Discussion1: Characteristics, Challenges, and Opportunities of Evidence-Based Design

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Discussion1: Characteristics, Challenges, and Opportunities of Evidence-Based Design

Consider the following quotation: “Often times, potential users of research knowledge are unconnected to those who do the research, and consequently a huge gap ensues between research knowledge and practice behaviors” (Barwick, M., Boudell, K., Stasiulis, E., Ferguson, H., Blase, K., & Fixsen, D., 2005). Social workers must work to close the gap perceived by the authors of this quote.

In your previous research course, you addressed the concept of evidence-based practice. However, it is important not to fall into a habit of using the term “evidence-based practice” without a clear understanding of its meaning. In particular, it is important to understand what standards of evidence must exist to classify an intervention or a program as evidence based. In this assignment, you are to clarify your understanding of the nature of evidence-based practice and analyze the challenges and opportunities for implementing evidence-based practice in your current social work practice.

To prepare for this Discussion, read the Learning Resources that provide information about different aspects of the evidence-based practice concept. As you read, consider how evidence-based practice or evidence- based programs might be used in a social work agency where you work or where you had a practicum experience.

· Post a description of the distinguishing characteristics of evidenced-based practice. 

· Then provide an evaluation of factors that might support or impede your efforts in adopting evidence-based practice or evidence-based programs.

References (use 3 or more)

 Document: Thyer, B. (2010). Introductory principles of social work research. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp.1–8). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. (PDF)

Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.

Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Document: Cooney, S. M., Huser, C. M., Small, S., & O’Connor, C. (2007). Evidence-based programs: An overview. What Works, Wisconsin —Research to Practice Series, (6), 1–8. Retrieved from http://whatworks.uwex.edu/attachment/whatworks_06.pdf (PDF)

Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Madison/Extension.

Document: O’Connor, C., Small, S. A., & Cooney, S. M. (2007). Program fidelity and adaptation: Meeting local needs without compromising program effectiveness. What Works, Wisconsin —Research to Practice Series, (4), 1–6. Retrieved from http://whatworks.uwex.edu/attachment/whatworks_04.pdf (PDF)

Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Madison/Extension.

Document: Small, S. A., Cooney, S. M., Eastman G. & O’Connor, C. (2007). Guidelines for selecting an evidence-based program: Balancing community needs, program quality, and organizational resources. What Works, Wisconsin —Research to Practice Series, (3), 1–6. Retrieved from whatworks.uwex.edu/attachment/whatworks_03.pdf (PDF)

Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Madison/Extension.

University of Wisconsin Extension. (2007). Research to practice report briefs. Retrieved from http://whatworks.uwex.edu/Pages/1researchbriefs.html

Document: Small, S. A., Reynolds, A. J., O’Connor, C., & Cooney, S. M. (2005). What works, Wisconsin: What science tells us about cost-effective programs for juvenile delinquency prevention. Retrieved from http://whatworks.uwex.edu/attachment/whatworkswisconsin.pdf (PDF)

Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Madison/Extension.

Whittaker, J. K. (2009). Evidence-based intervention and services for high-risk youth: A North American perspective on the challenges of integration for policy, practice and research. Child & Family Social Work, 14(2), 166–177.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Discussion 2: Leadership and Management: What Is the Difference?

Leadership and management in social agencies are about starting things up, getting them done, and keeping them moving.

—Armand Lauffer

Leadership and management are two terms that are used interchangeably but represent different roles that have different functions. Understanding the differences and similarities is essential for social work administrators as they develop leadership strategies within organizations. Understanding the functions associated with leadership and management roles can influence how social workers supervise and work with colleagues in administrative practice. As you prepare for this Discussion, consider how your understanding of leadership and management roles might affect you when you assume a supervisory position.

· Post an analysis of the similarities and differences of leadership and management roles as they relate to human services organizations. 

· Include how your understanding of these roles may affect you as you assume a supervisory position.

References (use 2 or more)

Lauffer, A. (2011). Understanding your social agency (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Sage.

Mulroy, E. A. (2004). Theoretical perspectives on the social environment to guide management and community perspectives: An organization-in-environment approach. Administration in Social Work, 28(1), 77–96.

Mulroy, E. A. (2004). Theoretical perspectives on the social environment to guide management and community perspectives: An organization-in-environment approach. Administration in Social Work, 28(1), 77–96.

Survey Mathematics Discussion And Respones

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My name is Leshaela Monique Williams

 

Sets and Subsets

The ability to classify items into sets is important in many contexts. For example, the registrar of a university puts students into classes. Each class can be considered a set. It can also be considered a subset of the entire student population. The admissions officer puts students into majors. Again, each major can be considered a subset of the entire student population. At graduation, students need to be put into groups with similar GPAs for honors, groups with similar degrees, or groups from different schools within the university. On this Unit’s Discussion Board, you will investigate sets, subsets, and proper subsets making at least three posts as described below.

Post 1

  • Using your first, middle, and last name, create a universal set and write it in roster notation. If you do not have a middle name, use your first and last name only.
  • List all the subsets of your universal set.
  • How many subsets did you list? How do you know how many subsets a set will have?
  • List all the proper subsets of your universal set. Are all subsets of a set also proper subsets of a set? Why or why not?

Review an example of a response for this Discussion.

Post 2

  • Choose one of your classmates’ posts and using the letters of either their first, middle or last name, create a set and write it in roster notation.
  • Determine the number of distinct subsets of the set.
  • Determine the number of distinct proper subsets of the set.

Review an example of a response for this Discussion

Post 3

  • Watch the video, “How to Learn Math: Four Key Messages” found here:https://www.youcubed.org/resources/four-boosting-messages-jo-students/. Share something from the video that you think is helpful. How do you think it can help you in this class?

Discussion Guidelines

In this unit’s Discussion, you will interact with your classmates on the course content. Remember, your goal for Discussion Assignments is to ensure that:

  • Responses are on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the Discussion.
  • Responses make frequent, informed references to unit material.
  • Responses are clearly written.
  • You submit two or more Discussion Board responses to classmates as described in the Discussion Question that are thoughtful and advance the Discussion.

Keep in mind that when you post, you should include references to the textbook and any material found online. The class is all about sharing knowledge, so use Discussions as a way of creating a community resource for yourself and your classmates.

Please response to patrick post:

 

Name: Patrick Michael Hogan

Universal Set:

U={Patrick,Michael,Hogan}

Subsets:

{Patrick,Michael,Hogan}, {Patrick,Michael}, {Patrick,Hogan}, {Michael, Hogan}, {Patrick}, {Michael}, {Hogan}, {}

There are 8 Subsets.

Proper Subsets:

{Patrick,Michael}, {Patrick, Hogan}, {Michael, Hogan}, {Patrick}, {Michael}, {Hogan}, {}

Not every subset of a set is a proper set. This can be seen in the example from the book which states “consider C = {car, bus, train} and D = {train, car, bus}. Set C is a subset of set D, C ⊆ D, because every element of set C is also an element of set D. Set C, however, is not a proper subset of set D, C ⊄ D, because set C and set D are equal sets.”

Please also response to Nona:

Name:  Nona Ann Foga

Universal Set:  U= {Nona, Ann, Foga}

Subsets:  {Nona, Ann, Foga}, {Nona, Ann} {Nona, Foga}, {Ann, Foga}, {Nona}, {Ann}, {Foga}, {}

Proper Subsets:  {Nona, Ann}, {Nona, Foga}, {Ann, Foga}, {Nona}, {Ann}, {Foga}, {}

(Hope this what you’re asking for?)

Discussion 2: Generalizing Study Results (No More Than 500 words)

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Discussion 2: Generalizing Study Results (No More Than 500 words)

Generalizability is the extent to which research findings from your sample population can be applicable to a larger population. There are many best practices for ensuring generalizability.

Two of those are making sure the sample is as much like the population as possible and making sure that the sample size is large enough to mitigate the chance of differences within the population.

For this Discussion, read the case study titled “Social Work Research: Program Evaluation” and consider how the particular study results can be generalizable.

Post your explanation of who the sample is. Also explain steps researchers took to ensure generalizability. Be sure to discuss how the study results could possibly be generalizable. Please use the resources to support your answer.

Social Work Research: Program Evaluation

Major federal legislation was enacted in 1996 related to welfare reform. Financial assistance programs at the national level for low-income families have been in place since the mid-1960s through the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, or welfare reform, created TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Major components of the new TANF program were to limit new recipients of cash aid to no more than 2 years of TANF assistance at a time and to receive no more than 5 years of combined TANF assistance with other service programs during their lifetimes. The goal was to make public assistance a temporary, rather than a long-term, program for families with children. Beyond these general rules, each of the 50 states was given substantial latitude to adopt requirements to fit their own objectives. The new law also allowed states that reduced their public assistance expenses to keep whatever support was already being provided by the federal government for use at their own discretion. This was seen as a way to encourage states to reduce welfare dependency.

In response, the state of California decided to call its new program CalWORKs, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program. CalWORKs is California’s application of the new TANF federal law. Like most of the other states, CalWORKs provided its 58 counties with a fair amount of discretion in how to implement the new provisions. Some counties chose to develop strong upfront “employment-first” rules that mandated recipients be employed as soon as possible. Others chose a response that included testing and assessment and the provision of education and training services.

One of the largest counties in the San Francisco Bay Area developed several options for CalWORKs recipients, including immediate job readiness (Job Club) help, remedial education for recipients lacking basic skills, and vocational training at local community colleges and adult education centers for those seeking higher level education and skills. Recipients could take up to 5 years to complete these activities and even longer in certain circumstances to maximize their chances of success. Recipients were predominantly single mothers. If recipients fully complied with the rules, they received a variety of financial incentives, while those who did not comply received sanctions that often resulted in reduced benefit levels. The county provided grants to a wide array of education, training, and service programs to work as partners in serving the needs of participants.

In 1996, the county’s CalWORKs program enrolled approximately 22,000 families in various forms of public assistance programs. Of these, approximately 10,000 elected to participate in one of the education and training programs, 9,000 elected to attend intensive job placement (Job Club) classes, and the remaining 3,000 opted to not comply with the new program and accepted reduced benefit sanctions.

To meet its state and federal mandates, the county carefully tracked the progress of all program participants and compiled comprehensive quarterly reports that summarized assignments and outcomes at each of the contracted partner sites as well as countywide trends. During the first 11 years of the program, from 1996 through 2007, the county’s public assistance roles were reduced by approximately 40%, from more than 22,000 to about 13,000 families. The best results were obtained among participants in education and training programs, who accounted for about two-thirds of long-term outcome success, although this group was also found to be more costly to the local CalWORKs program during their years of study. These costs, in addition to the longer period of monthly benefits received, also included the cost of education and training and, in some cases, childcare expenses. Among the participants who were placed in the immediate job search (Job Club) program, total costs to the county were somewhat less per year, but more than 50% were still not successful in gaining employment, and those that did find a job received a much lower salary and fewer benefits, and another 23% fell back on CalWORKs after later losing their employment.

Although the results of the CalWORKs program in this county seemed to be following a mostly positive trend from 1996 through 2007, the situation changed dramatically in the opposite direction during the national economic downturn from 2007 through 2011. Total public assistance rolls more than doubled to about 30,000 during this time as the local and state unemployment rate rapidly grew from about 7% to more than 12%. The county was initially successful in getting the state to grant it waivers to allow recipients to extend their period of benefits during education and training, but these waivers were considerably restricted after 2011 due to major state budget cuts. Between 2011 and early 2013 the total number of recipients began to decline again by about 10% from its peak 2 years earlier. However, the total number of CalWORKs recipients is at 27,000, still about 5,000 recipients higher than when the program started in 1996.

Compounding the difficulty of more people becoming eligible for CalWORKs’ benefits due to poor economic conditions, the state’s budget crisis prompted a reduction in state allocations to counties and recipients. Nonetheless, county administrators were still pleased to report that more than more than 16,000 recipients during the program were able to obtain employment or other support that eliminated their dependency on cash public assistance.

Is Christianity specifically incompatible with Ph.D. research in the field of psychology?

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Write a paper (2,000-2,250 words) that addresses the role of the Christian worldview in the application of research ethics in the field of psychology. Address the following in your paper:

  1. Is Christianity specifically incompatible with Ph.D. research in the field of psychology? Why or why not?
  2. Is the Christian worldview compatible with research ethics in the field of psychology? Why or why not?
  3. To what extent should the Christian worldview influence the type of psychology research conducted and the ethics of that research? Why?
  4. To what extent do you perceive that the Christian worldview will influence the topic and ethics of your intended dissertation research? Why? Is this different than you expected? Why or why not? (Benchmarks Relationships, Spirit, and Self-Discovery C8.1: Appraise the evolution of one’s personal self and worldview.)