The three articles included in this dissertation are connected through theory and practice. Study one identifies the factors influencing Extension agents' participation in supplemental professional development opportunities using Ajzen's (1985) theory of planned behavior. Study two was a systematic investigation of Extension personnel's…

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) (WHO, 2021) disrupted the global health systems and became an unprecedented situation for all industries, including food service when declared a global pandemic in March 2020 (WHO, 2021). Count On Me NC was a training program developed by Safe…

This research seeks to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) program within the Mansfield Independent School District, catering to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The primary focus of the BTAM initiative is to detect early signs of potential violence in students'…

This qualitative case study examined the key components and characteristics of an entrepreneurship training and mentorship program for incarcerated males. For the previously incarcerated, barriers to employment serve as an impediment to financial stability when transitioning back into the community. To address obstacles to employment,…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, in-person training package on Functional Communication Training (FCT). The training corresponded with content presented in the AFIRM e-learning modules on FCT with modifications to suit an in-person format including the addition of modeling, practice, and feedback to enhance…

Much of the sexual assault prevention literature on the university level focuses on individual institutions' varied efforts to address incidences of sexual assault on their campuses and their outcomes (Donais et al., 2018). While consent education programming has emerged as one such effort, there is a dearth of evaluative literature in this area…

This study aimed to examine the initial pre-service teacher outcomes for a newly developed mental health training (i.e., "Training In Mental health for Educators -- Pre-service Teachers" [TIME-PT]). For the development of the TIME-PT, an expert panel and a focus group with pre-service teachers were conducted to inform of any changes and…

Mindfulness is a practice that has the potential to help counseling students build a variety of skills that are necessary for clinical efficacy, including therapeutic presence, attunement, empathy, cognitive flexibility, and non-reactivity. However, mindfulness is rarely taught to students in mental health training programs, which makes it an…

In this study, I identified, implemented, and evaluated an appropriate solution set to improve the quality of asynchronous online training (i.e., eLearning) project intake at a research site in a government agency. The current project intake mechanism left eLearning production teams without sufficient information to move forward with educational…

The purpose of this study was to apply two of Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Training Evaluation to evaluate the implementation of PAX Good Behavior Game training in a challenged Ohio middle school. The study explored teacher "reactions" to and perceived "learning" from the training as it relates to the middle school's goals, and…

Many community college students do not finish their 2-year degree on time, and there are several institutional barriers that prevent students from taking 15 college credits per semester. Students are not aware of the academic and economic benefits of taking 15 college credits per semester. A 15 to Finish communication campaign, which has been…

The problem addressed in this study was that online training designers experience barriers when implementing evaluations to assess knowledge transfer after 3-6 months. This qualitative exploratory case study aimed to explore online training designers' experiences and perceptions regarding the barriers faced when working with project stakeholders…

Current methods to address the shortage of certified orientation and mobility specialists have either not been successful or have not kept up with the needs of students with visual impairments. This study explored the potential of an alternative method of addressing the shortage and gaps in education that it causes: training paraprofessionals to…

In 2012, the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) published the Blue Book that identified a framework for the Inspections and Evaluations (I&E) sub-community to the greater federal oversight community. These standards, or competencies, are the criteria for this applied research, which is designed to assist the…

Background: Influenced by "Embrace the World," Pitt's strategic plan for its global vision the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) has enhanced its involvement in transnational knowledge sharing endeavors over several decades. The School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh has been directly involved in a global health education…