Fall Colloquium 2022

“They Work Hard for the Money: What Online Adjunct Faculty Say about Sources of Stress and How Leaders Can Help Them”

Dr. Mary Dereshiwsky 

United States University, College of Education

9:00 am PST

The presentation will consist of two studies conducted to identify sources of adjunct faculty stress. The first study comprised of individual interviews with 10 faculty members. Based on the results of this study, a follow-up 30-item rating survey was disseminated via SurveyMonkey asking adjunct faculty to rate the severity of stress these faculty experienced from each of the stressors. A total of 62 completed surveys revealed specific faculty stressors related to student readiness to learn online, communications with students, communications with administrators, teaching load, and teaching expectations. Specific implications for the provision of support to adjunct faculty to help them be maximally successful in their professional responsibilities will be identified and discussed.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W4cc-gzblicRG1UIf7xkhOH29NfJwYpM/view?usp=sharing  

“Nurse Educators and Implicit Bias: Can Critical Reflection Change Practice?”

Dr. Linda Haen 

United States University, College of Nursing & Health Sciences

11:00 am PST

The presentation will share the information uncovered in a qualitative study conducted at a midwestern nursing college where faculty were asked to take Harvard’s Implicit Assessment Test (IAT). The IAT is a free online assessment of implicit bias in several areas. This study focused on race. After taking the test faculty were encouraged to critically reflect upon what they discovered about their own implicit biases. They were then interviewed to obtain their reactions and their plans, if any, to change their practice. The implications for examining implicit bias as educators and healthcare providers and suggestions to mitigate implicit bias will be discussed.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/10YeDQyBdxHjNqWNq8PgEW4hiihhmT3vz/view?usp=sharing  

“Testing if Education can Reduce COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Healthcare Workers”

Dr. Simone Kessler

Aspen University, School of Nursing & Health Sciences

9:00 am PST

Vaccine hesitancy is a global phenomenon that has stunted efforts to eradicate disease. Healthcare workers are among those that are reluctant to receive such life-saving vaccines. The COVID-19 virus and ensuing Pandemic have illuminated the problem. Although many studies have examined the variables and predictors of vaccine hesitancy and have proffered education as a remedy, very few examined or measured the effects of education. Of the N=1600 employees in a rural hospital in North Carolina, n=167 participants were tested, then given an educational intervention, and then retested to measure their level of vaccine hesitancy using the five antecedents of confidence, complacency, constraint, calculation, and collective responsibility (Betsch et al., 2018). Three tests were performed in the analysis, independent and dependent t-tests were used. In the pre and post-tests examining the level of vaccine hesitancy after watching the educational video, vaccine hesitancy was significantly reduced only in the antecedent of collective responsibility. The second test compared vaccine mandated and non-mandated participants against the five antecedents. The results showed that the antecedents of confidence, which was lower in those mandated, complacency, which was higher in those mandated, and collective responsibility, which was lower in those mandated, showed a significant difference between the two groups. The last test determined that participants who were mandated to take a vaccine were significantly less likely to recommend the educational intervention than those that volunteered to take the vaccine. These findings allow a response that targets antecedents that matter, facilitating and utilizing already limited resources.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/11m9QNtQG_mMtavQ35btjbH8zQ_WSEj8H/view?usp=sharing  

“The Neurobiology of Aggression”

Dr. Nina Beaman

Aspen University, School of Nursing & Health Sciences

11:00 am PST

After the stressors of a COVID-19 pandemic, people may seem to be more aggressive and violent. This is due to neurological changes in the brain when people are stressed for long periods of time without relief. This presentation will explore the brain circuitry that causes aggression, the triggers than can provoke aggression (based on the work of Douglas Field), and how to de-escalate aggression when it is encountered in yourself or others (based on the work of Eric Berne). Come prepared to discuss how to apply these principles to working with students, patients, employees, and family members!

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rz8aVUF-UNqBlGXWOdlnDjEqICa3j_EZ/view?usp=sharing  

“Assessing High School Students’ Anxiety Levels, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Attitudes, and Performance Towards Arithmetic and Algebra”

Dr. Darshini Shah Jasani 

Aspen University, School of Education

9:00 am PST

Math consists of many components such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, where each component holds its importance in the field of math. Students of Grades 11 and 12 are at an important stage in their career, where the attitude and performance in math determines their future choices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand perceptions of students of Grades 11 and 12 studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in Mumbai, in terms of their anxiety levels, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes towards the individual components of arithmetic and algebra. A quantitative correlational method was adopted to understand the perceptions. Linear regressions, two-sample t-tests, and one-way ANOVAs were used to analyze the data. The data was analyzed on the basis of gender, grade level, branch of math chosen, as well as level of performance. The results revealed that although, arithmetic and algebra were components that students were familiar with for a relatively long time period, certain differences in the perceptions of students were evident towards the individual components.

Recording, Part 1- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RHcJAYuBgvn7zMQNUkniEE35597sm9zi/view?usp=sharing  

Recording, Part 2- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZuOluuHxq_0DVeXt3FVV2Cox2YN5TlBx/view?usp=sharing 

“Unintended Consequences of Using Legal Cannabis”

Dr. Barbara Ochester

Aspen University, School of Nursing & Health Sciences

11:00 am PST

This presentation addresses the unintended consequences that can occur when patients make a responsible decision to use cannabis to reduce or replace their traditional medicines with a cannabis product.  Even when taking the correct steps to obtain a legal card, many are surprised that this will often keep them from securing employment.  In-depth interviews were done with twenty potential subjects.  Twelve of the subjects met criteria and completed the interview.  Research found that rarely if ever were patients informed about the potential of losing eligibility for employment.  Further, it evolved that cannabis patients are treated differently than traditional patients during their certification visits.  They do not receive information about risks versus benefits, drug to drug interactions, or potential consequences of using cannabis as medicine.  Recommendations regarding the educational materials for healthcare practitioners and Human Resource policy makers to help them in understanding that cannabis does not necessarily imply intoxication and that these patients deserve healthcare information and to be considered as potential employees without prejudice. 

Recording- https://aspen-edu.zoom.us/j/87967018100 

“Discrepancies in College Preparation: An Exploration into Preparedness vs. Readiness”

Dr. T'Sendenia Gage

Aspen University, School of Education

9:00 am PST

College attainment is becoming more prevalent and as a result, significantly more resources and funding are being put towards postsecondary education preparation. Yet, there is still a high percentage of students enrolling in college underprepared. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and identify how a specific Upward Bound program can enhance the facilitation between college readiness and first year success with their graduates. A phenomenological approach was used for this study with 7 program alumni, 1 Program Director and 6 community college faculty members from a three-campus college district in California. Semi-structured open-ended questions were used to collect data from each group through interviews and focus groups. Based on incremental lay theory, this study believed that intelligence is an expandable human characteristic that people could cultivate and develop with effort. The structural framework, modified from Conley’s (2008) definition of college readiness and Ramp-Up to Readiness (2019), identifies major contributing factors in student readiness for college. Findings from the study revealed that students who participated in the Upward Bound appreciated the opportunity to participate in the program. There was great value placed on dedicated tutoring, college tours and field trips, and connections to the staff. But students and college faculty also named areas where the program could use some enhancements such as more college exposure that promotes independency, more opportunities to practice self-advocacy, and institutional involvement in executing program objectives.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q2MQCduxZWmD8vQHwy3s_ZzElS0D8CKQ/view  

“Copyright vs Copywrong”

Dr. Andrea Novak 

Aspen University, School of Nursing & Health Sciences

11:00 am PST

How many of you use cartoons or pictures you download from the web in your presentations or handouts to students? Do you routinely send copies of articles to your students or post the original article in the classroom for everyone to download? Do you bring your own personal CD or playlist to an educational activity (even if it is a not-for-profit event) and play it to the audience while you are getting ready to start your presentation or during a break?  If so, the Copyright Police may come after you! Learn about the dos and don’ts of copyright infringement and how to protect yourself and your organization from what could amount to millions of dollars in fines. Real-life examples will be shared. The speaker is not a copyright lawyer, nor does she play one on T.V., so always check with your own legal “eagles” when in doubt if you can use the material. The University Librarians are a good place to start.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qC6urk4VBz99Xzme5sCV3y_3oQ-Cr9tf/view 

"Rethinking Trauma: Assessing Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth"

Dr. Taj-Marie S. Hunter 

Aspen University, School of Education

9:00 am PST

Trauma is a prevalent event or circumstance in our world today. If not properly addressed or managed, its effects are far-reaching. It is the presenter's intent that through this study, a thorough understanding will be garnered, by examining the effects of trauma on a holistic level, one's personal nature of resilience, posttraumatic growth and adaptive measures, to see if there is truly 'purpose in one's pain'.

Recording- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qMpkz_t24fRRhU2ckC1M2Dld89qqlYiu/view