Educational Intervention Research Research Articles

Outcome-Reporting Bias in Special Education Intervention Research Using Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Group Designs: A Conceptual Replication

We conducted a conceptual replication of Pigott et al.’s study of outcome-reporting bias, wherein they compared intervention outcomes reported in unpublished education dissertations with corresponding published versions. For our replication, we identified a sample of 40 special education dissertations with matched journal publications and found that statistically significant intervention outcomes from dissertations were 1.48 times more likely to be published compared with nonsignificant outcomes. Significant moderators of this effect included type of intervention outcome (academic), type of research design (randomized controlled trial), participant race (with samples greater than or equal to 50% non-White), and type of disability/exceptionality (high incidence). We found that few dissertation authors published their work, providing further evidence for the much-needed inclusion of dissertations in systematic reviews.

A Pilot Study of Development and Validation of Treatment Fidelity Checklist for Intervention Research in K-12 School Physical Education

No conceptual framework and valid and reliable measurement of treatment fidelity are available for intervention research in K-12 school physical education. The purposes of this study were to propose a conceptual framework and then develop and validate a checklist to assess treatment fidelity in K-12 school physical education. A literature search was conducted on journal article titles using key words through EBSCO Discovery Service. A conceptual framework and Treatment Fidelity Checklist were developed. The conceptual framework and Treatment Fidelity Checklist were validated by four experts and an intercoder reliability coefficient. All experts validated the conceptual framework and Treatment Fidelity Checklist. The overall IOA was 88%. The Treatment Fidelity Checklist is valid and reliable. The conceptual framework and Checklist of Treatment Fidelity provide a very useful document to guide future intervention research in physical education and what to be reported in publications.

Online educational interventions in pediatric intensive care medicine.

Online education has experienced explosive growth, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the current state of the evidence base for online education targeted towards healthcare professionals working in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), to report how we are using online education in our field. We performed a literature review by systematically generating a list of publications indexed in PubMed describing online educational interventions in the PICU, using Medical Subject Header (MeSH)-based search terms and the following inclusion criteria: studies published after 2005 that describe online educational interventions aimed at healthcare professional working in the PICU. We reviewed the full text of all included articles, and summarized the study aims, design, and results. Our initial search yielded 1,071 unique articles. After screening abstracts and titles, then full texts, eight articles were included in the review. Many online learning modalities are represented, including websites, self-study modules, videos, videoconferencing, online self-assessment with feedback, virtual patient cases, screen-based simulation, and podcasts. Three studies focused on residents, two studies on nurses, two studies on a multidisciplinary team, and one study on transport nurses and paramedics. Most studies utilized participant surveys to assess satisfaction, and half included pre- and post-intervention multiple-choice question tests. Only one study included a patient-related outcome measure. Despite growth in online medical educational intervention research, there are relatively few published studies in pediatric critical care, and only one study evaluated the impact of online learning on patient outcomes. There remain significant opportunities for PICU educators to assess the impact of online educational interventions, especially related to clinician behaviors and patient outcomes.

Social and Emotional Intervention Research as Justice: A Case for Accountability

The field of special education is recognized for conducting research designed to improve the quality of life for the children and families we serve. However, our field has been criticized for empirical approaches that are inconsistent with the values and beliefs we articulate as central to our scientific practice. As such, a shift in our research endeavors is warranted. Given the specific calls within early childhood special education for research programs that consider the marginalized experiences of children and families, we posit five guidelines to reframe social and emotional intervention research in early childhood special education as justice-oriented. These guidelines are (a) understand the historical and immediate context of research participants; (b) incorporate best practices in social and emotional assessment to reduce bias; (c) center children’s and families’ voices in social validity measures; (d) address confounding variables to fidelity of implementation; and (e) examine diversity in research team composition.

Perception and practice regarding management of childhood fever among parents of under five children in tertiary level of hospital, Nepal

Background: Fever is an extremely common occurrence in paediatric patients and the most common cause for hospital visit. Lack of knowledge regarding childhood fever can cause distress and anxiety among parents. It is one of the main reasons parents seek reassurance and advice from health care professionals. The objective of the study was to assess the perception and practice regarding management of childhood fever among parents of under five children.Methods: The analytical cross sectional study design was conducted among 135 parents of under five children admitted in medical ward of Kanti childrens’ hospital. Kathmandu Nepal, from December 2019 to January 2020. Face to face interview was done for data collection. Self-developed five points Likert scale was used for assessing perception and checklist was used for practice. Obtained data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20, descriptive and inferential statistics was used.Results: Study shows that majority of respondents were of age less than 30 years and 81% were female. Greater part of respondents 71.8% had fair perception on childhood fever. At the same time, half of the respondents 50.4% had poor practices on childhood fever management. The level of perception is strongly associated with educational status (p=0.002) while level of practices is strongly associated with number of children (p=0.040 and residence (p=0.001) of respondents.Conclusions: Overall findings showed that more than two third of the respondents had fair perception towards childhood fever and about half of the respondents had poor practices of childhood fever management which concluded the need of educational intervention and additional research regarding childhood fever.

Is the treatment weak or the test insensitive: Interrogating item difficulties to elucidate the nature of reading intervention effects

Intervention research in education is sometimes criticized for the use of experimenter developed assessments, especially when these are over aligned with treatment. At the same time, intervention researchers sometimes prefer locally developed assessments because they appear to be more sensitive to treatment effects even when the test is not subject to the criticism of over alignment. This paper examines the question of test sensitivity to treatment effects for experimenter developed and standardized tests for the specific case of reading in grade 8. We examine similarities and differences between a specific experimenter developed test and widely used standardized reading assessment. Analyses show these particular tests to be quite comparable. The paper concludes with an examination of test sensitivity by simulating treatment effects of different magnitudes. These analyses highlight some potential limitations of the standardized test for detecting small to moderate effects depending on the ability range of the students participating in intervention. The implications for intervention research and identification of students under response to intervention are discussed.

THE SAS STRATEGY TRAINING FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL ROBOTICS ACTIVITIES

Educational Robotics in inclusive learning environments creates a wide area of research where innovative teaching practices and theoretical approaches are developed and investigated in order for the new growing educational challenges to be met. In this context, an educational intervention research was carried out using mixed research methodology. The aim of the research was to investigate the effect of the“SAS Strategy Training” a strategy that developed to foster the participation of children with autism, at level 2, in inclusive teamwork with peers during construction and programming LEGO Mindstorms. 2 children, 10-11 years old, diagnosed with autism, at level 2, participated in two inclusive educational robotics teams with typical peers. Τhe SaS Strategy has been integrated in the collaboration script that was designed to support the interaction between the team members during their collaboration on programming LEGO Mindstorms. The “SaS Strategy Training” had encouraging results in reducing the barriers of the participation of the children with autism in teamwork with their typical peers. Critical questions, reflections and new research horizons emerged.

Twelve recommendations for conducting high-quality writing intervention research

By researching writing interventions, we may learn more about the art of writing, its history, and the most successful teaching strategies. Unfortunately, Graham and his colleagues discovered that a lot of previously completed writing intervention studies had a poor degree of scientific rigor in various meta-analyses, despite the importance of this area of research (Graham, McKeown, Kiuhara, & Harris, 2012; Graham & Perin, 2007; Rogers & Graham, 2008). In the context of this article, we offer twelve recommendations for doing intervention research successfully. These suggestions are based on my ta-analyses, past research (Pressley & Harris, 1994a, 1994b) on raising the caliber of intervention research, and our unique experiences as authors of intervention research and editors of publications that do so, including the Journal of Writing Research. I sincerely hope you will find these suggestions useful. The ideas encompass all aspects of planning, conducting, and reporting the findings of such research, as well as the issues and steps involved.
 This article lists the best procedures for planning, carrying out, and presenting writing interventions-based research. We believe this type of research is crucial for achieving substantial advancements in theory and practice, and as a result, we view this as a serious issue (more about this later). Moreover, we have committed a considerable amount of our academic careers to conducting research of this sort and evaluating and synthesizing the current research on writing interventions, so it is important to us personally and professionally (see Graham & Harris, 2009, 2012). (Graham, Harris, and Chambers are now working on a publication, for instance.)
 Not only do we like what we do, but we also feel that we require experience. Thus we entered this area of work. Having previously worked as general and education professors, we were dissatisfied with the "pied-piper" approach employed to educate in schools (where instructional practices are promoted and sold with passion and articulate rhetoric but with little or no evidence of effectiveness). We were curious to learn more about alternative techniques that may help aspiring writers hone their craft (e.g., Harris & Graham, 1996).
 The suggestions made in this post were created using our former experiences as a guide. Our meta-analyses of writing intervention research's findings have taught us a lot about the benefits and drawbacks of this body of information (e.g., Graham, McKeown, Kiuhara, & Harris, 2012; Graham & Perin, 2007; Rogers & Graham, 2008). We are well aware of the many obstacles that must be overcome to conduct studies of this kind since we have prior experience working in writing intervention research. We have a wealth of experience between us as editors of five publications focused on intervention research, and as a result, we are frequently given a chance to compare cutting-edge and established techniques used in intervention research (Journal of Writing Research, Exceptional Children, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Archives of Scientific Psychology - Section for Educational and School Psychology, and Journal of Educational Psychology). The earlier study on improving educational intervention research by Pressley and Harris (1994a, 1994b) and Pressley, Graham, and Harris (2005) offers a framework for considering how to improve intervention research in writing more specifically.
 We first discuss the relevance of this study before outlining our suggestions for planning, conducting, and reporting better writing intervention research. Before we go any further, you must be made aware that the author's research largely backs some of the claims mentioned in this article. This article is not intended to downplay the important contribution made by other writers' research scholars. Instead, it uses the elements that we are most comfortable with to help us support and build upon our main beliefs. Why Is It Important to Carry Out High-Quality Research on Writing Interventions?

Adolescent neck pain: association with the use of mobile telephone

Introduction Neck pain has become a frequent problem in adolescents [1]. Multiple factors can be related to neck pain. The use of electronic devices has been suggested to increase the risk of neck pain, probably due to the static posture and with insufficient recovery after local muscle fatigue [2–5]. However, the data from a few studies are contradictory [1,6]. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neck pain in adolescents and their association with mobile phone use. Materials and methods This is a cross-sectional study approved by Research in Education and Community Intervention (RECI) research centre. Written informed consent were obtained from all parents or guardians of the students participating in the study. The sample was comprised of 206 students, being 109 (52.9%) boys and 97 (47.1%) girls, aged between 12 and 19 years old (14.67 ± 1.51), enrolled in the 8th (n = 104; 50.5%) and 10th (n = 102; 49.5%) grades of the D. Martinho Castelo Branco, elementary school, and Poeta António Aleixo, high school, both in Portimão, south of Portugal. The measurement instruments included a self-report questionnaire of neck pain, including questions about the time spent using mobile phones, and a practical test to evaluate the posture with the use of the mobile phone during the sending of a text message (a standard posture was established). Results One hundred and fourteen (55.3%) adolescents reported neck pain at some point in their life (lifetime prevalence), 16 (7.8%) referred neck pain at the moment of evaluation and 75 (36.4%) in a 6-month period. Regarding the use time of the mobile phone per week, 8 (3.9%) students reported that they do not have a mobile phone, 18 (8.7%) use until 5 h, 32 (15.5%) between 6 and 10 h, 44 (21.4%) between 11 and 15 h, and the majority of the adolescents (n = 104; 50.5%) reported that they use the mobile phone for a period equal to or greater than 16 h per week. One hundred ninety-seven (95.6%) students used the mobile phone incorrectly with flexion of the cervical spine. The adolescents who used the mobile phone more than 10 h per week showed a 1.58 times greater risk of neck pain (95% CI: 0.59–4.23; p = .360) than those who use equal or less than 10 h, and adolescents who use the phone in a wrong way had a 1.15 times higher risk of neck pain (95% CI: 0.28–4.75; p = .845) than those who used it correctly. Discussion and Conclusions The data obtained in this study showed a high rate of neck pain in the analysed sample of adolescents. Myrtveit et al. [6] used data from the population-based study and their results showed that 1,79 (20%) of the total 8,990 adolescents reported neck pain during the last 6 months and the Shan et al. [5] showed a prevalence of 40.8% in 3016 students, in the same period. Regarding mobile phone use as a risk factor, it was observed that adolescents who use the mobile phone for many hours and those who use it with the wrong posture showed a greater probability of neck pain, however, no significant associations were observed. It is necessary to carry out more studies to expand the knowledge of neck pain associated with the time and use of screen-based activities and on their prevention.

Bir üniversite hastanesinde çalışanlara uygulanan işçi sağlığı ve güvenliği eğitim programının etkinliğinin değerlendirilmesi

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı bir üniversite hastanesinde uygulanan İşçi Sağlığı ve Güvenliği (İSG) eğitim programının etkinliğini katılımcıların bilgi düzeyindeki değişim ve geribildirimleri aracılığıyla değerlendirmektir. Yöntem: Bu çalışma bir eğitim müdahalesi araştırmasıdır. 2018 yılı Haziran ayında verilen İSG eğitimine 1578 kişi katılmış ve örnek büyüklüğü 874 kişi olarak hesaplanmıştır. Eğitimin öğrenim hedefleri katılımcıların iş kazası bildirim sistemi, tıbbi atık güvenliği, beyaz kod, periyodik muayene ve çalışan yükümlülükleri hakkındaki bilgi düzeyinin artması, iş kazası bildirimini zamanında yapmaları ve uygun koruma yöntemlerini kullanmaları olarak belirlenmiştir. Etkili bir görsel işitsel araç olarak video tekniği kullanılmıştır. Eğitimin etkinliği bilgi puanındaki değişim ve geribildirimler aracılığıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Araştırmaya katılan 874 sağlık çalışanının yaş ortalaması 37.20±8.20 idi. Katılımcıların %49.1'i kadındır, %1’i okuryazar değildir ve %25.4’ü ilkokul, %21.7’si ortaokul, %29,4’ü lise, %21.3’ü üniversite mezunudur. İSG bilgi düzeyi ortalamaları eğitimden önce 6.36±1.53 iken eğitimden sonra 8.26±1.47’ye yükselmiştir (p<0.001). Eğitim sonunda bilgi sorularına doğru cevap verenlerin orantısı eğitim öncesine göre anlamlı (p<0.001) artış göstermiştir. Sonuç: Eğitim içerik, teknik, kullanılan materyal ve süre açısından başarılı bulunmuş ve katılımcıların bilgi düzeyini arttırmıştır.

Investigation of Single-Case Multiple-Baseline Randomization Tests of Trend and Variability

Previous simulation studies of randomization tests applied in single-case educational intervention research contexts have typically focused on A-to-B phase changes in means/levels. In the present simulation study, we report the results of two multiple-baseline investigations, one targeting between-phase changes in slopes/trends and the other targeting between-phase changes in variability. For each of these measures, we examine the comparative type I errors and powers of several randomization test procedures that have previously appeared in the literature. In so doing, we propose an alternative measure of variability that is more sensitive to detecting between-phase change than is the variance itself. We conclude by providing a summary table of recommended randomization test procedures for assessing different types of intervention-based effects associated with level, trend, and variability.

Comparing the Impact of Programming Assessment Type: In-Class Vs Take-Home

In engineering education, educational technologies and teaching interventions are often used to maintain the student retention high. Most of them are strongly related to either in-class or take-home assessment. This paper compares the impact of both assessments on student performance for one academic semester. The findings are expected to re-align the focus of educational technology and teaching intervention research. Fifty-five laboratory sessions were analysed, involving five Introductory Programming classes with a total of 87 Information Technology and Information System undergraduates. The study shows that, by considering only significant changes, in-class assessment leads to higher assessment mark as the students can easily seek help and focus on the tasks. Technical problems are also unlikely to occur as the classroom (or the laboratory in our case) is well-facilitated.

Twenty Years of Intervention Research in School Physical Education in the JTPE and RQES

ABSTRACT Background/Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to review intervention studies in school physical education, with a goal of identifying the gaps and future trends of intervention research in the field of physical education. Methods: A total of 71 quantitative experimental studies were identified by manually examining all the articles published in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education and Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport from January 1998 to December 2018. All the studies were coded using a coding template. The interrater reliability among three coders exceeded 85%. The frequencies and percentages for each category were calculated as appropriate. Results: Eighty-five percent of experimental studies were guided by a theoretical framework. Interventions used various types of research designs. A variety of dependent variables were measured with the majority of studies focusing on student motivation and psychomotor skills. The intervention length ranged from 5 min to 2 years. Fifty-six percent of studies reported effect sizes. The reported types and strength of effect size varied. Forty-nine percent of them reported an intervention fidelity check. Conclusion: A limited number of experimental studies had been conducted from 1998 to 2018. The rigor of these experimental studies needs significant improvement. More experimental studies with a randomized controlled trial design are needed.

Intervención Educativa para Modificar Conocimientos sobre Gingivitis Crónica en Adolescentes

El insuficiente nivel de conocimiento sobre gingivitis crónica continúa siendo un problema en gran parte de la población adolescente. Por esta razón se decidió realizar una investigación experimental de intervención educativa, con un antes y un después, en la Escuela Militar Camilo Cienfuegos de Bayamo, Granma, con el objetivo de evaluar el impacto de una intervención educativa en el nivel de conocimiento sobre gingivitis crónica de los estudiantes de y grados. La muestra estuvo constituida por 64 estudiantes, 40 del sexo masculino y 24 del femenino. Una encuesta confeccionada por los autores y evaluada por pilotaje fue aplicada, con el fin de determinar sus conocimientos sobre gingivitis crónica. Una vez procesados los datos obtenidos por la prueba de Wilcoxon los resultados mostraron que antes de la intervención existía bajo nivel de conocimientos y después de la intervención educativa el estudiantado alcanzó un buen nivel de conocimientos.

Culture-centeredness in community-based participatory research: contributions to health education intervention research.

Health education research emphasizes the importance of cultural understanding and fit to achieve meaningful psycho-social research outcomes, community responsiveness and external validity to enhance health equity. However, many interventions address cultural fit through cultural competence and sensitivity approaches that are often superficial. The purpose of this study was to better situate culture within health education by operationalizing and testing new measures of the deeply grounded culture-centered approach (CCA) within the context of community-based participatory research (CBPR). A nation-wide mixed method sample of 200 CBPR partnerships included a survey questionnaire and in-depth case studies. The questionnaire enabled the development of a CCA scale using concepts of community voice/agency, reflexivity and structural transformation. Higher-order confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated factorial validity of the scale. Correlations supported convergent validity with positive associations between the CCA and partnership processes and capacity and health outcomes. Qualitative data from two CBPR case studies provided complementary socio-cultural historic background and cultural knowledge, grounding health education interventions and research design in specific contexts and communities. The CCA scale and case study analysis demonstrate key tools that community-academic research partnerships can use to assess deeper levels of culture centeredness for health education research.

Language intervention research in early childhood care and education: A systematic survey of the literature

Children vary extensively in their language skills at school entry, and a substantial part of this variation is due to disparities in language exposure prior to school. Because these differences have continuing impact on academic, cognitive and social development, prevention and intervention programs have been developed to address deficits in early experience with language and prevent continuing difficulties. We report the findings from a systematic survey of research on non-parental interventions, with the goal of identifying strengths and weaknesses in current literature which can inform current practice and also guide the design of future research. Studies were identified using a systematic search protocol of the communication and language intervention literature for children from birth through 5 years of age. One hundred and ninety studies published between 1975 and 2015 met the specified inclusion criteria, which included the experimental manipulation of at least one relevant intervention variable and applying and testing an intervention or practice with the purpose of improving child communication or language outcomes. The studies reviewed include some well-documented and validated intervention strategies that have potential to be useful for addressing the word gap. This survey of the literature exposes gaps in the knowledge base about language interventions for infants and toddlers. Inadequacies in reporting the characteristics of child and adult study participants as well as a lack of details about the application of interventions across child care and early learning settings or their effectiveness with economically, culturally and linguistically diverse populations are addressed. Implications for the design and reporting of future research to address the word gap discussed.

Developing Intercultural Communication Competencies Using Various Learning Methods at a Media Communications Study Programme

Various previous researchers of journalism and media communication education demonstrated the necessity and importance for media workers to be competent in intercultural communication (IC). Slovenian researchers do not discuss these topics, and IC themes are withal mostly part of a non- obligatory courses where usual teaching and learning methods are applied. To examine the effectiveness and usefulness of different teaching/learning methods in developing students’ intercultural communication competencies, an educational intervention research was suitable, as the method is being useful mostly to solve pragmatic issues. Additionally, the study aimed at determining outgoing students’ intercultural communication competencies (ICC) – knowledge, skills, attitudes, and awareness through their cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions. Two theoretical approaches were used – one stating that ICC are developed by learning on the ground of our innate predispositions and character and the behavioural perspective. This qualitative-evaluative research was conducted within the International and Intercultural Communication course at the first year of Graduate Study of Media Communications at the University of Maribor. It was a trilingual intercultural situation where learning activities such as role-playing, pantomime, case studies, simulations, individual exploration, and reflection were implemented, since students were not used to them. Participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, qualitative questionnaires, evaluation of class activities and a final exam were used as main research methods. Even though the group adapted very soon, the nonverbal activities were most demanding, and individual activities at home the least accomplished. Although they had theoretical knowledge, experience in public speaking, proactivity and self-reflection skills at basic level, their abstract thinking skills, self-awareness and adaptation were medium. However, they showed a great deal of persistence and creativity as a part of a collaborative and cooperative activities. Therefore, focusing on the learning activities stimulating students’ ICC as a part of a real intercultural situation in journalism and mass communication (JMC) education is recommended.

Aptitude-by-Treatment Interactions in Research on Educational Interventions

A common theme uniting articles in this special issue is a focus on aptitude-by-treatment interactions (ATIs). This timely and welcome focus allows the field to synthesize current substantive findings on ATIs in educational intervention research in both reading and math domains. In this methodological commentary, we begin by reviewing traditional approaches for detecting and reporting interactions in single-level and multilevel models. Next, we discuss some limitations of traditional approaches for theorizing about and modeling ATIs, and we suggest some solutions. These solutions include interpreting level-specific (unconflated) ATIs, understanding and ameliorating threats to adequate power for detecting ATIs, expanding focus beyond linear ATIs, and increasing the number of measurement occasions beyond two to allow use of a growth modeling framework for investigating ATIs. Incorporating some of these advances into future research can motivate new research questions about educational interventions and lead to new discoveries in the search for ATIs.

Intervención educativa en adultos mayores sobre la hipertensión arterial y sus factores de riesgo

The article describes the results of an educational intervention research that evaluates the effectiveness of an educational program on the level of knowledge of Arterial Hypertension and its risk factors, in patients of the Medical Clinic Arroyo Muerto, municipality Majibacoa, during the period January- December 2017. 108 patients obtained through inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for the sample. Scientific, theoretical, empirical and statistical methods were used. The data were processed and represented through frequency distribution tables and from them the analysis and discussion of the results was performed, observing that before the educational intervention there were 32.4% of patients with an adequate level of knowledge about Hypertension. Arterial and 35.2% on the risk factors, after the intervention the number of patients with an adequate level of knowledge was 92.4% and 100% respectively. Concluding that before the educational intervention, the majority of patients had inadequate knowledge about Arterial Hypertension and its risk factors, the treatment most practiced by these patients was the pharmacological one, confirming that after the intervention the level of knowledge was raised in all aspects and it was achieved that the majority of the patients did practice combined treatment.

A Review of Statistical Methods for Generalizing From Evaluations of Educational Interventions

School-based evaluations of interventions are increasingly common in education research. Ideally, the results of these evaluations are used to make evidence-based policy decisions for students. However, it is difficult to make generalizations from these evaluations because the types of schools included in the studies are typically not selected randomly from a target population. This paper provides an overview of statistical methods for improving generalizations from intervention research in education. These are presented as a series of steps aimed at improving research design—particularly recruitment—as well as methods for assessing and summarizing generalizability and estimating treatment impacts for clearly defined target populations.