EDD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This study aimed to identify athletic training student intrinsic motivation, with subscales of interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, pressure/tension, perceived choice, value/usefulness, and relatedness, based on the intrinsic motivation inventory (IMI). It also evaluated the effects of feedback as facilitators and barriers to intrinsic motivation in clinical education. Athletic training student feedback was obtained by asking open-ended journaling questions related to how their preceptor interacted with them and provided feedback in their clinical rotation. A mixed-methods approach was utilized for this study. There was a significant difference in pre-post IMI scores in subscales of interest/enjoyment, perceived choice, and value/usefulness. Qualitatively, athletic training students identified active communication, autonomous practice, theory to practice, culture and setting, and nature of feedback as key facilitators to motivation from preceptor feedback. Athletic training students identified key barriers to intrinsic motivation as excessive downtime at clinical sites, extrinsic factors, placement alignment, preceptor stress, and stagnant environment.

Committee: Kimberly Peer (Committee Chair); Hannah Harnar (Committee Co-Chair); Noelle Selkow (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Care; Health Education; Health Sciences; Sports Medicine

EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine if pedagogical education and experience facilitate best pedagogical practices among athletic training program faculty members. This was achieved through the data collection and analysis of athletic training educators' pedagogical knowledge, experiences, and opinions. An online survey was created and validated by combining the Teaching Practice Inventory with self-developed athletic training education and experience questions. Phone interviews were also conducted to gain a deeper understanding of faculty members' experiences and opinions pertaining to pedagogy. The participants in this study were separated into two population groups: those with formal pedagogical training and those without formal pedagogical training. Overall, there was no statistical difference in the quantitative data analyzing teaching practices between population groups. Teaching philosophy analysis also revealed athletic training faculty with and without formal pedagogical training have comparable goals and intentions as educators. Lastly, the phone interviews revealed athletic training faculty have mixed and diverse opinions about pedagogy and pedagogical education in athletic training education. The major themes identified and discussed in this study increased understanding of athletic training educators' pedagogical knowledge and experiences with pedagogy, specifically in athletic training education. This study also brought awareness to the opinions of athletic training educators regarding pedagogy and its incorporation into athletic training education. This information is important and applicable to athletic training education as healthcare careers, credentials, and expectations continue to modernize.

Committee: Kimberly Peer (Committee Chair); Vincent Stilger (Committee Member); Hannah Harnar (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Education; Health Sciences; Kinesiology

EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This study aimed to identify student perceptions of readiness to practice based on the self-assessment and preceptor scores, as well as post-graduation feedback in relation to their achievement goal orientation and evaluation scores of clinical skills and professional and personal skills. Post-graduation feedback, obtained through open-ended survey questions related to student educational experiences, allowed for an understanding of students' transition into professional practice. A mixed-methods approach was used. The Achievement Goal Questionnaire-Revised (AGQ-R) was used to determine student achievement goal orientation. Assessment scores from students and preceptors were obtained through the ATrackTM system, and student perceptions of their educational experiences were received from open-ended survey questions. Analysis of the quantitative data demonstrated that there was no significance between student self-evaluations and preceptor evaluation scores collectively or categorically. Additionally, there were no significant relationships between student self-evaluations and achievement goal orientations collectively or categorically. Qualitatively, participants found that the pandemic of COVID-19, and the shortage of opportunities for real-life experiences resulted in a lack of exposure to authentic situations and hands-on practice limiting them for professional practice. Conversely, many of the participants felt the diverse clinical rotations and clinical practice and competencies led them to feel prepared for their transition to professional practice as certified athletic trainers.

Committee: Kimberly Peer (Committee Chair); Jacob Barkley (Committee Member); Hannah Harnar (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Care; Health Education; Health Sciences

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2014, Athletic Training (Health Sciences and Professions)

The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) requires the integration of the fifth edition of the Athletic Training Education Competencies (Competencies) into the academic content of professional athletic training programs. CAATE also requires athletic training programs to provide outcomes measures that evaluate all aspects of the educational program, including student learning. While assessment tools have been developed based on earlier editions of the Competencies, a tool based on the fifth edition has not yet been published. Therefore, this project sought to develop and validate a knowledge assessment tool that effectively measures the material included in the fifth edition of the Competencies. To accomplish this aim, test items based on the Competencies were reviewed by an expert panel and then given to students enrolled in professional athletic training programs. Item analysis was performed on the results to establish a test blueprint.

Committee: Chad Starkey (Advisor) Subjects: Educational Tests and Measurements; Health Sciences; Sports Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2012, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) requires all accredited Professional Athletic Training Education Programs, masters and baccalaureate, to teach and assess each competency found in the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Athletic Training Educational Competencies. Through this requirement, it is evident that the competencies are being taught in the professional ATEPs. However, there is a gap in the literature addressing athletic trainers' perceptions about their academic preparation. This study surveyed entry-level athletic trainers to ascertain their perceptions on how well their professional ATEP prepared them to enter the profession. Self-perceptions were acquired from graduates of professional masters and baccalaureate programs across each of the 12 content areas identified in the 4th edition of the NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies. To address the purpose of this study, a survey instrument was created. This instrument used competencies from the 4th edition of the NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies to create 12 scales consisting of four to six items each. One-thousand entry-level athletic trainers were invited to participate in the study. With an initial response rate of 26.8%, usable data was identified for 182 respondents. This sample included graduates from professional masters and professional baccalaureate ATEPs. The web based survey was administered via Qualtrics and data were analyzed with SPSS. A non-experimental design with a 2x12 between-within repeated measures ANOVA was used in this study. No main effect was observed from the independent grouping variable. Respondents from professional masters programs did not perceive their education differently than respondents from professional baccalaureate programs. A main effect was observed for the within groups factor. There was a statistically significant difference observed between the 12 content areas. A post hoc analysis revealed (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ralph Martin (Committee Chair); George Johanson (Committee Member); Chad Starkey (Committee Member); Jacqueline Williams (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Sports Medicine

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2012, Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies /Sport Administration

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences demographics with regards to perceived importance (PI) and frequency (F) of practice of professional behaviors in athletic training. The difference in perceived importance and frequency of practice of the professional behaviors was also investigated. There was minimal research in athletic training on the perceptions and practice of professional behaviors as defined in the Foundational Behaviors of Professional Practice. Methods and Procedures. Two instruments were developed, using the behaviors listed in the Foundational Behaviors of Professional Practice of the NATA's Educational Competencies and from the Code of Professional Responsibility in the BOC's Standards of Professional Practice. Surveys were distributed to students, young professionals and program directors. Data analysis included one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc analysis as well as independent-sample t-tests and paired-sample t-tests. Validity and reliability were established through Pearson r correlations and Cronbach alphas. Results. The overall mean for F of practice of behaviors was higher than that of PI, with fewer differences being noted in PI for individual demographics. Significant differences were seen between males and female for several behavior categories. Students reported significantly lower scores for F and PI than any other demographic group. Conclusions. Fewer differences for PI indicate a consistent knowledge of athletic training professionals of the demographic behaviors. The lower scores in students require further investigation to determine whether differences were due to the educational background or lack of athletic training experience and practice.

Committee: Matt Kutz PhD, ATC, CSCS, CES (Committee Chair); Brian McCullough PhD (Committee Member); Raymond Schneider PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Education; Higher Education; Sports Medicine

Master of Science in Allied Health (MSAH), Otterbein University, 2020, Health and Sport Sciences

Athletic Training Education Programs are in the midst of major clinical and educational reforms following the release of the Strategic Alliance Degree Statement under the direction of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Athletic Training has historically been a bachelor's-level entry degree. The new degree standards under CAATE will make the profession a master's-level entry degree. Limited research exists on how the Strategic Alliance Degree Statement and the transition of the degree will affect the profession of Athletic Training in the short or long term due to the limited number of programs who have already completed the transition. In response to this, a 17 question web-based survey was distributed to Athletic Training Program Directors and Clinical Education Coordinators throughout the state of Ohio to assess their individual and institutional responses to the mandatory program transition and reform efforts. Results of the survey reflected the division of perspectives on the benefits and short-comings of such educational reform. A total of twelve institutions throughout the state of Ohio were represented in the responses. Roughly 56% of the respondents thought the transition would overall benefit the profession while the other 43% regarded it as harmful to the profession, partially on the account of so many programs being eliminated due to the combination of financial costs of the transition and low-enrollment rates. Financial cost was a frequently cited concern in the potential success of the transition, with 24% of respondents estimating costs of $30,000 or more in order to support a transition of bachelor's programs to master's entry-level programs.

Committee: Joan Rocks PhD, ATC, LAT (Advisor); Paul Longenecker RN, MBA, PhD (Committee Member); Erica Van Dop MS, ACE-CPT, ACSM-GEI, TSAC-F  (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Care; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Sports Medicine

MS, Kent State University, 2015, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions of athletic training students, both with and without self-disclosed hidden disabilities, regarding the educational practices within their Athletic Training program (ATP) as measured by the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. It was our intent to determine how athletic training students perceive their educational experiences in their overall ATP and do perceptions differ between AT students with self-disclosed hidden disabilities and those without hidden disabilities. Data was collected from students (N = 129) who represented 30 of the 77 CAATE accredited undergraduate athletic training education programs in the US District 4 (GLATA). Five percent of participants (n = 7) self-identified with having a hidden disability, involving a diagnosis that affects their learning experience, including ADHD (n = 5), LD (n = 2), and some form of psychological (n = 1) or medical (n = 1) condition. Significant differences were found between groups when comparing students with a self-disclosed hidden disability and those without on the total instrument score (p= .001), and 4 out of the 7 subscales: Active Learning (p= .000), Prompt Feedback (p= .006), Time On Task (p= .002), and High Expectations (p= .011). AT educators could utilize the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education to gather information regarding student perceptions of their educational experiences and use that as a basis to implement more UDL inspired approaches grounded in good practice in the didactic and clinical aspects of the program.

Committee: Kimberly Peer Ed.D (Advisor); Amy Quillin Ph.D (Committee Member); Jeffery Huston (Committee Member); Lisa Chinn Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Evaluation; Educational Theory; Health Sciences; Sports Medicine; Teacher Education; Teaching

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2024, Education

The purpose of this study is to understand the prevalence of faculty members' abilities to incorporate cultural humility into their Masters of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program curriculum and barriers they feel they face in implementing this into regular practice. There is a severe lack of focus on issues pertaining to social justice within the athletic training profession, and implementation of cultural humility skills into MSAT programs can help address the systemic injustices within athletic training healthcare delivery. While there has been a focus on cultural competency in athletic training education, there is little to no current research on cultural humility and how it is used in programs currently, nor how comfortable faculty members are with teaching their students cultural humility in intentional and effective ways. A qualitative method was utilized to explore the research question, and to understand perceived barriers to implementation of culturally humble training within the current curriculum. Faculty members at accredited institutions were interviewed virtually, and it was determined that cultural humility is taught to various degrees within differing programs. Student identity, faculty identity, social determinants of health, open-mindedness, and commitments to action are some themes identified within the work. Identified barriers include time, identity, and legislative restrictions. This study looks to provide a foundation so future research can shift the focus to patient-centered care techniques that will serve people of all identities and backgrounds. Athletic training needs to become a pioneer profession of equitable and compassionate healthcare, setting the standard for other professions to overcome systemic inequities that decrease the quality of care delivered to diverse and historically marginalized patient populations. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://e (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Leslie Jackson Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Emiliano Gonzalez Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christina Davlin-Pater Ph.D. A.T.C., E.M.T. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Evaluation; Health; Health Education; Health Sciences; Higher Education; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Multicultural Education; Pedagogy; Sports Medicine; Teacher Education

EDD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of communication based simulated patient experience in graduate-level athletic training students and athletic training educators and clinical practitioners serving as mentoring coaches. This mixed methods study included the evaluation of the perceived confidence of athletic training students following simulated patient experiences. Students completed a post confidence survey using the NLN Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning, and students and mentoring coaches completed a written reflection following the experience. Participants included 14 athletic training students within a first year cohort and four mentoring coaches. Findings from the survey results include positive mean scores for overall perceived confidence following the simulated patient experience in athletic training students. Student reflections described themes of a positive experience, confidence growth, and focus on patient centered care. Mentoring coach reflections included three themes of challenges during debrief, providing different perspectives, and self-reflection during the experience.

Committee: Kimberly Peer (Advisor); Kasee Hildenbrand (Committee Member); Jeffery Huston (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Care; Health Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Educational Psychology

Clinical education is a vital aspect of preparing future health care professionals and despite the associated challenges, the benefits are numerous. Many strategies have been employed to optimize student learning, including the recent trend of implementing clinical logbooks in athletic training programs. Spurred by evidence from other health care fields that suggested logbooks are supportive of factors known to optimize clinical education experiences, the study employed a phenomenological method to better understand the experience of using a clinical logbook from the perspective of a student. The description of the phenomenon was organized into nine themes and several subthemes. These themes were then examined through the lens of the Self-Determination, Expectancy Value, and Self-Regulated Learning Theories, thus illuminating several potential explanations for the benefits and frustrations students experience when using logbooks. When implemented in a manner that builds upon the connections to these theories, patient encounter logbooks show promise of benefit to athletic training students because they are supportive of self-monitoring as well as the fundamental needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and facilitative of high-quality motivation.

Committee: Revathy Kumar (Committee Chair); Vicki Dagostino (Committee Member); Lynne Hamer (Committee Member); Stacy Walker (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2021, Education

Athletic training educators come from the ranks of the athletic training profession. Educators enter their teaching role with varied levels of preparation for the tasks required of faculty employment. The literature suggests a variety of methods used to develop athletic training educators, methods that begin while being schooled and continue throughout employment. The purpose of the study is to identify the teaching preparation novice athletic training faculty have upon employment and how those faculty are professionally developed to become effective. A mixed-methods study examined the development of athletic training educators. The Pedagogical Content Theory and Pedagogies of the Professions as articulated by Shulman formed the foundation for this study. The survey solicited demographic information, a teaching self-assessment, and completion of various activities designed to improve the ability to teach. 80 athletic training faculty members from CAATE accredited education programs completed the survey. From a pool of survey volunteers, four were selected to complete interviews. Survey data was analyzed using t-tests, chi-square analysis, with Bonferroni correction. No correlations were identified. Interview results indicate a relationship between being an athletic training clinician and being an effective educator. Informal mentoring was the most often identified method of professional development for educators. Educators develop their own teaching methodology based on a foundation of how they were taught and developed from there. Informal mentoring appears to impact teaching ability. Effective professional development of athletic training educators is evolving. Through this research, those employing athletic training educators will better serve their students and faculty.

Committee: Gwynne Rife PhD (Committee Chair); Jon Brasfield PhD (Committee Member); Ryan Musgrave EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2019, Education

Athletic training education is evolving which increases the importance of retaining athletic training students in athletic training programs. Research has demonstrated that athletic training students are motivated to persist through an athletic training program, however, the type of motivation has not been studied. This study aims to analyze professional athletic training students' achievement goal orientation and grit scores as they relate to their persistence in athletic training programs. A mixed-methods approach utilizing the grit scale, achievement goal orientation survey, and open-ended questions to understand bachelor- and master-level professional athletic training students' approach to persisting in an academic program. Analysis of the data demonstrated that athletic training students believe persistence, academic and clinical experiences, passion for the profession, knowledge retention, and key mentors and support play roles in their persistence through athletic training programs. Also, there are no differences in grit scores or achievement goal orientation between bachelor- and master-level athletic training students (p>.05). However, there is a difference between the achievement goal orientations (mastery, performance-approach, performance-avoidant, work-avoidant) in all athletic training students (p<.001). Mastery is significantly higher than all other achievement goal orientations. Also, grit and mastery goal orientation have a moderate positive correlation (r=.379, p<.001) and all other achievement goal orientations have a significant negative correlation with grit. Therefore, educators need to understand how students are motivated to provide the support which reflects their needs to maintain drive and passion for athletic training.

Committee: John Cindric (Committee Chair); Kimberly Peer (Committee Member); Chris Moser (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Care; Higher Education; Sports Medicine

PHD, Kent State University, 2018, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of engagement in clinical education at Kent State University (KSU). A qualitative case study was used to examine preceptors and students perspectives of clinical education experience to answer the following research questions: (1) To what extent are students engaged in their clinical experiences, and if engaged, how do they describe that engagement? and (2) What role(s) does engagement have in athletic training clinical education at KSU? This study used the Social Learning Theory (SLT) as the theoretical framework to understand engagement. Participants were seven preceptors and seven students in KSUs athletic training program (ATP). Data were collection from two interviews and two observations through hand written field notes and audio recordings of interviews during the Fall 2017 semester. Findings revealed engagement in clinical education to be an active learning experience that requires application of knowledge (mental and physical), which occurred through observations, hands-on skills, discussion, and purposeful dialogue. In addition, learning experiences that incorporated complex cognitive processing were considered to have deeper engagement. The preceptor/student relationship was recognized as the factor that had the biggest influence in engagement in clinical education. Lastly, the role of engagement was identified as the application of knowledge to an authentic situation, which acknowledged a connection between didactic and clinical education. The implications of this research highlight the need to develop stronger clinical education experiences, provide preceptor training on teaching, assessment, and evaluation of students, and examination of athletic training clinical education model.

Committee: Jennifer Walton-Fisette (Advisor); Denise Morgan (Committee Member); Kimberly Peer (Committee Member) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Education; Health Sciences

MEd, University of Cincinnati, 2008, Education : Health Promotion and Education

To examine athletic training students' perception of their Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) in relation to their preparation for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination, participants completed an online survey consisting of 2 multiple choice questions and 13 questions utilizing a 5-point Likert scale. T-tests were performed to analyze all data. Alpha level was set at 0.05. The respondents perceived their academic preparation as either satisfactory (N=573, 87.6%) or unsatisfactory (N=81, 12.4%). Significant differences existed between those respondents passing the written, simulation, and practical portions of the exam on the first attempt compared to those who failed those portions. Of the content areas, only Pharmacology (M=3.31), Psychosocial Intervention (M=2.89), Nutrition (M=2.82), and Healthcare Administration (M= 2.71) had mean scores above 2.50 (1=Excellent, 5=Poor). As perceived by athletic training students who sat for the certification examination, ATEP's are adequately preparing their students for the BOC certification examination.

Committee: Bradley Wilson PhD (Committee Chair); Amy L. Bernard PhD, CHES (Committee Member); J. Massie Ed.D, ATC (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2011, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Athletic training educators are responsible for providing athletic training students a proper environment in which they have opportunities to apply didactic knowledge using critical thinking and decision making skills in a real world context (Radtke, 2008). Clinical education needs to play an integral role in developing athletic training students into competent, confident practicing professionals. This study gathered the perceptions of newly practicing athletic trainers about their clinical education preparation. The purpose was to identify perceptions of their clinical education in preparing them for confident entry-level employment. An instrument was constructed based on the Board of Certification (BOC) professional practice domains to collect information regarding perceptions of adequacy,confidence to practice, demographic information and professional preparation indicators. The sample was gathered through the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA)Membership Database Office, limiting subjects to graduates within the past two years and individuals currently employed as athletic trainers. The instrument was administered through Survey Monkey and analyzed using SPSS. Overall, 85.2% of the respondents perceived their clinical education to be adequate, 94.5% felt confident to practice AT, and cumulatively, by the adequacy-confidence index (A-CI), 94.7% felt their clinical education was adequate in preparing them for confident professional practice. Weak correlations existed between any of the professional preparation indicators and perceived adequacy, confidence to practice, or cumulatively.

Committee: Ginger Weade (Committee Chair); Andrew Krause (Committee Member); Guofang Wan (Committee Member); Ralph Martin (Committee Member) Subjects: Sports Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2008, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

One goal of healthcare educators is to help students think critically to solve problems. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a process that promotes active learning using critical thinking (CT). An assumption is that athletic training students learn CT skills by engaging in the elimination process to correctly answer multiple-choice questions. The purpose of this study is to answer whether implementing a PBL self-directed learning method via computer simulations effects entry-level athletic training students' performance on computer simulations related to physical evaluation of athletic injuries. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) was used to evaluate participants' CT. Participants were divided into two groups, higher level CT (M=72.65%) and lower level CT (M=33.06%). Participants then completed the Computerized-Traditional Athletic Training Simulation Instrument prior to and after completing four weeks of self-directed learning. A repeated measures ANOVA within and between subjects revealed no significant difference between pre-test and post-test performance by their CT level, Wilks' Lambda =.975, F(1,30)=.775, p=.386, multivariate ηp2=.025. Participants received unlimited access to computer case simulations from www.higherlevelthinking.com as the treatment measure. A repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant effect of students' CT level on their performance on five computer simulations, F(2.03, 60.92)=.447, p=.645. A repeated measures ANOVA test of between-group effect was conducted F(1, 30)=1.84, p=.186, and revealed no significant difference in mean performance scores between the two groups. Participants appeared to score better on the computer simulation 3 BOC Mock Exam compared to the other four computer simulations. Using pairwise comparisons, it was found that participants' performed significantly better on computer simulation 3 (M=77.12%), p<.01 than on all other cases. Additionally, a repeated measures ANOVA determined that a signif (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ralph E. Martin PhD (Committee Chair); George Johanson EdD (Committee Member); Kristi White PhD (Committee Member); Jackie Williams PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2004, Higher Education (Education)

Technology has become an integral part of American society, and its role in education has continued to increase. The purpose of this study is to examine athletic training educators' attitudes toward instructional technology and their extent of utilization of that technology. Attitudes and extent of utilization are examined to determine whether differences exist among participants based on their gender and age. Participants were certified athletic trainers teaching in entry-level athletic training education programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Data were collected from 260 participants using an on-line questionnaire developed by the researcher. The questionnaire contained three sections, including demographic information, attitudes toward instructional technology and instructional technology use. Internal consistency of the attitude and extent of utilization sections yielded alpha coefficients of .90 and .91 respectively. The research design was a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) utilizing summated scores for attitudes toward and extent of utilization of instructional technology as the dependent measures. The independent variables were gender and age. Data analyses revealed no statistically significant differences for each of the main effects of gender and age or for the interaction effect of gender and age and attitudes toward instructional technology. Additionally, data revealed no significant differences for each of the main effects of gender and age and extent of utilization of instructional technology. However, a significant finding is noted for the interaction of gender and age and extent of utilization. Further review indicates males 57 years of age and older utilize instructional technologies to a greater extent than females in the same age group. However, females between the ages of 46 and 56 utilize instructional technologies to a greater extent than males in the same age group. Limitations, (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Robert Young (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2003, Educational Research and Evaluation (Education)

This study investigates if differences exist in students' and instructors' ethical ideologies and ethical decision-making. Ethics comprises only a small portion of the athletic training curriculum, which is a competency-based model. Ethical decision-making, however, is vital to practice effectively across clinical settings, and an individual's ethical ideology may affect athletic training practitioners' ethical decision-making abilities. The Ethics Position (EPQ) and Dilemmas in Athletic Training Questionnaires (DAT-Q) assessed respondents' ethical ideologies and ethical decision-making. Respondents (N = 598) included 373 females (62.4%) and 225 males (37.6%), ranging in age from 18 to 63 years (M = 23.5, SD = 6.3). Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed both the EPQ and DAT-Q to possess reasonable construct validity. Internal consistency of the EPQ's idealism and relativism subscales and the DAT-Q scale were .79, .72 and .82, respectively. Overall, respondents reported higher idealism (M = 37.56, SD = 4.91) than relativism scores (M = 31.70, SD = 4.80). The mean DAT-Q score for all respondents was (M = 80.76, SD = 7.88). The research design incorporated three separate 2 (gender) x 3 (educational status) factorial ANOVAs utilizing idealism, relativism and DAT-Q scores as dependent measures. The main effect for gender illustrated that males reported significantly higher relativism scores, F (1, 592) = 9.183, p < .05, η² = .015, than females. The main effect for educational status revealed significant differences between students' and instructors' idealism, F (2, 592) = 3.99, p < .05, η² = .013, relativism, F (2, 592) = 15.53, p < .001, η² = .050, and DAT-Q scores, F (2, 592) = 8.06, p < .001, η² = .027. Post–hoc analysis using Tukey's HSD indicated instructors possessed lower idealism and relativism scores and higher DAT-Q scores than students. Findings do not support changes in athletic training educational practices to address gender sp (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Ralph Martin (Advisor) Subjects: Health Sciences, Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2006, College of Education, Health, and Human Services / Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies

Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEP) have considerable common ground with other health care education programs including selective admission, curricular issues related to clinical education, and technical standards established to delineate the cognitive and physical attributes considered central to health care education. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of ATEP directors' perceptions of selected issues related to athletic training students with disabilities, emphasizing reasonable accommodations for students with physical disabilities, and to compare these perceptions to those of Student Disability Service (SDS) directors. In this exploratory study, questionnaires were sent to ATEP and SDS directors at 325 institutions with accredited ATEPs. Of 650 surveys, 33.5% (n = 212) were returned with usable data (41% among ATEP directors). A Kudner-Richardson 20 indicated moderate to high inter-item reliability (.44 - .85) for dichotomous variables associated with the instrument. Differences between groups were identified through t tests, chi-square and phi coefficients. A standard multiple regression analysis identified a statistically significant relationship between demographic variables and the intermediary index. The professional role of the respondent was the only demographic factor to demonstrate a significant effect for this index. Overall, ATEP directors were more likely to agree to accommodations for sensory organ impairments than for mobility, motor skill, or health related impairments. Significant differences were identified between ATEP and SDS respondents for disability specific accommodation when these were limited to clinical education experiences (p < .05). ATEP and SDS directors were equally likely to approve accommodations for clinical education assignments; however, SDS directors were more likely to provide accommodations for clinical skills (p = .03), and intermediaries (p < .001) than ATEP directors were. ATEP directors diff (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Stephen Thomas (Advisor) Subjects: