This study examines the effects of integrated reading, writing and inquiry instruction combined with direct instruction in summary writing on eighth and sixth grade students' text-based summaries. Forty-two innovative curriculum (IC) and forty-two traditional curriculum (TC) students were matched on ability. IC students produced significantly higher quality summaries, representing and integrating more levels of important information, than TC students. After instruction in the combined curriculum phase (CP), IC students produced better quality summaries that represented and integrated more levels of important information than after instruction in the integrated phase (IP). Grade level differences in summary quality and integration were attributable to mean scores of students after CP instruction. Grade level did not interact with curriculum phase to influence students' representation of levels of important information. Cognitive ability did not interact with curriculum phases on the above-mentioned variables. Descriptive analysis suggests that declarative knowledge influences students' ability to interpret summary writing rules and procedures, thereby affecting summary quality.

<p> This participatory action research needs assessment was to empower the students in a large urban research university to explore and to identify the strengths of the program, to identify the needs, and to identify the barriers to student success during their first year of college. Using qualitative methods of Group Level Interviews (GLA) and personal success narratives, low-income first generation college students engaged as advocates for improvements to a residential student support services program to benefit future first year students. Constant comparative analysis with open coding was used to analyze the data. The analysis of data revealed: (strengths) <i>self-efficacy relating to self-confidence, reaching out, proactive planning, support, community, and personal effort; </i>(needs) <i>empathic leadership, support, and community; </i>(barriers) <i>stress pertaining to their grades, obstacles and distractions, time management, and transition to college.</i> Overarching themes emerged as 1) community, 2) empathic leadership, 3) self-efficacy, and 4) time management.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to explore the current perceptions of adults who were enrolled in the gifted program of the St. Louis Public Schools in the fall of 1959 or spring of 1960. At this time in history the Cold War was a reality and the U.S. enacted the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) to find talented young people and give them the opportunity to excel academically. The program in this research was already in place when the NDEA was put into effect. A pool of 62 potential subjects was identified and 33 accepted the invitation to participate. The research question was, "How did the St. Louis Public Schools gifted program contribute to the lived experience of the students who started in the program in 1959 and 1960?" </p><p> A multiple case study method was determined to be the best fit for this study. Interviews were conducted in person, by telephone or by e-mail. From the interview transcriptions, the story of each case contributed to a bigger story of all the cases. </p><p> After completing the interviews and data analysis, seven themes emerged: expectations, social, label, spiritual/religious, impact, lack of high school support, and lifetime well-being. Another significant finding was that approximately 90% graduated college with at least a two-year degree at a time when less than 52% of high school graduates even attended college, albeit the enriching primary school pull-out program experience was followed by a less-than-enriching secondary school experience that lacked academic and college advising. </p><p> The participants had an overall positive opinion of their lived experience of being labeled gifted. The most salient finding was their life satisfaction, with an implication that positive labeling and a subsequent self-fulfilling prophesy contributed to it. Further research should be conducted on the relationship between positive labeling and life satisfaction with students not identified as gifted.</p>

Background: There are a number of treatment options for colon cancer. These regimens have different toxicity profiles and the age of the patient may affect outcomes of care and cost-effectiveness. An economic evaluation was conducted to explore treatment options for stage III colon cancer. Methods: A Markov model was developed to compare the cost-effectiveness of capecitabine with oxaliplatin combined with fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOX) for the adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer. Results: At age 70, FOLFOX was the preferred option, costing $25,314 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. However, the difference in effect between the regimens ranged by 6 months and the model was sensitive to a number of variables. At age 80, capecitabine became the preferred option. Conclusion: FOLFOX is the most cost-effective treatment option in Ontario, but above age 80, capecitabine becomes the favoured option. Uncertainty remains in determining the most cost-effective treatment option for stage III colon cancer.

Background: There are a number of treatment options for colon cancer. These regimens have different toxicity profiles and the age of the patient may affect outcomes of care and cost-effectiveness. An economic evaluation was conducted to explore treatment options for stage III colon cancer. Methods: A Markov model was developed to compare the cost-effectiveness of capecitabine with oxaliplatin combined with fluorouracil/leucovorin (FOLFOX) for the adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer. Results: At age 70, FOLFOX was the preferred option, costing $25,314 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. However, the difference in effect between the regimens ranged by 6 months and the model was sensitive to a number of variables. At age 80, capecitabine became the preferred option. Conclusion: FOLFOX is the most cost-effective treatment option in Ontario, but above age 80, capecitabine becomes the favoured option. Uncertainty remains in determining the most cost-effective treatment option for stage III colon cancer.

An analysis of 5 minute resolution Quadra data on day 261 of GATE (0953 - 1451 GMT) is made to yield statistics of maximum area, echo top, lifetime and maximum reflectivity factor in medium-sized convective cells. The procedure generates a unique data set which is used to compare with the results of a three-dimensional cloud model and to study cloud interactions and merging processes between convective echoes. The results, obtained by tracking 140 echoes throughout their lifetime, indicate that the maximum area is log-normally distributed, 90% of the echoes being smaller than 40 km('2) and living shorter than 60 min. The modes of the maximum echo top and maximum reflectivity factor distributions are around 2.5 km and 30 dBz, respectively. / A fully three-dimensional cloud model including precipitation processes is used to simulate convective clouds on this day. A number of single cloud experiments are carried out to verify the numerical results against the radar observations. In addition, several two-cloud developments are simulated to study cloud interactions and merging processes. / Comparison of the modelled echo parameters against the observed ones indicates a fair degree of realism in the simulations. The computed maximum reflectivity factor, however, is considerably higher than that of the observations because of the unrealistic drop-size distribution assumed in the model. / The two-cloud simulations suggest that both the alignment of the clouds in relation to the wind shear vector and the spacing between the cells are important factors in determining the type of cloud interactions. Merging takes place when the spacing between the two elements becomes small enough. The numerical simulations indicate that the perturbation pressure structure is crucial to trigger echo merging.

Organizational development is a central purpose of evaluation. Disasters and other emergency situations carry with them significant implications for evaluation, given that they are often unanticipated and involve multiple relief efforts on the part of INGOs, governments and international organizations. Two particularly common reasons for INGOs to evaluate disaster relief efforts are 1) accountability to donors and 2) desire to enhance the organization s response capacity. This thesis endeavors briefly to review the state of the evaluation field for disaster relief so as to reflect on how it needs to go forward. The conclusion is that evaluation of disaster relief efforts is alive and well. Though evaluation for accountability seems fairly straightforward, determining just how the evaluation influences the organization and beyond is not. Evaluation use has long been a central thread of discussion in evaluation theory, with the richer idea of evaluation influence only recently taking the stage. Evaluation influence takes the notion of evaluation use a few steps further by offering more complex, subtle, and sometimes unintentional ways that an evaluation might positively better a situation. This study contributes to the very few empirical studies of evaluation influence by looking at one organization in depth and concluding that evaluation does influence in useful ways.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-136) / Microfiche. / x, 136 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-160). / Microfiche. / xiv, 160 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

This interpretive study explores the phenomenon of performance feedback within nursing. Impetus for the research was the introduction of a signed declaration of self-competence required for continuing registration as a nurse within South Australia. The use of performance feedback is recommended by the Nurses Board to inform a nurse's self-assessment of competence; however, there is only limited research to support the utility of feedback in this context. / Thesis (PhDNursing)--University of South Australia, 2004.