Susan Tracz | California State University, Fresno (original) (raw)

Papers by Susan Tracz

Californian journal of health promotion, May 1, 2013

The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, May 30, 2014

Background: Worksite health promotion programs (HPPs) are effective in providing health benefits ... more Background: Worksite health promotion programs (HPPs) are effective in providing health benefits to participating employees. However, participation rates are traditionally low. Therefore, health promotion professionals implement a variety of strategies to encourage participation, which may include attending to the physical and social environment. However, little is known about how the physical and social environment influences participation in HPPs and physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine if the physical and social environment of the workplace is associated with participation in HPPs and physical activity. Method: The Environmental Assessment Tool (EAT) was administered at four university campuses. University employees were sent an electronic survey inquiring about program and physical activity participation. Participation in a HPP was analyzed using a chi-square test for independence. MANOVAs were performed to assess differences between groups for physical activity of higher, medium, and lower levels of support. Results: Findings indicate HPP participation was associated with the level of physical and social support. The campus designated as the higher support campus had the highest participation rates in programming. The medium support campuses followed, and the lower support campus had the lowest overall participation rates. However, there was no significant difference in off-campus moderate or vigorous physical activity participation between campuses. Conclusion: The physical and social environments are important factors in determining HPP participation. Therefore, improving the physical and social environment of the workplace should be considered as an effective practice for HPPs.

Contemporary Educational Technology, Nov 26, 2021

Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educationa... more Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educational technologies in the classroom. Meanwhile, teacher experiences with new technologies prior to their entry into the classroom do not always match these expectations. For many teacher education programs, the solution to this challenge lies in the incorporation of educational technologies into coursework for preservice teachers (PSTs). This study examines PST reported uses and proficiency with educational technologies before and after taking introductory educational coursework. Based on surveys administered at the beginning and end of introductory education courses, the study found that PSTs reported consistent improvement in their technological skills. There were also positive relationships among skills competence and PST outcomes of satisfaction, effectiveness, and usefulness. These findings support existing efforts to incorporate educational technology into teacher certification coursework, while also suggesting ways to expand on these approaches to better support PSTs experience with educational technologies.

Educational renaissance, Feb 19, 2013

This study aggregated supervisor's ratings of teachers trained at The Renaissance Group (TRG) and... more This study aggregated supervisor's ratings of teachers trained at The Renaissance Group (TRG) and the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU) institutions. Fourteen studies conducted by 12 universities or states were gathered, and 12 that met inclusion criteria were included in this analysis. The total number of survey items in all studies (N = 374) was coded into 13 variables. Frequencies of the percentages of ratings falling into below average, average, and above average for those variables were tabled. Supervisors consistently gave teachers very high ratings.

Journal of Nursing Education, Mar 1, 2014

Predicting NCLEX-RN success has a positive impact on all stakeholders of nursing education. The f... more Predicting NCLEX-RN success has a positive impact on all stakeholders of nursing education. The focus of this study is on the ability to predict NCLEX-RN pass rates based on prenursing academic aptitude variables and the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) nursing aptitude program. The prenursing variables consisted of the prenursing GPA, a prerequisite communication course, and the ATI Test of Essential Academic Success (TEAS) composite subscores of TEAS Reading, TEAS Math, TEAS Science, and TEAS English. The ATI assessment included Nursing Fundamentals, Medical/Surgical, Pediatrics, Psychology, and Maternal/Child. This study included 794 participants from four baccalaureate nursing programs in the California State University system. Results of canonical correlation, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression revealed a significant correlation between prenursing, ATI scores, and NCLEX-RN first-try pass rates. Prediction of NCLEX-RN success rate using standardized testing data

Afterschool Matters, 2014

By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population... more By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population (Lee, 1999). However, few studies focus on afterschool interventions for Asian-American young people or examine how afterschool programming affects them. One reason may be the myth of the model minority, the stereotype that Asian-American students are all high-achieving conformists (Olsen, 1999; Walker-Moffat, 1995). However, Asian Americans are far from being a monolithic group. For one thing, their backgrounds are highly diverse. The Asian population is made up of 31 different ethnic groups who speak close to 300 languages and dialects (Olsen, 1999). Among these groups, wide differences in experiences are common. Recent immigrants, particularly those from underprivileged areas where education levels are low, are less likely to have the resources to support their children's learning than are immigrants from more affluent regions. Experience of trauma before and during immigration likewise takes its toll. For example, the families of the Hmong students who are the focus of this study came to the U.S. as refugees, often after long and debilitating stays in refugee camps. The children of such immigrant families must cope not only with language and cultural differences but also with recent trauma and with all the challenges of living in poverty. Contrary to

Journal of College Reading and Learning, Sep 1, 1990

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the success of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing... more A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the success of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing disrupive behaviors exhibited by school-age children in a school setting. Twenty-seven articles about studies using cognitive-behavioral therapy and a teacher measure of disruptive behavior were analyzed critically, and appropriate outcome measures were included in the analysis. Meta-analysis of these studies revealed that children who received cognitive-behavioral therapy displayed fewer disruptive behavior problems than did children who did not receive a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Cognitive-behavioral therapy used in conjunction with teacher-implemented contingencies was not found to be more effective in reducing disruptive behavior than cognitive-behavioral therapy alone. Also, no global difference in disruptive behavior was found relative to treatment administered in a school setting as compared to other settings. A difference in level of disruptive behavior was found with respect to the following factors: ethnicity, diagnosis, and socioeconomic status. (Contains 77 references.) (Author) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

International Journal for The Advancement of Counselling, Oct 20, 2012

This study explored the counselling self-efficacy of students in a counsellor education programme... more This study explored the counselling self-efficacy of students in a counsellor education programme, in regard to age, gender, and ethnicity characteristics. To assess counselling self-efficacy, the Counselling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) of Larson et al. (Counsellor Education & Supervision 41: 120-130, 1992) was administered at the end of a semester to counselling students engaged in different stages of a counsellor training program. No significant differences were found in regard to gender and age-group categories, but significant differences were found among ethnic groups. It was found that Asian and White students generally had similar and also lower counselling self-efficacy means than the other ethnic groups in the sample in regard to several counselling-specific categories. Implications for counsellor educators in training counselling students of diverse characteristics are discussed.

The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, Sep 1, 1991

... Susan M . Tracz is an associate professor in research, and Sari H . Dworkin is an associate p... more ... Susan M . Tracz is an associate professor in research, and Sari H . Dworkin is an associate professor in coun-selor education, both at California State Univer-sity ... Reviewing their lives enables them to resolve old problems and restore harmony with family and friends (King, 1982 ...

University-associated training facilities for Marriage and Family Therapy/Marriage, Family, and C... more University-associated training facilities for Marriage and Family Therapy/Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling (MFT/MFCC) programs serve several purposes; however, of paramount importance is meeting the academic needs of counselor trainees. Student learning outcomes for counselor trainees aim to address social justice issues, such as primary language and financial impoverishment of clients. This article presents a pilot study that examined an innovative methodology for assessing student learning outcomes at an MFT/MFCC program's training clinic.

requested that Kremen members of the Faculty Senate advocate for placing the Multilingual Multicu... more requested that Kremen members of the Faculty Senate advocate for placing the Multilingual Multicultural Graduate Program on the agenda for approval. Dean Beare discussed the need for coordinators to examine class sizes. The reimbursement for program coordinator positions is insufficient to cover actual cost. These are costs that cannot be earned back. The University Budget Committee has not recognized the need for specialized coordinator positions in the school. The Dean will be appealing to the committee, based on the unique needs of the school. The school budget committee will be meeting Thursday at 1pm.

By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population... more By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population (Lee, 1999). However, few studies focus on afterschool interventions for Asian-American young people or examine how afterschool programming affects them. One reason may be the myth of the model minority, the stereotype that Asian-American students are all high-achieving conformists (Olsen, 1999; Walker-Moffat, 1995). However, Asian Americans are far from being a monolithic group. For one thing, their backgrounds are highly diverse. The Asian population is made up of 31 different ethnic groups who speak close to 300 languages and dialects (Olsen, 1999). Among these groups, wide differences in experiences are common. Recent immigrants, particularly those from underprivileged areas where education levels are low, are less likely to have the resources to support their children's learning than are immigrants from more affluent regions. Experience of trauma before and during immigration likewise takes its toll. For example, the families of the Hmong students who are the focus of this study came to the U.S. as refugees, often after long and debilitating stays in refugee camps. The children of such immigrant families must cope not only with language and cultural differences but also with recent trauma and with all the challenges of living in poverty. Contrary to

CalStateTEACH (CST) is a California State University statewide, online, site-supported teacher pr... more CalStateTEACH (CST) is a California State University statewide, online, site-supported teacher preparation program that prepares candidates primarily for teaching in elementary school. Teacher candidates engage in academic work online and participate in field experiences at a local school each term. The program promotes innovation, technology integration, and reflection (Mishra, Koehler, & Henrikson, 2011) via the Observation Event (OE) in the clinical practice component of the program. Data collected over three terms in the program is used to monitor candidate progress. The OE is a lesson planning interface that was developed to give teacher candidates greater control over the classroom observation process by determining the lesson focus and pedagogical proficiency levels based on California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE) (California Commission for Teacher Credentialing [CCTC], 2013). The 13 TPEs are skills a teacher candidate needs to develop by the end of a teachertraini...

Contemporary Educational Technology, 2021

Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educationa... more Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educational technologies in the classroom. Meanwhile, teacher experiences with new technologies prior to their entry into the classroom do not always match these expectations. For many teacher education programs, the solution to this challenge lies in the incorporation of educational technologies into coursework for preservice teachers (PSTs). This study examines PST reported uses and proficiency with educational technologies before and after taking introductory educational coursework. Based on surveys administered at the beginning and end of introductory education courses, the study found that PSTs reported consistent improvement in their technological skills. There were also positive relationships among skills competence and PST outcomes of satisfaction, effectiveness, and usefulness. These findings support existing efforts to incorporate educational technology into teacher certification coursework, while also suggesting ways to expand on these approaches to better support PSTs experience with educational technologies.

Californian journal of health promotion, May 1, 2013

The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, May 30, 2014

Background: Worksite health promotion programs (HPPs) are effective in providing health benefits ... more Background: Worksite health promotion programs (HPPs) are effective in providing health benefits to participating employees. However, participation rates are traditionally low. Therefore, health promotion professionals implement a variety of strategies to encourage participation, which may include attending to the physical and social environment. However, little is known about how the physical and social environment influences participation in HPPs and physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine if the physical and social environment of the workplace is associated with participation in HPPs and physical activity. Method: The Environmental Assessment Tool (EAT) was administered at four university campuses. University employees were sent an electronic survey inquiring about program and physical activity participation. Participation in a HPP was analyzed using a chi-square test for independence. MANOVAs were performed to assess differences between groups for physical activity of higher, medium, and lower levels of support. Results: Findings indicate HPP participation was associated with the level of physical and social support. The campus designated as the higher support campus had the highest participation rates in programming. The medium support campuses followed, and the lower support campus had the lowest overall participation rates. However, there was no significant difference in off-campus moderate or vigorous physical activity participation between campuses. Conclusion: The physical and social environments are important factors in determining HPP participation. Therefore, improving the physical and social environment of the workplace should be considered as an effective practice for HPPs.

Contemporary Educational Technology, Nov 26, 2021

Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educationa... more Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educational technologies in the classroom. Meanwhile, teacher experiences with new technologies prior to their entry into the classroom do not always match these expectations. For many teacher education programs, the solution to this challenge lies in the incorporation of educational technologies into coursework for preservice teachers (PSTs). This study examines PST reported uses and proficiency with educational technologies before and after taking introductory educational coursework. Based on surveys administered at the beginning and end of introductory education courses, the study found that PSTs reported consistent improvement in their technological skills. There were also positive relationships among skills competence and PST outcomes of satisfaction, effectiveness, and usefulness. These findings support existing efforts to incorporate educational technology into teacher certification coursework, while also suggesting ways to expand on these approaches to better support PSTs experience with educational technologies.

Educational renaissance, Feb 19, 2013

This study aggregated supervisor's ratings of teachers trained at The Renaissance Group (TRG) and... more This study aggregated supervisor's ratings of teachers trained at The Renaissance Group (TRG) and the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU) institutions. Fourteen studies conducted by 12 universities or states were gathered, and 12 that met inclusion criteria were included in this analysis. The total number of survey items in all studies (N = 374) was coded into 13 variables. Frequencies of the percentages of ratings falling into below average, average, and above average for those variables were tabled. Supervisors consistently gave teachers very high ratings.

Journal of Nursing Education, Mar 1, 2014

Predicting NCLEX-RN success has a positive impact on all stakeholders of nursing education. The f... more Predicting NCLEX-RN success has a positive impact on all stakeholders of nursing education. The focus of this study is on the ability to predict NCLEX-RN pass rates based on prenursing academic aptitude variables and the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) nursing aptitude program. The prenursing variables consisted of the prenursing GPA, a prerequisite communication course, and the ATI Test of Essential Academic Success (TEAS) composite subscores of TEAS Reading, TEAS Math, TEAS Science, and TEAS English. The ATI assessment included Nursing Fundamentals, Medical/Surgical, Pediatrics, Psychology, and Maternal/Child. This study included 794 participants from four baccalaureate nursing programs in the California State University system. Results of canonical correlation, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression revealed a significant correlation between prenursing, ATI scores, and NCLEX-RN first-try pass rates. Prediction of NCLEX-RN success rate using standardized testing data

Afterschool Matters, 2014

By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population... more By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population (Lee, 1999). However, few studies focus on afterschool interventions for Asian-American young people or examine how afterschool programming affects them. One reason may be the myth of the model minority, the stereotype that Asian-American students are all high-achieving conformists (Olsen, 1999; Walker-Moffat, 1995). However, Asian Americans are far from being a monolithic group. For one thing, their backgrounds are highly diverse. The Asian population is made up of 31 different ethnic groups who speak close to 300 languages and dialects (Olsen, 1999). Among these groups, wide differences in experiences are common. Recent immigrants, particularly those from underprivileged areas where education levels are low, are less likely to have the resources to support their children's learning than are immigrants from more affluent regions. Experience of trauma before and during immigration likewise takes its toll. For example, the families of the Hmong students who are the focus of this study came to the U.S. as refugees, often after long and debilitating stays in refugee camps. The children of such immigrant families must cope not only with language and cultural differences but also with recent trauma and with all the challenges of living in poverty. Contrary to

Journal of College Reading and Learning, Sep 1, 1990

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the success of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing... more A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the success of cognitive-behavioral therapy in reducing disrupive behaviors exhibited by school-age children in a school setting. Twenty-seven articles about studies using cognitive-behavioral therapy and a teacher measure of disruptive behavior were analyzed critically, and appropriate outcome measures were included in the analysis. Meta-analysis of these studies revealed that children who received cognitive-behavioral therapy displayed fewer disruptive behavior problems than did children who did not receive a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Cognitive-behavioral therapy used in conjunction with teacher-implemented contingencies was not found to be more effective in reducing disruptive behavior than cognitive-behavioral therapy alone. Also, no global difference in disruptive behavior was found relative to treatment administered in a school setting as compared to other settings. A difference in level of disruptive behavior was found with respect to the following factors: ethnicity, diagnosis, and socioeconomic status. (Contains 77 references.) (Author) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

International Journal for The Advancement of Counselling, Oct 20, 2012

This study explored the counselling self-efficacy of students in a counsellor education programme... more This study explored the counselling self-efficacy of students in a counsellor education programme, in regard to age, gender, and ethnicity characteristics. To assess counselling self-efficacy, the Counselling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) of Larson et al. (Counsellor Education & Supervision 41: 120-130, 1992) was administered at the end of a semester to counselling students engaged in different stages of a counsellor training program. No significant differences were found in regard to gender and age-group categories, but significant differences were found among ethnic groups. It was found that Asian and White students generally had similar and also lower counselling self-efficacy means than the other ethnic groups in the sample in regard to several counselling-specific categories. Implications for counsellor educators in training counselling students of diverse characteristics are discussed.

The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, Sep 1, 1991

... Susan M . Tracz is an associate professor in research, and Sari H . Dworkin is an associate p... more ... Susan M . Tracz is an associate professor in research, and Sari H . Dworkin is an associate professor in coun-selor education, both at California State Univer-sity ... Reviewing their lives enables them to resolve old problems and restore harmony with family and friends (King, 1982 ...

University-associated training facilities for Marriage and Family Therapy/Marriage, Family, and C... more University-associated training facilities for Marriage and Family Therapy/Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling (MFT/MFCC) programs serve several purposes; however, of paramount importance is meeting the academic needs of counselor trainees. Student learning outcomes for counselor trainees aim to address social justice issues, such as primary language and financial impoverishment of clients. This article presents a pilot study that examined an innovative methodology for assessing student learning outcomes at an MFT/MFCC program's training clinic.

requested that Kremen members of the Faculty Senate advocate for placing the Multilingual Multicu... more requested that Kremen members of the Faculty Senate advocate for placing the Multilingual Multicultural Graduate Program on the agenda for approval. Dean Beare discussed the need for coordinators to examine class sizes. The reimbursement for program coordinator positions is insufficient to cover actual cost. These are costs that cannot be earned back. The University Budget Committee has not recognized the need for specialized coordinator positions in the school. The Dean will be appealing to the committee, based on the unique needs of the school. The school budget committee will be meeting Thursday at 1pm.

By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population... more By 2040, Asian Americans are expected to account for 10 percent of the country's total population (Lee, 1999). However, few studies focus on afterschool interventions for Asian-American young people or examine how afterschool programming affects them. One reason may be the myth of the model minority, the stereotype that Asian-American students are all high-achieving conformists (Olsen, 1999; Walker-Moffat, 1995). However, Asian Americans are far from being a monolithic group. For one thing, their backgrounds are highly diverse. The Asian population is made up of 31 different ethnic groups who speak close to 300 languages and dialects (Olsen, 1999). Among these groups, wide differences in experiences are common. Recent immigrants, particularly those from underprivileged areas where education levels are low, are less likely to have the resources to support their children's learning than are immigrants from more affluent regions. Experience of trauma before and during immigration likewise takes its toll. For example, the families of the Hmong students who are the focus of this study came to the U.S. as refugees, often after long and debilitating stays in refugee camps. The children of such immigrant families must cope not only with language and cultural differences but also with recent trauma and with all the challenges of living in poverty. Contrary to

CalStateTEACH (CST) is a California State University statewide, online, site-supported teacher pr... more CalStateTEACH (CST) is a California State University statewide, online, site-supported teacher preparation program that prepares candidates primarily for teaching in elementary school. Teacher candidates engage in academic work online and participate in field experiences at a local school each term. The program promotes innovation, technology integration, and reflection (Mishra, Koehler, & Henrikson, 2011) via the Observation Event (OE) in the clinical practice component of the program. Data collected over three terms in the program is used to monitor candidate progress. The OE is a lesson planning interface that was developed to give teacher candidates greater control over the classroom observation process by determining the lesson focus and pedagogical proficiency levels based on California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE) (California Commission for Teacher Credentialing [CCTC], 2013). The 13 TPEs are skills a teacher candidate needs to develop by the end of a teachertraini...

Contemporary Educational Technology, 2021

Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educationa... more Teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate frequent use of and proficiency with educational technologies in the classroom. Meanwhile, teacher experiences with new technologies prior to their entry into the classroom do not always match these expectations. For many teacher education programs, the solution to this challenge lies in the incorporation of educational technologies into coursework for preservice teachers (PSTs). This study examines PST reported uses and proficiency with educational technologies before and after taking introductory educational coursework. Based on surveys administered at the beginning and end of introductory education courses, the study found that PSTs reported consistent improvement in their technological skills. There were also positive relationships among skills competence and PST outcomes of satisfaction, effectiveness, and usefulness. These findings support existing efforts to incorporate educational technology into teacher certification coursework, while also suggesting ways to expand on these approaches to better support PSTs experience with educational technologies.