ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Use of a Performance Assessment for Identifying Gifted Lebanese Students: Is DISCOVER Effective?
Author: Sarouphim, Ketty M.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Intelligence,Private Schools,Academically Gifted,Performance Based Assessment,Test Validity,Foreign Countries,Grade 3,Talent Identification,Grade 4,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Student Needs,Evaluation Methods,Interrater Reliability,Comparative Analysis,Gender Differences,Spatial Ability,Mathematics Skills,Language Skills,Oral Language,Writing Skills,Parent Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Grades (Scholastic)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of DISCOVER, a performance- based assessment in identifying gifted Lebanese students. The sample consisted of 248 students (121 boys, 127 girls) from Grades 3-5 at two private schools in Beirut, Lebanon. Students were administered DISCOVER and the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM). Teachers and parents of identified students were interviewed. Results showed evidence for DISCOVER's concurrent validity with RSPM, as correlations between students' DISCOVER ratings in spatial intelligence and their Raven scores were high, whereas correlations between students' DISCOVER ratings in linguistic intelligences and their Raven scores were low. Parents' and teachers' interviews corroborated the results, with a few exceptions. Of the total sample, 14.5% were identified, with no gender differences. The researcher concluded that DISCOVER could be used effectively in Lebanon for identification purposes, but further research is needed to support the findings. (Contains 3 tables.)
Diverting the Radicalization Track
Author: Cohen, Jared A.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Slums,Poverty,Terrorism,National Security,Demography,Young Adults,Persuasive Discourse,Democratic Values,Selection,Personal Autonomy

The struggle against violent extremism is the most significant national-security challenge of the 21st century. It is the challenge that makes all the threats Americans face that much more dangerous. The ungoverned spaces, urban slums, and impoverished regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, along with the poorly integrated immigrant communities in Western Europe, are the epicenters of vulnerability around the world that al Qaeda and other terrorist groups actively exploit. There has been a great deal of debate about how Americans address these vulnerable populations and effectively challenge the threat posed by violent extremists; it is an argument fueled by the larger question of how to &quot;win hearts and minds.&quot; While winning hearts and minds would be a tremendous feat if achieved, it remains an idealistic goal and one that must not distract from the immediate and realistic objective of diverting impressionable segments of the population away from the extremists' recruitment process. To accomplish such a diversion, the author stresses the need to look for ways to drain the swamp of potential recruits by overwhelming the target populations with alternatives, opportunities, and choices that are driven and disseminated by local vehicles and credible voices. These alternatives need not necessarily be pro-U.S.--so long as they unshackle populations from a situation in which a turn to extremism is the sole viable option. As young people around the globe are becoming more tech-savvy, the U.S. could provide much of its own alternative education in the digital space. In this sense, the author contends that the road ahead should be looked at more as a challenge of alternatives. The challenge of alternatives is not about promoting democracy; it is about diverting at-risk populations from the grip of extremist actors so that such populations have space to experience the freedom to choose. The author stresses the role of America in both the process of network-building and in engaging youths around the world, as well as in challenging extremists abroad. (Contains 9 endnotes.)
Primary Care's Dim Prognosis
Author: Alper, Philip R.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Physicians,Primary Health Care,Career Development,Medical Students,Medical Schools,Status,Health Insurance,Business,Public Health,Patients,Government Role,Work Environment

Given the chorus of approval for primary care emanating from every party to the health reform debate, one might suppose that the future for primary physicians is bright. Yet this is far from certain. And when one looks to history and recognizes that primary care medicine has failed virtually every conceivable market test in recent years, its prognosis is--to use doctor jargon--"guarded" at best. Primary care careers do not appeal much to today's American medical students. General practitioners, sensing both a loss of status and not wanting to be left behind professionally, began renaming themselves family practitioners and extending their own residency training after medical school to equal that of the internists. Naturally, this blurred the difference between the two groups of doctors and added to the difficulty of defining what is meant by "primary care." The entry of nurse practitioners only added to the confusion. These uncertainties contribute to the sinking status of primary care medicine. In this article, the author talks about primary care's dim prognosis and focuses on the negative aspects of primary care since they help explain the difficult predicament for primary physicians and for those thinking of a career in primary care. The author suggests that, if government and insurance carriers believe that patients need reminders to have evidence-based health screening, they should send them out directly. He stresses that the public health role of primary physicians must be reexamined. The author also suggests that primary care physicians must be allowed to work more sensibly than they are now and provides a real-life example.
The False Promise of Public Pensions
Author: Hess, Frederick M.
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching (Occupation),Elementary Secondary Education,Public School Teachers,Retirement Benefits,State Legislation,Public Officials,Labor Market,Unions,Income,Reliability,Resource Allocation,Age Groups,Attitudes,Differences,Politics of Education

The vast majority of public employees--including teachers--are enrolled in defined-benefit pension plans. These plans are usually the product of state legislation that determines eligibility, benefit formulas, employer and employee contributions, and how payments will be calculated when an employee retires or leaves the system. Once an employee has become vested in a pension plan, they are guaranteed retirement income based on that formula. Teacher pension systems pose two challenges for K-12 schooling. The first are the temptations of &quot;irresponsible fiscal stewardship.&quot; The second challenge is that pension arrangements &quot;hinder efforts to boost teacher quality&quot; by making it more difficult to attract talent in the contemporary labor market. Fiscal crisis and the alignment of the political stars have helped some states and localities to address the first challenge, yielding more sustainable benefit levels. However, reforms have done little to rationalize these systems for a changing labor market. Addressing the pension challenge is not merely a matter of technical patches; it is a question of politics. In this article, the authors discuss the politics and the false promise of public pensions and present a story which illustrates that it is only when the gloom of crisis finally descends that public officials muster the will to address the mismatch between promises and resources. They describe four simple truths that characterize public pension politics and offer three tacks that pension reformers might take in the political landscape.
Underage Drinking and the Drinking Age
Author: Main, Carla T.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Public Health,Alcohol Abuse,Drinking,Age Differences,College Students,State Legislation,Law Enforcement,Crime,Social Attitudes,Military Personnel,Sexuality,At Risk Persons,United States History,School Culture,Cultural Influences

The problem of underage drinking on college campuses has been brewing for many years to the continued vexation of higher education administrators. In 2008, John McCardell, president emeritus of Middlebury College, began to circulate for signature a public statement among colleagues titled "The Amethyst Initiative," which calls for elected officials to reexamine underage drinking laws. The project grew out of outreach efforts of a nonprofit organization he founded in 2007 called Choose Responsibility. The nonprofit advocates lowering the drinking age to 18 and licensing alcohol use for young people in much the same manner as driving--following coursework and an exam. Choose Responsibility also favors the repeal of the laws that set 21 as the mandatory minimum age for drinking (known as the "21 laws") and encourages states at the least to adopt exceptions to the 21 laws that would allow minors to drink at home and in private clubs. Since its launch, the Amethyst Initiative has created a public dialog about the drinking age, resulting in media coverage and a hearing before the New Jersey state legislature in November 2008. Despite its gravity as a public health problem, even among children younger than 18, the topic of underage alcohol abuse has been underaddressed in the popular media and in public funding compared to illicit drug abuse. The Initiative is a welcome development insofar as it challenges individuals to examine whether 21 "is working." The answer: It is not, as currently enforced. In this article, the author talks about the Amethyst Initiative's harmful remedy and explains why the 21 laws are broken. (Contains 19 endnotes.)
Orwell's Instructive Errors
Author: Julian, Liam
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Integrity,Rhetoric,Political Attitudes,Sociolinguistics,Foreign Policy,Males,Authors,World Views,Bias,Misconceptions

In this article, the author talks about George Orwell, his instructive errors, and the manner in which Orwell pierced worthless theory, faced facts and defended decency (with fluctuating success), and largely ignored the tradition of accumulated wisdom that has rendered him a timeless teacher--one whose inadvertent lessons, while infrequently acknowledged, are just as valuable as his intended ones. It commences with an insistence that battling bad English is no "sentimental archaism" as is generally supposed. Language does not merely reflect but also shapes societies, and so Orwell writes that far from being futile or irrelevant, defending the integrity of English is indispensable for the right functioning of the society that speaks it. In Orwell's writing, so much of it, the words seem "not mere labels, but facts." It's a major reason why his pieces are still anthologized, read, and commented upon: They eschew spineless language for clarity and force. It is tempting to believe that societal improvement will occur once people undertake unbiased observation of their surroundings. Yet Orwell reminds everyone, through his errors, that such an approach is insufficient, not simply because people process situations differently, selectively blur the line between fact and fiction, and are frequently incurably prejudiced, but also because it repudiates the accumulated wisdom that lets humans order their observations. The author argues that in Orwell's mistakes, in the worst of his work, useful lessons resound: Bias exists even in the most self-righteously self-proclaimed unbiased people, and individual observations, unguided by accumulated wisdom, are but assorted bits that lack cohesion.
Why "Faith-Based" Is Here to Stay
Author: Daly, Lew
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Civil Rights,Personnel Selection,Religion,Presidents,Political Issues,Religious Factors,Public Policy,United States History,Welfare Services,Social Change,Government Role,Federal Aid,State Church Separation,Federal Legislation,Court Litigation,Politics of Education

By the time he left office, President Bush's faith-based initiative had become a kind of stand-in for his entire presidency. Whenever something went wrong on Bush's watch it was tarred as yet another "faith-based" policy. As the 2008 presidential election began to take shape, with the Democrats newly in charge of both the House and the Senate and the most aggressively religious president of the modern era plummeting toward record-low poll numbers, there was hope among many that the faith-based initiative would be swept away with the rest of Bush's failed "faith-based presidency." Instead, on the campaign trail in 2008, Barack Obama defied liberal expectations and pledged to revive the faith-based initiative. Surprised and disappointed civil-libertarian and secularist groups were somewhat consoled by Obama's further pledge to repeal the most controversial element of Bush's policy, so-called religious "hiring rights." On his watch, Obama initially said, receipt of federal funding would disqualify faith-based grantees from exercising religion-based discretion over hiring and employment policies, something they enjoy under civil rights law as a matter of religious liberty. To properly assess Obama's motivations and decisions in this area, the author discusses how the faith-based initiative came to exist, and why. (Contains 10 endnotes.)
Use of Research-Based Information among Leaders of Public Health Agencies
Author: Toomey, Traci L.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Needs,Health Education,Public Health,Journal Articles,Public Agencies,Surveys,Conferences (Gatherings),Research Utilization,Information Sources,Administrators

Background: Researchers have identified numerous policies and programs effective in reducing public health problems, yet many of these programs and policies have not been implemented throughout communities and states. Purpose: To assess the use of research-based information among leaders in the local public health system. Methods: We conducted a mailed survey of county commissioners and directors, and selected managers (n = 591) of all local public health agencies located in Minnesota. Results: Forty-nine percent of respondents reported not using research information in making decisions about priority areas. The most common ways of accessing research information were by: (1) reading a research article, (2) through a state/federal health agency, or (3) attending conferences. However, these methods varied from those reported as the most effective ways for accessing research information, which included: (1) having a summary of journal articles regularly sent to them, (2) having funding agencies provide research information, and (3) through a staff-prepared summary. Discussion: Findings suggest that while many agency leaders use research evidence in public health practice, there is room for improvement. Translation to Health Education Practice: To increase use of research information, effective methods for disseminating research need to be identified, evaluated, and broadly used. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
An Evaluation of a Classroom Science Intervention Designed to Extend the Bicycle Helmet Safety Message
Author: McPherson, Moira N.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Control Groups,Intervention,Health Education,Health Promotion,Safety,Safety Equipment,Knowledge Level,Public Health,Data Analysis,Grade 7,Program Descriptions,Physics,Motion,Student Attitudes,Tests,Questionnaires,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Intention,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries

Background: Wizards of Motion is a program of curriculum delivery through which experts in Kinesiology introduce grade 7 students to applications of physics for human movement. The program is linked closely to Ministry of Education curriculum requirements but includes human movement applications and data analysis experiences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' head safety knowledge and attitudes toward helmet use after participating in the program. Methods: Data were collected from five grade 7 classrooms. Two classrooms (n = 37) receiving the program, while three classrooms, (n = 37) formed the control group (no intervention). Results on the Knowledge Test, and the Student Helmet Use Questionnaire were compared between intervention and control students. Results: A significant pre-post change in level of knowledge scores was observed in the intervention group. Likewise, intervention group students showed a significant increase in their intention to wear a helmet in future. Discussion: The successful program delivery illustrated the usefulness of linking public health promotion to standard classroom curriculum. Translation to Health Education Practice: This program exemplified the fundamental elements of knowledge translation and knowledge development, and is therefore recommended as a positive approach to delivering the public health message of helmet use for head safety. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
Association of Eating Behaviors and Obesity with Psychosocial and Familial Influences
Author: Brown, Stephen L.
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Obesity,Health Education,Eating Disorders,Caregivers,Young Adults,Psychology,Depression (Psychology),Psychological Patterns,Emotional Response,Cues,Self Esteem,Family Influence,Gender Differences,Predictor Variables,Mental Health,College Students,Personality Traits,Anxiety,Questionnaires,Stress Management,Religious Factors,Religion,Coping,At Risk Persons

Background: Overeating is often attributed to emotions and has been linked to psychological challenges and obesity. Purpose: This study investigated the effect of emotional and external cue eating on obesity and the correlation of emotional and external cue eating with positive and negative psychological factors, as well as early familial eating context. Methods: 483 young adults attending two universities completed instruments measuring obesity, emotional and external cue eating, familial eating patterns, depression, anxiety, stress behaviors and somaticism, optimism, self-esteem, resilience, gratitude, humility, happiness, religiosity, and disordered eating. Results: Disordered eaters (with anorexia, bulimia, purging signs) reported worse mental health and more emotional eating. Gender was the only consistent predictor of obesity and external cue eating. In addition to gender, being offered food for comfort as a child was an important predictor of emotional cue eating. Discussion: More emphasis should be given to familial eating context, particularly the practice of offering children food for comfort, as a potential precursor to young adult emotional eating behavior. Translation to Health Education Practice: Findings point to a potential need to monitor and to train primary caregivers and those supervising young children in other settings regarding the use of food for non-nutritional purposes, and to provide training to children on more constructive methods of coping with strong emotions. (Contains 4 tables.)
Inbound College Students Drink Heavily during the Summer before Their Freshman Year: Implications for Education and Prevention Efforts
Author: White, Aaron
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Health Behavior,High School Graduates,College Freshmen,At Risk Persons,Health Education,Females,Prevention,Alcohol Education,Alcohol Abuse,Drinking,Males,College Bound Students,Gender Differences,Student Behavior,Student Attitudes

Background: Alcohol misuse among college students remains a pervasive problem. Relatively little is known about alcohol consumption by incoming students during the summer between high school graduation and the start of the freshman year. It is possible that many students bring unhealthy drinking habits with them to college. Purpose: The present study examined patterns of alcohol use and related consequences among incoming college students during the summer before their freshman year. Methods: The dataset consisted of self-reported two-week drinking histories from 4,539 incoming freshmen at three universities during the summer of 2003. An average of 80% of all incoming students at the schools was surveyed. In the present study, drinking patterns, risk and protective factors, and alcohol-related consequences were examined. Results: Roughly 50% of college-bound students consumed alcohol in the two weeks before the survey. Nearly 30% of all students met or exceeded the threshold for binge drinking (4+ drinks for females; 5+ drinks for males). Among those who drank during the two weeks before the survey, roughly 50% of males and females consumed shots, 50% played drinking games, and 36% suffered hangovers. More than one in ten males and females experienced memory blackouts during the two-week period. Fourteen percent of males and 10% of females drove after drinking. Females were twice as likely as males to drink on an empty stomach to get drunk faster (8.2% and 4.1%) and four times as likely to drink on an empty stomach to save calories (12.8% and 2.9%). Discussion: Many students bring unhealthy drinking habits with them to college and experience blackouts, hangovers, and other consequences during the summer before they arrive on campus. Translation to Health Education Practice: Alcohol education and prevention programs should target students prior to their arrival on college campuses. (Contains 3 tables.)
Exploring Gender Differences in the Relationship between HIV/STD Testing and Condom Use among Undergraduate College Students
Author: Bontempi, Jean Breny
Date: 2009-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Undergraduate Students,Colleges,Health Education,Females,Sexually Transmitted Diseases,Drinking,Sexuality,Diagnostic Tests,Screening Tests,Health Programs,Medical Services,Health Promotion,Student Surveys,Disease Control

Background: Rates of HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are increasing among university students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in the relationship between condom use and (1) HIV/STD testing behaviors, (2) STD treatment behaviors and, (3) alcohol use behaviors. Methods: A survey was administered to 1,500 undergraduate students in a university system in the Northeast. Frequency tests and the Fisher Exact test for associations were conducted. Results: Analysis was conducted on 1,410 surveys. Rates of sexual behavior were high, while condom use was reportedly low. Females reported higher rates of sexual activity and lower rates of condom use. Females who had been tested for HIV and STDs reported significantly lower rates of condom use than those not tested. Even more significant, females who had been treated for an STD reported low rates of condom use. Discussion: College students are reportedly continuing to practice unsafe sexual behaviors despite health education efforts on college campuses, especially females. Future research should explore the causal relationship between HIV/STD testing and treatment behaviors and condom use. Translation to Health Education Practice: This study suggests new ways of conceptualizing health education programming on college campuses through multilevel programming targeting behavioral concepts, such as perceived risk. (Contains 5 tables.)