Learning Showcase 2014

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  Choose Ohio First: Franklin University Does Its Part for an Important Ohio Educational Program

  Franklin University

  Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine (STEMM)-related disciplines are critical to the future success of the State of Ohio and the nation. Many employers in Ohio cannot find the STEMM talent they need to stay competitive and grow in the global marketplace. Even during the most recent economic downturn, STEMM skills have remained in high demand – for the STEMM workforce there are 2.3 jobs for every unemployed person; for the non- STEMM workforce there are 3.9 unemployed people for every job. The primary objectives of the Choose Ohio First (COF) scholarship program are to support increased participation and retention of students majoring in STEMM and STEMM education fields and in so doing to advance the economic growth of each region of the state. COF has become the state’s premier model for recruit-ing and retaining talented students in STEMM and STEMM education fields. The COF scholarship program ensures that an increased number of students enter the STEMM teaching profession and graduate from some of the most innovative programs that the state has to offer.

  Franklin University is The University of Opportunity, as stated in the University’s mission. We strive to provide “high quality, relevant education enabling the broadest possible community of learners to achieve their goals and enrich the world”. Additionally, a primary University strategic goal in our recently updated strategic plan is to “expand student access to education by developing new educational partnerships”. The Choose Ohio First (COF) program complements our mission and strategic vision as it extends our students’ access to the University’s educational opportunities through the financial, co-curricular, and professional development aspects of the program.

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  Ohio Department of Youth Services: Juveniles and Their Mental Health Issues

  Danya E. Gregory

  During the 1960’s, an explosion of interest in child abuse and neglect became prominent and it all came together with the case of Gerald Frances Gault, gained national attention to the plight of juveniles. Gerald and his friend were making obscene phone calls and he was taken to jail without the benefit of is parents being notified, being detained until his hearing and charges being lodged against him, convicted and sent to a juvenile correctional facility until his 21st birthday. Until this case became prominent, many youth were not given legal counsel, and just being sent to away because it was thought that there crimes were illegal, when they were not. (E. Michael Foster, 2004)

  Starting in the 1970’s, mental health officials started to look at juveniles and why so many were going to correctional facilities. During the past 30 years or so, a push has been made to have mental health screenings preformed on children who have committed violent crimes. Many always thought that youth were doing bad things because they were not being raised right and had bad parents. Once the mental health advocates, judges, attorneys, probation/parole officers and parents got together and decided to look at some of the behaviors and listen, actually listen to the children about what was going on with them, is when the real work began. (Hammond, 2007)

  The Ohio Department of Youth Service is a premier agency in helping to reduce recidivism of youth in Ohio. The Ohio Department of Youth Services was founded in November 1981 as a result of House Bill 440. The agency was first started in 1868 for boys and girls, where they learned skills to help them become productive members of society at the time. In the 1940’s, the agency started focusing on delinquency as a result of the 1900 youth that were in the facilities. The goal of the agency is to offer services to the youth which includes education, mental health, substance abuse treatment, mentoring, behavioral therapy, reentry services, and other services that may help the youth become a productive member of society once they are released.

  The current Director, Harvey. J. Reed has implemented many programs that has helped many of the youth become productive members. He is the chair of the Ohio Interagency Task Force on Mental Health and Juvenile Justice, which delivered recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly and Supreme Court in October 2012. Recommendations that called for an effective and integrative system of care where the systems that may impact youth and their families, work collaboratively to develop and improve the earlier identification of mental health needs and the service delivery and financing of systems and services responsive to the needs of youth. (Services, 2013)

  The mission of the Ohio Department of Youth Services is to improve Ohio's future by habilitating youth and empowering families and communities. The vision of the agency is a safer Ohio: one youth, one family and one community at a time. As noted, this has been taking place since the inception of the department and has begun to shape the way many of our youth come out and re-enter society.

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  Construction Industry Workforce Development Initiative: From High School to High Rises

  Barton Hacker

  In 2012, Associated Builders and Contractors Central Ohio (ABC) conducted informal surveys of its member companies’ workforce development needs of the local public career centers’ ability to meet them. Based on these surveys: 1.) ABC member companies expressed frustration in their ability to find local, young talent to enter the construction trades; 2.) Company owners and leaders believed that students were not encouraged to explore the possibility of careers in the construction industry; 3.) Career centers have discontinued many programs and enrollments have declined over the past two decades; 4.) More Career Center graduates attend college rather than enter the construction trades and apprenticeship training programs.

  In response, ABC created a Blueprint to Success program by opening the public Ohio Construction Academy (OCA) in 2013 serving 9th-12th grade students. OCA is a tuition-free, fully accredited construction technology academy providing both a high school diploma and hands-on construction training. Matriculation agreements were created linking the ABC Apprenticeship Program with credit from OCA and to the two associated degrees offered at ABC in a unique partnership with Zane State College.

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  Hilliard Police Department

  Scott Hall

  Hilliard Police Department was originally formed in 1957 as a special police force which consisted of twenty volunteers. The city was growing, and with more people comes more potential for crime as well as more requested services.

  “The employees of the Hilliard Division of Police are committed to serve the Hilliard Community and to enhance the quality of life by working cooperatively with the public to prevent crime, preserve peace, enforce the law with respect to the constitutional rights of all citizens, reduce fear and provide a safe community environment" (Lt. Plesich, Personal Communication, June 19, 2014).

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  Ethical Leadership: Creating Ethical Organizations

  Alexander C. Heckman

  Many scholars examine this issue primarily from an individual perspective and in abstract or stylistic manner in which the leader serves as sort of an ethical judge making a ruling.

  This poster examines the issue of ethical leadership from an organizational and practical perspective where a leader must think systemically about how to create an ethical organization. In doing so, the leader has to think like an engineer who takes action to design organizational structures that shape and direct action systematically in order to help create an ethical environment. The author applies systems thinking and uses the McKinsey 7-S to present ideas about how to create an ethical organization. The presentation is designed to stimulate a dialogue about what it means to be an ethical leader and how leaders can make their organizations ethical.

  In short, the author introduces the idea of ethical leadership as a systemic organizational responsibility that goes well beyond simply making ethical decisions from an individual perspective.

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  How Can We Improve Government Performance?

  Alexander C. Heckman

  We expect our governments to tackle a diverse array of problems and take on a myriad of responsibilities. Often, we are frustrated at their apparent lack of success at doing so. What are the key factors that impact how effectively government agencies perform? Drawing upon my own empirical research and the public administration literature, I present a framework for thinking about the answer to this question, along with ideas for how to improve government performance. Specifically, I focus on the impact of management quality on government performance; including its interrelationship with other important factors such as resources, politics, and the nature of the problem situation. The poster also offers ideas for advancing scholarship that seeks to make practical recommendations for improving public management and government performance. Citizens and scholars interested in developing a better understanding of how to assess and improve government should find this poster offers valuable food for thought.

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  Retention and Student Success: It's Everybody's Business

  Eboni Hill

  Colleges and universities are challenged to move the needle on student retention and success, especially in online programs. Student success coaching is effective when working in collaboration with professors, support staff and tutors to ensure that students who are potentially at risk can succeed. Success coaches would follow academic alerts issued by instructors at the onset of an at risk student. At risk conditions include missing or low grades on assignments, lack of participation in class, and attendance alerts. Success coaches do not cause a hardship or disturb the classroom environment but can serve as a resource to students who are in danger of academic warnings, suspensions and dismissals. Once an instructor submits an academic alert on a student who is not responsive or in danger of failing, the success coach works to reach the student by phone to assess what their unique needs are and can link students to services such as tutoring and/or help them work out a study schedule to get back on track. The success coach model is reactive to academic alerts but proactive to reducing academic probations and suspensions. If a student is too far behind in their class, the success coach would be able to assess if the student needs to continue on or withdraw from the class. The success coach model will work best when done in unison with participating faculty. Retention and student success is everybody’s business!

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  Value Risk Perceptions of eLearning

  Andy Igonor and Bill McMullen

  The influence of information technology on learning and higher education would seem a no-brainer for a lot, especially institutions that have already embraced the notion of eLearning as the new mode of education delivery. To others, notably traditional educational institutions, the perception of the risks of eLearning may sometimes be seen to outweigh its potential value, making it an unattractive way to deliver learning. Several research has been conducted to measure the impact of eLearning specifically on higher education faculty. Others have focused specifically on the perception of eLearning amongst students, and in some instances institutional administrators.

  It is the intent of the current research to measure the perceived value and risks of eLearning amongst faculty, students and institutional administrators on a holistic level. Drawing on literature and theoretical frameworks addressing issues of culture, pedagogy, information technology, finances, social interactions, flexibility, sustainability and innovation, a survey of 267 respondents conducted across major higher education institutions of learning in North America was used to answer 5 key hypothesis. The results propose a holistic perceived value-risk model for eLearning involving faculty, students and institutional administrators.

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  Technical Quality and Engagement in a Hybrid Communication Course

  Brenda L. Jones

  Hybrid courses combine face-to-face and online students in an instructor-led synchronous session supported by internet-based video conferencing. Instructional technology selection models theorize that a minimum level of technical quality as well as two-way interaction between instructors and students are needed to achieve engaging and effective learning in the hybrid context (Caladine, 2008; Huddlestone & Pike, 2008).

  The study reported in this paper was conducted in two sections of a hybrid communication course and focused on technical quality and student engagement with the instructor and classmates. A theoretical model of a “learning threshold” was advanced, suggesting that richer media might support higher levels of student engagement. A mixed methods approach was used that incorporated coding ten recorded webinar sessions for instructor and student technical quality and use of video, audio, and chat-window text. A student survey (n = 12) was also used to determine student uses of technology, technical quality, and the level of engagement with the instructor and classmates.

  The findings suggest that the hybrid communication courses have fair to high levels of technical quality for both instructor and student connections. Students elected not to share video, but did participate using both audio and text. Despite occasional technical issues with connecting and audio, the majority of students reported they were at least “mostly engaged” with both the professor and classmates.

  The interaction occurring in the hybrid sessions examined in this study did support both student-instructor and student-student engagement. The levels of student engagement reported in this study suggest that the hybrid instructional format is a viable option for meeting students’ needs for flexible learning environments that incorporate synchronous meetings.

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  A Study of the Possible Implications of Current Institutional Practices on the Future of International Higher Education and a Broader Higher Education Bubble

  Tamer Khadre

  The hypothesis of a higher education bubble in the United States is one that has been discussed in literature for a number of years, with parallels being drawn to the inflation and deflation of prices of commodities in industries such as housing and the stock market. This study examines the applicability of such a hypothesis to the international education sector of the higher education industry in the United States. The focus of this study is (a) the perceived impact of current institutional practices in the field of international education on the long term viability of the field overall and (b) the opinions of practitioners in the field on current trends and practices. The health and outlook of international education in the United States is gauged through critical literature review and through the surveying of 84 practitioners in the field of international higher education. The study offers recommendations regarding the sustainability of international higher education in the United States as the important of reducing the dependence of academic programs or institutions on students from a singular source. Despite the existence of actionable concerns, collected data points to general optimism about the future of the field of international higher education.

  *Outstanding Staff Poster Winner

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  Doctor of Healthcare Administration at Franklin University

  Leslie J. King

  The healthcare profession has been experiencing dramatic change due to healthcare reform and there continues to be significant challenges on the horizon for healthcare leaders. Healthcare leaders will be facing challenges such as a large number of the work force reaching the age of retirement, a decrease in people entering into the healthcare profession, and a 22-28% increase in demand for healthcare services through 2020. Existing and future healthcare leaders will need to poses a high level of knowledge and skill in healthcare delivery in order to meet these challenges. Academic healthcare programs can help train a future workforce of leaders by offering a Doctorate of Healthcare Administration (DHA). Unlike a traditional Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.), where the focus is on creating new theoretical models, a DHA focusing on operationalizing theory into practical application.

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  Model for Using Social Network to Enhance Teaching and Learning

  Leslie J. King and JoAnn Jordan

  Theorist Jean Lava and Etienne Wenger (1991) proposed the idea of legitimate peripheral participation which serves as the foundation for Communities of Practice (CoP). Three elements are required for CoP’s to be successful; 1) domain, 2) community, and 3) practice. CoP’s are successful when members interact, share ideas and discuss best practices over a period of time. This type of social learning is accompanied by a gradual, yet sustained improvement of practice and knowledge among community members. Although improvement is sometimes an unintentional outcome of the social learning process, see how this CoP model intentionally integrates operational and instructional strategies to enhance teaching and learning.

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  Artificial Intelligence and eLearning 4.0: A New Paradigm in Higher Education

  Leslie J. King and Wenxia Wu

  John Markoff (2006, para.2) was the first to coin the phrase Web 3.0 in The New York Times in 2006, with the notion the next evolution of the web would contain a layer “that can reason in human fashion.” With the emergence of Web 3.0 technology and the promise of impact on higher education, Web 3.0 will usher in a new age of artificial intelligence by increasing access to a global database of intelligence. Bill Mark, former VP of Siri note, “We’re moving to a world where the technology does a better job of understanding higher level intent and completes the entire task for us” (Temple, 2010, para. 14). This poster provides a quick overview of the developments from Web 1.0 to Web 3.0, the progression of artificial intelligences, as well as possible advances as we move into the era of eLearning 4.0.

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  Franklin County Adult Probation Department

  Antoinette Leigh

  The Franklin County Adult Probation Department was created in 1945 and was located 401 South High St. in downtown Columbus. The first chief was Joseph H. Palmer and he grossed $4500 a year. The mission of the Franklin County Adult Probation Department is to assist in the protection of the community by safely and effectively supervising probationers and pre-trial reporters at the most appropriate level to affect habilitation and rehabilitation. This is a collaborative department that works together to ensure quality of services. Community Corrections Act of the state of Ohio (1979): In Ohio, community-based alternatives to prison were established in HB 1000, also known as the Community Corrections Act (CCA).

  Current Chief Probation Officer is Gayle Dittmer and has been so since 2008. The Chief probation officer oversees management and administration of both the juvenile and adult probation departments. There are currently 24 basic level probation officers and 16 intense level supervision officers in the adult probation department. Average caseload for basic level officers is 163 and for intense supervision officers is 50. There are currently 1.059 probationers on minimum security probation, 2,410 on medium level probation and 4,463 on maximum level supervision.

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  Student Learning Center - Save Time and Money: While Increasing Graduation Rates with Prior Learning Assessments

  Tyler Marinelli

  In July 2013 the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) Launched the PLA with Purpose initiative, which tasks Ohio colleges and universities with making Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) options more accessible to students. OBR understands that many students come to college with previously acquired knowledge that can be demonstrated through various PLA options, helping a student save time and money. At Franklin University we are well ahead of most schools in Ohio, relative to our infrastructure to award college credit for prior learning and through the diversity of our PLA options. Recognizing the importance of this initiative, next steps include enhancing our marketing efforts to articulate these options to prospective and current students. Over the past year we have worked to create unique marketing channels and elicit faculty support for PLA offerings at the University. Our poster provides a snapshot of materials created and the overall benefits of PLA at Franklin University.

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  From Zen to C-Level

  Carie Martin

  From the non-stop pull of smart phones to overcommitted working parents, the average American worker is constantly plugged in and on the go. Such a cognitive overload can have dire consequences. These consequences include: memory and concentration problems; hostility and aggression; anxiety; and poor judgment (Smith, 2014). These effects of overload most certainly decrease the effectiveness of work productivity. To get the best out of their employees, restoring their wellbeing and re-engaging them at work should be of value to organizations across the country.

  Being mindful can increase wellbeing and engagement in activities along with improving concentration. Mindfulness also decreases stress and the likelihood of depression. One of the ways to increase mindfulness is through the practice of meditation (Benefits of Mindfulness, 2013). To use mindfulness and mediation in the corporate world, it can be administered through coaching. As organizational coaches work with employees, they can teach mindfulness meditation along with the use of wellbeing and positive assessments to create more engaged, focused employees and to help aid in leadership development. Assessments can be administered pre- and post- coaching experience to gauge effectiveness. The research for this project was the result of my studies in the Business Psychology graduate program at Franklin University and was used as my mastery project.

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  Columbus City Attorney’s Office

  William R. Martin

  From the non-stop pull of smart phones to overcommitted working parents, the average American worker is constantly plugged in and on the go. Such a cognitive overload can have dire consequences. These consequences include: memory and concentration problems; hostility and aggression; anxiety; and poor judgment (Smith, 2014). These effects of overload most certainly decrease the effectiveness of work productivity. To get the best out of their employees, restoring their wellbeing and re-engaging them at work should be of value to organizations across the country.

  Being mindful can increase wellbeing and engagement in activities along with improving concentration. Mindfulness also decreases stress and the likelihood of depression. One of the ways to increase mindfulness is through the practice of meditation (Benefits of Mindfulness, 2013). To use mindfulness and mediation in the corporate world, it can be administered through coaching. As organizational coaches work with employees, they can teach mindfulness meditation along with the use of wellbeing and positive assessments to create more engaged, focused employees and to help aid in leadership development. Assessments can be administered pre- and post- coaching experience to gauge effectiveness.

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  Short Term Medical Mission to the Aztecs in the Mountains

  Leslie Mathew

  Introduction: A team of 17 members which included 4 doctors from OH, IL & TX planned a 10-day visit to assess and provide for the medical needs of the Aztec tribal populations living in the mountains near Rio Blanco, Veracruz State, Mexico, altitude varying between 5,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level.

  Purpose: With the information provided that there was very little organized medical care for the tribal populations in the mountains, the plan was for 2 medical teams with 2 doctors in each team to visit 12 different villages / small towns Monday through Saturday, each team getting to run free medical clinics in 6 different places.

  General Methods:

  1. After arrival at Mexico City airport, it was a 4 hour scenic drive by bus to the small town of Rio Blanco, 5,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by gorgeous mountains on all sides.
  2. The first 2 days were spent in Rio Blanco debriefing with a local faith-based group that had been working in these mountains for a couple of decades with very limited medical assistance, but had in-depth knowledge of the terrain and the tribal needs. The 4 doctors spent about 6 hours on the second day selecting and purchasing bulk medications that were expected to be needed from a wholesaler of pharmaceutical drugs, and returned to organize the surgical supplies that were carried from the U.S.
  3. The third day had the team drive up the mountains to Atlahuilco, a small village in a deep valley between 2 mountains, along with about 30 other workers from Rio Blanco including translators to Spanish and Nawat, the language used by the Aztecs in this area.
  4. One medical team with the 2 senior doctors visited villages in Atlahuilco, Zacamilola, Quechulingo, Atlahuaja, Acultzinapa & Tepexititla, one on each of the 6 days, while the junior team of 2 doctors traveled to the more distant region of Zongolica with some villages being about 3 hours drive from the Atlahuilco base camp.
  5. Each day was long hours, driving out after breakfast and returning to base after 10-12 hours for dinner. Sandwiches and bottled water were carried for lunch daily, along with totes and cartons filled with medical and surgical supplies.

  *Outstanding Faculty Poster Winner

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  Preparing Faculty For Overseas Assignments

  Garry McDaniel, Debra Petrizzo, Gary Stroud, and Susan Arehart

  With increased globalization, more colleges and universities are establishing faculty exchanges, study abroad programs, collaborative research efforts, and technical assistance programs with counterparts overseas resulting in enhanced faculty development, increased learning for students, revenue generation and prestige for the partnering institutions. If faculty are inadequately prepared and supported for overseas assignments valuable time and resources are wasted, student learning is impacted, and the image of the institution and faculty member may suffer. The purpose of this research was to determine how institutions can better prepare faculty for overseas assignments. To study this problem, faculty with international teaching experience and overseas country coordinators were surveyed and a literature review was conducted. Data were compiled to identify actions which can be taken to ensure greater success in overseas assignments. The researchers will share results exploring why educational institutions are expanding operations overseas, the negative impact of failing to adequately prepare and support faculty for overseas assignments, and actions which can be taken to ensure faculty are adequately prepared and supported for their overseas assignment.

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  The Juvenile Justice System, Corrections and Human Trafficking

  Maureen Elizabeth McGill

  What happens to these young victims? A homeless or runaway juvenile is befriended by someone, then plied with drugs and/or alcohol. This is where the trafficker begins to exert control over the victim. The victims are given food and shelter. Sex is expected in return. At this point the trafficker has established trust with the victim, misguided as it may be. Then, Stockholm syndrome begins to set in. This is where victims protect the trafficker for fear of losing access to drugs, food, shelter or money. The victims also comply with their captors out of a sense of loyalty toward them. This also explains why DMST victims will not self-identify and are unlikely to identify their trafficker.

  The juvenile is then coerced into engaging in prostitution, either with threat of force, actual force, or a threat of food, shelter and drugs being withheld. Once indoctrinated into prostitution, all or most of money earned goes to the caretaker/trafficker (Spriggs, 2011).

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  Burglars on Burglary: Tips from the Big House to Your House

  Robert H. Meader

  The crime of Burglary affects all socioeconomic levels in every community. The experts who are best situated to educate the community on burglary are actual felonious burglars. To help the community prevent burglary before it occurs the Columbus Police Property Crimes Bureau—Burglary Unit joined with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to create an education video featuring career burglars in prison who provided prevention tips. In 2014, two Columbus Police Officers; one a seasoned Community Liaison Officer and the other a seasoned Burglary Detective, interviewed three burglars in two different Ohio Prisons; Chillicothe Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution. The video will be edited and placed on YouTube for the community; both in Ohio and outside so that this new tool can reach as many communities as possible. Long-term decreases in burglaries could be difficult to measure. Nonetheless, it is these types of innovative and cross-agency partnerships that many experts have encouraged in order to increase broad-based best practices toward lower crime rates and healthier communities. The primary results have been the recognition by the media both print and news in this on-going project. Subsequent results will be evaluated on the number views on YouTube.

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  The Key Variables Healthcare Executives Consider when Altering Services

  David Meckstroth

  Health care executives face a multitude of challenges and changes on a daily basis. Health care reform and the Accountable Care Act will require executives to increase the value of the services offered by hospitals to insurance companies and patients. The literature search identified 11 key variables executives consider when altering services. The research study conducted a quantitative survey of the entire population of top health care executives in Ohio non-profit short-term acute care hospitals. In addition, qualitative individual depth interviews of 48 top executives at 13 hospitals were conducted by the researcher. A mixed methods approach was utilized to analyze the data from the survey and interviews.

  The research study determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the level of importance of the key variables considered by executives when altering services between hospital classifications, specifically between rural designated critical access and rural non-critical access hospitals. The qualitative interviews were consistent with the quantitative results with the one exception being the level of importance placed on the key variables when altering services at urban hospitals as compared to rural designated critical access hospitals.

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  The Value of the Franklin University Nationwide Library

  David Mignerey, Tiffany Lipstreu, Julie Blake, Carmen Byg, Alyssa Darden, Kristi Lobrano 9476223, Brandon Houseman, and Luke McCash

  The Franklin University Nationwide Library (FUNL) has long been considered a significant contributing resource to our university community. Yet, in spite of our high level of professional competence and credibility, we are reticent to “tell our story” or to promote to others the list of services we provide. This reluctance is rooted in the professional academic preparation and service ethic that characterizes librarianship.

  Compelling contemporary trends in higher education mandate that all academic programs provide robust performance evaluation and verified and validated measures of Return on Investment (ROI). ROI is a technique for quantifying the extent to which investment in a library helps generate income or other tangible benefits for its parent institution. One way of measuring ROI is quantitative and involves calculating what Franklin University would spend, in time and direct costs, to get the information our users need without access to the library. Another method addressed in this Learning Showcase presentation is qualitative evidence from University administrators and faculty pointing out how FUNL has expedited university administrative initiatives, new program and degree development, and other revenue enhancing efforts.

  This poster employs both forms of measure to demonstrate the continued value of professional librarianship to the varied and complex directions this university will be moving in during the coming years.

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  Juvenile Justice Education for At-Risk High School Youth

  Karen Miner-Romanoff

  Research has shown that current legal policies of transfer of juveniles to adult court, harsh sentences, and intimidating educational programs do not 5 deter youthful crime. This study reports on a nonconfrontational pilot education program in the US juvenile justice system. In three urban high schools, an eight-week researcher-designed curriculum was delivered to three intervention classes totaling 125 at-risk students and three control classes totaling 100 at-risk students. Teachers in both groups administered 10 pretest and posttest surveys. Descriptive statistics showed substantial knowledge gains for the intervention group, from 14.2 to 35.7% in all subdomains, and −7.2 to 21.4% gains for the control group. Chi-square analysis showed that the intervention group significantly increased knowledge and understanding of the US juvenile justice system in two of the six curriculum 15 subdomains. The intervention group also significantly increased perceptions of fairness of the juvenile justice system. This program can serve as a model curriculum for at-risk high school youth.

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  Voices From Inside: Preliminary Results of a Transformational Justice Art Program for Incarcerated Youth

  Karen Miner-Romanoff

  Few art programs for incarcerated juveniles exist; however, results of assessments indicate decreased recidivism and behavior problems for those involved in such programs. This paper reports on a preliminary study, part of a long term study based on the concept of restorative justice, of an ongoing art program for incarcerated adolescents with community exhibits and sale of their work, with proceeds to a youth-oriented foundation. The Voices from Inside project, a partnership between Franklin University and the Ohio Department of Youth Services, has sponsored two exhibits, in 2012 and 2013, with the third planned for fall 2014. From 18 youths’ art contributions in 2012, for the 2014 exhibit 100 pieces are projected. At the 2013 exhibit, two quantitative instruments were administered to the youth and community attendees.

  Results of the youth survey (response rate 47%, 16 of 34 exhibitors), showed that 81% cited as benefits the ability to cooperate with others, ability to complete a task, and increased self-esteem from public recognition and sale of their art.