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Impact of COVID-19 on a Participatory Action Research Project: Group Level Assessments with Undergraduate Women in Engineering
Get PDFAs participatory action researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic, we struggle with maintaining meaningful collaboration with our community partners while navigating social distancing guidelines. For the past several years, we have been working with undergraduate women in engineering at a large, public, mid-western research university to assess their experiences on campus and during their co-op rotations in order to influence equitable programming and inclusive practices at our institution. We have been primarily using Group-Level Assessment, a qualitative, participatory research method that is rooted in inclusivity, stakeholder engagement, and instigating actionable change. When our university went remote, we were faced with the challenge of transitioning our community research partnership online and continuing to use our chosen method. The current article compares participant experiences in both an in-person and remote environment, in order to assess the effectiveness of moving our participatory research practices to an online platform. Findings indicated that while both in-person and virtual Group-Level Assessments allowed participants to better understand others’ experiences and allowed their voices to be heard, the in-person method was more engaging. However, the virtual method allowed for more time to do action planning
A Discussion of Programmatic Differences within Mathematics Content Courses for Prospective Elementary Teachers
No full textProspective elementary teacher (PSET) education programs vary greatly in the courses and course sequences employed to prepare their students. This article explores potential tradeoffs that arise for mathematics teacher educators, PSETs, and their future students due to the choices PSET education programs make regarding their design. Specifically, the sequencing of content and pedagogy across courses, integration of content and pedagogy within courses, content coverage, mathematical rigor, and interactions between PSETs’ beliefs and experiences are explored from the perspective of mathematics teacher educators using vignettes. Based on the vignettes and literature, future directions for research regarding PSET education program design are suggested
Focusing on both sides of the balance sheet: the potential benefit of liability management
No full textDebt has become a significant issue among U.S. households with average household interest pay- ments on liabilities exceeding expected returns on investment assets by more than 50%. In this study, we explore the role of U.S. household debt and analyze the impact of different economic, demo- graphic, and behavioral factors on household borrowing decisions, with a particular focus on “good” and “bad” debts, which depend on type and interest rate. We estimate significant potential benefits with improved liability management and find that households with lower asset, income, and educa- tion levels are likely to benefit most from assistance with debt optimization
Financial (il)literacy vs. individual’s behavior: evidence on credit card repayment patterns
No full textWe explore the role that financial (il)literacy and personal traits have on financial behavior. Using a sample of 156 college students from the United States, we provide unique empirical evidence by specifically differen- tiating between individuals with higher levels of financial literacy versus individuals declaring not knowing the answers to financial literacy questions and those answering incorrectly. Thus, we assess the implications of revealed lack of financial knowledge on financial behavior regarding credit card use in comparison with two other cohorts; cohort one answering correctly, and cohort two failing to answer correctly. A novelty of our study is that we contrast these results to the behavioral factors of over spending and surprised levels of spend- ing—proxies for personality traits—when using credit card. Our exploratory empirical findings indicate that among personal-traits considered in this study overspending results in lack of payment in full in credit card debt, and more importantly these effects dominate any gains derived from financial literacy. To this extent fi- nancial literacy appears to only play a marginal role avoiding month-to-month credit card debt. Furthermore, financial knowledge derived from parents has a strong positive effect on individuals’ financial behavior espe- cially for students characterized by a relevant financial illiteracy. The implications of this research support the argumentation that early financial literacy may have the strongest effect in shaping individuals inherent behav- ior patterns; that is, early exposure to financial education is strictly preferred and should be promoted at early stages of the educational system
Efficacy of Border-Crossing Service-Learning in Empathy and Moral Development: Urban Students in the Rural Developing World
Get PDFFor a service-learning course focusing on poverty, students from a Hong Kong university took a 12-day trip to engage in various poverty alleviation services in Cambodia. This course was border-crossing on five dimensions: (1) urban versus rural, (2) developed versus developing world location, (3) classroom versus practical and experiential, (4) Hong Kong versus Cambodian (cross-cultural), and (5) teachers’ paternalism versus students’ voice. Students’ firsthand observation of service recipients’ absolute poverty gave them a deeper understanding of the problem of poverty. Evidence indicates that this service-learning experience led to incremental, rather than striking, empathy building and moral development, and built on cognitive empathy more than affective empathy. However, as an invaluable experience in the formative years of these undergraduates, this border-crossing service-learning trip may pave the way for future subtle or evident changes in their lives through having broadened their horizons and given exposure to another culture socioeconomically, culturally, and nationally
Role Model Moms Post-Secondary Academy: A University-Community Collaboration to Encourage Access to Post-Secondary for Marginalized Women
Get PDFThe Role Model Moms (RMM) program supports low-income mothers completing their General Equivalency Diplomas. Postsecondary education (PSE) can break cycles of intergenerational poverty; however, existing PSE orientation resources were not designed for this group. Thus, a need existed for a new university resource utilizing a collaborative and community-engagement approach to provide tailored information on PSE for RMM participants. The RMM Post-Secondary Academy was developed to bridge this gap. It was evaluated via facilitator debriefing sessions, postevent surveys, and participant interviews, with results analyzed using basic statistics and descriptive thematic analysis. The event has run for three iterations, inviting 42, 45, and 38 women, respectively. Participants improved their understanding of and outlook on PSE. Their PSE concerns included family, financial, and academic barriers. This event provides a replicable model for responsive and cost-effective community programming. Community engagement ensured the content was relevant and applicable to the target audience
Community Engagement by Social Design: Research and Outreach Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFWe herein present a university–community engagement established between the Social Design Integrated Center of the Design School (CIDS/UEMG) at Minas Gerais State University and the Lagoinha Complex community. One day before we started the extension project Como a Palma de Minha Mão (Like the Palm of My Hand), social distancing was decreed in our town due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three months after the suspension of our actions, we had adapted to all changes imposed by the pandemic and resumed activities. These pandemic challenges us to be open to learning more about and with these communities as we have close contact with them, but how can we promote this engagement remotely? This challenge especially applies to the elderly population that integrates the leading risk group but lacks access to new communication technologies in Brazil
Financial, demographic, and psychological differences between chapter 13 bankruptcy filers and non-filers
No full textThis study finds financial, demographic, and psychological differences between Chapter 13 filers and non-filers. Financial training reduces the likelihood of filing for personal bankruptcy. Males are twice as likely as females to be filers. Blacks are twice as likely as Whites to be filers. A single per- son is 38% less likely to file than a married person. Homeowners are five times as likely as renters to be filers. Increases in education, religious commitment, and parents’ income reduce the likelihood of filing. Increases in the psychological factors, self-efficacy, locus of control, and self-control, reduce the likelihood of filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcies. These results can be used to influence public policy to reduce personal bankruptcy
Income more important than financial literacy for improving wellbeing
No full textAs advocates of financial literacy education, it is a hard pill to swallow when data show little impact on financial behaviors. Unfortunately, expectations that university students with higher levels of financial literacy have reduced money management stress and positive financial behavior, leading to higher levels of financial wellbeing, were expunged in this study. We did find, however, that being older and having higher levels of income contributed most significantly and consistently to explain- ing better financial wellbeing. Proponents of financial literacy education should not despair but instead recognize the limits to transferring financial knowledge and set financial literacy and well- being goals based on evidence of what works