Background: This exploratory study aimed to enhance the understanding of practitioners' experiences within LGBTQ+ community organisations when providing interventions for LGBTQ+ individuals with intellectual disabilities. Three specific objectives were outlined: to document the situations and challenges encountered by practitioners; to identify…

There has been a long-standing societal push to diversify the student body of colleges and universities by improving access to higher education. Along those lines, increasing access to a greater range of students and practitioners through the diversification of their membership bases is also an expressed goal of the experiential learning…

In formal care organizations, personal support workers (PSWs) provide the most daily direct care to people living with dementia. PSWs receive the least comprehensive education and have the fewest opportunities for continuing education compared to nurses and physicians. PSWs need to be provided with opportunities for continuous education programs…

This study, a survey of participants of a summer STSA in Italy, now the most common study abroad programs in the most popular geographical area, complemented with five in-depth interviews, sought to understand how students see their experiences and most specifically the importance of out-of-class traveling every weekend. Data revealed that…

Purpose/Objectives: "Cooking for Kids," a culinary training program, conducted a needs assessment with key personnel in Oklahoma school nutrition programs to better understand the current training and resource needs of this population. Additionally, the needs assessment assessed barriers to accessing current training interventions…

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…

Within the last five years, more than two-thirds of the United States have passed state laws specific to dyslexia, yet there is very limited empirical research that investigates the voices of parents and/or caregivers (Woodcock, 2020). While the science of reading is at the forefront of conversation in education and legislation in Florida and…

This dissertation explored the experiences of 16 new full-time community college faculty as they learned to understand and meet their work expectations. Informed by the literature on the preparation of future faculty and the dimensions of full-time community college faculty work, this qualitative study narrowed in on the experiences of new faculty…

As community colleges continue to face challenges in serving an ever-changing student population and a wave of presidential retirements, the next generation of senior community college leaders is surfacing. To prepare these top-level administrators, doctoral-level community college leadership (CCL) programs often serve as a viable mechanism for…

Programme planning models found in the current body of literature provide some practical strategies for developing effective adult education programmes, but how political and economic systems of a country shape the nature and scope of planning is missing. This paper aims to fill this theoretical void by bringing political economy perspective into…

Students who require intensive individualized intervention often demonstrate needs in both academic and behavioral domains. However, practices around assessment and development of interventions are often siloed and separate, which can be a barrier to implementing intensive individualized support in an integrated manner to maximize efficiency. In…

Professional nursing is faced with critical staffing shortages in the wake of a global pandemic. First professional degree nursing programs are acutely focused on support programs and retention programs for degree completion leading to professional licensure. This approach includes the support and retention of students who must repeat coursework…

As beef industry trends have evolved, beef producers are looking for value-added beef practices and marketing strategies. To ensure that a new value-added beef Extension program framework at Iowa State University aligns with beef producers' needs, a needs assessment instrument was created. We developed a needs assessment tool focused on program…

This study describes professional development for Extension educators and curricula expectations for those preparing for Extension careers -- as perceived by members of the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE) and Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP). We relate and differentiate findings from two surveys with…

Background: The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities has increased. The implications of ageing have resulted in changes in their support needs and challenges to support staff. Access to evidence based strategies for support staff providing care to elderly with intellectual disabilities remains scarce. A systematic review was…