Mental Health of Female Adolescents With Disabilities: Considerations for Career Development

Female adolescents with disabilities are at an increased risk for mental health concerns, which can negatively impact their self-determination, making transition to postschool opportunities difficult. We analyzed two waves of survey data from 366 female adolescents with disabilities, recruited from 26 U.S. public high schools, as part of a randomized controlled trial of a career development intervention. Participants with mental health concerns evidenced a slower increase in self-determination over the follow-up period than those without such concerns. Individuals assigned to the intervention condition experienced significant gains in self-determination compared with the control. Findings suggest that mental health concerns can operate as a barrier to growth in self-determination skills among this population, though targeted interventions can help in boosting these skills.

Implementation of a multi-family autism transition program in the high school setting

Transitioning Together is a multi-family intervention designed to support families of adolescents on the autism spectrum as they prepare for the transition to adulthood. Questions remain regarding its wide-scale adoption and implementation in real-world settings such as high schools. We examined student, teacher, and school-level facilitators and barriers to adopting and implementing Transitioning Together at 30 public high schools across three US states that were participating in the intervention arm of a larger randomized trial, which provided training and coaching for implementation of comprehensive evidence-based autism programming. Seventeen of the 30 schools adopted Transitioning Together. Community socioeconomic status and pre-existing quality of programming for family involvement and transition planning significantly predicted intervention adoption. Thirteen of the 17 schools that adopted Transitioning Together did so with a high level of fidelity (>90%). The areas of fidelity that schools struggled with most related to session structure, facilitating problem-solving and dialogue, and collecting feedback from families. Findings highlight struggles and successes with real-world adoption of the intervention in its current form. Future research is needed to further examine how to facilitate adoption across public high schools and/or other service systems, while maximizing effectiveness, as well as reach to historically underserved autism spectrum populations. Lay abstract Transitioning Together is an intervention that supports families of adolescents on the autism spectrum as they prepare for the transition to adulthood. While it has been delivered successfully and shown to result in positive outcomes for families in the university setting, questions remain about whether and how well it can be widely provided to families in real-world settings such as high schools. In this study, we analyzed predictors, facilitators, and barriers to providing Transitioning Together to families at 30 high schools across three US states, all of which received training from a team of researchers to deliver this intervention. Our findings highlight struggles and successes with real-world use of the intervention. Seventeen of the 30 schools were successful in providing Transitioning Together to families. Schools who had higher community socioeconomic status, higher quality family involvement, and higher quality transition planning programming before changing anything for this study were much more likely to provide this new intervention to families. Schools who used the intervention were mostly able to deliver it as designed and received positive feedback from families who participated. Common parts of the intervention that schools struggled with most included following the structure of the sessions, including group problem-solving and dialogue in the sessions, and collecting feedback from families. Future research is needed to learn how to make it even easier for public high schools and other service systems to provide this intervention to families, in a way that also maximizes its effectiveness and accessibility for historically underserved autism spectrum populations.

Development of Authentic Assessment Instruments Oriented Reading Skills Based Language Literacy through the Scaffolding Model

This research aims to develop an authentic assessment instrument product based on language literacy with a scaffolding model that is oriented towards reading skills. This research method uses research and development methods. The research results show that the preliminary research phase describes the results of curriculum analysis and student analysis. At the product development stage and validation by experts, the percentage of authenticity instrument eligibility consisting of three indicators is 82%. It can be concluded that the instrument is suitable for use in learning activities. The practicality stage given to 20 students in one of the Manyak Payed Public High Schools, Aceh Tamiang District, consisted of four alternative answers, 25% were declared practical. Thus, high school teachers are advised to use the scaffolding model as a solution to improve reading comprehension and language literacy skills.

Pengaruh Selfie-Liking dan Penyesuian Diri terhadap Prestasi Belajar Siswa

Self-liking behavior that has become a lifestyle for teenagers who are active users of social media in the technology era has the potential to cause a decrease in learning achievement which is part of the mastery of knowledge over skills from student learning outcomes.However, empirical studies that explore self-adjustment in learning for adolescents with selfie-liking behavior have not been widely studied. In this study, the researchers aimed to determine the causal relationship between selfie-liking and self-adjustment in learning with high school student achievement. Data were collected from 223 (male=29.6%, female=70.4%) samples aged 16-17 years from three public high schools in Aceh Tamiang. The instrument used in this study were selfie-liking scale and self-adjustment in learning scale. The achievement was measured by using report score.The results of the regression analysis showed that there was no significant collective effect between selfie-liking and self-adjustment in learning achievement (R² = 0.017; F(2.220) = 1.942; p = .146). Partial regression showed that individually, self-liking was not significant in predicting learning achievement (β = -, 045; p = .529), while self-adjustment in learning was a significant predictor of learning achievement (β = ,142; p = . 005). Based on the above research, guidance and counseling teachers are expected to be able to provide preventive counseling services for the effect of excessive selfie like and provide guidance to subject teachers that although students in online learning still display selfie photos, it is not a negative impact on their mental and achievement.

The Use of Critical Thinking Activities through Workshops to improve EFL Learners' Speaking Skills

Speaking is considered to be the most complex skill to master by EFL (English as a foreign language) learners. Unfortunately, Ecuadorian students do not reach the desired speaking level. To address this issue, this mixed-method study aims at identifying the impact of critical thinking activities through workshops, in order to improve learners’ speaking skills. This study was conducted at public high schools in the different provinces of Ecuador. The sample consisted of 635 students from the tenth grade of elementary school and the first and second grades of senior high school. The data-collection instruments were a pre-test, and a post-test, to find out the students´ CEFR speaking level, and an observation grid to discover students’ attitude and performance concerning oral communication skills. Additionally, five different workshops, based on the use of critical thinking activities were carried out. The results led us to the conclusion that critical thinking workshops have a positive impact on students’ speaking skills. They allowed students to use accurate grammar, vocabulary, and to improve their fluency and pronunciation, in order to communicate their ideas orally.

First-year Academic Performance of Pharmacy Students Based on High School Status and Major

The purpose of the research is provides a descriptive first-year academic performance of pharmacy students based on high school status and major. This research is a descriptive research with cross-sectional method using all pharmacy students as sample. The results of this research are percentage of pharmacy students from public high schools is 33% and 67% from private high schools. The percentage of specialization majors in high school is 6% pharmacy, 85% science and 9% non-science. The academic performance of students from private high schools is better than that of public high schools. Pharmacy majors in high school produce the highest academic performance, meanwhile, non-science majors show the lowest academic performance, the principal results. Conclusions in this research is first-year academic performance for pharmacy students from private high schools is better than public high schools, as well as pharmacy major in high school showing the highest GPA and non-science major showing the lowest GPA

Bimbingan Teknis Pembuatan Nata de piel batatas dari Kulit Ubi Jalar (Ipomoea batatas)

Kulit ubi jalar biasanya hanya dibuang sebagai limbah ke lingkungan, atau kadang dijadikan sebagai makanan ternak. Kulit ubi jalar sebenarnya masih menyisakan bahan-bahan yang dapat dijadikan medium biakan bakteri Acetobacter xylinum untuk menghasilkan nata. Akan tetapi informasi dari sekolah yang disurvey umumnya belum memiliki pengetahuan langkah-langkah untuk memanfaatkan kulit ubi jalar tersebut dan keterbatasan alat serta bahannya. Telah dilakukan kegiatan Bimbingan teknis cara pembuatan nata yang berbahan dasar kulit ubi jalar kepada guru-guru biologi dan siswa-siswi SMA/sederajat se-kabupaten Tanah Laut dan sekitarnya. Proses pembuatan nata mengacu pada teknik dasar pembuatan nata oleh (Saragih, 2004). Metode kegiatan bimbingan teknis dengan cara: 1) pemaparan materi tentang nata dan cara pembuatan nata; 2) Demonstrasi secara virtual pembuatan nata de piel batatas melalui tayangan video; Kegiatan diikuti oleh 68 peserta yang meliputi guru dan siswa dari 5 SMA Negeri dan 1 MAN serta dari Politeknik yang ada di Kabupaten Tanah Laut. Hasil bimbingan menunjukkan bahwa peserta memahami cara membuat nata de piel batatas yang berasal dari kulit ubi jalar. Berdasarkan jawaban angket yang diberikan setelah bimbingan, sebanyak 74,2% peserta menyatakan memahami cara membuat nata de piel batatas yang berasal dari kulit ubi jalar dan sangat setuju dengan kegiatan ini. Peserta memberikan respon yang positif dan 71,2% berminat untuk mencoba membuatnya. Sweet potato skin is usually only dumped as waste into the environment or sometimes used as fodder. Sweet potato skin still leaves ingredients that can be used to breed bacteria Acetobacter xylinum to produce Nata. However, in school do not know measures to use the sweet potato skin and the limitations of tools and materials. Technical guidance on how to make sweet potato skin-based Nata has been conducted to biology teachers and high school students/equivalents in Tanah Laut and surrounding districts. Making Nata refers to the basic techniques of making Nata by (Saragih, 2004). Methods of technical guidance activities through: 1) exposure of material about Nata and how to make nata; 2) Virtual demonstration of the making of Nata de piel batatas through video viewing; The activity was attended by 68 participants including teachers and students from 5 public high schools and 1 MAN as well as from polytechnics in Tanah Laut Regency. Based on the evaluation after guidance, 74.2% of participants stated that they understood how to make Nata de piel batatas from sweet potato skins and strongly agreed with this activity. Participants gave a positive response, and 71.2% were interested in trying to make it.

Concussion symptoms and temporary accommodations using a student-centered return to learn care plan

BACKGROUND: Many students return to school after concussion with symptoms but without formal support. OBJECTIVE: To examine concussion symptoms and temporary academic accommodations during school use of a four-week student-centered return to learn (RTL) care plan. METHODS: Five public high schools used the RTL care plan and contributed student-level data after student report of concussion. Data on concussion symptoms, temporary academic accommodations corresponding to reported symptoms, and accommodations provided during RTL care plan use were examined. RESULTS: Of 115 students, 55%used the RTL care plan for three (34%) or four (21%) weeks. Compared to students whose symptoms resolve within the first two weeks, students who used the RTL care plan for three or four weeks reported more unique symptoms (P = 0.038), higher total severity score (P = 0.005), and higher average severity per symptom (P = 0.007) at week one. Overall, 1,127 weekly accommodations were provided. While least reported, emotional symptoms received corresponding accommodations most often (127/155 reports: 82%of occurrences). CONCLUSIONS: Use of an RTL care plan can facilitate the RTL of students with a concussion and may aid in the identification of students who are in need of longer-term support.

Lenses and Experiences of Grade 10 English Teachers on Distance Learning Modalities: A Phenomenological Study

The qualitative existential-phenomenological study aimed to determine, describe, and investigate the perspective and experiences of the English Teachers on the implementation of distance learning modality using appreciative inquiry (AI) as its organizing principle. The participants were Grade 10 English teachers and selected students from public high schools in the Division of Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines. Specifically, it addressed two central objectives: determine the best and most positive perspective and experiences of the English teachers in the implementation of distance learning modalities and determine the futuristic views of the English teachers on distance learning modalities for its successful implementation. As to the best and most positive lenses and experiences of the English teachers of Grade 10 English teachers on distance learning modalities, there were 20 themes generated. Likewise, as to the futuristic views of the English teachers on distance learning modalities for its successful implementation, 19 themes were developed. Based on the results, several factors that contribute to the development of the positive value system were identified through phenomenological analysis, including personal-related factors, peer-related factors, administration-related factors, stakeholders-related factors, and resources-related factors.