An evaluation of transit procurement training

We evaluated a training course called “Orientation to Transit Procurement”, designed and conducted by the National Transit Institute. This course is designed to provide Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grantees an overview of regulations and best practices related to the procurement process. Our objective in conducting the evaluation was to understand how transit agency staff made changes in procurement practices in response to the course training. The evaluation was mixed mode: an Internet survey followed by in-depth interviews with a small group of respondents. Survey respondents were also provided with an open-ended question providing us with additional context for our evaluation. Results show that the training is substantially successful at meeting the goal of improving procurement practices at transit agencies; indeed, most respondents report making changes at their agencies as the proximate result of the training. This was at odds with our exploration of knowledge of procurement topics, as most respondents gave inaccurate answers on multiple-choice “knowledge questions”. This may have been due to question structure or, more likely, the nature of online surveys. Suitable training on the procurement of information technology was also a main concern. The lack of training in this area is indicative of the broader challenge facing public transit agencies in how to incorporate new forms of technology into their existing practices and bureaucratic structures.     

Mentoring to Achieve Diversity in Graduate Programs

The discipline of statistics has a celebrated, diverse, and colorful past. With a definite international flavor, we continue to make great strides in keeping our discipline relevant and accessible for addressing significant societal concerns. Unfortunately, we lag behind many other disciplines when it comes to fully tapping into the potential of all demographic groups within the United States. Mentoring provides one of many opportunities to change this narrative. This article looks at hard numbers related to diversity, points to some existing successful mentoring programs, and is a reflection of lessons learned through personal experiences.     

Validity in an evaluation of Healthy Families Florida—A program to prevent child abuse and neglect

Evidence-based continuums have become a guide for identifying the level of evidence in evaluations of home visiting programs conducted to determine their effectiveness in preventing child abuse and neglect. While randomized controlled trials are required for the highest levels of evidence, quasi-experimental designs have also been specified as an appropriate alternative. Using a quasi-experimental evaluation of a home visiting program to prevent child abuse and neglect that adheres to the Healthy Families America model, this paper describes and illustrates how types of validity can be improved. More specifically, we address how threats to internal validity can be identified and reduced through statistical techniques; how construct validity may be strengthened using state records to measure the outcomes; and how external validity is affected by including or excluding study participants. After applying a variety of statistical adjustments to reduce selection bias, we found that the outcomes favored the home visiting program and increased after accounting for covariates that contributed to child abuse and neglect. This was true across the statistical techniques (traditional covariate and propensity score adjustment) used. For evaluations using quasi-experimental designs, recommendations relevant to the illustrations in the paper are also presented.     

Jane Addams and the Campaign of Theodore Roosevelt

Abstract

Built on the assumption that both rational and nonrational thought go into problem solving, but only rational approaches have been presented as appropriate technology for program development, this article offers an alterative way of designing social programs. We call this approach “emergent planning.” Our aim is to provide a conceptualization of planning processes that will be useful regardless of culture, mission or goals of the human service organization within which planning and service occur. Our hope is to deconstruct what constitutes rational thinking in program planning in order to critically consider alternative ways of thinking and planning within the context of multiculturalism and globalization. The goal is recognition of a subjugated model of planning so that those who do not plan rationally are not automatically assumed to lack competence to engage in “real” planning and effective problem solving.     

国际合作计划生育结合项目对农村公共卫生事业发展的影响

基于对国际合作计划生育结合项目点云南罗平、江川县的实地调研 ,讨论了我国农村初级卫生保健网络的现状 ,认为该结合项目使我国农村初级卫生保健资源得到有效整合 ,是推动农村公共卫生事业发展的重要切入点 ,并对我国农村公共卫生事业的发展产生了深远影响。     

历届中国共产党全国代表大会党章总纲的演变

中国共产党的历届全国代表大会几乎都对党章总纲进行了修改。党章总纲的发展史,基本上 就是党章建设史。探讨党章总纲内容的修改过程,对党章和党的建设有着重大的理论和现实意义。     

福建农业星火计划的创新与定位

扼要分析了新时期福建农业和星火计划存在的问题,针对福建农业现状,提出星火计划的创新与定位。     

The Tumorigenicity of Mutagenic Contact-Sensitizing Chemicals

The electrophilic nature of some contact sensitizers, that is, chemicals that cause allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), is also characteristic of genotoxic tumorigens. Electrophiles can adduct protein, which is the basis for ACD, as well as DNA, which is the basis for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. This suggests that some electrophilic contact sensitizers may be genotoxic tumorigens. To further investigate this matter, we evaluated 146 chemicals that had been bioassayed for tumorigenicity and mutagenicity in the National Toxicology Program, with an analysis of structure-activity relationships for contact sensitization. Using the data from this analysis and from other sources, the proportion of the contact sensitizers that were both mutagenic and tumorigenic was found to range from 20% to 28%. This finding suggests that there may be in the order of 90 genotoxic tumorigens for rodents among the approximately 384 chemicals that have been validated as contact sensitizers for humans.     

学分制实施过程中的高校课程改革

高校的课程改革是提高人才培养质量的关键。本文讨论了学分制实施过程中课程体系、课程设置、课程建设、选课管理等方面的改革 ;介绍了国外高校课程改革的趋势 ,并提出了学分制下课程体系设置的建议 ,以及当今社会对本科生科学素养与人文培养并重的要求。