Using a Western-Based Survey to Assess Cultural Perspectives of Dene Mothers in Northern Manitoba

With increasing numbers of immigrants entering Canada over the past several decades, educators have become more sensitive to the various genres of communication competence and discourse patterns within a given culture. This is especially true for the Aboriginal students struggling to acclimate into Western curricula. The purpose of this study was to explore Aboriginal mothers’ perspectives on language acquisition for their children. Thirty Dene speaking mothers from a northern first nation community were administered a survey in a face to face format. The survey was replicated in part from previous studies on language acquisition of cultural groups in Canada. This paper will describe the challenges in trying to adapt such a survey, including issues of administration, translation, and survey validity and reliability. Challenges in adhering to Western research standards while displaying cultural sensitivity to its participants by way of acknowledging the community’s indigenous knowledge and English as an alternative language (EAL) issues are discussed.

Nepotism and Favouritism in Polish and Lithuanian Organizations: The Context of Organisational Microclimate

The phenomena of ‘nepotism’ and ‘favouritism’ are frequently observed in contemporary business, being usually associated with corruption in the public sector and the abuse of public resources. The phenomena, however, have an international scale and no country and sector of the economy are free of them. Given these facts, our paper identifies the attitude of Lithuanian and Polish employees to it in the context of revealing the organizational microclimate. Our analysis is done in relation to three basic aspects: a) Sector (public vs. private), b) gender (male vs. female) and c) five different age groups. Our research sample involved 337 respondents (Poland-PL, N = 164 and Lithuania-LT, N = 173) representing public (PL and LT, N = 119) and private (PL and LT, N = 218) sector organizations. A closed-type questionnaire was used in the survey. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by its high psychometric characteristics. Several research methods, including factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, Spearman–Brown, factor loading and total item correlation were used in our study. The results show that there are both similarities as well as differences between the organizations analysed. As far as the private vs. public sector is concerned, in Poland, manifestation of nepotism in principal does not differ in private and public organizations, unlike in Lithuanian organizations, where a worse situation is recorded in public sector organizations. In turn, comparing employees’ attitudes by their gender, it was identified that there were more similarities than differences between Poland and Lithuania in four subcategories. Finally, comparing employees’ attitudes by their age, it was identified that the least number of statistically significant differences was identified in two age groups: 18–24 years old and over 51.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Using Factor Analysis to Gather Validity Evidence When Using Surveys in Your Research

Across all sciences, the quality of measurements is important. Survey measurements are only appropriate for use when researchers have validity evidence within their particular context. Yet, this step is frequently skipped or is not reported in educational research. This article briefly reviews the aspects of validity that researchers should consider when using surveys. It then focuses on factor analysis, a statistical method that can be used to collect an important type of validity evidence. Factor analysis helps researchers explore or confirm the relationships between survey items and identify the total number of dimensions represented on the survey. The essential steps to conduct and interpret a factor analysis are described. This use of factor analysis is illustrated throughout by a validation of Diekman and colleagues’ goal endorsement instrument for use with first-year undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students. We provide example data, annotated code, and output for analyses in R, an open-source programming language and software environment for statistical computing. For education researchers using surveys, understanding the theoretical and statistical underpinnings of survey validity is fundamental for implementing rigorous education research.

Developing an authentic project-based assessment model on sociology learning of senior high school students

This article aims to describe an authentic project-based assessment model in improving students' Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) on Sociology learning. This study used a mix-method design that applied ADDIE procedural to gain valid and reliable outcomes. Data collection used multiple techniques involving guided-interviews, survey, validity test, item instrument sheet, HOTS multiple questions with students' elicitation and observation sheet. The study results revealed that: (1) A characteristic of the authentic project-based assessment modelrefers toextensive assessments such as performance, attitude, presentation, product, project, and comprehension. Both performance and attitude assessments used during the project assessment. (2) An implementation of the authentic project-based assessment model is valid and reliable after givingan experimental treatmentin the class of X IIS SMAN 1 Padang that related to cognitive, affective and skills area. (3) An authentic project-based assessment model increased students' Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) regarding critical thinking and problem-solving aspects, communication skill aspects, creativity and innovation aspects, and collaboration aspects.

Reducing “I Don’t Know” Responses and Missing Survey Data: Implications for Measurement

Background. “I don’t know” (DK) responses are common in health behavior research. Yet analytic approaches to managing DK responses may undermine survey validity and researchers’ ability to interpret findings. Objective. Compare the usefulness of a methodological strategy for reducing DK responses to 3 analytic approaches: 1) excluding DKs as missing data, 2) recoding them to the neutral point of the response scale, and 3) recoding DKs with the mean. Methods. We used a 4-group design to compare a methodological strategy, which encourages use of the response scale after an initial DK response, to 3 methods of analytically treating DK responses. We examined 1) whether this methodological strategy reduced the frequency of DK responses, and 2) how the methodological strategy compared to common analytic treatments in terms of factor structure and strength of correlations between measures of constructs. Results. The prompt reduced DK response frequency (55.7% of 164 unprompted participants vs. 19.6% of 102 prompted participants). Factorial invariance analyses suggested equivalence in factor loadings for all constructs throughout the groups. Compared to excluding DKs, recoding strategies and use of the prompt improved the strength of correlations between constructs, with the prompt resulting in the strongest correlations (.589 for benefits and intentions, .446 for perceived susceptibility and intentions, and .329 for benefits and perceived susceptibility). Limitations. This study was not designed a priori to test methods for addressing DK responses. Our analysis was limited to an interviewer-administered survey, and interviewers did not probe about reasons for DK responses. Conclusion. Findings suggest that use of a prompt to reduce DK responses is preferable to analytic approaches to treating DK responses. Use of such prompts may improve the validity of health behavior survey research.

Synergicity of Triple Helix Creative Economy Model in Malang

The Triple Helix concept, the government-academics-business relationship, has been established in response to the 2005-2025 Creative Economy Long-term National Development Plan, especially in the mission of economic value creation of creative innovation. This study explores the factors influencing sinergicity of the triple helix model with SMEs' organic product in Malang as its object. This research was conducted with mixed methodology of FGD and survey. Validity and reliability test were performed based on the Cronbach's Alpha value and after being fulfilled, continue with analysis factor. The result of analysis creates 3 factors, namely: 1) variable of creative industry driver subject; 2) variable of organic product's Moslem businessmen characteristic; 3) variable of creative industry supporting. It concludes that there is a correlation among those variables, but its sinergicity is not optimally done yet. The finding shows that there is a concept of creative economy product innovation sinergicity of triple helix model modification of Moslem SMEs in Malang.

Assessing the knowledge to practice gap: The asthma practices of community pharmacists

Background: Community pharmacists are well positioned to identify patients with poorly controlled asthma and trained to optimize asthma therapy. Yet, over 90% of patients with asthma live with uncontrolled disease. We sought to understand the current state of asthma management in practice in Alberta and explore the potential use of the Chat, Check and Chart (CCC) model to enhance pharmacists’ care for patients with asthma. Methods: An 18-question survey was used to examine pharmacists’ monitoring of asthma control and prior use of the CCC tools. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the response rate, sample demographics, asthma management and CCC use. Survey validity and reliability were established. Results: One hundred randomly selected pharmacists completed the online survey with a 40% (100/250) response rate. A third of responding pharmacists reported talking to most patients about asthma symptoms and medication, with a greater focus on talking with patients on new prescriptions over those with ongoing therapies. Fewer than 1 in 10 pharmacists routinely talked to most patients about asthma action plans (AAPs). The majority of pharmacists (76%) were familiar with the CCC model, and 83% of those reported that the CCC model influenced their practice anywhere from somewhat (45%) to a great deal (38%). Both scales had good reliability, and factor analysis provided support for scale validity. Conclusions: There was considerable variability in pharmacists’ activities in monitoring asthma. Pharmacists rarely used AAPs. The CCC model had a high level of self-reported familiarity, use and influence among pharmacists.