Browsing by Subject "postsecondary"

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    Barriers to Health Engagement for Emerging Adults in Postsecondary Institutions of Durham, North Carolina
    (2018-01-25) Sicard, Kelsey
    The goal of this research project was to identify trends of and barriers to health engagement for emerging adults in postsecondary institutions. The motivation for studying health engagement—which includes all actions taken for, or behaviors relating to, the promotion of an individual’s health—stems from the growing prevalence and financial burden of chronic illness in the United States. Health engagement can help combat chronic illness by promoting more positive health outcomes. Emerging adults represent one target population for this health intervention since they are still forming their identities and lifelong habits. Postsecondary education is pursued by half of emerging adults in the U.S., so these institutions provide a natural avenue for research. This mixed-methods study focused on three postsecondary institutions which included a two-year community college, a public Historically Black University, and a four-year private institution. Statistical analyses on 874 survey responses found that engagement is a significant (p<0.001) predictor of self-reported health status and found significant differences (p<0.01) in the engagement scores and health outcomes among institutions. A regression model on the Youth Engagement with Health Services score identified significant predictors of engagement (R2=0.15; p<0.001). Focus groups, which included a total of 30 participants, helped inform the barriers faced by students and helped explain the significance of the variables in the model. Finally, an engagement process emerged that provides a foundation for institutional policy change to address these barriers.
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    Development and Assessment of the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate General Education Foreign Language Requirement
    (Foreign Language Annals, 2014-01-01) Thompson, RJ; Walther, I; Tufts, C; Lee, KC; Paredes, L; Fellin, L; Andrews, E; Serra, M; Hill, JL; Tate, EB; Schlosberg, L
    © 2014 by American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This article describes a faculty-led, multiyear process of formulating learning objectives and assessing the effectiveness of a foreign language requirement for all College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates at a research university. Three interrelated research questions were addressed: (1) What were the levels and patterns of language courses completed under the language requirement compared to those under the previous curriculum? (2) To what extent was the oral proficiency learning objective being attained? and (3) How did oral proficiency vary by course level and the patterns of courses completed to satisfy the language requirement? The oral proficiency of 614 students was assessed with the Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview and categorized in terms of ACTFL ratings. Study findings indicated that 76% of students met or exceeded the objective of the Intermediate Mid level of oral proficiency and that oral proficiency differed by course level and the pattern of courses completed to satisfy the language requirement. In particular, the impact of completing an advanced-level course was clear, which in turn had implications for curricular policies and academic advising. It is argued that faculty-led evaluation of program effectiveness, in which assessment approaches are both summative and formative and findings are routinely used to improve educational practices as well as document student learning, is the necessary context for developing an evidence-based approach to undergraduate language education.