisations, were involved in the study. They were identified from the districts o f Module's Hock, Mafeteng, Thaba-Tseka, (the three districts where CLRAC operates), Teyateyaneng and Quthing (two o f the three districts where FIDA operates). An interview schedule was developed which was used lo collect the information from the different respondents who were available during data collection phase of the study. The outcome of this study is that paralegal work is useful. There is the need to train more people as paralegals and to design the paralegal training programme in such a way that it responds to problems within a given context of rural and urban settings.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a competency-based training program on the attitudes of 45 teacher-aide trainees as defined and measured on two separate attitude measurement instruments. Instrument I, the Opinionnaire On Attitudes Toward Education, was designed to measure attitudes toward child-centered policies and practices in education. Instrument II, the Education Scale, was designed to measure attitudes varying from very favorable toward progressive educational practices to very favorable toward traditional educational practices.

The purpose of this study was to examine PA students’ perceptions of their professional training program in relation to stressors imparted by the hidden curriculum of the community of practice during the didactic and clinical years. The cross-sectional study design involved 50 in-person, semi-structured interviews (divided evenly between students in didactic and clinical cohorts) at one Physician Assistant training program in the New York City metropolitan region. Interviews sought to improve understanding about perceptions of stressors, particularly those imparted by the hidden curriculum, and examine mitigating factors within the community of practice. Highlights of results were that daunting stresses in the didactic year were mitigated by faculty support, camaraderie among students, and, at times, students accessing important student services such as psychological counseling. The stressors were exacerbated by disorganized teaching mainly by guest lecturers, including frequent absences, which was perceived by students that their time was not a priority. The stressors of heavy course loads dwindled during the clinical year but were replaced by others related to the hidden curriculum of the medical hierarchy, including occasional depersonalization of patients, teaching by humiliation, and favoritism shown to medical students. The community of practice for Physician Assistant students is highly stressful and psychologically precarious. The culture of PA education would do well to strongly encourage self-care and a greater balance between professional preparation of mental and physical well-being in order to encourage professionalism, improve patient care, and cultivate higher levels of job satisfaction and well-being among students.

The purpose of this study was to investigate Peer Collaborative Mentoring (PCM) as a professional development model for international graduate teaching assistants at an American university. Data were gathered from interviews and observations of three American peer mentors (Intracultural Peer Mentors/IAPMs), five Chinese Graduate Teaching Assistants (Intercultural Peer Mentors/IEPMs), and 130 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an introductory course in chemistry from the IEPMs. Six categories were identified through an analysis of the data: (1) IAPM socialization; (2) dynamics of PCM; (3) gender; (4) language; (5) phases; and (6) benefits of the PCM process. Data in the categories were analyzed using two forms of triangulation: (1) investigative and (2) data source. The results of the study indicate that PCM is a developmental process in which participants (IEPMs and IAPMs) move through four phases (Induction, Empowerment through Collaboration, Reduction, and Termination) employing the concepts of reciprocity, mutuality, parity and cultural sensitivity. Providing this type of support system gave the IEPMs and IAPMs an opportunity to develop a learning community through the PCM process. During the study, the two groups of participants acted as cultural mediators for one another and for the students. The purpose of the mediation was to assist all participants in developing their cross-cultural skills and resolve issues that were germane to the quality of the teaching environment and the professional development of the IEPMs and IAPMs. The study provides a new mentoring model for teaching faculty that is responsive to professional development and cross-cultural communication skills. The model supports an environment where isolation and dissonance are minimized and collaboration and cultural sensitivity are encouraged. / Graduation date: 1992

Cultural competency training in physician assistant (PA) education may improve patient care outcomes and help reduce health disparities. Research suggests that incorporating cross-cultural communication techniques into healthcare delivery improves provider-patient relationships, patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and health outcomes. While PA accreditation standards include mandatory elements regarding cultural competency training of PA students, there is little research on how PA students feel about the effectiveness of this training. This study focused on determining PA students’ perceived levels of preparedness to treat patients of culturally diverse backgrounds. Specifically, the study evaluated PA students’ knowledge, skills, encounters, attitudes, awareness, and abilities regarding cultural competence, as well as students’ evaluations of these components of their education. The study utilized an online cross-sectional questionnaire with quantitative and qualitative components to 239 PA student respondents across eight American professional preparation programs in higher education institutions. The survey used a modified version of the previously validated Self-Assessment of Perceived Level of Cultural Competence Questionnaire (SAPLCC). Descriptive statistics were measured using SPSS software (v. 24). Independent sample t-tests identified significant differences in subscale scores between race and academic year. Qualitative data were hand-coded for common themes. Overall, findings showed that PA students rated their attitudes, awareness, and abilities about cultural competence as significantly greater than their knowledge, skills, and encounters. Specific areas of identified weaknesses in cultural competency education included: knowledge regarding the cultural context of care; skills associated with managing cross-cultural clinical challenges; and encounters related to coping with aggressiveness and bias. Further analysis indicated that second-year students and non-Caucasian students reported higher personal ratings for levels of cultural competence. Qualitative data provided further insight into students’ levels of preparedness, indicating that most surveyed PA students felt well prepared (39%) or moderately prepared (46%), rather than those who did not feel at all prepared (15%). Students indicated that specific classes focusing on cultural topics, discussions about cultural issues, and clinical experiences were the most useful for promoting cross-cultural education. Future investigation might explore the effectiveness of standardized approaches to training, how student perceptions align with actual care outcomes, or examine how diversity within PA programs impacts students’ preparedness to provide cross-cultural care.

Eight years after the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-17), there still appears to be gaps in the efforts to ensure that students with disabilities are given a free and appropriate public education. While the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 aims to create school environments where teachers and paraprofessionals are highly qualified for all students, the issue of having adequately trained paraprofessionals assisting in physical education continues to be ignored. The purpose of this study was to determine the basic profiles of paraprofessionals assigned to physical education and to conduct a needs assessment for training. Participants (N=76) were comprised of paraprofessionals from city and county public schools grades Pre K -12 in Northwest and East Central Indiana, and Northwest Ohio. A twopart questionnaire was given to paraprofessionals in the classrooms to assess current responsibilities in physical education as well as identify training needs they might have in physical education. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency counts, and measures of central tendency (means) to answer all research questions. Results indicated that paraprofessionals who assisted in physical education perceived themselves to be adequately trained despite not having much professional training. Paraprofessional responsibilities in physical education remained vague and unclear; however, results showed paraprofessionals were willing to receive training depending on training length of time and training topics offered. / School of Physical Education

Background: Worldwide one in twelve people are living with diabetes and one in two people do not know they have diabetes. Currently large numbers of the older people live in residential care homes in the UK, and up to one in four older people living in residential care homes present with diabetes. Low vision is one of the complications associated with diabetes in older people. In those aged 75 and over, one in five, and in those aged over 90, one in two people are affected by low vision and they are at an increased risk of developing other eye diseases. Within 20 years of diagnosis nearly all people with Type 1 and almost two thirds of people with Type 2 diabetes (60%) have some degree of diabetic retinopathy. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the issues and problems faced by older people living in residential care homes with low vision and diabetes; to evaluate health professionals’ knowledge and understanding of the impact of low vision associated with diabetes in older people living in residential care homes; and to develop an educational toolkit which aimed to educate health care assistants about low vision and diabetes. Methods: This study is an exploratory investigation of older people living in residential care homes with low vision and diabetes. Adopting an open-ended qualitative approach using focus groups, interviews and a health professional’s survey, 116 participants were involved. These included GPs, ophthalmologists, nurses, optometrists, health care assistants and older people with low vision and diabetes. The data was analysed thematically. The educational toolkit was developed in the second part of this study, and 20 healthcare assistants were trained using this toolkit. Their knowledge was tested before the training, immediately after the training and one month after the initial training. Following Kirkpatrick’s model, the skills and practical use of the educational toolkit was assessed using an open-ended qualitative approach. Results: The results found that many older people and the health care assistants had the perception that low vision was a normal ageing process and could not be rectified. The study found that there was evidence to suggest that eye health was not considered to be a priority; instead, it was considered to be a natural part of the ageing process. The results found that 82% of the HCAs had not had any training in the area, and more than half of the nurses and GPs did not have sufficient knowledge of low vision and diabetes. After training, however, their knowledge was increased. This suggested that low vision and diabetes toolkit training could be used to educate healthcare assistants on a regular basis. The study also found that knowledge does decline over time, and therefore regular training for HCAs is required in order to maintain eye health and diabetes in older people, as well as improving their quality of life. Conclusion: In the research findings it was found that 50% to 70% of low vision was preventable or treatable if detected in its early stages and could be avoided by simply wearing appropriate spectacles, or possible surgery. However, in order to identify these 50% to 70% with low vision, everyone concerned should be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of preventable low vision, particularly health care assistants, as according to this study, health care assistants spent large amount of time in the residential care homes compared to the other health professionals.

Four case studies of graduate assistant (GA) teachers were completed to examine the impact of a teaching induction program on GA teaching, planning, and content selection. Data collection methods included interviews, field notes, videotape records, and questionnaires. Based on a qualitative data analysis, each GA's unique perspective about the effective teaching of their subject and a lack of follow-up teaching support provided by faculty supervisors, appeared to influence teaching toward a "pedagogy of contentment." That is, the four GAs did not consistently teach as the induction program suggested, rather they appeared content with their own teaching without considering the need for improvement. It was expected that the induction program would inspire a "pedagogy of dissonance" or dissatisfaction with teaching. That is, the GAs would have been encouraged to ask questions about teaching, experiment with various teaching methods, and seek support from faculty supervisors. Instead, the GAs reported contentment centered on their belief that they already knew the different strategies, methods, and routines of how their particular subject was supposed to be taught. These beliefs about the effective teaching of their subject appeared to be the most powerful influence on their teaching. The influence of the induction program, designed to encourage the use of an effective teaching model endorsed by the department, was minimal. It was the goal of the induction program that all GAs, with help from faculty supervisors, would consistently incorporate some of the teaching strategies suggested. Instead, the GAs in this study appeared to dismiss a majority of the effective teaching model as incompatible with their own perspectives. While a teaching induction program suggesting effective teaching strategies may be necessary to enhance GA teaching, it appears not to be adequate alone. The GAs in this study did not consistently use the department's suggested model of effective teaching, in part, due to their reliance on their own perspective about effective teaching and a lack of follow-up teaching support provided by faculty supervisors. / Ed. D.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of English