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Sample records for change readiness research

  1. Change readiness research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høstgaard, Anna Marie Balling

    2006-01-01

    the ”Basic Structure for The Electronic Health Record” (B-EHR) using prototypes. http://medinfo.dk/epj/proj/gepka/). In the Gepka project the participation varied from 33.3% to 78.9%. The objective of this study is to set out themes by which this variation can be studied. A qualitative explorative research...... of participation – it is to suggest a qualitative relationship between the two. Neither does this study try to generalize the results, as further research on more wards would be needed to do so. This study does, however, set out themes that can be a useful tool in future CRR projects in order to maximize......The Change readiness research method (CRR) has become a wellknown method in Denmark to identify issues needed to be discussed on a hospital ward before implementation of a new IT-system and to start a dialogue. A precondition for a constructive dialogue, however, is a high degree of participation...

  2. Understanding Early Educators' Readiness to Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Shira M.

    2012-01-01

    Researchers in the fields of humanistic psychology, counseling, organizational change, and implementation science have been asking a question that is at the heart of today's early care and education quality improvement efforts: When it comes to changing one's behavior, what makes a person ready to change? Although the concept of readiness to…

  3. Dimensions of community and organizational readiness for change.

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    Castañeda, Sheila F; Holscher, Jessica; Mumman, Manpreet K; Salgado, Hugo; Keir, Katherine B; Foster-Fishman, Pennie G; Talavera, Gregory A

    2012-01-01

    Readiness can influence whether health interventions are implemented in, and ultimately integrated into, communities. Although there is significant research interest in readiness and capacity for change, the measurement of these constructs is still in its infancy. The purpose of this review was to integrate existing assessment models of community and organizational readiness. The database PubMed was searched for articles; articles, book chapters, and practitioner guides identified as references cited in the list of core articles. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) Empirical research, (2) identified community or organizational readiness for innovative health programming in the study's title, purpose, research questions, or hypotheses, and (3) identified methods to measure these constructs. Duplicate articles were deleted and measures published before 1995 were excluded. The search yielded 150 studies; 13 met all criteria. This article presents the results of a critical review of 13 community and organizational readiness assessment models, stemming from articles, chapters, and practitioner's guides focusing on assessing, developing, and sustaining community and organizational readiness for innovative public health programs. Readiness is multidimensional and different models place emphasis on different components of readiness, such as (1) community and organizational climate that facilitates change, (2) attitudes and current efforts toward prevention, (3) commitment to change, and (4) capacity to implement change. When initiating the program planning process, it is essential to assess these four domains of readiness to determine how they apply to the nuances across different communities. Thus, community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnerships, in efforts to focus on public health problems, may consider using readiness assessments as a tool for tailoring intervention efforts to the needs of the community.

  4. Readiness to change criminal women and men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Biel

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The readiness of offenders to social rehabilitation is a new category in our country. Meanwhile, the research conducted in many countries indicates its usefulness in the diagnosis and selection of participants of rehabilitation programmes. This entails more effective interaction with convicted persons and greater responsibility on the part of convicted people for their own social rehabilitation process. The aim of this article is to present the main assumptions and models of readiness for change and their usefulness in social rehabilitation practice and to present pilot studies of readiness for change among criminal women and men in Kraków. Application of the Polish adaptation of the CVTRQ questionnaire made it possible to determine the level of convicted persons’ readiness, taking into account deficits in particular scales of the questionnaire and variables differentiating the group of ready and not ready people. At the end, guidelines for further research will be presented.

  5. The concept of readiness to change.

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    Dalton, Cindy C; Gottlieb, Laurie N

    2003-04-01

    Readiness is associated with change, yet there is little understanding of this construct. The purpose of this study was to examine readiness; its referents, associated factors and the resulting consequences. In the course of nursing five clients living with multiple sclerosis over a 7-month period using a Reflective Practice Model, data were systematically gathered using open-ended and then more focused questioning. Data collected during 42 client encounters (28 face-to-face encounters; 14 telephone contacts) were analysed using Chinn and Kramer's concept analysis technique. Findings. The concept of readiness was inductively derived. Readiness is both a state and a process. Before clients can create change they need to become ready to change. A number of factors trigger readiness. These include when: (a) clients perceive that a health concern is not going to resolve, (b) a change in a client's physical condition takes on new significance, (c) clients feel better able to manage their stress, (d) clients have sufficient energy, (e) clients perceive that they have adequate support in undertaking change. When one or more of these factors is present clients become ready to consider change. The process of readiness involves recognizing the need to change, weighing the costs and benefits and, when benefits outweigh costs, planning for change. The desire to change and to take action determines clients' degree of readiness. When they experience a high degree of readiness they report less anger, less depression, and view their condition in a more positive light. In contrast, when they experience a low degree of readiness they report feeling depressed, afraid and vulnerable in the face of change. Nursing has an important role to play in creating conditions to support change. To fulfil this role, nurses need to be able to assess readiness for change and the factors that enable it and then to intervene in ways that facilitate readiness.

  6. Partnership readiness for community-based participatory research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, Jeannette O; Newman, Susan D; Meadows, Otha; Cox, Melissa J; Bunting, Shelia

    2012-08-01

    The use of a dyadic lens to assess and leverage academic and community partners' readiness to conduct community-based participatory research (CBPR) has not been systematically investigated. With a lack of readiness to conduct CBPR, the partnership and its products are vulnerable. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the dimensions and key indicators necessary for academic and community partnership readiness to conduct CBPR. Key informant interviews and focus groups (n = 36 participants) were conducted with academic and community participants who had experiences with CBPR partnerships. A 'framework analysis' approach was used to analyze the data and generate a new model, CBPR Partnership Readiness Model. Antecedents of CBPR partnership readiness are a catalyst and mutual interest. The major dimensions of the CBPR Partnership Readiness Model are (i) goodness of fit, (ii) capacity, and (iii) operations. Preferred outcomes are sustainable partnership and product, mutual growth, policy and social and health impact on the community. CBPR partnership readiness is an iterative and dynamic process, partnership and issue specific, influenced by a range of environmental and contextual factors, amenable to change and essential for sustainability and promotion of health and social change in the community.

  7. A theory of organizational readiness for change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weiner Bryan J

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Change management experts have emphasized the importance of establishing organizational readiness for change and recommended various strategies for creating it. Although the advice seems reasonable, the scientific basis for it is limited. Unlike individual readiness for change, organizational readiness for change has not been subject to extensive theoretical development or empirical study. In this article, I conceptually define organizational readiness for change and develop a theory of its determinants and outcomes. I focus on the organizational level of analysis because many promising approaches to improving healthcare delivery entail collective behavior change in the form of systems redesign--that is, multiple, simultaneous changes in staffing, work flow, decision making, communication, and reward systems. Discussion Organizational readiness for change is a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. As an organization-level construct, readiness for change refers to organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy. Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational members value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability: task demands, resource availability, and situational factors. When organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behavior. The result is more effective implementation. Summary The theory described in this article treats organizational readiness as a shared psychological state in which organizational members feel committed to implementing an organizational change and confident in their collective abilities to do so. This way of thinking about organizational readiness is best suited for

  8. Nurses’ perspectives on readiness of organizations for change: a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amarneh BH

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Basil Hameed Amarneh Department of Psychiatric and Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate readiness for change perceived by nurses at Jordanian hospitals according to the hospital type and the gender of nurse.Background: There are misconceptions about readiness for change, and only a few health care and nursing studies about organizational readiness for change have been conducted. Nurses’ perceptions of their organizations’ readiness for change are important; they help in introducing, managing, and maintaining the change.Methods: Using a quantitative comparative research design and a validated survey, data were collected in 2010 from a convenience sample of 130 nurses from four government and three private hospitals with a response rate of 59%.Results: There are some issues in Jordanian hospitals, which show that change has to be managed well. Nurses in government hospitals and female nurses perceived their hospitals to be more ready for change, compared with those in private hospitals and male nurses.Conclusion: Government hospitals were more ready to change than private hospitals, particularly in supporting collaborative and multidisciplinary team approaches to patient care. More than male nurses, female nurses perceived that their organizations were ready to use or plan to use advanced practice nurses. One of the recommendations is a need for targeted intervention to improve readiness for change. Keywords: readiness for change, organizations, hospitals, nurses, Jordan

  9. The relationship between readiness to change and work engagement: A case study in an accounting firm undergoing change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Megan Matthysen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: Readiness to change is a critical element for the successful implementation of organisational change. Work engagement ensures that employees are committed to the organisations’ goals and is an important driver for organisational success. It is important that organisations sustain work engagement during organisational changes. Research purpose: To investigate the relationship between readiness to change and work engagement within an accounting firm. Motivation for the study: A change process can only be implemented successfully if there is a level of readiness to change. When readiness exists, resistance to change is reduced. Engaged employees remain enthusiastic about their organisation and choose to remain with the organisation. Change agents need to consider work engagement as an integral part of the change process, that is, before, during and after change has taken place. Work engagement and readiness to change are important elements for successful organisational change. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was utilised to collect the data. A convenience sample of employees and top management from the accounting firm (n = 340 were included. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Pearson’s product-moment correlations, analysis of variance (ANOVA, Scheffé tests, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data. Main findings: Results indicated a practical and statistically significant relationship between readiness to change and work engagement. High levels of work engagement will generate high levels of readiness to change. Further to this, readiness to change is influenced by employees’ work engagement and an organisation’s change processes. Practical or managerial implications: An employee’s work engagement and an organisation’s processes of change influence an employee’s readiness to change. Therefore, organisations need to sustain work

  10. The Readiness Ruler as a measure of readiness to change poly-drug use in drug abusers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hesse, Morten

    2006-01-01

    Readiness to change is a crucial issue in the treatment of substance use disorders. Experiences with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has shown that continuous drug and alcohol use with all its consequences characterize most MMT programs. In a prospective study of drug abusers seeking opiate...... agonist maintenance treatment in the City of Copenhagen, subjects were administered the Addiction Severity Index, and the Readiness Ruler for each of 11 different licit and illicit drugs by research technicians. Data was collected upon admission to the program and at a 18 month follow-up. Subjects who...... indicated they wanted to quit or cut down upon admission, reported less drug use at 18 month follow-up, after controlling for severity of drug problems at intake. Subjects who expressed readiness to change their drug use upon admission decreased their drug use. It is concluded that the Readiness Ruler...

  11. Expanding Library Support of Faculty Research: Exploring Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Jeanne M.; Tucker, Cory

    2013-01-01

    The changing research and information environment requires a reexamination of library support for research. This study considers research-related attitudes and practices to identify elements indicating readiness or resistance to expanding the library's role in research support. A survey of faculty conducted at the University of Nevada Las Vegas…

  12. Predicting implementation from organizational readiness for change: a study protocol

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    Kelly P Adam

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is widespread interest in measuring organizational readiness to implement evidence-based practices in clinical care. However, there are a number of challenges to validating organizational measures, including inferential bias arising from the halo effect and method bias - two threats to validity that, while well-documented by organizational scholars, are often ignored in health services research. We describe a protocol to comprehensively assess the psychometric properties of a previously developed survey, the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment. Objectives Our objective is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the psychometric properties of the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment incorporating methods specifically to address threats from halo effect and method bias. Methods and Design We will conduct three sets of analyses using longitudinal, secondary data from four partner projects, each testing interventions to improve the implementation of an evidence-based clinical practice. Partner projects field the Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment at baseline (n = 208 respondents; 53 facilities, and prospectively assesses the degree to which the evidence-based practice is implemented. We will conduct predictive and concurrent validities using hierarchical linear modeling and multivariate regression, respectively. For predictive validity, the outcome is the change from baseline to follow-up in the use of the evidence-based practice. We will use intra-class correlations derived from hierarchical linear models to assess inter-rater reliability. Two partner projects will also field measures of job satisfaction for convergent and discriminant validity analyses, and will field Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment measures at follow-up for concurrent validity (n = 158 respondents; 33 facilities. Convergent and discriminant validities will test associations between organizational readiness and

  13. Librarian readiness for research partnerships.

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    Mazure, Emily S; Alpi, Kristine M

    2015-04-01

    This study investigated health sciences librarians' knowledge and skill-based readiness to partner on sponsored research involving human participants. The authors developed and deployed, at two time points, a web-based survey on nine indicators of research activities with response choices reflecting the transtheoretical model of stages of behavior change. Librarians with research experience or membership in the Medical Library Association Research Section reported higher levels of having completed indicators. Our results suggest that creating awareness in precontemplation responders could encourage skill development. Mentoring and continuing education could support librarians who are contemplating or preparing to perform indicator activities.

  14. The role of organizational structure in readiness for change: A conceptual integration.

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    Benzer, Justin K; Charns, Martin P; Hamdan, Sami; Afable, Melissa

    2017-02-01

    The purpose of this review is to extend extant conceptualizations of readiness for change as an individual-level phenomenon. This review-of-reviews focuses on existing conceptual frameworks from the dissemination, implementation, quality improvement, and organizational transformation literatures in order to integrate theoretical rationales for how organization structure, a key dimension of the organizational context, may impact readiness for change. We propose that the organization structure dimensions of differentiation and integration impact readiness for change at the individual level of analysis by influencing four key concepts of relevance, legitimacy, perceived need for change, and resource allocation. We identify future research directions that focus on these four key concepts.

  15. Organizational factors associated with readiness for change in residential aged care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Treuer, Kathryn; Karantzas, Gery; McCabe, Marita; Mellor, David; Konis, Anastasia; Davison, Tanya E; O'Connor, Daniel

    2018-02-01

    Organizational change is inevitable in any workplace. Previous research has shown that leadership and a number of organizational climate and contextual variables can affect the adoption of change initiatives. The effect of these workplace variables is particularly important in stressful work sectors such as aged care where employees work with challenging older clients who frequently exhibit dementia and depression. This study sought to examine the effect of organizational climate and leadership variables on organizational readiness for change across 21 residential aged care facilities. Staff from each facility (N = 255) completed a self-report measure assessing organizational factors including organizational climate, leadership and readiness for change. A hierarchical regression model revealed that the organizational climate variables of work pressure, innovation, and transformational leadership were predictive of employee perceptions of organizational readiness for change. These findings suggest that within aged care facilities an organization's capacity to change their organizational climate and leadership practices may enhance an organization's readiness for change.

  16. Readiness to Change Over Time: Change Commitment and Change Efficacy in a Workplace Health-Promotion Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helfrich, Christian D; Kohn, Marlana J; Stapleton, Austin; Allen, Claire L; Hammerback, Kristen Elizabeth; Chan, K C Gary; Parrish, Amanda T; Ryan, Daron E; Weiner, Bryan J; Harris, Jeffrey R; Hannon, Peggy A

    2018-01-01

    Organizational readiness to change may be a key determinant of implementation success and a mediator of the effectiveness of implementation interventions. If organizational readiness can be reliably and validly assessed at the outset of a change initiative, it could be used to assess the effectiveness of implementation-support activities by measuring changes in readiness factors over time. We analyzed two waves of readiness-to-change survey data collected as part of a three-arm, randomized controlled trial to implement evidence-based health promotion practices in small worksites in low-wage industries. We measured five readiness factors: context (favorable broader conditions); change valence (valuing health promotion); information assessment (demands and resources to implement health promotion); change commitment (an intention to implement health promotion); and change efficacy (a belief in shared ability to implement health promotion). We expected commitment and efficacy to increase at intervention sites along with their self-reported effort to implement health promotion practices, termed wellness-program effort. We compared means between baseline and 15 months, and between intervention and control sites. We used linear regression to test whether intervention and control sites differed in their change-readiness scores over time. Only context and change commitment met reliability thresholds. Change commitment declined significantly for both control (-0.39) and interventions sites (-0.29) from baseline to 15 months, while context did not change for either. Only wellness program effort at 15 months, but not at baseline, differed significantly between control and intervention sites (1.20 controls, 2.02 intervention). Regression analyses resulted in two significant differences between intervention and control sites in changes from baseline to 15 months: (1) intervention sites exhibited significantly smaller change in context scores relative to control sites

  17. Readiness to Change Over Time: Change Commitment and Change Efficacy in a Workplace Health-Promotion Trial

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    Christian D. Helfrich

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionOrganizational readiness to change may be a key determinant of implementation success and a mediator of the effectiveness of implementation interventions. If organizational readiness can be reliably and validly assessed at the outset of a change initiative, it could be used to assess the effectiveness of implementation-support activities by measuring changes in readiness factors over time.MethodsWe analyzed two waves of readiness-to-change survey data collected as part of a three-arm, randomized controlled trial to implement evidence-based health promotion practices in small worksites in low-wage industries. We measured five readiness factors: context (favorable broader conditions; change valence (valuing health promotion; information assessment (demands and resources to implement health promotion; change commitment (an intention to implement health promotion; and change efficacy (a belief in shared ability to implement health promotion. We expected commitment and efficacy to increase at intervention sites along with their self-reported effort to implement health promotion practices, termed wellness-program effort. We compared means between baseline and 15 months, and between intervention and control sites. We used linear regression to test whether intervention and control sites differed in their change-readiness scores over time.ResultsOnly context and change commitment met reliability thresholds. Change commitment declined significantly for both control (−0.39 and interventions sites (−0.29 from baseline to 15 months, while context did not change for either. Only wellness program effort at 15 months, but not at baseline, differed significantly between control and intervention sites (1.20 controls, 2.02 intervention. Regression analyses resulted in two significant differences between intervention and control sites in changes from baseline to 15 months: (1 intervention sites exhibited significantly smaller change in

  18. Readiness for organisational change among general practice staff.

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    Christl, B; Harris, M F; Jayasinghe, U W; Proudfoot, J; Taggart, J; Tan, J

    2010-10-01

    Increasing demands on general practice to manage chronic disease may warrant organisational change at the practice level. Staff's readiness for organisational change can act as a facilitator or barrier to implementing interventions aimed at organisational change. To explore general practice staff readiness for organisational change and its association with staff and practices characteristics. This is a cross-sectional study of practices in three Australian states involved in a randomised control trial on the effectiveness of an intervention to enhance the role of non-general practitioner staff in chronic disease management. Readiness for organisational change, job satisfaction and practice characteristics were assessed using questionnaires. 502 staff from 58 practices completed questionnaires. Practice characteristics were not associated with staff readiness for change. A multilevel regression analysis showed statistically significant associations between staff readiness for organisational change (range 1 to 5) and having a non-clinical staff role (vs general practitioner; B=-0.315; 95% CI -0.47 to -0.16; pchange which addresses the mix of practice staff. Moderately low job satisfaction may be an opportunity for organisational change.

  19. Readiness for changes: New competences for knowledge society

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    Đurišić-Bojanović Mirosava

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available In the conditions of high instability, uncertainty and changing of environment of contemporary organizations, management of changes and knowledge become priority social strategies, and readiness for changes, flexible usage of knowledge and creativity become the most important competences of people in contemporary organizations. Knowledge, creativity, taking initiative and readiness for changes are the condition of development, survival and success of organizations, but of individuals as well. Our basic question is aimed at the possibilities of the contribution of basic education to the preparation of the young for working in turbulent environment, where work and professional competences involve readiness for changes and innovativeness. In terms of educational policy it implies the need for the creation of upbringing- educational model which will be capable of providing optimal answers to the changes in environment. The key notion of pluralist educational concept, based on democratic values, is the acceptance of the plurality of ideas. Our researches suggest a significant positive correlation between the variables tolerance of independence and the acceptance of the plurality of ideas. Based on that fact, using the theoretical analytical method, this paper argues the compatibility of pluralist concept in education with the demands of contemporary organizations from the perspective of preparing the young for the inclusion in work in the uncertain, changeable organizational environment of knowledge society.

  20. Sustainability and Readiness for Change: Insights from a Banking Case Study in Serbia

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    Ljiljana Kontic

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the issues of sustainable banking and readiness for change using the mixed methods research approach. The research setting consisted of an international bank which operates in Serbia. Serbia is one of Western Balkan countries. The concept of sustainability is well explored in developed countries. The financial institutions from Serbia have not been included in those studies. This paper suggests key issues which need to be addressed related to the sustainability and change in the banking sector in Serbia. The main aim of this study is to assess sustainability and readiness for change in transition environment. This paper contributes to the existing literature by assessing readiness for change in selected bank. Regarding different characteristics of national cultures, the construct validity of research methodology developed in one society will be investigated for a Serbian sample. The qualitative data about sustainability were sourced from publicly available information about bank. The Organizational Diagnosis Questionnaire (ODQ developed by Preziosi (1980 is used to assess the bank's readiness for change. The sample consisted of 137 managers different socio demographic variables from bank. The research findings revealed possible practical implementation of ODQ in Serbia. The sustainable attitude of the bank is rewarded by different organizations in Serbia. The results revealed that changes in the bank should be led top down. The findings add to the existing literature on factors causing organizational effectiveness in cross-cultural organizational contexts. The practical implementation and study limitation are suggested.

  1. The psychometric properties of the Readiness and Motivation Questionnaire: a symptom-specific measure of readiness for change in the eating disorders.

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    Geller, Josie; Brown, Krista E; Srikameswaran, Suja; Piper, William; Dunn, Erin C

    2013-09-01

    Readiness for change, as assessed by the readiness and motivation interview (RMI), predicts a number of clinical outcome variables in eating disorders including enrollment in intensive treatment, symptom change, dropout, and relapse. Although clinically useful, the training and administration of the RMI is time consuming. The purpose of this research was to (a) develop a self-report, symptom-specific version of the RMI, the readiness and motivation questionnaire (RMQ), that can be used to assess readiness for change across all eating disorder diagnoses and (b) establish its psychometric properties. The RMQ provides stage of change, internality, and confidence scores for each of 4 eating disorder symptom domains (restriction, bingeing, and cognitive and compensatory behaviors). Individuals (N = 244) with current eating disorder diagnoses completed the RMQ and measures of convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity. Similar to the RMI scores, readiness scores on the RMQ differed according to symptom domain. Regarding criterion validity, RMQ scores were significantly associated with ratings of anticipated difficulty of recovery activities and completion of recovery activities. The RMQ contributed significant unique variance to anticipated difficulty of recovery activities, beyond those accounted for by the RMI and a questionnaire measure of global readiness. The RMQ is thus an acceptable alternative to the RMI, providing global and domain-specific readiness information when time or cost prohibits use of an interview.

  2. Organizational readiness for implementing change: a psychometric assessment of a new measure.

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    Shea, Christopher M; Jacobs, Sara R; Esserman, Denise A; Bruce, Kerry; Weiner, Bryan J

    2014-01-10

    Organizational readiness for change in healthcare settings is an important factor in successful implementation of new policies, programs, and practices. However, research on the topic is hindered by the absence of a brief, reliable, and valid measure. Until such a measure is developed, we cannot advance scientific knowledge about readiness or provide evidence-based guidance to organizational leaders about how to increase readiness. This article presents results of a psychometric assessment of a new measure called Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC), which we developed based on Weiner's theory of organizational readiness for change. We conducted four studies to assess the psychometric properties of ORIC. In study one, we assessed the content adequacy of the new measure using quantitative methods. In study two, we examined the measure's factor structure and reliability in a laboratory simulation. In study three, we assessed the reliability and validity of an organization-level measure of readiness based on aggregated individual-level data from study two. In study four, we conducted a small field study utilizing the same analytic methods as in study three. Content adequacy assessment indicated that the items developed to measure change commitment and change efficacy reflected the theoretical content of these two facets of organizational readiness and distinguished the facets from hypothesized determinants of readiness. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in the lab and field studies revealed two correlated factors, as expected, with good model fit and high item loadings. Reliability analysis in the lab and field studies showed high inter-item consistency for the resulting individual-level scales for change commitment and change efficacy. Inter-rater reliability and inter-rater agreement statistics supported the aggregation of individual level readiness perceptions to the organizational level of analysis. This article provides evidence in

  3. Dyadic violence and readiness to change among male intimate partner violence offenders.

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    Crane, Cory A; Schlauch, Robert C; Eckhardt, Christopher I

    2015-12-10

    Although readiness to change is associated with mandated partner violence treatment compliance and subsequent violent behaviour among male offenders (e.g. Scott and Wolfe, 2003; Eckhardt et al., 2004), our understanding of the factors associated with pretreatment change remains limited. Offender research indicates that individual and dyadic violent behaviour are highly variable and that such variability may provide insight into levels of pretreatment change (Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart, 1994; Archer, 2002). We sought to examine the associations between indicators of change and individual as well as dyadic violence frequency in a sample of male partner violence offenders. To determine whether severity and perceived concordance in the use of violence among male offenders and their female partners influenced readiness to change at pretreatment, 82 recently adjudicated male perpetrators of intimate partner violence were recruited into the current study and administered measures of readiness to change violent behaviour (Revised Safe at Home Scale; Begun et al., 2008) as well as partner violence experiences (Revised Conflict Tactics Scale; Straus et al., 1996). Analyses revealed an interaction between offender-reported male and female violence in the prediction of pretreatment readiness to change such that greater male violence was associated with greater readiness to change among males who reported that their female partners perpetrated low, but not high, levels of violence. Consistently, greater female violence was associated with lower readiness to change only among the most violent male offenders. Results provide support for the assertion that the most violent offenders may be the most resistant to partner violence intervention efforts, particularly when they perceive themselves to be victims as well. Enhanced motivational and couples programming may facilitate treatment engagement among the high-risk group of male offenders who report concordant relationship

  4. The development of an online decision support tool for organizational readiness for change.

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    Khan, Sobia; Timmings, Caitlyn; Moore, Julia E; Marquez, Christine; Pyka, Kasha; Gheihman, Galina; Straus, Sharon E

    2014-05-10

    Much importance has been placed on assessing readiness for change as one of the earliest steps of implementation, but measuring it can be a complex and daunting task. Organizations and individuals struggle with how to reliably and accurately measure readiness for change. Several measures have been developed to help organizations assess readiness, but these are often underused due to the difficulty of selecting the right measure. In response to this challenge, we will develop and test a prototype of a decision support tool that is designed to guide individuals interested in implementation in the selection of an appropriate readiness assessment measure for their setting. A multi-phase approach will be used to develop the decision support tool. First, we will identify key measures for assessing organizational readiness for change from a recently completed systematic review. Included measures will be those developed for healthcare settings (e.g., acute care, public health, mental health) and that have been deemed valid and reliable. Second, study investigators and field experts will engage in a mapping exercise to categorize individual items of included measures according to key readiness constructs from an existing framework. Third, a stakeholder panel will be recruited and consulted to determine the feasibility and relevance of the selected measures using a modified Delphi process. Fourth, findings from the mapping exercise and stakeholder consultation will inform the development of a decision support tool that will guide users in appropriately selecting change readiness measures. Fifth, the tool will undergo usability testing. Our proposed decision support tool will address current challenges in the field of organizational change readiness by aiding individuals in selecting a valid and reliable assessment measure that is relevant to user needs and practice settings. We anticipate that implementers and researchers who use our tool will be more likely to conduct

  5. Organisational readiness for introducing a performance management system

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    Michael Ochurub

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: The successful introduction of performance management systems to the public service requires careful measurement of readiness for change.Research purpose: This study investigated the extent to which employees were ready for change as an indication of whether their organisation was ready to introduce a performance management system (PMS.Motivation for the study: Introducing system changes in organisations depends on positive employee preconditions. There is some debate over whether organisations can facilitate these preconditions. This research investigates change readiness linked to the introduction of a PMS in a public sector organisation. The results add to the growing literature on levels of change readiness.Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a quantitative, questionnairebased design. Because the organisation was large, the researchers used stratified sampling to select a sample from each population stratum. The sample size was 460, which constituted 26% of the total population. They used a South African change readiness questionnaire to elicit employee perceptions and opinions.Main findings: The researchers found that the organisation was not ready to introduce a PMS. The study identified various challenges and key factors that were negatively affecting the introduction of a PMS.Practical/managerial implications: The intention to develop and introduce performance management systems is generally to change the attitudes, values and approaches of managers and employees to the new strategies, processes and plans to improve productivity and performance. However, pre-existing conditions and attitudes could have an effect. It is essential to ensure that organisations are ready to introduce performance management systems and to provide sound change leadership to drive the process effectively. This study contributes to the body of knowledge about the challenges and factors organisations should consider when they

  6. Readiness and motivation for change among young women with broadly defined eating disorders.

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    Ålgars, Monica; Ramberg, Carin; Moszny, Josefine; Hagman, Jessica; Rintala, Hanna; Santtila, Pekka

    2015-01-01

    Readiness and motivation for change were examined in 32 women with broadly defined eating disorders who took part in a 10-week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based group intervention. Readiness for change and eating disorder psychopathology were assessed before and after the intervention. The results revealed significant negative associations between degree of eating disorder symptoms and degree of readiness for change before the intervention started. In particular, higher levels of eating concern, shape concern, and body dissatisfaction were associated with lower motivation for change. No significant associations between degree of readiness for change before the intervention started and changes in eating disorder symptoms at the end of intervention were found. Readiness for change increased from the beginning to the end of the intervention, indicating that group CBT may be a cost-effective and time-efficient way of enhancing readiness and motivation for change in individuals with eating psychopathology.

  7. Are they ready? Organizational readiness for change among clinical teaching teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, Lindsay; Jippes, Mariëlle; Leppink, Jimmie; Scherpbier, Albert Jja; den Rooyen, Corry; van Luijk, Scheltus J; Scheele, Fedde

    2017-01-01

    Curriculum change and innovation are inevitable parts of progress in postgraduate medical education (PGME). Although implementing change is known to be challenging, change management principles are rarely looked at for support. Change experts contend that organizational readiness for change (ORC) is a critical precursor for the successful implementation of change initiatives. Therefore, this study explores whether assessing ORC in clinical teaching teams could help to understand how curriculum change takes place in PGME. Clinical teaching teams in hospitals in the Netherlands were requested to complete the Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change, a questionnaire to measure ORC in clinical teaching teams. In addition, change-related behavior was measured by using the "behavioral support-for-change" measure. A two-way analysis of variance was performed for all response variables of interest. In total, 836 clinical teaching team members were included in this study: 288 (34.4%) trainees, 307 (36.7%) clinical staff members, and 241 (28.8%) program directors. Overall, items regarding whether the program director has the authority to lead scored higher compared with the other items. At the other end, the subscales "management support and leadership," "project resources," and "implementation plan" had the lowest scores in all groups. The study brought to light that program directors are clearly in the lead when it comes to the implementation of educational innovation. Clinical teaching teams tend to work together as a team, sharing responsibilities in the implementation process. However, the results also reinforce the need for change management support in change processes in PGME.

  8. Readiness of Teachers for Change in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondakci, Yasar; Beycioglu, Kadir; Sincar, Mehmet; Ugurlu, Celal Teyyar

    2017-01-01

    Theorizing on the role of teacher attitudes in change effectiveness, this study examined the predictive value of context (trust), process (social interaction, participative management and knowledge sharing) and outcome (job satisfaction and workload perception) variables for cognitive, emotional and intentional readiness of teachers for change.…

  9. Organizational Readiness for Change in Correctional and Community Substance Abuse Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehman, Wayne E. K.; Greener, Jack M.; Rowan-Szal, Grace A.; Flynn, Patrick M.

    2012-01-01

    Significant needs exist for increased and better substance abuse treatment services in our nation's prisons. The TCU Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) survey has been widely used in community-based treatment programs and evidence is accumulating for relationships between readiness for change and implementation of new clinical practices.…

  10. Readiness for Organizational Change: Do Organizational Commitment and Social Relationships in the Workplace Make a Difference?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madsen, Susan R.; Miller, Duane; John, Cameron R.

    2005-01-01

    Businesses are confronting continuous and unparalleled changes. For organizations to assist employees in being motivated and prepared for change, it is essential that managers, leaders, and organization development professionals understand factors that may influence individual change readiness. The purpose of the research study examined here was…

  11. Readying Health Services for Climate Change: A Policy Framework for Regional Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Climate change presents the biggest threat to human health in the 21st century. However, many public health leaders feel ill equipped to face the challenges of climate change and have been unable to make climate change a priority in service development. I explore how to achieve a regionally responsive whole-of-systems approach to climate change in the key operational areas of a health service: service governance and culture, service delivery, workforce development, asset management, and financing. The relative neglect of implementation science means that policymakers need to be proactive about sourcing and developing models and processes to make health services ready for climate change. Health research funding agencies should urgently prioritize applied, regionally responsive health services research for a future of climate change. PMID:21421953

  12. Readying health services for climate change: a policy framework for regional development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Erica

    2011-05-01

    Climate change presents the biggest threat to human health in the 21st century. However, many public health leaders feel ill equipped to face the challenges of climate change and have been unable to make climate change a priority in service development. I explore how to achieve a regionally responsive whole-of-systems approach to climate change in the key operational areas of a health service: service governance and culture, service delivery, workforce development, asset management, and financing. The relative neglect of implementation science means that policymakers need to be proactive about sourcing and developing models and processes to make health services ready for climate change. Health research funding agencies should urgently prioritize applied, regionally responsive health services research for a future of climate change.

  13. Research on Digital Forensic Readiness Design in a Cloud Computing-Based Smart Work Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangho Park

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Recently, the work environments of organizations have been in the process of transitioning into smart work environments by applying cloud computing technology in the existing work environment. The smart work environment has the characteristic of being able to access information assets inside the company from outside the company through cloud computing technology, share information without restrictions on location by using mobile terminals, and provide a work environment where work can be conducted effectively in various locations and mobile environments. Thus, in the cloud computing-based smart work environment, changes are occurring in terms of security risks, such as an increase in the leakage risk of an organization’s information assets through mobile terminals which have a high risk of loss and theft and increase the hacking risk of wireless networks in mobile environments. According to these changes in security risk, the reactive digital forensic method, which investigates digital evidence after the occurrence of security incidents, appears to have a limit which has led to a rise in the necessity of proactive digital forensic approaches wherein security incidents can be addressed preemptively. Accordingly, in this research, we design a digital forensic readiness model at the level of preemptive prevention by considering changes in the cloud computing-based smart work environment. Firstly, we investigate previous research related to the cloud computing-based smart work environment and digital forensic readiness and analyze a total of 50 components of digital forensic readiness. In addition, through the analysis of the corresponding preceding research, we design seven detailed areas, namely, outside the organization environment, within the organization guideline, system information, terminal information, user information, usage information, and additional function. Then, we design a draft of the digital forensic readiness model in the cloud

  14. When and How Does Psychological Voice Climate Influence Individual Change Readiness? The Mediating Role of Normative Commitment and the Moderating Role of Work Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chun-Hsien; Wang, Mei-Ling; Liu, Min-Shi

    2017-01-01

    This research explores the linking mechanisms and conditional processes underlying the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness. In accordance with the social identity theory, we argued that normative commitment would mediate the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness; furthermore, work engagement would moderate the proposed indirect effect. Two-wave survey data were collected from 187 full-time employees in a government-owned institute of research and development and were adopted for moderated mediation analysis. The results showed that normative commitment mediates the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness. Furthermore, work engagement strengthens the effect of psychological voice climate on individual change readiness in an indirect manner via normative commitment. Based on the findings, the theoretical implications and practical suggestions were discussed. PMID:29062294

  15. When and How Does Psychological Voice Climate Influence Individual Change Readiness? The Mediating Role of Normative Commitment and the Moderating Role of Work Engagement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Hsien Lee

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This research explores the linking mechanisms and conditional processes underlying the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness. In accordance with the social identity theory, we argued that normative commitment would mediate the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness; furthermore, work engagement would moderate the proposed indirect effect. Two-wave survey data were collected from 187 full-time employees in a government-owned institute of research and development and were adopted for moderated mediation analysis. The results showed that normative commitment mediates the relationship between psychological voice climate and individual change readiness. Furthermore, work engagement strengthens the effect of psychological voice climate on individual change readiness in an indirect manner via normative commitment. Based on the findings, the theoretical implications and practical suggestions were discussed.

  16. The Perceptions of Change and Change Readiness in Junior and Senior Engineering & Technology Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moler, Perry J.

    The purpose of this study was to understand what perceptions junior and senior engineering & technology students have about change, change readiness, and selected attributes, skills, and abilities. The selected attributes, skills, and abilities for this study were lifelong learning, leadership, and self-efficacy. The business environment of today is dynamic, with any number of internal and external events requiring an organization to adapt through the process of organizational development. Organizational developments affect businesses as a whole, but these developments are more evident in fields related to engineering and technology. Which require employees working through such developments be flexible and adaptable to a new professional environment. This study was an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods design, with Stage One being an online survey that collected individuals' perceptions of change, change readiness, and associated attributes, skills, and abilities. Stage Two was a face-to-face interview with a random sample of individuals who agreed to be interviewed in Stage One. This process was done to understand why students' perceptions are what they are. By using a mixed-method study, a more complete understanding of the current perceptions of students was developed, thus allowing external stakeholders' such as Human Resource managers more insight into the individuals they seek to recruit. The results from Stage One, one sample T-test with a predicted mean of 3.000 for this study indicated that engineering & technology students have a positive perceptions of Change Mean = 3.7024; Change Readiness Mean = 3.9313; Lifelong Learning Mean = 4.571; Leadership = 4.036; and Self-Efficacy Mean = 4.321. A One-way ANOVA was also conducted to understand the differences between traditional and non-traditional student regarding change and change readiness. The results of the ANOVA test indicated there were no significant differences between these two groups. The results

  17. Self-assessment and readiness for change in dysphonic patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Leonardo Wanderley; Vilela, Eveline Gonçalves

    2016-07-04

    To examine whether there is an association between vocal self-assessment and readiness for change in dysphonic patients. 151 patients with vocal complaints and diagnosis of dysphonia, between 18 and 65 years of age, 47 men and 104 women treated at the voice clinic of a public institution participated in the study. Four self-assessment instruments were applied, including the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL), the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS), and the use of URICA-VOICE instrument to verify the patients stage of readiness for change. All instruments were applied immediately before the start of vocal therapy. The variables were correlated and compared using inferential statistics. Most patients were in the contemplation stage (76.2%, n = 115), 22 (14.6%) were in the pre-contemplation stage and 14 (9.3%) in the action stage. There was a negative correlation between the score in URICA-VOICE and the socio-emotional domain and total score V-RQOL. There was a positive correlation between the score URICA-VOICE and full social, emotional and functional VHI, as well as between the score URICA-VOICE and full fields, limitation and emotional VoiSS. Only the social-emotional domain V-RQOL and emotional in VoiSS values showed statistically significant differences between the motivational stages. There is association between vocal self-assessment and readiness for change in dysphonic patients. Patients with major impact on quality of life in voice in V-RQOL and higher frequency of vocal symptoms mentioned in the VoiSS show greater readiness for change.

  18. Cognitive barriers to readiness to change in alcohol-dependent patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Berre, Anne-Pascale; Vabret, François; Cauvin, Céline; Pinon, Karine; Allain, Philippe; Pitel, Anne-Lise; Eustache, Francis; Beaunieux, Hélène

    2012-09-01

    Patients' personal investment and readiness to change have proved to be a prerequisite for the successful treatment of alcohol addiction. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of cognitive functions to the motivation process to abandon maladjusted behavior in favor of a healthier lifestyle. An adapted version of the "readiness to change" questionnaire was completed by 31 alcohol-dependent patients after detoxification and at alcohol treatment entry. This tool is designed to assess the 3 main stages of motivation to change regarding alcohol consumption: precontemplation (substance abuse and no intention to stop drinking), contemplation (strong intention to change habits but ambivalent behavior), and action (cessation of excessive alcohol consumption and behavioral changes for healthier habits) stages. Patients and 37 healthy controls also underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery including episodic memory, metamemory, executive functions, and decision-making assessment. When alcohol-dependent patients were considered as a group, the mean score on the action subscale was significantly higher than the precontemplation and contemplation ones. Nevertheless, when the stage of change reached by each patient was considered individually, we found that some alcohol-dependent patients were still in the earlier precontemplation and contemplation stages. Stepwise regression analysis revealed links between impaired memory and executive functions and low motivation, and between good decision-making skills and high motivation. Our results suggest that a set of complementary cognitive abilities is needed to achieve awareness and resolve ambivalence toward alcohol addiction, which is essential for activating the desire to change problematic behavior. Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  19. U.S. Global Change Research Program National Climate Assessment Global Change Information System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilmes, Curt

    2012-01-01

    The program: a) Coordinates Federal research to better understand and prepare the nation for global change. b) Priori4zes and supports cutting edge scientific work in global change. c) Assesses the state of scientific knowledge and the Nation s readiness to respond to global change. d) Communicates research findings to inform, educate, and engage the global community.

  20. Individual Readiness for Organizational Change and Its Implications for Human Resource and Organization Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Myungweon; Ruona, Wendy E. A.

    2011-01-01

    Individual readiness for organizational change reflects the concept of "unfreezing" proposed by Lewin (1947/1997b) and is critical to successful change implementation. Understanding the conditions conducive to individual readiness for organizational change, instead of the more traditional focus on resistance to change, can be useful for designing…

  1. [Chronic pain patients' readiness to change after multimodal treatment. Short- and long-term effects].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küchler, A; Sabatowski, R; Kaiser, U

    2012-12-01

    Patients' readiness to behavioural changes according to the transtheoretical model (TTM) and criteria of treatment outcome are positively associated and have in part already been confirmed. For a stable effect of therapeutic treatment, patients' readiness to change seems indispensable for an independent and active pain management. Thus, in addition to an enhanced quality of life, increasing patients' motivation is a declared objective of the treatment at Dresden's Comprehensive Pain Center. In this study, it was examined how the readiness to change develops in the course of and during the 2 years following the multimodal treatment program. Furthermore, associations between outcome criteria of the treatment and patients' readiness to change were explored. The database constitutes 169 patients who took part in a 4-week interdisciplinary, partially residential pain treatment. Beside the Freiburg Pain Stages questionnaire ("Frieburger Fragebogen - Stadien der Bewältigung chronischer Schmerzen", FF-STABS), a comprehensive pain diagnostic inventory including the Pain Disability Index (PDI), the SF-36 questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was completed at six different time points (beginning of treatment, end of treatment, booster session after 10 weeks, after 6, 12, and 24 months). The statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 16.0 including nonparametric analyses and variance analyses. Significant differences in the level of readiness to change between the beginning of treatment and all follow-up measures were observed. The average patients' readiness to change was still higher after 2 years than at the first measurement. However, a differentiated consideration revealed a small portion of patients who showed no change or even a reduction of motivation. After an additional week (booster session), the stages of readiness to change remained stable, irrespective of the direction of the previous change. Regarding therapeutic outcome

  2. The effects of leadership competencies and quality of work on the perceived readiness for organizational change among nurse managers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Hussami, Mahmoud; Hamad, Sawsan; Darawad, Muhammad; Maharmeh, Mahmoud

    2017-10-02

    Purpose This paper aims to set a leadership guidance program that can promote nurses' knowledge of leadership and, at the same time, to enhance their leadership competencies and quality of work to promote their readiness for change in healthcare organizations. Design/methodology/approach A pre-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. Out of 90 invited to participate in this study, 61 nurses were accepted to participate. Findings The statistical analyses suggested several significant differences between pre- and in-service nurse managers about leadership competencies, quality of work and readiness for change. Yet, findings from the background characteristics were not found to be significant and had no effects on the perceived readiness for change. Research limitations/implications The present study highlights the importance of leadership competencies and quality of work that healthcare policymakers identify for the success of organizational change efforts. Practical implications Healthcare policymakers, including directors of nursing, should focus on applications that increase leadership competencies and overall satisfaction of the nurse managers to support the changes in hospitals and supporting learning organization. Hence, they should establish policies that decrease the possible negative impact of planned change efforts. Originality/value Competent nurse managers enhance their readiness for change, which in turn helps nurses in constructive change processes. A leadership guidance program should be set for nurse managers. This study has important implications for hospital administrators and directors of nursing.

  3. A Medical School's Organizational Readiness for Curriculum Change (MORC): Development and Validation of a Questionnaire

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jippes, M.; Driessen, E.W.; Broers, N.J.; Majoor, G.D.; Gijselaers, W.H.; Vleuten, C.P.M. van der

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's

  4. THE CORRELATION OF VALUES, SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTITUDES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL READINESS FOR CHANGE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. A. Terekhin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Modern military servicemen quite often should cope with operational and military tasks in non-standard and sometimes extreme situations. Therefore, the problem of psychological and pedagogical support of professional development of the military personnel aimed at their valuable attitudes and readiness formation to perform professional duties under uncertainty is brought into focus. The effective solution of this problem requires studying of various psychological aspects of valuable orientations of the military personnel. The aim of the present article is to investigate the link between the interrelationships of values, socio-psychological attitudes of the military personnel and their personal readiness for change. Methodology and research methods. In the course of the work, the following theoretical methods of the research were used: an overview analysis of works in the field of value orientations, socio-psychological attitudes of the individual, personal readiness for change. Practical methods involve a questionnaire PVQ-R (Portrait Values Questionnaire – Revised by Sh. Schwartz; a technique for diagnosing socio-psychological attitudes of the person by O. Potemkina; the methodology «Personal ChangeReadiness Survey» (PCRS developed by A. Rolnik, S. Hezer, M. Gold and K. Hall in the adaptation of N. Bazhanova and G. Bardier. The processing of the data obtained during the study was carried out using a statistical information processing program – SPSS version 19. Results and scientific novelty. Available studies have not treated the issue of psychological and pedagogical support of professional development of the military personnel in much detail. Thus, sufficient availability to study the interrelationships of values and socio-psychological attitudes of young military personnel in the process of their professional socialization has been revealed. The criteria of formation of this system are designated; significant

  5. Clinicians' perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the context of clinical information system projects: insights from two cross-sectional surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paré, Guy; Sicotte, Claude; Poba-Nzaou, Placide; Balouzakis, George

    2011-02-28

    The adoption and diffusion of clinical information systems has become one of the critical benchmarks for achieving several healthcare organizational reform priorities, including home care, primary care, and integrated care networks. However, these systems are often strongly resisted by the same community that is expected to benefit from their use. Prior research has found that early perceptions and beliefs play a central role in shaping future attitudes and behaviors such as negative rumors, lack of involvement, and resistance to change. In this line of research, this paper builds on the change management and information systems literature and identifies variables associated with clinicians' early perceptions of organizational readiness for change in the specific context of clinical information system projects. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted to test our research model. First, a questionnaire was pretested and then distributed to the future users of a mobile computing technology in 11 home care organizations. The second study took place in a large teaching hospital that had approved a budget for the acquisition of an electronic medical records system. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares. Scale items used in this study showed adequate psychometric properties. In Study 1, four of the hypothesized links in the research model were supported, with change appropriateness, organizational flexibility, vision clarity, and change efficacy explaining 75% of the variance in organizational readiness. In Study 2, four hypotheses were also supported, two of which differed from those supported in Study 1: the presence of an effective project champion and collective self-efficacy. In addition to these variables, vision clarity and change appropriateness also helped explain 75% of the variance in the dependent variable. Explanations for the similarities and differences observed in the two surveys are provided. Organizational readiness is arguably a key

  6. Research Ready Program: A First in Regional South Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penman, Joy; Oliver, Mary

    2012-01-01

    In response to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) Board's introduction in 2010 of the new Research Project subject, the University of South Australia's Centre for Participation and Community Engagement took the opportunity to engage further with school students by organising the Research Ready Program. The adoption of the program…

  7. Relationship of Teachers' Readiness for Change with Their Participation in Decision Making and School Culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inandi, Yusuf; Giliç, Fahrettin

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to study the relationship between primary school teachers' level of participation in decision making, school culture and their level of readiness for change. The data in the study were collected from 597 primary school teachers (304 men and 293 women) in central districts of Mersin in 2014 spring semester. Participation…

  8. Perspectives on randomization and readiness for change in a workplace intervention study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Persson, Roger; Nielsen, Karina

    2015-01-01

    team leaders rejected randomization because they considered it to be fairest to increase work-time control among employees in most need. Others accepted randomization arguing that it was fairer to allocate a potential benefi t by random. We found no difference in readiness for changes when comparing...... refl ect the local leaders’ rather than the employees’ readiness for changes and that randomization may infl uence the participants’ attitude towards the intervention perhaps by evoking an experience of ‘winning or losing in the lottery’....

  9. A medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC): development and validation of a questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

    2013-09-01

    Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC). In 2012, a panel of medical education experts judged and adapted a preliminary MORC questionnaire through a modified Delphi procedure. The authors administered the resulting questionnaire to medical school faculty involved in curriculum change and tested the psychometric properties using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and generalizability analysis. The mean relevance score of the Delphi panel (n = 19) reached 4.2 on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = not relevant and 5 = highly relevant) in the second round, meeting predefined criteria for completing the Delphi procedure. Faculty (n = 991) from 131 medical schools in 56 countries completed MORC. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three underlying factors-motivation, capability, and external pressure-in 12 subscales with 53 items. The scale structure suggested by exploratory factor analysis was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.67 to 0.92 for the subscales. Generalizability analysis showed that the MORC results of 5 to 16 faculty members can reliably evaluate a school's organizational readiness for change. MORC is a valid, reliable questionnaire for measuring organizational readiness for curriculum change in medical schools. It can identify which elements in a change process require special attention so as to increase the chance of successful implementation.

  10. Chasing a Moving Target: Perceptions of Work Readiness and Graduate Capabilities in Music Higher Research Degree Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Scott; Grant, Catherine

    2016-01-01

    Recent efforts to increase workplace readiness in university students have largely centred on undergraduates, with comparatively few strategies or studies focusing on higher research degree candidates. In the discipline of music, a wide diversity of possible career paths combined with rapidly changing career opportunities makes workplace readiness…

  11. A maturity model to assess organisational readiness for change

    OpenAIRE

    Zephir, Olivier; Minel, Stéphanie; Chapotot, Emilie

    2011-01-01

    International audience; The presented model which is developed in a European project allows project management teams to assess the organisational maturity to integrate new practices under structural or technological change. Maturity for change is defined here as workforce capability to operate effectively in transformed processes. This methodology is addressed to tackle organisational readiness to fulfil business objectives through technological and structural improvements. The tool integrate...

  12. Smoking cessation: barriers to success and readiness to change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guirguis, Alexander B; Ray, Shaunta M; Zingone, Michelle M; Airee, Anita; Franks, Andrea S; Keenum, Amy J

    2010-10-01

    Smoking cessation interventions should be individualized based on patient history and readiness for change. The objective of this study was to assess stages of change and key components of smoking and cessation history among a sample of primary care patients. A telephone survey of current or recent smokers identified smoking status, stage of change, motivation, concerns, relapse history, pharmacotherapy, and social support. Of 150 participants, most were within precontemplation (22.7 percent) or contemplation (44.0 percent) stages of change; 14.0 percent were in preparation, 4.7 percent in action, and 14.7 percent in maintenance. The primary motivation for quitting was to improve general health (42.3 percent). The most common cessation-related concerns were: breaking the habit, stress, and weight gain. Pharmacotherapy was discontinued due to adverse events in 31.5 percent of users. Intratreatment social support was reported by 17.5 percent. The most common reasons for relapse were falling back into the habit (36 percent), stressful situations (27 percent), and being around other smokers (25 percent). Targeted interventions are needed for patients in either precontemplation or contemplation stages. Counseling should focus on helping patients resolve barriers to cessation and reasons for relapse, particularly stress and weight management. Pharmacotherapy should be utilized when patients are ready to quit. Increased intratreatment social support and counseling appear warranted to support behavior change and appropriate medication use.

  13. Parent Involvement in the Getting Ready for School Intervention Is Associated With Changes in School Readiness Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Marti

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The role of parent involvement in school readiness interventions is not well-understood. The Getting Ready for School (GRS intervention is a novel program that has both home and school components and aims to improve early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills in preschool children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. In this study, we first examined associations between family characteristics and different indices of parent involvement in the GRS intervention. We then examined associations between parent involvement and change in children's school readiness skills over time. Participants were 133 preschool children attending Head Start and their parents who participated in the GRS intervention during the academic year 2014–2015. Parent involvement was operationalized as attendance to GRS events at the school, time spent at home doing GRS activities, and usage of digital program materials, which included a set of videos to support the implementation of parent-child activities at home. Although few family characteristics were significantly associated with parent involvement indices, there was a tendency for some markers of higher socioeconomic status to be linked with greater parent involvement. In addition, greater parent involvement in the GRS intervention was significantly associated with greater gains in children's early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills. These findings suggest that parent involvement in comprehensive early interventions could be beneficial in terms of improving school readiness for preschoolers from disadvantaged families.

  14. Parent Involvement in the Getting Ready for School Intervention Is Associated With Changes in School Readiness Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marti, Maria; Merz, Emily C.; Repka, Kelsey R.; Landers, Cassie; Noble, Kimberly G.; Duch, Helena

    2018-01-01

    The role of parent involvement in school readiness interventions is not well-understood. The Getting Ready for School (GRS) intervention is a novel program that has both home and school components and aims to improve early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills in preschool children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. In this study, we first examined associations between family characteristics and different indices of parent involvement in the GRS intervention. We then examined associations between parent involvement and change in children's school readiness skills over time. Participants were 133 preschool children attending Head Start and their parents who participated in the GRS intervention during the academic year 2014–2015. Parent involvement was operationalized as attendance to GRS events at the school, time spent at home doing GRS activities, and usage of digital program materials, which included a set of videos to support the implementation of parent-child activities at home. Although few family characteristics were significantly associated with parent involvement indices, there was a tendency for some markers of higher socioeconomic status to be linked with greater parent involvement. In addition, greater parent involvement in the GRS intervention was significantly associated with greater gains in children's early literacy, math, and self-regulatory skills. These findings suggest that parent involvement in comprehensive early interventions could be beneficial in terms of improving school readiness for preschoolers from disadvantaged families. PMID:29904362

  15. Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC): validation of a questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, Lindsay; Jippes, Mariëlle; Leppink, Jimmie; Scherpbier, Albert Jja; den Rooyen, Corry; van Luijk, Scheltus J; Scheele, Fedde

    2018-01-01

    The field of postgraduate medical education (PGME) is continuously evolving as a result of social demands and advancing educational insights. Change experts contend that organizational readiness for change (ORC) is a critical precursor for successful implementation of change initiatives. However, in PGME, assessing change readiness is rarely considered while it could be of great value for managing educational change such as curriculum change. Therefore, in a previous Delphi study the authors developed an instrument for assessing ORC in PGME: Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC). In this study, the psychometric properties of this questionnaire were further explored. In 2015, STORC was distributed among clinical teaching teams in the Netherlands. The authors conducted a confirmatory factor analysis on the internal factor structure of STORC. The reliability of the measurements was estimated by calculating Cronbach's alpha for all sub-scales. Additionally, a behavioral support-for-change measure was distributed as well to assess correlations with change-related behavior. In total, the STORC questionnaire was completed by 856 clinical teaching team members from 39 specialties. Factor analysis led to the removal of 1 item but supported the expected factor structure with very good fit for the other 43 items. Supportive behavior was positively correlated to a higher level of ORC. In this study, additional steps to collect validity evidence for the STORC questionnaire were taken successfully. The final subscales of STORC represent the core components of ORC in the literature. By breaking down this concept into multiple measurable aspects, STORC could help to enable educational leaders to diagnose possible hurdles in implementation processes and to perform specifically targeted interventions when needed.

  16. Why Do We Need Future Ready Librarians? That Kid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Mark

    2018-01-01

    In this article, the author examines the need of the Future Ready Librarians (FRL) initiative. The FRL Framework helps define how librarians might lead, teach, and support schools based on the core research-based components defined by Future Ready. The framework and initiative are intended to be ways to change the conversation about school…

  17. Developing a survey instrument to assess the readiness of primary care data, genetic and disease registries to conduct linked research: TRANSFoRm International Research Readiness (TIRRE survey instrument

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Leppenwell

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Background Clinical data are collected for routine care in family practice; there are also a growing number of genetic and cancer registry data repositories. The Translational Research and Patient Safety in Europe (TRANSFoRm project seeks to facilitate research using linked data from more than one source. We performed a requirements analysis which identified a wide range of data and business process requirements that need to be met before linking primary care and either genetic or disease registry data.Objectives To develop a survey to assess the readiness of data repositories to participate in linked research – the Transform International Research Readiness (TIRRE survey.Method We develop the questionnaire based on our requirement analysis; with questions at micro-, meso- and macro levels of granularity, study-specific questions about diabetes and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD, and research track record. The scope of the data required was extensive. We piloted this instrument, conducting ten preliminary telephone interviews to evaluate the response to the questionnaire.Results Using feedback gained from these interviews we revised the questionnaire; clarifying questions that were difficult to answer and utilising skip logic to create different series of questions for the various types of data repository. We simplified the questionnaire replacing free-text responses with yes/no or picking list options, wherever possible. We placed the final questionnaire online and encouraged its use (www.clininf.eu/jointirre/info.html.Conclusion Limited field testing suggests that TIRRE is capable of collecting comprehensive and relevant data about the suitability and readiness of data repositories to participate in linked data research.

  18. Autonomous motivation is not enough: the role of compensatory health beliefs for the readiness to change stair and elevator use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radtke, Theda; Rackow, Pamela

    2014-11-28

    Compensatory health beliefs (CHBs) are beliefs that an unhealthy behavior can be compensated with a healthy behavior. In line with the CHBs model, the aim of this study was twofold. First, the study investigated the relationship between autonomous motivation and CHBs that physical inactivity can be compensated by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Second, the study focused on the associations between CHBs and readiness to use the stairs more often and stair and elevator use. Thus, a cross-sectional online questionnaire was designed that was filled out by 135 participants. Path analysis showed that individuals with stronger autonomous motivation to use the stairs strongly agreed that sedentary behavior could be compensated by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Moreover, CHBs were positively related to readiness to change behavior, but not to self-reported stair and elevator use. Even though future research is necessary to replicate these findings, autonomous motivation seems to have a positive impact on CHBs which, in turn, might boost an intended behavior change. Thus, promoting possible compensation of physical inactivity might foster the readiness to change the unhealthy behavior.

  19. Autonomous Motivation Is Not Enough: The Role of Compensatory Health Beliefs for the Readiness to Change Stair and Elevator Use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theda Radtke

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Compensatory health beliefs (CHBs are beliefs that an unhealthy behavior can be compensated with a healthy behavior. In line with the CHBs model, the aim of this study was twofold. First, the study investigated the relationship between autonomous motivation and CHBs that physical inactivity can be compensated by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Second, the study focused on the associations between CHBs and readiness to use the stairs more often and stair and elevator use. Thus, a cross-sectional online questionnaire was designed that was filled out by 135 participants. Path analysis showed that individuals with stronger autonomous motivation to use the stairs strongly agreed that sedentary behavior could be compensated by taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Moreover, CHBs were positively related to readiness to change behavior, but not to self-reported stair and elevator use. Even though future research is necessary to replicate these findings, autonomous motivation seems to have a positive impact on CHBs which, in turn, might boost an intended behavior change. Thus, promoting possible compensation of physical inactivity might foster the readiness to change the unhealthy behavior.

  20. Trust in management, communication and organisational commitment: Factors influencing readiness for change management in organisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Mohd Hafis; Ismail, Syuhaida; Rani, Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd; Wahab, Mohammad Hussaini

    2017-10-01

    Organisational change occurs when an organisation makes a transition from its current state to some desired future state in minimising employee resistance and cost to the organisation while simultaneously maximising the effectiveness of the change effort. This paper, aims at appraising the change management of organisation in Malaysia since limited research has been done to examine readiness for change by the employees in the organisation. This paper is materialising its objectives of (1) investigating the current practice of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management and (2) assessing the factors influencing readiness of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management. It is found via literature review that change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are thoroughly and smoothly implemented to transitioning individuals, teams, and organisations to a desired future state by focusing on the wider impacts of change, particularly on people, where change does not happen in isolation and it impacts the whole organisation. Furthermore, it is found that current practice of organisation and employees in the organisation towards change management involved in three main factors, namely trust in management, communication and organisational commitment; with the factor for trust in management is the positive vision for the future by management team, meanwhile for communication, it is found that there is good communication between supervisors and employees about the organisation's policy toward the changes. The factor found in organisational commitment is employees enjoying discussing about their organisation with outsiders. The findings of this paper provide a positive impact on change management planning, which ultimately help in ensuring more effective change programme implementation in the organisation in Malaysia.

  1. A Readiness Ruler for Assessing Motivation to Change in People with Eating Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St-Hilaire, Annie; Axelrod, Kaitlyn; Geller, Josie; Mazanek Antunes, Juliana; Steiger, Howard

    2017-09-01

    We examined the psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder Readiness Ruler a simple self-report instrument designed to enable rapid assessment of readiness to change problematic eating behaviours in people with clinical eating disorders. We administered the ED-RR, the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire and a measure of autonomous and controlled motivation for change to 206 individuals receiving outpatient treatment for an eating disorder. A principal axis factoring analysis of the ED-RR yielded a significant two-factor solution (explaining 59% of variance)-one factor pertaining to restriction and body image preoccupation (four items), the other to binge-eating and vomiting symptoms (two items). The ED-RR showed good internal consistency (alpha coefficients for the two factors being .77 and .84 respectively). Furthermore, individuals reporting higher readiness showed higher scores on independent measures of autonomous motivation and greater symptom reductions over time. Results suggest that the ED-RR is a psychometrically sound tool with potential clinical utility. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  2. Using Interdisciplinary Research Methods to Revise and Strengthen the NWS TsunamiReadyTM Community Recognition Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, C.; Gregg, C. E.; Ritchie, L.; Stephen, M.; Farnham, C.; Fraser, S. A.; Gill, D.; Horan, J.; Houghton, B. F.; Johnson, V.; Johnston, D.

    2013-12-01

    The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) partnered with the National Weather Service (NWS) in early 2000 to create the TsunamiReadyTM Community Recognition program. TsunamiReadyTM, modeled after the older NWS StormReadyTM program, is designed to help cities, towns, counties, universities and other large sites in coastal areas reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences. To achieve TsunamiReadyTM recognition, communities must meet certain criteria aimed at better preparing a community for tsunami, including specific actions within the following categories: communications and coordination, tsunami warning reception, local warning dissemination, community preparedness, and administration. Using multidisciplinary research methods and strategies from Public Health; Psychology; Political, Social and Physical Sciences and Evaluation, our research team is working directly with a purposive sample of community stakeholders in collaboration and feedback focus group sessions. Invitation to participate is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to an individual's role as a formal or informal community leader (e.g., in business, government, civic organizations), or their organization or agency affiliation to emergency management and response. Community organizing and qualitative research methods are being used to elicit discussion regarding TsunamiReadyTM requirements and the division of requirements based on some aspect of tsunami hazard, vulnerability and risk, such as proximity to active or passive plate margins or subduction zone generated tsunamis versus earthquake-landslide generated tsunamis . The primary aim of this research is to use social science to revise and refine the NWS TsunamiReadyTM Guidelines in an effort to better prepare communities to reduce risk to tsunamis.

  3. Readiness for change and job satisfaction in a case of lean management application - a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipińska-Grobelny, Agnieszka; Papieska, Ewelina

    2012-09-01

    This current study investigates the effect of lean management system on work attitudes of workers of two manufacturing companies. "Lean management" is a concept of work processes and human relations that determines company's productivity and profitability. Workers of two enterprises, the first one with lean production and the second one with old mass production, were compared for their readiness for change and job satisfaction (both emotional and cognitive aspect). The sample of 102 employees completed a battery of instruments such as: the Job Description Inventory by Neuberger and Allerbeck, the Job Affect Scale by Burke et al. and the Change-Readiness Scale by Kriegel and Brandt. Individuals from the lean manufacturing company were characterized by higher level of readiness for change, positive affect at work, and cognitive job satisfaction. In this approach the introduction of lean production positively affected company's human resource attitudes.

  4. E-health readiness assessment framework in iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

    2012-01-01

    Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well.

  5. E-Health Readiness Assessment Framework in Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rezai-Rad, M; Vaezi, R; Nattagh, F

    2012-01-01

    Background: Concept of e-readiness is used in many areas such as e-business, e-commerce, e-government, and e-banking. In terms of healthcare, e-readiness is a rather new concept, and is propounded under the title of E-healthcare. E-health readiness refers to the readiness of communities and healthcare institutions for the expected changes brought by programs related to Information and Communications Technology (lCT). The present research is conducted aiming at designing E-health Readiness Assessment Framework (EHRAF) in Iran. Methods: The e-health readiness assessment framework was designed based on reviewing literature on e-readiness assessment models and opinions of ICT and health experts. In the next step, Delphi method was used to develop and test the designed framework. Three questionnaires developed to test and modify the model while determining weights of the indices; afterward they were either sent to experts through email or delivered to them in face. Results: The designed framework approved with 4 dimensions, 11 constituents and 58 indices. Technical readiness had the highest importance coefficient (0.256099), and the other dimensions were of the next levels of coefficient importance: core readiness (0.25520), social communication readiness (0.244658), and engagement readiness (0.244039). Conclusion: The framework presents the movement route and investment priorities in e-health in Iran. The proposed framework is a good instrument for measuring the e-readiness in health centers in Iran, and for identifying strengths and weaknesses of these centers to access ICT and its implementation for more effectiveness and for analyzing digital divide between them, as well. PMID:23304661

  6. Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    As part of the Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) program, the Global Change Research Program (GCRP) in the National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared this draft report exploring a new methodology for climate change vulnerability assessments using San Francisco Bay’s salt marsh and mudflat ecosystems as a demonstration. N/A

  7. Maintenance-Ready Web Application Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ion IVAN

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The current paper tackles the subject of developing maintenance-ready web applications. Maintenance is presented as a core stage in a web application’s lifecycle. The concept of maintenance-ready is defined in the context of web application development. Web application maintenance tasks types are enunciated and suitable task types are identified for further analysis. The research hypothesis is formulated based on a direct link between tackling maintenance in the development stage and reducing overall maintenance costs. A live maintenance-ready web application is presented and maintenance related aspects are highlighted. The web application’s features, that render it maintenance-ready, are emphasize. The cost of designing and building the web-application to be maintenance-ready are disclosed. The savings in maintenance development effort facilitated by maintenance ready features are also disclosed. Maintenance data is collected from 40 projects implemented by a web development company. Homogeneity and diversity of collected data is evaluated. A data sample is presented and the size and comprehensive nature of the entire dataset is depicted. Research hypothesis are validated and conclusions are formulated on the topic of developing maintenance-ready web applications. The limits of the research process which represented the basis for the current paper are enunciated. Future research topics are submitted for debate.

  8. University Research Initiative Program for Combat Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-05-01

    microscope image of one of the lenses. This array was selected for testing because it is fabricated in a relatively inexpensive polyacrylic material, the...potent analogues of the potassium -sparing diuretic, amiloride. However, our results 179 University Reasearch Initiative for Combat Readiness Annual Report...for Combat Readiness Annual Report for the period June 1, 1998 - June 30, 1999 Roger H. Sawyer University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 May

  9. Researcher readiness for participating in community-engaged dissemination and implementation research: a conceptual framework of core competencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shea, Christopher M; Young, Tiffany L; Powell, Byron J; Rohweder, Catherine; Enga, Zoe K; Scott, Jennifer E; Carter-Edwards, Lori; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

    2017-09-01

    Participating in community-engaged dissemination and implementation (CEDI) research is challenging for a variety of reasons. Currently, there is not specific guidance or a tool available for researchers to assess their readiness to conduct CEDI research. We propose a conceptual framework that identifies detailed competencies for researchers participating in CEDI and maps these competencies to domains. The framework is a necessary step toward developing a CEDI research readiness survey that measures a researcher's attitudes, willingness, and self-reported ability for acquiring the knowledge and performing the behaviors necessary for effective community engagement. The conceptual framework for CEDI competencies was developed by a team of eight faculty and staff affiliated with a university's Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). The authors developed CEDI competencies by identifying the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors necessary for carrying out commonly accepted CE principles. After collectively developing an initial list of competencies, team members individually mapped each competency to a single domain that provided the best fit. Following the individual mapping, the group held two sessions in which the sorting preferences were shared and discrepancies were discussed until consensus was reached. During this discussion, modifications to wording of competencies and domains were made as needed. The team then engaged five community stakeholders to review and modify the competencies and domains. The CEDI framework consists of 40 competencies organized into nine domains: perceived value of CE in D&I research, introspection and openness, knowledge of community characteristics, appreciation for stakeholder's experience with and attitudes toward research, preparing the partnership for collaborative decision-making, collaborative planning for the research design and goals, communication effectiveness, equitable distribution of resources and credit, and

  10. Readiness of Makassar Public High School Counsellors in Coping Organizational Change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andi Dasmawati

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to determine the readiness of State High School counsellors in the city of Makassar who are confronted with organizational change. The assessment is viewed from the aspect of preparedness of counsellors that includes self-esteem, optimism and perceived control. A mixed method was used in this study that was simultaneously embedded. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 68 counsellors of State High Schools in Makassar for purposes of quantitative analysis, while an interview was conducted to five counsellor-coordinators for purposes of qualitative analysis.  Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to best analyze the quantitative data, while the qualitative data was analyzed manually. The study revealed that the level of readiness of the 68 counsellors’ performance was low in coping with organizational change. This implies that there is a need for the counsellors to improve their performance in the future. Through the qualitative analysis, it was found out that the counsellors have numerous difficulties in their ability to cope with organizational change, while the result of good performance was noted in the quantitative analysis that was conducted.

  11. "Change in Schools It's More Like Sort of Turning an Oil Tanker": Creating Readiness for Health Promoting Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, Belinda; Ollis, Debbie

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to add to the evidence of best practice in the implementation of the Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework by examining the process of creating readiness for change in a large international school in South-East Asia. Using a settings-based approach and guided by readiness for change theory the data…

  12. Production technology readiness assessment of surfactant in the research center for Chemistry-Indonesian Institute of Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setiawan, Arief Ameir Rahman; Sulaswatty, Anny

    2017-11-01

    The common problem faced by the institution working on research, innovation and technology development is lack of quantitative measures to determine the technology readiness of research. No common communication language between R & D Institutions and industry about the level of preparedness of a research resulting a barrier to technology diffusion interaction. This lack of connection between R & D institutes with industry may lead to "sluggishness" occurs in innovating. For such circumstance, assessing technology readiness of research is very important. One of wide spread methods for the assessment is Technology Readiness Level (TRL, also known as Technometer), which is introduced by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). TRL is a general guide that provides an overview of maturity level of a technology. This study aims to identify and demonstrate the implementation of TRL to assess a number of surfactant researches in the Research Center for Chemistry, Indonesian Institute of Sciences. According to the assessment, it has been obtained the surfactant recommended for further development towards commercialization of R & D results, i.e. Glycerol Mono Stearate (GMS), which has reached the level of TRL 7.

  13. Readiness to change and brain damage in patients with chronic alcoholism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Berre, Anne-Pascale; Rauchs, Géraldine; La Joie, Renaud; Segobin, Shailendra; Mézenge, Florence; Boudehent, Céline; Vabret, François; Viader, Fausto; Eustache, Francis; Pitel, Anne-Lise; Beaunieux, Hélène

    2013-09-30

    High motivation to change is a crucial triggering factor to patients' engagement in clinical treatment. This study investigates whether the low readiness to change observed in some alcoholic inpatients at treatment entry could, at least partially, be linked with macrostructural gray matter abnormalities in critical brain regions. Participants comprised 31 alcoholic patients and 27 controls, who underwent 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging. The Readiness to Change Questionnaire, designed to assess three stages of motivation to change (precontemplation, contemplation and action stages), was completed by all patients, who were then divided into "Action" (i.e., patients in action stage) and "PreAction" (i.e., patients in precontemplation or in contemplation stage) subgroups. The PreAction subgroup, but not the Action subgroup, had gray matter volume deficits compared with controls. Unlike the patients in the Action subgroup, the PreAction patients had gray matter abnormalities in the cerebellum (Crus I), fusiform gyri and frontal cortex. The low level of motivation to modify drinking behavior observed in some alcoholic patients at treatment entry may be related to macrostructural brain abnormalities in regions subtending cognitive, emotional and social abilities. These brain volume deficits may result in impairment of critical abilities such as decision making, executive functions and social cognition skills. Those abilities may be needed to resolve ambivalence toward alcohol addiction and to apply "processes of change", which are essential for activating the desire to change problematic behavior. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Drinking and Dating: Examining the Link among Relationship Satisfaction, Hazardous Drinking, and Readiness-to-Change in College Dating Relationships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaddouma, Alexander; Shorey, Ryan C.; Brasfield, Hope; Febres, Jeniimarie; Zapor, Heather; Elmquist, Joanna; Stuart, Gregory L.

    2016-01-01

    For this study we examined the association between relationship satisfaction and readiness-to-change alcohol use, as well as the associations between hazardous drinking and readiness-to-change relationship issues in college dating relationships. A sample of 219 college students in a current dating relationship (aged 18-25) completed self-report…

  15. Community-Engaged Attribute Mapping: Exploring Resources and Readiness to Change the Rural Context for Obesity Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    John, Deborah; Winfield, Tammy; Etuk, Lena; Hystad, Perry; Langellotto, Gail; Manore, Melinda; Gunter, Kathy

    2017-01-01

    Individual risk factors for obesity are well-known, but environmental characteristics that influence individual risk, especially in rural communities, are not confirmed. Rural communities face unique challenges to implementing environmental strategies, such as walkability, aimed at supporting weight healthy lifestyles. Cooperative Extension, a community-embedded weight health partner, convened and engaged community members in self-exploration of local resources and readiness to change environmental characteristics perceived to promote unhealthy eating and inactivity. This approach leveraged Extension's mission, which includes connecting rural communities with land-grant university resources. HEAL MAPPS™ (Healthy Eating Active Living Mapping Attributes using Participatory Photographic Surveys) was developed as a participatory action research methodology. Adopted by Extension community partners, HEAL MAPPS™ involved residents in photomapping, characterizing, and communicating lived experiences of their rural community, and prioritizing interventions to change the obesogenic context. Extension educators serving rural communities in six Western U.S. states were trained to implement HEAL MAPPS™. Extension engaged community members who mapped and evaluated their encounters with environmental attributes that shape their dietary and activity patterns. The method partnered residents with decision makers in identifying issues, assessing resources and readiness, and prioritizing locally relevant environmental strategies to reduce access disparities for rural populations with high obesity risk. HEAL MAPPS™ revealed differences in resource availability, accessibility, and affordability within and among rural communities, as well as in readiness to address the obesogenic context. Extension functioned successfully as the backbone organization, and local community health partner, cooperatively implementing HEAL MAPPS™ and engaging constituents in shaping weight healthy

  16. Improved change readiness through supply chain competency development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arlbjørn, Jan Stentoft; Haas, Henning de; Caspersen, Rasmus

    2006-01-01

    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the experiences from a number of two-day courses in fundamentals of supply chain management completed for about 200 employees in a case company. The courses were held in order to increase the organisation's competency level and by this prepare...... to the participants and filled out at the end of each course. The second questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to the participants of the completed courses. Findings – Provides evidence for the possibility to construct and complete a supply chain course that could increase competency level and change readiness...

  17. Health promotion research in active duty army soldiers: The road to a fit and ready force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Mary S; Elshaw, Evelyn B; Szekely, Barbara M; Pflugeisen, Bethann

    In the last decade the Military Health System has changed its paradigm to focus on health promotion and disease prevention. This paper reviews a decade of research exploring the effects of military life on nutritional status and bone health of Army soldiers. Descriptive and experimental approaches have assessed occupational demands on soldiers in variable environments that require optimal nutrition status and physical health. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the military has risen dramatically and the implications for health, readiness, productivity, and cost demands attention. The related nutritional deficits such as suboptimal vitamin D status likely contribute to musculoskeletal injuries which have a greater impact on the performance and readiness of soldiers than any other medical condition in peacetime or conflict. The greatest challenge in our system for health is optimizing the performance of all soldiers while minimizing health risks and long-term disability resulting from occupational hazards, particularly those inherent to war. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Ready Texas: Stakeholder Convening. Proceedings Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intercultural Development Research Association, 2016

    2016-01-01

    With the adoption of substantial changes to Texas high school curricula in 2013 (HB5), a central question for Texas policymakers, education and business leaders, families, and students is whether and how HB5 implementation impacts the state of college readiness and success in Texas. Comprehensive research is needed to understand the implications…

  19. Organizational readiness for change: Preceptor perceptions regarding early immersion of student pharmacists in health-system practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Kimberly A; Wolcott, Michael D; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; D'Ostroph, Amanda; Shea, Christopher M; Pinelli, Nicole R

    To examine preceptors' perceptions regarding readiness for change pre- and post-implementation of a pilot early immersion program engaging student pharmacists in direct patient care. Student pharmacists enrolled in the second professional year of a Doctor of Pharmacy degree program completed a four-week health-system introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) which was modified to include direct patient care roles in operational (drug preparation and dispensing) and clinical (comprehensive medication management) pharmacy environments. Pharmacy preceptors with direct oversight for program implementation completed a pre/post Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) survey and a 50-min interview or focus group post-experience. The ORIC survey evaluates two dimensions of organizational readiness for change - change commitment and change efficacy. Additional items assessed included implementation needs, support, and perceived value of the change. ORIC survey constructs were compared before and after the experience. Interviews and focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and evaluated by constant comparative analysis. A mixed methods approach was used to triangulate findings and develop greater understanding of the ORIC survey results. Twenty pharmacy preceptors (37 ± 8 years of age, 60% female, 65% clinical pharmacist position, 70% prior preceptor experience) participated in the study. There were no significant changes in pre/post survey constructs, except for a decline in the perception of organizational change commitment (p change (p changes for student pharmacist engagement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Development and Pilot Test of the Workplace Readiness Questionnaire, a Theory-Based Instrument to Measure Small Workplaces' Readiness to Implement Wellness Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannon, Peggy A; Helfrich, Christian D; Chan, K Gary; Allen, Claire L; Hammerback, Kristen; Kohn, Marlana J; Parrish, Amanda T; Weiner, Bryan J; Harris, Jeffrey R

    2017-01-01

    To develop a theory-based questionnaire to assess readiness for change in small workplaces adopting wellness programs. In developing our scale, we first tested items via "think-aloud" interviews. We tested the revised items in a cross-sectional quantitative telephone survey. The study setting comprised small workplaces (20-250 employees) in low-wage industries. Decision-makers representing small workplaces in King County, Washington (think-aloud interviews, n = 9), and the United States (telephone survey, n = 201) served as study subjects. We generated items for each construct in Weiner's theory of organizational readiness for change. We also measured workplace characteristics and current implementation of workplace wellness programs. We assessed reliability by coefficient alpha for each of the readiness questionnaire subscales. We tested the association of all subscales with employers' current implementation of wellness policies, programs, and communications, and conducted a path analysis to test the associations in the theory of organizational readiness to change. Each of the readiness subscales exhibited acceptable internal reliability (coefficient alpha range, .75-.88) and was positively associated with wellness program implementation ( p < .05). The path analysis was consistent with the theory of organizational readiness to change, except change efficacy did not predict change-related effort. We developed a new questionnaire to assess small workplaces' readiness to adopt and implement evidence-based wellness programs. Our findings also provide empirical validation of Weiner's theory of readiness for change.

  1. From Readiness to Action: How Motivation Works

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kruglanski Arie W.

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available We present a new theoretical construct labeled motivational readiness. It is defined as the inclination, whether or not ultimately implemented, to satisfy a desire. A general model of readiness is described which builds on the work of prior theories, including animal learning models and personality approaches, and which aims to integrate a variety of research findings across different domains of motivational research. Components of this model include the Want state (that is, an individual’s currently active desire, and the Expectancy of being able to satisfy that Want. We maintain that the Want concept is the critical ingredient in motivational readiness: without it, readiness cannot exist. In contrast, some motivational readiness can exist without Expectancy. We also discuss the role of incentive in motivational readiness. Incentive is presently conceived of in terms of a Match between a Want and a Perceived Situational Affordance. Whereas in classic models incentive was portrayed as a first order determinant of motivational readiness, here we describe it as a second order factor which affects readiness by influencing Want, Expectancy, or both. The new model’s relation to its theoretical predecessors, and its implications for future research, also are discussed.

  2. Drinking norms, readiness to change, and gender as moderators of a combined alcohol intervention for first-year college students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossbard, Joel R; Mastroleo, Nadine R; Geisner, Irene Markman; Atkins, David; Ray, Anne E; Kilmer, Jason R; Mallett, Kimberly; Larimer, Mary E; Turrisi, Rob

    2016-01-01

    Alcohol interventions targeting college students and their parents have been shown to be efficacious. Little research has examined moderators of intervention efficacy to help tailor interventions for subgroups of students. This study is a secondary data analysis of readiness to change, drinking norms, and gender as moderators of an efficacious peer- and parent-based intervention (Turrisi et al., 2009). Students (n=680) were randomized to the combined peer and parent intervention (n=342) or assessment-only control (n=338). The combined intervention reduced peak blood alcohol content (BAC) compared to control. Gender and norms did not moderate the relationship between the intervention and drinking. Significant interactions were found between gender, precontemplation, and intervention. Students in the combined condition with higher precontemplation had lower weekly drinking compared to those with lower precontemplation. This pattern was also found among men for peak BAC and alcohol-related consequences but not among women, indicating a three-way interaction. Interventions may need to consider readiness to change and gender to optimize effectiveness. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Assessing motivation and readiness to change for weight management and control: an in-depth evaluation of three sets of instruments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina eCeccarini

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available It is highly recommended to promptly assess motivation and readiness to change in individuals who wish to achieve significant lifestyle behavior changes in order to improve their health, overall quality of life and well-being. In particular, motivation should be assessed for those who face the difficult task to maintain weight, which implies a double challenge: weight loss initially and its management subsequently. In fact, weight-control may be as problematic as smoking or drugs-taking cessation, since they all share the commonality of being highly refractory to change behaviors. This paper will examine three well-established tools following the Trans-theoretical Model (TTM, specifically assessing readiness to change in weight management: the URICA, the S-Weight and the P-Weight and the Decisional Balance Inventory. Though their strengths and weaknesses may appear to be rather homogeneous and similar, the S-Weight and P-Weight are more efficient in assessing readiness to change in weight management and control. Assessing motivation and readiness to change may be a crucial step in promptly identifying psychological obstacles or resistance towards weight-management in overweight or obese hospitalised individuals, and it may contribute to provide a more effective weight-control treatment intervention.

  4. Application of the transtheoretical model of behaviour change for identifying older clients' readiness for hearing rehabilitation during history-taking in audiology appointments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekberg, Katie; Grenness, Caitlin; Hickson, Louise

    2016-07-01

    The transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change focuses on clients' readiness for adopting new health behaviours. This study explores how clients' readiness for change can be identified through their interactions with audiologists during history-taking in initial appointments; and whether clients' readiness has consequences for the rehabilitation decisions they make within the initial appointment. Conversation analysis (CA) was used to examine video-recorded initial audiology appointments with older adults with hearing impairment. The data corpus involved 62 recorded appointments with 26 audiologists and their older adult clients (aged 55+ years). Companions were present in 17 appointments. Clients' readiness for change could be observed through their interaction with the audiologist. Analysis demonstrated that the way clients described their hearing in the history-taking phase had systematic consequences for how they responded to rehabilitation recommendations (in particular, hearing aids) in the management phase of the appointment. In particular, clients identified as being in a pre-contemplation stage-of-change were more likely to display resistance to a recommendation of hearing aids (80% declined). The transtheoretical model of behaviour change can be useful for helping audiologists individualize management planning to be congruent with individual clients' needs, attitudes, desires, and psychological readiness for action in order to optimize clients' hearing outcomes.

  5. Organizational readiness in specialty mental health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Alison B; Cohen, Amy N; Young, Alexander S

    2010-01-01

    Implementing quality improvement efforts in clinics is challenging. Assessment of organizational "readiness" for change can set the stage for implementation by providing information regarding existing strengths and deficiencies, thereby increasing the chance of a successful improvement effort. This paper discusses organizational assessment in specialty mental health, in preparation for improving care for individuals with schizophrenia. To assess organizational readiness for change in specialty mental health in order to facilitate locally tailored implementation strategies. EQUIP-2 is a site-level controlled trial at nine VA medical centers (four intervention, five control). Providers at all sites completed an organizational readiness for change (ORC) measure, and key stakeholders at the intervention sites completed a semi-structured interview at baseline. At the four intervention sites, 16 administrators and 43 clinical staff completed the ORC, and 38 key stakeholders were interviewed. The readiness domains of training needs, communication, and change were the domains with lower mean scores (i.e., potential deficiencies) ranging from a low of 23.8 to a high of 36.2 on a scale of 10-50, while staff attributes of growth and adaptability had higher mean scores (i.e., potential strengths) ranging from a low of 35.4 to a high of 41.1. Semi-structured interviews revealed that staff perceptions and experiences of change and decision-making are affected by larger structural factors such as change mandates from VA headquarters. Motivation for change, organizational climate, staff perceptions and beliefs, and prior experience with change efforts contribute to readiness for change in specialty mental health. Sites with less readiness for change may require more flexibility in the implementation of a quality improvement intervention. We suggest that uptake of evidence-based practices can be enhanced by tailoring implementation efforts to the strengths and deficiencies of the

  6. Adaptation Becoming Business as Usual: A Framework for Climate-Change-Ready Transport Infrastructure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew D. Quinn

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Extreme weather damages and disrupts transport infrastructure in a multitude of ways. Heavy rainfall and ensuing landslides or flooding may lead to road or rail closures; extreme heat can damage road surfaces, or cause tracks, signalling or electronic equipment to overheat, or thermal discomfort for passengers. As extreme weather is expected to occur more frequently in the future, transport infrastructure owners and operators must increase their preparedness in order to reduce weather-related service disruption and the associated financial costs. This article presents a two-sided framework for use by any organisation to develop climate-change-ready transport infrastructure, regardless of their current level of knowledge or preparedness for climate change. The framework is composed of an adaptation strategy and an implementation plan, and has the overarching ambition to embed climate change adaptation within organisational procedures so it becomes a normal function of business. It advocates adaptation pathways, i.e., sequential adaptive actions that do not compromise future actions. The circular, iterative structure ensures new knowledge, or socio-economic changes may be incorporated, and that previous adaptations are evaluated. Moreover, the framework aligns with existing asset management procedures (e.g., ISO standards or governmental or organisational approaches to climate change adaptation. By adopting this framework, organisations can self-identify their own level of adaptation readiness and seek to enhance it.

  7. Effectiveness of the Treatment Readiness and Induction Program for increasing adolescent motivation for change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becan, Jennifer E; Knight, Danica K; Crawley, Rachel D; Joe, George W; Flynn, Patrick M

    2015-03-01

    Success in substance abuse treatment is improved by problem recognition, desire to seek help, and readiness to engage in treatment, all of which are important aspects of motivation. Interventions that facilitate these at treatment induction for adolescents are especially needed. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of TRIP (Treatment Readiness and Induction Program) in promoting treatment motivation. Data represent 519 adolescents from 6 residential programs who completed assessments at treatment intake (time 1) and 35 days after admission (time 2). The design consisted of a comparison sample (n=281) that had enrolled in treatment prior to implementation of TRIP (standard operating practice) and a sample of clients that had entered treatment after TRIP began and received standard operating practice enhanced by TRIP (n=238). Repeated measures ANCOVAs were conducted using each time 2 motivation scale as a dependent measure. Motivation scales were conceptualized as representing sequential stages of change. LISREL was used to test a structural model involving TRIP participation, gender, drug use severity, juvenile justice involvement, age, race-ethnicity, prior treatment, and urgency as predictors of the stages of treatment motivation. Compared to standard practice, adolescents receiving TRIP demonstrated greater gains in problem recognition, even after controlling for the other variables in the model. The model fit was adequate, with TRIP directly affecting problem recognition and indirectly affecting later stages of change (desire for help and treatment readiness). Future studies should examine which specific components of TRIP affect change in motivation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Research on Influencing Factors of Salespeople's Empowerment Readiness in Green Energy Enterprise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Yuan; Liu, Xiaohui

    As market competition in green energy enterprises continues to intensify, marketing activities are enlarging and customer demand is increasingly growing and diversifying. More and more green energy enterprises have empowered their own salespeople. And managers in green energy enterprises are more concerned with the issues which employees suit to be empowered and which factors will influence employee empowerment readiness. This paper proposes the definition of salespeople's empowerment readiness, analyzes influencing factors of salespeople's empowerment readiness, discusses the effect mechanism of influencing factors of salespeople's empowerment readiness, finally, and puts forward some suggestions to enhance salespeople's empowerment readiness from the perspective of human resource management practice.

  9. Parent Readiness to Change Differs for Overweight Child Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors

    OpenAIRE

    Rhee, KE; McEachern, R; Jelalian, E

    2014-01-01

    Parent involvement is important to help overweight children lose weight. However, parent readiness to make changes around child eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors can differ across domains. Using a cross-sectional design, our aim was to examine which factors were associated with parents being in the action/maintenance stage of change (SOC) in each domain. From November 2008 – August 2009, parents of overweight/obese children (n=202) attending a tertiary care obesity clinic in Provide...

  10. Care delivery and compensation system changes: a case study of organizational readiness within a large dental care practice organization in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Milgrom, Peter; Huebner, Colleen E; Scott, JoAnna; Ludwig, Sharity; Dysert, Jeanne; Mitchell, Melissa; Allen, Gary; Shirtcliff, R Mike

    2017-12-20

    Dental care delivery systems in the United States are consolidating and large practice organizations are becoming more common. At the same time, greater accountability for addressing disparities in access to care is being demanded when public funds are used to pay for care. As change occurs within these new practice structures, attempts to implement change in the delivery system may be hampered by failure to understand the organizational climate or fail to prepare employees to accommodate new goals or processes. Studies of organizational behavior within oral health care are sparse and have not addressed consolidation of current delivery systems. The objective of this case study was to assess organizational readiness for implementing change in a large dental care organization consisting of staff model clinics and affiliated dental practices and test associations of readiness with workforce characteristics and work environment. A dental care organization implemented a multifaceted quality improvement program, called PREDICT, in which community-based mobile and clinic-based dental services were integrated and the team compensated based in part on meeting performance targets. Dental care providers and supporting staff members (N = 181) were surveyed before program implementation and organizational readiness for implementing change (ORIC) was assessed by two 5-point scales: change commitment and efficacy. Providers and staff demonstrated high organizational readiness for change. Median change commitment was 3.8 (Interquartile range [IQR]: 3.3-4.3) and change efficacy was 3.8 (IQR: 3.0-4.2). In the adjusted regression model, change commitment was associated with organizational climate, support for methods to arrest tooth decay and was inversely related to office chaos. Change efficacy was associated with organizational climate, support for the company's mission and was inversely related to burnout. Each unit increase in the organizational climate scale predicted 0

  11. Green IT Readiness: A Framework and Preliminary Proof of Concept

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alemayehu Molla

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Businesses are under increasing pressure from customers, competitors, regulators and community groups to implement sustainable business practices. Balancing economic and environmental performance to be green and competitive is therefore a key strategic issue. The information technology (IT sector is one of the pioneer sectors which started working on the sustainable development model. However, it is only lately that researchers and organisations have begun to consider the role of IT, not only in contributing to a businesses environmental footprint but also in tackling climate change problems. Usually coined as, “Green Information Technology”, the role of IT in causing and resolving ecological sustainability, in maintaining low cost IT shops, in building green reputation capital and in supporting corporate green strategies has hardly been researched. This paper identifies four main areas of Green IT capability and describes the main pillars of a G-readiness framework to help organisations evaluate their maturity for Green IT. The utility of the framework is demonstrated through a desk-based research case study of seven organisations. The paper argues that just as e-readiness has been, and continues to be, a critical capability in the digital economy, G-readiness is an equally critical capability in the low carbon digital economy. Without a clear understanding of G-readiness, organisations would approach Green IT initiatives on an ad hoc and somewhat reactive basis, which is undesirable.

  12. Singapore Teachers' Beliefs about the Purpose of Climate Change Education and Student Readiness to Handle Controversy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seow, Tricia; Ho, Li-Ching

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study examines what four pre-service and six practicing geography educators in Singapore schools believe to be the purpose of climate change education, and how this intersects with their beliefs about student readiness to handle controversy within climate change education. A key finding of this study indicates that the teachers'…

  13. Capture ready fossil fuel plants: a critical stage in tackling climate change

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gibbins, J.; Jia Li; Xi Liang [Imperial College, London (United Kingdom). Energy Technology for Sustainable Development Group

    2006-07-01

    Ways in which gasification-based systems can approach the CO{sub 2} capture ready ideal is discussed, together with possible methods for assessing the optimum degree of capture readiness. A key technology choice for power plants is whether or not to incorporate a shift before capture. Financial returns for making plants capture ready are also discussed. 10 refs., 3 tabs.

  14. Timing Is everything: quantifying regulatory and market readiness levels for technology transition policy analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kobos, Peter Holmes [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Malczynski, Leonard A. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Walker, La Tonya Nicole [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Borns, David James [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2014-03-01

    People save for retirement throughout their career because it is virtually impossible to save all you’ll need in retirement the year before you retire. Similarly, without installing incremental amounts of clean fossil, renewable or transformative energy technologies throughout the coming decades, a radical and immediate change will be near impossible the year before a policy goal is set to be in place. This notion of steady installation growth over acute installations of technology to meet policy goals is the core topic of discussion for this research. This research operationalizes this notion by developing the theoretical underpinnings of regulatory and market acceptance delays by building upon the common Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework and offers two new additions to the research community. The new and novel Regulatory Readiness Level (RRL) and Market Readiness Level (MRL) frameworks were developed. These components, collectively called the Technology, Regulatory and Market (TRM) readiness level framework allow one to build new constraints into existing Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) to address research questions such as, ‘To meet our desired technical and policy goals, what are the factors that affect the rate we must install technology to achieve these goals in the coming decades?’

  15. Weight Loss: Ready to Change Your Habits?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... calories more than you consume each day — through diet and exercise. You might lose weight more quickly if you ... yourself with regular weigh-ins and tracking your diet and activity, which is ... don't have a positive attitude about losing weight, you might not be ready — ...

  16. Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC): development of a questionnaire in a Delphi study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bank, Lindsay; Jippes, Mariëlle; van Luijk, Scheltus; den Rooyen, Corry; Scherpbier, Albert; Scheele, Fedde

    2015-08-05

    In postgraduate medical education (PGME), programs have been restructured according to competency-based frameworks. The scale and implications of these adjustments justify a comprehensive implementation plan. Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) is seen as a critical precursor for a successful implementation of change initiatives. Though, ORC in health care settings is mostly assessed in small scale settings and in relation to new policies and practices rather than educational change. Therefore our aim with this work was to develop an instrument to asses Specialty Training's Organizational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC). A Delphi procedure was conducted to examine the applicability of a preliminary questionnaire in PGME, which was based on existing instruments designed for business and health care organizations. The 41 panellists (19 trainees and 22 supervisors from 6 specialties) from four different countries who were confronted with an apparent curriculum change, or would be in the near future, were asked to rate the relevance of a 89-item web-based questionnaire with regard to changes in specialty training on a 5-point Likert scale. Furthermore, they were invited to make qualitative comments on the items. In two rounds the 89-item preliminary questionnaire was reduced to 44 items. Items were either removed, kept, adapted or added based on individual item scores and qualitative comments. In the absence of a gold standard, this Delphi procedure was considered complete when the overall questionnaire rating exceeded 4.0 (scale 0-5). The overall item score reached 4.1 in the second round, meeting our criteria for completion of this Delphi procedure. This Delphi study describes the initial validating step in the development of an instrument to asses Specialty Training's Organisational Readiness for curriculum Change (STORC). Since ORC is measured on various subscales and presented as such, its strength lies in analysing these subscales. The latter makes

  17. Analyzing International Readiness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Hamidizadeh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Internationalization has different connotations for different social sciences and its social, economic and cultural impacts have been examined by a number of studies. While firms’ internationalization processes have been understood as being dynamic, the concept of international readiness has rarely been the main focus of research efforts, which until a decade ago, focused principally on explaining sequences of entry modes and choices of markets. The emergence of the study of international entrepreneurship has enhanced the role of readiness. This study reviews the concept of international readiness by experimental and theoretical studies. Axioms in this research are based on content analysis. The framework incorporates measures to evaluate SMEs’ international readiness. The paper concludes with a research agenda as a guide for future work on considering the readiness as a critical phase before the internationalization process.

  18. Rethinking workforce boundaries: roles, responsibilities and skill mix and readiness for change in general practice

    OpenAIRE

    Topping, Annie; Nkosana Nyawata, Idah; Stephenson, John; Featherstone, Valerie A.

    2012-01-01

    Title: Rethinking workforce boundaries: roles, responsibilities and skill mix and readiness for change in general practice \\ud The Problem \\ud The last 10 years has seen major changes in the way services are delivered in primary care. Skill mix, has offered many practices real opportunities for doing things differently. As the introduction of advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) and health care assistants (HCAs) into the primary care workforce demonstrate. While workforce redesign has its crit...

  19. A Study of Fleet Surgical Teams Readiness Posture in Amphibious Readiness Groups

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tennyson, Ruby

    2000-01-01

    This thesis describes and evaluates Fleet Surgical Teams (FSTs). It examines how Navy Medicine adapted FSTs to changing support requirements associated with the Total Health Care Support Readiness Requirement (THCSRR...

  20. Readiness factors for lean implementation in healthcare settings--a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Balushi, S; Sohal, A S; Singh, P J; Al Hajri, A; Al Farsi, Y M; Al Abri, R

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to determine the readiness factors that are critical to the application and success of lean operating principles in healthcare organizations through a review of relevant literature. A comprehensive review of literature focussing on lean and lean healthcare was conducted. Leadership, organizational culture, communication, training, measurement, and reward systems are all commonly attributed readiness factors throughout general change management and lean literature. However, directly related to the successful implementation of lean in healthcare is that a setting is able to authorize a decentralized management style and undertake an end-to-end process view. These can be particularly difficult initiatives for complex organizations such as healthcare settings. The readiness factors identified are based on a review of the published literature. The external validity of the findings could be enhanced if tested using an empirical study. The readiness factors identified will enable healthcare practitioners to be better prepared as they begin their lean journeys. Sustainability of the lean initiative will be at stake if these readiness factors are not addressed. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first paper that provides a consolidated list of key lean readiness factors that can guide practice, as well as future theory and empirical research.

  1. Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a review of theoretical components

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background With the persistent gaps between research and practice in healthcare systems, knowledge translation (KT) has gained significance and importance. Also, in most industrialized countries, there is an increasing emphasis on managing chronic health conditions with the best available evidence. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care (CC) require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize the existing evidence on conceptual models/frameworks of Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) in healthcare as the basis for the development of a comprehensive framework of OR for KT in the context of CC. Data sources We conducted a systematic review of the literature on OR for KT in CC using Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Sciences (SCI and SSCI), and others. Search terms included readiness; commitment and change; preparedness; willing to change; organization and administration; and health and social services. Study selection: The search was limited to studies that had been published between the starting date of each bibliographic database (e.g., 1964 for PubMed) and November 1, 2012. Only papers that refer to a theory, a theoretical component from any framework or model on OR that were applicable to the healthcare domain were considered. We analyzed data using conceptual mapping. Data extraction: Pairs of authors independently screened the published literature by reviewing their titles and abstracts. Then, the two same reviewers appraised the full text of each study independently. Results Overall, we found and synthesized 10 theories, theoretical models and conceptual frameworks relevant to ORC in healthcare described in 38 publications. We identified five core concepts, namely organizational dynamics, change process, innovation readiness, institutional readiness, and personal readiness. We extracted 17 dimensions and 59 sub-dimensions related to these 5 concepts

  2. Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a review of theoretical components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attieh, Randa; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Estabrooks, Carole A; Légaré, France; Ouimet, Mathieu; Roch, Geneviève; Ghandour, El Kebir; Grimshaw, Jeremy

    2013-11-28

    With the persistent gaps between research and practice in healthcare systems, knowledge translation (KT) has gained significance and importance. Also, in most industrialized countries, there is an increasing emphasis on managing chronic health conditions with the best available evidence. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care (CC) require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT. The purpose of this study is to review and synthesize the existing evidence on conceptual models/frameworks of Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) in healthcare as the basis for the development of a comprehensive framework of OR for KT in the context of CC. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on OR for KT in CC using Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Sciences (SCI and SSCI), and others. Search terms included readiness; commitment and change; preparedness; willing to change; organization and administration; and health and social services. The search was limited to studies that had been published between the starting date of each bibliographic database (e.g., 1964 for PubMed) and November 1, 2012. Only papers that refer to a theory, a theoretical component from any framework or model on OR that were applicable to the healthcare domain were considered. We analyzed data using conceptual mapping. Pairs of authors independently screened the published literature by reviewing their titles and abstracts. Then, the two same reviewers appraised the full text of each study independently. Overall, we found and synthesized 10 theories, theoretical models and conceptual frameworks relevant to ORC in healthcare described in 38 publications. We identified five core concepts, namely organizational dynamics, change process, innovation readiness, institutional readiness, and personal readiness. We extracted 17 dimensions and 59 sub-dimensions related to these 5 concepts. Our findings provide a useful overview for researchers interested in ORC and aims

  3. Promoting community readiness for physical activity among older adults in Germany--protocol of the ready to change intervention trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Tilman; Gansefort, Dirk; Rothgang, Heinz; Röseler, Sabine; Meyer, Jochen; Zeeb, Hajo

    2016-02-01

    Healthy ageing is an important concern for many societies facing the challenge of an ageing population. Physical activity (PA) is a major contributor to healthy ageing; however insufficient PA levels are prevalent in old age in Germany. Community capacity building and community involvement are often recommended as key strategies to improve equitable access to prevention and health promotion. However, evidence for the effectiveness of these strategies is scarce. This study aims to assess the community readiness for PA promotion in local environments and to analyse the utility of strategies to increase community readiness for reaching vulnerable groups. We designed a mixed method intervention trial comprising three study modules. The first module includes an assessment of community readiness for PA interventions in older adults. The assessment is carried out in a sample of 24 municipalities in the Northwest of Germany using structured key informant interviews. In the second module, eight municipalities with the low community readiness are selected from the sample and randomly assigned to one of two study groups: active enhancement of community readiness (intervention) versus no enhancement (control). After enhancing community readiness in the active enhancement group, older adults in both study groups will be recruited for participation in a PA intervention. Participation rates are compared between the study groups to evaluate the effects of the intervention. In addition, a cost-effectiveness analysis is carried out calculating recruitment costs per person reached in the two study groups. In the third module, qualitative interviews are conducted with participants and non-participants of the PA intervention exploring reasons for participation or non-participation. This study offers the potential to contribute to the evidence base of reaching vulnerable older adults for PA interventions and provide ideas on how to reduce participation barriers. Its findings will inform

  4. The Impact of Social Support and Attachment Style on Quality of Life and Readiness to Change in a Sample of Individuals Receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavaiola, Alan A; Fulmer, Barbara A; Stout, David

    2015-01-01

    A basic principle within the addictions treatment field is that social support is a vital ingredient in the recovery process. This study examines the nature of social support in a sample of opioid-dependent men and women who are currently being treated in a medication-assisted treatment program (methadone). This research examines the types of social support behaviors that the opioid-dependent individuals consider helpful and explores whether attachment style (i.e., secure, ambivalent, or anxious attachment) was a determining factor in whether social support was perceived as helpful. The dependent variables included readiness to change addictive behaviors and abstinence from other mood-altering drugs. Participants (N = 159) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Significant Others Scale, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Assessment, the Readiness to Change Scale, and an Attachment Style Questionnaire. The demographic questionnaire included subjective ratings of self-improvement. Social support predicted perceived improvement in all of the areas examined (e.g., health, family/social relationships) and abstinence; however, attachment style did not predict improvement or with readiness to change. Social support is an important factor in one's recovery from substance use disorders. Yet attachment style (i.e., anxious, avoidant, or secure) did not predict abstinence or overall improvement in functioning.

  5. Preparing for success: Readiness models for rural telehealth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennett P

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Readiness is an integral and preliminary step in the successful implementation of telehealth services into existing health systems within rural communities. Methods and Materials: This paper details and critiques published international peer-reviewed studies that have focused on assessing telehealth readiness for rural and remote health. Background specific to readiness and change theories is provided, followed by a critique of identified telehealth readiness models, including a commentary on their readiness assessment tools. Results: Four current readiness models resulted from the search process. The four models varied across settings, such as rural outpatient practices, hospice programs, rural communities, as well as government agencies, national associations, and organizations. All models provided frameworks for readiness tools. Two specifically provided a mechanism by which communities could be categorized by their level of telehealth readiness. Discussion: Common themes across models included: an appreciation of practice context, strong leadership, and a perceived need to improve practice. Broad dissemination of these telehealth readiness models and tools is necessary to promote awareness and assessment of readiness. This will significantly aid organizations to facilitate the implementation of telehealth.

  6. Radiation processing for safe, shelf-stable and ready-to-eat food. Proceedings of a final research co-ordination meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    The increasingly busy lifestyles of populations in many countries have driven the demand for safe, convenient and ready-to-eat food. Traditional food processes such as drying, canning or refrigeration offer a partial solution to this demand as the sensory quality of such food may be significantly affected or the products may be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria during preparation. For developing countries, safe shelf-stable food without the need for refrigeration would offer advantages. In addition, the increasing number of immuno-compromised populations in many countries requires a new approach to food safety to meet their needs. Irradiation offers a potential to enhance microbiological safety and quality of food through shelf-life extension. The benefits of irradiation as a sanitary treatment of many types of food are well known, some of which are applied commercially in several countries. Little data were available, however, on the effect of irradiation on minimally processed food and composite food including prepared meals. A Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Development of Safe, Shelf-Stable and Ready-to-Eat Food through Radiation Processing therefore was implemented by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in 1996 to evaluate the role of irradiation for such food. The results were encouraging as irradiation offers promise as a sanitary treatment to ensure microbiological safety and shelf-life extension of several types of food products including pre-cut vegetables and some sous-vide meals, chilled ready-prepared meals, chilled ready-to-eat meat products, food for immuno-compromised patients/populations, sterile meals, ready-to-eat-food of intermediate moisture content. This publication presents the research results reported at the final Research Co-ordination meeting on this CRP held in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, 10-14 July 2000

  7. Radiation processing for safe, shelf-stable and ready-to-eat food. Proceedings of a final research co-ordination meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2003-01-01

    The increasingly busy lifestyles of populations in many countries have driven the demand for safe, convenient and ready-to-eat food. Traditional food processes such as drying, canning or refrigeration offer a partial solution to this demand as the sensory quality of such food may be significantly affected or the products may be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria during preparation. For developing countries, safe shelf-stable food without the need for refrigeration would offer advantages. In addition, the increasing number of immuno-compromised populations in many countries requires a new approach to food safety to meet their needs. Irradiation offers a potential to enhance microbiological safety and quality of food through shelf-life extension. The benefits of irradiation as a sanitary treatment of many types of food are well known, some of which are applied commercially in several countries. Little data were available, however, on the effect of irradiation on minimally processed food and composite food including prepared meals. A Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on the Development of Safe, Shelf-Stable and Ready-to-Eat Food through Radiation Processing therefore was implemented by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in 1996 to evaluate the role of irradiation for such food. The results were encouraging as irradiation offers promise as a sanitary treatment to ensure microbiological safety and shelf-life extension of several types of food products including pre-cut vegetables and some sous-vide meals, chilled ready-prepared meals, chilled ready-to-eat meat products, food for immuno-compromised patients/populations, sterile meals, ready-to-eat-food of intermediate moisture content. This publication presents the research results reported at the final Research Co-ordination meeting on this CRP held in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, 10-14 July 2000.

  8. A Proposed Conceptual Model of Military Medical Readiness

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Van Hall, Brian M

    2007-01-01

    .... The purpose of this research is to consolidate existing literature on the latent variable of medical readiness, and to propose a composite theoretical model of medical readiness that may provide...

  9. Students’ Readiness for E-learning Application in Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atousa Rasouli

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of this research was to investigate the readiness of art students in applying e-learning. This study adopted a survey research design. From three public Iranian Universities (Alzahra, Tarbiat Modares, and Tehran, 347 students were selected by multistage cluster sampling and via Morgan Table. Their readiness for E-learning application was assessed by a self-developed questionnaire. Data analysis was done by indexes of descriptive statistics and one sample t-test. Analysis of results found a significant relationship between the readiness of undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-graduate students to apply E-learning, but there was no significant relationship between students’ readiness and gender, university, and subject. Results revealed that Art students were in a moderate level of readiness for applying E-learning.

  10. Stage 1 of the meaningful use incentive program for electronic health records: a study of readiness for change in ambulatory practice settings in one integrated delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shea, Christopher M; Reiter, Kristin L; Weaver, Mark A; McIntyre, Molly; Mose, Jason; Thornhill, Jonathan; Malone, Robb; Weiner, Bryan J

    2014-12-14

    Meaningful Use (MU) provides financial incentives for electronic health record (EHR) implementation. EHR implementation holds promise for improving healthcare delivery, but also requires substantial changes for providers and staff. Establishing readiness for these changes may be important for realizing potential EHR benefits. Our study assesses whether provider/staff perceptions about the appropriateness of MU and their departments' ability to support MU-related changes are associated with their reported readiness for MU-related changes. We surveyed providers and staff representing 47 ambulatory practices within an integrated delivery system. We assessed whether respondent's role and practice-setting type (primary versus specialty care) were associated with reported readiness for MU (i.e., willingness to change practice behavior and ability to document actions for MU) and hypothesized predictors of readiness (i.e., perceived appropriateness of MU and department support for MU). We then assessed associations between reported readiness and the hypothesized predictors of readiness. In total, 400 providers/staff responded (response rate approximately 25%). Individuals working in specialty settings were more likely to report that MU will divert attention from other patient-care priorities (12.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.019), as compared to those in primary-care settings. As compared to advanced-practice providers and nursing staff, physicians were less likely to have strong confidence in their department's ability to solve MU implementation problems (28.4% vs. 47.1% vs. 42.6%, p = 0.023) and to report strong willingness to change their work practices for MU (57.9% vs. 83.3% vs. 82.0%, p management support of MU-related change, as these perceptions might be related to subsequent implementation.

  11. Measuring Success: David Conley's College Readiness Framework and the Illinois College and Career Readiness Act. In Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baber, Lorenzo D.; Castro, Erin L.; Bragg, Debra D.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this brief is to understand the Illinois College and Career Readiness (CCR) Act in light of David Conley's college readiness model. Although not mentioned specifically by the Illinois statute, evaluation results gathered by the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) show alignment between a number of programs…

  12. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE READINNES PADA UNIVERSITAS X

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azhar El Hami

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed to capture the readiness to change of the “X” University as an organization regarding to the vision is becoming a world class university. Using the organizational change readiness concept by Sutanto (2008 that covering 7 aspects namely perception toward change, vision of change, mutual trust and respect, change initiative, management support, acceptance, and organization manages the change process. Respondent was 121 employees of the University „X‟ from two faculties who met the criterion. This was a quantitative research that using survey method. The result has shown that two aspects namely vision of change and acceptance were important ones that have effect on organizational change readiness of the “X” university.

  13. Universal School Readiness Screening at Kindergarten Entry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quirk, Matthew; Dowdy, Erin; Dever, Bridget; Carnazzo, Katherine; Bolton, Courtney

    2018-01-01

    Researchers examined the concurrent and predictive validity of a brief (12-item) teacher-rated school readiness screener, the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP), using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to examine associations between (N = 78) children's social-emotional (SE) and cognitive (COG) readiness with…

  14. E-Learning Readiness in Medicine: Turkish Family Medicine (FM) Physicians Case

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlakkiliç, Alaattin

    2015-01-01

    This research investigates e-learning readiness level of family medicine physicians (FM) in Turkey. The study measures the level of e-learning readiness of Turkish FM physicians by an online e-learning readiness survey. According to results five areas are ready at Turkish FM physicians but need a few improvements:…

  15. Readiness for change and short-term outcomes of female adolescents in residential treatment for anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, Matthew D

    2007-11-01

    To determine if readiness for change (RFC) at admission predicted length of stay (LOS) and short-term outcomes among female adolescents in residential treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN). Using a prospective cohort design to collect data from participants (N = 65) at admission and discharge, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression tested whether RFC on admission predicted time in LOS to a favorable short-term outcome--a composite endpoint based on minimum criteria for weight gain, drive for thinness, depression, anxiety, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Participants with low RFC had a mean survival time to a favorable short-term outcome of 59.4 days compared to 34.1 days for those with high RFC (log rank = 8.44, df = 1, p = .003). The probability of a favorable short-term outcome was 5.30 times greater for participants with high RFC. Readiness for change is a useful predictor of a favorable short-term outcome and should be considered in the assessment profile of patients with AN. (c) 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Students' Readiness for E-Learning Application in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasouli, Atousa; Rahbania, Zahra; Attaran, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    The main goal of this research was to investigate the readiness of art students in applying e-learning. This study adopted a survey research design. From three public Iranian Universities (Alzahra, Tarbiat Modares, and Tehran), 347 students were selected by multistage cluster sampling and via Morgan Table. Their readiness for E-learning…

  17. e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban University of ... make the shift from traditional learning to the technological culture of e-Learning at a ... equipment and technological readiness for the change in learning method.

  18. Updating the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks. ACT Research Report Series 2013 (6)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Jeff

    2013-01-01

    The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the ACT® College Readiness Assessment scores associated with a 50% chance of earning a B or higher grade in typical first-year credit-bearing college courses. The Benchmarks also correspond to an approximate 75% chance of earning a C or higher grade in these courses. There are four Benchmarks, corresponding…

  19. Process operational readiness and operational readiness follow-on

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nertney, R.J.

    1992-11-01

    The first document in the System Safety Development Center (SSDC) series deals with the subject of Occupancy-Use Readiness. The material included in that manual provided the basis for development of the SSDC workshop in Operational Readiness. The original Occupancy Readiness Manual, however, deals only generally with the subject of process safety; i.e., the safety of overall ''processes'' such as solar collection systems, nuclear reactors, and coal fired electrical plants. The manual also fails to detail the considerations involved in maintaining the state of readiness on a continuing basis. Both of the latter subjects are dealt with in some detail in the SSDC's Operational Readiness Workshop. The purpose of this document is to provide additional documentary material dealing with subjects introduced in SSDC-1 Occupancy-Use Readiness Manual, and SSDC-12, Safety Considerations in Evaluation of Maintenance Programs. In augmenting SSDC-1, Part I of this manual provides additional material related to process safety; in the case of SSDC-12, the subject of safety considerations in evaluation of maintenance programs is broadened in Part II to include maintenance of personnel systems and procedural systems as well as hardware. ''Maintenance'' is related more directly to the concept of operational readiness and an alternative analytical tree is provided for hardware maintenance program evaluation

  20. Technology Readiness Level Guidebook

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-01

    This guidebook provides the necessary information for conducting a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Assessment. TRL Assessments are a tool for determining the maturity of technologies and identifying next steps in the research process. This guidebook...

  1. Workplace Readiness for Communicating Diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muir, Clive

    1996-01-01

    Proposes a model for communicating change about diversity using a workplace-readiness approach. Discusses ways organizational change agents can assess the company's current interpersonal and social dynamics, use appropriate influence strategies, and create effective messages that will appeal to employees and help to achieve the desired acceptance…

  2. Television Viewing, Educational Quality of the Home Environment, and School Readiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Angela Teresa; Kurtz-Costes, Beth

    1997-01-01

    Researchers examined relationships among children's television viewing, school readiness, parental employment, and the home environment's educational quality. Thirty low-income parents completed surveys. Their preschoolers completed IQ and school readiness assessments. Television viewing adversely related to school readiness and the home…

  3. Magnetic fusion: Environmental Readiness Document

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-03-01

    Environmental Readiness Documents are prepared periodically to review and evaluate the environmental status of an energy technology during the several phases of development of that technology. Through these documents, the Office of Environment within the Department of Energy provides an independent and objective assessment of the environmental risks and potential impacts associated with the progression of the technology to the next stage of development and with future extensive use of the technology. This Environmental Readiness Document was prepared to assist the Department of Energy in evaluating the readiness of magnetic fusion technology with respect to environmental issues. An effort has been made to identify potential environmental problems that may be encountered based upon current knowledge, proposed and possible new environmental regulations, and the uncertainties inherent in planned environmental research

  4. Iranian Clinical Nurses' Readiness for Self-Directed Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malekian, Morteza; Ghiyasvandian, Sharzad; Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

    2015-05-17

    Clinical nurses are in need of being able to adapt to the ever-changing environment of clinical settings. The prerequisite for their successful adaptation is to be lifelong learners. An approach for making nurses lifelong learners is self-directed learning. This study was undertaken to evaluate a group of Iranian clinical nurses' readiness for self-directed learning and its relationship with some of their personal characteristics. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2014. A random sample of 314 nurses working in three hospitals affiliated to Isfahan Social Security Organization, Isfahan, Iran, was recruited to complete the Fisher's Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale. In total, 279 nurses filled the scale completely. The mean of their readiness for self-directed learning was 162.50±14.11 (120-196). The correlation of self-directed learning readiness with age, gender, marital status, and university degree was not statistically significant. Most nurses had great readiness for self-directed learning. Accordingly, nursing policy-makers need to develop strategies for promoting their self-directed learning. Moreover, innovative teaching methods such as problem solving and problem-based learning should be employed to prepare nurses for effectively managing the complexities of their ever-changing work environment.

  5. Rice University: Innovation to Increase Student College Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gigliotti, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    "College readiness" means that a student can enter a college classroom without remediation and successfully complete entry-level college requirements (Conley, 2012). In order for students to be considered college ready, they must acquire skills, content knowledge, and behaviors before leaving high school. Research on high-school performance…

  6. Strategic leadership will be essential for dietitian eHealth readiness: A qualitative study exploring dietitian perspectives of eHealth readiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maunder, Kirsty; Walton, Karen; Williams, Peter; Ferguson, Maree; Beck, Eleanor

    2018-05-16

    To explore dietitians' perspectives on the eHealth readiness of Australian dietitians, and to identify strategies to improve eHealth readiness of the profession. Dietitians who met the criteria for nutrition informatics experts participated in semi-structured interviews between June 2016 and March 2017. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis using coding was undertaken until consensus was reached by the researchers regarding key themes, topics and exemplar quotes. Interviews with 10 nutrition informatics experts revealed 25 discussion topics grouped into four main themes: benefits of eHealth for dietitians; risks of dietitians not being involved in eHealth; dietitians are not ready for eHealth; and strategies to improve eHealth readiness. The strategies identified for improving eHealth readiness included: collaboration and representation, education, offering of incentives and mentoring, as well as development of a national strategy, organisational leaders, nutrition informatics champions and a supportive environment. These findings suggest that dietitians may not be ready for eHealth. Strategic leadership and the actioning of other identified strategies will be imperative to preparing dietitians for eHealth to ensure the profession can practice effectively in the digital age, optimise nutrition care and support research for eHealth. If dietitians do not engage in eHealth, others may take their place, or dietitians may be forced to use eHealth in ways that are not the most effective for practice or maximising patient outcomes. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

  7. Assessing change in perceived community leadership readiness in the Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostadinov, Iordan; Daniel, Mark; Jones, Michelle; Cargo, Margaret

    2016-02-01

    Issue addressed The context of community-based childhood obesity prevention programs can influence the effects of these intervention programs. Leadership readiness for community mobilisation for childhood obesity prevention is one such contextual factor. This study assessed perceived community leadership readiness (PCLR) at two time points in a state-wide, multisite community-based childhood obesity prevention program. Methods PCLR was assessed across 168 suburbs of 20 intervention communities participating in South Australia's Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle (OPAL) program. Using a validated online PCLR tool, four key respondents from each community rated each suburb within their respective community on a nine-point scale for baseline and 2015. Average PCLR and change scores were calculated using the general linear model with suburbs nested in communities. Relationships between demographic variables and change in PCLR were evaluated using multiple regression. Ease of survey use was also assessed. Results Average PCLR increased between baseline (3.51, s.d.=0.82) and 2015 (5.23, s.d.=0.89). PCLR rose in 18 of 20 intervention communities. PCLR was inversely associated with suburb population size (r 2 =0.03, P=0.03, β=-0.25) and positively associated with intervention duration (r 2 change=0.08, P=0.00, β=0.29). Only 8% of survey respondents considered the online assessment tool difficult to use. Conclusions PCLR increased over the course of the OPAL intervention. PCLR varied between and within communities. Online assessment of PCLR has utility for multisite program evaluations. So what? Use of a novel, resource-efficient online tool to measure the key contextual factors of PCLR has enabled a better understanding of the success and generalisability of the OPAL program.

  8. SaludABLEOmaha: improving readiness to address obesity through healthy lifestyle in a Midwestern Latino community, 2011-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Robbins, Regina; Steenson, Sharalyn; Stewart, Catherine; Fisher, Christopher; Huang, Terry T-K

    2015-02-12

    A community's readiness for change is a precursor to the effective application of evidence-based practices for health promotion. Research is lacking regarding potential strategies to improve readiness to address obesity-related health issues in underserved communities. This case study describes SaludABLEOmaha, an initiative to increase readiness of residents in a Midwestern Latino community to address obesity and adopt healthy lifestyles. SaludABLEOmaha emphasized 2 core approaches, youth activism and collaboration among public and private institutions, which we applied to planning and implementing tactics in support of 3 interconnected strategies: 1) social marketing and social media, 2) service learning in schools (ie, curricula that integrate hands-on community service with instruction and reflection), and 3) community and business engagement. Following the Community Readiness Model protocol (http://triethniccenter.colostate.edu/communityReadiness.htm), structured interviews were conducted with community leaders and analyzed before and 2.5 years after launch of the program. The community increased in readiness from stage 3 of the Community Readiness Model, "vague awareness," at baseline to stage 5, "preparation," at follow-up. SaludABLEOmaha improved community readiness (eg, community knowledge, community climate), which probably contributed to the observed increase in readiness to address obesity through healthy lifestyle. Community mobilization approaches such as youth activism integrated with social marketing and social media tactics can improve community responsiveness to obesity prevention and diminish health disparities.

  9. Electricity market readiness plan : Ontario Energy Board

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-03-01

    This document informs electric power market participants of the Ontario Energy Board's newly developed market readiness plan and target timelines that local distribution companies (LDCs) must meet for retail marketing. The Ontario Energy Board's plan incorporates relevant independent market operator (IMO)-administered market milestones with retail market readiness targeted for September 2001. The market readiness framework involves a self-certification process for LDCs by August 10, 2001, through which the Board will be able to monitor progress and assess the feasibility of meeting the target timelines. For retail market readiness, all LDCs will have to calculate settlement costs, produce unbundled bills, provide standard supply service, change suppliers and accommodate retail transactions. LDCs must be either authorized participants in the IMO-administered market or become retail customers of their host LDC. Unbundled bills will include itemized charges for energy price, transmission, distribution and debt retirement charge. 1 tab., 1 fig

  10. How action researchers use anxiety to facilitate change in health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Nicola; Hopkinson, Jane

    2016-06-01

    The aim of this paper is to report on the role of an action researcher in a study investigating the change process in a health service context where a new assessment clinic was developed to manage the excessive waiting list for that service. For effective organisational change in health, there is a suggestion that change agents need to be emotionally intelligent; recognising the emotional state of individuals, reconciling that with the organisational drivers and making an assessment of readiness for organisational change. Anxiety features throughout this literature and there is a suggestion that being aware of anxiety and managing anxiety is within the emotionally intelligent change agent's repertoire, but there is a gap in the literature that explains this relationship in detail. Data were generated to investigate the discrete nature of the role of the action researcher during this organisational change that spanned two years, through three methods: participant observations in the field captured in field notes (n = 72); observations of team meetings that had been recorded and transcribed (n = 13); interviews with key informants pre- and postintervention (n = 14); a reflexive diary one document of 8920 words (n = 1). The data illuminating the interaction between the action researcher and participants were synthesised into two broad themes: how the action researcher introduced anxiety into the system; how the action researcher facilitated the participants to tolerate change anxiety. The findings from this study can be applied in clinical practice where change in practice is planned. Part of the requirement of a change agent in the NHS might be to be sufficiently emotionally literate to understand anxiety in the participant system and manage it to effect change. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Transformational leadership and change readiness and a moderating role of perceived bureaucratic structure: an empirical investigation

    OpenAIRE

    Badri Abbasi

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and change readiness through perceived bureaucratic structure among government employees in Rasht. As a methodology, descriptive method was applied using questionnaire to collect data. The studied population consisted of 600 employees from three state organizations including Municipality, Gilan Tax Department and Gilan Justice Court. According to Morgan table, the sample size was estimated at 234. Th...

  12. On the Effects of Organizational Culture on E-Learning Readiness: An Iranian Experience

    OpenAIRE

    Seyed Yaghoub Hosseini; Khodakaram Salimifard; Shahrbanoo Yadollahi

    2012-01-01

    An organization’s success in implementing e-learning depends on the supports provided by the organizational culture. This paper is aimed to evaluate the impacts of organizational culture on e-learning readiness. To test the research hypothesis, Beta coefficient test was used. Research results indicated a significant positive impact of Clan and Adhocracy cultures on e-learning readiness. It was found that Market culture has a negative impact on e-learning readiness. Research findings cannot ...

  13. Child Readiness to Kindergarten in Parents and Pedagogues Sight

    OpenAIRE

    POKORNÁ, Ivana

    2014-01-01

    The bachelor thesis deals with the readiness of 3-4 year old children to enter kindergarten. The theoretical part describes the biological and psychosocial development of the child aged three to four years and highlights the various factors that may affect the child's entry into kindergarten. Describes the family and kindergarten, the issue of adaptation in pre-school and readiness of the child to them. The practical part contains research focused on the perception of the readiness of childre...

  14. Healthcare professionals' readiness for an interprofessional orthogeriatric unit: A cross-sectional survey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abrahamsen, Charlotte; Nørgaard, Birgitte; Draborg, Eva

    2016-01-01

    Professionals´ readiness for change is a precursor to successful implementation of organizational changes. An assessment of readiness for change can set the stage for the implementation by providing information regarding staff members’ beliefs and attitudes prior to an organizational change. We......-based questionnaire. Fully completed questionnaires were returned by 113 respondents (50.7%). Overall, 77.9% of the respondents indicated that they had either “excellent knowledge” or “some knowledge” of orthogeriatric care. Furthermore, 87.6% expressed their “full support” or “support” to the creation...... aspects; those voiced by the nursing staff related to work strain and the interests of their professional group whereas the physicians’ reservations concentrated on the planning of the change. The exploration of readiness for organizational change among health care professionals offers managers...

  15. Change-readiness of the blind: a hospital based study in a coastal town of South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shetty, Ramya; Kulkarni, Uma D

    2014-01-01

    Blindness is a devastating condition with psychosocial and economic effects. The shortcomings result in a burden to the blind person, the family and society. Rehabilitation of the blind can transform their lives. The aim of this study was to assess the "change-readiness" of the blind to undergo a "change-management". The study was a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire-based study of 50 blind subjects in a medical college hospital. The blind participants were assessed for depression using the Beck Depression Inventory II, for the perceived effect of blindness on family, social life and occupation. The participants were counseled to undergo psychiatric management, vocational training, use blind aids and learn Braille. The willingness of the participants with reasons was assessed using a verbal analogue scale. Pearson Chi-square test, ANOVA and the t-test were used for statistical analysis. Over two-thirds of the subjects were depressed. Family life, social life and occupation were perceived to be affected by 44%, 66% and 74%, respectively. Change-readiness scores were low for low vision and blind aids, vocational training, psychiatric management, change of job and learning Braille. The low score was due to the associated taboo, dependence, lack of skills, embarrassment, etc., The most valuable feature was the family cohesiveness. The results suggest that there is a need to modify health policy to include blind rehabilitation, to improve visibility of blind rehabilitation centers, to include family members and co-professionals while managing the blind so that we treat the "blind person" and not a "pair of blind eyes".

  16. Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Migliore, Donna E.

    2006-01-01

    "Safe, Healthy and Ready to Succeed: Arizona School Readiness Key Performance Indicators" presents a set of baseline measurements that gauge how well a statewide system of school readiness supports is addressing issues that affect Arizona children's readiness for school. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure the system, rather…

  17. Concept of economic readiness levels assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuniaristanto, Sutopo, W.; Widiyanto, A.; Putri, A. S.

    2017-11-01

    This research aims to build a concept of Economic Readiness Level (ERL) assessment for incubation center. ERL concept is arranged by considering both market and business aspects. Every aspect is divided into four phases and each of them consists of some indicators. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to develop the ERL in calculating the weight of every single aspect and indicator. Interval scale between 0 and 4 is also applied in indicator assessment. In order to calculate ERL, score in every indicator and the weight of both the aspect and indicator are considered. ERL value is able to show in detail the innovative product readiness level from economic sight, market and business aspect. There are four levels in Economic Readiness Level scheme which are investigation, feasibility, planning and introduction.

  18. The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erna van Zyl

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners’ school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and performance in Home Language and Numeracy in Grade 1, and performance in the same learning areas in Grade 4 were investigated by means of a longitudinal quantitative study. One school in the Free State province was purposefully selected. The Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB was implemented to capture school readiness, including school maturity and levels of development in physical, cognitive, emotional, social and normative domains. Results confirm that school readiness significantly correlated with academic performance of the respondents in Grade 1 as well as with their school performance in Grade 4.

  19. Estrutura fatorial da Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES em dependentes de álcool tratados ambulatorialmente Factor structure of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES in alcohol dependent outpatients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neliana Buzi Figlie

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi o de investigar a confiabilidade e a estrutura fatorial da Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES, versão 8,¹ instrumento com 19 itens que mensura a prontidão para a mudança em dependentes de álcool. MÉTODOS: Uma análise fatorial confirmatória da SOCRATES foi realizada em uma amostra de 326 dependentes de álcool, tratados ambulatorialmente, tendo como base a estrutura fatorial demonstrada por Miller & Tonigan² e Maisto et al.³ O questionário foi traduzido e adaptado culturalmente para o idioma português, sendo posteriormente submetido ao procedimento da retradução para o idioma inglês. Durante esse procedimento, foram realizadas algumas modificações, visando a simplificar alguns itens que apresentaram formato complexo. RESULTADOS: As análises estatísticas mostraram a existência de dois fatores correlacionados que melhor exploraram o modelo, sendo este achado similar ao estudo de Maisto et al.³ CONCLUSÕES: Foi constatada menor evidência para o modelo de três fatores. Esses resultados são comparados com estudos prévios e as discrepâncias são discutidas neste artigo.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and factor structure of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES, version 8,¹ a 19-item self-reported instrument developed to measure readiness to change in alcohol-dependent alcoholics. METHODS: A Confirmatory Factor analysis of the SOCRATES was performed based on the factor structures previously demonstrated by Miller & Tonigan² and Maisto et al.³ in a sample with 326 alcohol-dependent outpatients. The questionnaire was translated into Portuguese, cross-culturally adapted and back-translated into English. During this process SOCRATES underwent some modifications to simplify some complex question formats. RESULTS: The analysis showed that two correlated factors provided the best fit for the

  20. Readiness for hospital discharge: A concept analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvin, Eileen Catherine; Wills, Teresa; Coffey, Alice

    2017-11-01

    To report on an analysis on the concept of 'readiness for hospital discharge'. No uniform operational definition of 'readiness for hospital discharge' exists in the literature; therefore, a concept analysis is required to clarify the concept and identify an up-to-date understanding of readiness for hospital discharge. Clarity of the concept will identify all uses of the concept; provide conceptual clarity, an operational definition and direction for further research. Literature review and concept analysis. A review of literature was conducted in 2016. Databases searched were: Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) and SocINDEX with Full Text. No date limits were applied. Identification of the attributes, antecedents and consequences of readiness for hospital discharge led to an operational definition of the concept. The following attributes belonging to 'readiness for hospital discharge' were extracted from the literature: physical stability, adequate support, psychological ability, and adequate information and knowledge. This analysis contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the area of hospital discharge, by proposing an operational definition of readiness for hospital discharge, derived from the literature. A better understanding of the phenomenon will assist healthcare professionals to recognize, measure and implement interventions where necessary, to ensure patients are ready for hospital discharge and assist in the advancement of knowledge for all professionals involved in patient discharge from hospital. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. A survey on the measure of combat readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Kwong Fook; Nor, Norazman Mohamad; Soon, Lee Lai

    2014-09-01

    Measuring the combat readiness in military forces involves the measures of tangible and intangible elements of combat power. Though these measures are applicable, the mathematical models and formulae used focus mainly on either the tangible or the intangible elements. In this paper, a review is done to highlight the research gap in the formulation of a mathematical model that incorporates tangible elements with intangible elements to measure the combat readiness of a military force. It highlights the missing link between the tangible and intangible elements of combat power. To bridge the gap and missing link, a mathematical model could be formulated that measures both the tangible and intangible aspects of combat readiness by establishing the relationship between the causal (tangible and intangible) elements and its effects on the measure of combat readiness. The model uses multiple regression analysis as well as mathematical modeling and simulation which digest the capability component reflecting its assets and resources, the morale component reflecting human needs, and the quality of life component reflecting soldiers' state of satisfaction in life. The results of the review provide a mean to bridge the research gap through the formulation of a mathematical model that shows the total measure of a military force's combat readiness. The results also significantly identify parameters for each of the variables and factors in the model.

  2. UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ READINESS TO APPLY THE MODERN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina O. Kotlyarova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the research is to investigate the readiness of the university teachers to apply the modern educational technologies. Methods. The methods include theoretical: analysis of existing modern educational technologies, the concept «readiness» and its components, abstraction of signs and kinds of modern educational technologies based on the scientific literature and in the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES; empirical: questionnaires and testing methods for detecting levels of university teachers’ skills and readiness to use modern educational technology. Results. The main features of modern educational technologies are identified and justified that are to comply with modern methodology of the theory and practice of education study and the latest FSES requirements; the level of science, manufacturing, and modern rules of human relations. The components of readiness of university teachers to use modern educational technology are structured. The linguistic component is included along with the cognitive, psychological, operational, connotative components; its necessity is proved. The average level of readiness for the use of modern educational technology by university teachers is identified. Scientific novelty. The author specifies the features of the modern educational technology. The most significant components of higher-education teaching personnel readiness to use technological innovations are identified. As a whole, these results form the indicative framework for the development and measurement of readiness of the university teachers to use the modern educational technology. The development of the readiness of the university teachers to apply the modern educational technologies is proved to be an issue of current interest. Practical significance. The research findings can be used as the basis of techniques and methods designing for its further development and measurement of the training, retraining and advanced training of

  3. THE EFFECTS OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CRISIS ONTURKISH READY-MADE CLOTHING INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurgul KILINC

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available THE EFFECTS OF INTERTextile and ready-made clothing sector is one of the sectors that globalize in anadvanced level due to employment it provides, value-added created by it duringthe manufacturing process and high share in export revenue.In this research, 5 international economiccrisesdetermined since the foundationof theTurkish Republic, Turkish textile and ready-made clothing sector have beenexamined depending on journal archives and export-import data.Economic crises emerged in the world between 1974 and 2008 from whichTurkey has been affected as well have been examined by document analysismethod, which is a qualitative data gathering method in this research.By this research, which has studied international economic crisesoccurredinfragile and vulnerable Turkish economy since 1974 as regards to reason, result,effects and which has aimed to detect their effects on textile and ready-madeclothing sector. It has been realised that textile and ready-made clothing sectorthat is the locomotive sector of export of Turkey is the premier sector of thesectors those are being affected initially and directly from the negativedevelopments inTurkish economy. NATIONAL ECONOMIC CRISIS ONTURKISH READY-MADE CLOTHING INDUSTRY

  4. The Effects of Ready to Use Bibliometric Indicators

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wildgaard, Lorna Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Ready to use’ bibliometric indicators are being used by end users as never before. Administrators and evaluators for assessment purposes, whereas researchers add indicators to their CV in a competitive move to show visibility in the academic community. ‘Ready to use’ indicators are important...... as they provide researchers with the opportunity to evaluate the effect of their own published works before being evaluated by others. The numerical values of these indicators have personal significance to the individual as they can be interpreted as criteria of success or failure, therefore the bibliometric...

  5. A proposed framework of big data readiness in public sectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Raja Haslinda Raja Mohd; Mohamad, Rosli; Sudin, Suhizaz

    2016-08-01

    Growing interest over big data mainly linked to its great potential to unveil unforeseen pattern or profiles that support organisation's key business decisions. Following private sector moves to embrace big data, the government sector has now getting into the bandwagon. Big data has been considered as one of the potential tools to enhance service delivery of the public sector within its financial resources constraints. Malaysian government, particularly, has considered big data as one of the main national agenda. Regardless of government commitment to promote big data amongst government agencies, degrees of readiness of the government agencies as well as their employees are crucial in ensuring successful deployment of big data. This paper, therefore, proposes a conceptual framework to investigate perceived readiness of big data potentials amongst Malaysian government agencies. Perceived readiness of 28 ministries and their respective employees will be assessed using both qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) approaches. The outcome of the study is expected to offer meaningful insight on factors affecting change readiness among public agencies on big data potentials and the expected outcome from greater/lower change readiness among the public sectors.

  6. Factors preceding CRM readiness in small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dinesh Vallabh

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: Customer relationship management (CRM is important to organisations striving for competitive advantage through building relationships with their customers. Research purpose: This study identified the factors preceding CRM and assessed selected South African small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises’ (SMTEs readiness for CRM. Motivation: CRM is likely to enhance SMTEs’ competitiveness. However, successful adoption and implementation of CRM is unlikely unless the organisation is ready for it. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative research approach and survey questionnaire yielded primary data from 332 respondent organisations selected by systematic sampling. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the latent factors preceding CRM readiness. Organisational CRM readiness was assessed based on CRM maturity in terms of data collection, use and sharing throughout the organisation. Main findings: Respondent-organisations performed well on the four factors preceding CRM readiness − business strategy, customer strategy, touch points and competencies, skills and technology and also on data collections and use, but not on data sharing. Practical/Managerial implications: CRM practice is believed to assist organisations in tailoring products and services to customers’ needs, providing customer satisfaction, enhancing customer retention and ultimately improving the organisation’s competitiveness and profitability. CRM might fail if SMTEs do not have CRM-enabling conditions in place and a CRM readiness audit should therefore be performed. Contribution: The study contributes to a largely under-researched area concerning CRM in SMTEs by providing an improved understanding of the factors that will enable SMTEs to engage in CRM activities.

  7. Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Barbosa Cunha

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ, Brazil.METHODS: It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5thgrade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1 "I don't think of changing diet" to (5 "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models.RESULTS: There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet.CONCLUSION: The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

  8. Readiness for behavioral change and variation in food consumption among adolescents from a school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias, RJ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha, Diana Barbosa; de Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin; da Veiga, Glória Valéria; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the influence of the stage of readiness for changes in food consumption variation among adolescents participating in school-based community trial in Duque de Caxias (RJ), Brazil. It is a secondary analysis of a one-year randomized community trial to prevent excessive weight gain in students attending the 5th grade in 20 public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias. The activities conducted discouraged the consumption of sweetened beverages and cookies and encouraged the consumption of fruits and beans. A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study. The stages of readiness for behavioral change vary in a scale from (1) "I don't think of changing diet" to (5) "I'm already changing my diet successfully". For the longitudinal analyses, we used generalized linear mixed models. There was a greater change in the consumption of fruit and soft drinks among participants in the intervention group who were in the action stage, compared to participants who did not think about changing their diet. The proposed strategy may be used to identify population groups with motivation for changes in dietary behavior.

  9. NHI Component Technical Readiness Evaluation System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sherman, S.; Wilson, Dane F.; Pawel, Steven J.

    2007-01-01

    A decision process for evaluating the technical readiness or maturity of components (i.e., heat exchangers, chemical reactors, valves, etc.) for use by the U.S. DOE Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative is described. This system is used by the DOE NHI to assess individual components in relation to their readiness for pilot-scale and larger-scale deployment and to drive the research and development work needed to attain technical maturity. A description of the evaluation system is provided, and examples are given to illustrate how it is used to assist in component R and D decisions.

  10. Reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defuentes-Merillas, L; Dejong, C A J; Schippers, G M

    2002-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ-D). The subjects were 246 excessive drinkers admitted to an addiction treatment centre and 54 offenders convicted of an alcohol-related crime in The Netherlands. The factor structure of the RCQ-D for the two samples combined was found to be consistent with the three-factor structure established for the original RCQ. The reliability of the items for each scale was found to be satisfactory. Allocated stage of change showed significant differences between the different subsamples. As expected, the scale scores for adjacent stages of change showed significantly higher inter-correlations than the scale scores for non-adjacent stages. Additionally, the negatively formulated items from the pre-contemplation scale were reformulated positively and their internal consistency tested among the offender sample. The positively formulated pre-contemplation items showed a higher alpha value than the negatively formulated items. We therefore suggest that the positively formulated items should replace the negatively formulated ones.

  11. Emotional Intelligence as a Determinant of Readiness for Online Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzdar, Muhammad Ayub; Ali, Akhtar; Tariq, Riaz Ul Haq

    2016-01-01

    Students' performance in online learning environments is associated with their readiness to adopt a digital learning approach. Traditional concept of readiness for online learning is connected with students' competencies of using technology for learning purposes. We in this research, however, investigated psychometric aspects of students'…

  12. Ready or Not...? Teen Sexuality and the Troubling Discourse of Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashcraft, Catherine

    2006-01-01

    In this article, I explore how talk about being "ready" or "not ready" for sex shapes teen and adult understandings of sexuality. I argue that this "discourse of readiness" poses serious threats to teens' identity development, sexual decision making, and educators efforts to help them through these processes. To illustrate, I draw from my…

  13. SaludABLEOmaha: Improving Readiness to Address Obesity Through Healthy Lifestyle in a Midwestern Latino Community, 2011–2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Robbins, Regina; Steenson, Sharalyn; Stewart, Catherine; Fisher, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    Background A community’s readiness for change is a precursor to the effective application of evidence-based practices for health promotion. Research is lacking regarding potential strategies to improve readiness to address obesity-related health issues in underserved communities. Community Context This case study describes SaludABLEOmaha, an initiative to increase readiness of residents in a Midwestern Latino community to address obesity and adopt healthy lifestyles. Methods SaludABLEOmaha emphasized 2 core approaches, youth activism and collaboration among public and private institutions, which we applied to planning and implementing tactics in support of 3 interconnected strategies: 1) social marketing and social media, 2) service learning in schools (ie, curricula that integrate hands-on community service with instruction and reflection), and 3) community and business engagement. Following the Community Readiness Model protocol (http://triethniccenter.colostate.edu/communityReadiness.htm), structured interviews were conducted with community leaders and analyzed before and 2.5 years after launch of the program. Outcome The community increased in readiness from stage 3 of the Community Readiness Model, “vague awareness,” at baseline to stage 5, “preparation,” at follow-up. Interpretation SaludABLEOmaha improved community readiness (eg, community knowledge, community climate), which probably contributed to the observed increase in readiness to address obesity through healthy lifestyle. Community mobilization approaches such as youth activism integrated with social marketing and social media tactics can improve community responsiveness to obesity prevention and diminish health disparities. PMID:25674679

  14. A pilot study evaluating the effects of a youth advocacy program on youth readiness to advocate for environment and policy changes for obesity prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millstein, Rachel A; Woodruff, Susan I; Linton, Leslie S; Edwards, Christine C; Sallis, James F

    2016-12-01

    Youth advocacy for obesity prevention is a promising but under-evaluated intervention. The aims of this study are to evaluate a youth advocacy program's outcomes related to youth perceptions and behaviors, develop an index of youth advocacy readiness, and assess potential predictors of advocacy readiness. Youth ages 9-22 in an advocacy training program (n = 92 matched pairs) completed surveys before and after training. Youth outcomes and potential predictors of advocacy readiness were assessed with evaluated scales. All 20 groups who completed the evaluation study presented their advocacy projects to a decision maker. Two of six perception subscales increased following participation in the advocacy program: self-efficacy for advocacy behaviors (p assertiveness (p < .01), health advocacy history (p < .001), knowledge of resources (p < .01), and social support for health behaviors (p < .001). Youth increased days of meeting physical activity recommendations (p < .05). In a mixed regression model, four subscales were associated with the advocacy readiness index: optimism for change (B = 1.46, 95 % CI = .49-2.44), sports and physical activity enjoyment (B = .55, 95 % CI = .05-1.05), roles and participation (B = 1.81, 95 % CI = .60-3.02), and advocacy activities (B = 1.49, 95 % CI = .64-2.32). The youth advocacy readiness index is a novel way to determine the effects of multiple correlates of advocacy readiness. Childhood obesity-related advocacy training appeared to improve youths' readiness for advocacy and physical activity.

  15. Microbiological Quality Assessment of Ready-To-Eat Kilishi Sold in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Microbiological Quality Assessment of Ready-To-Eat Kilishi Sold in Abuja, Nigeria. ... Animal Production Research Advances ... A total of twelve samples of ready-to-eat dried meat product, kilishi, were purchased from different sale-points in Abuja, Nigeria and a study conducted on them to assess their microbiological ...

  16. Quality and sensory acceptability of a chilled functional apple ready-dessert.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keenan, D F; Brunton, N P; Gormley, T R; Butler, F

    2012-04-01

    An apple and dairy based ready-dessert with an added prebiotic was stored and chill temperatures and number of quality attributes were monitored during chill (4 °C) storage for 30 days. All ready-desserts were thermally processed by sous vide (P (90) > 10 min). The stability of the dairy component in ready-desserts was monitored by measuring volatile free fatty acids. Changes in these components were more evident in prebiotic-enriched samples compared to controls. However, no significant differences were observed over storage in control and prebiotic-enriched ready-desserts. This was supported by sensory analysis that showed no significant changes over storage in control or prebiotic-enriched samples. Of the other quality parameters, the addition of prebiotic inclusions resulted in lower L and b values and dry matter (p desserts. A decrease (p < 0.05) in flow behaviour (n) led to concomitant increases in consistency index (K) and complex modulus (G*) values in control samples.

  17. Are we ready to accept the challenge? Addressing the shortcomings of contemporary qualitative health research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Sofie Rosenlund; Traulsen, Janine M

    Qualitative approaches represent an important contributor to health care research. However, several researchers argue that contemporary qualitative research does not live up to its full potential. By presenting a snapshot of contemporary qualitative research in the field of social and administrative pharmacy, this study challenges contributors to the field by asking: Are we ready to accept the challenge and take qualitative research one step further? The purpose of this study was to initiate a constructive dialogue on the need for increased transparency in qualitative data analysis, including explicitly reflecting upon theoretical perspectives affecting the research process. Content analysis was used to evaluate levels of theoretical visibility and analysis transparency in selected qualitative research articles published in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy between January 2014 and January 2015. In 14 out of 21 assessed papers, the use of theory was found to be Seemingly Absent (lowest level of theory use), and the data analyses did not include any interpretive endeavors. Only two papers consistently applied theory throughout the entire study and clearly took the data analyses from a descriptive to an interpretive level. It was found that the aim of the majority of assessed papers was to change or modify a given practice, which however, resulted in a lack of both theoretical underpinnings and analysis transparency. This study takes the standpoint that theory and high-quality analysis go hand-in-hand. Based on the content analysis, articles that were deemed to be high in quality were explicit about the theoretical framework of their study and transparent in how they analyzed their data. It was found that theory contributed to the transparency of how the data were analyzed and interpreted. Two ways of improving contemporary qualitative research in the field of social and administrative pharmacy are discussed: engaging with social theory and establishing

  18. Researching College- and Career Ready Standards to Improve Student Outcomes: Technical Working Group Meeting. Meeting Summary (Washington, DC, August 19-20, 2013)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Institute of Education Sciences, 2013

    2013-01-01

    In August, IES worked with the National Science Foundation and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to convene a technical working group to discuss research objectives related to college- and career-ready standards in English language arts and mathematics. Forty people (including researchers,…

  19. Measuring readiness for entrepreneurship: An information tool proposal

    OpenAIRE

    Alicia Coduras; José Manuel Saiz-Alvarez; Jesús Ruiz

    2016-01-01

    A profound review of the literature on entrepreneurship reveals that it does not exist a specific information tool to measure the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. The purpose of this research has been building such kind of instrument to estimate the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. Its design takes in consideration the inclusion of the main variables identified by the literature as those most associated with entrepreneurial profiles. These variables have been grouped i...

  20. Democracy in schools: are educators ready for teacher leadership?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elsabé de Villiers

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to determine educators' perceptions of and readiness for teacher leadership. A total of 283 educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District in the Western Cape participated in the study. The participants included district officials, principals, and members of school management teams, as well as veteran, middle, and novice educators. A series of instruments was used to determine educators' perspectives, perceptions and readiness for teacher leadership, including the Teacher Leadership Readiness Instrument (TLRI. The results indicated that educators held positive assumptions about teacher leadership. Educators' preliminary leadership perceptions, assumptions about and readiness for teacher leadership proved that the majority of educators are ready for a more distributed, deep democratic leadership practice in schools. Educators acknowledged the need for continuous professional development in the area of teacher leadership. It was also found that as preliminary leadership perceptions of educators improve or strengthen, readiness for teacher leadership is also likely to improve or strengthen. These findings have significant implications for leadership practices, collaboration, capacity-building and improvement in schools, educators' self-esteem, motivation and productivity, as well as student outcomes.

  1. Development of a Tool to Stage Households' Readiness to Change Dietary Behaviours in Kerala, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daivadanam, Meena; Ravindran, T K Sundari; Thankappan, K R; Sarma, P S; Wahlström, Rolf

    2016-01-01

    Dietary interventions and existing health behaviour theories are centred on individuals; therefore, none of the available tools are applicable to households for changing dietary behaviour. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a practical tool that could be administered by community volunteers to stage households in rural Kerala based on readiness to change dietary behaviour. Such a staging tool, comprising a questionnaire and its algorithm, focusing five dietary components (fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar and oil) and households (rather than individuals), was finalised through three consecutive pilot validation sessions, conducted over a four-month period. Each revised version was tested with a total of 80 households (n = 30, 35 and 15 respectively in the three sessions). The tool and its comparator, Motivational Interviewing (MI), assessed the stage-of-change for a household pertaining to their: 1) fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour; 2) salt, sugar and oil consumption behaviour; 3) overall readiness to change. The level of agreement between the two was tested using Kappa statistics to assess concurrent validity. A value of 0.7 or above was considered as good agreement. The final version was found to have good face and content validity, and also a high level of agreement with MI (87%; weighted kappa statistic: 0.85). Internal consistency testing was performed using Cronbach's Alpha, with a value between 0.80 and 0.90 considered to be good. The instrument had good correlation between the items in each section (Cronbach's Alpha: 0.84 (fruit and vegetables), 0.85 (salt, sugar and oil) and 0.83 (Overall)). Pre-contemplation was the most difficult stage to identify; for which efficacy and perceived cooperation at the household level were important. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first staging tool for households. This tool represents a new concept in community-based dietary interventions. The tool can be easily administered by lay community

  2. Recent experiences in the development of locally-produced ready to use foods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryan, Kelsey; Manary, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Ready-to-use foods for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are micronutrient-fortified, lipid pastes containing roasted peanuts, oil, micronutrients, sugar, soy and/or dairy ingredient powders. The benefits of pastes like ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), and lipid nutrient supplements (LNS) for the treatment of nutritional maladies are that they are shelf-stable due to their low water activity, they are easily transportable, and they can be eaten as-is. Since the development of ready-to-use foods, cost reduction and local production experimentation have been ongoing. Attempts to replace ingredients like skim milk powder with alternate dairy protein ingredients or non-animal ingredients have been reported, but little food and process development information has been revealed. Linear programming or least-cost optimization mathematical models have been employed to help design low cost paste formulas from a selection of ingredients that also meet nutritional requirements. A new user-friendly tool can be used to develop new formulas that incorporate locally-sourced ingredients. New approaches to ingredient utilization are necessary for future ready-to-use food production and will require the development of novel processes for local ingredients compared to traditional pastes. The challenges of incorporating novel ingredients include processing changes, flavor and acceptability, and meeting nutrient requirements. Our research is designed to not only look at substitute ingredients, but also to optimize processing conditions in order to reduce cost by energy savings, extended shelf-life, and lower nutrient degradation. An RUSF using a novel dairy ingredient, whey permeate, was recently developed and is currently being tested in a prospective, double-blind randomized clinical trial for children with MAM in Malawi. Recent research in the development and testing of ready-to-use foods for MAM include a programmatic study

  3. Teachers’ Readiness to Implement Digital Curriculum in Kuwaiti Schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamed Mubarak Al-Awidi

    2017-03-01

    Findings\tTeachers are moderately ready for implementation of the digital curriculum in both components of readiness (technical and pedagogical. Teachers identified some factors that that hinder their readiness. These factors are related to time constraints, knowledge and skills, infrastructure, and technical support. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper will guide curriculum decision makers to find the best ways to help and support teachers to effectively implement the digital. Future Research: Follow up studies may examine the effectiveness of teacher education pro-grams in preparing students teachers to implement the digital curriculum, and the role of education decision makers in facilitating the implementation of the digital curriculum.

  4. A practical implementation science heuristic for organizational readiness: R = MC2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Brittany S.; Lamont, Andrea; Wandersman, Abraham; Castellow, Jennifer; Katz, Jason; Beidas, Rinad S.

    2015-01-01

    There are many challenges when an innovation (i.e., a program, process, or policy that is new to an organization) is actively introduced into an organization. One critical component for successful implementation is the organization’s readiness for the innovation. In this article, we propose a practical implementation science heuristic, abbreviated as R= MC2. We propose that organizational readiness involves: 1) the motivation to implement an innovation, 2) the general capacities of an organization, and 3) the innovation-specific capacities needed for a particular innovation. Each of these components can be assessed independently and be used formatively. The heuristic can be used by organizations to assess readiness to implement and by training and technical assistance providers to help build organizational readiness. We present an illustration of the heuristic by showing how behavioral health organizations differ in readiness to implement a peer specialist initiative. Implications for research and practice of organizational readiness are discussed. PMID:26668443

  5. Organizational readiness to change assessment (ORCA: Development of an instrument based on the Promoting Action on Research in Health Services (PARIHS framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Yu-Fang

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, or PARIHS, framework is a theoretical framework widely promoted as a guide to implement evidence-based clinical practices. However, it has as yet no pool of validated measurement instruments that operationalize the constructs defined in the framework. The present article introduces an Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment instrument (ORCA, organized according to the core elements and sub-elements of the PARIHS framework, and reports on initial validation. Methods We conducted scale reliability and factor analyses on cross-sectional, secondary data from three quality improvement projects (n = 80 conducted in the Veterans Health Administration. In each project, identical 77-item ORCA instruments were administered to one or more staff from each facility involved in quality improvement projects. Items were organized into 19 subscales and three primary scales corresponding to the core elements of the PARIHS framework: (1 Strength and extent of evidence for the clinical practice changes represented by the QI program, assessed with four subscales, (2 Quality of the organizational context for the QI program, assessed with six subscales, and (3 Capacity for internal facilitation of the QI program, assessed with nine subscales. Results Cronbach's alpha for scale reliability were 0.74, 0.85 and 0.95 for the evidence, context and facilitation scales, respectively. The evidence scale and its three constituent subscales failed to meet the conventional threshold of 0.80 for reliability, and three individual items were eliminated from evidence subscales following reliability testing. In exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained. Seven of the nine facilitation subscales loaded onto the first factor; five of the six context subscales loaded onto the second factor; and the three evidence subscales loaded on the third factor. Two subscales failed to load

  6. Organizational readiness to change assessment (ORCA): development of an instrument based on the Promoting Action on Research in Health Services (PARIHS) framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helfrich, Christian D; Li, Yu-Fang; Sharp, Nancy D; Sales, Anne E

    2009-07-14

    The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services, or PARIHS, framework is a theoretical framework widely promoted as a guide to implement evidence-based clinical practices. However, it has as yet no pool of validated measurement instruments that operationalize the constructs defined in the framework. The present article introduces an Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment instrument (ORCA), organized according to the core elements and sub-elements of the PARIHS framework, and reports on initial validation. We conducted scale reliability and factor analyses on cross-sectional, secondary data from three quality improvement projects (n = 80) conducted in the Veterans Health Administration. In each project, identical 77-item ORCA instruments were administered to one or more staff from each facility involved in quality improvement projects. Items were organized into 19 subscales and three primary scales corresponding to the core elements of the PARIHS framework: (1) Strength and extent of evidence for the clinical practice changes represented by the QI program, assessed with four subscales, (2) Quality of the organizational context for the QI program, assessed with six subscales, and (3) Capacity for internal facilitation of the QI program, assessed with nine subscales. Cronbach's alpha for scale reliability were 0.74, 0.85 and 0.95 for the evidence, context and facilitation scales, respectively. The evidence scale and its three constituent subscales failed to meet the conventional threshold of 0.80 for reliability, and three individual items were eliminated from evidence subscales following reliability testing. In exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained. Seven of the nine facilitation subscales loaded onto the first factor; five of the six context subscales loaded onto the second factor; and the three evidence subscales loaded on the third factor. Two subscales failed to load significantly on any factor. One measured resources

  7. A Multi-level Examination of how the Organizational Context Relates to Readiness to Implement Prevention and Evidence-Based Programming in Community Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chilenski, Sarah M.; Olson, Jonathan R.; Schulte, Jill A.; Perkins, Daniel F.; Spoth, Richard

    2015-01-01

    Prior theoretical and empirical research suggests that multiple aspects of an organization’s context are likely related to a number of factors, from their interest and ability to adopt new programming, to client outcomes. A limited amount of the prior research has taken a more community-wide perspective by examining factors that associate with community readiness for change, leaving how these findings generalize to community organizations that conduct prevention or positive youth development programs unknown. Thus for the current study, we examined how the organizational context of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) associates with current attitudes and practices regarding prevention and evidence-based programming. Attitudes and practices have been found in the empirical literature to be key indicators of an organization’s readiness to adopt prevention and evidence-based programming. Based on multi-level mixed models, results indicate that organizational management practices distinct from program delivery may affect an organization’s readiness to adopt and implement new prevention and evidence-based youth programs, thereby limiting the potential public health impact of evidence-based programs. Openness to change, openness of leadership, and communication were the strongest predictors identified within this study. An organization’s morale was also found to be a strong predictor of an organization’s readiness. The findings of the current study are discussed in terms of implications for prevention and intervention. PMID:25463014

  8. Adapting the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Create Organizational Readiness and Implementation Tools for Project ECHO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serhal, Eva; Arena, Amanda; Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Mohri, Linda; Crawford, Allison

    2018-03-01

    The Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) model expands primary care provider (PCP) capacity to manage complex diseases by sharing knowledge, disseminating best practices, and building a community of practice. The model has expanded rapidly, with over 140 ECHO projects currently established globally. We have used validated implementation frameworks, such as Damschroder's (2009) Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Proctor's (2011) taxonomy of implementation outcomes, combined with implementation experience to (1) create a set of questions to assess organizational readiness and suitability of the ECHO model and (2) provide those who have determined ECHO is the correct model with a checklist to support successful implementation. A set of considerations was created, which adapted and consolidated CFIR constructs to create ECHO-specific organizational readiness questions, as well as a process guide for implementation. Each consideration was mapped onto Proctor's (2011) implementation outcomes, and questions relating to the constructs were developed and reviewed for clarity. The Preimplementation list included 20 questions; most questions fall within Proctor's (2001) implementation outcome domains of "Appropriateness" and "Acceptability." The Process Checklist is a 26-item checklist to help launch an ECHO project; items map onto the constructs of Planning, Engaging, Executing, Reflecting, and Evaluating. Given that fidelity to the ECHO model is associated with robust outcomes, effective implementation is critical. These tools will enable programs to work through key considerations to implement a successful Project ECHO. Next steps will include validation with a diverse sample of ECHO projects.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited

  9. Getting beyond "Gut Feeling": Understanding How Mentors Judge Readiness to Teach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ell, Fiona; Haigh, Mavis

    2015-01-01

    Assessing whether or not a teacher candidate is ready to take their own class is a high-stakes decision that requires consideration of multiple, often competing, sources of information. Three research instruments were designed to explore how mentors judge readiness to teach during final practicum placements. This article describes the three…

  10. Development of an instrument to assess readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieger, E; Touyz, S; Schotte, D; Beumont, P; Russell, J; Clarke, S; Kohn, M; Griffiths, R

    2000-12-01

    The degree to which patients with anorexia nervosa demonstrate readiness to recover from their illness has received scant theoretical or empirical attention. Investigating the prevalence and degree of amotivation for recovery in anorexia nervosa, its role in outcome, and the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance readiness to recover necessitates the existence of a reliable and valid measure of motivational issues relevant to the disorder. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate an instrument for assessing readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa, namely, the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ), a 23-item self-report questionnaire based on Prochaska and DiClemente's stages of change model. Seventy-one inpatients with anorexia nervosa participated in the study. On several occasions during their admission, participants completed the ANSOCQ as well as questionnaires assessing readiness to recover, anorexic symptomatology, general distress, and social desirability. The ANSOCQ demonstrated good internal consistency (.90) and 1-week test-retest reliability (.89). Various aspects of validity were also supported, such as significant relationships with other instruments assessing readiness to recover and the prediction of weight gain during different periods of treatment. The results suggest that the ANSOCQ is a psychometrically sound instrument that may prove useful in investigating the role of readiness to recover in anorexia nervosa. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  11. Lean Six Sigma Analysis of Shipboard Audit Readiness on a U.S. Navy Destroyer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-12-01

    implementing new process changes in support of the DOD Financial Improvement Audit Readiness (FIAR) program . Despite increased emphasis on ensuring...dedicating additional resources and implementing new process changes in support of the DOD Financial Improvement Audit Readiness (FIAR) program . Despite...Actions and Milestones Template .....................................77 x Figure 22. Process Flowchart . Adapted from Air War College (n.d

  12. Analysis of e-learning implementation readiness based on integrated elr model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adiyarta, K.; Napitupulu, D.; Rahim, R.; Abdullah, D.; Setiawan, MI

    2018-04-01

    E-learning nowadays has become a requirement for institutions to support their learning activities. To adopt e-learning, an institution requires a large strategy and resources for optimal application. Unfortunately, not all institutions that have used e-learning got the desired results or expectations. This study aims to identify the extent of the level of readiness of e-learning implementation in institution X. The degree of institutional readiness will determine the success of future e-learning utilization. In addition, institutional readiness measurement are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies in e-learning development. The research method used is survey with questionnaire designed based on integration of 8 best practice ELR (e-learning readiness) model. The results showed that from 13 factors of integrated ELR model being measured, there are 3 readiness factors included in the category of not ready and needs a lot of work. They are human resource (2.57), technology skill (2.38) and content factors (2.41). In general, e-learning implementation in institutions is in the category of not ready but needs some of work (3.27). Therefore, the institution should consider which factors or areas of ELR factors are considered still not ready and needs improvement in the future.

  13. Ready! Set! Go! An Action Research Agenda for Software Architecture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Henrik Bærbak; Hansen, Klaus Marius; Schougaard, Kari Rye

    2008-01-01

    Software architecture practice is highly complex. Software architects interact with business as well as technical aspects of systems, often embedded in large and changing organizations. We first make an argument that an appropriate research agenda for understanding, describing, and changing...... architectural practice in this context is based on an action research agenda in which researchers use ethnographic techniques to understand practice and engages directly with and in practice when proposing and designing new practices. Secondly, we present an overview of an ongoing project which applies action...... research techniques to understand and potentially change architectural practice in four Danish software companies....

  14. Democracy in schools: are educators ready for teacher leadership?

    OpenAIRE

    Elsabé de Villiers; SG (Fanie) Pretorius

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this research was to determine educators' perceptions of and readiness for teacher leadership. A total of 283 educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District in the Western Cape participated in the study. The participants included district officials, principals, and members of school management teams, as well as veteran, middle, and novice educators. A series of instruments was used to determine educators' perspectives, perceptions and readiness for teacher leadership, i...

  15. The Avahan Transition: Effects of Transition Readiness on Program Institutionalization and Sustained Outcomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachiko Ozawa

    Full Text Available With declines in development assistance for health and growing interest in country ownership, donors are increasingly faced with the task of transitioning health programs to local actors towards a path to sustainability. Yet there is little available guidance on how to measure and evaluate the success of a transition and its subsequent effects. This study assesses the transition of the Avahan HIV/AIDS prevention program in India to investigate how preparations for transition affected continuation of program activities post-transition.Two rounds of two surveys were conducted and supplemented by data from government and Avahan Computerized Management Information Systems (CMIS. Exploratory factor analysis was used to develop two measures: 1 transition readiness pre-transition, and 2 institutionalization (i.e. integration of initial program systems into organizational procedures and behaviors post-transition. A fixed effects model was built to examine changes in key program delivery outcomes over time. An ordinary least square regression was used to assess the relationship between transition readiness and sustainability of service outcomes both directly, and indirectly through institutionalization.Transition readiness data revealed 3 factors (capacity, alignment and communication, on a 15-item scale with adequate internal consistency (alpha 0.73. Institutionalization was modeled as a unidimensional construct, and a 12-item scale demonstrated moderate internal consistency (alpha 0.60. Coverage of key populations and condom distribution were sustained compared to pre-transition levels (p<0.01. Transition readiness, but not institutionalization, predicted sustained outcomes post-transition. Transition readiness did not necessarily lead to institutionalization of key program elements one year after transition.Greater preparedness prior to transition is important to achieve better service delivery outcomes post-transition. This paper illustrates a

  16. EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS: AXIOLOGICAL BASES OF MEGALOPOLIS YOUTH’S READINESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga V. Kruzhkova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present article is to examine the value bases of the readiness for innovations in the modern education of the youth of the megalopolises.Methods. As the methods were used: theoretical analysis and modeling method, as well as a survey of students of megalopolises (n = 1187 by the valuable questionnaire of S. Schwartz.Results. The authors give the description of educational innovations from the perspective of the overall needs of society in an individual which has technological skills and targets in acquiring and operating information. The reorientation of education on advancing development is implemented through numerous tactical and strategic changes in its form, content, methods and structure of the educational system in general. These changes can be united into five groups. Organizational innovations are pointed at changing the structure of education in accordance with the dynamic characteristics of society. Informative innovations suggest differentiation of activities and the level of responsibility of professionals in the same profile. The activity innovations are focused on changing the teachers’ readiness to transform their professional work and the development of their innovative competence. Productive innovations solve the problem of personality development of a professional in accordance with the social mandate. Socio-control innovations are designed to achieve transparency of management education for society. Implementation of the considered innovations is provided by numerous factors, which includes readiness of students to participate in the latest developments of the educational environment. The basis of this readiness contains value orientations, actualizing expectations and targets of young people as participants of innovations. Value priorities of megalopolis youth are highlighted: independence of thoughts and actions, hedonism, reputation and goodwill. On the one hand, these values provide a high readiness

  17. Development of a Tool to Stage Households’ Readiness to Change Dietary Behaviours in Kerala, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daivadanam, Meena; Ravindran, T. K. Sundari; Thankappan, K. R.; Sarma, P. S.; Wahlström, Rolf

    2016-01-01

    Dietary interventions and existing health behaviour theories are centred on individuals; therefore, none of the available tools are applicable to households for changing dietary behaviour. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a practical tool that could be administered by community volunteers to stage households in rural Kerala based on readiness to change dietary behaviour. Such a staging tool, comprising a questionnaire and its algorithm, focusing five dietary components (fruits, vegetables, salt, sugar and oil) and households (rather than individuals), was finalised through three consecutive pilot validation sessions, conducted over a four-month period. Each revised version was tested with a total of 80 households (n = 30, 35 and 15 respectively in the three sessions). The tool and its comparator, Motivational Interviewing (MI), assessed the stage-of-change for a household pertaining to their: 1) fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour; 2) salt, sugar and oil consumption behaviour; 3) overall readiness to change. The level of agreement between the two was tested using Kappa statistics to assess concurrent validity. A value of 0.7 or above was considered as good agreement. The final version was found to have good face and content validity, and also a high level of agreement with MI (87%; weighted kappa statistic: 0.85). Internal consistency testing was performed using Cronbach’s Alpha, with a value between 0.80 and 0.90 considered to be good. The instrument had good correlation between the items in each section (Cronbach’s Alpha: 0.84 (fruit and vegetables), 0.85 (salt, sugar and oil) and 0.83 (Overall)). Pre-contemplation was the most difficult stage to identify; for which efficacy and perceived cooperation at the household level were important. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first staging tool for households. This tool represents a new concept in community-based dietary interventions. The tool can be easily administered by lay

  18. Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready Estuaries Program: A Novel Approach Using Expert Judgement, Volume II: Results for the Massachusetts Bays Program (Final Report)

    Science.gov (United States)

    As part of the Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) program, the Global Change Research Program (GCRP) in the National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a report exploring a new methodology fo...

  19. Readiness to proceed: Characterization planning basis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, M.R.

    1998-01-01

    This report summarizes characterization requirements, data availability, and data acquisition plans in support of the Phase 1 Waste Feed Readiness to Proceed Mid-Level Logic. It summarizes characterization requirements for the following program planning documents: Waste Feed Readiness Mid-Level Logic and Decomposition (in development); Master blue print (not available); Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) Operations and Utilization Plan and Privatization Contract; Enabling assumptions (not available); Privatization low-activity waste (LAW) Data Quality Objective (DQO); Privatization high-level waste (HLW) DQO (draft); Problem-specific DQOs (in development); Interface control documents (draft). Section 2.0 defines the primary objectives for this report, Section 3.0 discusses the scope and assumptions, and Section 4.0 identifies general characterization needs and analyte-specific characterization needs or potential needs included in program documents and charts. Section 4.0 also shows the analyses that have been conducted, and the archive samples that are available for additional analyses. Section 5.0 discusses current plans for obtaining additional samples and analyses to meet readiness-to-proceed requirements. Section 6.0 summarizes sampling needs based on preliminary requirements and discusses other potential characterization needs. Many requirements documents are preliminary. In many cases, problem-specific DQOs have not been drafted, and only general assumptions about the document contents could be obtained from the authors. As a result, the readiness-to-proceed characterization requirements provided in this document are evolving and may change

  20. Observational Learning on Industry Work Practices toward Job Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojuli, Subkhan; Rahayu, Agus; Disman

    2017-01-01

    This research aims to find out the influence of observational learning on job readiness based on some indicators and variables. This is a quantitative research in which Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used. The research method is survey. The participants of this research are the Grade XII students of Accountancy Department of State…

  1. Effect of specific resistance training on readiness to change and self-rated health in the working life

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bredahl, Thomas Viskum Gjelstrup; Jönsson, Carina; Andersen, Lars

    Introduction The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 20 weeks of strengths training on readiness to change and self-rated health, amongst laboratory technicians with industrial repetitive work. Methods A cluster randomised controlled trial was performed with an intervention...... group (IG)(n=282) and a control group (CG)(n=255). The IG performed five specific strengthening exercises for the neck-shoulder region, three times a week for approximately 20 minutes, during working hours. Participants replied to a questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. The main objectives were...

  2. Measuring readiness for entrepreneurship: An information tool proposal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Coduras

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A profound review of the literature on entrepreneurship reveals that it does not exist a specific information tool to measure the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. The purpose of this research has been building such kind of instrument to estimate the individuals’ readiness for entrepreneurship. Its design takes in consideration the inclusion of the main variables identified by the literature as those most associated with entrepreneurial profiles. These variables have been grouped into three categories: sociological, psychological and managerial-entrepreneurial. Each group provides batteries of items which are evaluated thanks to a specific scoring system. The final objective is to provide a system to calculate individual scores of readiness for entrepreneurship and, at the same time, partial scores on concrete aspects of it. The information tool is presented at this paper and will be tested and refined in the near future.

  3. Military Gay Ban Revisited: Is our Military Ready for Change?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-02-20

    support from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender ( LGBT ) community and in return made several campaign promises along the way. One of the campaign ...Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender] ( LGBT ) rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as...No. 85. July 2007. Donnelly, Elaine. Who Will Confront the “ LGBT Left?”. Center for Military Readiness. (5 February 2008). Frank

  4. Colleagues as Change Agents: How Department Networks and Opinion Leaders Influence Teaching at a Single Research University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, T. C.; Conaway, E. P.; Zhao, J.; Dolan, E. L.

    2016-01-01

    Relationships with colleagues have the potential to be a source of support for faculty to make meaningful change in how they teach, but the impact of these relationships is poorly understood. We used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the characteristics of faculty who provide colleagues with teaching resources and facilitate change in teaching, how faculty influence one another. Our exploratory investigation was informed by social network theory and research on the impact of opinion leaders within organizations. We used surveys and interviews to examine collegial interactions about undergraduate teaching in life sciences departments at one research university. Each department included discipline-based education researchers (DBERs). Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicate that DBERs promote changes in teaching to a greater degree than other departmental colleagues. The influence of DBERs derives, at least partly, from a perception that they have unique professional expertise in education. DBERs facilitated change through coteaching, offering ready and approachable access to education research, and providing teaching training and mentoring. Faculty who had participated in a team based–teaching professional development program were also credited with providing more support for teaching than nonparticipants. Further research will be necessary to determine whether these results generalize beyond the studied institution. PMID:27174582

  5. Risks Management of Ready-Made Garments Industry In Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morshadul Hasan

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The primary objective of this paper is to identify the associated risks in ready made garments sector and find out the ways how these risks can be mitigated. The sample respondents are selected from the different company in different locations, and different level of the respondents are interviewed for collecting information randomly from 45 garments factory from the total population size 4328 company. It has been found in this research that almost all the risks are properly controlled or managed by the responsible parties. The responsible parties of controlling risks are trying most to control the risks. There is few past research about risks management of ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh. Different types of risks and the risks controlling technique will be discussed in the letter part of this research.

  6. Parental Learning and School Readiness in the Gearing Up for Kindergarten Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharon Query

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Entering kindergarten is a key moment in a young child’s life, and parents are a child’s first teacher. What can guide parents as they assist children with school readiness? Gearing Up for Kindergarten is an intensive parent education and school readiness program designed to help parents and children prepare for school. Gearing Up for Kindergarten is a parent education program that combines early learning opportunities for pre-kindergarten children with parent education opportunities for adults. This study presents findings from evaluation efforts conducted with 59 Gearing Up for Kindergarten adult participants during the 2006-2007 school year. Participants in the program demonstrated (1 high satisfaction with program quality and experiences, (2 impacts on parental knowledge and confidence, and (3 significant and positive changes in parental practices related to school readiness. Implications for parent education and programs intended to strengthen school readiness among pre-kindergarten children are explored. Parent education on school readiness can provide a substantive resource as parents help their children develop and become ready for the school years.

  7. The Readiness of Sorsogon State College Faculty for Teaching with ICT: Basis for a Faculty Training Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine A. De Castro

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Information and communication technologies (ICT such as computers, multimedia systems, productivity software, and the Internet have greatly improved the performance of different organizations and influenced higher learning institutions like Sorsogon State College (SSC to develop and implement innovative teaching and learning methods. However, despite the many benefits of ICT when used in education, there are still faculty members who do not use these technologies for teaching. Hence, this research was conducted to assess their readiness for teaching with ICT. Findings revealed that most of the surveyed respondents were above forty-five years old, have 1-10 years of government service, and have specialization in the field of education. In terms of readiness to teach with ICT, the results disclosed that they were fairly ready along human-resource readiness, ready along technological skill readiness, and much ready along equipment readiness. Their age was not significantly related to their human resource readiness but significantly related to their technological skill and equipment readiness. The respondents’ number of years in the government was significantly related to their readiness to teach with ICT in terms of human resource, technological skill, and equipment readiness. Their field of specialization was not significantly related to their readiness to teach with ICT. Among the most identified factors why some of them do not use ICT resources were unavailability of ICT resources, lack of knowledge and lack of familiarity to ICT. The output of this research is a faculty training program to enhance their know

  8. Vulnerability Assessments in Support of the Climate Ready Estuaries Program: A Novel Approach Using Expert Judgment, Volume I: Results for the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (Final Report)

    Science.gov (United States)

    As part of the Climate Ready Estuaries (CRE) program, the Global Change Research Program (GCRP) in the National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has prepared this draft report exploring a new metho...

  9. Emotional Readiness and Music Therapeutic Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drossinou-Korea, Maria; Fragkouli, Aspasia

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to understand the children's expression with verbal and nonverbal communication in the Autistic spectrum. We study the emotional readiness and the music therapeutic activities which exploit the elements of music. The method followed focused on the research field of special needs education. Assumptions on the parameters…

  10. Career Readiness: Has Its Time Finally Come?

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeWitt, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    In 2010, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) released a "What Is Career Ready?" definition. As the career-readiness definition explains, there is much overlap between "college readiness" and "career readiness," but academic preparedness for college alone is not enough to be truly career-ready.…

  11. A quantification of discharge readiness after outpatient anaesthesia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adele

    RESEARCH. Southern ... Nurses and patients were blinded to each other's assessments . ... and, 3) time to discharge readiness according to nursing assessments. .... Male/ Female. 69/125. 36/64. Ethnicity: Caucasian. 132. 68. Asian. 48. 24.7.

  12. Using a Computer Simulation to Improve Psychological Readiness for Job Interviewing in Unemployed Individuals of Pre-Retirement Age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aysina, Rimma M; Efremova, Galina I; Maksimenko, Zhanna A; Nikiforov, Mikhail V

    2017-05-01

    Unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age face significant challenges in finding a new job. This may be partly due to their lack of psychological readiness to go through a job interview. We view psychological readiness as one of the psychological attitude components. It is an active conscious readiness to interact with a certain aspect of reality, based on previously acquired experience. It includes a persons' special competence to manage their activities and cope with anxiety. We created Job Interview Simulation Training (JIST) - a computer-based simulator, which allowed unemployed job seekers to practice interviewing repeatedly in a stress-free environment. We hypothesized that completion of JIST would be related to increase in pre-retirement job seekers' psychological readiness for job interviewing in real life. Participants were randomized into control (n = 18) and experimental (n = 21) conditions. Both groups completed pre- and post-intervention job interview role-plays and self-reporting forms of psychological readiness for job interviewing. JIST consisted of 5 sessions of a simulated job interview, and the experimental group found it easy to use and navigate as well as helpful to prepare for interviewing. After finishing JIST-sessions the experimental group had significant decrease in heart rate during the post-intervention role-play and demonstrated significant increase in their self-rated psychological readiness, whereas the control group did not have changes in these variables. Future research may help clarify whether JIST is related to an increase in re-employment of pre-retirement job seekers.

  13. Capturing readiness to learn and collaboration as explored with an interprofessional simulation scenario: A mixed-methods research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossler, Kelly L; Kimble, Laura P

    2016-01-01

    Didactic lecture does not lend itself to teaching interprofessional collaboration. High-fidelity human patient simulation with a focus on clinical situations/scenarios is highly conducive to interprofessional education. Consequently, a need for research supporting the incorporation of interprofessional education with high-fidelity patient simulation based technology exists. The purpose of this study was to explore readiness for interprofessional learning and collaboration among pre-licensure health professions students participating in an interprofessional education human patient simulation experience. Using a mixed methods convergent parallel design, a sample of 53 pre-licensure health professions students enrolled in nursing, respiratory therapy, health administration, and physical therapy programs within a college of health professions participated in high-fidelity human patient simulation experiences. Perceptions of interprofessional learning and collaboration were measured with the revised Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Health Professional Collaboration Scale (HPCS). Focus groups were conducted during the simulation post-briefing to obtain qualitative data. Statistical analysis included non-parametric, inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Pre- and post-RIPLS demonstrated pre-licensure health professions students reported significantly more positive attitudes about readiness for interprofessional learning post-simulation in the areas of team work and collaboration, negative professional identity, and positive professional identity. Post-simulation HPCS revealed pre-licensure nursing and health administration groups reported greater health collaboration during simulation than physical therapy students. Qualitative analysis yielded three themes: "exposure to experiential learning," "acquisition of interactional relationships," and "presence of chronology in role preparation

  14. Evaluation of Readiness for Distance Education of Students in European Universities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daina Vasilevska

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Distance learning environment with its different approaches has become one of the most researched paradigms in the late years. Different technologies have been developed and introduced into these systems, but at the same time, a spectrum of use-cases has been offered for this model. This paper aims at addressing the most important problem facing with the distance learning eco-system, namely its evaluation. The evaluation process has been undertaken in different European countries, such as Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Poland, Belarus, and Romania. The obtained results show that not all of the students are at the same level of readiness when it comes to distance education, there are no criteria developed for the evaluation of the students' readiness to this education model. For the purpose of this study, authors suggest that readiness to distance education includes knowledge, skills, and abilities that are necessary for students to successfully possess while using the technologies of distance education. After the analysis of the results of this research, the authors developed a structure and described elements that define the level of students' readiness to distance education.

  15. Stages of Change, Smoking Behaviour and Readiness to Quit in a Large Sample of Indigenous Australians Living in Eight Remote North Queensland Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robyn McDermott

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Tobacco smoking is a major health issue for Indigenous Australians, however there are few interventions with demonstrated efficacy in this population. The Transtheoretical Model may provide a useful framework for describing smoking behaviour and assessing readiness to quit, with the aim of developing better interventions. Interviews were conducted with 593 Indigenous Australians in eight rural and remote communities in north Queensland, to examine stages of change and smoking behaviour. Among current smokers, 39.6% and 43.4% were in Precontemplation and Contemplation stages respectively. A further 13.9% were making preparations to quit (Preparation whilst only 3.2% said they were actively trying to quit (Action. When analysed by stage of change, the pattern of smoking-related behaviours conformed to the results of past research using the model. Importantly however, distribution of individuals across the stages opposes those observed in investigations of smoking behaviour in non-Indigenous Australian populations. The Transtheoretical Model can be used to meaningfully classify Indigenous smokers in remote north Queensland according to stages along the behaviour change continuum. Importantly, in this large sample across eight communities, most Indigenous smokers were not making preparations to change their smoking behaviour. This suggests that interventions should focus on promoting movement toward the Preparation and Action stages of change.

  16. Investigation of Professional Readiness of Selected Male and Female Experts in Iranian Sports Organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samira ALIABADI

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to investigate professional readiness of a selected group of male and female experts in Iranian sports organizations. It is a descriptive study with an applied objective. The statistical population of the study includes the entire selected male and female experts (406 experts of Iranian sports organizations among which 352 cases cooperated with the researchers and therefore were selected as research sample. Measurement tool is the professional readiness assessment standard questionnaire (Aliabadi, 2014; the validity and reliability of this questionnaire have been approved by sport experts. The descriptive and inferential statistics including KS- and T-test was used to analyze the data. The results indicate that there is no significant difference between male and female experts in sports organizations regarding mental readiness and its components (motivation, commitment, confidence; but there is a significant difference at 0.01 level between them with regard to work readiness and its components (skill, knowledge, experience. Moreover, based on the average of work/technical readiness components, male experts are better than female experts.

  17. Readiness to adopt a performance measurement system for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    organisational climate, leadership support and readiness to adopt the SQM system. Regression analysis was used to identify ... attributes, organisational resources, organisational openness to change, and internal and external pressures for .... munity engagement and marketing activities also may have enhanced treatment ...

  18. The relationship between baseline Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment subscale scores and implementation of hepatitis prevention services in substance use disorders treatment clinics: a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hagedorn Hildi J

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Organizational Readiness to Change Assessment (ORCA is a measure of organizational readiness for implementing practice change in healthcare settings that is organized based on the core elements and sub-elements of the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS framework. General support for the reliability and factor structure of the ORCA has been reported. However, no published study has examined the utility of the ORCA in a clinical setting. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between baseline ORCA scores and implementation of hepatitis prevention services in substance use disorders (SUD clinics. Methods Nine clinic teams from Veterans Health Administration SUD clinics across the United States participated in a six-month training program to promote evidence-based practices for hepatitis prevention. A representative from each team completed the ORCA evidence and context subscales at baseline. Results Eight of nine clinics reported implementation of at least one new hepatitis prevention practice after completing the six-month training program. Clinic teams were categorized by level of implementation-high (n = 4 versus low (n = 5-based on how many hepatitis prevention practices were integrated into their clinics after completing the training program. High implementation teams had significantly higher scores on the patient experience and leadership culture subscales of the ORCA compared to low implementation teams. While not reaching significance in this small sample, high implementation clinics also had higher scores on the research, clinical experience, staff culture, leadership behavior, and measurement subscales as compared to low implementation clinics. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the ORCA was able to measure differences in organizational factors at baseline between clinics that reported high and low implementation of practice

  19. Military Readiness: DODs Readiness Rebuilding Efforts May Be at Risk without a Comprehensive Plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-01

    specific elements that are to be in strategic plans. 8Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Guide 3401D, CJCS Guide to the Chairman’s Readiness ...all its major functions and operations. DOD strategic guidance makes it clear that rebuilding readiness is a priority that supports the... readiness recovery efforts. Evaluations of the plan to monitor goals and objectives Assessments, through objective measurement and systematic

  20. Are College Faculty and First-Generation, Low-Income Students Ready for Each Other?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schademan, Alfred R.; Thompson, Maris R.

    2016-01-01

    Utilizing current research on college readiness as well as the role of cultural agents as a conceptual framework, this qualitative study investigates student and faculty beliefs about readiness and the pedagogical practices that allow instructors to effectively serve as cultural agents for first-generation, low-income students. Three major…

  1. An investigation of the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM

    OpenAIRE

    Erdoğmuş, Nihat; Esen, Murat

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of technology readiness on technology acceptance in e-HRM field. The data for this study were collected from 65 Human Resource (HR) managers representing top 500 largest private sector companies in Turkey. The research model based on two theories: Parasuraman's technology readiness and Davis’ technology acceptance model. The results of the study showed that optimism and innovativeness dimensions of technology readiness positively influenced ...

  2. Development of the PRE-HIT instrument: patient readiness to engage in health information technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koopman, Richelle J; Petroski, Gregory F; Canfield, Shannon M; Stuppy, Julie A; Mehr, David R

    2014-01-28

    Technology-based aids for lifestyle change are becoming more prevalent for chronic conditions. Important "digital divides" remain, as well as concerns about privacy, data security, and lack of motivation. Researchers need a way to characterize participants' readiness to use health technologies. To address this need, we created an instrument to measure patient readiness to engage with health technologies among adult patients with chronic conditions. Initial focus groups to determine domains, followed by item development and refinement, and exploratory factor analysis to determine final items and factor structure. The development sample included 200 patients with chronic conditions from 6 family medicine clinics. From 98 potential items, 53 best candidate items were examined using exploratory factor analysis. Pearson's Correlation for Test/Retest reliability at 3 months. The final instrument had 28 items that sorted into 8 factors with associated Cronbach's alpha: 1) Health Information Need (0.84), 2) Computer/Internet Experience (0.87), 3) Computer Anxiety (0.82), 4) Preferred Mode of Interaction (0.73), 5) Relationship with Doctor (0.65), 6) Cell Phone Expertise (0.75), 7) Internet Privacy (0.71), and 8) No News is Good News (0.57). Test-retest reliability for the 8 subscales ranged from (0.60 to 0.85). The Patient Readiness to Engage in Health Internet Technology (PRE-HIT) instrument has good psychometric properties and will be an aid to researchers investigating technology-based health interventions. Future work will examine predictive validity.

  3. Solar Ready: An Overview of Implementation Practices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watson, A.; Guidice, L.; Lisell, L.; Doris, L.; Busche, S.

    2012-01-01

    This report explores three mechanisms for encouraging solar ready building design and construction: solar ready legislation, certification programs for solar ready design and construction, and stakeholder education. These methods are not mutually exclusive, and all, if implemented well, could contribute to more solar ready construction. Solar ready itself does not reduce energy use or create clean energy. Nevertheless, solar ready building practices are needed to reach the full potential of solar deployment. Without forethought on incorporating solar into design, buildings may be incompatible with solar due to roof structure or excessive shading. In these cases, retrofitting the roof or removing shading elements is cost prohibitive. Furthermore, higher up-front costs due to structural adaptations and production losses caused by less than optimal roof orientation, roof equipment, or shading will lengthen payback periods, making solar more expensive. With millions of new buildings constructed each year in the United States, solar ready can remove installation barriers and increase the potential for widespread solar adoption. There are many approaches to promoting solar ready, including solar ready legislation, certification programs, and education of stakeholders. Federal, state, and local governments have the potential to implement programs that encourage solar ready and in turn reduce barriers to solar deployment. With the guidance in this document and the examples of jurisdictions and organizations already working to promote solar ready building practices, federal, state, and local governments can guide the market toward solar ready implementation.

  4. FORMING THE READINESS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS TO WORK IN POSTGRADUATE PEDAGOGICAL EDUCATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna Trubavina

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The problem of teaching adult students in the system of postgraduate pedagogical education should be considered not only from the point of view of the students, but also from the point of teachers’ view. Training is a two-way process. In this article national studies on this problem are initially summarized. The methodology of research of postgraduate pedagogical education is singled out. These are such scientific approaches as synergetics and andragogics. The author proves the need for universities to train teachers specially for interaction with adult students who already work as teachers in schools, have very much motivation for study, their own personal and professional experience, may be older than their university teachers, require subject-subject communication. This all affects the specifics of teaching and requires a different willingness to work with such students and correspondent courses at universities. The article is devoted to forming modern university teachers’ readiness to work in postgraduate pedagogical education. The features of such readiness content are first determined by the author as the content, value and operational components of teacher readiness for work. This gives the article practical significance. The results can be extended to the training of all teachers of higher pedagogical educational institutions, that indicate the social significance of the article. The originality of the article is determining the specific content of the components of the teachers’ readiness to work in postgraduate pedagogical education. Forming the teacher’s readiness for training adult students in the system of postgraduate teacher education should include knowledge, skills and values of work. The prospects for research are building and implementing a model of forming the university teachers’ readiness for such work on the basis of andragogy and synergetics, taking into account the specified content of the components of teacher

  5. Towards evidence-based palliative care in nursing homes in Sweden: a qualitative study informed by the organizational readiness to change theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsen, Per; Wallerstedt, Birgitta; Behm, Lina; Ahlström, Gerd

    2018-01-04

    Sweden has a policy of supporting older people to live a normal life at home for as long as possible. Therefore, it is often the oldest, most frail people who move into nursing homes. Nursing home staff are expected to meet the existential needs of the residents, yet conversations about death and dying tend to cause emotional strain. This study explores organizational readiness to implement palliative care based on evidence-based guidelines in nursing homes in Sweden. The aim was to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based palliative care in nursing homes. Interviews were carried out with 20 managers from 20 nursing homes in two municipalities who had participated along with staff members in seminars aimed at conveying knowledge and skills of relevance for providing evidence-based palliative care. Two managers responsible for all elderly care in each municipality were also interviewed. The questions were informed by the theory of Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC). ORC was also used as a framework to analyze the data by means of categorizing barriers and facilitators for implementing evidence-based palliative care. Analysis of the data yielded ten factors (i.e., sub-categories) acting as facilitators and/or barriers. Four factors constituted barriers: the staff's beliefs in their capabilities to face dying residents, their attitudes to changes at work as well as the resources and time required. Five factors functioned as either facilitators or barriers because there was considerable variation with regard to the staff's competence and confidence, motivation, and attitudes to work in general, as well as the managers' plans and decisional latitude concerning efforts to develop evidence-based palliative care. Leadership was a facilitator to implementing evidence-based palliative care. There is a limited organizational readiness to develop evidence-based palliative care as a result of variation in the nursing home staff's change efficacy

  6. RImmPort: an R/Bioconductor package that enables ready-for-analysis immunology research data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankar, Ravi D; Bhattacharya, Sanchita; Jujjavarapu, Chethan; Andorf, Sandra; Wiser, Jeffery A; Butte, Atul J

    2017-04-01

    : Open access to raw clinical and molecular data related to immunological studies has created a tremendous opportunity for data-driven science. We have developed RImmPort that prepares NIAID-funded research study datasets in ImmPort (immport.org) for analysis in R. RImmPort comprises of three main components: (i) a specification of R classes that encapsulate study data, (ii) foundational methods to load data of a specific study and (iii) generic methods to slice and dice data across different dimensions in one or more studies. Furthermore, RImmPort supports open formalisms, such as CDISC standards on the open source bioinformatics platform Bioconductor, to ensure that ImmPort curated study datasets are seamlessly accessible and ready for analysis, thus enabling innovative bioinformatics research in immunology. RImmPort is available as part of Bioconductor (bioconductor.org/packages/RImmPort). rshankar@stanford.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  7. PENGARUH TECHNOLOGY READINESS TERHADAP PENERIMAAN TEKNOLOGI KOMPUTER PADA UMKM DI YOGYAKARTA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mimin Nur Aisyah

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstrak: Pengaruh Technology Readiness terhadap Penerimaan Teknologi Komputer pada UMKM di Yogyakarta. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengekplorasi pengaruh kesiapan teknologi terhadap persepsi kemanfaatan sistem dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan sistem serta pengaruh kedua persepsi terhadap teknologi tersebut terhadap minat menggunakan teknologi komputer dalam membantu proses bisnis pada UMKM di Yogyakarta.  Sampel penelitian ini sejumlah 498 UMKM yang terdaftar di Disperindagkop Yogyakarta. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik simple random sampling. Data diperoleh menggunakan kuesioner. Analisis data dan uji hipotesis menggunakan model Partial-Least-Square (PLS. Penelitian ini menemukan bahwa terdapat pengaruh kesiapan teknologi terhadap persepsi kemanfaatan sistem dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan sistem, serta terdapat pengaruh persepsi kemanfaatan teknologi dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan teknologi terhadap minat menggunakan teknologi komputer dalam membantu proses bisnis pada UMKM di Yogyakarta.   Kata kunci: kesiapan teknologi, persepsi kemanfaatan, persepsi kemudahan penggunaan, minat menggunakan, UMKM Abstract: The Effect of Technology Readiness toward Acceptance of Computer Technology on SMEs in Yogyakarta. This research aims to explore the effect of technology readiness to the perceived of usefulness of system and perceived ease of use of the system and the influence of both perceptions of these technologies to the behavioral intention of computer technology in business processes in SMEs in Yogyakarta. The research sample number of 498 SMEs were registered in Disperindagkop Yogyakarta. The sampling technique using simple random sampling technique. The data were obtained using a questionnaire. Data analysis and hypothesis testing using a model of the Partial-Least-Square (PLS. The research found that there are significant technology readiness to the perception of the benefit system and perceived ease of use of the system

  8. Religiosity and readiness for reconciliation: An anthropological view

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šantek Goran Pavel

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper is an anthropological study of processes that lead to the traumatization of a society, and of processes that result in forgiveness and reconciliation as chosen ways of dealing with post-conflict situations. The area on which the research is focused is Southeastern Europe, or more precisely Croatian and Serbian societies and relations. As cultural anthropology has not developed any special theory to deal with the causes of traumatic experiences in cultures and societies, this study uses the conceptions of closely related cultural sociology, formulated in Jeffrey Alexander's works. According to Alexander cultural trauma occurs when members of a collectivity feel they have been subjected to a horrendous event that leaves indelible marks upon their group consciousness, marking their memories forever and changing their future identity in fundamental and irrevocable ways. Insofar as they identify the cause of trauma, and thereby assume such moral responsibility, members of collectivities define their solidary relationships in ways that allow them to share the sufferings of others. In thinking that the suffering of others might also be our own societies expand the circle of the we. According to the same theory, when social groups refuse to recognize the existence of others' trauma and suffering, they not only diffuse their own responsibility for the suffering but often project the responsibility for their own suffering on these others. It is necessary then, for any process of reconciliation to be successful, that groups recognize suffering of others and their own responsibility. From the fact that social groups might refuse to participate in the process of trauma creation, it is obvious that trauma does not exist naturally, but that trauma is a social construction, a socially mediated attribution. This paper and research are also designed as an anthropological comparison with a huge sociological research of religiosity in Croatia done in

  9. Analysis of Students' Online Learning Readiness Based on Their Emotional Intelligence Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engin, Melih

    2017-01-01

    The objective of the present study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between the students' readiness in online learning and their emotional intelligence levels. Correlational research method was used in the study. Online Learning Readiness Scale which was developed by Hung et al. (2010) has been used and Trait Emotional…

  10. The impact of training interventions on organizational readiness to support innovations in juvenile justice offices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taxman, Faye S; Henderson, Craig; Young, Doug; Farrell, Jill

    2014-03-01

    Clinical trials on technology transfer models are rare, even with the interest in advancing the uptake of evidence-based practices in social service agencies. This article presents the results from a trial examining different transfer strategies to assist juvenile justice caseworkers in using screening, assessment, and case planning practices to address mental health and substance use needs. Study findings examine factors that promote organizational readiness. A clinical trial was conducted examining the impact of three post-training strategies: an external coach to build the social network of the justice office (build social climate), an external coach to educate staff (build skills and knowledge), and a control condition consisting of traditional management directives (directives to staff of agency priorities). All groups were exposed to a 1 day refresher course in motivational interviewing. The social network and skill building groups also attended an intensive 3-day training followed by three on-site booster sessions over a 12 month period of time. Twelve juvenile justice offices (with their 231 juvenile justice staff) were assigned to one of three conditions. The study examined the impact of different transfer conditions on organizational readiness to implement the innovation of screening, assessment, and referral strategies. External coaching targeting the social climate of the justice office to support innovations improved organizational readiness to change, regardless of office size. Coaching that targeted either the social climate or staff knowledge and skills both improved organizational readiness for change compared to management directives, but social climate coaching resulted in greater improvements in receptivity to change. No individual level features of case workers (e.g., age, gender, years of experience) significantly predicted organizational readiness to change. Unexpectedly, the skill and knowledge building approach did not perform any better

  11. COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF CHANGE IN SALIVARY pH ON CONSUMPTION OF DRY READY TO EAT CEREALS, CEREALS WITH AND WITHOUT ADDED SUGAR IN MILK- AN IN -VIVO STUDY

    OpenAIRE

    Mahesh J*, Sapna B, Veeresh DJ, Divya D

    2016-01-01

    Background: Dry, Ready to Eat Cereals are a combination of refined sugar and starch, most commonly consumed breakfast in the modern human diet. The present study was done to investigate the effects of combination foods on salivary pH. Objective: To assess and compare the salivary pH changes after consumption of Dry Ready to Eat Cereals (REC), Cereals with plain and sugar added milk. Method: Thirty six adults of age 18 to 25 years were assessed for salivary pH at baseline followed by one minut...

  12. Capture ready study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Minchener, A.

    2007-07-15

    There are a large number of ways in which the capture of carbon as carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) can be integrated into fossil fuel power stations, most being applicable for both gas and coal feedstocks. To add to the choice of technology is the question of whether an existing plant should be retrofitted for capture, or whether it is more attractive to build totally new. This miscellany of choices adds considerably to the commercial risk of investing in a large power station. An intermediate stage between the non-capture and full capture state would be advantageous in helping to determine the best way forward and hence reduce those risks. In recent years the term 'carbon capture ready' or 'capture ready' has been coined to describe such an intermediate stage plant and is now widely used. However a detailed and all-encompassing definition of this term has never been published. All fossil fuel consuming plant produce a carbon dioxide gas byproduct. There is a possibility of scrubbing it with an appropriate CO{sub 2} solvent. Hence it could be said that all fossil fuel plant is in a condition for removal of its CO{sub 2} effluent and therefore already in a 'capture ready' state. Evidently, the practical reality of solvent scrubbing could cost more than the rewards offered by such as the ETS (European Trading Scheme). In which case, it can be said that although the possibility exists of capturing CO{sub 2}, it is not a commercially viable option and therefore the plant could not be described as ready for CO{sub 2} capture. The boundary between a capture ready and a non-capture ready condition using this definition cannot be determined in an objective and therefore universally acceptable way and criteria must be found which are less onerous and less potentially contentious to assess. 16 refs., 2 annexes.

  13. Protocol for development and validation of a context-appropriate tool for assessing organisational readiness for change in primary health clinics in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooke-Sumner, Carrie; Sorsdahl, Katherine; Lombard, Carl; Petersen-Williams, Petal; Myers, Bronwyn

    2018-04-09

    A large treatment gap for common mental disorders (such as depression) exists in South Africa. Comorbidity with other chronic diseases, including HIV and diseases of lifestyle, is an increasing public health concern globally. Currently, primary health facilities as points of care for those with chronic disease provide limited services for common mental disorders. Assessing organisational readiness for change (ORC) towards adopting health innovations (such as mental health services) using contextually appropriate measures is needed to facilitate implementation of these services. This study aims to investigate the validity of the Texas Christian University Organisational Readiness for Change (TCU-ORC) scale in the South African context. Subsequently, we will develop a shortened version of this scale. This study is nested within Project MIND, a multiyear randomised controlled trial that is testing two different approaches for integrating counselling for common mental disorders into chronic disease care. Although the modified, contextually appropriate ORC measure resulting from the proposed study will be developed in the context of integrating mental health into primary healthcare services, the potential for the tool to be generalised to further understanding barriers to any change being implemented in primary care settings is high. We will establish internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients), test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) and construct validity of the long-form TCU-ORC questionnaire. Survey data will be collected from 288 clinical, management and operational staff from 24 primary health facilities where the Project MIND trial is implemented. A modified Delphi approach will assess the content validity of the TCU-ORC items and identify areas for potential adaptation and item reduction. Ethical approval has been granted by the South African Medical Research Council (Protocol ID EC004-2-2015, amendment of 20 August 2017). Results

  14. Assessment of Readiness to Participate in Distance Learning of the Certified Florida Behavioral Workforce

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baston, George R.

    2011-01-01

    This research study explored perceptions of readiness to participate in distance learning among the certified behavioral workforce in Florida. The study sought to determine if there were significant differences in perception of readiness to participate in distance learning between certified behavioral health professionals at the administrator…

  15. Readiness of ethics review systems for a changing public health landscape in the WHO African Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motari, Marion; Ota, Martin Okechukwu; Kirigia, Joses Muthuri

    2015-12-02

    The increasing emphasis on research, development and innovation for health in providing solutions to the high burden of diseases in the African Region has warranted a proliferation of studies including clinical trials. This changing public health landscape requires that countries develop adequate ethics review capacities to protect and minimize risks to study participants. Therefore, this study assessed the readiness of national ethics committees to respond to challenges posed by a globalized biomedical research system which is constantly challenged by new public health threats, rapid scientific and technological advancements affecting biomedical research and development, delivery and manufacture of vaccines and therapies, and health technology transfer. This is a descriptive study, which used a questionnaire structured to elicit information on the existence of relevant national legal frameworks, mechanisms for ethical review; as well as capacity requirements for national ethics committees. The questionnaire was available in English and French and was sent to 41 of the then 46 Member States of the WHO African Region, excluding the five Lusophone Member States. Information was gathered from senior officials in ministries of health, who by virtue of their offices were considered to have expert knowledge of research ethics review systems in their respective countries. Thirty three of the 41 countries (80.5 %) responded. Thirty (90.9 %) of respondent countries had a national ethics review committee (NEC); 79 % of which were established by law. Twenty-five (83.3 %) NECs had secretarial and administrative support. Over 50 % of countries with NECs indicated a need for capacity strengthening through periodic training on international guidelines for health research (including clinical trials) ethics; and allocation of funds for administrative and secretariat support. Despite the existing training initiatives, the Region still experiences a shortage of professionals

  16. Enterprise resource planning: An assessment for readiness to change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Ashraf Nazari

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an empirical investigation for the implementation of enterprise resource planning among 58 production units in province of Ilam, Iran. The proposed study of this paper considers the readiness in terms of six factors including human resources, financial resources, infrastructures, quality control, and information systems and communication technology. Using structural equation modeling, the study examines six hypotheses and the implementation is accomplished on LISREL software package. Cronbach alpha has been calculated as 0.91, which is well above the minimum desirable level. The results of the survey have indicated that all six mentioned factors influence positively on ERP implementation and for a successful implementation of ERP, it is suggested to consider these factors, seriously.

  17. Readiness for Living Technology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peronard, Jean-Paul

    2013-01-01

    This paper is a comparative analysis between workers in healthcare with high and low degree of readiness for living technology such as robotics. To explore the differences among workers’ readiness for robotics in healthcare, statistical analysis was conducted in the data set obtained from 200...

  18. HIV prevention in single, urban women: condom-use readiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison-Beedy, D; Lewis, B P

    2001-01-01

    To understand women's readiness to use condoms and their perceived pros and cons for condom use. Comparative, descriptive design guided by the Transtheoretical Model. Data were collected at two urban primary health care centers in western New York. 364 single urban women with steady (main) or other (casual, concurrent, multiple, new) sexual partners. Most participants were young (mean age of 27 years), economically disadvantaged women of color. Each participant completed an anonymous questionnaire that included items for the stage of change algorithm, decisional balance of the pros and cons of condom use, sexual history, and HIV risk information. Most women were in the early stages of change (not intending to use condoms), but those with other partners were further along in the stages of change for condom use than those with steady partners. The pros or advantages of condom use differed for these women depending on partner type. The change in the balance between the pros and cons occurred as theoretically predicted for women with steady and other partners. Effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions for women may be enhanced if they are tailored to both readiness to change and partner type.

  19. Developing a Survey to Determine Student Perceptions of Readiness at the Beginning of an Educational Leadership Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Michael D.; Gratto, John

    2015-01-01

    In this study, researchers developed a survey to determine student perceptions of readiness prior to entering an educational leadership program. The researchers analyzed and established the reliability and validity of the survey created to understand student readiness as they enter the program. The information garnered from this survey will help…

  20. Evidence based practice readiness: A concept analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Jessica D; Welton, John M

    2018-01-15

    To analyse and define the concept "evidence based practice readiness" in nurses. Evidence based practice readiness is a term commonly used in health literature, but without a clear understanding of what readiness means. Concept analysis is needed to define the meaning of evidence based practice readiness. A concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant's method to clarify the defining attributes of evidence based practice readiness as well as antecedents and consequences. A Boolean search of PubMed and Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature was conducted and limited to those published after the year 2000. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria for this analysis. Evidence based practice readiness incorporates personal and organisational readiness. Antecedents include the ability to recognize the need for evidence based practice, ability to access and interpret evidence based practice, and a supportive environment. The concept analysis demonstrates the complexity of the concept and its implications for nursing practice. The four pillars of evidence based practice readiness: nursing, training, equipping and leadership support are necessary to achieve evidence based practice readiness. Nurse managers are in the position to address all elements of evidence based practice readiness. Creating an environment that fosters evidence based practice can improve patient outcomes, decreased health care cost, increase nurses' job satisfaction and decrease nursing turnover. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. The Ef fects of Technology Usabilitiy and Individual Technology Readiness on Utilization of Electronic Document Management System (EDMS: A Research on Employee of University Hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asuman Atilla

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Electronic Document Management System (EDMS is software which is utilized for writing, sending and storing, briefly managing the processes and operations of the corporations and institutions. In this empirical research, the statistical differences are investigated between users’ concerns about usability of mentioned technology, users’ technological readiness levels and users’ utilization status of EDMS sample is formed by 189 administrative staff of a university hospital in Ankara. According to findings, significant statistical differences are found between some dimensions of technology usability (usability effectiveness, learnability,helpfulness satisfaction, some dimensions of technology readiness (discomfort and insecurity and the utilization status (user, nonuser of EDMS.

  2. What Are the Costs of Trauma Center Readiness? Defining and Standardizing Readiness Costs for Trauma Centers Statewide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashley, Dennis W; Mullins, Robert F; Dente, Christopher J; Garlow, Laura; Medeiros, Regina S; Atkins, Elizabeth V; Solomon, Gina; Abston, Dena; Ferdinand, Colville H

    2017-09-01

    Trauma center readiness costs are incurred to maintain essential infrastructure and capacity to provide emergent services on a 24/7 basis. These costs are not captured by traditional hospital cost accounting, and no national consensus exists on appropriate definitions for each cost. Therefore, in 2010, stakeholders from all Level I and II trauma centers developed a survey tool standardizing and defining trauma center readiness costs. The survey tool underwent minor revisions to provide further clarity, and the survey was repeated in 2013. The purpose of this study was to provide a follow-up analysis of readiness costs for Georgia's Level I and Level II trauma centers. Using the American College of Surgeons Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient guidelines, four readiness cost categories were identified: Administrative, Clinical Medical Staff, Operating Room, and Education/Outreach. Through conference calls, webinars and face-to-face meetings with financial officers, trauma medical directors, and program managers from all trauma centers, standardized definitions for reporting readiness costs within each category were developed. This resulted in a survey tool for centers to report their individual readiness costs for one year. The total readiness cost for all Level I trauma centers was $34,105,318 (avg $6,821,064) and all Level II trauma centers was $20,998,019 (avg $2,333,113). Methodology to standardize and define readiness costs for all trauma centers within the state was developed. Average costs for Level I and Level II trauma centers were identified. This model may be used to help other states define and standardize their trauma readiness costs.

  3. Ready, steady, go ... or no? : Perceived human resource practices, change readiness and change turbulence

    OpenAIRE

    Fjeldhus, Margrete Steen; Nilo, Silje Helen

    2017-01-01

    Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Business, Leadership and Change - Handelshøyskolen BI, 2017 In a world where digitalization and an accelerating environmental complexity is affecting organizations, managing changes with great complexity and high frequency is required. This can result in unexpected challenges, and successful change management becomes crucial to stay ahead of competitors. Taking a micro-perspective level of change, successful changes depend on the suppo...

  4. Lessons Learned from Sandia National Laboratories' Operational Readiness Review of the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bendure, Albert O.; Bryson, James W.

    1999-01-01

    The Sandia ACRR (a Hazard Category 2 Nuclear Reactor Facility) was defueled in June 1997 to modify the reactor core and control system to produce medical radioisotopes for the Department of Energy (DOE) Isotope Production Program. The DOE determined that an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was required to confirm readiness to begin operations within the revised safety basis. This paper addresses the ORR Process, lessons learned from the Sandia and DOE ORRS of the ACRR, and the use of the ORR to confirm authorization basis implementation

  5. Usability and Workflow Evaluation of “RhEumAtic Disease Activity” (READY)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Po-Yin; Lara, Barbara; Lopetegui, Marcelo; Bharat, Aseem; Ardoin, Stacy; Johnson, Bernadette; Mathur, Puneet; Embi, Peter J.

    2016-01-01

    Summary Background RhEumAtic Disease activitY (READY) is a mobile health (mHealth) application that aims to create a shared platform integrating data from both patients and physicians, with a particular emphasis on arthritis disease activity. Methods We made READY available on an iPad and pilot implemented it at a rheumatology out-patient clinic. We conducted 1) a usability evaluation study to explore patients’ and physicians’ interactions with READY, and 2) a time motion study (TMS) to observe the clinical workflow before and after the implementation. Results A total of 33 patients and 15 physicians participated in the usability evaluation. We found usability problems in navigation, data entry, pain assessment, documentation, and instructions along with error messages. Despite these issues, 25 (75,76%) patients reported they liked READY. Physicians provided mixed feedback because they were concerned about the impact of READY on clinical workflow. Six physicians participated in the TMS. We observed 47 patient visits (44.72 hours) in the pre-implementation phase, and 42 patient visits (37.82 hours) in the post-implementation phase. We found that patients spent more time on READY than paper (4.39mins vs. 2.26mins), but overall, READY did not delay the workflow (pre = 52.08 mins vs. post = 45.46 mins). This time difference may be compensated with READY eliminating a workflow step for the staff. Conclusion Patients preferred READY to paper documents. Many found it easier to input information because of the larger font size and the ease of ‘tapping’ rather than writing-out or circling answers. Even though patients spent more time on READY than using paper documents, the longer usage of READY was mainly due to when troubleshooting was needed. Most patients did not have problems after receiving initial support from the staff. This study not only enabled improvements to the software but also serves as good reference for other researchers or institutional decision

  6. College-Going Capital: Understanding the Impact of College Readiness Policies on Schools and Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leibrandt, Sarah Ohle

    2016-01-01

    This dissertation investigates how low-resource high schools support (or not) high achieving, low-income students depending on how they enact college readiness agendas. My study was motivated by the lack of empirical research in two areas--how college readiness policies are being actualized for high achieving, low-income students and how these…

  7. Readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đević Rajka

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the results of the research with the basic goal to study the readiness of primary school teachers to accept disabled students. Research participants were 205 teachers from primary schools at the territory of Serbia. The goal was accomplished through: (a studying attitudes towards joint education of disabled students and their peers; (b studying teachers' experiences in working with disabled students; and (c studying teachers' readiness to accept disabled students, depending on their involvement/non-involvement in projects of inclusive education. Teachers express supportive attitudes towards joint schooling, but more than one half of them think that a selective approach is necessary in that process, according to the kind and degree of developmental disability. They support joint schooling from the humanistic point of view, but express concerns about the academic achievement of classes that include disabled students. The majority of teachers had experience in working with disabled students and based on that provided interesting suggestions for improving joint schooling. Higher readiness for accepting disabled students was demonstrated by teachers whose schools were involved in the projects of inclusive education. That implies the need for involving schools in similar projects and enabling teachers' immediate contact with students with developmental disabilities.

  8. An assessment of the readiness for introduction of the HPV vaccine ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Formative research assessing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine readiness in Uganda was conducted in 2007. The objective was to generate evidence for government decision-making and operational planning for HPV vaccine introduction. Qualitative research methods with children, parents, teachers, community ...

  9. Readiness of healthcare providers for eHealth: the case from primary healthcare centers in Lebanon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, Shadi; Khodor, Rawya; Alameddine, Mohamad; Baroud, Maysa

    2016-11-10

    eHealth can positively impact the efficiency and quality of healthcare services. Its potential benefits extend to the patient, healthcare provider, and organization. Primary healthcare (PHC) settings may particularly benefit from eHealth. In these settings, healthcare provider readiness is key to successful eHealth implementation. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore the potential readiness of providers to use eHealth tools. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the readiness of healthcare providers working in PHC centers in Lebanon to use eHealth tools. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess participants' socio-demographics, computer use, literacy, and access, and participants' readiness for eHealth implementation (appropriateness, management support, change efficacy, personal beneficence). The study included primary healthcare providers (physicians, nurses, other providers) working in 22 PHC centers distributed across Lebanon. Descriptive and bivariate analyses (ANOVA, independent t-test, Kruskal Wallis, Tamhane's T2) were used to compare participant characteristics to the level of readiness for the implementation of eHealth. Of the 541 questionnaires, 213 were completed (response rate: 39.4 %). The majority of participants were physicians (46.9 %), and nurses (26.8 %). Most physicians (54.0 %), nurses (61.4 %), and other providers (50.9 %) felt comfortable using computers, and had access to computers at their PHC center (physicians: 77.0 %, nurses: 87.7 %, others: 92.5 %). Frequency of computer use varied. The study found a significant difference for personal beneficence, management support, and change efficacy among different healthcare providers, and relative to participants' level of comfort using computers. There was a significant difference by level of comfort using computers and appropriateness. A significant difference was also found between those with access to computers in relation to personal beneficence and

  10. The Development of Sloyd Teacher Students’ Self-Directed Learning Readiness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mika Metsärinne

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available This research is the first part of a longitudinal study of sloyd teacher students’ self-directed learning of craft & technology studies at the end of bachelor level throughout three decades in Finland. Sloyd education is the main subject in the sloyd teacher study program in University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University in Finland. These sloyd teacher study programs progresses to the master’s level of education and provides readiness to teach the school subject sloyd in comprehensive and high schools. This study is focused mainly of the craft and technology combination in purposes of sloyd education in university of Turku. The studies consists mainly of wood, plastic, metal, information and textile technologies, mechanical engineering, electricity and some basics of automation technologies, research methodologies, pedagogics and product planning. The aim of the present research was to study whether there are any Self-Directed Learning Readiness (SDLR differences between the craft & technology studies of sloyd teacher students in the year 1992 and 2002. The main result was that the 92-group had higher SDLR -points compared to the 02-group. The main conclusion is that craft & technology studies require plenty of time for students’ development of self –directed learning that is adequate for sloyd teacher education.Key words: Sloyd education, Self-direction learning; self-directed learning readiness, Sloyd (craft & technology teacher education

  11. Refinement of a Conceptual Model for Adolescent Readiness to Engage in End-of-Life Discussions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Cynthia J; Zimet, Gregory D; Hinds, Pamela S; Broome, Marion E; McDaniel, Anna M; Mays, Rose M; Champion, Victoria L

    Adolescents living with incurable cancer require ongoing support to process grief, emotions, and information as disease progresses including treatment options (phase 1 clinical trials and/or hospice/palliative care). Little is known about how adolescents become ready for such discussions. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of adolescent readiness for end-of-life preparedness discussions, generating a theoretical understanding for guiding clinical conversations when curative options are limited. We explored 2 in-depth cases across time using case-study methodology. An à priori conceptual model based on current end-of-life research guided data collection and analysis. Multiple sources including in-depth adolescent interviews generated data collection on model constructs. Analysis followed a logical sequence establishing a chain of evidence linking raw data to study conclusions. Synthesis and data triangulation across cases and time led to theoretical generalizations. Initially, we proposed a linear process of readiness with 3 domains: a cognitive domain (awareness), an emotional domain (acceptance), and a behavioral domain (willingness), which preceded preparedness. Findings led to conceptual model refinement showing readiness is a dynamic internal process that interacts with preparedness. Current awareness context facilitates the type of preparedness discussions (cognitive or emotional). Furthermore, social constraint inhibits discussions. Data support theoretical understanding of the dynamism of readiness. Future research that validates adolescent conceptualization will ensure age-appropriate readiness representation. Understanding the dynamic process of readiness for engaging in end-of-life preparedness provides clinician insight for guiding discussions that facilitate shared decision making and promote quality of life for adolescents and their families.

  12. Changing Research Practices and Research Infrastructure Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houghton, John W.

    2005-01-01

    This paper examines changing research practices in the digital environment and draws out implications for the development of research infrastructure. Reviews of the literature, quantitative indicators of research activities and our own field research in Australia suggest that there is a new mode of knowledge production emerging, changing research…

  13. Vogtle Unit 1 readiness review: Assessment of Georgia Power Company readiness review pilot program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, G.

    1987-09-01

    Georgia Power Company (GPC) performed a readiness review at Vogtle Unit 1 as a pilot program. The pilot program was a new and innovative approach for the systematic and disciplined review, with senior management involvement, of GPC's implementation of design, construction, and operational readiness processes. The program's principal objective was to increase the level of assurance that quality programs at Vogtle Unit 1 have been accomplished in accordance with regulatory requirements. This report assesses the effectiveness of the GPC's readiness review pilot program (RRPP) at Vogtle Unit 1. It includes (1) an overview of what was experienced during the program's implementation, (2) an assessment of how well program objectives were met, and (3) lessons learned on the future use of the readiness review concept. Overall, GPC and the NRC staff believe that the RRPP at Vogtle Unit 1 was a success and that the program provided significant added assurance that Vogtle Unit 1 licensing commitments and NRC regulations have been adequately implemented. Although altering the NRC licensing review process for the few plants still in the construction pipeline may not be appropriate, licensees may benefit significantly by performing readiness reviews on their own initiative as GPC did for Vogtle. (7 refs.)

  14. Recommendations for Tritium Science and Technology Research and Development in Support of the Tritium Readiness Campaign, TTP-7-084

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Senor, David J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2013-10-30

    Between 2006 and 2012 the Tritium Readiness Campaign Development and Testing Program produced significant advances in the understanding of in-reactor TPBAR performance. Incorporating these data into existing TPBAR performance models has improved permeation predictions, and the discrepancy between predicted and observed tritium permeation in the WBN1 coolant has been decreased by about 30%. However, important differences between predicted and observed permeation still remain, and there are significant knowledge gaps that hinder the ability to reliably predict other aspects of TPBAR performance such as tritium distribution, component integrity, and performance margins. Based on recommendations from recent Tritium Readiness Campaign workshops and reviews coupled with technical and programmatic priorities, high-priority activities were identified to address knowledge gaps in the near- (3-5 year), middle- (5-10 year), and long-term (10+ year) time horizons. It is important to note that there are many aspects to a well-integrated research and development program. The intent is not to focus exclusively on one aspect or another, but to approach the program in a holistic fashion. Thus, in addition to small-scale tritium science studies, ex-reactor tritium technology experiments such as TMED, and large-scale in-reactor tritium technology experiments such as TMIST, a well-rounded research and development program must also include continued analysis of WBN1 performance data and post-irradiation examination of TPBARs and lead use assemblies to evaluate model improvements and compare separate-effects and integral component behavior.

  15. Factors of children's school readiness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ljubica Marjanovič Umek

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of preschool on children's school readiness in connection with their intellectual abilities, language competence, and parents' education. The sample included 219 children who were 68 to 83 months old and were attending the first year of primary school. Children were differentiated by whether or not they had attended preschool before starting school. Children's intellectual ability was determined using Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM; Raven, Raven, & Court, 1999, language competence using the Lestvice splošnega govornegarazvoja–LJ (LSGR–LJ, Scales of General Language Development; Marjanovič Umek, Kranjc, Fekonja in Bajc, 2004, and school readiness with the Preizkus pripravljenosti za šolo (PPŠ, Test of School Readiness; Toličič, 1986. The results indicate that children's intellectual ability and language competence have a high predictive value for the school readiness — they explained 51% of the variance in children's scores on the PPŠ. Preschool enrollment has a positive effect on school readiness for children whose parents have a low level of education, but not for those whose parents are highly educated.

  16. The nutritional content and cost of supermarket ready-meals. Cross-sectional analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remnant, Jennifer; Adams, Jean

    2015-09-01

    Over-reliance on convenience foods, including ready-meals, has been suggested as one contributor to obesity. Little research has systematically explored the nutritional content of supermarket ready-meals. We described the nutritional content and cost of UK supermarket ready-meals. We conducted a survey of supermarket own-brand chilled and frozen ready-meals available in branches of ten national supermarket chains in one city in northern England. Data on price, weight and nutritional content of meals in four ranges ('healthier', luxury, economy and standard) and of six types (macaroni cheese, meat lasagne, cottage pie, chicken tikka masala, fish pie, and sweet and sour chicken) were collected. Nutritional content was compared to ranges used to identify low, medium and high fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in nationally recommended front-of-pack labelling. 166 ready-meals were included from 41 stores. Overall, ready-meals were high in saturated fat and salt, and low in sugar. One-fifth of meals were low in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar, including two-thirds of 'healthier' meals. Meals that were low for three out of the four front-of-pack nutrients were the cheapest. Supermarket ready-meals do not have a healthful nutritional profile overall. However, a number of healthier meals were available - particularly amongst meals specifically marked as 'healthier'. There was little evidence that healthier meals necessarily cost more. Further effort is required to encourage producers to improve the nutritional profile of the full range of ready-meals, and not just those specifically labelled as 'healthier'. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. The nutritional content and cost of supermarket ready-meals. Cross-sectional analysis☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remnant, Jennifer; Adams, Jean

    2015-01-01

    Background: Over-reliance on convenience foods, including ready-meals, has been suggested as one contributor to obesity. Little research has systematically explored the nutritional content of supermarket ready-meals. We described the nutritional content and cost of UK supermarket ready-meals. Methods: We conducted a survey of supermarket own-brand chilled and frozen ready-meals available in branches of ten national supermarket chains in one city in northern England. Data on price, weight and nutritional content of meals in four ranges (‘healthier’, luxury, economy and standard) and of six types (macaroni cheese, meat lasagne, cottage pie, chicken tikka masala, fish pie, and sweet and sour chicken) were collected. Nutritional content was compared to ranges used to identify low, medium and high fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in nationally recommended front-of-pack labelling. Results: 166 ready-meals were included from 41 stores. Overall, ready-meals were high in saturated fat and salt, and low in sugar. One-fifth of meals were low in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar, including two-thirds of ‘healthier’ meals. Meals that were low for three out of the four front-of-pack nutrients were the cheapest. Conclusions: Supermarket ready-meals do not have a healthful nutritional profile overall. However, a number of healthier meals were available – particularly amongst meals specifically marked as ‘healthier’. There was little evidence that healthier meals necessarily cost more. Further effort is required to encourage producers to improve the nutritional profile of the full range of ready-meals, and not just those specifically labelled as ‘healthier’. PMID:25963106

  18. An analysis of the relationship between staff qualification and export readiness of pharmaceutical companies: the case of iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadzadeh, Mehdi

    2012-01-01

    Export and the readiness to export constitute the first step of international marketing, which are affected by both internal and external factors of firms. One of the most important internal factors is the presence of skilled personnel. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between staff qualification and encouragment with the readiness level of Iranian pharmacuetical firms for engagement in export marketing. The research was based on a single case study on a basket of seven leading domestic firms. For the bias reduction, questionnaires as well as interviews with managers were used. The performance of the studied factor was lower than the desired level for export readiness and there was much scope for improvement in staff qualifications to achieve such readiness. The results of this research enable small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies to evaluate their staff qualification levels needed for export readiness and to detect their shortcomings in order to improve them.

  19. Cognitive Readiness

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Morrison, John

    2002-01-01

    Cognitive readiness is described as the mental preparation an individual needs to establish and sustain competent performance in the complex and unpredictable environment of modern military operations...

  20. Trial Readiness in Cavernous Angiomas With Symptomatic Hemorrhage (CASH).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polster, Sean P; Cao, Ying; Carroll, Timothy; Flemming, Kelly; Girard, Romuald; Hanley, Daniel; Hobson, Nicholas; Kim, Helen; Koenig, James; Koskimäki, Janne; Lane, Karen; Majersik, Jennifer J; McBee, Nichol; Morrison, Leslie; Shenkar, Robert; Stadnik, Agnieszka; Thompson, Richard E; Zabramski, Joseph; Zeineddine, Hussein A; Awad, Issam A

    2018-04-11

    Brain cavernous angiomas with symptomatic hemorrhage (CASH) are uncommon but exact a heavy burden of neurological disability from recurrent bleeding, for which there is no proven therapy. Candidate drugs to stabilize the CASH lesion and prevent rebleeding will ultimately require testing of safety and efficacy in multisite clinical trials. Much progress has been made in understanding the epidemiology of CASH, and novel biomarkers have been linked to the biological mechanisms and clinical activity in lesions. Yet, the ability to enroll and risk-stratify CASH subjects has never been assessed prospectively at multiple sites. Biomarkers and other outcomes have not been evaluated for their sensitivity and reliability, nor have they been harmonized across sites. To address knowledge gaps and establish a research network as infrastructure for future clinical trials, through the Trial Readiness grant mechanism, funded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health. This project includes an observational cohort study to assess (1) the feasibility of screening, enrollment rates, baseline disease categorization, and follow-up of CASH using common data elements at multiple sites, (2) the reliability of imaging biomarkers including quantitative susceptibility mapping and permeability measures that have been shown to correlate with lesion activity, and (3) the rates of recurrent hemorrhage and change in functional status and biomarker measurements during prospective follow-up. We propose a harmonized multisite assessment of enrollment rates of CASH, baseline features relevant to stratification in clinical trials, and follow-up assessments of functional outcomes in relation to clinical bleeds. We introduce novel biomarkers of vascular leak and hemorrhage, with firm mechanistic foundations, which have been linked to clinical disease activity. We shall test their reliability and validity at multiple sites, and assess their changes over time

  1. Organizational structure, leadership and readiness for change and the implementation of organizational cultural competence in addiction health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerrero, Erick G; Kim, Ahraemi

    2013-10-01

    Increasing representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the health care system and on-going concerns about existing health disparities have pressured addiction health services programs to enhance their cultural competence. This study examines the extent to which organizational factors, such as structure, leadership and readiness for change contribute to the implementation of community, policy and staffing domains representing organizational cultural competence. Analysis of a randomly selected sample of 122 organizations located in primarily Latino and African American communities showed that programs with public funding and Medicaid reimbursement were positively associated with implementing policies and procedures, while leadership was associated with staff having greater knowledge of minority communities and developing a diverse workforce. Moreover, program climate was positively associated with staff knowledge of communities and having supportive policies and procedures, while programs with graduate staff and parent organizations were negatively associated with knowledge of and involvement in these communities. By investing in funding, leadership skills and a strategic climate, addiction health services programs may develop greater understanding and responsiveness of the service needs of minority communities. Implications for future research and program planning in an era of health care reform in the United States are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Determining registered nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thiel, Linda; Ghosh, Yashowanto

    2008-01-01

    As health care systems worldwide move toward instituting evidence-based practice (EBP), its implementation can be challenging. Conducting a baseline assessment to determine nurses' readiness for EBP presents opportunities to plan strategies before implementation. Although a growing body of research literature is focused on implementing EBP, little attention has been paid to assessing nurses' readiness for EBP. The purpose of this study was to assess registered nurses' readiness for EBP in a moderate-sized acute care hospital in the Midwestern United States before implementation of a hospital-wide nursing EBP initiative. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used; 121 registered nurses completed the survey. The participants (n= 121) completed the 64-item Nurses' Readiness for Evidence-Based Practice Survey that allowed measurement of information needs, knowledge and skills, culture, and attitudes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a post hoc analysis. The majority (72.5%) of respondents indicated that when they needed information, they consulted colleagues and peers rather than using journals and books; 24% of nurses surveyed used the health database, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). The respondents perceived their EBP knowledge level as moderate. Cultural EBP scores were moderate, with unit scores being higher than organizational scores. The nurses' attitudes toward EBP were positive. The post hoc analysis showed many significant correlations. Nurses have access to technological resources and perceive that they have the ability to engage in basic information gathering but not in higher level evidence gathering. The elements important to EBP such as a workplace culture and positive attitudes are present and can be built upon. A "site-specific" baseline assessment provides direction in planning EBP initiatives. The Nurses' Readiness for EBP Survey is a streamlined tool with established reliability and

  3. The Ready System of Clean Water for Population in Musuk District to Respon Dry Season

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuli Priyana

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This research about ready system of clean water in District of Musuk, Sub-Province of Boyolali. This research aim to study how ready system of clean water, research area especially of dry season. That wish to know how much amount of resident drinking water consumption at area District of Musuk. The method of research in this research is survey method. The data which collected in this research consist of primary data result of interview by 150 responded (head of house hold and perception in field. Secondary data an obtain from governmental institution, books, other resource person and reference related to this topic of research. Intake of sample done with area of random sampling, to know the target of research to description analyses and tabulation. The result of research indicate that ready system of clean water at dry season most relying on rainwater with accommodating the rainwater at pools, besides to overcome water of water supply of rain of society buy water of springs pass tank truck, small to partly use surface water and also of PDAM. Water consumption at mean dry season 48.47 liter/day/capita. But at high area (volcanic slope its slimmer consumption in comparing plain area of Fluvial foot/feet of Volcano.

  4. Readiness for College: A Case Study of Three Hispanic Immigrant Students Who Overcame the Odds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fields, Holly Kay

    2012-01-01

    This study is about Hispanic, immigrant, low-income students who have graduated from high school college ready and the contexts from which they achieved such success. Few studies exist relative to immigrant, Hispanic student college readiness. This research hopes to provide insight into how institutional, peer and family culture helped to produce…

  5. Detection of Lateralized Readiness Potential using Emotiv EPOC

    OpenAIRE

    Bártík, Radovan

    2013-01-01

    Emotiv EPOC is a low-cost consumer headset capable of acquiring a raw EEG signal. The thesis evaluates its usage for an acquisition of research event-related potentials. A controlled laboratory experiment was performed with an objective of isolating the Bereitschaftspotential (Readiness Potential) and other movement-related potentials and comparing the results with the results of the previous research. The possibility of measuring the potential with Emotiv EPOC was not confirmed, most probabl...

  6. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of ready-to-eat meat: Inactivation of Listeria innocua and changes in product quality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rød, Sara Katrine; Hansen, Flemming; Leipold, Frank

    2012-01-01

    The application of cold atmospheric pressure plasma for decontamination of a sliced ready-to-eat (RTE) meat product (bresaola) inoculated with Listeria innocua was investigated. Inoculated samples were treated at 15.5, 31, and 62 W for 2–60 s inside sealed linear-low-density-polyethylene bags...... the sensory threshold level. Surface colour changes included loss of redness of ∼40% and 70% after 1 and 14 days of storage, respectively, regardless of plasma treatment. The results indicate that plasma may be applicable in surface decontamination of pre-packed RTE food products. However, oxidation may...

  7. Survey on the Technology Readiness Level of R and D projects for a Technical Risk Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, S. J.; Chang, J.; Lee, K. Y.

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of applying the Technology Readiness Level/Design Readiness Level (TRL/DRL) in technical risk management is to make technology assessments, and improve communication among researchers with a consistent, systematic technology readiness Technical risk management for the Nuclear Hydrogen Production project was adopted of experience assessed with Delphi Method from the Next Generation Nuclear Plant(NGNP)of the DOE to improve the poor contactor management of the major projects which experienced cost increases and/or schedule delays in long-term. In the current phase that is doing key technology research and development projects, the technology readiness level was reviewed and applied to the Nuclear Hydrogen Production project to prepare an input for the next design phases. Based on the previous works, pre-conceptional design and key R and D works for the Nuclear Hydrogen Design and Development(NHDD) projects and the results of key research and development projects, the TRL was applied to assess the levels and compared with the advanced design stages of Westinghouse Electric Co. With this process, several issues were identified to apply the design and technology level to the familiar steps of design process and research and development projects. In order to resolve these issues, it is needed to systematically adjust and modify the current process with TRLs

  8. Assessment of anorexia readiness syndrome and body image in female dancers from Poland and Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Ołpińska-Lischka

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction:In recent years eating disorders have become an increasingly common problem, both in the media and in the scientific world, and the most dangerous form of these disorders is anorexia. Amongst patients with Anorexia Readiness Syndrome (ARS, there is an excessive tendency for physical activity and affected persons are increasingly developing into athletes. Therefore it is very important to control such behavior in physically active individuals. In psychology, a new phenomenon is investigated - An Anorexia Readiness Syndrome (ARS, which is considered a disease stage of full-blown anorexia. The problem of anorexia readiness syndrome and dancers body perception is poorly researched and its significance to the health of this group of people is extremely important. Aim: The purpose of this research was to find out how big is the difference of anorexia readiness syndrome and to find out the differences in the perception of their bodies in Polish and German dancers. Material and methods: Questionnaires on anorexia readiness syndrome (ARS and body image were anonymously filled in by the dancers. The study was carried out on 156 dancers from Poland and Germany. Results: The results showed that most of the dancers were diagnosed with moderate to severe anorexia readiness syndrome. Only in the group of older Polish dancers didn’t occur an anorexic syndrome. The statistically significant differences in self-evaluation of body parameters were assessed in the assessment of: nose, face, breasts and physical condition. Conclusions: The results to determine the severity of anorexia readiness syndrome are not very optimistic and only data from the literature confirms that the dance environment is specific to the high risk of eating disorders.

  9. Structural Equation Modeling towards Online Learning Readiness, Academic Motivations, and Perceived Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horzum, Mehmet Baris; Kaymak, Zeliha Demir; Gungoren, Ozlem Canan

    2015-01-01

    The relationship between online learning readiness, academic motivations, and perceived learning was investigated via structural equation modeling in the research. The population of the research consisted of 750 students who studied using the online learning programs of Sakarya University. 420 of the students who volunteered for the research and…

  10. Lessons Learned from Sandia National Laboratories' Operational Readiness Review of the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bendure, Albert O.; Bryson, James W.

    1999-05-17

    The Sandia ACRR (a Hazard Category 2 Nuclear Reactor Facility) was defueled in June 1997 to modify the reactor core and control system to produce medical radioisotopes for the Department of Energy (DOE) Isotope Production Program. The DOE determined that an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was required to confirm readiness to begin operations within the revised safety basis. This paper addresses the ORR Process, lessons learned from the Sandia and DOE ORRS of the ACRR, and the use of the ORR to confirm authorization basis implementation.

  11. Measures for Assessing the Readiness of Back-office Staff

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devender Maheshwari

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Purpose—Public organizations deploy state-of-the-art technological advancements to facilitate sophisticated services to the citizens, businesses, and employees. The maturity of backoffice staff to adapt, use, and utilize these technological changes at the organizational level is a prerequisite to introduce cutting-edge services. This paper investigates the maturity of backoffice staff and proposes a conceptual framework, measurement constructs, and subsequent measures for the assessment. Methodology/Design/Research—Design methodology focuses on combining research with practice. An initial framework and measurement constructs are developed based on the literature review, which are further investigated by conducting a case study at Inland Revenue, Karachi to test the usability in practice using the directive content analysis qualitative method. Findings—the outcome of measurement reveals that though the proposed framework and measurement constructs i.e. roles; responsibilities; trainings; capacity building; capabilities; and attitude are relevant and useful to assess the back-office staff readiness, the measures to assess the constructs may vary in practice depending on the size, scope, and type of the public organizations. Research limitations/implications—although the proposed measurement constructs and measures proved to be useful for assessing the back-office staff maturity, the relationships among different measures and constructs affecting the staff readiness require further research. Practical implications—the case study was conducted at single public organization, which will be extended to multiple public organizations in practice. The extension will not to allow effective testing of the usability of the proposed conceptual framework and constructs, but will also broaden the benchmarking scope. Originality/Value—back-office staff education is discussed and described in the literature as well practice, but there is hardly any

  12. Measures for Assessing the Readiness of Back-office Staff

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devender Maheshwari

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose—Public organizations deploy state-of-the-art technological advancements to facilitate sophisticated services to the citizens, businesses, and employees. The maturity of backoffice staff to adapt, use, and utilize these technological changes at the organizational level is a prerequisite to introduce cutting-edge services. This paper investigates the maturity of backoffice staff and proposes a conceptual framework, measurement constructs, and subsequent measures for the assessment.Methodology/Design/Research—Design methodology focuses on combining research with practice. An initial framework and measurement constructs are developed based on the literature review, which are further investigated by conducting a case study at Inland Revenue, Karachi to test the usability in practice using the directive content analysis qualitative method.Findings—the outcome of measurement reveals that though the proposed framework and measurement constructs i.e. roles; responsibilities; trainings; capacity building; capabilities; and attitude are relevant and useful to assess the back-office staff readiness, the measures to assess the constructs may vary in practice depending on the size, scope, and type of the public organizations.Research limitations/implications—although the proposed measurement constructs and measures proved to be useful for assessing the back-office staff maturity, the relationships among different measures and constructs affecting the staff readiness require further research.Practical implications—the case study was conducted at single public organization, which will be extended to multiple public organizations in practice. The extension will not to allow effective testing of the usability of the proposed conceptual framework and constructs, but will also broaden the benchmarking scope.Originality/Value—back-office staff education is discussed and described in the literature as well practice, but there is hardly any

  13. Exploring employees' perceptions, job-related attitudes and characteristics during a planned organizational change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katsaros, K.K.

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The current study explores employee perceptions regarding organizational readiness to change, supervisory support, trust in management and appropriateness of change during a planned organizational change in a public hospital. Survey data were collected at two time periods, before and five months after the initiation of the planned change. Research findings show a significant increase in perceptive organizational readiness to change, supervisory support, trust in management and appropriateness of change after the planned change implementation. Findings also suggest that differences in the aforementioned perceptions are moderated by certain job-related attitudes, namely, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job involvement; and job-related characteristics, namely, skill variety, task identity, task significance feedback, autonomy and goal clarity. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

  14. Readiness of hospitals affiliated with Shiraz university of medical sciences for implementation of radio frequency identification technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeid Ebrahimi

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Applying information technology in healthcare system is one of the most important criteria of the World Health Organization for evaluating the quality of healthcare systems of different countries. Moreover, applying this technology in different parts of health care system can create great potentials for improving the quality of healthcare services. In this regard, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID technology is one of the most practical technologies in identifying and collecting data. The present study aimed to compare the readiness of Shiraz University of medical sciences hospitals for implementation of RFID system in 2014. Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2014. The research population consisted of 110 senior and middle managers. Due to the limited research population, census method was used. The research tool was a questionnaire prepared by the researcher to investigate the hospitals’ readiness for implementation of RFID technology. Face and content validity of the questionnaire were approved by the experts. Cronbach’s alpha test was run to determine the reliability of the questionnaire (data were considered significant at p <0.05. Also, the data were analyzed in SPSS software using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and percentage and inferential statistics (one-way ANOVA. Results: The study showed that the readiness level of the hospitals was moderate. Comparing the mean of the total readiness level in the hospitals under the study revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between hospital M and other hospitals (P=0.003. However, the total readiness of hospital I was higher than others. Conclusion: Among 13 hospitals under the study, the hospitals I and A were moderately ready and others were not ready for implementation of RFID technology. Thus, considering various applications and advantages of RFID technology, it is suggested that the hospitals should prepare

  15. Determining transition readiness in congenital heart disease: Assessing the utility of the Transition Readiness Questionnaire

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) is a tool commonly used to assess transition readiness in adolescents with chronic diseases. It was previously validated in youth with special health care needs (YSHCN), but no patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) were included in the ...

  16. Measuring organisational readiness for patient engagement (MORE): an international online Delphi consensus study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oostendorp, Linda J M; Durand, Marie-Anne; Lloyd, Amy; Elwyn, Glyn

    2015-02-14

    Widespread implementation of patient engagement by organisations and clinical teams is not a reality yet. The aim of this study is to develop a measure of organisational readiness for patient engagement designed to monitor and facilitate a healthcare organisation's willingness and ability to effectively implement patient engagement in healthcare. The development of the MORE (Measuring Organisational Readiness for patient Engagement) scale was guided by Weiner's theory of organisational readiness for change. Weiner postulates that an organisation's readiness is determined by both the willingness and ability to implement the change (i.e. in this context: patient engagement). A first version of the scale was developed based on a literature search and evaluation of pre-existing tools. We invited multi-disciplinary stakeholders to participate in a two-round online Delphi survey. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of each proposed item, and to comment on the proposed domains and items. Second round participants received feedback from the first round and were asked to re-rate the importance of the revised, new and unchanged items, and to provide comments. The first version of the scale contained 51 items divided into three domains: (1) Respondents' characteristics; (2) the organisation's willingness to implement patient engagement; and (3) the organisation's ability to implement patient engagement. 131 respondents from 16 countries (health care managers, policy makers, clinicians, patients and patient representatives, researchers, and other stakeholders) completed the first survey, and 72 of them also completed the second survey. During the Delphi process, 34 items were reworded, 8 new items were added, 5 items were removed, and 18 were combined. The scale's instructions were revised. The final version of MORE totalled 38 items; 5 on stakeholders, 13 on an organisation's willingness to implement, and 20 on an organisation's ability to implement patient

  17. Community-Wide Zero Energy Ready Home Standard

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herk, A. [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburght, PA (United States); Beggs, T. [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburght, PA (United States)

    2016-02-05

    This report outlines the steps a developer can use when looking to create and implement higher performance standards such as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standards in a community. The report also describes the specific examples of how this process was followed by a developer, Forest City, in the Stapleton community in Denver, Colorado. IBACOS described the steps used to begin to bring the DOE ZERH standard to the Forest City Stapleton community based on 15 years of community-scale development work done by IBACOS. As a result of this prior IBACOS work, the team gained an understanding of the various components that a master developer needs to consider and created strategies for incorporating those components in the initial phases of development to achieve higher performance buildings in the community. An automated scoring system can be used to perform an internal audit that provides a detailed and consistent evaluation of how several homes under construction or builders' floor plans compare with the requirements of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. This audit can be performed multiple times at specific milestones during construction to allow the builder to make changes as needed throughout construction for the project to meet Zero Energy Ready Home standards. This scoring system also can be used to analyze a builder's current construction practices and design.

  18. READINESS OF MILITARY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR TACTICAL TASKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolai Alekseevich Seredkin

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. The purpose of this article is to reveal the features and analyze the studies of the interpretation of the concept of “readiness”, to formulate the definition of the concept of “the future officer’s willingness to solve tactical problems,” to describe the components and its main components. Methods. The methodological basis for researching the problem of the future officers’ readiness for solving tactical tasks is the personal and activity approach. Relying on them, the author reveals the essence of the definition of readiness and a description of its components. Results. The results of the article are the readiness of the cadet for professional work and we consider it as an integrated education formed in the process of professional training, ensuring the performance of their service and job functions, the successful solution of the service-combat tasks of professional activity. It includes a system of personality qualities of the future officer, characterized by a positive attitude towards professional activity, the presence of an adequate holistic view of it, the possession of ways to solve professional problems, the perception of oneself as a subject of one’s own activity. Reflexive attitude to one’s own activity is one of the most important conditions for its deep comprehension, critical analysis and constructive improvement. Conclusion. The definition of the concept of the cadet’s readiness for the solution of tactical tasks and its components is the theoretical basis for improving the process of professional training in a military high school. The components of readiness and its indicators set the teacher of the military higher educational institution a vector of practical activities for its formation.

  19. Effect of indirect ohmic heating on quality of ready-to-eat pineapple packed in plastic pouch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoang Pham

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Ready-to-eat fruits packed in sealed containers are highly perishable due to their intrinsic characteristics and lack of full thermal process. Ohmic heating has the advantages of rapid liquid heating through electrical current. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of indirect ohmic heating on pH, total soluble solids, polyphenol oxidase activity, color and texture of ready-to-eat pineapple packed in a polypropylene pouch with 1% calcium chloride and 0.3% ascorbic acid packing solution. The pre-packed sample in a pouch was placed in the ohmic heating jar filled with 0.5% sodium chloride ohmic heating solution which was then ohmic heated at different voltage gradients (20, 30, 40 V/cm, to different packing solution temperatures (60, 70, 80°C for 60s. Samples were kept at 4°C for quality measurement. It was found that browning index of ready-to-eat pineapple treated with 20 V/cm at 80°C, 30 V/cm at 70°C and 80°C, 40 V/cm at 80°C did not change during 12 days cold storage (p>0.05. Polyphenol oxidase was inactivated when the temperature of the pineapple was 62°C or higher. After 10 days at 4°C, the pineapple heated with 30 V/cm at 70°C had much higher firmness than the un-heated sample kept at the same storage condition. Indirect ohmic heating of pre-packed ready-to-eat pineapple in polypropylene pouch with 30 V/cm at 70°C packing solution temperature for 60s could be used as minimal heating methods to maintain the quality of ready-to-eat fruits in 12 days at 4°C.

  20. Is clinical virtual reality ready for primetime?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rizzo, Albert Skip; Koenig, Sebastian Thomas

    2017-11-01

    Since the mid-1990s, a significant scientific literature has evolved regarding the outcomes from the use of what we now refer to as clinical virtual reality (VR). This use of VR simulation technology has produced encouraging results when applied to address cognitive, psychological, motor, and functional impairments across a wide range of clinical health conditions. This article addresses the question, "Is clinical VR ready for primetime?" After a brief description of the various forms of VR technology, we discuss the trajectory of clinical VR over the last 20 years and summarize the basic assets that VR offers for creating clinical applications. The discussion then addresses the question of readiness in terms of the theoretical basis for clinical VR assets, the research to date, the pragmatic factors regarding availability, usability, and costs of clinical VR content/systems, and the ethical issues for the safe use of VR with clinical populations. Our review of the theoretical underpinnings and research findings to date leads to the prediction that clinical VR will have a significant impact on future research and practice. Pragmatic issues that can influence adoption across many areas of psychology also appear favorable, but professional guidelines will be needed to promote its safe and ethical use. Although there is still much research needed to advance the science in this area, we strongly believe that clinical VR applications will become indispensable tools in the toolbox of psychological researchers and practitioners and will only grow in relevance and popularity in the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  1. Starting school healthy and ready to learn: using social indicators to improve school readiness in Los Angeles County.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wold, Cheryl; Nicholas, Will

    2007-10-01

    School readiness is an important public health outcome, determined by a set of interdependent health and developmental trajectories and influenced by a child's family, school, and community environments. The same factors that influence school readiness also influence educational success and health throughout life. A California cigarette tax ballot initiative (Proposition 10) created new resources for children aged 0 to 5 years and their families statewide through county-level First 5 commissions, including First 5 LA in Los Angeles County. An opportunity to define and promote school readiness indicators was facilitated by collaborative relationships with a strong emphasis on data among First 5 LA, the Children's Planning Council, and the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, and other child-serving organizations. A workgroup developed school readiness goals and indicators based on recommendations of the National Education Goals Panel and five key domains of child well-being: 1) good health, 2) safety and survival, 3) economic well-being, 4) social and emotional well-being, and 5) education/workforce readiness. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and First 5 LA Commission adopted the school readiness indicators. First 5 LA incorporated the indicators into the results-based accountability framework for its strategic plan and developed a community-oriented report designed to educate and spur school readiness-oriented action. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a countywide consensus-building plan designed to engage key stakeholders in the use of the indicators for planning, evaluation, and community-building activities. School readiness indicators in Los Angeles County represent an important step forward for public health practice, namely, the successful blending of an expanded role for assessment with the ecological model.

  2. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #8: OUR CHANGING PLANET: THE FY2000 U.S. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM

    Science.gov (United States)

    This edition of Global Change Research News focuses on the publication of the new OurChanging Planet: The FY2000 U.S. Global Change Research Program. This annual report to the Congress was prepared under the auspices ofthe President's National Science and Technology Council. It...

  3. Readiness for diabetes prevention and barriers to lifestyle change in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus: rationale and study design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipscombe, Lorraine L; Banerjee, Ananya Tina; McTavish, Sarah; Mukerji, Geetha; Lowe, Julia; Ray, Joel; Evans, Marilyn; Feig, Denice S

    2014-10-01

    Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a high risk of future diabetes, which can be prevented with lifestyle modification. Prior diabetes prevention programmes in this population have been limited by lack of adherence. The aim of this study is to evaluate readiness for behaviour change at different time points after GDM diagnosis and identify barriers and facilitators, to inform a lifestyle modification programme specifically designed for this group. The objective of this paper is to present the rationale and methodological design of this study. The ongoing prospective cohort study has recruited a multi-ethnic cohort of 1353 women with GDM from 7 Ontario, Canada hospitals during their pregnancy. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate stage of readiness for behaviour change, and sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical predictors of healthy diet and physical activity. Thus far, 960 women (71%) have completed a baseline survey prior to delivery. Prospective postpartum follow-up is ongoing. We are surveying women at 2 time-points after delivery: 3-12 months postpartum, and 13-24 months postpartum. Survey data will be linked to health care administrative databases for long-term follow-up for diabetes. Qualitative interviews were conducted in a subset of women to gain a deeper understanding of barriers and facilitators to lifestyle change. Our study is a fundamental first step in effectively addressing diabetes prevention in women with GDM. Our findings will aid in the design of a diabetes prevention intervention specifically targeted to women with recent GDM, which can then be evaluated in a clinical trial. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Internet Shop Users: Computer Practices and Its Relationship to E-Learning Readiness

    OpenAIRE

    Jasper Vincent Q. Alontaga

    2018-01-01

    Access to computer technology is essential in developing 21st century skills. One venue that serves to bridge the gap in terms of access is internet shops (also known cybercafés or internet cafés). As such, it is important to examine the type of activities internet shop users engage in and how they develop and relate to their e-learning readiness. This study examined the profile, computer practices and e-learning readiness of seventy one (71) internet shop users. A researcher-made internet sh...

  5. Readiness to adopt a performance measurement system for substance abuse treatment: Findings from the Service Quality Measures initiative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B Myers

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background. A performance measurement system – the Service Quality Measures (SQM initiative – has been developed to monitor the quality of South Africa (SA’s substance abuse treatment services. Identifying factors associated with readiness to adopt this system may inform strategies to facilitate its robust implementation. Objective. To examine factors associated with readiness to adopt a performance measurement system among SA substance abuse treatment providers. Methods. We surveyed 81 treatment providers from 13 treatment sites in the Western Cape, SA. The survey examined awareness, resources, organisational climate, leadership support and readiness to adopt the SQM system. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with readiness to adopt this system. Results. Readiness to adopt the SQM initiative was high (M=5.64, standard deviation 1.63. In bivariate analyses, caseload size (F=3.73 (degrees of freedom (df=3.70, p=0.015, awareness (r=0.78, p<0.0001, leadership support (r=0.70, p<0.0001, resources (r=0.65, p<0.0001, openness to change (r=0.372, p=0.001, and external pressure to change were associated with readiness to adopt the SQM. In multivariate analyses, only awareness of the SQM initiative (B=0.34, standard error (SE 0.08, t=4.4, p<0.0001 and leadership support (B=0.45, SE 0.11, t=4.0, p<0.0001 were significantly associated with readiness to adopt this system. Conclusion. While treatment providers report high levels of readiness to adopt the SQM system, findings show that the likelihood of adoption can be further increased through improved provider awareness and enhanced leadership support for this health innovation.

  6. Readiness to adopt a performance measurement system for substance abuse treatment: Findings from the Service Quality Measures initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, B; Petersen Williams, P; Johnson, K; Govender, R; Manderscheid, R; Koch, J R

    2017-01-30

    A performance measurement system - the Service Quality Measures (SQM) initiative - has been developed to monitor the quality of South Africa (SA)'s substance abuse treatment services. Identifying factors associated with readiness to adopt this system may inform strategies to facilitate its robust implementation. To examine factors associated with readiness to adopt a performance measurement system among SA substance abuse treatment providers. We surveyed 81 treatment providers from 13 treatment sites in the Western Cape, SA. The survey examined awareness, resources, organisational climate, leadership support and readiness to adopt the SQM system. Regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with readiness to adopt this system. Readiness to adopt the SQM initiative was high (M=5.64, standard deviation 1.63). In bivariate analyses, caseload size (F=3.73 (degrees of freedom (df)=3.70), p=0.015), awareness (r=0.78, p<0.0001), leadership support (r=0.70, p<0.0001), resources (r=0.65, p<0.0001), openness to change (r=0.372, p=0.001), and external pressure to change were associated with readiness to adopt the SQM. In multivariate analyses, only awareness of the SQM initiative (B=0.34, standard error (SE) 0.08, t=4.4, p<0.0001) and leadership support (B=0.45, SE 0.11, t=4.0, p<0.0001) were significantly associated with readiness to adopt this system. While treatment providers report high levels of readiness to adopt the SQM system, findings show that the likelihood of adoption can be further increased through improved provider awareness and enhanced leadership support for this health innovation.

  7. The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-01

    School readiness includes not only the early academic skills of children but also their physical health, language skills, social and emotional development, motivation to learn, creativity, and general knowledge. Families and communities play a critical role in ensuring children's growth in all of these areas and thus their readiness for school. Schools must be prepared to teach all children when they reach the age of school entry, regardless of their degree of readiness. Research on early brain development emphasizes the effects of early experiences, relationships, and emotions on creating and reinforcing the neural connections that are the basis for learning. Pediatricians, by the nature of their relationships with families and children, may significantly influence school readiness. Pediatricians have a primary role in ensuring children's physical health through the provision of preventive care, treatment of illness, screening for sensory deficits, and monitoring nutrition and growth. They can promote and monitor the social-emotional development of children by providing anticipatory guidance on development and behavior, by encouraging positive parenting practices, by modeling reciprocal and respectful communication with adults and children, by identifying and addressing psychosocial risk factors, and by providing community-based resources and referrals when warranted. Cognitive and language skills are fostered through timely identification of developmental problems and appropriate referrals for services, including early intervention and special education services; guidance regarding safe and stimulating early education and child care programs; and promotion of early literacy by encouraging language-rich activities such as reading together, telling stories, and playing games. Pediatricians are also well positioned to advocate not only for children's access to health care but also for high-quality early childhood education and evidence-based family supports such as

  8. Critical analysis of e-health readiness assessment frameworks: suitability for application in developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauco, Kabelo Leonard; Scott, Richard E; Mars, Maurice

    2018-02-01

    Introduction e-Health is an innovative way to make health services more effective and efficient and application is increasing worldwide. e-Health represents a substantial ICT investment and its failure usually results in substantial losses in time, money (including opportunity costs) and effort. Therefore it is important to assess e-health readiness prior to implementation. Several frameworks have been published on e-health readiness assessment, under various circumstances and geographical regions of the world. However, their utility for the developing world is unknown. Methods A literature review and analysis of published e-health readiness assessment frameworks or models was performed to determine if any are appropriate for broad assessment of e-health readiness in the developing world. A total of 13 papers described e-health readiness in different settings. Results and Discussion Eight types of e-health readiness were identified and no paper directly addressed all of these. The frameworks were based upon varying assumptions and perspectives. There was no underlying unifying theory underpinning the frameworks. Few assessed government and societal readiness, and none cultural readiness; all are important in the developing world. While the shortcomings of existing frameworks have been highlighted, most contain aspects that are relevant and can be drawn on when developing a framework and assessment tools for the developing world. What emerged is the need to develop different assessment tools for the various stakeholder sectors. This is an area that needs further research before attempting to develop a more generic framework for the developing world.

  9. Pathways to School Readiness: Executive Functioning Predicts Academic and Social-Emotional Aspects of School Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Trisha D.; Hund, Alycia M.; Hesson-McInnis, Matthew S.; Roman, Zachary J.

    2017-01-01

    The current study specified the extent to which hot and cool aspects of executive functioning predicted academic and social-emotional indicators of school readiness. It was unique in focusing on positive aspects of social-emotional readiness, rather than problem behaviors. One hundred four 3-5-year-old children completed tasks measuring executive…

  10. Democracy in schools: are educators ready for teacher leadership ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this research was to determine educators' perceptions of and readiness for teacher leadership. A total of 283 educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District in the Western Cape participated in the study. The participants included district officials, principals, and members of school management teams, ...

  11. PV ready roofing systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2001-07-01

    The integration of PV technology into roofs of houses has become very popular in the United States, Japan, Germany and The Netherlands. There could be a considerable market in the UK for these systems, given the large number of houses that are projected to be built in the next 10 years, and taking account of increased awareness of energy issues. A significant proportion of the market share of annual installed PV is for solar PV systems installed into homes (currently 15%), this is expected to rise to 23% (900MW) by 2010. The grid connected roof and building mounted facade systems represent the fastest growing market for PV systems in Europe. In conclusion, therefore, innovative approached for fixing PV technology onto roofs have been identified for both domestic roofs and for the commercial sector. With reference to production methodologies within the roofing industry, both approaches should be capable of being designed with PV-ready connections suitable for fixing PV modules at a later date. This will help overcome the key barriers of cost of installation, skills required and the lack of retrofit potential. Based on the results of this project, Sustainable Energy together with PV Systems are keen to take forward the full research and development of PV-ready systems for both the domestic and commercial sectors.

  12. The emergence of grammar in a language-ready brain. Comment on "Towards a Computational Comparative Neuroprimatology: Framing the language-ready brain" by Michael A. Arbib

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, John A.

    2016-03-01

    Arbib makes the interesting proposal [3, §1.6] that the first Homo sapiens could have been ;language-ready;, without possessing the kind of rich lexicon, grammar and compositional semantics that we see in the world's languages today. This early language readiness would have consisted of a set of ;protolanguage; abilities, which he enumerates (1-7 in §1.6), supported by brain mechanisms unique to humans. The transition to full ;language; (properties 8-11 in §1.6 and §3) would have required no changes in the genome, he argues, but could have resulted from cultural evolution plus some measure of Baldwinian evolution favoring offspring with greater linguistic skill. The full picture is set out in [1].

  13. The Brand's PREACH Model: Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, Dorine J; Alston, Reginald J

    2017-09-01

    Despite many attempts to reduce health disparities, health professionals face obstacles in improving poor health outcomes within the African American (AA) community. To promote change for improved health measures, it is important to implement culturally tailored programming through a trusted institution, such as the AA church. While churches have the potential to play an important role in positively impacting health among AAs, it is unclear what attributes are necessary to predict success or failure for health promotion within these institutions. The purpose of this study was to create a model, the Brand's PREACH ( Predicting Readiness to Engage African American Churches in Health) Model, to predict the readiness of AA churches to engage in health promotion programming. Thirty-six semistructured key informant interviews were conducted with 12 pastors, 12 health leaders, and 12 congregants to gain information on the relationship between church infrastructure (physical structure, personnel, funding, and social/cultural support), readiness, and health promotion programming. The findings revealed that church infrastructure has an association with and will predict the readiness of a church to engage in health promotion programming. The ability to identify readiness early on will be useful for developing, implementing, and evaluating faith-based interventions, in partnership with churches, which is a key factor for sustainable and effective programs.

  14. Who crosses the norms? Predictors of the readiness for non-normative political participation among adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šerek, Jan; Machackova, Hana; Macek, Petr

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated whether adolescents' readiness for non-normative political participation (i.e., readiness to confront social rules for political reasons) was predicted by their interpersonal problems (with parents, teachers, and classmates), low optimism, and political beliefs (political self-efficacy and distrust in public institutions). A structural equation model using two-wave longitudinal data from Czech high school students (N = 768; 54% females; age range at T1 = 14-17, M = 15.97; T2 data collected 1.5 years later) showed that the changes in adolescents' readiness for non-normative participation were predicted by their lower institutional trust. Interpersonal relationships or optimism had no cross-sectional or longitudinal effect on the readiness for non-normative participation. These results suggest that the main source of adolescents' readiness for non-normative political actions lies in their political beliefs, while the effect of adolescents' interpersonal problems is less clear. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Technology readiness levels for advanced nuclear fuels and materials development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carmack, W.J., E-mail: jon.carmack@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Braase, L.A.; Wigeland, R.A. [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Todosow, M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)

    2017-03-15

    Highlights: • Definition of nuclear fuels system technology readiness level. • Identification of evaluation criteria for nuclear fuel system TRLs. • Application of TRLs to fuel systems. - Abstract: The Technology Readiness process quantitatively assesses the maturity of a given technology. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) pioneered the process in the 1980s to inform the development and deployment of new systems for space applications. The process was subsequently adopted by the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and deploy new technology and systems for defense applications. It was also adopted by the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the maturity of new technologies in major construction projects. Advanced nuclear fuels and materials development is needed to improve the performance and safety of current and advanced reactors, and ultimately close the nuclear fuel cycle. Because deployment of new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the assessment process to advanced fuel development is useful as a management, communication, and tracking tool. This article provides definition of technology readiness levels (TRLs) for nuclear fuel technology as well as selected examples regarding the methods by which TRLs are currently used to assess the maturity of nuclear fuels and materials under development in the DOE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCRD) Program within the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC).

  16. e-Readiness in South African Higher Education: A Delphi study

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Pillay, K

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available to use others. From review of existing literature, it is unclear as to which factors are regarded as important to be "e-Ready" in the South African Higher education context. In order to address this problem, a research project with the following...

  17. Stage of readiness of patients with behavioral dysphonia in pre and post-group voice therapy assessments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Bianca Oliveira Ismael da; Silva, Priscila Oliveira Costa; Pinheiro, Renata Serrano de Andrade; Silva, Hêmmylly Farias da; Almeida, Anna Alice Figueirêdo de

    2017-08-10

    To verify the efficacy of group voice therapy in the stage of readiness and identify which items of the URICA-Voice range are more sensitive to post-therapy change in patients with behavioral dysphonia. An intervention study was conducted on 49 patients with behavioral dysphonia. An eclectic approach to group therapy was implemented over eight sessions, the first and last sessions consisting of assessments. The URICA-Voice range was used to evaluate the stage of readiness at pre- and post-therapy assessments. A descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was implemented for the results. Most participants were female, did not make professional use of voice, and had membranous vocal fold lesions. Most of them were in the Contemplation stage at in both moments, pre- and post-therapy. There was no significant change in the comparison of pre- and post-therapy scores. The majority of patients showed a reduction in the stage of readiness and some advanced to a higher stage. In the comparison of URICA-V range items, seven questions had equal or inferior responses in the post-therapy assessment. There was no statistical difference when comparing the pre- and post-therapy total average score of the URICA-Voice range. There were significant changes in the stage of readiness of patients in pre- and post-group speech therapy assessments.

  18. First Responder Readiness: A Systems Approach to Readiness Assessment Using Model Based Vulnerability Analysis Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-09-01

    to come—if it be not to come, it will be now—if it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. . .” --- Shakespeare , Hamlet , 5.2.215-219...BLANK 1 I. READINESS OVERVIEW A. INTRODUCTION “ Hamlet : . . . There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now ‘tis not

  19. Neighbourhood ethnic diversity buffers school readiness impact in ESL children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puchala, Chassidy; Vu, Lan T H; Muhajarine, Nazeem

    2010-01-01

    domains. ESL children from neighbourhoods with a high degree of ethnic diversity had higher EDI scores than ESL children from neighbourhoods with low ethnic diversity. The current study provided insight regarding the impact of contextual factors in addition to individual factors, such as ESL status, on school readiness outcomes. Future research should continue to examine contextual factors related to ESL status and early child developmental outcomes, particularly focusing on the mechanisms of influence.

  20. Changes in How We See Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Deb

    2011-01-01

    Teachers' view of children and childhood is rapidly changing in response to the pressures of modern life, new research on brain development and learning, as well as the belief that many young children in the United States are not ready for school. There are powerful messages coming from commercial, social, and political interests, as well as from…

  1. Obesity-Related Hormones in Low-Income Preschool-Age Children: Implications for School Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Alison L.; Lumeng, Carey N.; Delproposto, Jennifer; Florek, Brian; Wendorf, Kristin; Lumeng, Julie C.

    2013-01-01

    Mechanisms underlying socioeconomic disparities in school readiness and health outcomes, particularly obesity, among preschool-aged children are complex and poorly understood. Obesity can induce changes in proteins in the circulation that contribute to the negative impact of obesity on health; such changes may relate to cognitive and emotion…

  2. Stakeholder validation of a model of readiness for transition to adult care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Lisa A; Brumley, Lauren D; Tuchman, Lisa K; Barakat, Lamia P; Hobbie, Wendy L; Ginsberg, Jill P; Daniel, Lauren C; Kazak, Anne E; Bevans, Katherine; Deatrick, Janet A

    2013-10-01

    That too few youth with special health care needs make the transition to adult-oriented health care successfully may be due, in part, to lack of readiness to transfer care. There is a lack of theoretical models to guide development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines, assessments, and interventions to improve transition readiness. To further validate the Social-ecological Model of Adolescent and Young Adult Readiness to Transition (SMART) via feedback from stakeholders (patients, parents, and providers) from a medically diverse population in need of life-long follow-up care, survivors of childhood cancer. Mixed-methods participatory research design. A large Mid-Atlantic children's hospital. Adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood cancer (n = 14), parents (n = 18), and pediatric providers (n = 10). Patients and parents participated in focus groups; providers participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Validity of SMART was assessed 3 ways: (1) ratings on importance of SMART components for transition readiness using a 5-point scale (0-4; ratings >2 support validity), (2) nominations of 3 "most important" components, and (3) directed content analysis of focus group/interview transcripts. Qualitative data supported the validity of SMART, with minor modifications to definitions of components. Quantitative ratings met criteria for validity; stakeholders endorsed all components of SMART as important for transition. No additional SMART variables were suggested by stakeholders and the "most important" components varied by stakeholders, thus supporting the comprehensiveness of SMART and need to involve multiple perspectives. SMART represents a comprehensive and empirically validated framework for transition research and program planning, supported by survivors of childhood cancer, parents, and pediatric providers. Future research should validate SMART among other populations with special health care needs.

  3. Treatment Readiness as a Determinant of Treatment Participation in a Prison-Based Rehabilitation Program: An Exploratory Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bosma, Anouk Q; Kunst, Maarten J J; Dirkzwager, Anja J E; Nieuwbeerta, Paul

    2017-06-01

    The current study had three aims. First, it measured treatment readiness among offenders who entered the Prevention of Recidivism program. This is a prison-based rehabilitation program in the Netherlands that aims to lower re-offending rates among offenders with a prison sentence of at least for months and that is carried out during the final months of incarceration. Second, the study evaluated whether treatment readiness was associated with treatment participation. Third, the study examined whether treatment readiness measured with a validated instrument predicted treatment participation above and beyond a clinical assessment of treatment readiness, currently used as a criterion to include offenders in rehabilitation programs. To address these aims, data were used from the fourth wave of a research project studying the effects of imprisonment on the life of detainees in the Netherlands. Results indicated that treatment readiness as measured with a validated instrument was a significant predictor of treatment participation. Also, the current study showed that treatment readiness measured with a validated instrument improved the prediction of treatment participation above and beyond a clinical assessment of treatment readiness. Outcomes were discussed in light of study limitations and implications.

  4. Evaluating a public sector organisation for SDI Readiness – The ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper establishes the availability of geographic information within the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) by describing DEA's contribution to the South African SDI objectives and by assessing DEA's SDI readiness. The qualitative method was used to collect data. The techniques used in this research were ...

  5. Readiness to reconcile and post-traumatic distress in German survivors of wartime rapes in 1945.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eichhorn, S; Stammel, N; Glaesmer, H; Klauer, T; Freyberger, H J; Knaevelsrud, C; Kuwert, P

    2015-05-01

    Sexual violence and wartime rapes are prevalent crimes in violent conflicts all over the world. Processes of reconciliation are growing challenges in post-conflict settings. Despite this, so far few studies have examined the psychological consequences and their mediating factors. Our study aimed at investigating the degree of longtime readiness to reconcile and its associations with post-traumatic distress within a sample of German women who experienced wartime rapes in 1945. A total of 23 wartime rape survivors were compared to age- and gender-matched controls with WWII-related non-sexual traumatic experiences. Readiness to reconcile was assessed with the Readiness to Reconcile Inventory (RRI-13). The German version of the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) was used to assess post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. Readiness to reconcile in wartime rape survivors was higher in those women who reported less post-traumatic distress, whereas the subscale "openness to interaction" showed the strongest association with post-traumatic symptomatology. Moreover, wartime rape survivors reported fewer feelings of revenge than women who experienced other traumatization in WWII. Our results are in line with previous research, indicating that readiness to reconcile impacts healing processes in the context of conflict-related traumatic experiences. Based on the long-lasting post-traumatic symptomatology we observed that our findings highlight the need for psychological treatment of wartime rape survivors worldwide, whereas future research should continue focusing on reconciliation within the therapeutic process.

  6. Democracy in Schools: Are Educators Ready for Teacher Leadership?

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Villiers, Elsabé; Pretorius, S. G.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this research was to determine educators' perceptions of and readiness for teacher leadership. A total of 283 educators in the Eden and Central Karoo Education District in the Western Cape participated in the study. The participants included district officials, principals, and members of school management teams, as well as veteran,…

  7. Factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life - A scoping literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Järvinen, Tiina; Eklöf, Niina; Salminen, Leena

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this scoping literature review was to identify the factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life. The literature search was carried out in autumn 2017 in PubMed and CINAHL databases. The studies selected for this review (n = 17) were analyzed thematically with inductive content analysis. Four subthemes that were combined into two main factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life were found. The main factors found were 1) educational factors and 2) personal factors. Educational factors consisted of professional competence and clinical practice, while personal factors consisted of nursing students' background and feelings. Some nursing students tend to feel insecure about entering working life as a newly graduated nurse. This literature review also supports the importance of clinical practice periods in nursing education and for readiness for working life. Nurse education needs to ensure clinical practice periods which support nursing students' professional growth. Further research is needed on how the factors related to nursing students' readiness to enter working life correlate with each other. Particularly, the association between competence, readiness and positive feelings towards graduation needs further investigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Physician-based activity counseling: intervention effects on mediators of motivational readiness for physical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, B M; Lynn, H; Marcus, B H; DePue, J; Goldstein, M G

    2001-01-01

    In theory-based interventions for behavior change, there is a need to examine the effects of interventions on the underlying theoretical constructs and the mediating role of such constructs. These two questions are addressed in the Physically Active for Life study, a randomized trial of physician-based exercise counseling for older adults. Three hundred fifty-five patients participated (intervention n = 181, control n = 174; mean age = 65.6 years). The underlying theories used were the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory and the constructs of decisional balance (benefits and barriers), self-efficacy, and behavioral and cognitive processes of change. Motivational readiness for physical activity and related constructs were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 8 months. Linear or logistic mixed effects models were used to examine intervention effects on the constructs, and logistic mixed effects models were used for mediator analyses. At 6 weeks, the intervention had significant effects on decisional balance, self-efficacy, and behavioral processes, but these effects were not maintained at 8 months. At 6 weeks, only decisional balance and behavioral processes were identified as mediators of motivational readiness outcomes. Results suggest that interventions of greater intensity and duration may be needed for sustained changes in mediators and motivational readiness for physical activity among older adults.

  9. Trends and Tensions: Australian and International Research about Starting School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dockett, Sue; Perry, Bob

    2013-01-01

    This paper details and compares the discernible trends observed in a wide-ranging review of the recent starting school literature in Australia and beyond. More than half of the research reviewed considers children's readiness for school. This research is critiqued through a three-way view of readiness: child readiness, school readiness and support…

  10. Effect of Learning Achievement of the Eye of Productive Training, Prakerin Experience, and Interests in Student Readiness Entering the World of Work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dita Nur Faizah

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This study is a quantitative research by using descriptive and ex-post facto. The purpose of this research is to know how: (1 the description of learning achievement, description of internship experience, description of working interest, and description of working readiness; (2 the effect of productive learning achievement, internship experience, and working interest partially on the readiness of work for the students of SMK Negeri 1 Kraksaan Probolinggo. Data collection techniques used are questionnaire and documentation method. The sampling technique used is proportional random sampling. The result of the analysis shows that: (1 student learning achievement of productive, student internship experience, students working interest, and readiness of student work is in good category; (2 there is a negative and not significant influence between learning achievement of productive education and training on job readiness; (3 there is a positive but insignificant influence between internship experience on job readiness; (4 there is a positive but not significant influence between the interest of work to the readiness of class XII business management students in SMK Negeri 1 Kraksaan Probolinggo.

  11. Practice change in community pharmacy: using change-management principles when implementing a pharmacy asthma management service in NSW, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feletto, Eleonora; Lui, Grace Wan Ying; Armour, Carol; Saini, Bandana

    2013-02-01

    This study aimed to investigate the application of a research-based change-management tool, the Pharmacy Change Readiness Wheel (PCRW), in practice, and the impact it had on the implementation of an asthma service (Pharmacy Asthma Management Service or PAMS). All pharmacists implementing the PAMS in the state of New South Wales, Australia, were provided training using a custom-designed module explaining change readiness as it applied to the PAMS. This training and a self-administered PCRW checklist were completed before PAMS implementation. Following PAMS service delivery, semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with the pharmacists and any additional staff involved regarding their experiences of change management. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analysed. Thirty seven of the forty five pharmacies who delivered PAMS returned the PCRW checklist (82% response rate) and participants from 29 pharmacies were interviewed (29 pharmacists and six additional staff). Perception of readiness for change before service delivery was remarkably high. From the interviews conducted after service delivery it was evident that systematic management of the practice change using theoretical concepts had not really been undertaken and that many challenges were faced in the implementation of practice change (PAMS). The results of the content analysis from the interviews revealed that factors external or internal to the pharmacy or those related to the individual pharmacist could affect implementation of practice change. Change is not as straightforward as it may appear and is a multi-step process over time. Pharmacists were unaware of this. A change-management framework should be applied to specific services with enough flexibility so that pharmacists can individualise them for their pharmacies. © 2012 The Authors. IJPP © 2012 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

  12. A systematic review of instruments to assess organizational readiness for knowledge translation in health care.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie-Pierre Gagnon

    Full Text Available The translation of research into practices has been incomplete. Organizational readiness for change (ORC is a potential facilitator of effective knowledge translation (KT. However we know little about the best way to assess ORC. Therefore, we sought to systematically review ORC measurement instruments.We searched for published studies in bibliographic databases (Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Science, etc. up to November 1st, 2012. We included publications that developed ORC measures and/or empirically assessed ORC using an instrument at the organizational level in the health care context. We excluded articles if they did not refer specifically to ORC, did not concern the health care domain or were limited to individual-level change readiness. We focused on identifying the psychometric properties of instruments that were developed to assess readiness in an organization prior to implementing KT interventions in health care. We used the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to assess the psychometric properties of identified ORC measurement instruments.We found 26 eligible instruments described in 39 publications. According to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, 18 (69% of a total of 26 measurement instruments presented both validity and reliability criteria. The Texas Christian University -ORC (TCU-ORC scale reported the highest instrument validity with a score of 4 out of 4. Only one instrument, namely the Modified Texas Christian University - Director version (TCU-ORC-D, reported a reliability score of 2 out of 3. No information was provided regarding the reliability and validity of five (19% instruments.Our findings indicate that there are few valid and reliable ORC measurement instruments that could be applied to KT in the health care sector. The TCU-ORC instrument presents the best evidence in terms of validity testing. Future studies using this instrument could provide more knowledge on its

  13. Contribution entrepreneurial knowledge, skills competence, and self-efficacy to student entrepreneurship readiness of multimedia expertise at vocational high school in Malang

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islami, Pio Arfianova Ftirizky; Elmunsyah, Hakkun; Muladi

    2017-09-01

    This study aims to determine the contribution of entrepreneurship knowledge, skills competence, and self-efficacy to entrepreneurship readiness. The design used in this research using a quantitative approach and knowledge test techniques using regression analysis. The number of samples in this study as many as 181 students. The results showed that there was a significant contribution between entrepreneurship knowledge to entrepreneurship readiness. There is also a significant contribution between the skills competence to entrepreneurship readiness and there is a significant contribution between self-efficacy to entrepreneurship readiness. Futhermore, there is a significant contribution simultaneously between entrepreneurship knowledge, skill competence; self-efficacy to entrepreneurship readiness.

  14. Beyond College Eligibility: A New Framework for Promoting College Readiness. College Readiness Indicator Systems Resource Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) initiative was developed in response to a troubling pattern: More students than ever are enrolling in college after high school, but many of them are not college ready, as evidenced by persistently low rates of college completion. The sense of urgency to close the gap between college eligibility and…

  15. Pengembangan Kompetensi Sumber Daya Manusia untuk Mencapai Career Ready Professional di Universitas Tanri Abeng

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Azmy

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the development of competence in achieving organizational goals. This research discusses how the competence development of human resources in achieving the organization's motto, that is Career Ready Proffesional in Tanri Abeng University. This research objective is to analyze the organization's role in developing the human resource competencies in achieving organizational goals. The method used is descriptive. This research compared the theories related to the topic of research with applications that have been carried out and reinforced by previous studies. The results showed that development of human resource competencies needs to be done in achieving organizational goals. Organizational development and change must be done simultaneously and measured the results within a certain time. Both processes require competencies that are required by all members of the organization. Increased competence can be done by providing the process of knowledge transfer between members of the organization. The key of success is the commitment and communication.

  16. Community Mobilization and Readiness: Planning Flaws which Challenge Effective Implementation of 'Communities that Care' (CTC) Prevention System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basic, Josipa

    2015-01-01

    This article reviews the experience of implementing a community approach to drug use and youth delinquency prevention based on the 'Communities that Care' (CTC) system implemented in one Croatian county consisting of 12 communities, 2002 to 2013 (Hawkins, 1999; Hawkins & Catalano, 2004). This overview explores selected critical issues which are often not considered in substance use(r) community intervention planning, implementation as well as in associated process and outcome assessments. These issues include, among others, the mobilization process of adequate representation of people; the involvement of relevant key individual and organizational stakeholders and being aware of the stakeholders' willingness to participate in the prevention process. In addition, it is important to be aware of the stakeholders' knowledge and perceptions about the 'problems' of drug use and youth delinquency in their communities as well as the characteristics of the targeted population(s). Sometimes there are community members and stakeholders who block needed change and therefore prevention process enablers and 'bridges' should be involved in moving prevention programming forward. Another barrier that is often overlooked in prevention planning is community readiness to change and a realistic assessment of available and accessible resources for initiating the planned change(s) and sustaining them. All of these issues have been found to be potentially related to intervention success. At the end of this article, I summarize perspectives from prevention scientists and practitioners and lessons learned from communities' readiness research and practice in Croatian that has international relevance.

  17. Evidence Items as Signals of Marketing Competencies and Workplace Readiness: A Practitioner Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honea, Heather; Castro, Iana A.; Peter, Paula

    2017-01-01

    Although past research has spent considerable effort identifying competencies and academic activities that are associated with workplace readiness, the literature is largely silent regarding what might best serve as evidence to employers that a graduate possesses specific marketing competencies. In the current research, we develop a comprehensive…

  18. Change management in Iranian hospitals: social factors model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Delgoshaei

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Continuous change in the complex health care environments is a major challenge for administrative managers. This study aimed to design a change model to facilitate change implementation in the Iranian hospitals. Methods: This is a descriptive and comparative study. The data were collected through library search and in-depth interview with 15 hospital managers. Nine well-established change theories developed by Lewin, Action Research, Kotter, Ackerman- Anderson and Anderson, Prosci , Kilman, Beer, Continuum, and Gelicher were compared. Common denominators of the theories were identified and tabulated. Experienced hospital managers’ suggestions about social factors were acquired. The initial model was designed and validated using the Delphi Technique. Results: The majority of the selected change models emphasize the significance of social factors in change implementation such as effective communication, organizational climate and culture, and leadership. The results from the interviews indicate that low readiness to change, lack of confidence (or trust for change, and autocratic leadership style ,and poor communication could hinder the change process. Conclusion: Based on the model developed in the study, effective communication, readiness of employees, and a contingency leadership/management combined could lead to successful implementation of change in the hospital.

  19. From Research to Practice: Strategies for Supporting School Readiness in Programs Serving Infants and Toddlers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, Stefanie

    2012-01-01

    Fostering healthy social and emotional development provides the foundation for school readiness in programs serving infants, toddlers, and their families. In this article, the author explores four key concepts that make the link between social and emotional development and early learning: 1) Cognitive and social-emotional development are…

  20. Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Ready Mix Concrete Plant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topkar, V. M.; Duggar, A. R.; Kumar, A.; Bonde, P. P.; Girwalkar, R. S.; Gade, S. B.

    2013-11-01

    India, being a developing nation is experiencing major growth in its infrastructural sector. Concrete is the major component in construction. The requirement of good quality of concrete in large quantities can be fulfilled by ready mix concrete batching and mixing plants. The paper presents a technique of applying the value engineering tool life cycle cost analysis to a ready mix concrete plant. This will help an investor or an organization to take investment decisions regarding a ready mix concrete facility. No economic alternatives are compared in this study. A cost breakdown structure is prepared for the ready mix concrete plant. A market survey has been conducted to collect realistic costs for the ready mix concrete facility. The study establishes the cash flow for the ready mix concrete facility helpful in investment and capital generation related decisions. Transit mixers form an important component of the facility and are included in the calculations. A fleet size for transit mixers has been assumed for this purpose. The life cycle cost has been calculated for the system of the ready mix concrete plant and transit mixers.

  1. The relationship between assessment methods and self-directed learning readiness in medical education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, Katherine S

    2016-03-11

    This research explored the assessment of self-directed learning readiness within the comprehensive evaluation of medical students' knowledge and skills and the extent to which several variables predicted participants' self-directed learning readiness prior to their graduation. Five metrics for evaluating medical students were considered in a multiple regression analysis. Fourth-year medical students at a competitive US medical school received an informed consent and an online survey. Participants voluntarily completed a self-directed learning readiness scale that assessed four subsets of self-directed learning readiness and consented to the release of their academic records. The assortment of metrics considered in this study only vaguely captured students' self-directedness. The strongest predictors were faculty evaluations of students' performance on clerkship rotations. Specific clerkship grades were mildly predictive of three subscales. The Pediatrics clerkship modestly predicted critical self-evaluation (r=-.30, p=.01) and the Psychiatry clerkship mildly predicted learning self-efficacy (r =-.30, p=.01), while the Junior Surgery clerkship nominally correlated with participants' effective organization for learning (r=.21, p=.05). Other metrics examined did not contribute to predicting participants' readiness for self-directed learning. Given individual differences among participants for the variables considered, no combination of students' grades and/or test scores overwhelmingly predicted their aptitude for self-directed learning. Considering the importance of fostering medical students' self-directed learning skills, schools need a reliable and pragmatic approach to measure them. This data analysis, however, offered no clear-cut way of documenting students' self-directed learning readiness based on the evaluation metrics included.

  2. Assessing Cultural Readiness of Organization For Successful Implementation of Knowledge Managment, Appling FMCDM Approach: Case of Central Bank of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaban Elahi

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Supportive organizational culture for knowledge management can vouch for successful implementation of knowledge management. In the case of lacking this kind of supportive culture, the organizational culture is one of the obstacles which can lead the implementation of knowledge management to full failure and waste of organizational assets. In this research, a framework based on FMCDM was utilized to assess the cultural readiness of organization as the knowledge management implementation prerequisite. This framework has been utilized to assess Central Bank of Iran’s cultural readiness. The methodology of research was descriptive and research data were gathered by questionnaire and were answered by experts and CBI executives. In this term, the cultural readiness of CBI was assessed and in accordance with this assessment, embarking on corrective action was proposed.

  3. Are we ready for a change?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paulikova, A.; Biro, R.

    2008-01-01

    From 1 January 2009 the organisational change at the Operation and Maintenance Division of the Slovenske elektrarne, a. s. becomes a reality. The organisational changes were approved in the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board of the Company. A request for the approval of changes was sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic together with an explanatory report. We expect the decision on the approval of the changes by 10 December 2008. We have prepared a change implementation schedule, which we monitor in order to comply with all necessary conditions for change implementation. Structures and activities of the new units have been defined. Managers have prepared job descriptions for the newly established job positions and are analysing the need of 'additional training' for the employees whose job description is to change. (author)

  4. Readiness Assessment Plan, Hanford 200 areas treated effluent disposal facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ulmer, F.J.

    1995-01-01

    This Readiness Assessment Plan documents Liquid Effluent Facilities review process used to establish the scope of review, documentation requirements, performance assessment, and plant readiness to begin operation of the Treated Effluent Disposal system in accordance with DOE-RLID-5480.31, Startup and Restart of Facilities Operational Readiness Review and Readiness Assessments

  5. Category 3 investigation-derived waste Readiness Evaluation Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ludowise, J.D.

    1996-08-01

    This Readiness Evaluation Plan presents the methodology used to assess the readiness for loading investigation-derived waste (IDW) drums on trucks for transport to the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF). The scope of this Readiness Evaluation Plan includes an assessment of the organizations, procedures, and regulatory approvals necessary for the handling of IDW containers and the subsequent transportation of materials to ERDF

  6. Analysis and estimation of readiness of students of province of Khebey bor taking the state standards of physical preparedness.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Van Likhua

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The results of analysis of self-appraisal of the personal readiness of students of the unspecialized higher educational establishments of province of Khebey are presented. In research is used the information of the questionnaire of 1000 students of five higher educational establishments. The criteria of keeping up readiness of students are formed, the cross-correlation links of criteria are set, revealed is the intercommunication between the personal and public activity of students which influences on their readiness for taking standards.

  7. Vehicle-to-vehicle communications : readiness of V2V technology for application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-08-01

    The purpose of this research report is to assess the readiness for application of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) : communications, a system designed to transmit basic safety information between vehicles to facilitate warnings to : drivers concerning impend...

  8. The readiness of farmer communities in biogas development (A case study: Wiyurejo Village, Malang Regency Indonesia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinanti, D.; Erlina, D. F.; Meidiana, C.

    2017-06-01

    Wiyurejo Village has the potential for biogas development with ±75% of breeders wanting to build biogas but do not have enough vacant land. Biogas is a renewable energy source which requires the involvement of the community and public awareness in its implementation. The purpose of this research is to know the readiness of breeders for the development of biogas with limited land availability for the development of biodigester in Wiyurejo Village, Malang Regency, Indonesia. Based on the analysis, the value of the stage of readiness of farmers community in Wiyurejo Village is 2.20, which means that from nine stages of community readiness, the stage of community readiness of Wiyurejo Village is in stage three, namely vague awareness. Vague awareness means most people feel that there is a local concern, but there is no motivation to do anything about it (Plested, Edwards, & Jumper-Thurman, 2006). The value of the dimension that gives the lowest contribution and is below the average value of the community readiness is community knowledge on the issue.

  9. Definition of Technology Readiness Levels for Transmutation Fuel Development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jon Carmack; Kemal O. Pasamehmetoglu

    2008-01-01

    To quantitatively assess the maturity of a given technology, the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) process is used. The TRL process has been developed and successfully used by the Department of Defense (DOD) for development and deployment of new technology and systems for defense applications. In addition, NASA has also successfully used the TRL process to develop and deploy new systems for space applications. Transmutation fuel development is a critical technology needed for closing the nuclear fuel cycle. Because the deployment of a new nuclear fuel forms requires a lengthy and expensive research, development, and demonstration program, applying the TRL concept to the transmutation fuel development program is very useful as a management and tracking tool. This report provides definition of the technology readiness level assessment process as defined for use in assessing nuclear fuel technology development for the Transuranic Fuel Development Campaign

  10. Readiness for School, According to the Perspectives of Grade 1 Teachers and Parents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sezai KOÇYIĞIT

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In Turkey, every child who turned 72 months old are initiated elementary school without considering individual differences and whether or not they had any pre-school education, but is every child who started school mentally, socially-emotionally and physically ready to meet requirements of elementary school? Purpose of this research is to determine skills and abilities required for the “school readiness” according to the Grade 1 teachers and parents and reveal results of this situation related to pre-school education. This study was performed with 14 Grade 1 teachers who work in the private and public elementary schools of Konya city and with 13 parents. In research, semi-structured interview was used in order to get perspectives of participants about the phenomenon of readiness level of school that was consisted of open-ended questions. Raw data that were obtained through interviews have been analyzed by using descriptive analysis technique. According to the findings of research, Grade 1 teachers of elementary school described school readiness as “being matured to the ability required by the Grade 1 of elementary school” and stated that this maturity depends on parallel development of social, emotional, mental and physical aspects of child. Teachers also think that pre-school education must be compulsory for children to readily start school.

  11. Smoking Cessation for Smokers Not Ready to Quit: Meta-analysis and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Ayesha; Kaplan, Cameron M; Derefinko, Karen J; Klesges, Robert C

    2018-06-11

    To provide a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis on smoking interventions targeting smokers not ready to quit, a population that makes up approximately 32% of current smokers. Twenty-two studies on pharmacological, behavioral, and combination smoking-cessation interventions targeting smokers not ready to quit (defined as those who reported they were not ready to quit at the time of the study) published between 2000 and 2017 were analyzed. The effectiveness (measured by the number needed to treat) and cost effectiveness (measured by costs per quit) of interventions were calculated. All data collection and analyses were performed in 2017. Smoking interventions targeting smokers not ready to quit can be as effective as similar interventions for smokers ready to quit; however, costs of intervening on this group may be higher for some intervention types. The most cost-effective interventions identified for this group were those using varenicline and those using behavioral interventions. Updating clinical recommendations to provide cessation interventions for this group is recommended. Further research on development of cost-effective treatments and effective strategies for recruitment and outreach for this group are needed. Additional studies may allow for more nuanced comparisons of treatment types among this group. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Leader Developmental Readiness of Generation Y in the Training Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrigue, Marie

    2012-01-01

    Members of Generation Y in the training and development industry will be required to assume leadership roles as Baby Boomers retire, yet little empirical research exists regarding how best to prepare them for leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in leader developmental readiness between generational cohorts in the…

  13. Testing of technology readiness index model based on exploratory factor analysis approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariani, AF; Napitupulu, D.; Jati, RK; Kadar, JA; Syafrullah, M.

    2018-04-01

    SMEs readiness in using ICT will determine the adoption of ICT in the future. This study aims to evaluate the model of technology readiness in order to apply the technology on SMEs. The model is tested to find if TRI model is relevant to measure ICT adoption, especially for SMEs in Indonesia. The research method used in this paper is survey to a group of SMEs in South Tangerang. The survey measures the readiness to adopt ICT based on four variables which is Optimism, Innovativeness, Discomfort, and Insecurity. Each variable contains several indicators to make sure the variable is measured thoroughly. The data collected through survey is analysed using factor analysis methodwith the help of SPSS software. The result of this study shows that TRI model gives more descendants on some indicators and variables. This result can be caused by SMEs owners’ knowledge is not homogeneous about either the technology that they are used, knowledge or the type of their business.

  14. What are the characteristics of 'sexually ready' adolescents? Exploring the sexual readiness of youth in urban poor Accra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biney, Adriana A E; Dodoo, F Nii-Amoo

    2016-01-05

    Adolescent sexual activity, especially among the urban poor, remains a challenge. Despite numerous interventions and programs to address the negative consequences arising from early and frequent sexual activity among youth in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, only slight progress has been made. A plausible explanation is that our understanding of what adolescents think about sex and about their own sexuality is poor. In that sense, examining how adolescents in urban poor communities think about their sexual readiness, and identifying characteristics associated with that sexual self-concept dimension, should deepen our understanding of this topical issue. A total of 196 male and female adolescents, ages 12 to 19, were surveyed in the 2011 RIPS Urban Health and Poverty Project in Accra, Ghana. The youth responded to three statements which determined their levels of sexual readiness. Other background characteristics were also obtained enabling the assessment of the correlates of their preparedness to engage in sex. The data were analyzed using ordered logistic regression models. Overall, the majority of respondents did not consider themselves ready for sex. Multivariate analyses indicated that sexual experience, exposure to pornographic movies, gender, ethnicity and household wealth were significantly linked to their readiness for sex. Sexual readiness is related to sexual activity as well as other characteristics of the adolescents, suggesting the need to consider these factors in the design of programs and interventions to curb early sex. The subject of sexual readiness has to be investigated further to ensure adolescents do not identify with any negative effects of this sexual self-view.

  15. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #37: PUBLICATION OF "OUR CHANGING PLANET: THE FY 2002 U.S. GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAM"

    Science.gov (United States)

    The EPA Global Change Research Program is pleased to inform you of the publication of the new Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 U.S. Global Change Research Program. This annual report to the Congress was prepared under the auspices of the Committee on Environment and Natural Reso...

  16. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Florida's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  17. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Arkansas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Arkansas' college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  18. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Minnesota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Minnesota's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  19. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Alaska's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  20. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Kentucky

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Kentucky's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  1. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Georgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Georgia's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  2. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Alabama

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Alabama's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  3. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. Tennessee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on Tennessee's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  4. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on California's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  5. Integrating technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model: an empirical study of mobile services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shih-Chih; Liu, Ming-Ling; Lin, Chieh-Peng

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to integrate technology readiness into the expectation-confirmation model (ECM) for explaining individuals' continuance of mobile data service usage. After reviewing the ECM and technology readiness, an integrated model was demonstrated via empirical data. Compared with the original ECM, the findings of this study show that the integrated model may offer an ameliorated way to clarify what factors and how they influence the continuous intention toward mobile services. Finally, the major findings are summarized, and future research directions are suggested.

  6. Student Readiness for Online Learning – A case study in rural Bolivia

    OpenAIRE

    Blass, Silvia

    2018-01-01

    The present paper describes the research of the students’ online learning readiness in a rural university in Bolivia. In particular, it examines through a quantitative research the influences of some variables on the students’ attitudes toward online learning. These variables were established based on theoretical fundaments and selected and confirmed through a qualitative research based in semi-structured interviews with lecturers and directors of the university’s rural centers. This study...

  7. Instructional Alignment of Workplace Readiness Skills in Marketing Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Sarah J.; Reed, Philip A.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined high school marketing education teachers' knowledge of workplace readiness skills and whether that knowledge had an impact on student workplace readiness skill achievement. Further, this study examined the usage of Virginia's 13 Workplace Readiness Skills curriculum and identified the teaching methods and instructional…

  8. Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) test used in the implementation of assessment instruments and treatment methods in a Swedish National study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Billsten, Johan; Fridell, Mats; Holmberg, Robert; Ivarsson, Andréas

    2018-01-01

    Organizational climate and related factors are associated with outcome and are as such of vital interest for healthcare organizations. Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) is the questionnaire used in the present study to assess the influence of organizational factors on implementation success. The respondents were employed in one of 203 Swedish municipalities within social work and psychiatric substance/abuse treatment services. They took part in a nationwide implementation project organized by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), commissioned by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. The aims were: (a) to identify classes (clusters) of employees with different ORC profiles on the basis of data collected in 2011 and (b) to investigate ORC profiles which predicted the use of assessment instruments, therapy methods and collaborative activities in 2011 and 2013. The evaluation study applied a naturalistic design with registration of outcome at consecutive assessments. The participants were contacted via official e-mail addresses in their respective healthcare units and were encouraged by their officials to participate on a voluntary basis. Descriptive statistics were obtained using SPSS version 23. A latent profile analysis (LPA) using Mplus 7.3 was performed with a robust maximum likelihood estimator (MLR) to identify subgroups (clusters) based on the 18 ORC indexes. A total of 2402 employees responded to the survey, of whom 1794 (74.7%) completed the ORC scores. Descriptive analysis indicated that the respondents were a homogenous group of employees, where women (72.0%) formed the majority. Cronbach's alpha for the 18 ORC indexes ranged from α=0.67 to α=0.78. A principal component analysis yielded a four-factor solution explaining 62% of the variance in total ORC scores. The factors were: motivational readiness (α=0.64), institutional resources (α=0.52), staff attributes (α=0.76), and organizational climate (α=0

  9. What Are the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks? Information Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    ACT, Inc., 2013

    2013-01-01

    The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are the minimum ACT® college readiness assessment scores required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing college courses--English Composition, social sciences courses, College Algebra, or Biology. This report identifies the College Readiness Benchmarks on the ACT Compass scale…

  10. Readiness evaluation report -- High-exposure rate hardware removal resumption of activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkman, C.L.

    1996-11-01

    In August 1996, N Basin Project Management proactively ceased activities in the N Basin after noting several radiological control anomalies occurring during the performance of the high exposure rate hardware removal activity. The HERH is one of several activities that will be accomplished to complete deactivation of N Basin. Three project critiques were performed to identify causes and several corrective actions were identified. To ensure the true causes of the events were identified the N Basin Project Manager requested that a root cause analysis be performed for the events covered by the three critiques. The intent was to identify recurring events and evaluate the effectiveness of corrective action implementation. These three review elements were used by the project to develop a corrective action plan (CAP) which consisted of both project unique and programmatic items. The N Basin Project is using this BHI Readiness Evaluation (RE) process as a mechanism to independently verify that corrective actions identified from the CAP have been completed and that no changes have been made during the stand down that affect the resumption of the HERH activities. A readiness evaluation (RE) plan (Attachment 3) was prepared. The completed Readiness Evaluation Records which documents the results of the team member evaluations are in attachment 1. The independent readiness evaluation team identified 5 deficiencies of which two are post startup and three are pre startup. All deficiencies are in the area of training. These findings are explained in detail in Attachment 2

  11. Measuring organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Labarthe, Jenni; Légaré, France; Ouimet, Mathieu; Estabrooks, Carole A; Roch, Geneviève; Ghandour, El Kebir; Grimshaw, Jeremy

    2011-07-13

    Knowledge translation (KT) is an imperative in order to implement research-based and contextualized practices that can answer the numerous challenges of complex health problems. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) provides a conceptual framework to guide the implementation process in chronic care. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT. Available instruments on organizational readiness for change (ORC) have shown limited validity, and are not tailored or adapted to specific phases of the knowledge-to-action (KTA) process. We aim to develop an evidence-based, comprehensive, and valid instrument to measure OR for KT in healthcare. The OR for KT instrument will be based on core concepts retrieved from existing literature and validated by a Delphi study. We will specifically test the instrument in chronic care that is of an increasing importance for the health system. Phase one: We will conduct a systematic review of the theories and instruments assessing ORC in healthcare. The retained theoretical information will be synthesized in a conceptual map. A bibliography and database of ORC instruments will be prepared after appraisal of their psychometric properties according to the standards for educational and psychological testing. An online Delphi study will be carried out among decision makers and knowledge users across Canada to assess the importance of these concepts and measures at different steps in the KTA process in chronic care.Phase two: A final OR for KT instrument will be developed and validated both in French and in English and tested in chronic disease management to measure OR for KT regarding the adoption of comprehensive, patient-centered, and system-based CCMs. This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on explanatory models and instruments assessing OR for KT. Moreover, this project aims to create more consensus on the theoretical underpinnings and the

  12. Measuring organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ouimet Mathieu

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Knowledge translation (KT is an imperative in order to implement research-based and contextualized practices that can answer the numerous challenges of complex health problems. The Chronic Care Model (CCM provides a conceptual framework to guide the implementation process in chronic care. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR for KT. Available instruments on organizational readiness for change (ORC have shown limited validity, and are not tailored or adapted to specific phases of the knowledge-to-action (KTA process. We aim to develop an evidence-based, comprehensive, and valid instrument to measure OR for KT in healthcare. The OR for KT instrument will be based on core concepts retrieved from existing literature and validated by a Delphi study. We will specifically test the instrument in chronic care that is of an increasing importance for the health system. Methods Phase one: We will conduct a systematic review of the theories and instruments assessing ORC in healthcare. The retained theoretical information will be synthesized in a conceptual map. A bibliography and database of ORC instruments will be prepared after appraisal of their psychometric properties according to the standards for educational and psychological testing. An online Delphi study will be carried out among decision makers and knowledge users across Canada to assess the importance of these concepts and measures at different steps in the KTA process in chronic care. Phase two: A final OR for KT instrument will be developed and validated both in French and in English and tested in chronic disease management to measure OR for KT regarding the adoption of comprehensive, patient-centered, and system-based CCMs. Discussion This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on explanatory models and instruments assessing OR for KT. Moreover, this project aims to create more

  13. Relation between stages of change and motivation in the treatment of psychiatric patients1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gavrilov-Jerković Vesna

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Main aim of this research was to investigate the relation between psychiatric patients’ motivation for their participation in treatment and a stage of change they were in. Hypothesis on relation quality of examined variables have been defined from the perspective of transtheoretical model created by Prochaska and associates. Decision balance, specific and general self-efficacy and inclination to relapse have been examined as indicators of motivation. One hundred and twenty-nine psychiatric patients with diagnosis of neurosis or personality disorders have been examined in this research. Results have shown that stages of changes are significantly related to inspected motivational variables. Patients in higher stages of readiness express specific motivational profile characterized by the proactive optimism, which means that they rely on their own resources and expect positive outcome of the treatment. Patients in lower stages of readiness express motivational profile characterized by passive resignation receptiveness, by inclination towards demoralization and low trust in their own strength. Results of this research are in conformity with the basic hypothesis of transtheoretical model of change. .

  14. StormReady in a Box: Enhancing NOAA's Presence in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grondin, N. S.; Franks, C.

    2015-12-01

    The National Weather Service StormReady Supporter program exists to give schools, companies, TV stations, and other facilities the opportunity to earn recognition for their weather preparedness and awareness. Requirements to earn StormReady Supporter status include having a facility warning point, use of NOAA Weather Radios, and weather hazard Emergency Operation Plans. Despite the increasing importance of weather preparedness in schools, only 1.2% of Minnesota schools are deemed StormReady by the National Weather Service. It was determined that the major impedance for schools becoming StormReady Supporters is the lack of time for administrators to engage in anything "extra" beyond their listed duties. As part of a 2015 Hollings Scholar project, the StormReady in a Box concept was developed to remedy this, by empowering teachers and students to take charge and complete the StormReady Supporter application for their school. StormReady in a Box is a project developed for Junior High School students to learn about weather preparedness and to help their school acquire StormReady status. The project was designed to be relevant to the Minnesota State Education Standards in Science, be simple for teachers to do with their students, and most importantly, to be enjoyable for Junior High School age students to do. The project was also designed to enhance critical thinking skills and logical reasoning abilities, as they relate to the StormReady Supporter application. This presentation will present the overall rationale for the undertaking of this project, the creation of, and the logical next steps for the StormReady in a Box project.

  15. A Model of Feeding Readiness for Preterm Infants

    OpenAIRE

    Pickler, Rita H.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents a theoretical model of bottle feeding readiness in preterm infants, which hypothesizes relationships between bottle feeding readiness, experience, and outcomes. The synactive theory of development provided the conceptual foundation for the model. The model, which is currently being tested, is designed to establish bottle feeding readiness criteria that will help nurses decide when to offer a bottle to a preterm infant The model may also provide a useful framework for deter...

  16. Smart Grid Technology and Consumer Call Center Readiness

    OpenAIRE

    Schamber, Kelsey L.

    2010-01-01

    The following reasearch project deals with utility call center readiness to address customer concerns and questions about the Smart Grid and smart meter technology. Since consumer engagement is important for the benefits of the Smart Grid to be realized, the readiness and ability of utilities to answer consumer questions is an important issue. Assessing the readiness of utility call centers to address pertinant customer concerns was accomplished by calling utility call centers with Smart Grid...

  17. “Getting Ready for School:” A Preliminary Evaluation of a Parent-Focused School-Readiness Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly G. Noble

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to start school with fewer school readiness skills than their more advantaged peers. Emergent literacy and math skills play an important role in this gap. The family is essential in helping children build these skills, and the active involvement of families is crucial to the success of any intervention for young children. The Getting Ready for School (GRS program is a parent-focused curriculum designed to help parents equip their children with the skills and enthusiasm necessary for learning when they start school. Parents meet in weekly workshops led by a trained facilitator and implement the curriculum at home with their children. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the promise of the GRS intervention in children participating in an urban Head Start program and to explore parents' responses to the intervention. We hypothesized that participation in GRS would improve school readiness in literacy and math skills, relative to participation in business-as-usual Head Start. Four Head Start classrooms (two randomly selected “intervention” and two “comparison” classrooms participated in this study. Preliminary analyses suggest that GRS improves school readiness over and above a Head Start-as-usual experience. Implications for early childhood programs and policies are discussed.

  18. Assessing organizational readiness for depression care quality improvement: relative commitment and implementation capability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubenstein, Lisa V; Danz, Marjorie S; Crain, A Lauren; Glasgow, Russell E; Whitebird, Robin R; Solberg, Leif I

    2014-12-02

    Depression is a major cause of morbidity and cost in primary care patient populations. Successful depression improvement models, however, are complex. Based on organizational readiness theory, a practice's commitment to change and its capability to carry out the change are both important predictors of initiating improvement. We empirically explored the links between relative commitment (i.e., the intention to move forward within the following year) and implementation capability. The DIAMOND initiative administered organizational surveys to medical and quality improvement leaders from each of 83 primary care practices in Minnesota. Surveys preceded initiation of activities directed at implementation of a collaborative care model for improving depression care. To assess implementation capability, we developed composites of survey items for five types of organizational factors postulated to be collaborative care barriers and facilitators. To assess relative commitment for each practice, we averaged leader ratings on an identical survey question assessing practice priorities. We used multivariable regression analyses to assess the extent to which implementation capability predicted relative commitment. We explored whether relative commitment or implementation capability measures were associated with earlier initiation of DIAMOND improvements. All five implementation capability measures independently predicted practice leaders' relative commitment to improving depression care in the following year. These included the following: quality improvement culture and attitudes (p = 0.003), depression culture and attitudes (p commitment (p = 0.002) and prior depression quality improvement activities appeared to be associated with earlier participation in the DIAMOND initiative. The study supports the concept of organizational readiness to improve quality of care and the use of practice leader surveys to assess it. Practice leaders' relative commitment to depression care

  19. Cultural Responsive Teaching Readiness Scale Validity and Reliability Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kasım KARATAŞ

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research is to develop a measurement instrument that will determine the cultural responsive teaching readiness level of teacher candidates. The study group consisted of a total of 231 candidate teachers, of which 83 were males and 148 were females, who were attending their final year of class teacher education programs at various Turkish universities during the 2016-2017 education year. In the first phase, a 33-item draft form was presented to experts to be reviewed. Based on the feedback received, revisions were made and the final scale was applied to a group of 231 candidate teachers. In the analysis of the data obtained as the result of the application, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA was performed. The EFA produced 21 items within a two-factor structure as, “Personal Readiness” and “Professional Readiness.” It was observed that the sub-factors were components of the “cultural responsive teaching readiness” dimension, and that the goodness of fit measures obtained as a result of the First and Second Level Confirmatory Factor Analyzes (CFA were high. In addition, reliability coefficients were found to be high as a result of reliability measurements. With the help of these findings, this study concludes that the Cultural Responsive Teaching Readiness scale is both valid and reliable.

  20. PERFORMANCES PARENTS ABOUT EMOTIONAL READINESS OF THE CHILD TO SCHOOL WHEN ANALYZING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EMOTIONAL READINESS OF CHILDREN IN THE TRANSITION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIRST GRADE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina Sergeevna Novitskaya

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the importance of emotional understanding of parents child’s readiness for school. The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of parental influence perceptions about the emotional readiness of children to the actual level of emotional readiness of the child. An experimental study was conducted comparing the methods, testing, questionnaires, observations, interviews, expert assessments, Longitude. We compared the performance of emotional readiness of children in the preparatory group of the kindergarten and the beginning of the school year in first grade. The study revealed that parents consider the emotional readiness primarily in the structure of the psychological readiness; representations of parents about the emotional readiness to occupy the last place among the other groups of ideas. Weak concrete definition of representations of parents about the emotional school readiness issues contributes to the emotional sphere of the child at an early stage of learning in first grade.

  1. 'Capture ready' regulation of fossil fuel power plants - Betting the UK's carbon emissions on promises of future technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markusson, Nils; Haszeldine, Stuart

    2010-01-01

    Climate change legislation requires emissions reductions, but the market shows interest in investing in new fossil fuelled power plants. The question is whether capture ready policy can reconcile these interests. The term 'capture ready' has been used a few years by the UK Government when granting licences for fossil fuelled power plants, but only recently has the meaning of the term been defined. The policy has been promoted as a step towards CCS and as an insurance against carbon lock-in. This paper draws on literature on technology lock-in and on regulation of technology undergoing development. Further, versions of the capture readiness concept proposed to date are compared. Capture readiness requirements beyond the minimum criterion of space on the site for capture operations are explored. This includes integration of capture and power plant, downstream operations, overall system integration and regulation of future retrofitting. Capture readiness comes with serious uncertainties and is no guarantee that new-built fossil plants will be abatable or abated in the future. As a regulatory strategy, it has been over-promised in the UK.

  2. Influence of Transformational Leadership Style on Decision-Making Style and Technology Readiness: A Correlation Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Crystal A.

    2009-01-01

    The research addressed the problem of technology initiatives failing to meet organizational objectives. The purpose of the quantitative correlation study was to determine the relationship between transformational leadership styles, decision-making styles, and technology readiness. The findings of the study answered research questions in three…

  3. The FORGE AHEAD clinical readiness consultation tool: a validated tool to assess clinical readiness for chronic disease care mobilization in Canada's First Nations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayward, Mariam Naqshbandi; Mequanint, Selam; Paquette-Warren, Jann; Bailie, Ross; Chirila, Alexandra; Dyck, Roland; Green, Michael; Hanley, Anthony; Tompkins, Jordan; Harris, Stewart

    2017-03-23

    Given the astounding rates of diabetes and related complications, and the barriers to providing care present in Indigenous communities in Canada, intervention strategies that take into account contextual factors such as readiness to mobilize are needed to maximize improvements and increase the likelihood of success and sustainment. As part of the national FORGE AHEAD Program, we sought to develop, test and validate a clinical readiness consultation tool aimed at assessing the readiness of clinical teams working on-reserve in First Nations communities to participate in quality improvement (QI) to enhance diabetes care in Canada. A literature review was conducted to identify existing readiness tools. The ABCD - SAT was adapted using a consensus approach that emphasized a community-based participatory approach and prioritized the knowledge and wisdom held by community members. The tool was piloted with a group of 16 people from 7 provinces and 11 partnering communities to assess language use, clarity, relevance, format, and ease of completion using examples. Internal reliability analysis and convergence validity were conducted with data from 53 clinical team members from 11 First Nations communities (3-5 per community) who have participated in the FORGE AHEAD program. The 27-page Clinical Readiness Consultation Tool (CRCT) consists of five main components, 21 sub-components, and 74 items that are aligned with the Expanded Chronic Care Model. Five-point Likert scale feedback from the pilot ranged from 3.25 to 4.5. Length of the tool was reported as a drawback but respondents noted that all the items were needed to provide a comprehensive picture of the healthcare system. Results for internal consistency showed that all sub-components except for two were within acceptable ranges (0.77-0.93). The Team Structure and Function sub-component scale had a moderately significant positive correlation with the validated Team Climate Inventory, r = 0.45, p < 0.05. The

  4. Operational readiness of EFAD systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kabat, M.J.

    1992-02-01

    An assessment of the operational readiness of the Emergency Filtered Air Discharge (EFAD) systems, installed in Canadian CANDU multi-unit nuclear power plants, was performed in this project. Relevant Canadian and foreign standards and regulatory requirements have been reviewed and documentation on EFAD system design, operation, testing and maintenance have been assessed to identify likely causes and potential failures of EFAD systems and their components under both standby and accident conditions. Recommendations have also been provided in this report for revisions which are needed to achieve and maintain appropriate operational readiness of EFAD systems

  5. How Satellites Have Contributed to Building a Weather Ready Nation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapenta, W.

    2017-12-01

    NOAA's primary mission since its inception has been to reduce the loss of life and property, as well as disruptions from, high impact weather and water-related events. In recent years, significant societal losses resulting even from well forecast extreme events have shifted attention from the forecast alone toward ensuring societal response is equal to the risks that exist for communities, businesses and the public. The responses relate to decisions ranging from coastal communities planning years in advance to mitigate impacts from rising sea level, to immediate lifesaving decisions such as a family seeking adequate shelter during a tornado warning. NOAA is committed to building a "Weather-Ready Nation" where communities are prepared for and respond appropriately to these events. The Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) strategic priority is building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather, water, climate and environmental threats. To build a Weather-Ready Nation, NOAA is enhancing Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS), transitioning science and technology advances into forecast operations, applying social science research to improve the communication and usefulness of information, and expanding its dissemination efforts to achieve far-reaching readiness, responsiveness and resilience. These four components of Weather-Ready Nation are helping ensure NOAA data, products and services are fully utilized to minimize societal impacts from extreme events. Satellite data and satellite products have been important elements of the national Weather Service (NWS) operations for more than 40 years. When one examines the uses of satellite data specific to the internal forecast and warning operations of NWS, two main applications are evident. The first is the use of satellite data in numerical weather prediction models; the second is the use of satellite imagery and derived products for mesoscale and short-range weather warning and

  6. Diagnostics of children's school readiness in scientific studies abroad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazarenko V.V.

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The article considers the problem of children's school readiness as it is represented in contemporary studies of foreign scholars. It displays a variety of approaches to estimation of school readiness as well as the ways of measuring the levels of child development as relating to school readiness, namely those of them which are in common practice in education.

  7. Remedial action and waste disposal project - ERDF readiness evaluation plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casbon, M.A.

    1996-06-01

    This Readiness Evaluation Report presents the results of the project readiness evaluation to assess the readiness of the Environmental Restoration and Disposal Facility. The evaluation was conducted at the conclusion of a series of readiness activities that began in January 1996. These activities included completion of the physical plant; preparation, review, and approval of operating procedures; definition and assembly of the necessary project and operational organizations; and activities leading to regulatory approval of the plant and operating plans

  8. THE READINESS OF SMES IN BULUNGAN TO FACE ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurus Soimah

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available ASEAN Economic Community (AEC is formed on the basis of an agreement in order to create a relationship of closer cooperation among ASEAN countries. The agreement covers four strategic, namely: (1 the achievement of a single market and a unified production base, (2 a competitive economic region, (3 equitable economic growth, and (4 integrated with the global economy. This research aimed to identify the readiness of SMEs Facing the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC, which will begin to be realized in December 2015. This research is a qualitative descriptive research. The researcher took a case study on SMEs in Bulungan Regency by selecting informants by using Purposive Sampling. 36 SMEs domiciled in Bulungan Regency were taken as the research subject. The data used in this research was a combination of primary data obtained in the field through interviews and secondary data adapted from various sources as a reference for research writing. Data analysis techniques used was data reduction and validity techniques using triangulation. The result of the research shows that the problem of SMEs in Bulungan Regency is the problem of the production process, capital, marketing, and permit. Further research results indicate that Bulungan Regency Government has been trying to encourage the development of the SMEs, but the implementation of government policy is not maximized. Based on the conditions and problems faced by SMEs in Bulungan Regency, it is not ready to face the AEC.

  9. Bioprinting: an assessment based on manufacturing readiness levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Changsheng; Wang, Ben; Zhang, Chuck; Wysk, Richard A; Chen, Yi-Wen

    2017-05-01

    Over the last decade, bioprinting has emerged as a promising technology in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. With recent advances in additive manufacturing, bioprinting is poised to provide patient-specific therapies and new approaches for tissue and organ studies, drug discoveries and even food manufacturing. Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) is a method that has been applied to assess manufacturing maturity and to identify risks and gaps in technology-manufacturing transitions. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is used to evaluate the maturity of a technology. This paper reviews recent advances in bioprinting following the MRL scheme and addresses corresponding MRL levels of engineering challenges and gaps associated with the translation of bioprinting from lab-bench experiments to ultimate full-scale manufacturing of tissues and organs. According to our step-by-step TRL and MRL assessment, after years of rigorous investigation by the biotechnology community, bioprinting is on the cusp of entering the translational phase where laboratory research practices can be scaled up into manufacturing products specifically designed for individual patients.

  10. Overview: Texas College and Career Readiness Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009

    2009-01-01

    The Texas College and Career Readiness Standards define what students should know and be able to accomplish in order to succeed in entry-level college courses or skilled workforce opportunities upon graduation from high school. This paper answers the following questions: (1) Who developed the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards?; (2) What…

  11. Improving Student Readiness to Overcome IT-Related Obstacles During Pedagogical Interaction in Post-Soviet Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry Luchaninov

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The relevance of the study deals with the importance of improvement of student readiness to overcome IT-related obstacles in post-Soviet social studies education. In this regard, this paper aims at identifying the concept of pedagogical interaction in the information and educational environment and revealing the effective use of pedagogical interaction to improve student readiness to overcome IT-related obstacles. The leading research method used to solve the problem is teaching project, which allows an integrated treatment of methodology in developing student readiness to overcome IT-related obstacles. The paper presents such methods as creating positive motivation, arranging interactive educational cognitive and practical student activities and boosting the personal educational environment; it is shown that a distinctive feature of pedagogical interaction is the acquaintance of students with various elements of the information and educational environment, leading to the development of student readiness to overcome IT-related obstacles; it is found out that the use of pedagogical interaction in the information and educational environment ensures the purposefulness and efficiency of educational process; it is justified that using interactive means of information and educational environment in the context of arrangement of pedagogical interaction can enrich educational process, develop specific student skill that will definitely help them in future professional activities. The research materials are of practical value to the further expansion of functional and methodical aspects of using interactive media in the information and educational environment.

  12. A Systematic Review of Instruments to Assess Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation in Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Attieh, Randa; Ghandour, El Kebir; Légaré, France; Ouimet, Mathieu; Estabrooks, Carole A.; Grimshaw, Jeremy

    2014-01-01

    Background The translation of research into practices has been incomplete. Organizational readiness for change (ORC) is a potential facilitator of effective knowledge translation (KT). However we know little about the best way to assess ORC. Therefore, we sought to systematically review ORC measurement instruments. Methods We searched for published studies in bibliographic databases (Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Web of Science, etc.) up to November 1st, 2012. We included publications that developed ORC measures and/or empirically assessed ORC using an instrument at the organizational level in the health care context. We excluded articles if they did not refer specifically to ORC, did not concern the health care domain or were limited to individual-level change readiness. We focused on identifying the psychometric properties of instruments that were developed to assess readiness in an organization prior to implementing KT interventions in health care. We used the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing to assess the psychometric properties of identified ORC measurement instruments. Findings We found 26 eligible instruments described in 39 publications. According to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, 18 (69%) of a total of 26 measurement instruments presented both validity and reliability criteria. The Texas Christian University –ORC (TCU-ORC) scale reported the highest instrument validity with a score of 4 out of 4. Only one instrument, namely the Modified Texas Christian University – Director version (TCU-ORC-D), reported a reliability score of 2 out of 3. No information was provided regarding the reliability and validity of five (19%) instruments. Conclusion Our findings indicate that there are few valid and reliable ORC measurement instruments that could be applied to KT in the health care sector. The TCU-ORC instrument presents the best evidence in terms of validity testing. Future studies using this instrument could

  13. Career success criteria and locus of control as indicators of adaptive readiness in the career adaptation model.

    OpenAIRE

    Zhou, W.; Guan, Y.; Xin, L.; Mak, M.C.K.; Deng, Y.

    2016-01-01

    The present research had two goals. The first goal was to identify additional individual characteristics that may contribute to adaptive readiness. The second goal was to test if these characteristics fit the career adaptation model of readiness to resources to responses. We examined whether career success criteria (measured at Time 1) and career locus of control (measured at Time 1) would contribute to adaptivity and predict university students’ career decision-making self-efficacy (measured...

  14. Readiness to Change and Reasons for Intended Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Emergency Department versus Trauma Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig Harrison

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The primary objective was to identify the most common reasons for intending to cut back on alcohol use, in emergency department (ED and trauma patient populations. The secondary objective was to determine the association between reason to cut back on alcohol and education level. Methods: We conducted the study at a level one trauma center in California between 2008 and 2012. This was a retrospective analysis of data collected from computerized alcohol screening and intervention (CASI. We excluded patients who drank too little, and those whose scores were consistent with dependency (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT]>19. The CASI database includes the patient’s age, gender, language, education level, an AUDIT score (1-40 scale, a readiness to change score (1-10, and the option to choose any of 10 “reasons to cut back” on their alcohol consumption. Results: From 10,537 patients, 1,202 met criteria for the study (848 ED, 354 trauma. Overall, the most common reasons cited for cutting back on alcohol were “To avoid health problems” (68.5%, “To avoid getting a DUI” (43.6%, “It could save me money” (42.0%, and “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (41.0%. Trauma patients cited the following reasons significantly more than ED patients: “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (46.3% versus 38.8%, respectively, “So I can be in control of my behavior” (40.7% versus 32.2%, and “My partner or spouse wants me to stop” (20.1% versus 15.0%. Additionally, those patients who cited “To avoid health problems” reported 1.2 points higher than average (p<0.001 on the 10-point readiness to change scale. Those who have completed some college or an associate degree cited “To avoid health problems” less often than high school graduates (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, while they cited “To avoid situations where I could get hurt” (OR 2.5 and “To avoid being in a car crash caused by alcohol use

  15. The Readiness is All: Here Am I. Send Me.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janet Tipton Hindman

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article uses contextual biography to examine the psychological and existential dimensions of “an internal environment that interacts with the other contexts in which the [author] evolves (Vidal, F., 2003, p. 73. Through a network of enterprises (Gruber, 1980 as a key aspect of that internal environment, this contextual autobiography conceptualizes a slice of the author’s life through the integration of particular literary and life contexts and her position within these background experiences. By using a unique and creative narrative of personal experiences, the author posits the universal or ontological problem of understanding the “all” of readiness for one of Shakespeare’s central characters with the juxtaposition of her own life as undertaken through the literary contexts examined. A catastrophic spinal injury coupled with the loss of her beloved father serve as prime catalysts for extreme life changes for the author creating questions of self-doubt and self-awareness, and whether the readiness for her was indeed, all. The article purposively adds to our understanding of how the internal environment and network of enterprises within an individual’s life experiences juxtaposed with literary contexts may profoundly inspire others to live unique lives of action and readiness.  Findings of the study present the participant’s joyful journey of discovery and personal renewal with the most important lesson learned being that education is the ticket to a life of freedom and personal success.

  16. College Campus Community Readiness to Address Intimate Partner Violence Among LGBTQ+ Young Adults: A Conceptual and Empirical Examination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Katie M; Littleton, Heather L; Sylaska, Kateryna M; Crossman, Annie L; Craig, Meghan

    2016-09-01

    This paper provides an overview of a conceptual model that integrates theories of social ecology, minority stress, and community readiness to better understand risk for and outcomes of intimate partner violence (IPV) among LGBTQ+ college students. Additionally, online survey data was collected from a sample of 202 LGBTQ+ students enrolled in 119 colleges across the United States to provide preliminary data on some aspects of the proposed model. Results suggested that students generally thought their campuses were low in readiness to address IPV; that is, students felt that their campuses could do more to address IPV and provide IPV services specific to LGBTQ+ college students. Perceptions of greater campus readiness to address IPV among LGBTQ+ college students was significantly and positively related to a more favorable LGBTQ+ campus climate and a greater sense of campus community. Additionally, IPV victims were more likely to perceive higher levels of campus community readiness than non-IPV victims. There was no association between IPV perpetration and perceptions of campus community readiness. Greater sense of community was marginally and inversely related to IPV victimization and perpetration. Sense of community and LGBTQ+ campus climate also varied to some extent as a function of region of the country and type of institution. Implications for further development and refinement of the conceptual model, as well as future research applying this model to better understand IPV among sexual minority students are discussed. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

  17. Reflections on the Ready to Learn Initiative 2010 to 2015: How a Federal Program in Partnership with Public Media Supported Young Children's Equitable Learning during a Time of Great Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasnik, Shelley; Llorente, Carlin; Hupert, Naomi; Moorthy, Savitha

    2016-01-01

    "Reflections on the Ready to Learn Initiative, 2010 to 2015," draws upon interviews with 26 prominent children's media researchers, producers, and thought leaders and a review of scholarly articles and reports to provide a big picture view of the status and future directions of children's media. In this illuminating report, EDC and SRI…

  18. Panafrican Research Agenda on the Integration of ICTs in Education ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Rapports. Qualité de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage sur ordinateur dans les écoles sénégalaises. Rapports. Ready to change gears? an analysis of how issues of concern influences lecturers rate of adoption of e-learning. Rapports. PanAfrican research agenda on the pedagogical integration of ICTs. Rapports.

  19. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. South Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on South Carolina's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  20. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. North Dakota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on North Dakota's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  1. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. New Mexico

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on New Mexico's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  2. Profile of State College and Career Readiness Assessments (CCR) Policy. West Virginia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center on Education Policy, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This individual profile provides information on West Virginia's college and career readiness assessment policy. Some of the categories presented include: (1) CCR assessment policy; (2) Purpose; (3) Major changes in CCR assessment policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (4) State financial support for students to take the CCR…

  3. A Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Readiness for Organizational Change Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-06-01

    positively correlated with the individual’s ability to cope with organizational change. Self-Esteem. Self-esteem was defined by Coopersmith (1967) as a...years of research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(5), 678-707. Coopersmith , S. (1967). The antecedents of self-esteem. Palo Alto, CA

  4. Readiness of Adults to Learn Using E-Learning, M-Learning and T-Learning Technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilkonis, Rytis; Bakanoviene, Tatjana; Turskiene, Sigita

    2013-01-01

    The article presents results of the empirical research revealing readiness of adults to participate in the lifelong learning process using e-learning, m-learning and t-learning technologies. The research has been carried out in the framework of the international project eBig3 aiming at development a new distance learning platform blending virtual…

  5. The Readiness of High School Students to Pursue First Year Physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramnarain, U.; Molefe, P.

    2012-01-01

    A high failure rate at first year physics is often attributed to the lack of readiness of high school students to pursue such studies. This research explores this issue and reports on the perceptions of five physics lecturers at a South African university on the preparedness of high school students for first year physics. Qualitative data was…

  6. The utility of single-item readiness screeners in middle school.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Crystal G; Herman, Keith C; Huang, Francis L; Stormont, Melissa; Grossman, Caroline; Eddy, Colleen; Reinke, Wendy M

    2017-10-01

    This study examined the benefit of utilizing one-item academic and one-item behavior readiness teacher-rated screeners at the beginning of the school year to predict end-of-school year outcomes for middle school students. The Middle School Academic and Behavior Readiness (M-ABR) screeners were developed to provide an efficient and effective way to assess readiness in students. Participants included 889 students in 62 middle school classrooms in an urban Missouri school district. Concurrent validity with the M-ABR items and other indicators of readiness in the fall were evaluated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, with the academic readiness item having medium to strong correlations with other baseline academic indicators (r=±0.56 to 0.91) and the behavior readiness item having low to strong correlations with baseline behavior items (r=±0.20 to 0.79). Next, the predictive validity of the M-ABR items was analyzed with hierarchical linear regressions using end-of-year outcomes as the dependent variable. The academic and behavior readiness items demonstrated adequate validity for all outcomes with moderate effects (β=±0.31 to 0.73 for academic outcomes and β=±0.24 to 0.59 for behavioral outcomes) after controlling for baseline demographics. Even after controlling for baseline scores, the M-ABR items predicted unique variance in almost all outcome variables. Four conditional probability indices were calculated to obtain an optimal cut score, to determine ready vs. not ready, for both single-item M-ABR scales. The cut point of "fair" yielded the most acceptable values for the indices. The odd ratios (OR) of experiencing negative outcomes given a "fair" or lower readiness rating (2 or below on the M-ABR screeners) at the beginning of the year were significant and strong for all outcomes (OR=2.29 to OR=14.46), except for internalizing problems. These findings suggest promise for using single readiness items to screen for varying negative end

  7. Changing European Governance, Changing Research and Innovation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borrás, Susana

    This chapter examines two fundamental dimensions of the changing European governance, namely the coordination of national policies and the changes in membership (accession of Central and Eastern European Countries in the mid-2000, and of Brexit in late 2010s). In particular this chapter looks...... at these changes from the perspective of their effects, in an attempt to give account of what European integration means in the context of coordinating national research policies, and in the context of changes of EU membership. Hence, the paper asks the question, what are the coordination and membership effects...

  8. Lean Six Sigma for reduced cycle costs and improved readiness

    OpenAIRE

    Apte, Uday; Kang, Keebom

    2006-01-01

    Sponsored Report (for Acquisition Research Program) In general, during the lifecycle of a weapon system a significantly larger amount of money gets spent in operating and maintaining the system than acquiring it. Hence, efficient logistics systems, including transportation, inventory management, modifications and maintenance activities, are critically important for containing the lifecycle costs of weapon systems and for maintaining the highest level of military readiness given the extant ...

  9. Consumers' health-related motive orientations and ready meal consumption behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geeroms, Nele; Verbeke, Wim; Van Kenhove, Patrick

    2008-11-01

    Based on a multidimensional perspective on the meaning of health, this study explores associations between consumers' health-related motive orientations (HRMO) and ready meal consumption behaviour. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 1934 Flemish consumers through an on-line survey. The respondents rated 45 health statements referring to people's motives for pursuing health. The survey also assessed information on several aspects of ready meal consumption, i.e. consumption frequency, beliefs and attitudes toward ready meals and ready meal buying criteria. Based on a two-step cluster analysis, we identified five distinct subgroups in the sample, according to their HRMO: health is about energy (Energetic Experimenters), emotional well-being/enjoying life (Harmonious Enjoyers), social responsibility/physical well-being (Normative Carers), achievement/outward appearance (Conscious Experts) and autonomy (Rationalists). Ready meal consumption patterns differed between these segments, with Energetic Experimenters and Conscious Experts showing significantly more positive attitudes, stronger beliefs and both higher penetration and consumption frequency related to ready meals, compared to Harmonious Enjoyers, Normative Carers and Rationalists. These findings may relate to the individualistic versus altruistic health orientation perspective of the identified segments, and are valuable in the context of improving consumer-oriented product development, positioning and marketing of ready meals.

  10. A Proposed for Assessing Hotel E-Readiness for Tourism in Southern Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piman Sirot

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This article only focuses on an overview of the Hotel E-readiness model and model design for tourism in Southern Thailand. “The convergence of information technology (IT and communications technology (CT” will be an important part of these technological innovations. The global economy has been turbulent during the last several years, and governments and enterprises are doing everything possible to inject momentum and effectuate sustainable growth. All member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN, aims to be ASEAN Economic Community (AEC by December 2015, have come to realize that an integrated ICT technology will enhance the competitiveness and creativity of their economies and fuel the sustainable growth of the global economy. The role that information and communication technologies (ICTs can play to support economic growth, especially on tourism, has never drawn so much attention and research. According to Networked Readiness Index (NRI, Thailand has made improvement in NRI, edging up from 77th to 74th place in 2013 and from 74th to 67th place to the latest measurement released by the World Economic Forum in2014 and ranked 3 out of 10 countries of ASEAN members. Although we still face serious challenges the impact of ICTs on tourism has become more far reaching as its transformational effects spread to several sectors of the economy and society via innovations. On this research we focus on only the hotels division in Southern of Thailand due to tourism’s economic on this area benefits very high income from oversea and ASEAN. We give an overview of the Hotel E-readiness Model that impact to tourism economic with computer networking infrastructures and communication technologies in Southern of Thailand. Our model is described on four majors - business environment, network readiness, network usage and network impacts. It aims to explore the problems and obstacles for improvement on computer networking infrastructure and

  11. Personality, Motivation, and College Readiness: A Prospectus for Assessment and Development. Research Report. ETS RR-14-06

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyllonen, Patrick C.; Lipnevich, Anastasiya A.; Burrus, Jeremy; Roberts, Richard D.

    2014-01-01

    This article concerns how noncognitive constructs--personality and motivation--can be assessed and developed to increase students' readiness for college. We propose a general framework to account for personality and motivational differences between students. We review numerous studies showing that personality and motivational factors are related…

  12. Assessing farmers' community readiness towards the enhancement of natural enemy population in rice fields in Malacca

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fairuz, K.; Idris, A. G.; Syahrizan, S.; Hatijah, K.

    2018-04-01

    Malacca has committed to be a green technology state by the year 2020. Agriculture is one of the main industries that have been highlighted to achieve this goal especially rice farming activities. Some limitations for this issue have restricted the accomplishment of the plan including pesticide usage among rice farmers. The use of chemicals in rice field need to be reduced significantly in order to support the goal. One of the indicators to the successfulness of pesticide reduction is the increasing numbers of natural enemies' species abundance and population in the rice field. Natural enemies were important to regulate pest populations in rice field naturally. Farmers' readiness to participate in this issue is very important to ensure the successfulness. The level of readiness of farmers' community will determine whether they are ready or not to execute the plan. Unfortunately, such information in rice farmers' community was not properly measured. Thus this study was aimed to assess the readiness level of rice farmers' community to change in order to enhance natural enemies in their rice field. This study was adapting the CR model as its theoretical framework. Three rice farming area in Malacca were involved in this study namely, Jasin, Melaka Tengah and Alor Gajah. Questionnaires were used as major instrument and were randomly distributed to 224 farmers. Data collected were tested for their reliability, significance and level of readiness. Knowledge of issue, knowledge of effort and resources dimensions were found influencing the readiness dimension significantly, whilst the attitude and leadership dimensions were not. Generally, the level of readiness for farmers' community in Malacca was found in the sixth or initial stage, where some of them initially have started to practice a few related activities to enhance the natural enemies' population in their rice field. Continuous support and assistant from the leaders and local authorities are crucially needed in

  13. College Readiness: The Evaluation of Students Participating in the Historically Black College and University Program in Pre-Calculus and the Calculus Sequence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Angela Renee

    2011-01-01

    This investigative research focuses on the level of readiness of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students entering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the college Calculus sequence. Calculus is a fundamental course for STEM courses. The level of readiness of the students for Calculus can very well play a…

  14. A study on the relationship between employee mental health and agility strategic readiness: A case study of Esfahan hospitals in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Ghodrati

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates whether enhancing organizational agility and mental health of staff could increase strategic readiness for crises or not. In this study, descriptive statistics is used to present demographic data of the research, and P-Test is employed for analyzing the data. In addition, to examine research hypotheses, correlation coefficients and descriptive statistics are implemented. Finally, to rank the variables and indicators of the research, Friedman test and for comparison of indicators and components of the research, nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test are used. The proposed study designs a questionnaire and The questionnaire and distributes it among some nurses in obstetrics and anesthesiology department and among supervisors. Cronbach's alpha is also employed for determining the reliability in this study. The results indicate that working conditions as well as employees’ mental health are in good conditions, the employees with higher levels of mental health have higher readiness to deal with potential crises, and the relationship between agility of hospitals and their strategic readiness for dealing with crises is confirmed.

  15. Responding to Hostility: Evidence-Based Guidance for Communication during Planned Organizational Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Kim Sydow; Carmichael, Pierson; Naidoo, Jefrey S.

    2015-01-01

    Hostile challenges to planned organization change are common and challenging to deal with effectively. Little research has explained successful responses to such stakeholder hostility. To address this gap, we use the concept of readiness to characterize the content of hostile challenges. We also use rhetorical strategies based on speech act theory…

  16. The Pedagogical Readiness of Instructors towards Achieving Integration of ICT's in TVET Institutions in Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maina, Tirus Muya; Ogalo, James; Mwai, Naomi

    2016-01-01

    This paper points to the necessity to conduct research on the pedagogical readiness of instructors towards achieving integration of ICT's in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya. Research on the integration of ICTs in teaching and learning in TVET institution in Kenya have been done to improve the learning…

  17. The Effect of Self-Directedness in Learing on Employment Readiness of Undergraduates in South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hee Yeong; Kim, Gi Un

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to analyze whether self-directedness in learning has positive effects on employment readiness of undergraduates. The subject of this study has little precedent research and we generated a research model. This study shows the following results: First, intrinsic motivation factor of self-directedness in learning has a…

  18. 75 FR 28594 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... INFORMATION CONTACT: The Ready-to-Learn Television Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue...

  19. Are Malaysian Students Ready to Be Authors of Digital Contents? A Case Study of Digital Library Stakeholders’ Readiness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abrizah Abdullah

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper reports on a study that ascertains the factors facilitating students to utilize digital libraries for educational purposes. The study investigates students ICT readiness, usage of online resources and information seeking behaviour of secondary school students with the specific goal of applying the results to the design of a collaborative digital library for school projects. The digital library has been conceived to support resource needs of these students as well provide the space for them to publish their school projects, which are currently submitted handwritten. The study uses the case study approach and an urban secondary school in Malaysia is chosen as the case school. Findings from a survey and focus group interviews indicate that the students are ready to collaboratively build the digital library resources as evidenced by students digital library readiness score of 31.4/40.

  20. Changes in Temporary Disability Reporting Following the Implementation of the Army Medical Readiness Transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapp, Jason E; Cody, Matthew J; Douglas, Kevin M

    2018-02-07

    In November 2014, the U.S. Army held a readiness summit to address concerns about the accuracy of medical reporting systems. At the time, soldiers on temporary disability were tracked as a medical readiness classification (MRC) 3A or 3B. MRC 3A soldiers had a medical condition with recovery expected within 30 d and MRC 3B soldiers were expected to take longer than 30 d to recover. Both groups were considered "non-available" and presumably non-deployable. Starting June 1, 2016, with the implementation of the Army Medical Readiness Transformation, soldiers on temporary disability longer than 14 d began to be reported as MRC 3s and are considered "non-deployable." The purpose of this study is to compare the number of soldiers on temporary disability previously reported as MRC 3A and 3B to the number listed as MRC 3 under the new reporting system for a light infantry brigade and to quantify the types and relative percentage of medical conditions leading to temporary disability under the new system. This cross-sectional analysis was conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2016 at Fort Carson, Colorado and included all soldiers assigned to Second Brigade, Fourth Infantry Division. We calculated the average number and proportion of soldiers on temporary disability at any one time for the period prior to implementation of the new reporting system (January 1 through May 31, 2016) and compared this to the period after implementation on June 1, 2016. The difference between the two independent proportions was calculated along with the lower and upper limits of the 95% confidence interval for the difference. Between January 1 and May 31, 2016, the average number of soldiers on temporary disability at any one time was 186, accounting for 4.3% of the authorized unit strength. After June 1, 2016, the average number increased to 244 or 5.7%. The difference in the proportion of temporary profiles was 1.4% (95% confidence interval 0.43-2.3%). From June 1 through December 31

  1. 75 FR 16763 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-02

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... FR 13515) a notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010 for the Ready-to-Learn Television...

  2. 75 FR 18170 - Ready-to-Learn Television Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-09

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number 84.295A] Ready-to-Learn Television Program AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for... FR 13515) a notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010 for the Ready-to-Learn Television...

  3. Readiness towards Entrepreneurship Education: Students and Malaysian Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Norasmah; Hashim, Norashidah; Wahid, Hariyaty Ab

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to observe the readiness of students and the internal environment of Malaysian public universities in the implementation of entrepreneurship education. Design/methodology/approach: The authors employed a quantitative approach and the main instrument used to gauge the entrepreneurship readiness among students…

  4. Replacing Remediation with Readiness. An NCPR Working Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conley, David T.

    2010-01-01

    This paper critically examines traditional means of assessing college students' need for remediation and suggests as a replacement an expanded definition of college readiness, where readiness is more complex than rudimentary content knowledge and more multifaceted than a single cut point. The paper presents and explains four dimensions of…

  5. SaludableOmaha: development of a youth advocacy initiative to increase community readiness for obesity prevention, 2011-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frerichs, Leah; Brittin, Jeri; Stewart, Catherine; Robbins, Regina; Riggs, Cara; Mayberger, Susan; Cervantes, Alberto; Huang, Terry T-K

    2012-01-01

    Childhood obesity rates in minority populations continue to rise despite leveling national trends. Although interventions that address social and environmental factors exist, processes that create demand for policy and environmental change within communities have not been identified. We developed a pilot program in South Omaha, a Nebraska Latino community, based on the community readiness model (CRM), called SaludableOmaha. We used CRM to explore the potential of youth advocacy to shift individual and community norms regarding obesity prevention in South Omaha and to advocate for health-promoting community environments. We used CRM to assess supply and demand for health programs, engage the community, determine the community's baseline readiness to address childhood obesity, and guide youth advocacy program development. We conducted our project in 2 phases. In the first, we trained a cohort of youth. In the second, the youth cohort created and launched a Latino health movement, branded as SaludableOmaha. A third phase, which is currently under way, is directed at institutionalizing youth advocacy in communities. At baseline, the community studied was at a low stage of readiness for change. Our program generated infrastructure and materials to support the growth and institutionalization of youth advocacy as a means of increasing community readiness for addressing obesity prevention. CRM is an important tool for addressing issues such as childhood obesity in underserved communities because it provides a framework for matching interventions to the community. Community partnerships such as SaludableOmaha can aid the adoption of obesity prevention programs.

  6. Predicting College Readiness in STEM: A Longitudinal Study of Iowa Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickels, Heather Anne

    The demand for STEM college graduates is increasing. However, recent studies show there are not enough STEM majors to fulfill this need. This deficiency can be partially attributed to a gender discrepancy in the number of female STEM graduates and to the high rate of attrition of STEM majors. As STEM attrition has been associated with students being unprepared for STEM coursework, it is important to understand how STEM graduates change in achievement levels from middle school through high school and to have accurate readiness indicators for first-year STEM coursework. This study aimed to address these issues by comparing the achievement growth of STEM majors to non-STEM majors by gender in Science, Math, and Reading from Grade 6 to Grade 11 through latent growth models (LGMs). Then STEM Readiness Benchmarks were established in Science and Math on the Iowas (IAs) for typical first-year STEM courses and validity evidence was provided for the benchmarks. Results from the LGM analyses indicated that STEM graduates start at higher achievement levels in Grade 6 and maintain higher achievement levels through Grade 11 in all subjects. In addition, gender differences were examined. The findings indicate that students with high achievement levels self-select as STEM majors, regardless of gender. In addition, they suggest that students who are not on-track for a STEM degree may need to begin remediation prior to high school. Results from the benchmark analyses indicate that STEM coursework is more demanding and that students need to be better prepared academically in science and math if planning to pursue a STEM degree. In addition, the STEM Readiness Benchmarks were more accurate in predicting success in STEM courses than if general college readiness benchmarks were utilized. Also, students who met the STEM Readiness Benchmarks were more likely to graduate with a STEM degree. This study provides valuable information on STEM readiness to students, educators, and college

  7. What Does It Mean to Be El Niño Ready?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael H. Glantz

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Once an El Niño event has been forecast, government warnings and news headlines highlight the need for society to get ready for the potential impacts of the event, whether drought, flood, heatwave, disease outbreak, or water shortage. The notion of readiness for a climate-, water- or weather-related hazard or disaster is a fuzzy term, subject to a wide range of conflicting perceptions. Not every government sees El Niño as a direct threat to the wellbeing of its citizens. In this paper, we conceptualize readiness and identify reasons that some governments do not as well as cannot prepare for El Niño’s foreseeable consequences. Central among those reasons are its characteristics: quasi-periodicity, event variability, difficulties with onset forecasting, and the fact that El Niño and its “teleconnections” are influenced by numerous other oceanic and atmospheric oscillations. As a result, there is no universally accepted approach to or reliable measure of readiness. The concept is often discussed qualitatively in terms of “shades of readiness”, such as hardly ready, somewhat ready, almost ready, and absolutely ready. Although El Niño is still difficult to forecast, the existing knowledge about it can provide usable information for decision makers to choose whether to pursue strategic or tactical disaster risk reduction policies.

  8. Effect of an Individual Readiness Assurance Test on a Team Readiness Assurance Test in the Team-Based Learning of Physiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalan, Chaya; Fox, Dainielle J.; Gaebelein, Claude J.

    2013-01-01

    We examined whether requiring an individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) before a team readiness assurance test (tRAT) would benefit students in becoming better problem solvers in physiology. It was tested in the form of tRAT scores, the time required to complete the tRAT assignment, and individual performance on the unit examinations. Students…

  9. A system architecture for sharing de-identified, research-ready brain scans and health information across clinical imaging centers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chervenak, Ann L; van Erp, Theo G M; Kesselman, Carl; D'Arcy, Mike; Sobell, Janet; Keator, David; Dahm, Lisa; Murry, Jim; Law, Meng; Hasso, Anton; Ames, Joseph; Macciardi, Fabio; Potkin, Steven G

    2012-01-01

    Progress in our understanding of brain disorders increasingly relies on the costly collection of large standardized brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data sets. Moreover, the clinical interpretation of brain scans benefits from compare and contrast analyses of scans from patients with similar, and sometimes rare, demographic, diagnostic, and treatment status. A solution to both needs is to acquire standardized, research-ready clinical brain scans and to build the information technology infrastructure to share such scans, along with other pertinent information, across hospitals. This paper describes the design, deployment, and operation of a federated imaging system that captures and shares standardized, de-identified clinical brain images in a federation across multiple institutions. In addition to describing innovative aspects of the system architecture and our initial testing of the deployed infrastructure, we also describe the Standardized Imaging Protocol (SIP) developed for the project and our interactions with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) regarding handling patient data in the federated environment.

  10. Evaluate the effectiveness of job rotation system and its impact on employees' readiness for job rotation: Case study of: Maskan bank branches in the city of Tabriz

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali-Mohammadi Farshid

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of job rotation system and its impact on employees' readiness for organizational change in the Maskan bank branches in the city of Tabriz. For this purpose, the effectiveness of job rotation system is defined based on the theory of Nana Edom and employees' readiness for organizational change based on the theory of Dunham et al., as three main hypotheses have been developed. The statistical population includes employees of Maskan bank branches in the city of Tabriz, equal to 485 people. The sample estimated 214 employees by using the Cochrane formula and selection performed by stratified random sampling method. Data collection tool was two questionnaires: the effectiveness of job rotation system referred to Nana Edom and employees' readiness for organizational change by Dunham et al. After ensuring the validity and reliability, the questionnaire distributed among them. For statistical data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used. Thus, for classifying, summarizing and describing statistical data, we used descriptive statistics methods, and to test hypotheses, t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, r Pearson and Spearman regression in SPSS software were used. The results show that the effectiveness of the job rotation system and employees' readiness for organizational change in the Maskan bank branches in the city of Tabriz level is higher than average. The results of this study show that the effectiveness of the job rotation system on employees' readiness for organizational change in the Maskan bank branches in the city of Tabriz is influential.

  11. Do iPad Applications Help Students with Developmental Disabilities Improve Life-Readiness Skills?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Michael; Barrio, Brenda; Hsiao, Yun-Ju

    2016-01-01

    Students with developmental disabilities often struggle with life-readiness skills (e.g., literacy skills such as reading and writing, task completion, and communication), which also help prepare students for the workplace. Assistive technology tools offer these students a means to do better in these areas. In this action-research study, we…

  12. Contemplative Practices in Early Childhood: Implications for Self-Regulation Skills and School Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Elizabeth; Dinehart, Laura H.

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the development of self-regulation skills in early childhood and the possibilities of children's contemplative practices as a viable tool to facilitate this development. Current research indicates that self-regulation skills in early childhood education make a significant contribution to school readiness, and long-term…

  13. Y2K compliance readiness and contingency planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stahl, S; Cohan, D

    1999-09-01

    As the millennium approaches, discussion of "Y2K compliance" will shift to discussion of "Y2K readiness." While "compliance" focuses on the technological functioning of one's own computers, "readiness" focuses on the operational planning required in a world of interdependence, in which the functionality of one's own computers is only part of the story. "Readiness" includes the ability to cope with potential Y2K failures of vendors, suppliers, staff, banks, utility companies, and others. Administrators must apply their traditional skills of analysis, inquiry and diligence to the manifold imaginable challenges which Y2K will thrust upon their facilities. The SPICE template can be used as a systematic tool to guide planning for this historic event.

  14. DOE Richland readiness review for PUREX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamorski, M.J.

    1984-01-01

    For ten months prior to the November 1983 startup of the Plutonium and URanium EXtraction (PUREX) Plant, the Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office conducted an operational readiness review of the facility. This review was performed consistent with DOE and RL Order 5481.1 and in accordance with written plans prepared by the program and safety divisions. It involved personnel from five divisions within the office. The DOE review included two tasks: (1) overview and evaluation of the operating contractor's (Rockwell Hanford) readiness review for PUREX, and (2) independent assessment of 25 significant aspects of the startup effort. The RL reviews were coordinated by the program division and were phased in succession with the contractor's readiness review. As deficiencies or concerns were noted in the course of the review they were documented and required formal response from the contractor. Startup approval was given in three steps as the PUREX Plant began operation. A thorough review was performed and necessary documentation was prepared to support startup authorization in November 1983, before the scheduled startup date

  15. Usability and Workflow Evaluation of "RhEumAtic Disease activitY" (READY). A Mobile Application for Rheumatology Patients and Providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Po-Yin; Lara, Barbara; Lopetegui, Marcelo; Bharat, Aseem; Ardoin, Stacy; Johnson, Bernadette; Mathur, Puneet; Embi, Peter J; Curtis, Jeffrey R

    2016-11-02

    RhEumAtic Disease activitY (READY) is a mobile health (mHealth) application that aims to create a shared platform integrating data from both patients and physicians, with a particular emphasis on arthritis disease activity. We made READY available on an iPad and pilot implemented it at a rheumatology outpatient clinic. We conducted 1) a usability evaluation study to explore patients' and physicians' interactions with READY, and 2) a time motion study (TMS) to observe the clinical workflow before and after the implementation. A total of 33 patients and 15 physicians participated in the usability evaluation. We found usability problems in navigation, data entry, pain assessment, documentation, and instructions along with error messages. Despite these issues, 25 (75,76%) patients reported they liked READY. Physicians provided mixed feedback because they were concerned about the impact of READY on clinical workflow. Six physicians participated in the TMS. We observed 47 patient visits (44.72 hours) in the pre-implementation phase, and 42 patient visits (37.82 hours) in the post-implementation phase. We found that patients spent more time on READY than paper (4.39mins vs. 2.26mins), but overall, READY did not delay the workflow (pre = 52.08 mins vs. post = 45.46 mins). This time difference may be compensated with READY eliminating a workflow step for the staff. Patients preferred READY to paper documents. Many found it easier to input information because of the larger font size and the ease of 'tapping' rather than writing-out or circling answers. Even though patients spent more time on READY than using paper documents, the longer usage of READY was mainly due to when troubleshooting was needed. Most patients did not have problems after receiving initial support from the staff. This study not only enabled improvements to the software but also serves as good reference for other researchers or institutional decision makers who are interested in implementing such a

  16. Climate change research in Bulgaria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iotova, A.; Koleva, E.

    1995-01-01

    Climate is traditionally one of the main fields of research interest and objects for study in Bulgaria. Therefore, many investigations on its genesis and specific features are carried out in the past and present. Recently, climate change research appears to be the most actual topic and it is in the centre of climatic studies. A major part of these studies are realized at the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) because of its essential role in collection and analysis of the basic climatic data for the country. A brief description of the climate change research at NIMH is presented and the obtained results are summarized

  17. Community Readiness Within Systems of Care: The Validity and Reliability of the System of Care Readiness and Implementation Measurement Scale (SOC-RIMS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosas, Scott R; Behar, Lenore B; Hydaker, William M

    2016-01-01

    Establishing a system of care requires communities to identify ways to successfully implement strategies and support positive outcomes for children and their families. Such community transformation is complex and communities vary in terms of their readiness for implementing sustainable community interventions. Assessing community readiness and guiding implementation, specifically for the funded communities implementing a system of care, requires a well-designed tool with sound psychometric properties. This scale development study used the results of a previously published concept mapping study to create, administer, and assess the psychometric characteristics of the System of Care Readiness and Implementation Measurement Scale (SOC-RIMS). The results indicate the SOC-RIMS possesses excellent internal consistency characteristics, measures clearly discernible dimensions of community readiness, and demonstrates the target constructs exist within a broad network of content. The SOC-RIMS can be a useful part of a comprehensive assessment in communities where system of care practices, principles, and philosophies are implemented and evaluated.

  18. Solid scintillator 'Ready Cap' for measurement with a liquid scintillation counter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ijiri, Kenichi; Endo, Masashi; Nogawa, Norio; Tsuda, Shoko; Nakamura, Aiko; Morikawa, Naotake; Osaki, Susumu.

    1990-01-01

    'Ready Cap', a small plastic container coated with solid scintillator has recently been introduced (Beckman Instruments, Inc.). Pulse height spectra and counting efficiencies obtained with a liquid scintillator and Ready Cap using a liquid scintillation counter were compared for 15 different radionuclides. For radionuclides emitting low-energy β-rays or characteristic X-rays, the spectra for Ready Cap shifted toward the higher energy side compared with the spectra for the liquid scintillator. This tendency was reversed for the nuclides emitting higher-energy β-radiations ( 36 Cl and 32 P). Generally, counting efficiencies both in Ready Cap and in liquid scintillator increased with increase in the energy of β- or X-rays. For some nuclides, Ready Cap gave higher counting efficiencies and for others it gave lower values than in the liquid scintillator. However, the differences were not large within each nuclide. The use of Ready Cap is recommended for measurements of radionuclides when liquid scintillation cocktails have no means of waste disposal under the present Japanese radioisotope regulation. (author)

  19. Changes in Methodology for Assessing Performance of Research Organisations and Influence of Such Changes on Researchers' Behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luboš Marek

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Assessing quality of research results on an international scale is a basis for evaluating the level of scientific activities pursued in research organisations. In the past 15 years, significant changes have occurred in the Czech Republic in research management and, in particular, the methodology of assessing research results. The methodology of assessment and its modifications should always be focused on increasing quality of research results; the rules of assessment have their effects on researchers' behaviour. This paper studies a question of whether the changes applied to the methodology of assessing research results in the Czech Republic have supported higher quality research results, i.e., results published in high-quality international journals. The authors have developed their own statistical test to measure significance of such changes, as well as other statistical tests of hypotheses. The main source is represented by the results of assessing public universities in the Czech Republic according to "Methodology for assessing results of research organisations" in 2010 and 2013. Our tests have not proven any statistically significant differences in the numbers of papers published in the journals monitored in the Web of Science and Scopus databases.

  20. Solar Training Network and Solar Ready Vets

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dalstrom, Tenley Ann

    2016-09-14

    In 2016, the White House announced the Solar Ready Vets program, funded under DOE's SunShot initiative would be administered by The Solar Foundation to connect transitioning military personnel to solar training and employment as they separate from service. This presentation is geared to informing and recruiting employer partners for the Solar Ready Vets program, and the Solar Training Network. It describes the programs, and the benefits to employers that choose to connect to the programs.

  1. Making Technology Ready: Integrated Systems Health Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malin, Jane T.; Oliver, Patrick J.

    2007-01-01

    This paper identifies work needed by developers to make integrated system health management (ISHM) technology ready and by programs to make mission infrastructure ready for this technology. This paper examines perceptions of ISHM technologies and experience in legacy programs. Study methods included literature review and interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. Recommendations address 1) development of ISHM technology, 2) development of ISHM engineering processes and methods, and 3) program organization and infrastructure for ISHM technology evolution, infusion and migration.

  2. Ready for kindergarten: Are intelligence skills enough?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Fitzpatrick

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated how different profiles of kindergarten readiness in terms of student intellectual ability, academic skills and classroom engagement relate to future academic performance. Participants are French-Canadian children followed in the context of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N = 670. Trained examiners measured number knowledge, receptive vocabulary and fluid intelligence when children were in kindergarten. Teachers rated kindergarten classroom engagement. Outcomes included fourth-grade teacherrated achievement and directly assessed mathematical skills. Latent class analyses revealed three kindergarten readiness profiles: high (57%, moderate (34% and low (9.3% readiness. Using multiple regression, we found that a more favourable kindergarten profile predicted better fourth-grade academic performance. Identifying children at risk of academic difficulty is an important step for preventing underachievement and dropout. These results suggest the importance of promoting a variety of cognitive, academic and behavioural skills to enhance later achievement in at-risk learners.

  3. The Readiness of English Communication Skills of Tourism Employees in Bangkok for Entering the ASEAN Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuosuwan, Bavornluck

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this research was to study the readiness of English communication skills of tourism employees in Bangkok for entering the ASEAN community. The scope of this research included the employees from 26 tourism companies. A sample group was determined by utilizing multiple-stage sampling. At least three samples were collected from each…

  4. e-Learning readiness amongst nursing students at the Durban ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Marilynne Coopasami

    c Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, ML Sultan Campus, Durban University of Technology, Durban ... education, technological and equipment readiness require attention before it can be ... strategy; consider the benefits and disadvantages of e- ... using an appropriate tool to measure e-Learning readiness has.

  5. 47 CFR 15.118 - Cable ready consumer electronics equipment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cable ready consumer electronics equipment. 15... Unintentional Radiators § 15.118 Cable ready consumer electronics equipment. (a) All consumer electronics TV... provisions of this section. Consumer electronics TV receiving equipment that includes features intended for...

  6. Contextual factors influencing readiness for dissemination of obesity prevention programs and policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreisinger, Mariah L; Boland, Elizabeth M; Filler, Carl D; Baker, Elizabeth A; Hessel, Amy S; Brownson, Ross C

    2012-04-01

    Within the realm of obesity prevention research, there have been many promising interventions to improve physical activity and nutrition among diverse target populations. However, very little information is known about the dissemination and replication of these interventions. In 2007 and 2008 as part of a larger obesity prevention initiative, Missouri Foundation for Health funded 19 community-based programs throughout the state that showed promise of being model practices and committed to promoting their dissemination. Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with 64 individuals across the grant sites to help stage their readiness for dissemination. Through these interviews, the project team was able to identify the variables that impact a program's readiness for widespread distribution. Some factors contributing to readiness include: strong intervention planning and an existing sustainability plan; physical space available for the intervention; staff and monetary resources; administrative buy-in; community buy-in and engagement; a strong partner base and an agency with a healthy and active mission. These findings add to the literature by systematically identifying a set of key contextual variables. The qualitative data collected support a proposed framework and helps to establish a process for maintaining successful interventions based on several important factors that impact dissemination.

  7. Sleep Duration and School Readiness of Chinese Preschool Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tso, Winnie; Rao, Nirmala; Jiang, Fan; Li, Albert Martin; Lee, So-Lun; Ho, Frederick Ka-Wing; Li, Sophia Ling; Ip, Patrick

    2016-02-01

    To examine the average sleep duration in Chinese preschoolers and to investigate the association between sleep duration and school readiness. This is a cross-sectional study that included 553 Chinese children (mean age = 5.46 years) from 20 preschools in 2 districts of Hong Kong. Average daily sleep duration in the last week was reported by parents and school readiness as measured by the teacher-rated Chinese Early Development Instrument (CEDI). Most Chinese preschoolers had 9-10 hours of sleep per day. Only 11% of preschoolers had the recommended 11-12 hours of sleep per day. This group was associated with more "very ready" CEDI domains. Sleep deprivation (≤7 hours per day) was associated with a lower CEDI total score, lower scores in the emotional maturity and language/cognitive domain, and prosocial behaviors subdomain but a greater score in the hyperactivity/inattention subdomain. Children with a lower family socioeconomic index, lower maternal education level, infrequent parent-child interactions, and who used electronic devices for more than 3 hours per day had shortened sleep durations. Optimal sleep duration was associated with better school readiness in preschool children, whereas sleep deprivation was associated with lower school readiness, more hyperactivity and inattention, and less prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. College Readiness versus College Worthiness: Examining the Role of Principal Beliefs on College Readiness Initiatives in an Urban U.S. High School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Convertino, Christina; Graboski-Bauer, Ashley

    2018-01-01

    In light of increasing emphasis on the importance of post-secondary education to personal economic security, there is growing interest to promote college readiness initiatives in high schools, particularly for low-income and minority students for whom the harmful effects of institutional inequities on college readiness is well-documented.…

  9. The Readiness of Typical Student in Communication By Using Sign Language in Hearing Impairment Integration Programe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd Hanafi Mohd Yasin

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available This research is regarding the readiness of typical student in communication by using sign language in Hearing Impairment Integration Programme. There were 60 typical students from a Special Education Integration Programme of secondary school in Malacca were chosen as research respondents. The instrument of the research was a set of questionnaire which consisted of four parts, namely Student’s demography (Part A, Student’s knowledge (Part B, Student’s ability to communicate (Part C and Student’s interest to communicate (Part D. The questionnaire was adapted from the research of Asnul Dahar and Rabiah's 'The Readiness of Students in Following Vocational Subjects at Jerantut District, Rural Secondary School in Pahang'.  Descriptive analysis was used to analysis the data. Mean score was used to determine the level of respondents' perception of each question. The findings showed a positive relationship between typical students towards communication medium by using sign language. Typical students were seen to be interested in communicating using sign language and were willing to attend the Sign Language class if offered.

  10. Self-directed learning readiness of Asian students: students perspective on a hybrid problem based learning curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leatemia, Lukas D; Susilo, Astrid P; van Berkel, Henk

    2016-12-03

    To identify the student's readiness to perform self-directed learning and the underlying factors influencing it on the hybrid problem based learning curriculum. A combination of quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted in five medical schools in Indonesia. In the quantitative study, the Self Directed Learning Readiness Scale was distributed to all students in all batches, who had experience with the hybrid problem based curriculum. They were categorized into low- and high -level based on the score of the questionnaire. Three focus group discussions (low-, high-, and mixed level) were conducted in the qualitative study with six to twelve students chosen randomly from each group to find the factors influencing their self-directed learning readiness. Two researchers analysed the qualitative data as a measure of triangulation. The quantitative study showed only half of the students had a high-level of self-directed learning readiness, and a similar trend also occurred in each batch. The proportion of students with a high level of self-directed learning readiness was lower in the senior students compared to more junior students. The qualitative study showed that problem based learning processes, assessments, learning environment, students' life styles, students' perceptions of the topics, and mood, were factors influencing their self-directed learning. A hybrid problem based curriculum may not fully affect the students' self-directed learning. The curriculum system, teacher's experiences, student's background and cultural factors might contribute to the difficulties for the student's in conducting self-directed learning.

  11. Validation of patient and nurse short forms of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale and their relationship to return to the hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Marianne E; Costa, Linda L; Yakusheva, Olga; Bobay, Kathleen L

    2014-02-01

    To validate patient and nurse short forms for discharge readiness assessment and their associations with 30-day readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits. A total of 254 adult medical-surgical patients and their discharging nurses from an Eastern US tertiary hospital between May and November, 2011. Prospective longitudinal design, multinomial logistic regression analysis. Nurses and patients independently completed an eight-item Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale on the day of discharge. Patient characteristics, readmissions, and ED visits were electronically abstracted. Nurse assessment of low discharge readiness was associated with a six- to nine-fold increase in readmission risk. Patient self-assessment was not associated with readmission; neither was associated with ED visits. Nurse discharge readiness assessment should be added to existing strategies for identifying readmission risk. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  12. Individual Ready Reserve: It's Relevance in Supporting the Long War

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chisholm, Shelley A

    2008-01-01

    ... in sustaining personnel readiness while supporting on going operations. In response to meeting these personnel readiness concerns, the Army Reserve will require the call-up of Soldiers currently serving in the IRR...

  13. Managing Military Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-02-01

    These metrics contain critical information and have their place in readiness management. However, they have never been sufficient to fully...demand signals along with simultaneity assumptions form the es- sence of the operational requirements in national strategy. This section briefly... places demands on the capability and capacity of the Air Force that consume its resources in today’s fight and exceed our capacity to address

  14. Market readiness report : status of preparation for Ontario's competitive retail electricity market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) assumes a leadership role in the electricity sector to ensure the readiness of retail participants in Ontario's competitive electricity market. The Market Readiness Project Team is instrumental in this activity. The team, led by the Independent Electricity Market Operator, provides information and advice regarding the technical readiness of the retail industry, with particular focus on the readiness of distributors to carry out their important functions in a competitive market. This report provides an assessment of the team regarding the industry's technical readiness based on information as of December 14, 2001. The status of retail market readiness was reviewed in terms of the viability of the design of the new competitive market and on the status of Ontario distributors in enabling a competitive market. The workplan for the remaining industry activities needed to achieve market opening were then summarized along with the contingency arrangements for any distributors that are not ready for market opening. Based on several projections, an estimated 88 per cent of Ontario contracts will be served by a distributor starting on a May 1, 2002 market opening. tabs., figs., appendices

  15. Irradiation of ready made meals -Lasagne

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barkia, Ines

    2007-01-01

    The effect of ionizing radiation on the microbiological, nutritional, chemical and sensory quality of chilled ready-made meals was assessed. The ready meals used for this experimental work are lasagne. Following arrival at the semi-industrial Cobalt 60 irradiation facility, the meals were either left unirradiated or irradiated with doses of 2 or 4 kGy after which they were stored for up to 23 days at 3C. Results showed that 2 or 4 kGy doses of gamma irradiation decreased the total counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and increased the shelf-life of lasagne. In terms of nutritional quality, it was found that losses of vitamin A and E due to irradiation treatment were considerable at 4 kGy. Total acidity, and p H, were all well within the acceptable limit for up to one week for ready meals treated with 2 and 4 kGy whereas peroxide index showed high values at 4 kGy. Sensory results showed no significant differences between the non-irradiated and irradiated meals at 2 kGy. However, the results were less promising at 4 kGy since differences were significant. (Author). 60 refs

  16. Predictors of long-term change of a physical activity promotion programme in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez, Alvaro; Grandes, Gonzalo; Ortega Sánchez-Pinilla, Ricardo; Torcal, Jesus; Montoya, Imanol

    2014-02-04

    Further research is needed to improve the evidence regarding determinants of physical activity (PA) as a crucial step to plan higher effective intervention strategies. The goal of the present study is to identify socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of primary care (PHC) insufficiently active patients that are associated with longitudinal changes in the level of physical activity. Longitudinal analysis of baseline socio-demographic and clinical predictors of physical activity change in insufficiently active PHC patients who participated in a PA-promoting multi-centre randomized clinical trial conducted from October 2003 through March 2006. The primary outcome measure was the self-reported physical activity assessed with the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR), at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. Baseline covariates included sex, age, social class, anthropometric measures and other cardiovascular risk factors or associated diseases (Diabetes, HTA, tobacco use, etc.), and stage of readiness to change PA. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal association of studied variables on PA change over the three follow-up measurements. A total of 3691 patients (85% of the 4317 recruited in the trial) with at least one follow-up measurement were included in the longitudinal analysis. At baseline, analysed patients (mean age: 50.6 years; 64.6% women) devoted 34.7 minutes and 2.36 metabolic equivalent hours per week (MET.h/week) to moderate and vigorous physical activity. Older age, male gender, higher social class, lower BMI, diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension, and measurement season were significant predictors of PA longitudinal change. The effect of baseline readiness to change on PA dose was modified by time, showing a positive gradient in favour of those with more readiness to change that increases significantly at 12 and 24 months (p-value interaction < .0001). Identified baseline characteristics such as readiness to change and

  17. Assessing the relationship between technology readiness and continuance intention in an E-appointment system: relationship quality as a mediator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shih-Chih; Jong, Din; Lai, Min-Tsai

    2014-09-01

    Numerous types of self-service technologies have prevailed due to innovations in network and information technology. To hospitals, patient intentions to continue to use the e-appointment system are crucial. Previous investigations discussed only the relationships between the technology readiness of users and their continuance intentions, and ignored the most important mediator, relationship quality. This study explored the relationships among technology readiness, relationship quality, and continuance intention. The research results demonstrated that both optimism and innovativeness significantly and positively influenced continuance intention through the mediating effect of relationship quality. However, discomfort and insecurity hid not significantly influence relationship quality or continuance intention. Finally, theoretical contributions, managerial implications and future research directions were discussed.

  18. Children's Readiness Gains in Publically Funded, Community-Based Pre-Kindergarten Programs for 4 Year Olds and Preschool for 3 Year Olds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Peggy; Warde, Beverly; Peluso, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Background: Many states provide public funding to facilitate school readiness for community-based pre-K and preschool programs for 4 year old children and "at risk" 3 year old children. Little research exists on the school readiness gains of children participating in these "garden variety" community-based programs. Objective:…

  19. Comment on "Monkey vocal tracts are speech-ready".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieberman, Philip

    2017-07-01

    Monkey vocal tracts are capable of producing monkey speech, not the full range of articulate human speech. The evolution of human speech entailed both anatomy and brains. Fitch, de Boer, Mathur, and Ghazanfar in Science Advances claim that "monkey vocal tracts are speech-ready," and conclude that "…the evolution of human speech capabilities required neural change rather than modifications of vocal anatomy." Neither premise is consistent either with the data presented and the conclusions reached by de Boer and Fitch themselves in their own published papers on the role of anatomy in the evolution of human speech or with the body of independent studies published since the 1950s.

  20. Computer-Based Assessment of School Readiness and Early Reasoning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csapó, Beno; Molnár, Gyöngyvér; Nagy, József

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the potential of using online tests for the assessment of school readiness and for monitoring early reasoning. Four tests of a face-to-face-administered school readiness test battery (speech sound discrimination, relational reasoning, counting and basic numeracy, and deductive reasoning) and a paper-and-pencil inductive…

  1. The Readiness of Students to Learn Interprofessional Teamwork in Antenatal Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dina Zakiyyatul Fuadah

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Indonesia as a developing country have a higher Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR. The prevention efforts is developing interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP in the level of health care. Collaboration attitudes should start from education level through interprofessional education training and simulation for student. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of interprofessional education training toward the readiness of students to learn interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Methods: Quasi-experimental design (pre test and post test without control with Time-Series Design. Participants used in this study were students of five semester in STIKes Karya Husada Kediri year of 2011/2012 and the number of samples are 60 students. Technique sampling using simple random. The data collected by used questionnaires Readiness Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS and checklist observations using Teamwork Score (TWS. Anova, Friedman test, and Kruskal Wallis was used to statistically analyzed the data. Results: Readiness to learn interprofessional teamwork indicates the value of p = 0.001 thats means there are significant differences between the readiness before and after training IPE. Delta test showed that p value > 0.05 so there is no difference between the three programs study on readiness to learn interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Discussion: Interprofessional education training using simulation methods can affect the readiness of nursing, midwifery and nutritionist students for learning interprofessional teamwork in antenatal care. Keywords: interprofessional education, readiness, training and simulations, pre clinics students, antenatal care.

  2. Implementation plan for WRAP Module 1 operational readiness review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Irons, L.G.

    1994-01-01

    The Waste Receiving and Processing Module 1 (WRAP 1) will be used to receive, sample, treat, and ship contact-handled (CH) transuranic (TRU), low-level waste (LLW), and low-level mixed waste (LLMW) to storage and disposal sites both on the Hanford site and off-site. The primary mission of WRAP 1 is to characterize and certify CH waste in 55-gallon and 85-gallon drums; and its secondary function is to certify CH waste standard waste boxes (SWB) and boxes of similar size for disposal. The WRAP 1 will provide the capability for examination (including x-ray, visual, and contents sampling), limited treatment, repackaging, and certification of CH suspect-TRU waste in 55-gallon drums retrieved from storage, as well as newly generated CH LLW and CH TRU waste drums. The WRAP 1 will also provide examination (X-ray and visual only) and certification of CH LLW and CH TRU waste in small boxes. The decision to perform an Operational Readiness Review (ORR) was made in accordance with WHC-CM-5-34, Solid Waste Disposal Operations Administration, Section 1.4, Operational Readiness Activities. The ORR will ensure plant and equipment readiness, management and personnel readiness, and management programs readiness for the initial startup of the facility. This implementation plan is provided for defining the conduct of the WHC ORR

  3. Technology Readiness of School Teachers: An Empirical Study of Measurement and Segmentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badri, Masood; Al Rashedi, Asma; Yang, Guang; Mohaidat, Jihad; Al Hammadi, Arif

    2014-01-01

    The Technology Readiness Index (TRI) developed by Parasuraman (2000) was adapted to measure the technology readiness of public school teachers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The study aims at better understanding the factors (mostly demographics) that affect such readiness levels. In addition, Abu Dhabi teachers are segmented into five main…

  4. Defining School Readiness in Maryland: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective. Publication #2012-44

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forry, Nicole; Wessel, Julia

    2012-01-01

    Increased emphasis has been placed on children's ability to enter kindergarten ready to learn, a concept referred to as "school readiness." School readiness has been defined by the Maryland State Department of Education as "the stage of human development that enables a child to engage in, and benefit from, primary learning…

  5. GIS Readiness Survey 2014

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schrøder, Lise; Hvingel, Line Træholt; Hansen, Henning Sten

    2014-01-01

    The GIS Readiness Survey 2014 is a follow-up to the corresponding survey that was carried out among public institutions in Denmark in 2009. The present survey thus provides an updated image of status and challenges in relation to the use of spatial information, the construction of the com- mon...

  6. School Readiness Factor Analyzed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brenner, Anton; Scott, Leland H.

    This paper is an empirical statistical analysis and interpretation of data relating to school readiness previously examined and reported on a theoretical basis. A total of 118 white, middle class children from six consecutive kindergarten groups in Dearborn, Michigan were tested with seven instruments, evaluated in terms of achievement, ability,…

  7. Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea

    OpenAIRE

    Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin; Ryu, Kisang

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' ...

  8. Toward the Language-Ready Brain: Biological Evolution and Primate Comparisons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arbib, Michael A

    2017-02-01

    The approach to language evolution suggested here focuses on three questions: How did the human brain evolve so that humans can develop, use, and acquire languages? How can the evolutionary quest be informed by studying brain, behavior, and social interaction in monkeys, apes, and humans? How can computational modeling advance these studies? I hypothesize that the brain is language ready in that the earliest humans had protolanguages but not languages (i.e., communication systems endowed with rich and open-ended lexicons and grammars supporting a compositional semantics), and that it took cultural evolution to yield societies (a cultural constructed niche) in which language-ready brains could become language-using brains. The mirror system hypothesis is a well-developed example of this approach, but I offer it here not as a closed theory but as an evolving framework for the development and analysis of conflicting subhypotheses in the hope of their eventual integration. I also stress that computational modeling helps us understand the evolving role of mirror neurons, not in and of themselves, but only in their interaction with systems "beyond the mirror." Because a theory of evolution needs a clear characterization of what it is that evolved, I also outline ideas for research in neurolinguistics to complement studies of the evolution of the language-ready brain. A clear challenge is to go beyond models of speech comprehension to include sign language and models of production, and to link language to visuomotor interaction with the physical and social world.

  9. Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires

    Science.gov (United States)

    This site provides an online Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires, which lists resources and tools that provide information on health impacts from smoke exposure, current fire conditions and forecasts and strategies to reduce exposure to smoke.

  10. Possibility to Use Mobile Learning to Promote World Heritage Site Preservation Awareness in Luang Prabang, Lao Pdr: a Readiness Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poong, Y. S.; Yamaguchi, S.; Takada, J.

    2013-07-01

    This paper elucidates the current state of mobile technology readiness among young adults in higher education institution based on surveys and interviews. Although Lao PDR is ranked as low category in the ICT Index by International Telecommunication Union (ITU), findings show that there exists high level of readiness among the young adults. Recommendations for future research are developed to guide the development of mobile learning application with the aim to promote World Heritage Site preservation awareness.

  11. A social-ecological model of readiness for transition to adult-oriented care for adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, L A; Tuchman, L K; Hobbie, W L; Ginsberg, J P

    2011-11-01

    Policy and research related to transition to adult care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) has focused primarily on patient age, disease skills and knowledge. In an effort to broaden conceptualization of transition and move beyond isolated patient variables, a new social-ecological model of AYA readiness for transition (SMART) was developed. SMART development was informed by related theories, literature, expert opinion and pilot data collection using a questionnaire developed to assess provider report of SMART components with 100 consecutive patients in a childhood cancer survivorship clinic. The literature, expert opinion and pilot data collection support the relevance of SMART components and a social-ecological conceptualization of transition. Provider report revealed that many components, representing more than age, disease knowledge and skills, related to provider plans for transferring patients. SMART consists of inter-related constructs of patients, parents and providers with emphasis on variables amenable to intervention. Results support SMART's broadened conceptualization of transition readiness and need for assessment of multiple stakeholders' perspectives of patient transition readiness. A companion measure of SMART, which will be able to be completed by patients, parents and providers, will be developed to target areas of intervention to facilitate optimal transition readiness. Similar research programmes to establish evidence-based transition measures and interventions are needed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. External Factors, Internal Factors and Self-Directed Learning Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramli, Nurjannah; Muljono, Pudji; Afendi, Farit M.

    2018-01-01

    There are many factors which affect the level of self-directed learning readiness. This study aims to investigate the relationship between external factors, internal factors and self-directed learning readiness. This study was carried out by using a census method for fourth year students of medical program of Tadulako University. Data were…

  13. E-Learning Readiness in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouma, Gordon O.; Awuor, Fredrick M.; Kyambo, Benjamin

    2013-01-01

    As e-learning becomes useful to learning institutions worldwide, an assessment of e-learning readiness is essential for the successful implementation of e-learning as a platform for learning. Success in e-learning can be achieved by understanding the level of readiness of e-learning environments. To facilitate schools in Kenya to implement…

  14. System analysis for technology transfer readiness assessment of horticultural postharvest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayuningtyas, M.; Djatna, T.

    2018-04-01

    Availability of postharvest technology is becoming abundant, but only a few technologies are applicable and useful to a wider community purposes. Based on this problem it requires a significant readiness level of transfer technology approach. This system is reliable to access readiness a technology with level, from 1-9 and to minimize time of transfer technology in every level, time required technology from the selection process can be minimum. Problem was solved by using Relief method to determine ranking by weighting feasible criteria on postharvest technology in each level and PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique) to schedule. The results from ranking process of post-harvest technology in the field of horticulture is able to pass level 7. That, technology can be developed to increase into pilot scale and minimize time required for technological readiness on PERT with optimistic time of 7,9 years. Readiness level 9 shows that technology has been tested on the actual conditions also tied with estimated production price compared to competitors. This system can be used to determine readiness of technology innovation that is derived from agricultural raw materials and passes certain stages.

  15. Effects of Personnel Injuries on Cinc Mission Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-09-01

    activities in which injury may be sustained: ACTSPEC (activity specific): 1 =N/A 5 = 0 Course 9 = Fastrope 13 = Patrolling 2 = Running 6 = Weightlifting 10...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS EFFECTS OF PERSONNEL INJURIES ON CINC MISSION READINESS by Erin G. Snow September, 1997...Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE EFFECTS OF PERSONNEL INJURIES ON CINC MISSION READINESS 6. AUTHOR(S) Snow, Erin G. 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING

  16. Length of stay after vaginal birth: sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Marianne; Ryan, Polly; Lokken, Lisa; Nelson, Magdalen

    2004-06-01

    The impact of reductions in postpartum length of stay have been widely reported, but factors influencing length of hospital stay after vaginal birth have received less attention. The study purpose was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge of new mothers and their newborns at 3 discharge time intervals, and to determine which variables were associated with postpartum length of stay. The study sample comprised 1,192 mothers who were discharged within 2 postpartum days after uncomplicated vaginal birth at a tertiary perinatal center in the midwestern United States. The sample was divided into 3 postpartum length-of-stay groups: group 1 (18-30 hr), group 2 (31-42 hr), and group 3 (43-54 hr). Sociodemographic and readiness-for-discharge data were collected by self-report and from a computerized hospital information system. Measures of readiness for discharge included perceived readiness (single item and Readiness for Discharge After Birth Scale), documented maternal and neonatal clinical problems, and feeding method. Compared with other groups, the longest length-of-stay group was older; of higher socioeconomic status and education; and with more primiparous, breastfeeding, white, married mothers who were living with the baby's father, had adequate home help, and had a private payor source. This group also reported greater readiness for discharge, but their newborns had more documented clinical problems during the postbirth hospitalization. In logistic regression modeling, earlier discharge was associated with young age, multiparity, public payor source, low socioeconomic status, lack of readiness for discharge, bottle-feeding, and absence of a neonatal clinical problem. Sociodemographic characteristics and readiness for discharge (clinical and perceived) were associated with length of postpartum hospital stay. Length of stay is an outcome of a complex interface between patient, provider, and payor influences on discharge timing

  17. Checklist for clinical readiness published

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scientists from NCI, together with collaborators from outside academic centers, have developed a checklist of criteria to evaluate the readiness of complex molecular tests that will guide decisions made during clinical trials. The checklist focuses on tes

  18. Validating Acquisition IS Integration Readiness with Drills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wynne, Peter J.

    2017-01-01

    To companies, mergers and acquisitions are important strategic tools, yet they often fail to deliver their expected value. Studies have shown the integration of information systems is a significant roadblock to the realisation of acquisition benefits, and for an IT department to be ready......), to understand how an IT department can use them to validate their integration plans. The paper presents a case study of two drills used to validate an IT department’s readiness to carry out acquisition IS integration, and suggests seven acquisition IS integration drill characteristics others could utilise when...

  19. Balancing the Readiness Equation in Early Childhood Education Reform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Christopher P.

    2010-01-01

    As policy-makers continue to implement early childhood education reforms that frame the field as a mechanism that is to ready children for elementary school success, questions arise as to how the multiple variables in the readiness equation, such as the child, family, and program, are affected by these policies. The instrumental case study…

  20. Technology Readiness for the Smart Grid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirkham, Harold; Marinovici, Maria C.; Fitzpatrick, G.; Lindsey, K.; McBride, James; Clark, G. L.

    2013-06-30

    Reluctance to adopt new technology into a utility application is understandable, given the critical nature of the infrastructure and the less-than-ideal experiences of some power companies. The authors of this paper have considered adapting the NASA approach of classifying technology readiness, but find it not quite appropriate because NASA was both the developer and the eventual user of the new technology it was evaluating, whereas a utility is ordinarily in the mode of a customer, acquiring a new product from a manufacturer. Instead of a generic scale of technology readiness, a scale of readiness is proposed specifically for the smart grid, based on the many standards that exist for the relevant technologies. In this paper we present an overall structure for organization those standards. The acceptance of new technology is organized into five SGL (Smart Grid Level) steps, numbered five through 9 to correspond approximately to the last five numbers of the NASA TRL scale. SGL 5 is a certification that the hardware and software of the technology is safe for the system into which is intended to be placed. SGL 6 is documentation that the system is safe for itself, and will have adequate reliability. It is thus clear that the steps differ from NASA’s TRL in that technology development is not required, the transition is more one of documenting already existing system readiness. Since SGL 6 describes a system that is safe for the power system and for itself, it should not be restricted from being in a pilot-scale study, and achieving SGL 7. A larger-scale demonstration in a realistic environment will demonstrate interoperability and achieve SGL 8. Only when systems are installed and operating, and when disposal plans are in place will the designation of fully operable at SGL 9 be granted.

  1. Conjoint behavioral consultation: implementing a tiered home-school partnership model to promote school readiness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Brandy L; Sheridan, Susan M; Woods, Kathryn E

    2014-01-01

    An ecological perspective to school readiness focuses on child and family readiness by enhancing the developmental contexts and relationships within which children reside (e.g., home environment, parent-child relationship, home-school relationships). The Getting Ready intervention is an ecological, relationally based, tiered intervention providing both universal and intensive services to children and families to promote child and family school readiness. Intensive level consultation services were provided via Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC; Sheridan & Kratochwill, 1992 , 2008 ). The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation and effects of CBC within the Getting Ready intervention to promote child and family school readiness. Keys to successful implementation of the CBC intervention and issues needing further investigation are discussed.

  2. 78 FR 15009 - Extension of Deadline; Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-08

    ... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Extension of Deadline; Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)--College Savings Account Research Demonstration Project AGENCY: Office of... published in the Federal Register (78 FR 4838) a notice inviting applications for the GEAR UP College...

  3. The policy relevance of global environmental change research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yarnal, Brent

    1996-01-01

    Many scientists are striving to identify and promote the policy implications of their global change research. Much basic research on global environmental change cannot advance policy directly, but new projects can determine the relevance of their research to decision makers and build policy-relevant products into the work. Similarly, many ongoing projects can alter or add to the present science design to make the research policy relevant. Thus, this paper shows scientists working on global change how to make their research policy relevant. It demonstrates how research on physical global change relates to human dimensions studies and integrated assessments. It also presents an example of how policy relevance can be fit retroactively into a global change project (in this case, SRBEX-the Susquehanna River Basin Experiment) and how that addition can enhance the project's status and science. The paper concludes that policy relevance is desirable from social and scientific perspectives

  4. Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI)

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) is dedicated to understanding the problems of global climate change and their potential solutions. The Institute...

  5. Study of the Readiness of Czech Companies to the Industry 4.0

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jakub Kopp

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the results of the questionnaire survey that analyzes the readiness of Czech companies on the trend of the Industry 4.0. It means mainly whether Czech companies are interested in the fourth industrial revolution and whether they are ready for this trend. The readiness is expressed in defined levels.

  6. Treatment readiness, attitudes toward, and experiences with methadone and buprenorphine maintenance therapy among people who inject drugs in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijay, Aishwarya; Bazazi, Alexander R; Yee, Ilias; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L

    2015-07-01

    Little is known about attitudes toward and experiences with opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) among people who inject drugs in Malaysia, a country where people who inject drugs comprise 1.3% of the adult population. In 2010, 460 people who inject drugs in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were surveyed to evaluate attitudes toward and experiences with OMT and treatment readiness. Attitudes towards OMT with both methadone and buprenorphine were assessed using an opinions scale. Multivariable linear regression was used to assess correlates of treatment readiness, measured with the 19-item Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES). All 460 participants used opioids and nearly all (99.1%) met criteria for opioid dependence. Few had had previous experience with methadone (9.3%) or buprenorphine (12.6%) maintenance therapy, yet many had used methadone (55.2%) or buprenorphine (51.7%) outside of treatment settings. Fifteen percent had injected buprenorphine in the past month, and of the few that were currently receiving buprenorphine maintenance therapy, almost all were injecting it. The majority of subjects exhibited a moderate level of treatment readiness and a preference for methadone over buprenorphine. Those with low treatment readiness scores were more likely to have previous experience with compulsory drug detention centers (polder age (ppeople who inject drugs that may be improved by addressing factors that influence patient attitudes. Those individuals with moderate treatment readiness may be targeted by brief motivational and cognitive interventions in primary care, prisons or OMT clinics aimed at improving entry into and retention in treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. When are nursing students on clinical placements ready to expand their learning repertoire?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holmberg, Marlene; Stisen, Bente Kjærgaard; Grau, Sarah M.

    2018-01-01

    Learning styles indicate an individual’s preferred way of learning. Research suggests that it is important for students on clinical placements to begin the learning process with the preferred learning style and subsequently develop their ability to use other styles and become more balanced learners....... What is unknown is when baccalaureate nursing students are ready to develop the other learning styles, and what facilitates such an expansion in their learning style repertoire? This is important, because students need to develop the abilities to learn both by acting and by deepen their knowledge...... of theory to meet the requirements of the nursing profession. An American study found that operating room students felt confident to adopt new learning styles by the third week of clinical placements. No studies to date have retrieved a similar pattern of readiness to expand learning style repertoire among...

  8. Development of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context (WRITIC)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hartingsveldt, Margo J.; de Vries, Liesbeth; Cup, Edith HC; de Groot, Imelda JM; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria WG

    2014-01-01

    This article describes the development of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context (WRITIC), a measurement evaluating writing readiness in Dutch kindergarten children (5 and 6 years old). Content validity was established through 10 expert evaluations in three rounds. Construct validity was

  9. Framework for Designing The Assessment Models of Readiness SMEs to Adopt Indonesian National Standard (SNI), Case Study: SMEs Batik in Surakarta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahma, Fakhrina; Zakaria, Roni; Fajar Gumilang, Royan

    2018-03-01

    Since the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is released, the opportunity to expand market share has become very open, but the level of competition is also very high. Standardization is believed to be an important factor in seizing opportunities in the AEC’s era and other free trade agreements in the future. Standardization activities in industry can be proven by obtaining certification of SNI (Indonesian National Standard). This is a challenge for SMEs, considering that currently only 20% of SMEs had SNI certification both product and process. This research will be designed a model of readiness assessment to obtain SNI certification for SMEs. The stages of model development used an innovative approach by Roger (2003). Variables that affect the readiness of SMEs are obtained from product certification requirements established by BSN (National Standardization Agency) and LSPro (Certification body). This model will be used for mapping the readiness for SNI certification of SMEs’product. The level of readiness of SMEs is determined by the percentage of compliance with those requirements. Based on the result of this study, the five variables are determined as main aspects to assess SME readiness. For model validation, trials were conducted on Batik SMEs in Laweyan Surakarta.

  10. Mini-Split Heat Pump Evaluation and Zero Energy Ready Home Support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herk, Anastasia [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    2017-01-01

    IBACOS worked with builder Imagine Homes to evaluate the performance of an occupied new construction test house following construction of the house in the hot, humid climate of San Antonio, Texas. The project measures the effectiveness of a space conditioning strategy using a multihead mini-split heat pump (MSHP) system in a reduced-load home to achieve acceptable comfort levels (temperature and humidity) and energy performance. IBACOS collected long-term data and analyzed the energy consumption and comfort conditions of the occupied house after one year of operation. Although measured results indicate that the test system provides comfort both inside and outside the ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 range, the occupants of the house claimed both adequate comfort and appreciation of the ease of use and flexibility of the installed MSHP system. IBACOS also assisted the builder to evaluate design and specification changes necessary to comply with Zero Energy Ready Home, but the builder chose to not move forward with it because of concerns about the 'solar ready' requirements of the program.

  11. NGNP Infrastructure Readiness Assessment: Consolidation Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castle, Brian K.

    2011-01-01

    The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project supports the development, demonstration, and deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The NGNP project is being reviewed by the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) to provide input to the DOE, who will make a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, whether or not to continue with Phase 2 of the NGNP project. The NEAC review will be based on, in part, the infrastructure readiness assessment, which is an assessment of industry's current ability to provide specified components for the FOAK NGNP, meet quality assurance requirements, transport components, have the necessary workforce in place, and have the necessary construction capabilities. AREVA and Westinghouse were contracted to perform independent assessments of industry's capabilities because of their experience with nuclear supply chains, which is a result of their experiences with the EPR and AP-1000 reactors. Both vendors produced infrastructure readiness assessment reports that identified key components and categorized these components into three groups based on their ability to be deployed in the FOAK plant. The NGNP project has several programs that are developing key components and capabilities. For these components, the NGNP project have provided input to properly assess the infrastructure readiness for these components.

  12. NGNP Infrastructure Readiness Assessment: Consolidation Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brian K Castle

    2011-02-01

    The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project supports the development, demonstration, and deployment of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). The NGNP project is being reviewed by the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (NEAC) to provide input to the DOE, who will make a recommendation to the Secretary of Energy, whether or not to continue with Phase 2 of the NGNP project. The NEAC review will be based on, in part, the infrastructure readiness assessment, which is an assessment of industry's current ability to provide specified components for the FOAK NGNP, meet quality assurance requirements, transport components, have the necessary workforce in place, and have the necessary construction capabilities. AREVA and Westinghouse were contracted to perform independent assessments of industry's capabilities because of their experience with nuclear supply chains, which is a result of their experiences with the EPR and AP-1000 reactors. Both vendors produced infrastructure readiness assessment reports that identified key components and categorized these components into three groups based on their ability to be deployed in the FOAK plant. The NGNP project has several programs that are developing key components and capabilities. For these components, the NGNP project have provided input to properly assess the infrastructure readiness for these components.

  13. Work-readiness skills in the Fasset Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melandi Raftopoulos

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine the work -readiness skills that are regarded as important by employers and graduates in the Fasset Sector of South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was  used  to  achieve  this  objective.  Two  convenience  samples, namely  24  employers  and  333 graduates, completed  the Work Readiness Skills Scale. This scale was validated as a one-factor model with  an  alpha  coeffcient of  0.88. Oral  and written  communication,  self-discipline,  time management, interpersonal skills and teamwork, problem-solving skills and positive work ethic were rated as important skills for securing employment in this sector by employers and graduates alike. In addition, employers valued numeracy skills and motivation, whereas graduates regarded confidence and  leadership skills as  important. The results have implications for the curriculum design of the Fasset Work Readiness Programme presented to graduates in this industry.

  14. Comprehensive assessment of the status scientific and technical projects using Technology Project Readiness Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. N. Petrov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The balanced methodology for assessing the Technology Project Readiness Level for commercialization (TPRL is proposed. TPRL allows to determine the dynamics and balance of development projects that use the standardized approaches used in assessing the readiness of the technology. Validation of the methodology undertaken for the projects of Federal target programs “Research and development on priority directions of development of scientific-technological complex of Russia for 2007–2013” and “Research and development on priority directions of development of scientific-technological complex of Russia for 2014–2020”. The obtained results showed the possibility of application of the methodology for the evaluation of projects, improving efficiency of expert activity in the evaluation of projects, monitoring the status of individual project and group of projects (portfolio. The application of the methodology allowed us to improve the management of individual project and portfolio of projects.Methodology TPRL will allow the implementers, industry partners, investors, and innovative industrial companies to improve the efficiency of its activities.

  15. Measuring Success: Metrics that Link Supply Chain Management to Aircraft Readiness

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Balestreri, William

    2002-01-01

    ..., The Theory of Constraints proved to be a viable tool for establishing aircraft readiness as the ultimate goal of Marine Corps aviation logistics, and provided a means for identifying and eliminating readiness...

  16. National Labs Host Classroom Ready Energy Educational Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, C. D.

    2009-12-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE) has a clear goal of joining all climate and energy agencies in the task of taking climate and energy research and development to communities across the nation and throughout the world. Only as information on climate and energy education is shared with the nation and world do research labs begin to understand the massive outreach work yet to be accomplished. The work at hand is to encourage and ensure the climate and energy literacy of our society. The national labs have defined the K-20 population as a major outreach focus, with the intent of helping them see their future through the global energy usage crisis and ensure them that they have choices and a chance to redirect their future. Students embrace climate and energy knowledge and do see an opportunity to change our energy future in a positive way. Students are so engaged that energy clubs are springing up in highschools across the nation. Because of such global clubs university campuses are being connected throughout the world (Energy Crossroads www.energycrossroads.org) etc. There is a need and an interest, but what do teachers need in order to faciliate this learning? It is simple, they need financial support for classroom resources; standards based classroom ready lessons and materials; and, training. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a Department of Energy Lab, provides standards based education materials to schools across the nation. With a focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency education, NREL helps educators to prompt students to analyze and then question their energy choices and evaluate their carbon footprint. Classrooms can then discover the effects of those choices on greenhouse gas emmissions and climate change. The DOE Office of Science has found a way to contribute to teachers professional development through the Department of Energy Academics Creating Teacher Scientists (DOE ACTS) Program. This program affords teachers an opportunity to

  17. Cigarette Purchasing Patterns, Readiness to Quit, and Quit Attempts Among Homeless Smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wrighting, Quentaxia; Businelle, Michael S; Kendzor, Darla E; LeBlanc, Hannah; Reitzel, Lorraine R

    2017-11-07

    Cigarette purchasing patterns may be linked with greater readiness to make a quit attempt and more quit attempts among domiciled samples. However, little is known about the cigarette purchasing patterns of homeless smokers or their potential relations to quitting intention and behaviors. This study redressed this gap among a convenience sample of homeless adult smokers from a large shelter in Dallas, Texas. Participants (N = 207; Mage = 43; 71.5% male) smoked ≥100 cigarettes over the lifetime and endorsed current daily smoking. Variables assessed included cigarette dependence (time to first cigarette of the day), monthly income, quantity of cigarettes most recently purchased, average money spent on cigarettes weekly, readiness/motivation to quit smoking, and the number intentional quit attempts lasting ≥24h in the past year. Regression analyses were conducted to characterize associations of cigarette purchasing patterns with readiness to quit and quit attempts controlling for sex, age, cigarette dependence, and income. Most participants purchased cigarettes by the pack (61.4%), and more than half the sample spent ≤$20 on cigarettes per week. Results indicated that spending less money per week on cigarettes was associated with greater readiness to quit (P = .016), even when controlling for income, cigarette dependence, and other covariates. Stratified analyses indicated that this association was significant only for homeless smokers reporting no regular monthly income. Homeless daily smokers with no reported income who spend little money on cigarettes may make particularly apt targets for cessation interventions due to potential associations with quitting motivation. Adults who are homeless smoke at greater rates and quit at lower rates than domiciled adults, leading to significant smoking-related health disparities among this group. Findings suggest that cigarette purchasing patterns are linked with readiness to quit smoking among smokers who are homeless

  18. MEASURING STAFF MEMBERS E READINESS TOWARDS E LEARNING AT EGYPTIAN FACULTIES OF TOURISM AND HOTELS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elsayed Hussein Elsayed Ali

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Information and Communication Technology (ICT has made life much different than it was before especially in Education. E learning is becoming increasingly prominent in higher education, with universities increasing provision and more students signing up. E learning in the university context is influenced by a number of factors. However, the researcher particular interest in this paper in the e readiness of the staff memberfor e learning at the Egyptian faculties of tourism and hotels in Fayoum, Menia, Helwan and Alex. This is to the increasing and flexible market that is difficult to research by only traditional education.This research measures the staff members’ e readiness for e learning at the faculties of tourism and hotels in Egypt which influenced by a number of factors and dimensions. These are technical and pedagogical competences, experience scale and attitude Scale but the research will concentrate on the first dimension. This may help Tourism faculties to promote the use of IT in teaching and learning and also apply e learning effectively in these faculties to make qualified students for market work. Data was collected through a questionnaire of 92 staff member (professor, assistant professor and lecturers of tourism studies, hotel management and Tourism Guidance departments. Also this research is based on a basic hypothesis that there is a shortage and insufficient of staff members e readiness for e learning. The paper contains also typical e learning quality framework , SPSS program was used to analyses the data and reach to the finding of this study as frequencies, standard deviation, means, t test per pair between the two dimension pedagogical and technical competencies, also average mean to measure this dimension, also cronbach alpha was made to ensure the reliability, beside the validity was been achieved. The findings have been indicated that the staff member at faculties of tourism and hotels have a good level in pedagogical

  19. The Correlation of Parenting and Socioeconomic Status Towards English Learning Readiness of Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andi Ummul Khair

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This research is about the correlation of Parenting and Socioeconomic Status (SES towards English Learning Readiness (ELR of children. This study was aimed to find out the correlation of parenting quality and socioeconomic status towards English learning readiness of children. This research applied quantitative research, the case conducts in correlational research which describes an existing condition. The population of this research was students from all elementary school in Kecamatan Tamalate Makassar where English is tought at second grade. The representation of the population in this research is the 2nd year students of six elementary schools in Kecamatan Tamalate academic year of 2012/2013 who have collected the two questionnaires which is distributed to them and filled out by their parents. Total number of the sample is 105 students chosen from the questionnaires which is collected and has filled properly by parents. The data were obtained by using two kinds of instruments, those are questionnaires of parenting and socioeconomic status which have tested the validity in a number of students and data of the ELR of children got from student’s English achievement in school. Those data were analyzed by using path analysis of Amos 20.0. The researcher concludes that (1 the correlation of parenting with ELR indicates the higher quality of parenting they have the higher children gain ELR, on the contrary the less quality of parenting they have the less children gain ELR, (2 SES has almost none indication to have correlation with ELR, (3 The higher SES the better parenting do and the lower SES the worst parenting do.

  20. Reflections on e-Learning Readiness in Albanian Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ezmolda Barolli

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays e-Learning has been identified to be the future of learning worldwide since the very powerful platform of the Internet has accelerated the speed of communication. Adoption of e-learning has become the latest trend across universities all over the world. Albania is part of a global shift from material resources to knowledge and intellectual resources as the basis for economic growth. Educators across Albania are aware that students must have an education that enables the students to participate successfully in and contribute to the knowledge economy. E-Learning readiness is an initial part of e- Learning development. In order to benefit from e-learning, higher education institutions in Albania should conduct considerable up-front analysis to assess their readiness. In this paper we are trying to examine the status of e-Learning readiness in Albania, analyzing and discussing several components and criteria based on literature.

  1. FORMATION OF RESEARCH COMPETENCE IN TECHNICAL COLLEGE POSTGRADUATES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry Vladimirovich Katchalov

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The modern model of professional education is geared to meet the challenges of innovation development of economy and society and is an important element in the training of specialists who are ready to the transformation of the world and reality.Until recently, the goals of higher education formulated by studying a set of knowledge and skills. But today’s situation is that now the order of the society is fixed on reclaiming the gra-duates who are ready to actively participate in the production process, showing the ability to solve practical problems that they faced with.In order to solve the existing contradictions between society’s need for qualified professionals and the existing system of training modern higher professional education is focused on achieving the goal of quality of education, the result of which is the formation of a strong knowledge and skills, the ability to operate in a rapidly changing environment, readiness to implement continuing education. This leads to the fact that amplifies an urgent need in the formation at university students general and professional competencies.Despite the large number of studies devoted to the problems of formation of general and professional competences, the question of determining the specificity of the content, conditions, ways and means of forming research competence of postgraduates remains open. There is a need for scientific substantiation and development of pedagogical bases of formation of research competence in technical college postgraduates.

  2. Research for the thermal change. Contributions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szczepanski, Petra; Wunschick, Franziska; Martin, Niklas

    2016-01-01

    The energy transition in the heating sector is not a sure-fire success and it is too slow. This is alarming since the heating / cooling sector is responsible for more than half of the final energy demand. That the ''thermal change'' has accelerated hardly despite many efforts by politics, industry and research in recent years, is the reason for the scientists the FVEE institutes to examine the perspectives of renewable energy and the need to increase efficiency in the heating sector systematically. therefore FVEE-2015 Annual Meeting, is entitled ''Research for the thermal change''. The contributions of this conference proceedings present the latest research results and show ways to implement the heat change technically, economically and politically. They are dedicated to the drivers, but also the barriers of heat change. The authors report on innovative projects to provide buildings with heat from geothermal energy, biomass and solar thermal energy. Several contributions are dedicated to the application of efficient components, such as thermal insulation, thermal storage and heat pumps. [de

  3. Effects of Preschool Intervention Strategies on School Readiness in Kindergarten

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xin; Nelson, Regena F.; Shen, Jianping; Krenn, Huilan Y.

    2015-01-01

    Using hierarchical linear modeling, the present study aimed to examine whether targeted intervention strategies implemented individually during a preschool program exhibited any short-term and long-term effects on children's school readiness in kindergarten, utilizing data gathered through the Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK)…

  4. The Finnish research programme on climate change. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roos, J [ed.

    1997-12-31

    This is the final report of the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU). This report includes the final results and conclusions made by the individual research groups. The aim of this report is to lay out the research work, and to present the main results and conclusions obtained during the six-year work. The Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU) was a multidisciplinary national research programme on climate and global change. The principal goals of SILMU were: (1) to increase our knowledge on climate change, its causes, mechanisms and consequences, (2) to strengthen the research on climate change in Finland, (3) to increase the participation of Finnish researchers in international research programmes, and (4) to prepare and disseminate information for policy makers on adaptation and mitigation. The key areas of the research were: (1) quantification of the greenhouse effect and the magnitude of anticipated climatic changes,(2) assessment of the effects of changing climate on ecosystems, and (3) development of mitigation and adaptation strategies. The research programme started in June 1990, and it comprised more than 80 individual research projects, ranging from atmospheric chemistry to economics. There were approximately two hundred scientists working within the programme in seven universities and eleven research institutions. The research activities that comprise SILMU were grouped into four interdisciplinary subprogrammes: atmosphere, waters, terrestrial ecosystems and integration and human interactions

  5. The Finnish research programme on climate change. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roos, J. [ed.

    1996-12-31

    This is the final report of the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU). This report includes the final results and conclusions made by the individual research groups. The aim of this report is to lay out the research work, and to present the main results and conclusions obtained during the six-year work. The Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU) was a multidisciplinary national research programme on climate and global change. The principal goals of SILMU were: (1) to increase our knowledge on climate change, its causes, mechanisms and consequences, (2) to strengthen the research on climate change in Finland, (3) to increase the participation of Finnish researchers in international research programmes, and (4) to prepare and disseminate information for policy makers on adaptation and mitigation. The key areas of the research were: (1) quantification of the greenhouse effect and the magnitude of anticipated climatic changes,(2) assessment of the effects of changing climate on ecosystems, and (3) development of mitigation and adaptation strategies. The research programme started in June 1990, and it comprised more than 80 individual research projects, ranging from atmospheric chemistry to economics. There were approximately two hundred scientists working within the programme in seven universities and eleven research institutions. The research activities that comprise SILMU were grouped into four interdisciplinary subprogrammes: atmosphere, waters, terrestrial ecosystems and integration and human interactions

  6. Predictive Power of Attention and Reading Readiness Variables on Auditory Reasoning and Processing Skills of Six-Year-Old Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erbay, Filiz

    2013-01-01

    The aim of present research was to describe the relation of six-year-old children's attention and reading readiness skills (general knowledge, word comprehension, sentences, and matching) with their auditory reasoning and processing skills. This was a quantitative study based on scanning model. Research sampling consisted of 204 kindergarten…

  7. Getting African climate change research recognised

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Denton, Fatima; Anderson, Simon; Ayers, Jessica

    2011-11-15

    Across Africa, programmes such as the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa initiative are investigating what it means for countries and communities to effectively adapt to climate change, and how this can be achieved in practice. But research results are not always recognised by policymakers or the global research community — in part because they are not visible within the traditional hallmark of scientific scholarship and credibility, peer-reviewed literature. Greater efforts are required to encourage African scientists to engage in the peer-review process and give their research the credibility it needs to convince decision makers that robust scientific findings support the solutions offered. At the same time, decision makers themselves must find ways of assessing and making use of robust research outside the peer-review arena.

  8. Quality changes and shelf-life extension of ready-to-eat fish patties by adding encapsulated citric acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bou, Ricard; Claret, Anna; Stamatakis, Antonios; Martínez, Brigitte; Guerrero, Luis

    2017-12-01

    Citric acid is commonly used as a flavoring and preservative in food and beverages. The effect of adding citric acid directly or encapsulated (each at 1 and 2 g kg -1 ) on the quality and shelf-life of ready-to-eat sea bass patties was evaluated during storage at 4 °C in vacuum skin packaging. Microbial growth and total basic volatile nitrogen were maintained at relatively low levels up to 8 weeks of storage. With respect to oxidative stability, the addition of encapsulated citric acid minimized secondary oxidation values more efficiently than its direct addition, regardless of the concentration. This is in agreement with the decreased fishy odor observed in those patties containing encapsulated citric acid. Accordingly, sensory analysis showed that the addition of encapsulated citric acid at 1 g kg -1 resulted in lower scores in fish aroma compared to that of the control. Sourness is dependent on the amount of citric acid added, regardless of the form (direct or encapsulated). The form of citric acid addition, rather than the amount of citric acid added, caused changes in texture. Therefore, the use of encapsulated citric acid represents a suitable strategy that is of great interest in the seafood industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Assessing Learners' Perceived Readiness for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL): A Study on Initial Development and Validation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Yao; So, Hyo-Jeong; Toh, Yancy

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of this study was to develop an instrument that assesses university students' perceived readiness for computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL). Assessment in CSCL research had predominantly focused on measuring "after-collaboration" outcomes and "during-collaboration" behaviors while…

  10. Operational readiness review for the Waste Experimental Reduction Facility. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-11-01

    An Operational Readiness Review (ORR) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory's (INEL's) Waste Experimental Reduction Facility (WERF) was conducted by EG ampersand G Idaho, Inc., to verify the readiness of WERF to resume operations following a shutdown and modification period of more than two years. It is the conclusion of the ORR Team that, pending satisfactory resolution of all pre-startup findings, WERF has achieved readiness to resume unrestricted operations within the approved safety basis. ORR appraisal forms are included in this report

  11. Organizational e-readiness web: a model for evaluating e-readiness of Iranian commercial banks in order to develop e-banking

    OpenAIRE

    Chitsazan, Hasti; Keimasi, Masoud

    2015-01-01

    E-banking through mutual benefits for customers and banks has become a necessity in the banking industry nowadays. In spite of this, e-banking has not spread in Iran as it is appropriate.In a general categorization it can be said that E-readiness of banks and environmental e-readiness are two effective factors on development of e-banking which have been referred in different studies some models have been proposed in this regard in macro industries and others. However, no specific model has be...

  12. EG&G Florida, Inc., KSC base operations contractor Launch Readiness Assessment System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geaslen, W. D.

    1988-01-01

    A computerized Launch Readiness Assessment System (LRAS) which compares 'current status' of readiness against the 'required status' of readiness for the Space Shuttle. The five subsystems of the LRAS are examined in detail. The LRAS Plan specifies the overall system requirements, procedures, and reports. The LRAS Manager drives the operation of the LRAS system. The Responding Units (RU) maintain support plans and procedures which specify the detail requirements for each mission or milestone. The Master Data Tables contain the milestone, responsible RU relationships, and requirements assessment categories. The LRAS Status System serves as the launch readiness assessment reporting system. The relationships between these subsystems are displayed in diagrams.

  13. Exploring entrepreneurial readiness of youth and startup success components: Entrepreneurship training as a moderator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seun Azeez Olugbola

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available From the behavioral perspective, this study analyzed the entrepreneurial readiness of youth in terms of opportunity identification, motivational factors, resources, and entrepreneurial ability. The study examined the effect of entrepreneurship training on young people's readiness to engage in entrepreneurial activity and the components behind successful startups. SEM was applied to a sample of 490 students from the Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. The findings highlight the positive effect of opportunity identification, motivation, and resources on entrepreneurship and the central role of entrepreneurship training in all factors, including entrepreneurial ability. The role of entrepreneurship training implies that young individuals are able to develop their entrepreneurial ability. The study thus shows the individual's ability to change over the course of a lifetime. For individuals interested in the startup process, this study provides information capable of influencing their new business ventures.

  14. Nuclear explosives testing readiness evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valk, T.C.

    1993-09-01

    This readiness evaluation considers hole selection and characterization, verification, containment issues, nuclear explosive safety studies, test authorities, event operations planning, canister-rack preparation, site preparation, diagnostic equipment setup, device assembly facilities and processes, device delivery and insertion, emplacement, stemming, control room activities, readiness briefing, arming and firing, test execution, emergency response and reentry, and post event analysis to include device diagnostics, nuclear chemistry, and containment. This survey concludes that the LLNL program and its supporting contractors could execute an event within six months of notification, and a second event within the following six months, given the NET group`s evaluation and the following three restraints: (1) FY94 (and subsequent year) funding is essentially constant with FY93, (2) Preliminary work for the initial event is completed to the historical sic months status, (3) Critical personnel, currently working in dual use technologies, would be recallable as needed.

  15. K-Reactor readiness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rice, P.D.

    1991-01-01

    This document describes some of the more significant accomplishments in the reactor restart program and details the magnitude and extent of the work completed to bring K-Reactor to a state of restart readiness. The discussion of restart achievements is organized into the three major categories of personnel, programs, and plant. Also presented is information on the scope and extent of internal and external oversight of the efforts, as well as some details on the startup plan

  16. The changing landscape for clinical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinig, S J; Quon, A S; Meyer, R E; Korn, D

    1999-06-01

    The authors review the history of U.S. clinical research and identify the profound changes stemming from advancements in the biomedical sciences, the recent transformation in the organization and financing of health care delivery, and the increasing application of information technologies. They observe that the enterprise must reorganize to account for the changed landscape, but there is a lack of the data necessary to monitor change and determine the extent to which clinical research is successfully realigning and sustaining itself. The authors discuss the evolving definition, scope, and venues for clinical research, and review previous analyses of clinical research's difficulties and remedies proposed: shared responsibility in the financing of academic medicine, support by federal and private health insurers for routine costs of patient care in clinical trials, and strengthened collaboration between and among industry, academia, insurers, and government. The authors conclude by describing two major initiatives to foster clinical investigation in the new landscape. The first is the Clinical Research Summit Project, a convocation of representative stakeholders from the health care system with an interest in clinical research, whose charge will be to formulate a national agenda for clinical research that has the broad-based support of the stakeholders. Among the challenges of this undertaking are the needs to identify new and stable sources of support for clinical research infrastructure, assess the future workforce needs for clinical investigation, and devise new methods to ensure the continued vitality and account-ability of clinical research. The second is the Clinical Research Task Force, an initiative of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which is already exploring and advising on how AAMC member organizations can best strengthen their capacity to support clinical research programs in the current scientific, health care delivery, and financial

  17. Enhancing Mental Readiness in Military Personnel

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Thompson, Megan M; McCreary, Donald R

    2006-01-01

    In this paper we explore how the psychological literature on stress and coping might inform military training programs to enhance "mental readiness" as a method to develop the baseline psychological...

  18. Battlespace Logistics Readiness and Sustainment Research

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Jacobs, John T

    2005-01-01

    ... and evaluate logistics technologies. Within the scope of this program specific research tasks could be focused on feasibility studies, cost benefit analyses, modeling and simulation data and algorithms, front-end analyses, field test...

  19. Physico-chemical stability of eribulin mesylate containing concentrate and ready-to-administer solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spindeldreier, Kirsten; Thiesen, Judith; Lipp, Hans-Peter; Krämer, Irene

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the stability of commercially available eribulin mesylate containing injection solution as well as diluted ready-to-administer solutions stored under refrigeration or at room temperature. Stability was studied by a novel developed stability-indicating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) assay with ultraviolet detection (detection wavelength 200 nm). Triplicate test solutions of eribulin mesylate containing injection concentrate (0.5 mg/mL) and with 0.9% sodium chloride solution diluted ready-to-administer preparations (0.205 mg/mL eribulin mesylate in polypropylene (PP) syringes, 0.020 mg/mL eribulin mesylate in polypropylene/polyethylene (PE) bags) were stored protected from light either at room temperature (25) or under refrigeration (2-8). Samples were withdrawn on day 0 (initial), 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 of storage and assayed. Physical stability was determined by measuring the pH value once a week and checking for visible precipitations or colour changes. The stability tests revealed that concentrations of eribulin mesylate remained unchanged over a period of 28 days irrespective of concentration, container material or storage temperature. Neither colour changes nor visible particles have been observed. The pH value varied slightly over time but remained in the stability favourable range of 5-9. Eribulin mesylate injection (0.5 mg/mL) is physico-chemically stable over a period of 28 days after first puncture of the vial. After dilution with 0.9% NaCl vehicle solution, ready-to-administer eribulin mesylate injection solutions (0.205 mg/mL in PP syringe) and infusion solutions (0.02 mg/mL in prefilled PP/PE bags) are physico-chemically stable for a period of at least four weeks either refrigerated or stored at room temperature. For microbiological reasons storage under refrigeration is recommended.

  20. Onderzoek online readiness modezaken 2012

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boels, Han; Weltevreden, Jesse

    2013-01-01

    In dit onderzoek is de online readiness van modezaken in 2012 in kaart gebracht. In totaal hebben 124 (voornamelijk zelfstandige) modezaken deelgenomen aan het onderzoek. Het onderzoek is uitgevoerd door het lectoraat Online Ondernemen samen met studenten van de minor Marketing Tomorrow van de

  1. Onderzoek online readiness rijscholen 2013

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weltevreden, Jesse; Boels, Han

    2013-01-01

    In dit onderzoek is de online readiness van rijscholen in 2013 in kaart gebracht. In totaal hebben 115 rijscholen deelgenomen aan het onderzoek. Het onderzoek is uitgevoerd door het lectoraat Online Ondernemen samen met studenten van de minor Marketing Tomorrow van de Hogeschool van Amsterdam.

  2. Remedial action and waste disposal project: 100-B/C remedial action readiness report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    April, J.G.; Bryant, D.L.; Cislo, G.B.

    1996-07-01

    This Readiness Evaluation Report presents the results of the project readiness evaluation to assess the readiness of the 100-B/C source sites remediation. The 100-B/C Area is located at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. The evaluation was conducted at the conclusion of a series of readiness activities that began in May 1996. These activities included confirming the completion of project specific procedures, training of staff, obtaining support equipment, receipt of subcontractor submittals, approval of subcontractor submittals, and mobilization and construction of site support systems

  3. A Harmonized Process Model for Digital Forensic Investigation Readiness

    OpenAIRE

    Valjarevic , Aleksandar; Venter , Hein

    2013-01-01

    Part 2: FORENSIC MODELS; International audience; Digital forensic readiness enables an organization to prepare itself to perform digital forensic investigations in an efficient and effective manner. The benefits include enhancing the admissibility of digital evidence, better utilization of resources and greater incident awareness. However, a harmonized process model for digital forensic readiness does not currently exist and, thus, there is a lack of effective and standardized implementations...

  4. DISPOSABLE DIAPER IMPACT THE TODDLER’S TOILET TRAINING READINESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuni Sufyanti Arief

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction : Toilet training is an important developmental milestone in every child’s life. The children who wear cloth diapers than disposable diaper are out of diaper 12 months earlier because they can feel the wetness when they urinate. Kinds of underwear may facilitate the development of toileting skill. The objective of this study was to learn differentiation about toilet training practised between the toddler who ever wear disposable diaper and the toddler who never wear disposable diaper. Method : This study used case control design. Population was consist of 45 toddler in 24-36 month old. The samples were 34 respondents, 21 toddler as 1st group  who ever wear disposable diaper and 13 toddler as 2nd group who never one, taken according to inclusion criteria. The independent variables were wear disposable diaper and never one. The dependent variable was toilet training practised such as the toileting skill of toddler, method of toilet training by the parent, toddler readiness to start toilet training and the parents and environment readiness to start toilet training for toddler. Data were taken by using questionnaire and analysed using Mann Whitney test with significance level of  α<0.05. Result : The result showed that there was no differentiation about the toileting skill of toddler (p=0.631, method of toilet training (p=0.249, and the parents and environment readiness to start toilet training (p=0.207 between the groups. There was differentiation about the toddler readiness to start toilet training between the groups with significance level p=0.000. Analysis : It can be concluded that there are no differentiation about the toilet training practiced beetwen the groups. Discussion : Disposable diaper has influences in the toddler readiness to start toilet training. It has no influences in the toileting skill of toddler, method of toilet training by the parent, and the parents and environment readiness to start toilet training.

  5. Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin; Ryu, Kisang

    2010-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies.

  6. Consumer behaviors towards ready-to-eat foods based on food-related lifestyles in Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Hyun-Joo; Chae, Mi-Jin

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine consumers' behaviors toward ready-to-eat foods and to develop ready-to-eat food market segmentation in Korea. The food-related lifestyle and purchase behaviors of ready-to-eat foods were evaluated using 410 ready-to-eat food consumers in the Republic of Korea. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis (health-orientation, taste-orientation, convenience-orientation, and tradition-orientation) to explain the ready-to eat food consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis indicated that "tradition seekers" and "convenience seekers" should be regarded as the target segments. Chi-square tests and t-tests of the subdivided groups showed there were significant differences across marital status, education level, family type, eating-out expenditure, place of purchase, and reason for purchase. In conclusion, the tradition seekers consumed more ready-to-eat foods from discount marts or specialty stores and ate them between meals more often than the convenience seekers. In contrast, the convenience seekers purchased more ready-to-eat foods at convenience stores and ate them as meals more often than the tradition seekers. These findings suggest that ready-to-eat food market segmentation based on food-related lifestyles can be applied to develop proper marketing strategies. PMID:20827350

  7. Evaluating a public sector organisation for SDI readiness – the case of a South African government department

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Hlela, S

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available within the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) by describing DEA’s contribution to the South African SDI objectives and by assessing DEA’s SDI readiness.The qualitative method was used to collect data. The techniques used in this research were...

  8. DES Science Portal: II- Creating Science-Ready Catalogs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fausti Neto, Angelo; et al.

    2017-08-18

    We present a novel approach for creating science-ready catalogs through a software infrastructure developed for the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We integrate the data products released by the DES Data Management and additional products created by the DES collaboration in an environment known as DES Science Portal. Each step involved in the creation of a science-ready catalog is recorded in a relational database and can be recovered at any time. We describe how the DES Science Portal automates the creation and characterization of lightweight catalogs for DES Year 1 Annual Release, and show its flexibility in creating multiple catalogs with different inputs and configurations. Finally, we discuss the advantages of this infrastructure for large surveys such as DES and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The capability of creating science-ready catalogs efficiently and with full control of the inputs and configurations used is an important asset for supporting science analysis using data from large astronomical surveys.

  9. Validation of Transition Readiness Assessment Questionaire in Turkish Adolescents with Diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evrim Kızıler

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Today, more than 90% of adolescents with chronic conditions survive into adulthood and move from pediatric care to adult care for the management of their chronic illness. It is important to grant autonomy and ensure that adolescents/young adults are ready to use the adult health care system prior to the transfer of care. However, the lack of a transition readiness assessment tool that is validated, patient-centered, and appropriate to developmental differences in pediatric care is a major obstacle for the transition of care from pediatric services to adult services. Aims: This study examined the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire, which assesses the readiness for transition from pediatric to adult health care for adolescents/young adults with diabetes mellitus. Study Design: Methodological study. Methods: Participants were 109 adolescents/young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus aged 14-21 years. After permission was obtained to adapt the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire, the Turkish Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire and self-care scale were administered to participants through face-to-face interviews at two pediatric endocrinology clinics. Validity was evaluated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and content-scope validity assessment; reliability was evaluated by item-total score correlation and continuity methods. Internal reliability was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and criterion validity assessment. Results: The item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis identified five basic dimensions, with high internal consistency (0.89-0.75. The ratio χ2/df and other conformity indices were a good fit to the data. The correlation coefficient in the analyses of test-retest scores was 0.86 for the total scale (p<0.05, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.88 for overall scale

  10. Two-Agent Single-Machine Scheduling of Jobs with Time-Dependent Processing Times and Ready Times

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan-Yee Kung

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Scheduling involving jobs with time-dependent processing times has recently attracted much research attention. However, multiagent scheduling with simultaneous considerations of jobs with time-dependent processing times and ready times is relatively unexplored. Inspired by this observation, we study a two-agent single-machine scheduling problem in which the jobs have both time-dependent processing times and ready times. We consider the model in which the actual processing time of a job of the first agent is a decreasing function of its scheduled position while the actual processing time of a job of the second agent is an increasing function of its scheduled position. In addition, each job has a different ready time. The objective is to minimize the total completion time of the jobs of the first agent with the restriction that no tardy job is allowed for the second agent. We propose a branch-and-bound and several genetic algorithms to obtain optimal and near-optimal solutions for the problem, respectively. We also conduct extensive computational results to test the proposed algorithms and examine the impacts of different problem parameters on their performance.

  11. The Naval Aviation Enterprise Type/Model/Series Team and Its Effect on AH-1W Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-23

    Team Structure 28 9 Current Readiness Process The Current Readiness Process assesses the readiness metrics, or Key Performance Indicators ( KPIs ...CR CFT and the Marine Corps leadership to shift resources to close the gap. Aircraft Readiness Aircraft availability is one of the KPIs that the T...Commandant of Aviation DRRS Defense Readiness Reporting System FMC Full Mission Capable GAO General Accounting Office GSE Ground Support Equipment KPI

  12. Assessing students' readiness towards e-learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahim, Nasrudin Md; Yusoff, Siti Hawa Mohd; Latif, Shahida Abd

    2014-07-01

    The usage of e-Learning methodology has become a new attraction for potential students as shown by some higher learning institutions in Malaysia. As such, Universiti Selangor (Unisel) should be ready to embark on e-Learning teaching and learning in the near future. The purpose of the study is to gauge the readiness of Unisel's students in e-Learning environment. A sample of 110 students was chosen to participate in this study which was conducted in January 2013. This sample consisted of students from various levels of study that are foundation, diploma and degree program. Using a structured questionnaire, respondents were assessed on their basic Internet skills, access to technology required for e-Learning and their attitude towards characteristics of successful e-Learning student based on study habits, abilities, motivation and time management behaviour. The result showed that respondents did have access to technology that are required for e-Learning environment, and respondents were knowledgeable regarding the basic Internet skills. The finding also showed that respondents' attitude did meet all characteristics of successful e-Learning student. Further analysis showed that there is no significant relationshipeither among gender, level of study or faculty with those characteristics. As a conclusion, the study shows that current Unisel's students are ready to participate in e-Learning environment if the institution decided to embark on e-Learning methodology.

  13. Climate change and Finland. Summary of the Finnish research programme on climate change (SILMU)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-12-31

    Anthropogenic impacts on the Earth`s atmosphere are expected to cause significant global climate changes during the next few decades. These changes will have many consequences both in nature and on human activities. In order to investigate the implications of such changes in Finland, a six-year multidisciplinary national research programme on climate and global change, the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU), was initiated in 1990. The key research areas were: (1) quantification of the greenhouse effect and the magnitude of anticipated climate changes, (2) assessment of the effects of changing climate on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and (3) development of mitigation and adaptation strategies

  14. Climate change and Finland. Summary of the Finnish research programme on climate change (SILMU)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    Anthropogenic impacts on the Earth's atmosphere are expected to cause significant global climate changes during the next few decades. These changes will have many consequences both in nature and on human activities. In order to investigate the implications of such changes in Finland, a six-year multidisciplinary national research programme on climate and global change, the Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change (SILMU), was initiated in 1990. The key research areas were: (1) quantification of the greenhouse effect and the magnitude of anticipated climate changes, (2) assessment of the effects of changing climate on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and (3) development of mitigation and adaptation strategies

  15. What Makes Offenders with an Intellectual Disability Ready to Engage with Psychological Therapy? A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breckon, Susan E.; Smith, Ian C.; Daiches, Anna

    2013-01-01

    Although there are established links between measures of readiness for psychological therapy in offenders and subsequent reduction in recidivism rates there has been a lack of theoretical research considering this process within the intellectual disability (ID) offender population. Grounded theory methodology was used to explore the process by…

  16. Socioeconomic Status of Parents and the Achievement of Children on Readiness for School Tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anela Hasanagic

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Socioeconomic status is often determined like the academic background of parents, and it can be determined like the place of living, village or town, city, as well. Socioeconomic status is an important factor in many aspects of living as in academic achievement as well. Problem in this research paper was to examine whether there are differences between children from different socio-economic status (level of education of parents and between children from villages and towns, on Readiness for school tests. The sample was constituted 296 kids, half from villages, and half from towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tests that were used are: Differences test, Similarities test, Numerical test, Trace test, Knowledge Test, Questionnaire for measuring socio-emotional maturity, and Goodenough's Draw-a-Man Test. Results show that there are statistically significant differences between children from different socio-economic background. Children whose parents are low educated have lower results on Readiness for school test, comparing with children whose parents have finished high school or university level. There were differences between village and town children only on Goodenough's Draw-a-Man Test and on Similarity test, while on other instruments place of living was not important factor for achievement on Readiness for School Test.

  17. Manpower Management: No Tiered Readiness - Enabling The Nation’s Force in Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-09

    readiness. The calculus of effectively pulling resources from the DEP must be driven from the FORCESYNCH, but align to institutional plans. The...physically qualified (medical, dental , panorex) 2,D, D,H,Q Pregnancy (after determination by proper authority) N Postpartum (up to six...months after delivery) Dental Class 3 or 4 Physical Evaluation Board determination R E ADMINISTRATIVE End of active

  18. Ready, set, stop: mismatch between self-care beliefs, transition readiness skills, and transition planning among adolescents, young adults, and parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawicki, Gregory S; Kelemen, Skyler; Weitzman, Elissa R

    2014-10-01

    Health care transition (HCT) from pediatric to adult-focused systems is a key milestone for youth. Developing self-care skills and HCT planning are key elements. In a survey at 4 pediatric specialty clinics to 79 youth aged 16 to 25 years and 52 parents, skill-based HCT readiness was assessed using the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ). Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association between TRAQ scores and self-care beliefs. In all, 70% of youth and 67% of parents believed that they/their child could manage their care. Only 38% of youth and 53% of parents reported thinking about HCT; only 18% of youth and 27% of parents reported having a HCT plan. Youth with higher TRAQ scores were more likely to believe they could manage their care, controlling for age and gender (adjusted odds ratio = 4.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.7-9.5). Transition readiness skills are associated with self-care beliefs. However, a mismatch exists between high reported self-care beliefs and low levels of transition planning. © The Author(s) 2014.

  19. Ready, set, go: a cross-sectional survey to understand priorities and preferences for multiple health behaviour change in a highly disadvantaged group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noble, Natasha; Paul, Christine; Sanson-Fisher, Robert; Turon, Heidi; Turner, Nicole; Conigrave, Katherine

    2016-09-13

    Socially disadvantaged groups, such as Aboriginal Australians, tend to have a high prevalence of multiple lifestyle risk factors, increasing the risk of disease and underscoring the need for services to address multiple health behaviours. The aims of this study were to explore, among a socially disadvantaged group of people attending an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS): a) readiness to change health behaviours; b) acceptability of addressing multiple risk factors sequentially or simultaneously; and c) preferred types of support services. People attending an ACCHS in regional New South Wales (NSW) completed a touchscreen survey while waiting for their appointment. The survey assessed participant health risk status, which health risks they would like to change, whether they preferred multiple health changes to be made together or separately, and the types of support they would use. Of the 211 participants who completed the survey, 94 % reported multiple (two or more) health risks. There was a high willingness to change, with 69 % of current smokers wanting to cut down or quit, 51 % of overweight or obese participants wanting to lose weight and 44 % of those using drugs in the last 12 months wanting to stop or cut down. Of participants who wanted to make more than one health change, over half would be willing to make simultaneous or over-lapping health changes. The most popular types of support were help from a doctor or Health Worker and seeing a specialist, with less than a quarter of participants preferring telephone or electronic (internet or smart phone) forms of assistance. The importance of involving family members was also identified. Strategies addressing multiple health behaviour changes are likely to be acceptable for people attending an ACCHS, but may need to allow flexibility in the choice of initial target behaviour, timing of changes, and the format of support provided.

  20. Can NATO's new Very High Readiness Joint Task Force deter?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rynning, Sten; Ringsmose, Jens

    2017-01-01

    ” a distinct strategic rival – Russia. Chief among the Welsh summit initiatives was the decision to set up a new multinational spearhead force – the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) – as part of an enhanced NATO Response Force (NRF) and within the framework of a so-called Readiness Action Plan (RAP...