Module 6: Book Club

Part 1: Worksite.

To continue from last week, I am on the search committee for a tenure-track position. We have now whittled down the list of candidates to interview to 16. Sixteen down from 71. Our chair is working on getting them all scheduled for this week. I am not sure how we will be able to do it with our schedules, but the plan is to have at least three of us conducting each interview. I am relieved that we have at least gotten to this point. I do feel like there will be a bit of relativism from this point on. Meaning, our interpretations of the candidates will be tainted, both in good and bad ways, with our experiences coming into this situation. There are many lessons to be valued and utilized so we can select a good candidate, but at the same time, we are likely not going to find consensus. This concerns me as there is the potential for people to dig in their heels and not compromise or worse. People may not care enough to fight for things. Many of us are already feeling stressed and tired of this process because of the time constraints. I relate this back to my research. How will I be able to create an environment that will encourage participation, collaboration, and prevent burnout?

Part 2: Observation.

On April 18, I observed a book club, Coffee, Tea & Books, through the City of Tempe Library. They were discussing What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman. It was held in the Connections Café. Six women attended this discussion. During first fifteen minutes, the women chatted in small groups in a social manner. One woman called the discussion to start since it did not appear that anyone else would be joining the group. The first part of the discussion were general impressions of the book. Women took turns, though it was clear that two of the women tended to be more vocal than the others, often interjecting. Discussion about the author’s first novel in comparison to this one ensued and this caused a lively debate between a couple of the participants. They also shared their opinions on the different time settings within the book. The discussion lasted an hour and a half, ending with a confirmation of next month’s book selection.

Part 3: Readings.

Lewis, C. (2015). What Is Improvement Science? Do We Need It in Education?. Educational Researcher, 44(1): 54-61.

Need basic knowledge from the discipline and how to enact the knowledge to organizations.

Knowledge includes generalizable and organizational-specific knowledge.

Basic knowledge is built through traditional research. Organizational-specific is built through action research. Need both to understand the interactions.

Organization knowledge – system of profound knowledge

To advance improvement science, there needs to be recognition of differences between experimental and improvement sciences, different types of generalizable knowledge, be able to take practical measurements, and collaborate between the “sides”.

Part 4: Integrations. Use this course journal part to track big ideas, bullet points, and questions. A fine length for this type of entry is just 50 words.

Be careful of some members of groups dominating over other members and the discussions. Encourage participation from all members.

Informal discussions are good; however, a lot of socializing does occur. Having one “leader” may be beneficial to keep people on tract. Perhaps questions to bring to the discussion would help guide the group.

References

Lewis, C. (2015). What Is Improvement Science? Do We Need It in Education?. Educational Researcher, 44(1): 54-61.

Module 5: Basketball Practice

Part 1: Worksite.

I am on a search committee for a new tenure track position. This is the first time I have served on such a committee. Last week, we met to try to review 71 applicants. We were not successful in deciding who would progress onto telephone interviews. We were caught up by how to interpret each requirement and desired qualification. For example, a doctorate in public health or related field meant many different things to each of us. Public health is one of those fields that encompasses a myriad of areas. It was quite frustrating since I received an email this morning about a new evaluation method on the same 71 candidates. In other words, no progress was made based on our observations last week. It felt like wasted time. This had me thinking about my problem of practice. There are many aspects that could be examined and need to be defined in order to move forward with my project. I am asking myself how I can refine and clarify my research questions to make the most sense.

 

Part 2: Observation.

 

On April 12, 2016, I observed a basketball practice for third to sixth graders at Haley Elementary School. One coach supervised seven young boys. The practice was held outside, leaving the coach to enforce water breaks about every ten minutes. The boys started practice right after the conclusion of the school day. While waiting for all the boys to arrive, they practiced taking shots at the basket in a somewhat coordinated chaos. Once everyone was in attendance, the coach had the boys run different drills, including dribbling, taking shots at the three point line, and footwork skills. He kept the practice moving by changing the activities about every five minutes. Occasionally, a boy would ask to sit down because he was too overheated or tired. The coached allowed this each time. For the drill where they practiced slides, the coach waited until after the drill to explain the reasoning behind it, which was learning how to block. Towards the end of the practice, the coach had the boys line up. He demonstrated how to go one-on-one with a peer, with the goal to block, while the other boy was trying to score. Each boy rotated in and were able to be both the blocker and shooter.

Part 3: Readings.

 

Kliebard, H. M. (1988). Success and failure in educational reform: Are there historical
“lessons”?. Peabody Journal of Education, 65(2), 143-157.

Questions about whether innovated practices in schools can be implemented and sustained, why there are negative views about educational reform, what can be learned from previous efforts.

Reforms may be consistent with social and political forces, such as regulations, certifications, etc. May shift due to assumptions about what education is about.

Dewey argues that reforms fail because of conflict between purposes and standards that are inherent to the reform and external conditions. External conditions include specific school structures, classrooms.

Order versus teaching and the relationship between the two. Change threatens the loss of order, requires teachers to be risk takers.

Pendulum Swing Phenomenon - failures occur in reoccurring cycles, but in different settings, so difficult to trend and learn from them.

Those carrying out reforms are treated like consumers of the initiatives rather than partners, collaborators.

Part 4: Integrations.

Big ideas: Keep the practice moving, never allowing for boredom or idleness. Explain in simple terms what the point of what they are doing is. Encourage participation.
 
Reference

Kliebard, H. M. (1988). Success and failure in educational reform: Are there historical

“lessons”?. Peabody Journal of Education, 65(2), 143-157.

 

 

 

 

 

Module 4: AzPHA Conference

 

Part 1: Worksite.

Last week, we had submitted academic status reports. Students were notified if they were performing unsatisfactory. One such student had an appointment with me on Thursday. This is the second time she is taking this course with me. She does not attend class regularly, does poorly on assignments and quizzes, and often misses assignments completely. Talking with her, she described that her biggest obstacle in time. She does not feel like she has enough time and energy to devote to school since she is working 20 hours a week at a grocery store. Her family is unable to provide financial support and often asks her for financial help instead. Her roommate moved out a month ago after she stopped helping her financially as well. My problem of practice looks into the likelihood of being successful in public health/health sciences graduate classes in those students with lower socioeconomic status. This student is an example of such a student who is unlikely to continue with undergraduate education, let alone graduate work, without additional resources.

Part 2: Observation.

 

Arizona Public Health Association (AzPHA) is an organization that promotes the health and well-being of Arizonans. It prides itself on being a resource for public health professionals and students. It promotes collaborations between agencies in order to better serve its populations. AzPHA held its spring conference on April 5. This conference acts not only as a networking event, but also a way to disseminate information. Its theme was After Disaster Strikes: Expectations versus Capabilities. After the start of the conference, the first panel session was held on how to expect the unexpected. Each member spoke for about 20 minutes with slides, followed by a question and answer session.

Part 3: Readings.

Sutton, R. I., & Rao, H. (2014). Scaling up excellence: Getting to more without settling for less. Crown Business.

If things are working well, the info should be disseminated freely

If you ask an organization how they are doing what they are doing, there should be easy ways to reach out and communicate

Once gaps are identified, collaborate with others to fill them in

When approaching scaling, you need diversity. Reflect the diversity you want to attract

Convey expectations through examples (not just beliefs and codes, but also emotions – positive energy) and make developing fun

Get people to be engaged again through mentorships – dormant connections, promote action, promote continued action

 

Making nets work:

The top down approach

Broadcast your message out to one and all

Surround them – many teaching the few

One on one – power of pairs

From the few to the many

Bridging disconnected islands

Create crossroads where people connect

 

Part 4: Integrations.

 

·         Sometimes you have to be persistent to get your message of urgency across.

·         Rely on those who have the experience to advise you.

·         In emergencies, step aside to allow those with the knowledge to take control and be there to help coordinate as needed.

·         Expect the unexpected and plan for the worse. Expect those plans to be forced to change.

References

McGuire M.T., Rowley R., Sunenshine R. (2016, April). Expectations versus Capabilities. Panel session conducted that the spring conference of Arizona Public Health Association, Phoenix, AZ.

Sutton, R. I., & Rao, H. (2014). Scaling up excellence: Getting to more without settling for less. Crown Business.

 

Module 3: Nutrition 101

Part 1: Worksite.

BeYOUtiful Wellness Center is located in Gilbert, Arizona. It focuses on providing nutrition and physical activity based in evidence in order to promote “health at any size”. For each member, they get a personalized physical activity plan, and nutrition assessment and plan. Each month, a registered dietician gives a nutrition class. There are nine core classes in the program.  (BeYOUtiful Wellness Center 2015)

Part 2: Observation.

A nutrition talk, Nutrition 101: Building a Foundation for Health, was given by Dr. Christy L**** (RD) at BeYOUtiful Wellness Center on March 31, 2016 from 1800-1930. This is the first core class in the program. Typically, the talk is given in a typical classroom format with the members sitting in chairs, listening to the talk, and watching PowerPoint slides. This class was conducted differently. They were conducting a pilot class of a “nutrition-cardio” session. RD was talking, the members were cycling through different cardiovascular exercises: stationary bike, rowing machine, and treadmill. Members spent three minutes on each machine before resting for one minute and switching machines. Three members, two being new to the program, participated in the class. After the nutrition-cardio session, the members completed 30 minutes of resistance training.

After the session, the owner, who was also present, and RD asked for the members’ feedback about this type of format. They stated that the time went by quickly and it was easier to complete their physical activity. This feedback was given verbally.

The goal of the BeYOUtiful Wellness Center is to promote health through evidence-based approaches. For the nutrition classes, they aim to empower members with knowledge so that they can make “informed decisions about nutrition”. Rather than giving members only a nutrition plan to follow, they are given the evidence behind the plan. The format of learning, incorporating both physical activity and the science behind nutrition, is an uncommon approach. (BeYOUtiful Wellness Center 2015)

 

 

Part 3: Readings.

Fullan, M., Rincon-Gallardo, S., & Hargreaves, A. (2015). Professional capital as accountability. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23(15).
·         Looks at the policy makers and decision makers and their responsibilities on systems and institutions
·         What are the driving factors
·         Ensuring accountability, infrastructure that is sustainable and effective, transparency

Meyer, J., Francisco, R., & Soysal, Y. (1992). World Expansion of Mass Education. Sociology of Education. Vol. 65, No. 2. p. 128-149.

·         Expansion and standardization of mass education
   o   Cultural influence of western society defines these
   o   National-state building and development is measured through the context of having higher   
           numbers of educated
   o   Policy is influenced by this
   o   Questions who is making these decisions and definitions
·         Normative context of mass education

Part 4: Integrations. Use this course journal part to track big ideas, bullet points, and questions. A fine length for this type of entry is just 50 words.

Big ideas: Empowerment, knowledge behind behavior, knowledge necessary for behavior change, mixed formats to learning (physical activity, plans, assessments, and nutrition classes)

How does this pilot version compare to the old version? What prompted this version? How are they tracking responses/feedback?

Supplemental Resources/Education Materials

Nutrition 101: Building a Foundation for Health (L**** 2016)

·         Food as Fuel
   o   Caloric breakdowns
·         Basic 6 and Beyond
   o   6 nutrients (carbs, fats, lipis, viamins, water, minerals)
   o   Food sources of each of these
   o   Importance of each of these
   o   Differentiating between “good” and “bad” foods (ie carbs, fats)
·         5 Rules to Live by (80% of the time)
   o   Carbs – unprocessed and unrefined
   o   Protein – the less legs the better
   o   Fats – choose helpful, not hurtful
   o   Antioxidants – “cover all the colors”
   o   Drink fluids BEFORE you get thirsty 
References

BeYOUtiful Wellness Center. 2015. BeYOUtiful Wellness Center. Retrieved on March 31, 2016 from http://www.beyoutifulwellness.com.
 
Fullan, M., Rincon-Gallardo, S., & Hargreaves, A. (2015). Professional capital as accountability. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23(15).

L***, Christy. 2016. Nutrition 101: Building a Foundation for Health. PowerPoint Presentation.  

Meyer, J., Francisco, R., & Soysal, Y. (1992). World Expansion of Mass Education. Sociology of Education. Vol. 65, No. 2. p. 128-149.

 

Module 2: American Heart Association

Part 1

In August, I need to recertify my BLS for Healthcare Providers certification. In other words, a more advanced CPR. I have always used The American Heart Association (AHA) for this. My problem of practice (POP) is to look at innovative ways to bridge the socioeconomic gap for students in the classroom in order for them to pursue higher education.  Given, my POP needs quite a bit of refinement. My students of focus are public health or health sciences majors where advanced degrees, and things like CPR certifications are standard for every level. The main reason why I selected this site was because it offers CRP and other continuing education classes, both in‑person, online, and hybrid. I have experience taking all three of these modalities.  

 
Part 2
 

When first going to AHA’s educational website, you have access to a large listing of classes available. The two main types of training available is for CPR, first aid, and emergency cardiovascular care. A useful resource available in addition to the training courses is that there are guidelines put out my AHA, which are considered the gold standard, for CPR. This is immensely beneficial to have this guide available without having to submit payment to refresh your certification. I do not have to be an active student to access this. As being a former student, I do have my course I took available to me for a year after completion. Considering that guidelines have changed quite a bit over the years, this is great to be able to access my course, test materials, and other supplemental materials. There are also textbooks and other manuals available to the public. This site acts as a liaison to connect students and potential students to training centers within their local area. It gives people the ability to have the elearning section, while experiencing the hands-on skills development. (AHA 2016)

American Heart Association (AHA). 2016. Retrieved on March 25, 2016 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/CPR_UCM_001118_SubHomePage.jsp.

Part 3

Weick, K. E. (1976). Educational organizations as loosely coupled systems. Administrative science quarterly, 1-19.

·         Loose systems

   o   Connections are strong, moving parts are independent

   o   Less interconnectivity, less communication

   o   Maintain separate identities

·         Tight systems

   o   Connections are strong, parts move together

   o   Impacts are felt throughout the organization

   o   More interconnectivity, more communication

   o   Strong system identity 

·         Dysfunctions can be felt in either system

Hargreaves, A., et al. (Eds) (2009). Innovation and diffusion as a theory of change. In Second International Handbook of Educational Change (Introduction). Springer: Netherlands.

·         Best schools are those who work with their communities

·         Collaborations, public input/response

·         Consider different levels for system change (community/local, ground)

Bentley, T. (Ed) (2009). Innovation and diffusion as a theory of change. In Second International Handbook of Educational Change (pp 29-46). Springer: Netherlands.

·         Systems with high levels of networking/communication

·         Include diverse experiences and input for innovation

Part 4

AHA gives the public and the student the ability to easily find courses that suit their needs. Having both in-person, online, and hybrid options give flexibility. The online (elearning) and hybrids are actually the more inexpensive option, which as a student, allows for less stress for obtaining required professional development trainings.

Supplemental Resources/Education Materials

I selected to review the 2015 Guidelines Highlights. I was immediately impressed that it was available in many different languages, making it accessible to a larger audience. These guidelines contained figures for the new classifications, along with the level of evidence. I appreciated that even though this is targeting a large population, it used meta-analysis and other terms appropriate for health sciences. This read like a summary and was very easy to point out the important changes. There is also a corresponding online course that “helps healthcare providers and systems to bridge the gap” between the new guidelines and renewal courses institutions are already offering.

 

References

AHA. 2015. Highlights of the 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines Update for CPR and ECC. Retrieved on March 25, 2016 on http://eccguidelines.heart.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-AHA-Guidelines-Highlights-English.pdf.

 
Bentley, T. (Ed) (2009). Innovation and diffusion as a theory of change. In Second International Handbook of Educational Change (pp 29-46). Springer: Netherlands.

Hargreaves, A., et al. (Eds) (2009). Innovation and diffusion as a theory of change. In Second International Handbook of Educational Change (Introduction). Springer: Netherlands.

Weick, K. E. (1976). Educational organizations as loosely coupled systems. Administrative science quarterly, 1-19.