Virtual training in trauma-informed care core principles: Program design and evaluation

This quantitative research study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual training in trauma-informed care that was designed as part of the investigation to disseminate knowledge on SAMHSA's six core principles among human service providers and facilitators in community mental health settings. The online training was designed on the university learning platform Blackboard and used a pretest-posttest design to assess participants' baseline and acquired knowledge and their satisfaction ratings on the course. A convenience sample of 50 participants was recruited from Albizu University's human services program and nearby mental health and behavioral services in the community. A total of 46 participants (92% of those enrolled) completed the training, including licensed professionals (e.g., mental health, family therapists, behavioral analysts), clinical mental health facilitators (e.g., registered behavioral therapists, registered nurses), and social workers. Enrolled participants reviewed course materials and completed pre-and post-training assessments to determine baseline and acquired knowledge on TIC and a final survey rating their perceptions of the training's usefulness. The researcher elaborated the pre-and post-training quizzes as a modified version of the TICOMETER (Bassuk et al., 2016), and the course satisfaction survey was implemented using all 12 items (yes or no questions) of the Training Satisfaction Rating Scale by Holgado Tello, and collaborators (2006). Results showed that the virtual training designed in this investigation enhanced participants' understanding of TIC, with positive difference scores between post-training and pre-training assessments in most participants (42/46, 91%). Only 4 participants (licensed professionals) showed maximum scores at both pre-and post-training assessments. Moreover, all participants rated the training satisfactorily (average score in the sample of 11 out of 12), and 96% of participants rated it at a maximum of 12 points as highly satisfactory.As hypothesized by researchers, the level of knowledge on TIC was lower during the pre-test and increased significantly after the training. There were some differences by occupation where clinical facilitators seemed to benefit the most (higher difference scores post-training minus pre-training) compared to licensed professionals. There were also some trends due to the education levels (higher difference scores in those with bachelor's degrees compared to those holding master's and doctoral degrees). However, these trends by occupation or education level did not reach statistical significance. The study concludes that the design and use of virtual training on SAMHSA's TIC principles effectively disseminate knowledge among professionals and human services providers in the community. The use of the online modality allowed more flexibility through asynchronous activities that can be completed at the participant's own pace and facilitated its applicability. Future studies are needed to improve course materials, adjust content levels of difficulty, enhance participant engagement, and increase sample representativeness for different occupations, roles, and educational levels. This study was not intended or accredited for certification. However, this online modality further investigated and validated may become helpful for SAMHSA considering the current post-COVID situation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Learning Creates Australia: Evaluation of the Learner's Journey Social Lab. Research Report. RR-A1139-1

Social labs have recently been gaining traction in a wide range of sectors internationally, and have been applied to many complex social problems, including food system security, poverty and labour market revitalisation. Social labs convene participants to collaborate and work collectively on developing prototypes that are iteratively refined and improved. Ultimately, social labs aspire to make macro-level changes that address a core problem. Learning Creates Australia (LCAust) launched in 2020 just prior to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with the objective of convening an alliance of people and organisations that could systematically reform the Australian education system to ensure that all young Australians have opportunities to learn and develop the knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to become successful in school, find productive employment and actively engage in their communities. LCAust invited the RAND Corporation to conduct a mixed-methods evaluation study that would offer formative feedback to the social lab implementation team and ultimately provide a summative assessment of the progress of the organisation over the first phase of its work. RAND sought to address three research questions in this evaluation: (1) How were the social labs designed and implemented to solve persistent problems of practice?, (2) What factors enabled or constrained implementation?, and (3) To what extent did LCAust's Phase I activities lay the groundwork for systemic impact? This report details findings from this evaluation. [This report was sponsored by Learning Creates Australia. This report was also prepared by RAND Australia.]

Progress and Potential: The Innovations of Pandemic Learning Communities Led by Leaders of Color

In partnership with researchers around the country, CRPE conducted 22 case studies of community-based pandemic learning communities to learn more about the experiences of those who participated. This paper synthesizes lessons from seven initiatives that were led by community leaders of color to assess what they may cumulatively teach us about advancing racial justice in K-12 educational spaces. We found: (1) COVID-19 created a window of opportunity for leadership and innovation in communities of color, (2) Leaders of color drew on similar practices when designing the programs, including hiring staff of color, avoiding punitive discipline practices, adopting culturally relevant pedagogy, and supporting student and family well-being, (3) Leaders saw programs as a way to put advocacy proposals into action, (4) Parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the programming, and (5) Funding, expertise, and school reopenings challenge the future of these programs.

Online Health Education Program to Prevent Tobacco Use for Student Teachers during COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: Design, Challenges, and Outcomes

This study developed an online health education program by applying the Health Belief Model with social support to prevent tobacco use by student teachers and evaluated the effectiveness of the program during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. This involved mixed method research divided into 2 phases, with phase 1 combining an online focus group discussion (n=8) and a literature review to develop an online health education program to prevent tobacco use, while phase 2 involved evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Phase 2 used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design consisting of an intervention group (n=30) and a control group (n=30) selected by simple random sampling for both groups from student teachers in academic years 1-5 in the Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. The result from phase 1 for the proposed program for the intervention group involved 8 weeks of online activities, including exercise, meditation, music, games and lectures by experts in public health, health education, and experiences shared by ex-smokers. Leaflets were provided to all participants in both the intervention and control groups. The results from phase 2 showed significant differences in knowledge (p < 0.000, p < 0.007), attitude (p < 0.000, p < 0.034) and risk behavior to tobacco use (p < 0.004, p < 0.025) for both the intervention and control groups at 8 weeks post-intervention compared to pre-intervention, respectively. The program could support, guidance, and contributions of the many individuals and organizations that have been involved in the online process.

Perceptions of Palliative Care Program Viability During the Pandemic: Qualitative Results From a National Survey.

Background: Palliative care programs have played a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the financial impact of the pandemic and operational challenges for palliative care programs have raised concerns for their future viability. Objectives: To explore palliative care program leaders' perceptions of the future viability of their programs in the context of the pandemic and inform future educational and program development. Methods: Surveys were sent to 1430 specialist palliative care program leaders, identified through the Center to Advance Palliative Care's contact lists, via email in May 2020 and January 2021. Leaders were asked why they were or were not concerned about the viability of their palliative care programs. Qualitative content analysis was applied to determine themes. Results: We received 440 responses. Most programs served hospital settings and were geographically located across all US regions. We identified four themes: 1) The importance of being valued by organizational leadership and peers, 2) The importance of adequate and supported palliative care staff, 3) The pandemic validated and accelerated the need for palliative care, and 4) The pandemic perpetuated organizational financial concerns. Conclusion: Findings provide insights about palliative care program viability from the perspective of program leaders during a global pandemic. Technical assistance to support palliative care teams and their relationships with stakeholders, methods to measure the impact of peer support, efforts to educate administrators about the value of palliative care, and efforts to reduce burnout are needed to sustain palliative care programs into the future.

Design principles for dual mode readiness in an uncertain future

This paper proposes four principles for managers and higher education educators who are designing units and programmes so as to be dual mode ready. `Dual mode’ design and delivery enables students to equitably complete their studies fully online, while also offering on-campus experiences where possible. The four principles are: (1) All learning outcomes can be met irrespective of participation mode;(2) Teaching-learning activities are equitable across participation modes;(3) All students have equivalent opportunity to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes;and (4) ‘Online ready’ design. Being dual mode ready will likely remain important as on-campus delivery may not be possible for all students. Further, universities may need to pivot rapidly to fully online delivery for a range of reasons, including pandemic-related circumstances. The four principles provide guidance on how best to ensure equity and fairness for students and teachers in a dual mode context. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Virtual training in trauma-informed care core principles: Program design and evaluation

This quantitative research study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual training in trauma-informed care that was designed as part of the investigation to disseminate knowledge on SAMHSA's six core principles among human service providers and facilitators in community mental health settings. The online training was designed on the university learning platform Blackboard and used a pretest-posttest design to assess participants' baseline and acquired knowledge and their satisfaction ratings on the course. A convenience sample of 50 participants was recruited from Albizu University's human services program and nearby mental health and behavioral services in the community. A total of 46 participants (92% of those enrolled) completed the training, including licensed professionals (e.g., mental health, family therapists, behavioral analysts), clinical mental health facilitators (e.g., registered behavioral therapists, registered nurses), and social workers. Enrolled participants reviewed course materials and completed pre-and post-training assessments to determine baseline and acquired knowledge on TIC and a final survey rating their perceptions of the training's usefulness. The researcher elaborated the pre-and post-training quizzes as a modified version of the TICOMETER (Bassuk et al., 2016), and the course satisfaction survey was implemented using all 12 items (yes or no questions) of the Training Satisfaction Rating Scale by Holgado Tello, and collaborators (2006). Results showed that the virtual training designed in this investigation enhanced participants' understanding of TIC, with positive difference scores between post-training and pre-training assessments in most participants (42/46, 91%). Only 4 participants (licensed professionals) showed maximum scores at both pre-and post-training assessments. Moreover, all participants rated the training satisfactorily (average score in the sample of 11 out of 12), and 96% of participants rated it at a maximum of 12 points as highly satisfactory.As hypothesized by researchers, the level of knowledge on TIC was lower during the pre-test and increased significantly after the training. There were some differences by occupation where clinical facilitators seemed to benefit the most (higher difference scores post-training minus pre-training) compared to licensed professionals. There were also some trends due to the education levels (higher difference scores in those with bachelor's degrees compared to those holding master's and doctoral degrees). However, these trends by occupation or education level did not reach statistical significance. The study concludes that the design and use of virtual training on SAMHSA's TIC principles effectively disseminate knowledge among professionals and human services providers in the community. The use of the online modality allowed more flexibility through asynchronous activities that can be completed at the participant's own pace and facilitated its applicability. Future studies are needed to improve course materials, adjust content levels of difficulty, enhance participant engagement, and increase sample representativeness for different occupations, roles, and educational levels. This study was not intended or accredited for certification. However, this online modality further investigated and validated may become helpful for SAMHSA considering the current post-COVID situation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Open-Source Internships With Industry Mentors

Internships help students connect what they have learned in the classroom to the real world, and students with access to internships are more likely to graduate and secure employment. However, many students are unable to find an internship by the time they graduate. This experience report describes a program where volunteer software engineers mentor students as they work on open-source projects in the summer, offered as an alternative to a traditional internship experience. We catalog the considerations involved in providing an experience similar to a traditional internship, describe our program's design, and provide two years' worth of participant evaluations and career outcomes as a measure of efficacy. The program served mostly undergraduates from non-R1 schools who are underrepresented in technology, and achieved similar educational outcomes to a traditional internship program. Most promisingly, mentors were willing to serve as a professional reference for 80% of students and the number of graduating seniors who secured full-time employment in technology was 7 points higher than average (despite occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic). © 2022 ACM.

Developing a Home-Based Body Weight Physical Activity/Exercise Program

Apply It! center dot Research shows barriers to PA exist due to varieties of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has further confounded public engagement in PA. Home-based body weight exercise training may be a potential intervention to remedy these barriers. center dot Fitness professionals can educate their clients in a remote setting using the information related to home-based exercise programming and body weight exercise options presented in this article, supplemental information, and freely accessible resources also provided. center dot Home-based video personal training can be implemented to increase the interaction between fitness professionals and clients.

Engineering Education: Resiliance And Purposeful Change

Engineering education is undergoing rapid change. Programs across the world have instituted route-and-branch reforms and are navigating a path towards new educational models. This transition has been proactive, carefully planned and rolled out over time frames determined by the institution. Over the past eighteen months, the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated major changes to program design and delivery. Here, changes have been reactive, unexpected, and introduced at speed. The timing of the Special Issue places it at the conjuncture of these two contrasting change processes. The editorial considers global developments in engineering education in this unique context. It begins by looking back to 2018. It then moves forward to the present and considers how programs have progressed along their planned change pathways, despite the sudden program changes instituted by the pandemic © 2021, Advances in Engineering Education.All Rights Reserved.

Work in Progress: Examining the Literature on Virtual Internships for Insights Applicable to Engineers

Internships are undertaken by roughly half of U.S. engineering students nationally and are widely thought to benefit students in a variety of ways, strengthening students' academic self-concept and increasing their persistence in engineering [1]-[3]. However, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 caused an unprecedented shift in the structure of internships, with approximately 83% of employers moving internships into a virtual work space [4]. While literature exists on in-person co-ops and internships [5]-[7], relatively little exists on engineering internships held virtually [8]. This Work-in-Progress paper reviews the literature on virtual internships across disciplines to find effective practices that can be applied to virtual engineering internships. The review sets the stage by a brief summary of research on traditional engineering internships and management of virtual teams before delving into findings on the opportunities and limitations as well as program design recommendations for virtual internships. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021

An Unexpected Affordance of Program Design for Dissertation Writing during COVID-19: The Embedded Dissertation

Purpose: This paper describes how an embedded dissertation program design feature supported two cohorts of EdD dissertators and helped them make consistent progress toward and eventually complete their dissertation milestones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we detail the work, challenges, and results of EdD students' efforts toward their milestones and offer perspectives on the same topics for EdD faculty who are teaching dissertation writing courses or supporting dissertators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conceptual Argument: This paper argues that an existing program design feature, the embedded dissertation, provided unexpected affordances for EdD dissertators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, it acted as a scaffold for dissertators to make small but consistent steps forward on their dissertation milestones despite the significant challenges they faced both as practitioners and as students during the pandemic. Implications for Research: In sharing these experiences, we hope to: (a) offer a contribution to the literature on the intersection of program design and dissertation writing, (b) proffer a program design structure that was successful in moving dissertators forward during COVID-19, and (c) document the lived experiences of EdD dissertators and faculty in this unprecedented, historical moment.

A Framework for Protecting Pregnant Women in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, highlighted and compounded problems while posing new challenges for the pregnant population. Although individual organizations have provided disparate information, guidance, and updates on managing the pregnant population during the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to develop a collective model that highlights all the best practices needed to protect the pregnant population during the pandemic. To establish a standard for ensuring safety during the pandemic, we present a framework that describes best practices for the management of the pregnant population during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.