Dr. PATRICIA A. BEFFA-NEGRINI, MS, RD patsy@nutrition.umass.edu EDUCATION Ph.D. R.D. M.S. B.S. 1990 The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts Nutritional Sciences Dissertation: Relationship Between Learning Style and Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Change in Nutrition Education 1981 Registered Dietitian and Member of the American Dietetic Association 1981 Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana Nutritional Sciences Thesis: Effect of Degree of Unsaturation of Dietary Fat on Bile Acid Excretion 1979 The University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut Major in Biological Sciences with minor in Chemistry, Summa Cum Laude PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2008 The Sloan Consortium - Online Teaching Certificate PRESENT POSITION 2007 present Lecturer, Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 2006 present Program Director Online Master of Public Health in Nutrition TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2003-present Research Associate Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Instructor Community Nutrition, an online graduate-level course for students enrolled in an online Master s Degree in Public Health Nutrition. Instructor Nutrition Seminar, an online graduate-level course for online MPH in Nutrition students using live conferencing. Instructor - Nutrition for a Healthy Lifestyle Online and Nutrition and Exercise for Weight Management Health and Fitness, online undergraduate courses. Instructor - Nutrition and Health in the Science Classroom, an online graduate-level course for teachers enrolled in an online Master s Degree in Science Education. Member of design team and Instructor - Food Safety FIRST, an online professional development program for teachers.
Instructional designer and Moderator - Fats and Health online minicourses for health professionals and dietitians. Instructional Designer Food Safety for Family Day Care Providers, an online mini-course for Child Care Providers. 1996-2003 Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Taught Nutrition for Health Online, Nutrition Science Online, and Nutrition Education Online. 1998-1999 Associate Professor, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire 1991-1998 Assistant Professor, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire Full-time, tenure d position as instructor in the dietetics program. Taught courses in introductory and advanced food science, food and people interaction, introductory nutrition for majors, computers in dietetics, nutritional biochemistry, and community nutrition. 1984-1991 Instructor and Lecturer, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire Full-time position as lecturer and instructor in the dietetics program. Taught courses in culinary arts, introductory food science, food and people interaction, introductory nutrition for majors and non-majors, nutritional biochemistry, diet therapy, and nutrition in the life cycle. RESEARCH AND APPLIED EXPERIENCE 2006-2007 Director Basics in Exercise and Nutrition for Weight Management, Health, and Fitness Certificate Program. 1995-1996 Extension Specialist/Nutrition Education Specialist, University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition, Amherst, Massachusetts Part of a team that designed, delivered, and evaluated a distance education course on nutrition for K-12 teachers using the Internet as a communication and learning tool. 1983-1984 Research Technician, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts Part of a team effort to research the effects of lipoprotein metabolism on aging. Established methodology for measurement of serum apolipoproteins by enzyme-linked immunoassay. 1982-1983 Dietitian, Providence Ambulatory Health Care Foundation, Providence, Rhode Island Provided nutrition counseling to therapeutic diet patients and participants in the Supplemental Foods Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Supervised Health Aides. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
1996-1999 Adjunct Instructor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Instructor for graduate course, NUTR 597 Nutrition Education Online, and undergraduate course, NUTR 130 Nutrition for Health Online. 1984-1988 & Program Director, Plan IV Program in Dietetics, Keene State College 1990-1995 & Director of American Dietetic Association Approved Didactic Program 1996-1998 in Dietetics. Liaison between Keene State College and the American Dietetic Association. 1994-1996 Treasurer and Board Member, New Hampshire Dietetic Association 1993-1995 Board Member, Cheshire Unit of the American Cancer Society. Member of the Public Education Committee and Chair of the Great American Healthy Lunch Day Project. 1989-1992 Board Member, New Hampshire Dietetic Association Allied Health Groups Representative and member of the board of the New Hampshire Dietetic Association. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS The American Dietetic Association, ADA The New Hampshire Dietetic Association, NHDA The Society for Nutrition Education, SNE Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, AACE American Public Health Association, APHA PUBLISHED WORKS Cohen, N.L., Carbone, E.T., and Beffa-Negrini, P.A. (2011) The design, implementation, and evaluation of online credit nutrition courses: A systematic review. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 43 (2):76-86. Boyle M., Holben D., Prepared by: Patricia Beffa-Negrini, Nicole Geurin, Denine Stracker, Amanda Sylvie. (2010) Community Needs Assessment Workbook for Community Nutrition in Action: An Entrepreneurial Approach, 5th edition. Belmont: Wadsworth. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L., Laus, M.J., and McLandsborough, L. (2007) Development and Evaluation of an Online, Inquiry-Based Food Safety Education Program for Secondary Teachers and Their Students. Journal of Food Science Education 6 (4):66-71. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L., and Miller, B.L. (2002) Strategies to motivate students in online learning environments. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 34:334-340.
Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Miller, B., and Cohen, N.L. (2002) Factors related to success and satisfaction in online learning. Academic Exchange Quarterly. 6 (3):105-114. Miller, B., Cohen N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P. (2001) Factors for success in online and face-to-face instruction. Academic Exchange Quarterly 5(4):4-10. Beffa-Negrini, P. (2000) "Project Management " in Problem Based Service Learning: A Fieldguide for Making a Difference in Higher Education. Rick Gordon, Ed. Education by Design: Keene, NH. Pgs. 83-90. Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P.S., Cluff, C., Laus, M.J., Volpe, S. L., Dun, A.T, and Sternheim, M.M. (1999) Nutrition Science Online: Professional Development of Secondary School Teachers using the Internet. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Education. 17(1), 25-33. Holmes, G.G. and Beffa-Negrini, P.A. (1998)!Comidas Rapidas y Faciles por Menos!: Recetas e instrucciones de compra. University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Sternheim, M.M., Volpe, S.L., Laus, M.J. and Sternheim, H.R. (1997). The Internet as a Method of Continuing Education in Nutrition. Topics in Clinical Nutrition, 12(2), 21-26. Sternheim, M.M., Sternheim, H.R., Cohen, N., Volpe, S., Laus, M.J., and Beffa-Negrini, P. (1996). Nutrition Online: An Internet-Based Distance-Learning Course, [Online]. Available: http://k12.oit.umass.edu/nutrition/nol.inet96.html [1996, June 25]. Beffa-Negrini, P. (1996). Cooking in Tuscany: A Delicious Way to Spend Sabbatical Time. Keene State Today, 11(2), 12-13. Beffa-Negrini, P. and N. L. Cohen. (1990). Use of Learning Style Theory in Development of a Nutrition Education Program to Reduce Cancer Risk. Journal of Nutrition Education, 22 (2): 100A-101A. ABSTRACTS Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Laus, M.J., Cohen, N.L., Brennan-Olson, R. (2006) Online Food Safety Education for Teachers: Effect on Food Safety Attitudes and Practices. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Vol. 38(S 1): S66. Cohen, N.L., Carbone, E., Beffa-Negrini, P.A., and Laus, M.J. (2006) Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Online Seminar for Nutrition Professionals with Diverse Learning Styles. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Vol. 38(S1): S31. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L. and Laus, M.J. (2006) Fats and Health: An Accessible, Low-cost, Effective Approach to Online Professional Development in Nutrition. Public Health Nutrition Vol. 9(7A): 254.
Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P.A., and Laus, M.J. (2006) Satisfaction with Interactive Web-based Nutrition and Food Safety Education for Dietitians, K-12 Teachers and Health Professionals Using UMASSONE. Public Health Nutrition Vol.9 (7A):page 254. Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P., Laus, M.J., Sternheim, M.M. and Dun, T. (1998) Nutrition On-Line: An Interactive Approach to Graduate Education for K-12 Teachers. Society for Nutrition Education: Annual Meeting Proceedings, page 45. Cohen, N.L., Cluff, C., Dun, T., Laus, M.J., Laus, Sternheim, B.E.E., Sternheim, M.M., Volpe, S.L., and Beffa-Negrini, P. (1997). Nutrition Science Education for Teachers via the World Wide Web. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 97S (9): A-13. M.J., Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P., Volpe, S. and Sternheim, M. (1996). Nutrition Education for Teachers Via the Internet. American Public Health Association 124th Annual Meeting and Exposition. Empowering the Disadvantaged: Social Justice in Public Health Abstracts, 206. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L., Volpe, S.L., Sternheim, M.M., Laus, M.J. (1996). Evaluation of an Internet-Based Nutrition Education Course for K-12 Teachers. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 96S (9): A-10. Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrini, P., Volpe, S.L., Sternheim, M. and Laus, M.J. (1996). Nutrition Online: Distance Education for Teachers Via the Internet. Leadership Through Diversity: Gateway to Change. Society for Nutrition Education 29th Annual Meeting Abstracts of Presentations, 21: 23. Beffa-Negrini, P. A. and N. L. Cohen. (1990). Usefulness of Kolb's model of experiential learning in nutrition education. Society for Nutrition Education Annual Meeting Proceedings. PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS Beffa-Negrini, P. The UMass Online MPH in Nutrition Degree Program: An Interactive Approach to Professional Development in Public Health Nutrition. Research and Practice Innovations: Dietetics Management, Leadership, and Education presentation at the American Dietetic Association Conference and Expo. November 9, 2010. Cohen, N.L. and Beffa-Negrini, P.A. Development of the Public Health Nutrition Workforce Through a Fully Online Master of Public Health in Nutrition Degree Program. Poster at the II World Congress on Public Health Nutrition. Porto, Portugal. September 25, 2010. Cohen, N.N and Beffa-Negrini, P, "Development of an interactive online Masters of Public Health in Nutrition degree program." Poster at the 137th APHA Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. November 9, 2009.
Jarrow, J. and Beffa-Negrini, P. Accessibility is Built Into Your Learning Management System. Are You Prepared to Use It? Do You Know How? Presentation at the 14th Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning. Orlando, FL. November 2008. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Laus, M.J., Cohen, N.L., Brennan-Olson, R. Online Food Safety Education for Teachers: Effect on Food Safety Attitudes and Practices. Society for Nutrition Education Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA. July 2006. Cohen, N.L., Carbone, E., Beffa-Negrini, P.A., and Laus, M.J. Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Online Seminar for Nutrition Professionals with Diverse Learning Styles. Society for Nutrition Education Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA. July 2006. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L. and Laus, M.J. Fats and Health: An Accessible, Low-cost, Effective Approach to Online Professional Development in Nutrition. I World Congress on Public Health Nutrition. Barcelona, Spain. September 2006. Cohen, N.L., Beffa-Negrin, P.A., and Laus, M.J. Satisfaction with Interactive Webbased Nutrition and Food Safety Education for Dietitians, K-12 Teachers and Health Professionals Using UMASSONE. I World Congress on Public Health Nutrition. Barcelona, Spain. September 2006. Beffa-Negrini, P.A., Cohen, N.L., Brennan-Olson, R., Laus, M.J; and McLandsborough, L. Food Safety Education for Secondary Teachers and Their Students: An Evaluation of the Food Safety FIRST Online Professional Development Program. 2005 National Environmental Health Association Annual Educational Conference and Exhibition. Providence, RI. June 26-29, 2005. R Cook, P Beffa-Negrini, L McLandsborough, R Brennan Olson, N Cohen. Food Safety First: Online Professional Development for Secondary Science Teachers. Massachusetts Dietetic Association 2004 Spring Conference. Randolph, MA. 2004. Beffa-Negrini, P. "Strategies to Motivate Students in Online Learning Environments." Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference. August 27, 2001. Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater Massachusetts. Beffa-Negrini, P. "Nutrition for Health Online: An Asynchronous Internet-based Course in Introductory Nutrition to Meet Current and Future Needs in Dietetics Education." Poster for Summit 2000: Best Practices in Dietetics Education." American Dietetic Association Annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition. October 18, 2000. Denver, Colorado. Beffa-Negrini, P. "The Nutrition Education Online Experience." American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Northeast Regional Conference. September 25, 1999. Stamford, Connecticut. "A Comparison of Internet-Based Nutrition Education of Teachers and Nontraditional Undergraduate Students: The Nutrition Online Experiences," with
Nancy Cohen. University of Massachusetts Technology Conference 99 Teaching and Technology in the University. April 8, 1999. Boxborough, Massachusetts. "Nutrition On-Line: An Interactive Approach to Graduate Education for K-12 Teachers," with Mary Jane Laus. Society for Nutrition Education 31st Annual Meeting Advancing Nutrition Education: Moving Towards Healthful, Sustainable Diets. July 21, 1998. Albuquerque, New Mexico. "Evaluation of an Internet-Based Nutrition Education Course for K-12 Teachers." The American Dietetic Association 79th Annual Meeting and Exhibition Celebration and Discovery. October 21, 1996. San Antonio, Texas. "Nutrition Online: Distance Education for Teachers Via the Internet," with Nancy L. Cohen, Ph.D. Society for Nutrition Education 29th Annual Meeting Leadership Through Diversity: Gateway to Change. July 22, 1996. St. Louis, Missouri. "The Nutrition On-line Course Distance Learning via UMassK12," with Mort Sternheim, Ph.D. and Stella Volpe, Ph.D. 1996 Massachusetts Education Computing Conference Tomorrow's Mission: A Vision for Education. June 12-14, 1996. Springfield, Massachusetts. "Nutrition Online: Using UMassK12 for Distance Learning," with Nancy L. Cohen, Ph.D. R.D. and Mort Sternheim, Ph.D. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Institute: UMassK12: Internet Access for Massachusetts K12 Teachers and Students; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. March 29, 1996. "Relationship between learning style and outcome in nutrition education"; Presentation to the Cooperative Extension Nutrition, Diet, and Health staff; Worcester, Massachusetts; October 17, 1990. "Usefulness of Kolb's model of experiential learning in nutrition education." Society for Nutrition Education Annual Meeting. Anaheim, California. July 25, 1990. AWARDS and HONORS 2011 School of Public Health and Health Sciences Outstanding Online Teacher Award 2010-2011