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The Kentucky Graduate Profile
Get PDFThe Kentucky Graduate Profile pursues Kentucky’s statewide effort to close employability gaps between the knowledge, skills, and abilities that students learn in college and the skills employers seek—but who often report they find these skills lacking in new employees
Supporting the Well-being and Engagement of Occupational Therapy Students through Sensory Modulation: A Pilot Study
Get PDFStudent well-being is an increasing area of concern within higher education and one of the biggest causes of attrition. This study sought to investigate the potential for sensory modulation strategies as an approach to support student well-being and engagement in studies through an action research project. Sixteen second-year occupational therapy students took part in a two-week trial of items designed to support sensory modulation, following which they were asked to complete an online survey evaluating the effectiveness of the item in relation to affect, regulation, attention, and activity. Eight students completed the survey containing a mix of Likert scale and free text responses. Results of the surveys were analyzed through descriptive statistical analysis of numerical data and quantitative content analysis of textual data informed by a pre-existing framework derived from a model of Sensory Integration. While preliminary in nature, the results of the survey suggested a positive impact on affect, specifically anxiety, overall regulation, and ability to engage in studies, suggesting a connection between these factors. An additional code was identified during the analysis of strategy mismatch to reflect barriers encountered relating to the extent of and longevity of use of the strategies. Further research on a larger scale is needed to more fully investigate the potential of this approach for facilitating increased student well-being
The Missing Piece: How Should the Deaf Community Be Represented in Children’s Literature?
Get PDFConsidering the impact of inaccurate representation on the Deaf community, the present study is focused on determining exactly what message about the Deaf community needs to be represented in children’s media. Using a standardized survey, it was expected that the most common responses would correlate with messages presented in past research. These common responses include, but are not limited to, a need for authentic representation of Deaf characters who do not rely on medical interventions to function in society (Emmett, 2022). Additionally, an increase in accurate representation of the Deaf community in early childhood classes, through children’s books and classroom materials, may help to decrease the amount of isolation and mental health problems that deaf and hard-of-hearing children face (Favazza et al., 2017). Potential survey groups were identified based on their interaction with or being a part of the Deaf community. The responses indicated that several messages would be most beneficial to be presented to children, such as appreciating people’s differences, the importance of having pride in Deaf culture, deafness is not a disability, and social acceptance and accessibility. This study provides vital information about the message(s) that the Deaf community itself believes would be most helpful to be presented to children
Preschool Survival Guide: Gardening
Get PDFNature-based learning can be defined as utilizing nature in learning experiences to meet developmental domains. The benefits of nature-based learning and play in early childhood are significant. Children who engage in nature have active imaginations, learn new concepts and vocabulary, have respect for their environments, learn and understand biodiversity, have better problem-solving skills and so much more. Despite these benefits, the low prevalence of nature and science-based activities in early childhood classrooms continues to exist due to the lack of knowledge and confidence in these specific subjects. This thesis analyzes developmentally appropriate practices needed to effectively implement science and nature activities in the traditional classroom. This project was created to encourage early childhood educators to begin implementing nature-based activities in their everyday classroom environments. The creation of this guide will support early childhood educators in implementing developmentally appropriate practices, activities, and standards to use during gardening activities. Using these techniques provided in my guide, teachers will feel more supported, encouraged, and inspired to incorporate more science and nature into everyday classroom activities. Understanding what nature in early childhood looks like, how to appropriately implement these activities to support development, and how to continue these activities in the classroom are the main goals of this project
The Effects of Regional Terms and Accents When Identifying Words
No full textWhile research on dialect comprehension has received substantial attention, there is a notable gap in the literature concerning regional words in the United States. While linguistic studies have delved into the comprehension of dialects on a global and national scale, the specific lexicon and vocabulary associated with various U.S. regions have been relatively overlooked. The goal of this project is to determine the influence of regional terms on vocabulary comprehension, specifically focusing on identifying Appalachian words. Using student participants from Eastern Kentucky University, Mouse Tracking software was employed as individuals were tasked with reading words displayed on the screen and identifying their meaning by choosing the right image. The study included terms commonly used in the Appalachian region and terms from other regions across the United States. The study findings suggest that individuals born in Kentucky identify better the “Appalachian words, while those born in other states perform better with the other words. Investigating how individuals process and comprehend these region-specific terms is essential for a comprehensive understanding of how language dynamics operate in the United States.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1365/thumbnail.jp
Adaptive Kayaking & Canoeing
No full textAdaptive kayaking and canoeing is just one of many sports that have been modified to suit individuals with disabilities. The adaptations are the use of specialized equipment that promotes inclusion and accessibility for everyone, especially individuals who have disabilities. These adaptations provide a range of physical and mental health benefits, such as improved strength, coordination and strengthens one\u27s confidence.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_undergraduategallery/1359/thumbnail.jp
Workplace Wellness: Exploring Effective Stress Reduction Strategies in the Workplace
No full textWith the workplace becoming increasingly fast-paced and competitive, stress is a common issue that affects a significant percentage of workers and costs businesses billions of dollars each year. This research reviews the literature to identify the typical stressors that employees across various professions face. The research discusses how these stressors can impact a person\u27s mental and physical health. Furthermore, stress can affect the workplace by reducing worker productivity, motivation, and energy levels, which are all associated with burnout (American Psychological Association, 2023). After conducting the literature review on workplace stress, we conducted a three question interview to gain insight into how administrative employees and management at Eastern Kentucky University and a corporate office employee manage their own stress while also working to alleviate the stress of their employees. Through the information gained in the literature review about the causes and effects of stress and insight from the interview, this research aims to give insight into how workplace wellness has been and can be achieved.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_graduategallery/1154/thumbnail.jp
Occupational Balance And Temporal Satisfaction With Life Among Occupational Therapy Students Amid Transitioning To In-Campus Classes In The Philippines
Get PDFAs students transitioned back to on-campus classes, challenges affecting occupational balance (OB) and temporal satisfaction with life (TSWL) influenced their overall health and well-being. This study aimed to assess OB and TSWL among 171 occupational therapy (OT) students in the Philippines and examine the correlation between them. Participants completed the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) and the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale (TSWLS). The mean OBQ11 score was 16.71 ± 6.87, with a median score of 17. Based on this median score, nearly half of students 43.90% (n = 75) were classified as having low OB. The TSWLS scores indicated that students were neutral regarding past life satisfaction (M = 20.85, SD = 6.98), slightly satisfied with present life (M = 22.86, SD = 6.05), and satisfied with future life (M = 26.63, SD = 4.90). Significant positive correlations were found between OB and TSWL scores. These findings suggest that while OT students are heavily engaged in academic occupations, they may lack sufficient non-academic activities, leading to an occupational imbalance. The time dedicated to academic tasks impacts their ability to achieve OB and participate in diverse activities. Given the direct beneficial effects of OB on health, promoting balanced participation in both academic and non-academic occupations is crucial. Future research should explore strategies to enhance non-academic engagement and examine the long-term impacts of balanced occupational participation on student well-being
Significant Student Debt of Occupational Therapists Post- Graduation One to Five Years: Their Debt Context and Impact on Personal and Professional Lives
Get PDFA growing amount of research examines the personal and financial burden of students in healthcare programs who graduate with large amounts of student loan debt. However, a paucity of literature addresses occupational therapists’ student loan debt burden. This study was conducted to describe the context of occupational therapists who have significant debt and the impact on their personal and professional lives. This study employed an exploratory sequential design in which quantitative data from a survey was collected first, followed by the collection of qualitative data from participant interviews to study occupational therapy graduates who accrued more than $100,000 in student loan debt. Forty-four occupational therapy graduates from Creighton University completed a survey asking questions about personal choices in relation to debt. Of these respondents, 20 completed a follow-up semi-structured interview. Six themes related to the effect of debt on personal lives emerged from the interviews, including: 1) mental health, 2) future purchasing power, 3) relationships, 4) maintaining life work balance, 5) frugality, and 6) financial literacy. Four themes related to effect of debt on professional lives were: 1) job limitations, 2) stuck, 3) career choice, and 4) salary dissonance. Future research should further examine how programs can address these concerns to promote student and practitioner well-being
Occupational Therapy Education: Teaching, Scholarship, and Service
No full textThe past 14 weeks of this Capstone experience, I have had the pleasure of learning what it is like working in academia in a University setting. During this time, I quickly learned that teaching is just one piece of academia, where service and research are also included in three different components that make up academia. While teaching was the main area of focus I wanted to gain experience in, I was also able to learn more about research and service. At the end of my Capstone experience, I led a service community project by developing an educational learning module to present at the event and a flyer to promote the event. For research, I assisted other educators in finding various peer reviewed articles that were used as part of a Pedigogicon conference study. As I reflect over my Capstone experience I am very grateful and pleased with having the opportunity to work in a part of occupational therapy that I plan to work in someday.https://encompass.eku.edu/otd-capstone-posters/1069/thumbnail.jp