Competency Program Research Articles

TECHNOLOGIES OF TEACHING TO IDENTIFY FAKES IN THE “INFOMEDIA LITERACY” COURSE

Today, in the conditions of increased information pressure, the need for critical perception of media messages has become acute. Media literacy skills should become the basic competencies of every person. In this context, the significance of the course “Information Media Literacy” is growing as its aim is to develop in students ability to thoughtfully perceive media materials and critically interpret them, including identification of fakes and manipulations. The Russian-Ukrainian war provoked a quantitative increase in the deliberate spread of misinformation, which includes fakes. Their spread is extremely dangerous. False messages can be used to manipulate peopleʼs minds and cause interpersonal and global conflicts. The purpose of the publication is to substantiate the need and provide technologies for the development of skills to identify fake messages while studying the course “Information Media Literacy”. To achieve this goal, the following methods have been used: descriptive (classification, document analysis), media linguistic (rhetorical, cognitive, discursive analysis of media texts), content monitoring, content analysis.
 The research findings revealed that awareness of the need to include media literacy in the educational process dates back to the 60s of the twentieth century, and its main objectives were formulated by UNESCO in 2007. In 2010, the Concept of Implementing Media Education in the educational process was adopted in Ukraine. The discipline “Information Media Literacy” became the basis for its implementation in TNPU, which involves the development of studentsʼ relevant media and cultural competencies. The formation of critical immunity of the media audience is based on the algorithm of identification of fake information. The study of fake markers was the subject of practical educational technologies tested in the educational process of TNPU. The proposed tasks are designed to develop skills for recognizing signs of fakeness in the information space. Each task provides methodical tools: the purpose, program competencies and learning outcomes, the order of performing and options for justification of answers. In particular, the tasks involved developing skills to work with sources of information; ask questions, justify oneʼs own point of view; evaluate and interpret events; identify fakes, propaganda and manipulation tools in texts and headlines. Tasks are aimed at achieving the following learning outcomes by students: the ability to demonstrate the appropriate level of critical thinking and understanding of the level of information impact on the individual; ability to interpret current phenomena (fake news, information attacks, manipulation, etc.) of the information space for a wide audience, to increase the level of its media literacy.

Teaching program evaluation: How blending theory and practice enhance student-evaluator competencies in an education policy graduate program

Researchers examined student learning outcomes in two program evaluation courses, taught by the same instructors: a first-year PhD-level course taught using theory and a second-year master’s-level course taught blending theory and application by executing an evaluation. Embedding this work in Ghere, King, Stevahn, and Minnema (2006) Essential Competencies for Program Evaluators Self-Assessment (ECPE), researchers investigated student perceptions of their evaluator competencies, scored end-of-course proposals, and interviewed program leaders to understand differences between the two teaching methods, as well as the extent to which the applied evaluation component of the master’s-level course may have impacted differential, practice-based outcomes. Researchers analyzed program leader interviews and student data derived via survey, and a six-person team analyzed students’ end-of-course proposals. Findings showed master’s-level students independently rated all applied components of their course significantly higher than their and their PhD counterparts’ rating of the theoretical components, which partially aligned with results of students’ final, end-of-course proposals. Program leaders agreed that the applied course yielded strong evaluative findings, given what they perceived as a successful integration of theory and practice.

Systems Engineering Competency Expectations, Gaps, and Program Analysis

AbstractSystems Engineering (SE) education is challenged to address the needs posed by rapidly changing technology epitomized by Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation. In particular, there are relatively slow and inaccurate feedback mechanisms between the needs of employers, students and universities at the level of educational program content development. The objective of this work is to use the SE competency framework developed by the Systems Engineering Education Ecosystem (SEEE) project to review the competency needs of the University of California, San Diego's (UCSD) systems engineering sponsoring organizations, analyze the curricula of the current Architecture‐Based Systems Engineering (AESE) master's program for its evolution, and guide the development of future SE program specializations. This paper presents the results of a methodology to improve the feedback between systems engineering employers and universities in academic program curricula development through survey and academic program analysis.

A Study on the Effectiveness and Improvement of Self-management Competency Program for Undergraduate Low Achievers

본 연구는 학업 저성취 대학생을 대상으로 하는 자기관리(self-management)역량증진 프로그램의 효과를 분석하고, 자기관리역량 증진 프로그램의 목적에 부합하도록 프로그램을 개선하는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 이를 위해 2019학년도 2학기에 서울 소재 A대학에서 학사경고자로 분류되는 학업 저성취 학생들을 대상으로 진행한 수업에서 사전·사후 진단에 모두 참여한 35명을 연구대상으로 하였다. 프로그램 효과성 검증을 위해 K-CESA(Korea Collegiate Essential Skills Assessment) 진단도구를 활용하였으며, 진단에 참여한 학생 23명을 초점집단인터뷰(Focus Group Interview) 하였다. 연구결과, A대학의 학업 저성취자 대상 자기관리역량 기반 프로그램은 자기관리역량 증진에 효과성이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 정서적 자기조절능력이 통계적으로 유의미하게 향상되었다. FGI에서는 자율동기와 자기관리역량이 모두 낮은 집단에서만 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 연구 결과를 토대로 자기관리역량 증진 프로그램 개선 사항을 도출하였다.The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of a self-management competency program for low collegiate academic achievers, then to improve the program to better meet the goals of the self-management competency program. To this end, the study selected 35 students as its subjects who participated in the pre- and post-assessment from those who took classes for academic warning recipients during the second semester of 2019 at “A” university in Seoul. To test the program effectiveness, it used an assessment tool called the Korea Collegiate Essential Skills Assessment or K-CESA, and conducted a focus group interview with 23 students who took part in the assessment. According to the result of the study, the self-management competency program had a statistically significant effect on their self-management competencies. Emotional self-regulation especially improved statistically significantly. According to the FGI, however, the program was effective only for those groups with low self-motivation and self-management competencies as well. Based on these findings, the study suggested ways to improve the self-management competency program.

언어폭력이 카지노 딜러의 감정부조화와 직무소진에 미치는 영향 : 자아탄력성의 조절효과를 중심으로

This study was conducted to examine how verbal violence affects emotional dissonance and Job burnout of casino dealers and identify the ego resiliency that controls this influence relationship. To achieve the purpose of this study, we distributed a total of 400 copies of questionnaires to 4 casino corporations (Paradise, GKL, Gangwon Land, Landing) from June 20th to September 20th, 2019 and 380 were collected. We used a total of 363 copies for the final analysis except 17 copies of questionnaires which were inappropriate for statistical analysis due to the omission of some important items and insincere responses. We used SPSS 23.0Ver. program to analyze the materials and the results of the study are as follows. First, verbal violence has a positive (+) influence on the emotional dissonance. Second, the emotional dissonance has a positive (+) influence on Job burnout. Third, ego resiliency in the relationship of effect of emotional dissonance on Job burnout has a regulation effect. In conclusion, this study suggested that it is necessary to develop internal competency programs to prevent Verbal Violence, reduce emotional-dissonance and job burnout, and improve ego-resiliency for the efficient working environment of casino companies.

Структура та зміст спеціальної освітньої програми підвищення кваліфікації педагогів закладів позашкільної освіти.

The article presents an educational program for the advanced training of teachers of out-of-school education institutions in the field of remedial education, education and socialization of schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities in circle work. The educational program is considered as a single set of educational components (subjects, disciplines, individual tasks, tests, etc.), planned and organized to achieve certain learning outcomes. When developing a special educational program, a systematic approach was applied, the most effective and comprehensive. The structure and content of the special educational program are considered, the purpose, focus, orientation, features of the educational program are determined. Program competencies are characterized: integral, general and professional; program learning outcomes, resource support for the implementation of the educational program are determined. Thematic planning for training modules is substantiated, a matrix of compliance of program competencies with training modules of the educational program for organizing and improving the qualifications of teachers of out-of-school education institutions is presented. The matrix of providing programmatic learning outcomes to the relevant training modules is described. The development of this educational program is based on 150 hours, the training period is 1 month. The aim of the program is to improve the professional competencies of teachers of out-of-school education institutions; able to professionally apply in practice modern pedagogical forms, methods and techniques of working with children with intellectual disabilities; development of professional competencies of teachers of creative associations of institutions of out-of-school education in the process of involving schoolchildren with intellectual disabilities in circle work. Therefore, the advanced training of teachers of out-of-school education institutions with the use of a special educational program acquires signs of a functional system aimed at solving the problem of diversified development and enrichment of the general and professional culture of a specialist's personality.

A bistable prokaryotic differentiation system underlying development of conjugative transfer competence.

The mechanisms and impact of horizontal gene transfer processes to distribute gene functions with potential adaptive benefit among prokaryotes have been well documented. In contrast, little is known about the life-style of mobile elements mediating horizontal gene transfer, whereas this is the ultimate determinant for their transfer fitness. Here, we investigate the life-style of an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) within the genus Pseudomonas that is a model for a widespread family transmitting genes for xenobiotic compound metabolism and antibiotic resistances. Previous work showed bimodal ICE activation, but by using single cell time-lapse microscopy coupled to combinations of chromosomally integrated single copy ICE promoter-driven fluorescence reporters, RNA sequencing and mutant analysis, we now describe the complete regulon leading to the arisal of differentiated dedicated transfer competent cells. The regulon encompasses at least three regulatory nodes and five (possibly six) further conserved gene clusters on the ICE that all become expressed under stationary phase conditions. Time-lapse microscopy indicated expression of two regulatory nodes (i.e., bisR and alpA-bisDC) to precede that of the other clusters. Notably, expression of all clusters except of bisR was confined to the same cell subpopulation, and was dependent on the same key ICE regulatory factors. The ICE thus only transfers from a small fraction of cells in a population, with an estimated proportion of between 1.7-4%, which express various components of a dedicated transfer competence program imposed by the ICE, and form the centerpiece of ICE conjugation. The components mediating transfer competence are widely conserved, underscoring their selected fitness for efficient transfer of this class of mobile elements.

Innovative Team Approach for Achieving DNP Program Competencies for Distance Learners During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Doctor of nursing practice (DNP)-prepared nurses must be competent in organizational and systems leadership, advanced clinical skills, and initiation of policy and programmatic changes. Students develop competencies in the DNP advanced practice and nurse administrator specialty tracks through online didactic and in-person practicum experiences within various settings. The COVID-19 pandemic created a barrier to in-person practicum experiences and an urgent need for flexible practicum opportunities. In response, faculty developed, implemented, and evaluated an innovative pedagogical strategy utilizing a team-based case study assignment to facilitate achievement of DNP program competencies for distance learners in these specialty tracks.

The Road to High Level Disinfection and Sterilization Competency in Ambulatory Clinics

Background In 2020, our organization added an infection prevention role for approximately 250 affiliated ambulatory clinics. A rounding assessment tool was developed and initiated. During this initial rounding, it was discovered that several locations were not performing High Level Disinfection on endocavity ultrasound probes, and those that were performing the HLD, were not following manufacturer's guidelines. Upon further investigation, similar findings were discovered for both HLD of endoscopes as well as sterilization using tabletop autoclaves. There was no official training or competency program in place for any of these processes in the ambulatory clinics. Methods First, a gap analysis was performed. Data was collected on the current processes and a complete device inventory was created. A cluster analysis was performed and revealed the infection rate among potentially affected patients over the last 3 years to be within the expected range. A 3rd party infection control consultant was brought in to validate and verify our proposed plan of creating new processes, educating staff, and developing a sustainable competency program. Results Broken processes were immediately halted and corrected. Three competency programs were developed and implemented for HLD and Sterilization, which included online modules, webinars, hands-on training (for endoscopes), and a competency check-off. This involved 175 staff members in almost 50 clinics across the state and only one IP. New logs were created and distributed to the practices as well as supply lists of necessary items to maintain compliance. Conclusions At the time of this abstract, 64% of staff had completed the competency training and were checked-off. Those who are unable to complete it by the deadline, will be unable to perform that skill. This will be a required annual competency moving forward. In 2020, our organization added an infection prevention role for approximately 250 affiliated ambulatory clinics. A rounding assessment tool was developed and initiated. During this initial rounding, it was discovered that several locations were not performing High Level Disinfection on endocavity ultrasound probes, and those that were performing the HLD, were not following manufacturer's guidelines. Upon further investigation, similar findings were discovered for both HLD of endoscopes as well as sterilization using tabletop autoclaves. There was no official training or competency program in place for any of these processes in the ambulatory clinics. First, a gap analysis was performed. Data was collected on the current processes and a complete device inventory was created. A cluster analysis was performed and revealed the infection rate among potentially affected patients over the last 3 years to be within the expected range. A 3rd party infection control consultant was brought in to validate and verify our proposed plan of creating new processes, educating staff, and developing a sustainable competency program. Broken processes were immediately halted and corrected. Three competency programs were developed and implemented for HLD and Sterilization, which included online modules, webinars, hands-on training (for endoscopes), and a competency check-off. This involved 175 staff members in almost 50 clinics across the state and only one IP. New logs were created and distributed to the practices as well as supply lists of necessary items to maintain compliance. At the time of this abstract, 64% of staff had completed the competency training and were checked-off. Those who are unable to complete it by the deadline, will be unable to perform that skill. This will be a required annual competency moving forward.

Developing Essential Research Skills for Law Practice: The Legal Research Competency Program

A long-standing gap exists between the legal research skills of many new law school graduates and the ones they need to succeed in the practice of the law. It is simply too difficult to teach legal research solely as part of the first-year required Legal Research & Writing course, which involves a single faculty member trying to teach a whole new way of writing at the same time as a whole new way of researching. Law librarians are the legal research experts in every law school, and they deploy a variety of solutions to try to address this gap. This article addresses one such solution: a noncredit legal research competency program to help students develop and strengthen their legal research skills. It is a flexible model that provides legal research instruction through a variety of techniques and across a variety of mediums.

Competency-Based Education at a Madrasah Aliyah in Sumedang: Eliciting the Organized Programs

The competency-based education program is a flagship program launched by a Madrasah Aliyah (or, MA; Islamic based senior high school) in Sumedang to produce graduates who are competent and skillful, especially in the automotive, culinary, fashion, and technology. Students are expected to be able to compete in the professional fields. In this article, the implementation of the program is discussed, which is seriously trying to increase the competence of graduates. The method used in this present study is a mixed method with the techniques of documentation, observation studies and questionnaires to determine the students' number of inputs, their interest in the competency program in that school, and the existing programs. The results show that 100% of the students chose and followed the competency program according to their desires and talents, and because of willingness to get better opportunities after graduating. Moreover, it was found that the four competences offered have increased students’ participation in learning. Future recommendations are provided in this article.

Automated Assessment in Computer Science Education: A State-of-the-Art Review

Practical programming competencies are critical to the success in computer science (CS) education and go-to-market of fresh graduates. Acquiring the required level of skills is a long journey of discovery, trial and error, and optimization seeking through a broad range of programming activities that learners must perform themselves. It is not reasonable to consider that teachers could evaluate all attempts that the average learner should develop multiplied by the number of students enrolled in a course, much less in a timely, deep, and fair fashion. Unsurprisingly, exploring the formal structure of programs to automate the assessment of certain features has long been a hot topic among CS education practitioners. Assessing a program is considerably more complex than asserting its functional correctness, as the proliferation of tools and techniques in the literature over the past decades indicates. Program efficiency, behavior, and readability, among many other features, assessed either statically or dynamically, are now also relevant for automatic evaluation. The outcome of an evaluation evolved from the primordial Boolean values to information about errors and tips on how to advance, possibly taking into account similar solutions. This work surveys the state of the art in the automated assessment of CS assignments, focusing on the supported types of exercises, security measures adopted, testing techniques used, type of feedback produced, and the information they offer the teacher to understand and optimize learning. A new era of automated assessment, capitalizing on static analysis techniques and containerization, has been identified. Furthermore, this review presents several other findings from the conducted review, discusses the current challenges of the field, and proposes some future research directions.

Perspectives of Persons With Type 2 Diabetes Toward Diabetes Self-Management: A Qualitative Study

Background. The global increase in type 2 diabetes (T2D) poses a significant public health challenge worldwide. Due to the chronic and complex nature of the disease, management does not depend on pharmacotherapy alone; rather, a comprehensive medical and self-management plan is required. Diabetes Self-Management Education programs should address diabetes-specific behaviors and be grounded in patients' perceptions of their disease and its consequences. Aim. The study aims to understand perceptions of diabetes self-management (DSM) among persons of different nationalities with T2D living in Qatar. Method. A phenomenological qualitative study was implemented using four focus group interviews using Triandis Interpersonal Behavior Model to understand factors influencing DSM perceptions and behaviors. Therefore, deductive content analysis was used, also inductive content analysis used to find new emerging themes. Twenty-nine participants with T2D of 12 different nationalities were recruited. Results. Content analyses revealed that participants were mainly motivated to manage their diabetes by fear of future health complications-and the resulting impact on their families-triggered by witnessing these complications on other family members and friends. Factors that influenced DSM included cultural factors such as food content and holidays' customs, weather conditions, psychological distress, and social factors such as lack of family support. Furthermore, access to healthy food, number of working hours and time, and cost of DSM supplies were found to be among the barriers to DSM. Conclusion. Understanding and considering patients' perspectives is a core component of culturally competent and evidence-based DSM programs, and it should be considered in any DSM program.

A comparative study of intimate partner violence among U.S.‐born and foreign‐born Hispanic women

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the factors and prevalence rates associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) victimizations by nativity status among Hispanic women.MethodsData were pooled and analyzed from the 2010 to 2020 National Crime Victimization Survey. A total of 4309 Hispanic women who responded to the citizenship question were included in the final sample.ResultsIPV victimization was associated with nativity status for Hispanic women, and IPV prevalence was higher among U.S.‐born Hispanic women than foreign‐born Hispanic women. The factors of geographic region, relationship status, education level, occupation status, and substance abuse were associated with IPV victimization.ConclusionThese findings have implications for positively impacting culturally competent preventative programs and interventions to reduce IPV victimizations for Hispanic women.

Assessment of Digital Graduation Competences for Programs Degrees in Computing and Information Technology Under the Society 5.0 Paradigm

The objective of this work is to define means of assessing the educational programs of Information Technology through the achievement of digital graduation competences, both soft skills and specific (competences of the different disciplines of the specialties) within the paradigm Industry 4.0. A model of assessment of graduation competences is presented considering three important moments of the process: 1. Planning, 2. Execution and 3. Assessment. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of the proposer assessment model, in which the fulfilment of graduation competencies for an educational program can be observed.

DEVELOPMENT OF CHARACTER STRENGTHENING IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

Character is the values of goodness that have become a habit in action, which is a person's personality formed as a result of applying the various virtues. Character is a good mental trait that is shown when behaving politely, generously, forgiving, full of love, willing to sacrifice, appealing to humor, not excessive, and always obedient and pious. Character education focuses on implementing good values either in actions or behavior. Thus, character education is a process of forming habits in applying good values including the formation of moral knowing, moral feeling, and moral action. This research aims to develop a guidebook for implementing the strengthening of character education to solve moral dilemmas for students. The developed guidebook is expected to have validity and practicality in instilling good values for students. The research type is research development. The subjects of this research consisted of value education experts, lecturers, and students. Data were obtained by using interviews, documentation, and questionnaire techniques. Data analysis techniques used qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results showed that the character values for developing a guidebook for strengthening the character education consisted of five main characteristics, including behavior, diligence, cleanliness, neatness, and discipline. Additionally, those characteristics can be applied through intra-curricular, co-curricular, extra-curricular, and non-curricular activities. The test results of the guidebook were valid, and the results of the responses from prospective users showed that the Graduate Competency Standards, Content Standards, and Program Descriptions and assessment were in highly great qualifications. The results of this research were expected to meet the demands of providing a guidebook for strengthening the character education that can be used by lecturers and students in the implementation of strengthening of the character education at the Faculty of Education, The State University of Makassar.
 Keywords: Development research, Guidebooks, Strengthening Character Education, Students

Predictors of patient safety competency among emergency nurses in Iran: a cross-sectional correlational study

AimsThis study aimed to assess predictors of patient safety competency among emergency nurses.BackgroundThe role of emergency nurses is to provide high-quality health care to patients and ensure their safety. The patient safety competency includes the absence of unnecessary or potential harm when providing health care to patients. In providing health care, effective teamwork can affect patient safety and outcomes. Psychological safety is essential to effective teamwork. Psychological safety allows health care workers to accept the interpersonal risks needed to perform effective teamwork and maintain patient safety.MethodsThis study was cross-sectional correlational research. Using convenience sampling methods, 254 emergency department nurses from five educational hospitals were enrolled in the study. Patient Safety in Nursing Education Questionnaire was used to measure the patient safety competency, the teamwork questionnaire to examine the teamwork, and Edmondson psychological safety questionnaire was used to measure psychological safety. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s r correlation coefficient, and multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis were applied using SPSS 14.0.ResultsParticipants’ mean patient safety competency score was 2.97 (1-4). Between 18 independent variables evaluated in the multiple regression analysis, seven had a significant effect on the patient safety competency of emergency nurses (R2: 0.39, p < .001).ConclusionsThe patient safety competency of emergency department nurses was primarily related to the structure and leadership of the team and secondary to psychological safety and experience in patient safety activity. The results demonstrated that policymakers and hospital managers should improve and enhance team structure and leadership via supervision and cooperation with the nursing staff. The development of training programs in patient safety activities, improvement, and increase of psychological safety at the levels of the nursing units is essential to increase patient safety competencies in the emergency nursing program.

Kompetenču pieejā balstīts pedagogu tālākizglītības piedāvājums augstākās izglītības iestādēs

Implementing the ideas of the School 2030 project in compulsory and general education in Latvia, the compliance of the improvement of teachers' professional competence with the requirements of the 21st century education becomes relevant, namely, whether the current system is able to adapt to the changing world and whether maintaining a balance between the factors influencing the educational programmes promotes the elaboration of professional competence programmes that foster the development of teacher's personality. The conclusions obtained as a result of the research help to understand the competency-based education system and provide practical recommendations for the analysis of teachers' professional development programmes. Currently, in Latvia, six higher education institutions offer professional further education programmes for formal education teachers, and their compliance with the requirements of modern education should be reviewed in the future, taking into account the common quality criteria. Common quality criteria should be developed taking into consideration the recommendations of the global education experts for developing educational programmes that include three interrelated elements: knowledge, skills and character complemented by learning to learn or meta-learning components offered in the variable and fixed parts of the programmes. Similarly to non-formal education, the task of the Ministry of Education and Science would be to develop common guidelines for the development and implementation of teacher’s professional development programmes, which could help to develop educational programmes according to the requirements of the 21st century and eliminate the differences in the use of didactic terminology among providers and implementers of further education programmes. One of the most thought-provoking innovative approaches to the perfection of teachers' professional qualifications, taking into consideration the offer of further education programmes in other sectors of national economy, would be the extension of micro-qualifications to formal further education programmes for teachers.

Pengembangan trainer robot line follower dan revitalisasi pembelajaran abad 21 menuju era society 5.0 di SMK Negeri 1 Kras Kediri

To support industrial development in the era of super-smart society 5.0, the State Vocational High School 1 Kras Kediri seeks to produce competent graduates by applying a teaching model that has a constructive paradigm, involves the active role of students, and prioritizes practicum. It is intended that SMK graduates can compete in the 21st-century industry. The problem of schools today is the lack of complete learning support equipment. So that learning is less effective. On the other hand, the implementation of learning is still dominated by a teacher-oriented learning system. So to support the Computer Network Engineering skill competency program in basic programming subjects, a Line Follower Robot Trainer was developed. The Line Follower Robot Trainer that has been made has sophisticated specifications using an ESP32 microcontroller processor. In addition, 21st-century learning revitalization workshops were also conducted which were attended by teachers of SMK Negeri 1 Kras Kediri to strengthen the 21st-century learning paradigm based on students (student-oriented learning). In general, the results of the community service program that have been implemented can overcome the problems faced by SMK Negeri 1 Kras, the Computer Engineering expertise program in programming subjects.

Echo Chambers in a Closed Community: Vaccine Uptake and Perceived Effectiveness among the Amish and Old Order Mennonites

ABSTRACT Recent scholarship finds linkages between religiosity and vaccination practices but neglects the role of religious, social structural influences. The relationship between religious beliefs and immunization in the context of closed religious communities remains understudied. We use a survey of Amish and Old Order Mennonite parents to explore relationships between religious belief, group closure, perceived vaccine effectiveness, and vaccine uptake. The results indicate higher group and individual closure levels are positively related to having unvaccinated children and vaccine hesitancy. Perceptions of vaccine effectiveness partially explain these associations. Healthcare providers should consider constructing culturally competent programs to reach closed communities.