Following completion of a 4-year nursing program, some graduates have difficulty applying theories learned in the classroom to the clinical environment. This difficulty results in healthcare employers providing additional in-house training to ensure graduates' ability to safely care for their patients. The purpose of this research was to explore how traditional lecture methods have prepared students for the clinical environment. Based on a constructivist theoretical framework, a case study design was used to examine students' learning of theories delivered by traditional lecture methods. The research questions focused on student activities in the classroom and clinical setting, teaching strategies, critical thinking skills, and transfer of theory. Interview and observational data were collected from 10 randomly chosen students, their instructor, and 2 preceptors. Data were analyzed through a manual coding process, one that sought to identify emergent themes. Observational data revealed that nursing students were disengaged during the 3-hour lectures. Interview data revealed that students preferred that nursing skills be demonstrated prior to implementation. Both sources of data revealed that the 3-hour lectures should be divided into segments, that simulation and hands-on demonstration be incorporated in the curriculum, and that repetition should be allowed during instruction to accommodate different learning styles and increase students’ confidence. These findings have implications for positive social change by improving the transfer of theory from the classroom to the clinical setting through use of a newly developed 9-week participative curriculum project for nursing students in the childbearing class. Improved preparation of graduates will increase safe care of patients in the community.

Online higher education is a field that can benefit significantly from further research on innovative pedagogical methods designed to support students and decrease attrition rates. One method shown to improve engagement and retention of students in online environments is to include interactive engagement. This case study explored the patterns of students' interactions and assessment performance in an introductory teacher education one-course cohort. The study used a conceptual framework incorporating Bandura's social learning theory and Siemens' theory of connectivism. The study assessed archival data, from Adobe Connect recordings and records of competency pass rates, on the interactions and patterns of behavior between instructors and participants, and their association with the final assessment results. Data were analyzed by type and frequency of interaction, organized with NVivo software. The findings were that the pattern of understanding and applying level questions, as classified by Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, provoked the most responses, comments, and questions from the participants. Applying had the highest direct response and suggested an interpretation about online students wanting to respond to questions from instructors that prompt higher-level thinking skills and stimulate interactions. No patterns of behavior were evident between the student interactions and final assessment performance. The results indicate positive implications for social change in the role of the instructor to facilitate understanding and among participants who engage in positive learning interactions. The education profession could benefit from further research with a focus on content questioning best practices, retention methods, and the nature of social and learning interactions in online education.

Hospitalized patients increasingly present with complex health issues that place them at risk for acute patient deterioration (APD). Novice nurses are ill-equipped with the critical clinical skills to function competently in recognizing APD, placing patients at risk for negative health outcomes. This project addressed the need to educate novice nurses to recognize APD and answered the project focused questions that asked if an educational intervention with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) would improve nurse knowledge and clinical confidence in recognizing APD. Benner's novice-to-expert and the constructivism theory were used to guide the project. Based upon a review of the literature, the HFS was developed to provide scenarios in which participants would view APD evolving case studies and demonstrate knowledge and skill for caring for patients with APD. A convenience sample of 11 novice nurses participated in the pre- and posttest design project to determine if knowledge and clinical competence increased. Data from the HFS program were analyzed; results showed no statistically significant change in knowledge or confidence post intervention (p = 0.441). A larger sample size is recommended for future HFS interventions at the site to determine if the program of education will increase knowledge and clinical confidence with future iterations of HFS. The project has the potential to promote positive social change as novice nurses learn to recognize and respond to APD and as APD events are reduced.

Institutions of higher learning are presently experiencing budget constraints unparalleled in recent times. The desire to reduce unnecessary expenditures has extended from administrators to the faculty and even to students. However, one of the greatest difficulties seems to be in identifying those specific areas where economies might be effected. Business and industry have experienced the critical need for effective methods of analyzing their costs in order to survive in a competitive economy. Cost accounting techniques have been developed and have assisted in pinpointing both strengths and weaknesses. However, the administrator in higher education has been reluctant to accept similar approaches for expenditure analysis. The compelling "budget crunch" forces today's institutional leaders to use the available methods of analysis, even with their inherent limitations. The unit cost technique, as utilized in this study, is one of the reputable current methods of finance management that might well serve today's university administrator as an aid in the budget-making and regulating process. Because the cost of graduate instruction is generally acknowledged as higher than that of undergraduate teaching, the prospect for a contribution to cost reduction in the conduct of graduate programs seemed promising. Limited data for instructional costs at the graduate level encouraged the selection of this study. The student-credit-hour method of expenditure analysis was therefore employed, because of its credibility, in ascertaining unit costs of graduate instruction at Utah State University for the three principal quarters of the academic year 1970-71. All graduate courses taught during the selected period were studied by calculating the instructor's salary allocated for graduate instruction and the production of student credit hours. Only students completing graduate courses were considered in the student credit hours produced. No undergraduate credit hours were included even though graduate students were enrolled in undergraduate level classes. The specific costs for each university instructor who taught graduate courses were calculated. The analyses revealed a range of such instructional costs in terms of student credit hours produced to be $1.73 to $7,900.00. Salaries and SCHP for all instructors affiliated with a particular department were totaled to obtain the instructional costs for graduate work in that department. The range per student credit hour of departmental costs was $18.45 to $263.96. Costs for each of the eight colleges, as a result of combining departments assigned to a college, were %59.11 to $124.45. The total salaries, as calculated, allocated for graduate instruction in the university was $1,728,577.00, divided by the SCHP of 21,918, yielded an average university-wide unit cost of $78.87. The literature reviewed and the results of the study seem to warrant the encouragement of continued analyses and exploratory efforts in the identification of not only cost data, but significant related aspects of graduate instruction.

This study evaluated how measures of oral reading fluency (ORF) and silent reading fluency (SRF) compare as predictors of reading comprehension and how these predictors vary as a function of proficiency level for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Additionally, the study sought to examine the relationship between measures of oral reading fluency, silent reading fluency, reading comprehension, and the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) with these students. Participants were 175 fourth- and fifth-grade students from two randomly selected schools in Colorado. A correlational predictive design was used. Results indicated that measures of ORF and SRF were predictors of reading comprehension and that the relationship of measures of ORF and SRF with comprehension changes over time. Regression analysis results indicated that 45.0% of the variance in reading comprehension was accounted for by the ORF measure for the sample population, as compared to 53.0% of the variance accounted for by SRF measures. Thus, measures of SRF might be a better predictor for maturing readers to determine reading proficiency, monitor student progress, and guide instructional practices. A structural equation model (SEM) analyzed the relationship of the measure of SRF with reading comprehension as moderated by proficiency level. Analysis for the SRF measure by reading proficiency was conducted at the whole group level. The model accounted for 59.0% of the moderation. Results indicated that reading proficiency level and the SRF measure were both associated with reading comprehension. Reading proficiency level is a significant moderator of the relationship between measures of reading comprehension and SRF. A SEM mediation model was used to analyze the relationship of measures of ORF, SRF, reading comprehension, and TCAP. The direct effects of the ORF and SRF measures on TCAP were both predictive with 66.0% of the variance accounted for with SRF measure and 66.5% of the variance accounted for with ORF measure. Results indicated that as grade level increases, the relationship between measures of ORF, SRF, and reading comprehension changes. Additionally, SRF measures can be a viable alternative to ORF measures for upper elementary students as a predictor of reading comprehension and on the TCAP high-stake assessment.

This multiple paper dissertation addressed several issues in Problem-based learning (PBL) through conceptual analysis, meta-analysis, and empirical research. PBL is characterized by ill-structured tasks, self-directed learning process, and a combination of individual and cooperative learning activities. Students who lack content knowledge and problem-solving skills may struggle to address associated tasks that are beyond their current ability levels in PBL. This dissertation addressed a) scaffolding characteristics (i.e., scaffolding types, delivery method, customization) and their effects on students’ perception of optimal challenge in PBL, b) the possibility of virtual learning environments for PBL, and c) the importance of information literacy for successful PBL learning. Specifically, this dissertation demonstrated the effectiveness of scaffolding customization (i.e., fading, adding, and fading/adding) to enhance students’ self-directed learning in PBL. Moreover, the effectiveness of scaffolding was greatest when scaffolding customization is self-selected than based on fixed-time interval and their performance. This suggests that it might be important for students to take responsibility for their learning in PBL and individualized and just-in-time scaffolding can be one of the solutions to address K-12 students’ difficulties in improving problem-solving skills and adjusting to PBL.

Prior researchers have shown that school-aged staff can identify behavior function and function-matched interventions following training. Limited research has been done with preschool staff on the process of identifying function of behavior and selecting function-matched interventions to decrease problem behavior. A multiple baseline across participants’ design was used to measure preschool teachers’ accuracy of identification of behavior function and function-matched interventions. Participants analyzed descriptive data to identify function of behavior and select function-matched interventions. Results from this study demonstrated that preschool teachers can independently identify function-matched and nonfunction matched interventions with greater accuracy after training.

The Federal Government has placed stringent standards on the manufacturers of automobiles to control vehicle emissions. Few states standards have been set for used vehicles to insure the vehicle continues to meet this standard. Studies have shown that vehicles that are properly tuned are emitting less harmful pollutants from the exhaust. Additional studies are needed to determine if cars are being adequately turned to meet exhaust emissions. The study showed 93 per cent of the new 1971 model cars were not meeting the standard established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighty-seven per cent of the 1970 model cars and 83 per cent of the used 1971 model cars tested would not meet the same standards. There was a very low correlation between emission level and the mileage driven since the vehicle was tuned indicating a need for more emphasis on tune-ups and maintenance of automobiles to meet emission standards.

The primary objective of this study was to survey the usefulness of the 4-H members' project manual according to the opinions of members, parents, and adult leaders in Cache County, State of Utah. Two USU Extension Agents, 140 4-H members, 119 parents, and 30 leaders cooperated in this survey. A separate questionnaire accompanied by a cover letter by the Extension Agents and a letter of explanation by the author was sent to each person in the three categories mentioned. Questionnaires were mailed to 200 4-H male members, 190 parents and 46 adult leaders. Evaluation of the usefulness of the manuals was made in three age groups: 9-12 years old, 13-16 years old, and 17-19 years old. It was generally agreed by member, parent, and leader respondents that the age group 9-12 years old made the most use of the manuals. About 56 percent of the members indicated that a project could not be done without the manual; nearly 50 percent of the parents indicated that their children could not do a project without the manual; and slightly more than half of the leaders indicated that they could not conduct a satisfactory project without members having manuals. About four-fifths of all parents expressed their willingness to pay a minimal fee for their children to obtain manuals while three-fifths of the leaders thought that the parents would be willing to pay a minimal fee for manuals for their children.

Teaching computational thinking has been a focus of recent efforts to broaden the reach of computer science (CS) education for today’s students who live and work in a world that is heavily influenced by computing principles. Computational thinking (CT) essentially means thinking like a computer scientist by using principles and concepts learned in CS as part of our daily lives. Not only is CT essential for the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines. Computational thinking involves solving problems by drawing from skills fundamental to CS such as decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design. The present study examined how Dr. Scratch, a CT assessment tool, functions as an assessment for computational thinking. This study compared strengths and weaknesses of the CT skills of 360 seventh- and eighth-grade students who were engaged in a Scratch programming environment through the use of Dr. Scratch. The data were collected from a publicly available dataset available on the Scratch website. The Mann-Whitney U analysis revealed that there were specific similarities and differences between the seventh- and eighth-grade CT skills. The findings also highlight affordances and constraints of Dr. Scratch as a CT tool and address the challenges of analyzing Scratch projects from young Scratch learners. Recommendations are offered to researchers and educators about how they might use Scratch data to help improve students’ CT skills.