High attrition rates and a nursing shortage across the nation have led schools of nursing to seek out ways to better identify which applicants will be most successful in graduating from the nursing program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Nursing programs have historically included standardized entrance exam scores and prerequisite scores among their admission criteria but have not used standardized critical thinking assessments (CTA), even though critical thinking is an integral part of being a successful nursing professional. Using Astin's input-environment-output (I-E-O) model, the purpose of this retrospective correlational study was to determine whether a significant relationship exists between prerequisite grade point average (GPA), Test for Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) composite scores, entrance and exit CTA scores, and nursing GPA and the outcome of interest, passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Archival data for 64 students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a Texas university were analyzed using binary logistic regression. A significant positive relationship was found between prerequisite GPA, TEAS composite scores, entrance and exit CTA scores, and nursing GPA, and the outcome of interest, passing the NCLEX-RN exam. However, in looking at each independent variable separately, no significant relationship was revealed between the individual scores of the prerequisite GPA, TEAS composite, entrance and exit critical thinking assessment, nursing GPA, and the outcome of passing the NCLEX-RN exam on the first attempt. These findings have implications for positive social change by illuminating the complexities of nursing program retention and graduation and informing efforts to train the most talented nurses.

This study evaluated the potential of using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) as a means for estimating evapotranspiration (ET) for local and regional scales in Southern Idaho. The original SEBAL model was refined during this study to provide better estimation of ET in agricultural areas and to make more reliable estimates of ET from other surfaces as well, including mountainous terrain. The modified version of SEBAL used in this study, termed as SEBALID (lD stands for Idaho) includes standardization of the two SEBAL "anchor" pixels, the use of a water balance model to track top soil moisture, adaptation of components of SEBAL for better prediction of the surface energy balance in mountains and sloping terrain, and use of the ratio between actual ET and alfalfa reference evapotranspiration (ETr) as a means for obtaining the temporal integration of instantaneous ET to daily and seasonal values. Validation of the SEBALID model at a local scale was performed by comparing lysimeter ET measurements from the USDA-ARS facility at Kimberly, Idaho, with ET predictions by SEBAL using Landsat 5 TM imagery. Comparison of measured and predicted ET values was challenging due to the resolution of the Landsat thermal band (120m x 120 m) and the relatively small size of the lysimeter fields. In the cases where thermal information was adequate, SEBALID predictions were close to the measured values of ET in the lysimeters. Application of SEBALID at a regional scale was performed using Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 5 TM imagery for the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESP A) region in Idaho during 2000. The results indicated that SEBALID performed well for predicting daily and seasonal ET for agricultural areas. Some unreasonable results were obtained for desert and basalt areas, due to uncertainties of the prediction of surface parameters. In mountains, even though validation of results was not possible, the values of ET obtained reflected the progress produced by the refinements made to the original SEBAL algorithm.

There is a perceived crisis concerning public education in the United States. This has led to an increase in the use of standardized tests for the purpose of measuring school effectiveness. However, the use of standardized tests for this purpose is problematic. Among these problems is the concern that standardized tests may not measure what parents believe are the most important attributes of an effective school. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of empirical evidence regarding parent beliefs in this area. The purpose of this research was to answer the following four questions. 1. What do parents of school-aged children in Utah feel are the most important attributes of an effective school? 2. Are there statistical and practical differences between levels of respondents' association with public schools and their responses to question #1? 3. Are there statistical and practical differences between levels of respondents' level of education and their responses to question #1? 4. Are there statistical and practical significant differences between respondents' gender and their responses to research question #1? A mail survey of 800 randomly selected Utah parents of school-aged children was conducted to address these questions. To answer research question #1, the method of paired comparisons was used to derive a parent ranking of eight attributes of an effective school. To answer research questions #2, #3, and #4, a chi-square analysis of association was conducted. The practical significance of these results was assessed through the calculation of the effect size w. In total, 199 usable surveys were returned. Results indicated that parents believed that providing students with a balanced curriculum that encourages a wide range of learning experiences and providing students with the skills necessary to become a productive and useful citizen were more important attributes of an effective school than providing students with a good understanding of basic academic skills. This result is important because it indicates parent support for two attributes of an effective school-wide range of learning experiences and skills to become a productive and useful citizen-that are difficult to measure through the use of standardized tests.

The effect on childrens' scores of different item formats used in standardized mathematics achievement tests was investigated. Second grade students were given a mathematics computation test using formats derived from five standardized achievement tests. Identical content was tested with each format . Differences in test scores between types r0f formats were statistically significant at p(.001 (F = 45.25). These results indicate that what a student appears to know is substantially influenced by the format of the particualar test used in measuring achievement. These differences are not accounted for by the rno~mative scaling of the different tests. Greater attention should be ~i,en to the effect of test item format in selecting and administering cac1 i evemen t tests.

The applied dissertation was designed to investigate the three models of grade span configurations of sixth grade and the effects grade span configuration has on results of the standardized achievement scores of sixth grade students in private, Florida schools. Studies that have been conducted on sixth grade students and grade span configuration have provided mixed results on the impact of standardized scores. Exploration of the topic that supports the connection is outdated and current research has yet to examine the impact on students who are in private, parochial schools in Florida. The use of data from the TerraNova, Third Edition on grade span configuration has not been evaluated. The correlation between grade span configuration and the results on the sixth grade student standardized achievement scores examines the following three models: kindergarten to sixth grade model (K6), kindergarten to eighth grade model (K8), and the sixth to eighth grade model (6-8, MS). The researcher will use one standardized collection instrument to obtain data in the study and will collect data from Florida schools that administer the TerraNova, Third Edition to sixth grade students in the spring of 2015. Three grade span configuration models will be evaluated by the mean score of sixth grade student performance on the test. Mean scores will be requested by the researcher from the school administrators of private schools in Florida.

Background: Prelicensure nursing programs prepare generalists with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice in complex health care environments. Nurse educators determine which teaching strategies will best prepare the nurse generalist. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a teaching plan that combined the strategies of pretest/posttest, classroom activities, and a problem-based learning activity: a clinical immersion experience. The skill of "teach-back" was taught and evaluated. Theoretical framework: Two theories guided the teaching plan for this research. Adult learning theory (Knowles, 1975, 1980, 2012) addressed how and why adults learn, and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1977, 1986) described teaching strategies that assisted the adult learner to gain knowledge. Methods: A non-experimental design divided consenting participants were into intervention (n = 21) and control groups (n = 11). The Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey (Cormier, 2006) was used to pretest/posttest for attainment of knowledge related to teach-back. The Communication Assessment Tool (Makoul, Krupat, & Chang, 2007) was used by standardized patients to evaluate the participants' ability to perform a teach-back. Results: The results of this study provided evidence that posttest scores improved for both intervention and control groups (n = 32). Twenty-seven participants performed a teach-back with evaluation. The results did not indicate a significant difference between groups in performing the skill of teach-back. Conclusion: There was little difference in posttest scores for groups and participants' ability to perform a teach-back, indicating that both groups gained knowledge and skill from the teaching strategies.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In relationship-centered care, the relationship formed between physician and patient is critical to the creation of positive patient outcomes and patient satisfaction (Inui, 1996; Laine & Davidoff, 1996; Tresolini, 1994). Medical educators have increasingly utilized Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) to assess medical students’ abilities to utilize a relationship-centered approach in clinical interviewing. OSCEs, however, have recently come under scrutiny as critics contend that the overly scripted and standardized nature of the OSCE may not accurately reflect how medical students build and maintain relationships with patients. Although some studies have looked at how standardized patients help teach medical students interviewing skills, few studies have looked specifically at how the structured nature of the OSCE may influence relationship-building between standardized patients and medical students. Therefore, this study asks the question “How is relationship-centered care negotiated between standardized patients and medical students during a summative diagnostic OSCE?” Using an ethnographic methodology (Bochner & Ellis, 1996), data consists of an ethnographic field journal, transcripts of semi-structured interviews with SPs and medical students, and transcripts of headache and chronic cough videotaped scenarios. Using grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1990, 1998), a back-and-forth thematic analysis was conducted in discovering the saturation of conceptual categories, linking relationships, and in critically comparing interpretive categorical concepts with relevant literature (Josselson & Leeblich, 1999). Findings suggest that standardized patients and medical students hold differing expectations for 1) diagnostic information gathering and 2) making personal connections upon entering a diagnostic summative OSCE. SPs “open up” both verbally and nonverbally when medical students “go beyond the checklist” by asking discrete diagnostic questions and when overtly trying to connect emotionally. Fourth year medical students, however, expect SPs to “open-up” during what they experience as a rushed, time-constrained, and overly structured “gaming” exercise which contradicts their own clinical experiences in being more improvisational during empathetic rapport building. Differences between SPs and medical students’ expectations and communication practices influence how they perform during summative diagnostic OSCEs. Findings may suggest the re-introduction of more relationship-focused OSCEs which positions SPs as proactive patients who reflexively co-teach students about the importance of making personal connections.

No description available.

Background/problematization: Traditionally, the auditor’s report was a short pass-or-fail statement with a few lines of text andstandardized wording. Critics have argued that the auditor’s report was a tedious anduninformative statement, more entity-specific and relevant information was wanted in theauditor’s report. As a result, ISA 701 was implemented in 2016, which required auditors todisclose Key Audit Matters. However, skeptics were concerned that the expanded auditor’sreport following the new regulation ISA 701 would become standardized as well. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the research on whether IAASB has achieved withits intention of ISA 701, to make the auditor’s report provide more entity-specific information,thus increasing the communicative value. By doing this, we also intend to contribute to theunderstanding of the factors that shape the disclosure of audit information. Methodology: The study was based on a positivistic philosophy together with a deductive approach. To collectdata, a quantitative method and a longitudinal design was used. 72 sample companies wereinvestigated over the time period of 2017-2021. This resulted in 359 firm-year observations.The data used was secondary data from annual reports and the database Orbis. The main test ofthe data was done in multiple linear regression models using SPSS. Findings: The findings suggest that there is no systematic standardization on a cross-national level,however there are some indications for standardization of the disclosure of KAMs on thenational level in some cases. We have identified three diving forces of standardization: country-, audit firm-, and auditor effects. Among these driving forces, the country effect was found tobe the strongest driving force.

The ability to predict the weather carries great societal benefit. To ascertain reliable predictions the numerical weather prediction models used need evaluation with particular attention paid to their representations of atmospheric processes. This type of process-based model evaluation is performed through comparison of large datasets of observational data and  model results. The Year Of Polar Prediction Project site Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP) works to further process-based model evaluation in polar regions and has, to this end, created extensive datasets for these types of analysis. However, the lack of standardized tools to visualize the analyses carries with it significant limitations for both the usability of the data as well as the standardization of the visualizations created from it. To amend this, a set of visualization tools have been created. They were evaluated in the context of visualization quality and source code maintainability. They were found satisfactory in all cases except for the runtime. These tools further the ability to perform process-based analysis with the YOPPsiteMIP datasets in standardized formats. They are limited to the project specific MDF file type. However, with the continued spread of the MDF file type the tools become increasingly useful in furthering model evaluation on larger scales than YOPPsiteMIP.