1337 research outputs found
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Strategic management of nonprofit resources: expanding perspectives in the nonprofit sector
No full textResearch was conducted on the area of nonprofit management of resources as it pertains to strategic governance models, stakeholder expectations, and the current climate of the nonprofit sector. Leadership trends in conjunction with data obtained from the nonprofit organization, The Wounded Warrior Project, demonstrated contrasts between stakeholder perceptions of program expenditures and funds spent in varying overhead allotments. The importance of nonprofit governing procedures is relevant to donor beliefs and the generation of continued financial support. However, data and research obtained demonstrated the need for the nonprofit organization to embrace proven business models that rely on necessary expenditures to ultimately sustain the mission and serve a public benefit. Recommendations posited focused on a renewed embrace of for-profit patterns of success adopted by nonprofit strategic management scenarios. While the nonprofit sector holds a unique and indispensable role in domestic models of business governance, the tools and approaches largely adopted by the for-profit arena can benefit the nonprofit sphere and promote sustainability
Effects of trained preceptors on new graduate nurses’ transition to practice: An integrative literature review
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this review was to compare current research related to preceptorship programs with trained preceptors and to determine the effects that trained preceptors have on the transition to practice for new graduate nurses. Design: An integrated literature review was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative peer reviewed research studies on preceptorships in acute care settings. Boychuk Duchscher’s Transition Shock Theory guided this review. Methods: Research published between the years of 2010-2015, was obtained through a structured electronic data search. Findings and conclusions were synthesized into major themes. Findings: Ten studies were analyzed and seven major themes were identified as a result. The themes include the following: turnover, job satisfaction, stress management, critical thinking, work engagement and communication, role development/competence, and confidence. Conclusions: The findings support the integration of a preceptor training program at the institution in which the preceptorship takes place. Relevance to Nursing Education: Current and future preceptor training programs should be created, evaluated, and implemented by the nurse educators at that institution
The effects of behavior tracking on the compliance of middle school students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities
No full textThis action research project studies the effects of behavior tracking on middle school students with intellectual disabilities. Three middle school students with intellectual disabilities participated in a six week intervention process that included conferencing, goal setting, and behavior tracking
The effects of systematic and explicit morphologic instruction of prefixes on vocabulary acquisition and comprehension
Get PDFThis study investigated the effects of a systematic and explicit morphological intervention of prefixes on the vocabulary and comprehension performance of fifteen fourth grade students in an urban primary school in the Midwestern United States. The intervention focused on systematic and explicit instruction, practice, and review of the 20 most commonly used prefixes in the English language (Stahl, 1999). A variety informal vocabulary and comprehension assessments were administered and used to analyze the effects of the intervention. Although the data demonstrated mixed results, the morphologic intervention greatly improved students understanding of the 20 most common prefixes and showed promising students growth in both vocabulary and comprehension
The use of sitters in healthcare facilities: An integrative review
No full textPurpose: Review literature and evaluate strategies that may be effective alternatives to sitters in healthcare settings. Design: Integrative literature review and synthesis. Methods: Comprehensive research review exploring alternatives to the use of sitters in health care facilities. Findings: Alternatives include meaningful engagement, staff education, safe environments and equipment e.g. video monitoring or alarms. Conclusion: Sitter use is not cost effective and does not provide freedom from injury for patients in healthcare facilities. Challenging nurses to institute more effective ways of keeping vulnerable patients safe and generating additional evidence about alternatives to sitters is needed. Relevance to Nursing: Evaluation of current practice to ensure nurses are providing evidence based care to patients and their families
Effective Vocabulary Instruction Using the Four Domains of Language
Get PDFThe purpose of this action research study was to determine whether using the four domains of language (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) during vocabulary instruction in reading and math would impact students’ vocabulary knowledge. The sample population consisted of high school students who were receiving Title I services in both reading and math. In total, 14 African-American students participated. These 14 participants were taught weekly target words in both reading and math during an eight-week period. The study was divided into a four-week nonintervention period and a four-week intervention period. During the nonintervention period, students utilized listening and speaking to discuss each word in different contexts. During the intervention period, the same students utilized reading and writing, as well as listening and speaking, to interact with each word in multiple contexts. Additionally, throughout the nonintervention and intervention, students self-assessed their knowledge of the terms via the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart. Data comparing the nonintervention and the intervention pre- and posttest vocabulary scores revealed that students made significant gains in their ability to define the target words, compose sentences utilizing the words in context, and complete a cloze activity after receiving the intervention. Likewise, students overall increased their self-rating of the terms via the Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart, meaning students believed they could better define and use the terms after receiving the intervention. Limitations of the study included a small sample population (14 students) over a short duration (eight weeks). As a result of this study, the following recommendations for effective vocabulary instruction were made for classroom teachers: provide explicit instruction in metacognition, focus on a limited number of words in multiple contexts, and incorporate the four domains of language
Developing a case for a more granular examination in the selection of information technology job roles most suitable for outsourcing and offshore placement
Get PDFThis study reviewed shortcomings present in the process of selecting the scope of offshore outsourcing vendor usage. While extensive financial cost information is available to companies considering this alternative, there is little mentioned of the quality of service performance experienced by the internal work teams that act as the primary consumers of these contracted services. Additionally, it is common practice to contract offshore outsourcing on a project or departmental level without granular examination of suitability at the job role level. This study surveyed a representative sample (n = 30) of IT professionals, and addressed two related research questions regarding internal value return. The first questioned whether a satisfactory level of overall job performance is returned by holistically-outsourced IT services to offshore vendors and results were inconclusive. The second examined if differences were present between work teams responsible for various IT functions, indicating a need for more granular consideration and found significant differences between work teams\u27 needs. As to the first research question, results were calculated from the aggregate mean of each departmental review with which the respondent had direct experience. Overall job performance satisfaction was measured using the t-test methodology as minimally sub-par, with insufficient significance to reject the possibility of sampling error, t (22) = 2.57, p \u3e .05. As to the second research question, departmental satisfaction ratings in 10 factors relevant to service delivery were analyzed for variation in order to determine if significant valuation differences were present. Significant variation present in satisfaction levels between teams are representative of variation in factor importance by department. Three discrete departments -- Application Development, Server Operations, & Solutions and Architecture were examined. An analysis of variance showed that the effect of performance factor was significant F (9, 27) = 304.434, p \u3c 1 that the effect of work team was significant at F (3, 27) = 43.190, p \u3c 1. As both performance factor and work team variations were significant above the confidence level (95%) chosen as the threshold, the null hypothesis that there was no variation in factor delivery efficacy was rejected. The results of the second research question of whether a more detailed and granular examination would reveal differences in factor importance -- or the difference in emphasis on one factor over another, a statistically significant finding that such differences are present was found. Significant differences in value perception present between individual work teams and the collective totals indicated that each work team was unique in their expectations -- and valuation -- of services provided.In order, therefore, to provide optimal value, a more granular examination of each position or team to be outsourced should be conducted in order to reserve those positions that do not perform well for in-house performance, and only outsource those positions likely to do well to an offshore vendor. As each company requires its own unique mix of IT management needs appropriate their situation, each IT work team was found to have a level of unique need as well. These needs define work team satisfaction levels with services provided. Additionally, companies that avoid single factor decision-making with regard to offshore outsourced vendor use may see more optimal results. For the same reasons outlined above, the service delivery performance seen by internal work teams reflect the quality of work performed by the vendor. If such value degrades below satisfactory levels, it is possible to erode the savings realized by cost incentives to a negative return
An opportunity for improvement: The conversion of coal burning power plants at the WEC Energy Group
No full textPower generation facilities all over the nation are feeling the stress from increasingly stringent environmental regulations and emission requirements. The WEC Energy Group, located primarily in Wisconsin, is no exception. The burning of coal to make electricity has been a long-going environmental concern for decades now. This concern effects the triple bottom line for organizations like the WEC Energy Group, for operating outside of permitted power plant emissions will be costly, harmful for the planet, and negatively affect those who inhabit it. This capstone project focuses on the benefits of converting an existing coal-burning power plant within the company, and discovered whether or not the company would find value from such a project. The opportunity presented throughout this capstone will answer the question: how will converting an existing coal-burning power plant to natural gas benefit people, planet, and profit at the WEC Energy Group
The Effects of a Story Elements Graphic Organizer on the Reading Comprehension of Intermediate Elementary Students
No full textThis study examined how a Story Elements graphic organizer affects reading comprehension. Participants included one fourth grade male and one fifth grade female. Over the course of four weeks, students attended 50 minute sessions in which the areas of reading rate, miscues, retelling, and reading comprehension were assessed. Students received modeling in various reading strategies based on his/her individual needs. Results show that a Story Elements graphic organizer does positively affect reading comprehension for retelling and explicit reading comprehension. Students improved his/her retelling percentage and number of correct explicit reading comprehension questions from the beginning of the intervention to the end of the intervention, according to pre-assessment tests and post-assessment tests. Implicit reading comprehension scores for each student remained the same throughout the study
Word Families and Decoding by Analogy for Word Recognition
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to determine if utilizing decoding by analogy through phonograms will increase second grade students’ word identification skills. Six second-grade students participate in the seven-week quantitative study. The six students received explicit instruction in phonogram study through decoding by analogy as a method of word attack to read an unknown word. In addition to the explicit instruction, the students had application time during the instruction to write and read the words in the context of literature. A pre-test post-test design helped determine student achievement in recognizing words in isolation with common phonogram patterns. The results indicated that all students increase their word recognition skills. This study raises questions about the best ways to instruct students for rapid recognition of words in isolation or in the context of literature