Student Research
Student researchers that we have assisted.
Dr. Joyce Taylor Haynie
Degree Conferred: PhD in Education
Conferral Date: December 2019
Dissertation title: Impact of a Web-Based Instructional Module of Alzheimer’s Disease within Seven Content Knowledge Domains
Abstract:
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has been classified as the most common form of dementia. Primary health care providers are usually the first clinicians to whom individuals present with symptoms of dementia. By 2050, it is expected that as many as 13.8 million Americans will be living with AD, and millions more will be placed in the challenging role of providing care for these individuals. However, studies continue to show that dementia is often underdiagnosed and under detected. The purpose of the study was to systematically inquire about the impact of AD education on level of knowledge about AD among primary health care providers. Knowledge was tested on a standardized Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) that included seven content knowledge domains. A Web-based learner-focused instructional module about AD was created to to assure comprehensive content coverage and content relevance while upgrading conceptual knowledge about AD. In this study, a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design with repeated measures was implemented. The study participants (N=57) consisted of volunteer primary health care provider trainees who were randomly assigned to the treatment group (N=30) or the control group (N= 27). AD education about Alzheimer’s disease was the independent variable and level of knowledge overall and within the seven content knowledge domains on the ADKS was the dependent variable. The results indicated there were no differences between groups. It is possible that a ceiling effect on the ADKS measure existed as scores clustered toward the upper limits of the ADKS scale, even on the pretest and for both groups. In conclusion, AD education delivered in this format showed no differential benefit. The questions on the ADKS might not have been difficult enough to measure true knowledge of the learners. This study should be repeated with a different measure of AD knowledge.
Key Words: Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease content knowledge domains, Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), dementia, ceiling effect
Jibri Robinson
Degree Conferred: MS in Agriculture
Conferral Date: May 2020
Thesis Title: Impact of the Nutritional Value of Edible Gossypol-free Cottonseed Compared to Edible Sunflower, Peanut, and Pecan
Abstract:
Gossypol cottonseed carries the potential to provide the nutrient requirements for billions of people, worldwide. However, it has been woefully underutilized due to gossypol. Gossypol is a toxic chemical produced by the cotton plant as a defense mechanism against predators and disease. Its greatest concentration is in the cottonseed. In recent decades, geneticists have achieved major breakthrough in modifying the concentration of gossypol in the seed and engineering a cottonseed safe for human consumption. The purpose of the study was to inquire about the impact of agriculture education on the level of knowledge about cottonseed in comparison to the sunflower seeds, peanuts, and pecans amongst undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and practicing agricultural professionals. Knowledge was tested on an Agricultural Design Scale Testing Model (ADST) that included seven content knowledge domains. A Web-based learner-focused instructional unit about cottonseed, sunflowers seeds, peanuts, and pecans was created to assure comprehensive content coverage and content relevance while upgrading knowledge about cottonseed. In this study, a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design with repeated measures was implemented. The study participants (N=88) consisted of undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, and practicing agricultural professionals from both the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the University of Arkansas at Monticello who were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group. Agriculture education about cottonseed was the independent variable and level of knowledge overall and within the seven content knowledge domains on the ADST model was the dependent variable. The results indicated there were no differences between groups. It is possible that a ceiling effect on the knowledge content scores measure existed as scores clustered toward the upper limits of the ADST model, even on the pretest and for both groups. In conclusion, cottonseed education delivered in this format showed no differential benefit. The questions on the knowledge content scores might not have been difficult enough to measure true knowledge of the learners. This study should be repeated with a different measure of cottonseed knowledge.
Key Words: Gossypol-free cottonseed, Gossypol, Sunflower seeds, Peanuts, Pecans, Ceiling Effect, Agriculture Education, The Agricultural Design Scale Testing Model (ADST),
Student researchers
