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Research

Brief Bio:
Dr. Michael Posner is an Associate Professor of Statistics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Villanova University, where he has been since 2005 after completing his Ph.D. in biostatistics at Boston University.  His publications and research span the fields of statistics education research, biostatistics, public health, health care research, statistics and the law, educational research, and analysis of observational studies.  Dr. Posner is on the Executive Committee of the Section on Statistics Education for the American Statistical Association (ASA) and is the past-chair of the Special Interest Group of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) for Statistics Education.  He was also appointed to serve on the ASA Public Awareness Workgroup and the MAA/ASA Joint Committee on Undergraduate Statistics.  His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Villanova Center for Nursing Research.

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GRANTS

  1. I am Co-Principle Investigator and Statistician on NSF grant DRL-0918474: "Engaging Secondary Students and Teachers Through a Proficiency-based Assessment and Reassessment of Learning Outcomes (PARLO) System in Mathematics”. This grant evaluates the impacts of an innovative assessment paradigm on 9th grade algebra and geometry students on their engagement, achievement, and attitudes through a randomized controlled trial of 44 high schools in the Greater Philadelphia area.  See the press release and the project website

PROPENSITY SCORES - ANALYSIS OF OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES

  1. Comparing Standard Regression, Propensity Score Matching, and Instrumental Variables Methods for Determining the Effectiveness of Mammography in Older Women.  Michael A. Posner, Arlene Ash, Michael Shwartz, Karen Freund, Mark Moskowitz. Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology, 2001; 2:279-290.
  2. Weighting within Strata: A New Method of Sample Selection using Propensity Scores.  Michael A. Posner.  Under Review.
  3. When are Propensity Scores Necessary?  Michael A. Posner, Arlene Ash.  In progress.

PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH

  1. The Effectiveness of a Brief Evidence-Based Substance Abuse Treatment on Urban Adolescents.  Michael J. Mason, Michael A. Posner.  Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 2009; 18:2;193-206.
  2. Post-Hospital Medical Respite Care and Hospital Readmission of Homeless Persons.  Stefan Kertesz, Michael A. Posner, Stacy Swain, Arlene Ash, Michael Shwartz.  Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 2009; 37:1-14. 
  3. Improving Follow-Up to Abnormal Breast Cancer Screening in an Urban Population: A Patient Navigation Intervention.  Tracy Battaglia, Michael A. Posner, Kathryn Roloff, Karen M. Freund.  Cancer, 2006; 109(2 Suppl): 359-67.
  4. Evaluation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Recommendations Regarding Routine Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus on an Inpatient Service.  Who Are We Missing? .  Greenwald, JL, Rich, CA, Bassega, S, Posner, MA, Maeda, JL, Skolnik, P.  Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2006: 81(4): 452-8
  5. Do Variations in Disease Prevalence Limit the Usefulness of Population-Based Hospitalization Rates for Studying Variations in Hospital Amissions?  Michael Shwartz, Erol Pekoz, Arlene Ash, Michael A. Posner, Joseph Restuccia, Lisa Iezzoni.  Medical Care, 2005; 43: 4-11.
  6. Pap Smear Rates among Haitian Immigrant Women in Eastern Massachusetts.  Eric Green, Michael A. Posner, Karen M. Freund, Michele David.  Public Health Reports, 2005; 120: 133-139.
  7. Mammography Use.  Michele David, Lindo Ko, Michael A. Posner, Eric Green, Karen M. Freund.  Journal of the National Medical Association, 2005;97:2:1-9.
  8. Using Claims Data to Examine Mortality Trends Following Hospitalization for Heart Attack in Medicare.  Arlene S. Ash, Michael A. Posner, Lindsey Bramwell, Jeanne Speckman, Shakira Franco, Andrew Yacht.  Health Services Research 2003:38:5:1253-1262.
  9. Comparing the Importance of Disease Rate Variation vs. Practice Style Variation in Explaining Small Area Variations in Hospitalization Rates for Two Respiratory Conditions.  Erol Pekoz, Michael Shwartz, Lisa Iezzoni, Arlene Ash, Michael A. Posner, Joseph Restuccia. Statistics in Medicine, 2003; 22:1775-1786.
  10. Do "We Just Know"? Masked Assessors' Ability to Accurately Identify Children with Prenatal Cocaine Exposure.  Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Howard Cabral, Michael A. Posner, Jennifer Epstein, Deborah Frank.  Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 23(5):340-346, October 2002.
  11. Cervical Cancer Screening Rates in Haitian Communities in the Greater Boston Area.  Green EH, Ko LK, Posner M, Freund KM, Prudent N, David M.. Journal of General Internal Medicine 2002;16 (s1):159.
  12. Children Who Witness Violence and Parent Report of Child Behavior. Marilyn Augustyn, Deborah Frank, Michael A. Posner, Barry Zuckerman. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 156:800-803, August 2002.
  13. Quantifying Practice Effects in Longitudinal Research with the WISC-R and WAIS-R: A Study of Children and Adolescents with Hemophilia and Male Siblings Without Hemophilia.  Patricia A. Sirois, Michael A. Posner, James A. Stehbens, Kate A. Loveland, Sharon Nichols, Sharyne M. Donfield,  Terese S. Bell, S. D. Hill, Nancy Amodei, and the Hemophilia Growth and Development Study.  Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 27;2;121-131, March 2002.

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

  1. Managing the grading paradox: Leveraging the Power of Choice in the Classroom.   Dobrow, S.R., Smith, W.K., and Posner, M.A. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 2011; 10(2);261-276.  Forthcoming in Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of Management Conference.
  2. Evaluating Pedagogical Techniques In Introductory Statistics: Proficiency Grading And Assignment Resubmission.  Proceedings from the International Association of Statistics Education Conference on Assessment, August 2007.
  3. Formative Assessment at Villanova University: A Pilot Study.  Grant from Math Science Partnership of Greater Philadelphia.
  4. Assisted in publication of Shaping the College Experience Outside the Classroom (The University of Rochester Press) by James Scannell and Kathleen Simpson (1995). 

STATISTICS EDUCATION RESEARCH

  1. The Impact of a Proficiency-based Assessment and Reassessment of Learning Objectives System on Student Achievement and Attitudes.  Posner, M.A.  Statistics Education Research Journal, 2011; 10(1); 3-14.
  2. Instructor Characteristics Associated with Improved Student Attitudes Toward Statistics.  Under Review.
  3. Towards an Understanding of Prerequisite Knowledge of Sampling Distributions.  Under Review.

OTHER RESEARCH

  1. Digital Diversity: Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender of Streaming Video Performers.  Len Shyles, Emory Woodard, Brett Lyszak, Heather Hundley, Michael A. Posner.  Under Review.