Summit Institutional Repository @ PSU (Plymouth State University)
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Principal attitude and definition of inclusion: the impact on student placement in New Hampshire
Get PDFStudents with educational disabilities are placed into a variety of settings to receive their education. The percentage of students with disabilities being placed in general education classrooms varies across the State of New Hampshire. Educational placement of students appears to be related to the availability of resources and the local district's practice in regard to inclusion rather than being based upon student specific needs (McLeskey, Henry, & Axelrod, 1999). New Hampshire public school principals were recruited to participate in this multilevel mixed methods study. Differences in responses based on principals' geographic or demographic variables were non-significant according to data analysis. Responses indicate that principal attitude toward inclusion is less positive when considering the inclusion of students with disabilities whose behavior or need for support might disrupt the learning of students without disabilities. Implications for practice include community education on the benefits of inclusion for all students and increased professional development specific to inclusion that focuses on practices that would support the inclusion of students whose disabilities manifest in a manner that could disrupt the learning of others.Electronic Thesis or Dissertatio
From refugee camp to project
Get PDFThrough hip hop dance, traditional Khmer dance, theater and story telling, Sokeo Ros shares his life story: how, born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand and raised in a Providence, Rhode Island neighborhood filled with gangs, poverty and violence, he found meaning, expression and connection through hip hop and dance. A partnership between the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire and the PSU Dance Division with funding from the Education, Democracy and Social Change Integrated Cluster, provided 750 students the opportunity to interact with Sokeo. Students from across New Hampshire in public, private and charter schools, higher education and private dance studios engaged in history, dance making, performance and storytelling as part of the week long residency.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Restoring flow in the Beebe River: implications for eastern brook trout
Get PDFWild populations of Eastern Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) have been declining across their historic range. The Beebe River watershed (Campton and Sandwich, NH) possesses an intact, robust population of wild Brook trout. Recent private acquisition of the Beebe River uplands (5,435 acres) by The Conservation Fund includes the creation of a sustainable management plan focusing on preserving this unique population. During 2016, Plymouth State University and NH Fish and Game Department collected demographic, genetic, and movement data to understand the impacts of habitat degradation and fragmentation caused by impassible, human-made barriers. In 2017, five undersized road crossings over headwater tributaries draining into the Beebe River will be replaced with bridges. Monitoring will continue during (2017) and after (2018) culvert replacement to measure the impacts of increased connectivity. We predict that culvert removal will increase fish movement between and within tributaries, providing enhanced access to thermal refuge and spawning habitat, ultimately resulting in increased genetic variation and a decrease in negative impacts of inbreeding as a result of isolation. This project is a unique opportunity to document and track restored habitat connectivity on the genetic structure, demographics, and movement patterns of a wild Brook trout population in northern New England.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Cadaver lab
Get PDFAthletic Training students from the undergraduate and graduate programs as well as students from the Exercise & Sport Physiology program attended a wrist and hand cadaver lab at the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute. The goal of the project was two-fold; (1) combine an inter-professional education experience for the students, (2) while establishing the partnership and expertise of an orthopedic surgeon.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Youth substance use prevention program evaluations: partnership with a community non-profit organization
Get PDFStudents enrolled in CO5070 Research Design in the Helping Professions worked in small groups partnering with the Communities for Alcohol and Drug-free Youth (CADY) to develop program evaluation instruments for CADY programs that address youth substance use prevention and intervention. Each student group chose a CADY program and conducted a thorough literature review of the problem the program addresses. Groups defined the specific program and provided a detailed description of program methodology. Each group developed an evaluation instrument for CADY to gather data and assess outcomes for the program. The project purpose is to 1) provide real-world experience for students to learn program evaluation design, and 2) for CADY to utilize the program evaluation instruments for each program. Student groups submitted poster presentation proposals of their program evaluation project to the Plymouth State University 2017 Showcase of Excellence. Students have the option to submit proposals to future conferences that align with their specific project and their area of interest, such as the New Hampshire School Counseling Association Conference and the National Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Best practice early childhood education assessment system incorporating nh early learning standards
Get PDFThe NH Early Learning Standards, adopted 2015, contain over 550 progress indicators in five learning domains from birth through age 5, and include the NH Kindergarten Readiness indicators. This is a daunting amount of information for early childhood educators to consolidate, especially considering that appropriate assessment for the youngest learners differs significantly from assessment practices for older children. Their physical, social and academic development is highly varied and children are very likely to reach milestones well before, or well after, the average age of expectancy, but still fall within normal progression parameters. The formidable task of actively using NHELS means EC educators must recognize every indicator of progress, for every child, throughout the events of every day, and record them as they happen. My goal was to build a tool that would make this possible. The spreadsheet I constructed matches each NHELS indicator of progress to activities from the Montessori EC curriculum, creating observable assessment opportunities. These are organized into progressive quarterly curriculum design suggestions. Drop down boxes facilitate the recording of achieved skills and identify their appropriate NHELS learning domain. A report page generates individual information for each student, providing opportunities for frequent distribution of information to parents.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
An investigation of the impact of dental hygiene clinical instructors' emotional intelligence on clinical teaching effectiveness
Get PDFThe purpose of this mixed methods study was to measure the clinical teaching effectiveness (CTE) and emotional intelligence (EI) of dental hygiene (DH) clinical instructors, and to identify any statistically significant correlations found between the CTE and EI assessment outcomes. The qualitative phase of the study was intended to increase understanding of the outcomes from the CTE and EI quantitative assessments using data collected from the quantitative phase of the study. Two online assessments, the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the modified version of the Nursing Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI), were used to measure EI and CTE. Demographic data collected from participants was also included in the statistical analysis. The qualitative phase of the study used a virtual meeting platform to collect data via one-on-one online interviews using open-ended questions to garner the participants' understanding of EI and its role in the DH clinical teaching environment. Forty-two clinical instructors completed both the MSCEIT and the modified NCTEI. The exploratory data analysis, using Spearman's ranked correlation coefficient and regression analysis, revealed strong correlations existed between MSCEIT outcomes and self-assessed CTE. The data collected from one-on-one interviews, analyzed using a thematic analysis, and comparison to quantitative data revealed a correlation existed between responses to the open-ended questions and the participants' MSCEIT scores. The study found the need for raised awareness of the link between CTE and EI in DH clinical faculty, and determined the development of EI skills in instructors may improve the learning experiences of students in DH clinical settings.Electronic Thesis or Dissertatio
Characteristics that affect valuation of ecosystem services in the Great Bay Estuary watershed
Get PDFAccording to the US EPA, the Great Bay Estuary (GBE) is recognized as one of the country's twenty-eight "estuaries of national significance" due to its various uses ranging from drinking water to recreational activities to wildlife habitat. However, the GBE has also been experiencing negative impacts as a result of increased human activity and development in the surrounding watershed. Some of these impacts include: increased non-point source pollution of excess nutrients, decreased dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, and increased impervious surface cover. Due to the observed connections between the state of tributaries flowing into the GBE and the health of the GBE, this research aims to look at the ecosystem services of value to stakeholders in the Lamprey, Oyster, and Cocheco watersheds. A more specific area of this project will be to determine which characteristics (if any) influence a stakeholder's decision-making in relation to the status of the GBE. Some characteristics that will be observed include: geographic distance to the GBE, community type, time of residence, demographics, and prior level of awareness. This aspect of the project is important because it can further reveal differences in valuation by specific groups and how to address community concerns.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Healthy PSU: PSU summit day
Get PDFPSU Summit Day is a collaborative project between Healthy PSU and our Adventure Education Dept./Outdoor Center. The goal is to engage leaders/participants in a meaningful group physical activity, hiking outdoors with a purposeful intention while promoting personal growth and leadership. This experience will provide an opportunity for individuals to strive towards the summit of a given mountain while connecting with others to build social support, health & well-being. The participants will be introduced to trail hiking techniques, safety and equipment needs, physical activity assessments, proper nutrition and hydration, medical questionnaires, journal reflection and access to the Wellness Council of America's On the Move University on-line/mobile platform. All of which will prepare them for a safe, guided hiking experience in the beautiful mountains of New Hampshire.Student Showcase of Excellence 201
Kayla Itsines: the key to virtual training success
No full textThe virtual training market dominates modern social media, and Kayla Itsines dominates the virtual training market. Itsines is the number one searched for women's fitness trainer on the internet. What is fueling her success? The answer lies in her strategic use of social media to engage with her audience.The purpose of this study is to analyze, critique, and provide recommendations for the social media strategy of Kayla Itsines and her company Bikini Body Guide Inc. The first phase of this project involves a textual analysis of Itsines' major social media accounts including: Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Content, audience engagement, brand impact, and exposure are analyzed to determine the purpose and effectiveness of each medium. Next, the data from each platform is compiled to examine the over-all focus of Kayla Itsine's social media strategy. Recommendations for improvement are then formulated. Considering good social media marketing practices, and the socio-cultural norms/expectations of Itsines' target audience, the recommendations for improvement are: Reduce amount of social media saturation; A company rebrand that moves away from the termStudent Showcase of Excellence 201