Nontraditional Program Research Articles

Diagnostic Reasoning Skills at Entry into a Non-traditional Physician Assistant Program - Registered Nurses Versus Other Allied Health Professions.

Diagnostic Reasoning Skills at Entry into a Non-traditional Physician Assistant Program - Registered Nurses Versus Other Allied Health Professions.

Using Focus Groups to Develop an Extension Home Horticulture Public Radio Program

Since its creation in 1914, Cooperative Extension has evolved to include a variety of traditional and nontraditional program areas. To reach new clientele, Extension must create programs that appeal to more generalized audiences and that communicate public value. One area that has the potential to create public value with nonagriculturalists is home horticulture. The application of marketing analysis, planning, implementation, and management should be used to reach this audience and provide better service. The University of Florida Extension Service uses an integrated marketing communication (IMC) approach to convey the role Extension plays in the state and in local communities. One component of this approach has been the development of a home horticulture radio show to be broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR) stations. Two focus groups consisting of target audience members (both users and nonusers of Extension) evaluated potential topics and formats for the radio program. Participants preferred topics dealing with plant selection and basic maintenance in the climatic zone of North Central Florida. They preferred the radio show name to mention the 2-minute time format and favored the use of the word "gardening" over "landscaping." They also wanted the radio show to be linked to a Web site and wanted both the Web site and radio show to use a question-and-answer format. Overall, the focus group method was effective in discovering audience preferences.

A Study on Using Rubrics and Citation Analysis to Measure the Quality of Doctoral Dissertation Reference Lists from Traditional and Nontraditional Institutions

ABSTRACT This study used citation analysis in conjunction with a subjective rubric with five criteria deemed valid by a majority of committee chairs at the writers' institution to assess the quality of 144 dissertation reference lists from a non-traditional program. Criteria included the breadth of resources; the depth of the literature review as shown through the citing of critical historical and theoretical works; depth as demonstrated through the scholarliness of citations chosen; currency; and relevancy. The results were then compared with citations from 59 dissertation reference lists purposively selected from a list of 10 traditional institutions. This social-constructive theory-based approach ascertained that there was no statistically significant difference between traditional or non-traditional scores for any criteria except breadth of resources which measures the number and variety of citation sources. In contrast, the constructivist theoretical approach establishes statistically significant differences in 11 of 17 variables.

Pedagogical Practices for Social Justice: A Movement Approach

This article describes the structure and social justice orientation of Gonzaga University's Leadership Formation Program, an innovative, nontraditional graduate program preparing principals, program administrators, and superintendents. Highlighting the virtual school district and complex case study approach used in the program, the article details three pedagogical practices central to preparing leaders to engage issues of social justice. Through the use of seminar readings, rigorous coaching of specific skill capacities, and case study simulations, the faculty engage candidates in the program to understand their roles as educational leaders and work as activists for social justice. The program teaches educational leaders that the answer does not lie “out there” but rather “inside” and that individuals committed to collectively reducing injustice can be a powerful force. Finally, a movement approach to confronting issues of social justice and taking action underscores the program's mandate that justice demands transforming the system.

An Update on Louisville MSD's Basement Backflow Prevention Program – 10 Years and 6,700 Installations Later

Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) is responsible for stormwater and wastewater service for the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area. A longstanding problem for MSD has been basement flooding due to sewers that are surcharged from wet weather. A non-traditional program was developed by MSD as a means to address this problem in a cost effective and timely manner. The Plumbing Modification Program began in 1993 as part of the combined sewer overflow program. The program pays for the installation of plumbing modifications inside of customers homes to protect against basement flooding due to wet weather surcharged sewers. Initially established for the combined sewer area only, the program has grown to include the entire combined and sanitary sewer service area. The program has been extremely successful. To date approximately 6,700 installations have been completed with a total construction cost of over $10.5 million.

Multi-Level Assessment of Program Outcomes: Assessing a Nontraditional Study Abroad Program in the Engineering Disciplines

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) a Global Perspective Program (GPP) has evolved that provides an international experience for most graduates. Currently more than half of WPI students travel internationally to do academic work. The GPP grew from the basic project-based educational structure implemented over 30 years ago. In this paper, we describe the structure and operation but will emphasize the multilevel assessment process used to understand student learning and improve the program. Although our specifics are related to technical education, our assessment design and implementation may be useful to a much wider audience.

A Tale of Two Cultures: The Ones We Straddle

Findings from this six-year study point to the challenge of providing substantive and on-going feedback to students in a non-traditional leadership preparation program. More importantly, this paper describes, from an inside-out perspective, the struggles encountered as faculty attempted to remedy inconsistencies in the program and reconcile differences during a ten-year period. Cognizant of the importance of engaging in a critical reflective practice, they struggle to navigate the ambiguous path between the department’s norms and culture and the values and beliefs gleaned from their own preparation experiences. This study also examines my own my personal journey as researcher and faculty member. Recognizing that the focus on the program’s gaps was short-sighted, I began to appreciate that program implementation and institutionalization were developmental processes with discernable stages, occurring in real time. In turn, I pose several questions for faculty to consider as they engage in modifying leadership preparation programs.

Using a Group Work Approach to Develop the Potential of Students in a Non-Traditional MSW Work-Study Program

This article describes the role of a special faculty advisor, the Professional Development Counselor, in utilizing group work techniques and stages of group development to facilitate minority students' professional development as they successfully engage in and complete an MSW work-study program. It also outlines the history of the program, and discusses the use and results of an evaluation survey to measure the program's graduates' perceptions of their experiences and views of professional self.

SMOKED: A Pharmacist-Monitored Tobacco Cessation Program

Tobacco users use an array of pharmaceutical aids in their quest to become tobacco free. Tobacco cessation aids are indicated to assist individuals to become tobacco free when used in conjunction with a behavior modification program. For many persons, attending traditional group behavioral modification classes of 1- to 2-hour weekly meetings for 4 to 6 weeks is either undesirable or impractical. This article describes a nontraditional tobacco cessation program offered by a pharmacist at a Coast Guard military treatment facility. The program required persons desiring tobacco cessation aids to see a medical provider who then referred the individual to the pharmacy officer for counseling. Of the 20 persons completing all designated counseling sessions with the pharmacy officer, 4 were tobacco free after 1 year.

From bedside nursing to managerial roles: changing occupational perceptions of nursing students.

This longitudinal study examined changes in the occupational perceptions of nursing students studying in a non-traditional undergraduate nursing program. The respondents, 210 first- and second-year nursing students, completed a questionnaire measuring the perceived importance of traditional and non-traditional nursing interventions and values. Questionnaires were administered at the beginning and at the end of the academic year. Students studying in a more traditional program comprised the control group. The results show that certain traditional nursing activities and values are perceived as more important by first-year students compared with second-year students in both programs, whereas the perceived importance of non-traditional activities is higher among second-year students. The preference for non-traditional interventions is stronger among students in the non-traditional nursing program. The results are discussed with regard to the gradual effect of nursing education on students' occupational perceptions.

Pharmacists' preferences for continuing education and certificate programs.

To conduct an assessment of the needs and interests of West Virginia pharmacists with respect to continuing education (CE) and certificate programs (CP) versus a nontraditional PharmD program (NTP). A cross-sectional study was conducted. The survey was mailed to 2800 West Virginia University School of Pharmacy alumni and West Virginia licensed pharmacists. The survey collected data pertaining to pharmacists' perceptions for the needs of CE, CP, and the NTP program; the optimal structuring of these programs; and the demographics of participants. A 24% (674) usable response rate was achieved from two mailings. Respondents were asked to address all areas of interest: approximately 75% showed interest in enrolling in CE, 45% in CP, and 40% in the NTP program. Interest levels varied across demographic and practice characteristics. Seven methods of instruction were evaluated by pharmacists, with live lectures being the most preferred for both CE and CP. Interest for specific content areas and topics for CE workshops and CP were identified. The type and amount of employer support and willingness to pay for enrollment in the two types of programs were obtained. Markets' needs for CE and CP were identified for five typical pharmacists' profiles (e.g., staff pharmacists in community practice). Results can be used by CE providers to develop CE and CP programs of most interest to pharmacists and target them to appropriate demographic segments in order to be cost-effective.

Ethical challenges in evaluation with communities: A manager's perspective

AbstractFoundation staff share their perspectives, as managers and practitioners, on the ethical challenges and opportunities facing professionals engaged in the evaluation of comprehensive, community‐based initiatives and other nontraditional program strategies.

Motivations and practice-area preferences of pharmacists interested in pursuing a Pharm.D. degree through a nontraditional program.

Pharmacists' interest in a proposed nontraditional Pharm.D. program, motivations for wanting to pursue a Pharm.D. degree, and practice-area preferences were surveyed. Questionnaires were mailed to 12,621 pharmacists in Illinois and Arizona. Information sought included current position and practice area, number of job and career changes, preferred practice area, and interest in enrolling in a proposed nontraditional Pharm.D. program described in a cover letter. For pharmacists indicating an interest, information was sought on motivations for wanting to pursue a Pharm.D. degree expected support from employers, and preferred practice areas after obtaining a Pharm.D. degree. The response rate was 28.8%. A total of 1119 respondents (31.9%) indicated that they would or probably would enroll in the proposed Pharm.D. program. These pharmacists gave improving their clinical skills and improving the quality of their work as reasons for wanting to enroll, and half indicated that their current practice area would be their preferred area after they completed a Pharm.D. degree. Almost three quarters (72%) of hospital pharmacists; more than 60% of home health care or consultant independent, and managed care pharmacists; and 21% of pharmacists in chain pharmacies stated a preference to stay in their current practice area after obtaining a Pharm.D. degree. Eight variables were useful in predicting whether respondents would prefer to remain in their current practice area, including tuition assistance or reimbursement from employers, satisfaction with current position, and number of years in current position. Respondents who were interested in pursuing a Pharm.D. degree through the nontraditional program described to them were motivated by a desire to improve their clinical skills and the quality of their work and the opportunity to open doors to new careers.

Effect of a Sound Exploration Program on Children's Creative Thinking in Music

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a sound exploration program on children's creative thinking in music. A random sample of 66 students was selected from 12 urban elementary schools in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, where a sound exploration program was introduced. Subjects were first grade participants, second grade participants, and second grade non-participants. Webster's Measure of Creative Thinking in Music was used in this posttest-only study. Results showed significant differences for the three groups in Musical Flexibility, Musical Originality, and Musical Syntax, but not in Musical Extensiveness. First and second grade participants received higher mean scores in these three musical creativity factors than second grade non-participants. Results of this study suggest that first and second graders may become more ready to fulfil the potential for music creativity after participating in a non-traditional sound exploration program.

Reviews : Footprints: Strategies for Non-traditional Program Evaluation, Joy A. Frechtling (ed.). Arlington, VA: Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation, 1995. 164 pp. Available at no charge

Reviews : Footprints: Strategies for Non-traditional Program Evaluation, Joy A. Frechtling (ed.). Arlington, VA: Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation, 1995. 164 pp. Available at no charge

Doctoral education in nursing: evaluation of a nontraditional program option.

Selected outcomes of an intensive, summer-only doctoral program in nursing were assessed using quantitative and qualitative data obtained from program-specific questionnaires and Educational Testing Service (ETS) Graduate Program Self-Assessment (GPSA) student and faculty questionnaires. Students evaluated the overall program as successful, satisfying, and stimulating, but also as stressful. Educational interventions to ameliorate student stress did not impact student evaluations of reported stress levels. Comparisons of summer-only and regular academic year students showed no differences in demographics, although differences between groups were found in long-term goals. Overall ETS questionnaire data were consistent with the Holzemer and Chambers (1986) baseline data for schools of nursing and showed no unusual patterns or trends. Summer-only and regular program student ratings were similar on all ETS scales.

Nontraditional Pharm.D. program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The nontraditional Pharm.D. program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is described. The nontraditional program, started in 1990, includes 21 credit hours of didactic work and 12 of clerkships. In the self-paced didactic courses, videotapes, manuals, and texts are used, along with faculty consultation in person or by telephone. Clerkships can be traditional or nontraditional. Nontraditional clerkships can be completed by self-study in the student's community after an orientation period at the preceptor's site. More than 400 pharmacists have enrolled in the program and more than 80 have entered nontraditional clerkships. Thirty-nine pharmacists have received the Pharm.D. degree. The program offers an accessible alternative for pharmacists who want to earn the Pharm.D. degree while maintaining full-time employment.

Traditional predictors of academic performance in a medical school's independent study program.

To provide predictive information as an initial screening device for admission decisions, generalizable to the population of students opting for the Independent Study Program (ISP) at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. A stepwise multiple-regression technique was used to generate predictor-criterion relationships. A priority code was developed as an applicant screening device. The code is a numeric value based on a combination of applicant grade-point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores that provides a prediction of first-year performance in medical school. The study sample consisted of the 596 first-year students in the ISP track from 1980 through 1989. The measure of their academic performances was the average score on three National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject ("shelf") examinations in the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry). The largest multiple correlations were found between averaged scores on the NBME subject examinations and undergraduate GPAs (R = 34.20; F = 16.79; p = .0001) and scores on the MCAT Biology Knowledge (R = 13.24; F = 47.64; p = .0001), MCAT Chemistry Knowledge (R = 7.86; F = 17.39; p = .0001), and MCAT Skills Analysis: Quantitative (R = 1.39; F = 3.93; p = .0479). The predictive value of traditional predictors of preclinical academic performance was established for the nontraditional program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Admission officers at other schools may find the priority code helpful as a sorting tool. It may further serve as an "early warning" system for students with marginal academic preparation.

Preparing Administrators for the World of Practice: A Proactive View of Principalship Preparation

This paper reviews current elements of administrative thought and practice with the expressed intent of providing a comprehensive outline for new programmatic ventures in the field of principalship preparation. In conjunction with this review, a general description of an existing nontraditional leadership preparation program is included. As this research is united with actual practice, it is hoped that university administrators and educational administration faculty will be offered a new paradigm for the preparation of principals for the 21st century.

Program Options in Baccalaureate Clinical Laboratory Science Programs

This survey was conducted to determine the availability of mechanisms for articulation and nontraditionalprogram optionsin clinical laboratory science (medical technology) programs. Questionnaires were sent to all baccalaureate-level medical technology (ist) (MT) programs throughout the United States in February 1987. A total of 87 schools (65%) responded. Seventy-one percent of the respondents either already had articulation mechanisms or were planning to institute mechanisms within a year. Equivalency examinations and direct transfer of medical laboratory technician (MLT) professional courses were most commonly offered. A part-time curriculum was the most frequently available nontraditional program option. While the majority of the surveyed programs were offering mechanisms and /or options to aid in the progression from MLT to MT, mechanisms offered were those that best fit into existing traditional curricula. More nontraditional alternatives should be made available to better meet the needs of MLT graduates. We recommend a shared responsibility between MLT and MT programs for the education of clinical laboratory personnel.