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In a cluster-randomized study, we investigate the impact of an argument-based approach to teaching science in elementary school on science learning and critical thinking skills. Forty-eight schools participated in the study, with data on 9,963 students across the 2 years of the intervention. Annual standardized tests assessing science content knowledge were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on science using a hierarchical linear model. To assess critical thinking abilities, scores for the Cornell Critical Thinking instrument were assessed for the 2,353 students in fifth grade using a multilevel model. While no statistically significant gains were found for science content, there was statistically significant evidence that the intervention was associated with an improvement in critical thinking scores (p < 0.05, ES = 0.167). In particular, the strongest gains were for students in the following groups: individual education plan, free and reduced price lunch, and English language learners.

There is no doubt that college-industry collaborations are vital to the success of undergraduate students with engineering and technology majors. This collaboration provides students with an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom education and real-world experience. Inviting industry representatives to engage in the classroom and involving students with professional organizations, student field trips, virtual plant tours, and industry-focused final projects are ways in which an instructor can incorporate student-industry engagement into their course. During their undergraduate degree program, students are required to participate in an internship program where they gain substantial industry engagement and opportunities to learn and apply classroom knowledge. To assess the impact of industry engagement on student learning, we disseminated a survey instrument among undergraduate students to identify which activities had the most and least impact on student learning. For this study, we analyzed student perceptions of the effectiveness of industry engagement activities using multivariate analysis of variance. The objective was to determine which industry engagement activities are more effective when looking at student learning. The data gathered included survey responses from senior-level technology students at Iowa State University along with their comments about the various activities. Results indicate that there is a difference in students' perception of how various industry engagement activities impact their learning.

Multiple regression was performed on four dependent variables derived from the results of a student survey measuring attitudes about student leadership: (a) leadership is important to the student, (b) the student considers himself or herself to be a leader, (c) leadership will be important to the student after college, and (d) leaders need to be able to work in teams or groups. Each of 10 independent variables was a significant predictor of one or more dependent variables. (Contains 7 tables.)

This study incorporated institutional characteristics (e.g., Carnegie type, selectivity) and resource allocations (e.g., instructional expenditures, student affairs expenditures) into a statistical model to predict undergraduate graduation rates. Instructional expenditures, library expenditures, and a number of institutional classification variables were significant predictors of graduation rates. Based on these results, recommendations as well as warranted cautions are included about allocating academic financial resources to optimize graduation rates. (Contains 5 tables and 2 notes.)

University and college leaders are tasked with enhancing student outcomes with fewer resources. Student retention is one such key outcome of interest for many policy makers as well as for university administrators. Over the years, administrators have turned to High Impact Practices (HIPs) such as Learning Communities (LCs) to aid in retention. This quantitative study explores the impact LCs have on student retention at a large R1 university in the Midwest. Additionally, the financial return on investment in LCs at this institution is measured via tuition dollars generated from students who are retained as a result of their participation in a LC at the institution. Two key findings of this study are that LCs are positively associated with increased odds of student retention, and that investing in LCs makes good financial sense. Our research contributes to the scholarship on retention attributable to LCs and provides researchers and practitioners with a "template" to evaluate the efficacy of specific retention initiatives in relation to their financial return on investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the long-term impact of spouse caregiving on insomnia symptoms, compared to propensity-score matched non-caregivers. Health and Retirement Study data between 2006 and 2018 were used. Caregivers (n = 403) were respondents (aged 50+) who assisted their heterosexual spouses in performing (instrumental) activities of daily living at baseline. Non-caregivers were matched using a propensity score matching procedure based on baseline characteristics. Insomnia symptoms were measured every 4 years for both groups. Poisson mixed-effect models estimated the association between caregiver status and insomnia symptoms. Compared to matched non-caregivers, caregivers had similar severity of insomnia symptoms at baseline (${{\rm{\beta }}_{{\rm{caregiver}}}}$ β caregiver = 0.018, 95% CI = −0.089, 0.124) and reported a similar yearly change rate (${{\rm{\beta }}_{{\rm{caregiver}} \times {\rm{time}}}}$ β caregiver × time = −0.008, 95% CI = −0.017, 0.001). No moderation effects of care-recipients' dementia status and social support were significant. In this study sample, there is no evidence that spouse caregivers, specifically those who performed light duties, experience more severe insomnia symptoms than non-caregivers. Spouse caregiving, especially in a light-duty capacity, may not be detrimental to the caregivers' sleep health. More data are needed regarding insomnia in spouse caregivers with heavy duties of care to fully assess the health impact of the caregiving experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited research exploring the changing clinical practices among healthcare providers (HPs) care for patients with Emergency Department (ED)-initiated Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). This scoping review followed the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley to map relevant evidence and synthesize the findings. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus for related studies from inception through October 12, 2022. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 studies were included. Subsequently, they were charted and analyzed thematically based on ecological systems theory. The main determinants in the four ecological systems were generated as follows: (1) microsystem: willingness and attitude, professional competence, readiness, and preference; (2) mesosystem: ED clinical practices, departmental factors; (3) exosystem: multidisciplinary approaches, discharge planning, and (4) macrosystem: stigma, health insurance, policy. The findings have implications for HPs and researchers, as insufficient adoption, implementation, and retention of MOUD in the ED affect clinical practices. Across the four ecological systems, ED-initiated MOUD is shaped by multifaceted determinants. The microsystem underscores pivotal patient-HP trust dynamics, while the mesosystem emphasizes interdepartmental synergies. Exosystemically, resource allocation and standardized training remain paramount. The macrosystem reveals profound effects of stigma, insurance disparities, and evolving policies on treatment access and efficacy. Addressing these interconnected barriers is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes in the context of MOUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter puts forth a model of student-success-focused policy development at small colleges that elucidates the role of the institutional research (IR) professional, highlighting how the breadth of roles and responsibilities that IR professionals serve at these institutions intersect with traditional training and background.

This study investigated the role of a new paradigm in teaching large introductory, fundamental engineering mechanics (IFEM) courses that combined student-centered learning pedagogies and supplemental learning resources. Demographic characteristics in this study included a total of 405 students, of whom 347 (85.7%) are males and 58 are (14.3%) females. The students' majors included aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, civil engineering, construction engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering. Results of this study, as tested using an independent samples t-test, validated using a nonparametric independent samples test, and a general linear multivariate model analysis, indicated overwhelmingly that there is a difference between a class taught passively using the teacher-centered pedagogy and a class taught actively using student-centered pedagogy. The principal focus of this work was to determine if the new paradigm was successful in improving student understanding of the course concepts in statics of engineering using student-centered pedagogies in large classes. After evaluating the effects of several variables on students' academic success, the results may provide important information for both faculty members and researchers and present a convincing argument to faculty members interested in academic reform but hesitant to abandon conventional teaching practices. By promoting a new paradigm, the potential for improving understanding of engineering fundamentals on a larger scale may be realized.

Background: Medical marijuana legalization (MML) has been widely implemented in the past decade. However, the debates regarding the consequences of MML persist, especially criminal behaviors. Objectives: We examined the association between MML and criminal behaviors among adults in the United States. The criminal behaviors measured three past-year offenses: whether the adult (1) have sold illegal drugs, (2) have stolen anything worth > $50 USD, or (3) have attacked someone. Methods: Using the 2015–2020 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, we included 214,505 adults in our primary analysis for 2015–2019 and 27,170 adults in 2020 for supplemental analysis (age > = 18). Weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between MML and three criminal behaviors. Results: In our primary analysis, we observed no statistically significant association between MML and the three outcomes of criminal behavior. Nevertheless, our supplemental analysis of the 2020 data showed MML was associated with increasing odds of the three criminal behaviors (have sold illegal drugs: AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 1.7; have stolen anything worth > $50 USD: AOR = 1.9; have attacked someone: AOR = 1.8; all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Surveys from 2015 to 2019 did not suggest MML as a risk factor for higher incidence of criminal behaviors. However, 2020 data showed statistically significant association between MML and selected criminal behaviors. Issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the U.S. economic downturn, could potentially explain this discrepancy. Further research efforts may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Next Generation Science Standards call for the adoption of many aspects of scientific inquiry in the classroom. The ways in which classroom talk and classroom environment change as students and teachers learn to utilize inquiry approaches are underexplored. This study examines the frequency with which linguistic markers related to access and power appear in student and teacher speech in the elementary science classroom. As teachers begin to implement argument-based inquiry methods, teacher and student use of these markers changes significantly. These changes indicate that students whose teachers utilize argument-based inquiry have greater access and power in the science classroom. In this paper, the mechanisms by which teachers afford their students access and power are explored from a quantitative perspective.

In the past ten years, engineering classrooms have seen an exponential growth in the use of technology, more than during any other previous decade. Unprecedented advancements, such as the advent of innovative gadgets and fundamental instructional alterations in engineering classrooms, have introduced changes in both teaching and learning. Student learning in introductory, fundamental engineering mechanics (IFEM) courses, such as statics of engineering, mechanics of materials, dynamics, and mechanics of fluids, as in any other class, is influenced by the experiences students go through in the classroom. Thus, bold new methodologies that connect science to life using student-centered approaches and scaffolding pedagogies need to be emphasized more in the learning process. This study is aimed to gain insight into the role of student-centered teaching, particularly the implementation of scaffolding pedagogies into IFEM courses. This study also attempts to contribute to the current national conversation in engineering education of the need to change its landscape--from passive learning to active learning. Demographic characteristics in this study included a total of 3,592 students, of whom 3,160 (88.0%) are males and 432 (12.0%) are females, over a period of six years, from 2007 to 2013. The students' majors included aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, civil engineering, construction engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, and mechanical engineering. Results of the study, as tested using a general linear univariate model analysis, indicated that overwhelmingly the type of class in statics of engineering is a significant predictor of student "downstream" performance in tests measuring their knowledge of mechanics of materials. There is a statistically significant difference in students' performance in mechanics of materials depending on whether they were taught passively using the teacher-centered pedagogy or taught actively using the student-centered pedagogy in statics of engineering. Mechanics of materials is commonly the next immediate course, or a downstream course, following statics of engineering. [Cover title varies: "Scaffolding in Introductory Engineering Courses."]

China is a large country with substantial urban-rural disparity. With the increasing concerns related to the rapid growth of the older adult population and problems related to smoking and alcohol consumption, this study aims to examine the potential urban-rural disparity associated with nicotine or alcohol dependence among Chinese older adults. We used three waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey and included older adults who were 65 years old or above (CLHLS; n = 18,207). The Heckman two-step selection procedure was applied to reduce potential selection bias. The first and the second steps of the Heckman two-step selection procedure all included multivariable logistic regressions. In the final study sample, approximately 8.1% and 4.0% of older adults reported nicotine and alcohol dependence, respectively. In the first step of the Heckman selection procedure, urban residents were less likely to become current smokers and alcohol users than rural residents (all p <.05). However, urban-rural disparity was not associated with either nicotine or alcohol dependence (all p >.05). We did not observe the urban-rural disparity in nicotine and alcohol dependence among Chinese older adults. Chinese policymakers should continue to strengthen national policy to combat smoking and alcohol consumption, especially older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Studies on the interdependence of couples' health behaviors and subsequent cognitive outcomes remain limited. Methods: Longitudinal data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2018) were used (N = 1869 heterosexual couples). Latent class analysis identified the dyadic pattern of health behaviors in 2011 (i.e., alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical inactivity). Stratified Cox models examined the association of latent classes with risk of developing memory-related disorders in 2013–2018. Results: Three classes were identified: class 1 (21.25%, only husband smoke, and both active), class 2 (47.55%, both inactive, neither drink nor smoke), and class 3 (31.20%, both drink and smoke, and both active). Couples' sedentary lifestyle was associated with an increased risk of memory-related disorders among both husbands and wives. Conclusion: Couples were moderately concordant in their physical activity but weakly in smoking and drinking. Couple-based interventions, especially promoting physical activity, may reduce cognitive aging among middle-aged and older Chinese couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of summarizing years of research comparing pedagogies for second/foreign language teaching supported with computer technology and pedagogy not-supported by computer technology, a meta-analysis was conducted of empirical research investigating language outcomes. Thirty-seven studies yielding 52 effect sizes were included, following a search of literature from 1970 to 2006 and screening of studies based on stated criteria. The differences in research designs required subdivision of studies, but overall results favored the technology-supported pedagogy, with a small, but positive and statistically significant effect size. Second/foreign language instruction supported by computer technology was found to be at least as effective as instruction without technology, and in studies using rigorous research designs the CALL groups outperformed the non-CALL groups. The analyses of instructional conditions, characteristics of participants, and conditions of the research design did not provide reliable results because of the small number of effect sizes representing each group. The meta-analysis results provide an empirically-based response to the questions of whether or not technology-supported pedagogies enhance language learning, and the process of conducting the meta-analysis pointed to areas in research methodology that would benefit from attention in future research.

The main purpose of the current study was to examine the utility and usefulness of Holland's Theory of Personalities in Work Environments to understand the match between personality and the desire for music education. The participants included 99 pre-service music teachers in Turkey. The findings revealed that the pre-service music teachers were, foremost, artistic. To a lesser degree, they were social and conventional. In addition, significant relationships existed between personality types and satisfaction with studying in the department of music education. Based on these findings, it seems that Holland's Theory provides a useful framework for understanding music pre-service teachers' satisfaction with studying music education. Future researchers may use this theory with practicing music teachers to examine its explanatory and predictive power in the workplace.

This study compared the associations of child–parent relationships with older adults' multidimensional health in the United States and China. Two waves of data from the US Health and Retirement Study and its sister study in China (2012–2015) were used (2174 non-Hispanic [NH] White Americans and 4467 Chinese). Linear regression models were conducted for cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons. Results showed most child–parent relationships had nonsignificant associations with NH White Americans' health. In contrast, closer child–parent relationships were linked to fewer depressive symptoms and better cognitive function among Chinese. Co-residence was associated with poorer health among older Chinese. Over a 2-year period, living nearby was linked to poorer cognitive function among NH White Americans and fewer depressive symptoms among Chinese. Having weekly contact was predictive of better cognition among Chinese. This study revealed cross-cultural differences in the associations between child–parent relationships and older adults' health. Family relationships in accordance with Chinese culture could improve health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community coalitions can help national organizations meet their objectives. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids depends on coalitions of local people to deliver farm safety and health educational programs to children and their families. These coalitions are called chapters. An evaluation was developed to identify individual coalition's strengths and weaknesses. Ten FS4JK chapter locations conducted a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and community focus groups to identify what strategies could be incorporated to improve each coalition's functionality. The findings will help strengthen program delivery, which will guide the national organization toward a more effective support system

The study explored the influence of work experience on adult part-time students' academic success as defined by their cumulative grade point average. The sample consisted of 614 part-time students from four polytechnic institutions in Malaysia. The study identified six factors to measure the perceived influence of work experiences--positive belief, negative belief, intrinsic motivation, learning orientation, deep learning approach, and surface learning approach. The results indicated that lower academic success was associated with higher negative belief, lower intrinsic motivation and adopting surface learning approach. Students with a deeper learning approach, greater intrinsic motivation, and greater learning orientation tended to perceive higher positive belief. In contrast, students who favored surface learning approaches were more likely to perceive negatively the impact of work experiences on their academic learning. The best-fitted path model demonstrated students' academic success was affected negatively by negative belief and weakly by intrinsic motivation. Other factors did not have significant direct effects on students' academic success. These findings suggest that the success of adult part-time students does not rely on their positive attitude alone, but also could depend on the effectiveness of the classroom environment, teaching and learning strategies, and assessment methods.

A central challenge for higher education today is to understand the diversity and complexity of nontraditional students' life experiences and how these factors influence their academic success. To better understand these issues, this study explored the role of demographic characteristics and employment variables in predicting the academic success of part-time students at four polytechnic institutes in Malaysia. Demographic characteristics studied included respondent's age, gender, marital status, number of children, parent's educational level, and financial resources. Employment variables assessed were number of years working, job relatedness to the program, job satisfaction, and monthly salary. A total of 614 part-time students completed the survey. Results indicated that being an older student, being female, paying for their own education, and having high job satisfaction were statistically significant predictors of part-time students' academic success. Understanding the effects of demographic characteristics and employment variables on students' academic success might help administrators and educators to develop teaching and learning processes, support services, and policies to enhance part-time students' academic success.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine college and university dining services administrators' (CUDSAs) intention to adopt sustainable practices. Design/methodology/approach: The theory of planned behavior (TPB) including constructs of subjective norm (SN), attitude, perceived behavior control, and personal norm (PN), formed the theoretical framework. A web-based questionnaire was developed, pretested, and distributed to 535 CUDSAs in the USA. Findings: Results indicated that SN (pressure from others) had the most influence on CUDSAs' intention to adopt sustainable practices, followed by attitude and PN. Including the PN construct in the TPB model reduced unexplained variance by 33.48 percent. Research limitations/implications: Limitations of this research are generalizability of results due to use of a sample of US members of a professional organization (National Association of College and University Food Services) and low response rate. Practical implications: Results suggest that pressure from college administrators and students has the greatest impact on CUDSAs' decisions to adopt sustainable practices. Originality/value: The question of why some university dining operations are models for sustainability and others have few sustainable practices has not been explored. The dining services' director plays a key role in determining sustainability efforts for that operation. This research explored factors influencing a director's intention to adopt sustainable practices. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)

Enrollment in STEM majors has improved recently, but there continues to be concern over students' retention in those majors, especially women and minority students. The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated understanding of how multiple predictor variables affect student degree attainment, and to ascertain how those variables' impact is moderated by whether students are in STEM or non-STEM majors. Six-year cohort retention/graduation outcomes are predicted for all students in STEM and non-STEM majors, and separately adjusting for whether students remain in, or shift into or away from, STEM majors. Long-term retention/graduation is predicted significantly by cumulative grade point average, financial need, aid (work-study, loan, and gift), gender, ethnicity, years living on campus, high school rank, ACT composite, out-of-state residence, and STEM status. For students starting out in non-STEM majors, six-year graduation/retention also is predicted significantly by learning community participation and whether the student switches to a STEM major. (Contains 4 tables.)

Logistic regression models of students' 1-year retention and 6-year retention/graduation for the fall 2000 entering class of students at a research-extensive university in the Midwest were estimated by combining university, financial aid, and Cooperative Institutional Research Program data (n = 1,905; 45% female, 87% Caucasian, 75% in-state). Statistically significant predictors of retention to the second year were first-year cumulative grade point average, financial aid variables, learning community membership, information technology use in high school, and in-state residence. Six-year retention/graduation was predicted significantly by the students' last registered term cumulative grade point average, number of years living on campus, transfer credits, financial aid variables, gender, ability measures (high school rank, ACT composite score), in-state residence, and female gender. (Contains 3 tables.)

In the current study, the Distance Education Student Satisfaction Model, estimated as a structural equation model, is proposed to understand better what predicts student satisfaction from online learning environments. In the present study, the following variables are employed based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, Bagozzi, & Warshaw, 1989) and literature: computer knowledge, flexibility of distance education, usefulness of distance education, and distance education satisfaction. Results suggest that as long as students have the skills to use online tools and perceive that distance education is a useful and flexible way of learning, communicating, and sharing, their enjoyment from online instruction will be promoted. Ultimately, this satisfaction may lead to higher levels of engagement, learning, and success in the distance education setting. Data collected from 195 undergraduate students are analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of Moment Structures statistical software. Implications of the findings of the present study are crucial for instructors, practitioners, and institutions planning to offer or currently engaged in offering distance education courses. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

The Department of Mathematics at Iowa State University teaches a freshman-level Discrete Mathematics course with total enrollment of about 1,800 students per year. The traditional format includes large lectures, with about 150 students each, taught by faculty and temporary instructors in two class sessions per week and recitation sections, with about 35 students each, taught once per week by a teaching assistant. In this format, the course experienced the standard academic problems associated with the multi-section large lecture format: over 30% D/F/Withdraw rates; lack of uniformity and inconsistency in course objectives, delivery, and testing; low student morale and performance; and insufficient individualized feedback from instructors. In addition, students failed to see the connection of the material to subsequent courses and real world problems; spent great effort on repetitive calculations and little or none on computing; lacked skills in analyzing problems, data presentation, and graphical analysis; and often had substantial gaps in basic algebra skills that were not addressed properly by course content. Discrete Mathematics was redesigned to address these challenges with a Web-based, self-paced model. The Web-based environment integrates WebCT as learning management software, MapleTA as an online testing program, and textbook and related materials by Barnett, Ziegler, and Byleen (Prentice-Hall) as the content basis. The redesigned course includes weekly small recitation sections, additional office hours, availability of the Math Help Room, and peer-mentoring through study groups and Supplemental Instruction. Integrated and proactive student support includes Web-based feedback through online office hours, a Web-bulletin board for each class, and Web-published individual current scores and class standing. The redesigned course syllabus is divided into manageable modules, with clearly communicated learning outcomes and objectives. Expansion of learning and understanding through the application of technology are achieved through incorporating Microsoft EXCEL spreadsheets for instantaneous graphics and simplification of extensive repetitive calculations. The Web environment also includes a new fourth main course topic of basic algebra skills early in the material as preparation for the other sections. Assessment of the course redesign was performed by the Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE), in the College of Education, at Iowa State University. The general assessment strategy included a pretest-posttest control group design and long-term study of academic success. Student performance data were used to determine which differences in learning outcomes may be attributable to specific course components. Students in the Web-based sections performed no worse, and usually performed better, than did classroom-based students. These results are based on student performance on learning outcomes in Fall 2002, Spring 2003, and Fall 2003. In a straight comparison, the design sections did significantly better than the control sections on eleven out of thirteen exams compared, with comparable results on the remaining two exams. This difference exists despite significantly higher cumulative GPAs for students in the control sections for two semesters and insignificant differences in the third semester. This suggests that the Web-based course design is able to enhance the performance, and hence the chances for retention, of even less-highly achieving students (as determined by their lower GPAs). A longer-term study of academic success has tracked students through subsequent courses for which Discrete Mathematics is a prerequisite. These results are also positive, though less conclusive. The traditional course used 12 faculty and 15 teaching assistants to deliver the course at a cost of $129 per student. The redesigned course is staffed with 3 faculty and 9 teaching assistants. The redesign costs $77 per student, resulting in savings of $93,600 per year.