Ania A. Majewska, Johnasha D. Stuart, Kelsey M. Gray, Pearl V. Ryder and Ethell Vereen
A novel first-year experience course was developed using culturally responsive teaching strategies at an undergraduate liberal arts college in the southeastern USA to promote…
Abstract
Purpose
A novel first-year experience course was developed using culturally responsive teaching strategies at an undergraduate liberal arts college in the southeastern USA to promote health advocacy and to provide students with an overview of male health. The course focuses on the biological, sociocultural, economic and gender influences that shape men's health beliefs and practices. It also emphasizes health disparities in the USA among Black/African American men compared to other racial groups and intervention strategies to improve health outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The lecture and laboratory components of the course were designed as a blended learning environment with a modified flipped class model. Culturally relevant strategies guided the course design with three focus domains: academic success, cultural competence and sociopolitical consciousness. A community engagement model and service-learning activities were also incorporated in the design. The authors used course grades to gauge learning and implemented a survey to assess students' perception of the knowledge gained in three realms: men's health, health sciences and physical sciences.
Findings
This report describes the course design, highlights the value of using culturally responsive teaching strategies and service-learning projects to encourage students' active learning. Course activity examples are discussed with student responses. The authors found that students' perception of their knowledge in men's health, health sciences and physical sciences increased and the students performed well in the course.
Originality/value
This is one of few biology courses in the nation that intentionally focuses on the unique health challenges of Black men, while empowering college students to develop culturally competent strategies to improve their health outcomes. The findings suggest that the students learned the material and that their perceived knowledge on men's health increased. The authors urge other academic institutions and healthcare providers to consider implementation of similar courses in an effort to enhance male health equity.
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Jihong Zhao, Nicholas P. Lovrich and Kelsey Gray
Explains Inglehart’s theory that in advanced industrial societies, individual values have moved from materialism to a greater emphasis on freedom, self‐expression and the quality…
Abstract
Explains Inglehart’s theory that in advanced industrial societies, individual values have moved from materialism to a greater emphasis on freedom, self‐expression and the quality of life, or “postmaterialism”, and observes that postmaterialists want to work with people they like and to do interesting work rather than have a high salary or job security. Applies Inglehart’s theory of societal value change to assess a police organizational reform. Conducts a survey of the Washington State Police. Finds that command staff show the highest profession of postmaterialist values and troopers show the lowest. Believes leadership turnover is more likely than conversion to new values to bring about management commitment to community policing.
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The University of Michigan owns one of the largest collections of ancient papyri. In 1991 a project was initiated to explore image capture of papyri in the Michigan collection…
Abstract
The University of Michigan owns one of the largest collections of ancient papyri. In 1991 a project was initiated to explore image capture of papyri in the Michigan collection with the use of electronic media (scanners), and to create a detailed online catalog with information relevant for all those involved in the study and research of the ancient Mediterranean world. In the summer of 1994, the Michigan papyrus collection underwent an extensive period of testing alternative media for image capture, as well as better, faster, and more efficient hardware and software. The collection created its own home page on the World Wide Web and made available sample images as a means of soliciting comments from the experts in the field of papyrology. The papyrus collection at Duke University has also launched a project similar to that envisioned by Michigan in 1991; and that project is now approaching completion. Further developments in the past two years have brought together the five largest papyrus collections in the United States to form a consortium known as the Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS), which operates under the guidance of the American Society of Papyrologists (ASP).
THE topics of the Library Association Conference and the election of the Council of the Association naturally absorb a great deal of attention this month. To deal with the second…
Abstract
THE topics of the Library Association Conference and the election of the Council of the Association naturally absorb a great deal of attention this month. To deal with the second first: there were few novelties in the nominations, and most of the suggested new Councillors are good people; so that a fairly good Council should result. The unique thing, as we imagine, about the Library Association is the number of vice‐presidents, all of whom have Council privileges. These are not elected by the members but by the Council, and by the retiring Council; they occupy a position analagous to aldermen in town councils, and are not amenable to the choice or desires of the members at large. There are enough of them, too, if they care to be active, to dominate the Council. Fortunately, good men are usually elected, but recently there has been a tendency to elect comparatively young men to what are virtually perpetual seats on the Council, simply, if one may judge from the names, because these men occupy certain library positions. It, therefore; is all the more necessary that the electors see that men who really represent the profession get the seats that remain.
Within the past 20 years hiking and backpacking have enjoyed rapid growth among Americans as favorite outdoor activities. From 1965 to 1977 the number of hikers almost tripled…
Abstract
Within the past 20 years hiking and backpacking have enjoyed rapid growth among Americans as favorite outdoor activities. From 1965 to 1977 the number of hikers almost tripled, from 9.9 million to 28.1 million, while national forest visitor days among hikers and mountaineers increased from 4 million in 1966 to 11 million in 1979. Accompanying this growth in interest has been a boom in books about the sport. These include both “how‐to‐do‐it” volumes and guides to specific geographical areas. Each year brings another spate of books, yet to this compiler's knowledge no bibliography of hiking guides to the Rocky Mountains, one of North America's premier outdoor regions, has yet been attempted. This bibliography is an effort to correct that situation.
Andrea Borland, Caroline Hollins Martin and John Locke
– The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into nurses' understandings of what constitutes suitable footwear for older people in care homes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into nurses' understandings of what constitutes suitable footwear for older people in care homes.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory descriptive qualitative survey was carried out of 20 registered nurses employed in six Scottish care homes for older people. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that included five open-ended questions. Content analysis was used to theme footwear perceptions.
Findings
Participants had several views about what encompasses safe footwear; some were erroneous. The link between inappropriate footwear and falls was recognised by 80 per cent of respondents, but some were unclear about the features that effect or inhibit safety. No UK or international standardised guidelines were identified that advise nurses about appropriate footwear for older people.
Practical implications
It is unknown whether respondents represent the nurse population because findings are restricted by a small sample size. Nonetheless, the group showed variable understanding of what constitutes safe footwear for older people and links with fall prevention. Improved nurse-education about what comprises safe footwear and the links with falls prevention in older people is required. Structured guidelines to direct nurse educators about what to teach student nurses about appropriate footwear for older people may work towards reducing falls.
Originality/value
No guidelines to direct nurses about appropriate footwear for older people in care homes have been written. Key points have been developed.
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Resat Aydin, Ferhat D. Zengul, Jose Quintana and Bunyamin Ozaydin
Purpose – The numbers of health care transparency initiatives are increasing. Despite the growing availability of quality data, there seems to be a shortage of evidence about the…
Abstract
Purpose – The numbers of health care transparency initiatives are increasing. Despite the growing availability of quality data, there seems to be a shortage of evidence about the effects and effectiveness of such initiatives. The aim of this systematic review is to document the effects of transparency, defined as the public release of quality performance data, on hospital care outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of the literature, we chose 46 keywords to use in our searches and focused on empirical studies published in English between 2010 and 2015. The use of combinations of these keywords in searches of four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) generated 13,849 publications. The removal of duplicates and exclusion of studies that were not empirical or not relevant to transparency and quality resulted in 39 studies to be reviewed.
Findings – Our review of the literature confirmed the growth of health care transparency efforts, led by the United States, and found mixed results regarding the effects of transparency on hospital care outcomes. For example, mortality, the most frequently researched performance measure (n = 15), exhibited this mixed pattern by having studies showing a reduction (n = 4), increase (n = 1), mixed findings (n = 4), and no significant relationship (n = 6) as a result of public release. We also found a limited number of articles related to unintended consequences of public reporting. When compared with earlier systematic reviews, there seems to be a trend in the reduction of unintended consequences. Therefore, we recommend exploration of this potential trend in future studies empirically.
Practical Implications – The research findings summarized in this systematic review can be used to understand the results of existing transparency efforts and to develop future transparency initiatives that may better enhance hospital quality performance.
Originality/value – This is the latest and most comprehensive systematic review summarizing the effects of transparency of quality metrics on hospital care outcomes.
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Jennie Goforth, Winifred Fordham Metz and Kelsey Hammer
Academic libraries have long housed multimedia centers filled with digital media production equipment and software. All too frequently faculty members and students alike have…
Abstract
Purpose
Academic libraries have long housed multimedia centers filled with digital media production equipment and software. All too frequently faculty members and students alike have assumed that this technology is the key to effective digital media. It is assumed that because our “digital native” students are constantly immersed in media, they can create effective media instinctively. But, being a prolific consumer of media does not necessarily intuit the capacity to be an effective producer of media, and informed communication skills are of greater importance than a student’s software knowledge. This paper aims to describe partnering with faculty on media assignment design, providing a media instruction and consultation program, and providing spaces and technologies specifically designed to support multimedia literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper outlines programmatic and pedagogical strategies demonstrated to improve students’ acquisition of multimedia literacy skills. These strategies are based on the authors’ years of experience teaching and supporting multimedia literacy in the university curriculum and beyond. It concludes with a case study detailing a new program that leverages a library’s services in support of student creativity.
Findings
The paper outlines an eight-step workflow for media projects that is core to our multimedia literacy instruction program.
Originality/value
With digital literacy garnering renewed attention in higher education, academic libraries are ramping up their services in support of these goals. This paper focuses on strategies for deepening students’ media production competencies, rather than just teaching them software skills.
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This paper aims to explore the important role boundaries play in back-office framing of environmental engagement. This is of particular interest because it is not clear how…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the important role boundaries play in back-office framing of environmental engagement. This is of particular interest because it is not clear how organizations in an industry without standardized environmental reporting navigate their boundaries behind the scenes and why they engage with the environment the way they do. This element of their environmental identity offers important insights into the emergence of sustainability reporting.
Design/methodology/approach
Guided by Miles and Ringham (2019) the authors conduct an ethnography of the Montana ski industry. The ethnography includes extensive on-site observations at nine Montana ski areas and interviews with 16 ski area executives, two regulators and a land development executive.
Findings
The authors find three key boundaries – accountability structure, degree of regulatory burden and impact measurement approach – that shape the back-office economic and environmental framing of ski executives (Goffman, 1959, 1974). From these back-office frames the authors identify four front-office cultural performances – community ecosystem, quantitative ownership, approval seeking and advocacy platform – that represent the environmental engagement strategies at these resorts.
Practical implications
Understanding the relationships between boundaries and environmental engagement is an important step in developing appropriate industry-wide environmental accountability and sustainability expectations. The study’s findings extend to other industries that are both highly dependent on the environment and are in the early stages of developing environmental reporting standards.
Originality/value
Ski resorts operate in an industry that is impacted by changes in the natural environment. The authors chronicle the process by which boundaries lead to framing which leads to environmental engagement in this weather-dependent industry. The authors explain the process of environmental identity building, the result of which both precedes environmental reporting and puts such reporting into context. In this sense, the authors show how boundaries are set and maintained in the ski resort industry, and how fundamental these boundaries are to the development of individual companies' environmental engagement strategies.