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The Relationship Between Frequency of Yoga and Meditation on PTSD Symptoms in Individuals Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence
Get PDFIntimate partner violence (IPV) has become a growing phenomenon in the United States,
affecting nearly 13% of the population. The adverse mental health outcomes from people who experience IPV are prevalent and more than half have a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, therapeutic techniques for PTSD appear to be feasible for IPV survivors and their mental health issues. Complementary and alternative medicine has become a widely accepted approach for PTSD. Being two complementary and alternative medicine techniques, yoga and meditation are effective forms of therapy in many diagnoses, including PTSD. This study utilized a not-for-profit organization called the Purple Dot Yoga Project that helps individuals who suffer from IPV with yoga and meditation techniques. The researcher utilized their resources and collected survey information on 52 individuals who had experienced some form of IPV in their lifetime. The two hypotheses that were tested were whether higher use of yoga predicted lower PTSD scores on a PTSD Checklist in individuals who survived IPV and whether higher use of meditation predicted lower PTSD scores on a PTSD Checklist in individuals who survived IPV. Results from this study found that greater use of yoga and meditation were better predictors of lower PTSD scores in individuals who experienced IPV
Effect of Attentional Focus on Learning and Performance in Youth Sports
Get PDFYouth athletes are different from adult and elite athletes in several domains that include cognitive resources, working memory, automaticity of motor movements, conscious control for propensity, attentional focus, and acquisition of motor-skills. Due to significant differences between athletes, not all instructions and feedback provided by coaches are best suited for every player. Instructions and feedback may direct an athlete’s attentional focus and cognitive resources incorrectly leading to poor acquisition and performance of motor-skills. Clinical psychologists with knowledge of motor-skill acquisition, cognitive resources, learning theory, conscious control propensity, automaticity of motor movements, constrained action hypothesis, and attentional focus can follow the Youth Sports Consultation Model when working with youth sports programs, coaches, and youth athletes to improve the youth athlete’s experience by improving the language used by coaches and correctly directing the youth athlete’s attentional focus during the performance and acquisition of motor-skills
A Renaissance in Making: New Theory, New Philosophy, and New Research and Teaching Concepts
Get PDFA Renaissance in Making: New Theory, New Philosophy and New Research and Teaching Concepts
Teachers’ Voice: Teacher Participation in Curriculum Development Process
Get PDFThe purpose of this research was to understand the phenomenon of participation in curriculum development process through the eyes of teachers. In this research, qualitative instrumental case study design was adopted. The participants of this research were consisted of teachers (n = 27) working in five public high schools in the province of Nigde, Turkey. The data of the research were collected by using a semi-structured interview form. For the data analysis, content analysis was used to identify the concepts and relations in regard of the collected data. In this research, thick descriptions, prolonged engagement, expert examination, and participant confirmation techniques were used to provide evidence for the trustworthiness of the findings. According to the findings of the research, it was found a total of four sub-categories for each main category, including curriculum development at central level and curriculum development at local level
Establishing A Program For Teacher Micro-Credentials To Support Individual Professional Learning
Get PDFThis policy advocacy document discusses a change in local board of education policy in a school district to require the annual approval of a professional learning program which includes options for a micro-credentialing, a self-directed, job-embedded professional learning practice which allows teachers more freedom to choose a focus and pacing for their learning experiences. Currently, board policy directs the creation of a staff development committee to plan professional learning activities but does not require an approved formal plan or the establishment of a credentialing system to evidence teacher learning. A local policy that requires the annual approval of a professional learning plan would provide a direction for professional growth in the district, as well as an alignment with the board and school goals. Additionally, a credentialing system would provide teachers with opportunities for guided self-study and opportunities to work with coaches and colleagues in a structured manner. The district could also use a micro-credentialing program to establish base competencies that new teachers could build upon as they enter the district. Veteran teachers could pursue more advanced credentials, continuing to build on their practice as their careers progress. This document analyzes the context of this change and the conditions under which it could be implemented and thrive
Evaluating the Hiring Practices of a Small Suburban Chicago School District
Get PDFThis document is an evaluation of the hiring practices of a small suburban school district located north of the city of Chicago. The district is routinely near the top of the list of any evaluation of elementary school districts in the area and is not in desperate need for large-scale change, but does have visionary leadership and is always striving for improvement. After extensive conversations with those who do the hiring in the school district, there were items uncovered that could use some attention. The plan to implement those changes is contained within the companion change plan to this document
Rethinking the Hiring Practices of a Small Suburban Chicago School District
Get PDFThis change plan was developed from the program evaluation centered on the teacher hiring processes in District 1, a small school district in north suburban Chicago. Following extensive interviews with those who do the hiring in District 1 and a review of relevant literature, recommendations were made to improve an already successful hiring process. This plan was developed around Tony Wagner’s Four C’s framework. The District 1 hiring process was analyzed for its context, culture, competencies, and conditions both in its current state and as it will be when the outlined changes are implemented. Strategies and actions for change were also discussed. This paper falls less under the heading of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” and more under the idea that change is important even for high performing organizations
The Effect of Gender Psychology Course on the Attitudes toward Gender Role by Undergraduate University Students in Turkey
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to investigate whether a semester-long gender psychology course had an impact on the attitudes of undergraduates towards gender roles. To this and, a pretest-posttest analysis was carried out in a state university in Tokat, Turkey, employing a sample of 60 university students; 30 of whom had taken the course and 30 of whom had not. As a result of this study, it was concluded that the gender psychology course positively contributed to university students’ egalitarian gender role attitudes. Indeed, the attitudes of the university students taking the course changed considerably at the end of the semester, developing more favorable attitudes toward gender issues
Evaluating Elementary Teaching Undergraduate Programs In Terms Of Culturally Responsive Elementary Teacher Training
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the elementary teaching undergraduate programs in Turkey in terms of educating the culturally responsive elementary teachers. In this direction, the phenomenological design was preferred. Data were collected from the elementary teacher candidates and instructors via interviews. In the light of the findings and conclusions obtained, it is seen that the processes and experiences are not given at the level of acquiring the knowledge and skills related to the cultural responsive teaching for the elementary teacher candidates. Furthermore, it has been determined that the subjects related to cultural responsive teaching are very limited in the content of the course and they are not carried out with a cultural responsive pedagogy conception in the learning - teaching process. Additively, it has been seen that instructors in the elementary teacher education program do not have professional formation knowledge and skills related to cultural responsive teaching. Finally, proposals were made to update the program on who are cultural responsiveness
A Phenomenological Study On The Perceptions Of The Veterans Transition Into The Civilian Workforce
Get PDFThis study evaluated three specific factors affecting Veterans who have separated from military service and transitioned into the civilian workforce. The support and resources offered and received, as well as the participants’ adaptability in handling the transition, were examined. Additionally, perceptions of success and transition readiness were studied. Prior research on veterans indicate that many face challenges beyond service, including difficulty in finding employment. The impacts of participating in supportive services and obtaining work, particularly in relation to how respondents perceive the post military experience as either aligned or not with their pre-existing knowledge and skill sets were considered. In Study 1, a quantitative examination of veterans and their soldier identity in their transition from the military to the civilian workforce was examined. Differences were found suggesting that gender differences in attitudes toward being a soldier depended on participants’ current employment status. Study 2 uses a qualitative methodology to pursue the perceptions of female veterans to get a broader sense of their success in obtaining employment once separated from service. Using transition theory, identity theory, and the 4S model of transition, the themes that developed could be best represented in a broader three-pronged framework: perceptions of identity during service, motivation behind departure, and transition support. Based on the newly developed model, several possible future directions of research and practice are discussed