Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Eileen E. Morrison
Committee Member
G. Jeremiah Ryan
Committee Member
Clifford L. Shisler
Keywords
addiction treatment, Administrative Office of the Courts, behavioral healthcare, Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction Treatment, competence evaluation, criminal justice system, curriculum development, distance learning, drug and alcohol training, focus groups, formative evaluation, independent learning, instructional delivery, pilot study, probation officers, program dissemination, program evaluation, substance abuse, summative evaluation, training modules
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to provide a training alternative to assist in the drug and alcohol training program for probation officers. The product developed replicates the Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction Treatment and Behavioral Healthcare: A Linkage with the Criminal Justice System (BMAT) two-day workshop curriculum as an independent learning model.
There were seven research questions for this project. First, "What are the various methods of delivering instruction at a distance?" Second, "What are appropriate criteria for selecting a distance learning method for this project?" Third, "Which method identified best suits the criteria for curriculum delivery for probation officer personnel?" Fourth, "How can the traditional BMAT classroom course curriculum be adapted to this method in order to replicate it as a distance learning program?" Fifth, "How should the learner be evaluated to determine competence in the course objectives?" Sixth, "How should the training module be implemented to disseminate information about independent study to employees of the Administrative Office of the Courts? " Seventh, "How should the program be evaluated in terms of process and outcomes?"
The development methodology and seven procedures guided the study. The procedures included (a) reviewing related literature; (b) convening a formative committee to help develop the project; (c) using a focus group to determine the need for the project; (d) preparing a sample draft of the program; (e) convening a summative committee to validate the project; (f) evaluating the project through a pilot study; and (g) disseminating the program for implementation and evaluation by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) .
It was concluded that this course will be useful to the AOC as distance learning alternative to traditional instruction in drug and alcoholism treatment and that it meets all regulating agencies' criteria. Implied in the results of this study are the reduction of barriers by presenting greater access to substance abuse courses that will improve probation officers' job performance. Recommendations for implementation, evaluation, and dissemination are also included in this report.