Below is a list of completed research. Links are available to published research articles and/or media contacts.
Teaching Joint Attention Skills to Children with Autism: The Value of the Reinforcer
Primary Investigators: Nicole Luke, Cherisse Chin, Hanan Kulmiye, and Avery Keith
Abstract
Background & Aims: Joint attention is an important developmental skill and children with autism often require direct instructional interventions to acquire it. This series of studies investigated the use of operant teaching procedures to teach 10 children with autism ranging in age from three to five years. The goal was to teach gaze shifting within a joint attention interaction in a treatment centre setting with instructional therapists.
Methods: The study employed a single-case research design using ABAB reversal variations for one dependent variable which was defined as correctly responding by shifting eye gaze from an upheld object back to the therapist’s face.
Results: All ten (10) children improved their ability to shift their gaze to a therapist to mastery criterion levels.
Conclusions: The results are discussed in terms of the value of teaching new forms of reinforcement, particularly social ones, for those in whom it is lacking.
Implications: Children with autism can learn to engage in joint attention if teachers and therapists employ deliberate teaching strategies to teach them.
Applied Disability Studies Virtual Reality Project
Primary Investigators: Nicole Luke and Raneta Krylov
Abstract
This funding allowed university students an opportunity to learn in a virtual reality (VR), or 3D, environment. There are benefits to learning in a virtual reality which are different from learning in a standard online or e-learning interface. Virtual reality offers an important opportunity for participants to connect with each other and it offers complete immersion that reduces distractions and improves opportunities to learn (Dialani, 2020). COVID-19 has severely limited the access behaviour analysis students have to their traditional experiential learning placements. While several professional industries such as medicine (Creutzfeldt, et al, 2016), aeronautics (Updegrove & Jafer, 2017), and automotives (Hur, 2020) have moved into virtual experiences to train their personnel and students of their field, education and behaviour analysis have been slow to adopt this environmental option. This funding was used to access a virtual environment to be used for experiential learning opportunities with graduate students in their final year of studies at Brock. This project recreated some typical classroom experiences in a 3D environment focused on topics of study that are consistent with the professional requirements in the field.
From pre-service science teacher towards transformative intellectual: Pre-service science teachers address food insecurity in South Africa
Primary Investigators: Oluwakemi Ayodeji Adebayo and Nicole Luke
Teacher training requires teachers to learn not only the academic content they must teach but to learn how to teach. In the modern world where changes are constant and the teaching demands are many, pre-service teachers must learn skills, but they must also learn certain attitudes and beliefs that will allow them to be successful and effective in their profession. This study investigated the changes reported by pre-service science teachers after they completed a gardening project as part of their teacher training. Qualitative data were collected through the use of focused interviews, group interviews, and written journal entries. Data were analyzed using a critical pedagogy theoretical framework. Teachers reported significant changes in their attitudes and beliefs after their gardening experiences. They reported feeling empowered and reported gaining confidence in their ability to teach. They also reflected on their new-found understanding that they could change the way they teach and that their teaching could have an effect on their students and their communities. We believe these changes reported by the pre-service science teachers in this study are indicative of the kinds of changes we would want to see for all pre-service teachers, and we believe that these findings contribute to the research support for inclusive teacher training practices where practical training is emphasized.
Acquisition of Joint Attention Skills in Children with Cortical Visual Impairment
Primary Investigator: Avery Keith
The emergence of joint attention is a critical point in children’s social and language development. Research shows the efficacy of various behavioural teaching strategies in increasing responses and initiations of bids for joint attention among children with autism spectrum disorder. The use of gaze-based behaviours has been the predominate method of evaluating the attainment of joint attention, as a marker of social engagement and awareness of others’ attention. Although children with visual impairment have difficulty perceiving how others’ attention is directed towards stimuli, they are assumed to acquire joint attention through alternative sensory modalities and positive social experiences. The purpose of the current study is to examine the effectiveness of a parent-implemented behavioural teaching strategy via telehealth to teach joint attention skills to children with cortical visual impairment.
Understanding the Impact of Participation in the Canada Games on Individual Ontario Athletes
Primary Investigators: Nicole Luke, Priscilla Burnham Riesa, Albert Malkin, Avery Keith, Amanda Ramsuchit, & Silvana Zelaya
Among sporting events, the promise of event legacy for the host community has become increasingly promoted by public policy planners and event management. The values, mission statements, and aims of sporting events such as the Canada Games revolve around the promotion of active citizenry and sport participation before, during, and following the games. Research shows that active participation in sports can have positive influences on mental and physical health for all individuals in a community. Large-scale events like the Canada Games can promote participation in sports for both community members who participate at a recreational level and those individuals who move into competitive sports. This research study focused on understanding how the Canada Games has impacted both individual athletes and the host communities. This study concentrated on the impact of the Canada Games to personal development for individual athletes. A secondary emphasis for the study was understanding the impact on a community when hosting the Canada Games. The study involved interviewing self-identified, competitive athletes and then conducting an analysis of their language to understand the impact participation might have had on their development as athletes. We also evaluated changes in active sport participation in host communities following the Canada Games using statistical data collected from Statistics Canada.