Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Educational programs'

CITE/Language Arts
Ph.D.
Program evaluation in the fields of second language acquisition (SLA) and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) has a history dating from the 1960's. The focus of previous program evaluations has been on language achievement at the end of the program of study (Lynch, 1996). However, to improve or maintain program quality, teacher education of future foreign language instructors is essential; thus, improvements in the quality and/or control of teacher education programs is also important. The primary purpose of this study is to propose and test a multi-faceted approach to program evaluation that originates from the administrative side of two graduate programs in Applied Linguistics. This marks the first time in the field that this approach has been implemented. First, time series enrollment models were examined to investigate the overall stability of the two graduate education programs for non-traditional students from 1993 to 2010 (for the Master's programs) and 1995 to 2010 (for the doctoral programs). Second, logistic regression models were examined to investigate the characteristics of the students who did and did not graduate from the programs. Third, event history Cox regression models were examined to investigate the amount of time spent by the graduate students to complete the degree using potential demographic and enrollment pattern factors as predictors. Finally, a dynamic model was formulated and tested to simulate the program's potential future enrollments based in part on the results of the prior model analyses and publically available data. The results indicated the potential for developing a relatively strong time series enrollment prediction model for near future enrollments using the data available in the administrative database. However, the student success/failure models and event history program study time prediction models were relatively weak and the results indicated the difficulty of predicting whether students will successfully complete the graduate programs using data typically collected from the students when they enter the program. The simulation results showed a potential decline in enrollments over the next decade mainly due to the decline of the 18-year-old student population in Japan, the decreasing size of the foreign language teacher population, the long, gradual recession in Japan, and the revision of university faculty employment status by the Japanese Ministry of Education.
Temple University--Theses

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
A dissertação trata das questões enfrentadas por profissionais de comunicação e educação, que trabalham na produção de conteúdo para TV educativa. O estudo de caso, desenvolvido com 10 produtores da MultiRio, no período de maio a julho de 2014, seguiu a abordagem qualitativa. O foco da análise é a percepção de conteúdo educativo compreendida por estes profissionais e como esta acepção norteia a produção destes programas. A TV educativa, lócus desta pesquisa, apresenta características comuns ao meio, como entretenimento e informação. Todavia, possuiu peculiaridades, constituindo o objetivo primeiro deste tipo de emissora: educar e formar a audiência. O presente trabalho desenvolve-se a partir da Pedagogia da Comunicação, desenvolvida por Mario Kaplún, no estudo da educação e da comunicação, configurando o que o autor chamou de educação informal, assumindo esta modalidade de TV seu papel na promoção do desenvolvimento humano. A MultiRio é a empresa municipal de multimeios, vinculada à Secretaria Municipal de Educação do Rio de Janeiro. Os objetivos da empresa são a articulação entre a sociedade e a educação, atuando ainda na capacitação continuada de professores e alunos da rede pública municipal. Desde sua criação, em 1993, foram mais de 4.200 programas produzidos e veiculados em sistema aberto e fechado de televisão. As considerações do estudo demonstram a existência de conflito entre as duas áreas, evidenciando uma tensão entre aprendizagem e entretenimento, sugerindo que este conflito pode ter origem na percepção sobre o papel da escola e do ensino na sociedade e desta através da TV.
This dissertation brings questions which are faced by communication and education professionals who work with content production for educational TV. This is a case study that has a qualitative approach. It was developed from May to July of 2014 with ten producers who work at MultiRio. The focus of this analysis is to perceive how these professionals comprehend educational content and also to understand how this perception influences the production of these programs. Educational TV has its own characteristics such as entertainment and information. However, it has its peculiarities. The first goal of this kind of station is educating and achieving viewership. This research was developed within the studies of Mario Kaplún on Pedagogy of communication. This author brought the concept of informal education assuming that this type of TV plays a role in promoting human development. MultiRio is a city government company which is connected to the Educational Secretary of the city. The company goals are mainly to articulate society and education as well as promoting continued formation for students and teachers from public schools. Since its creation, the company has produced and aired more than 4.200 programs both on open and paid TV. This study found out that there is a conflict between the two fields which showed a tension between learning and entertaining. It suggests that this conflict may have been originated in the perception about the role of the school and the role of teaching in the society and through TV.

Five interpretive programs designed for use by educators, naturalists, or interpreters working at ecotourism destinations. Topics covered include environmentally responsible behavior, on-site recycling programs, renewable energy systems, and plant and animal species conservation.

Primary care is in a state of crisis due to the lack of clinicians and increasing numbers of insured patients. Encouraging more students to go directly through school for their doctor of nursing practice degree and nurse practitioner (NP) certifications is one proposal to alleviate this crisis. However, this approach would deliver graduates with minimal leadership and clinical experiences directly into practice. One resolution to mitigate this concern would be an NP residency program. Evaluating the knowledge and attitudes of stakeholders prior to the implementation of a NP residency program is an important first step to this implementation plan. The purpose of this project was to assess the knowledge and attitudes about NP residency programs of 2 stake holders: administrators and NPs at a rural upstate New York health care system, Bassett Healthcare, and to compare responses of those fiscally with those clinically oriented. Using literature less than 6 years old about NP residencies, a 28-question survey tool was created to assess knowledge and attitudes of NP residency programs. Content validity was established by 6 hand-selected NPs and administrators who had expert knowledge of residency programs. Once validity was established, the tool was distributed to a convenience sample of NPs and administrators at Bassett Healthcare Network via e-mail. The sample included 20 administrators and 44 NPs. A Mann-Whitney U test revealed no statistical differences between the 2 groups on any item. However, a majority of both groups felt the programs should be mandatory for all NPs. This project may be the first step in formation of a NP residency program that could alleviate transitional stress, decrease turnover, and produce better clinically-prepared NPs, thus benefitting the profession and society.

Athletic training is an allied healthcare profession which at the present time offers two routes for certification. Students can sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) through successfully completing either an accredited curriculum program or an internship program and pass the NATABOC examination in order to practice as a certified athletic trainer. In January 2004, the internship option towards certification will be eliminated. If institutions want to continue to qualify students to take the NATABOC examination, they must develop curriculum programs that meet the Standards and Guidelines set by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) before this date. To develop an athletic training education program, Program Directors must implement the new standards into their programs in accordance with CAAHEP and institutional policies. The purpose of this study was to survey current Athletic Training Education Program Directors and identify how they developed their programs, with their available resources, to meet CAAHEP accreditation standards. The population selected to identify and describe the current trends of program development included Program Directors from all currently accredited undergraduate athletic training programs (N = 114). Of the 114 participants surveyed, 53 (46%) responded. Using Internet technology, a cross-sectional survey instrument was constructed to electronically survey current Program Directors of accredited undergraduate athletic training programs. The data gathered were primarily informational, and the analysis of this data was descriptive in nature. Data analysis identified, trends regarding the demographics of current Program Directors, curricular patterns, and institutional support roles. The new CAAHEP standards appear to necessitate greater institutional support in terms of faculty and resources, scientific and technological upgrades in curriculum, and clearly defined academic placement for Program Directors.
Ph. D.

In this study, the perceptions of educational leaders of incentive pay programs, including Missouri's Career Ladder Program were examined. A mixed-methods design provided a process by which student achievement, professional development, and the retention of high quality and effective teachers were viewed through the lens of Marzano's (2003) Teacher Level Factors that influence student achievement. The population for the study consisted of educational leaders and educators in Missouri. The sample group was comprised of four public school superintendents, four professional development chairs, four leaders in professional education organizations, four Missouri public school board presidents, and approximately 83 Missouri public school teachers. Interviews and survey data were collected and analyzed. Four themes emerged from the study: the effectiveness of Missouri's Career Ladder Program as related to increasing student achievement, the effectiveness of incentive pay programs as related to increasing student achievement, the components of an effective professional development program, and motivation for teachers. Findings indicated positive perceptions of incentive pay programs, including Missouri's Career Ladder Program, which were thought to enhance professional development, the retention of high quality and effective teachers, and ultimately increased student achievement. Even though details of incentive pay programs vary greatly, teacher motivation and increased student achievement were consistent findings among participants. The perceptions of educators from this study may serve district and state educational leaders in future decision-making and implementation of incentive pay programs.

Thesis (M.S.)--East Tennessee State University, 2003.
Title from electronic submission form. ETSU ETD database URN: etd-0328103-161433. Includes bibliographical references. Also available via Internet at the UMI web site.

Recent calls for better education have many teachers trying out new ways to engage their students and teach them required content. In the current educational atmosphere of accountability, many people are beginning to question the effectiveness and utility of their educational programs. The Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center (CMSEC) is one such program. Key aspects addressed in this study included better understanding the essence of the CMSEC experience, whether it provides any beneficial impact to visitors, and how the CMSEC programs fit into the educational spectrum. An exploratory mixed-method design (utilizing focus groups, interviews, and surveys) was used to explore these issues. The director of the CMSEC hopes to use the information gained from investigating these questions to improve the program and to strengthen its foundation so it will survive beyond his retirement. We discovered that the CMSEC experience is based in simulation theory, very similar to other live simulation experiences that designers employ to meet similar learning outcomes. We found that much of the ambiguity that the CMSEC director identified results from ambiguous goals that are not as tightly aligned with program offerings and procedures as they could be. In order to strengthen the CMSEC programs we recommend they clarify their goals, train staff more explicitly on their goals and how to achieve them, and refine their evaluation methods to measure whether those goals are being met.

As rates of teacher attrition continue to increase across the United States, school districts are trying to determine effective methods of retaining quality teachers for their classrooms (Ingersoll, 2012). Comprehensive teacher induction programs have shown to decrease rates of teacher attrition when implemented over a multiple-year span (Goldrick, 2016). This has created the need for school districts to determine if the costs associated with the implementation of comprehensive teacher induction programs are worthwhile investments. This study involved an examination of the perceptions of Missouri superintendents and/or human resources designees and secondary school principals regarding the benefits of comprehensive teacher induction programs and the role played by secondary school principals in those programs. Interview responses were collected and analyzed using coding methods to identify common phrases, key words, and themes. The findings of this study revealed the administrators believe teacher induction programs are beneficial in terms of reducing teacher attrition and establishing a collaborative culture for school districts. Furthermore, the administrators agreed secondary school principals have assumed a greater role in teacher induction than in years past. Although research exists defining comprehensive teacher induction and the most effective components of such programs, there still exists a discrepancy among school districts as to how new teachers are supported. School superintendents, school boards, and state policymakers should be prepared to evaluate the teacher induction programs across the state to determine the breadth of this disparity and to make attempts to narrow these discrepancies as a way to provide high quality instruction in all school districts.

As we become more advanced technologically in our online educational courses, it is imperative that we also incorporate effective research-based practices such as the use of formative assessment. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of formative self-assessment to academic achievement and self-efficacy in online graduate courses. The research included a review of online education, formative assessment, self-efficacy, and associated learning theories.

A mixed methods study was used that included quantitative and qualitative data for triangulation of the study results. A correlational research design was used for the quantitative approach and a phenomenological research design was used for the qualitative approach. The correlational research design was chosen to examine the relationships between variables and to describe the current state. The phenomenological research design was chosen because the study was focused on the relationship of a particular phenomenon to the participant’s cognitive and dispositional experiences. The subjects included students that were enrolled in Master’s in Education or Doctor of Education courses from three universities located in Southern California. The methodology included student self-assessment through a project rubric, a survey to operationalize academic achievement, and a survey and interviews to operationalize student self-efficacy. While the statistical findings did not reflect strong correlations, the non-statistical findings reflected a positive relationship between formative self-assessment as it related to academic achievement and student self-efficacy in online graduate programs. Formative self-assessment provides online educators with a tool to enhance the course effectiveness and the overall learning process.

University educators are concerned with student leadership development in order to generate much-needed leaders in every aspect of society. This sequential mixed methods study found that students who participate in a university co-curricular outdoor education leadership training program, combined with the experience of leading a wilderness backpacking trip, had increased leadership self-efficacy. Empirical evidence was found to support leadership development, as well as the effectiveness and importance of university co-curricular outdoor education leadership training programs. This research is significant to educators for determining priorities in providing resources and designing effective co-curricular programs to create tomorrow's leaders.

This study examined the perceptions of music education students, professors, administrators and music teachers in the field with respect to the call for reform in Canadian music teacher training programs. The role that these various groups envision themselves having in this process was also investigated. Fifty-five subjects from the provinces of Quebec and Alberta responded to items on a written questionnaire. From within this subject pool, 19 subjects participated in a series of two interviews in order to gain further insight on various questionnaire items. Results demonstrated a moderate degree of similarity in responses from the stakeholder groups on numerous issues including the current status of music education programs, recommendations for future reform, and effective methods to enact such reforms. Results highlighted the need (a) to increase collaboration levels amongst all stakeholders involved in the process of music teacher training reform and (b) to better align the curriculum content of the university classroom with the needs of the teaching field. Implications for further practises are discussed.

This case study explored the viability of using a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol within a novice teacher induction program to facilitate dialogue about equity in a diversifying suburban school setting. The study included two research questions: How do novice teachers in a suburban school district with shifting demographic diversity make sense of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities? How does an equity-focused community of practice using a dialogue protocol affect novice teachers’ praxis through their understanding of how to address issues of student equity in their instructional practice? Even in a high performing suburban school, novice teachers had significant dilemmas of equity in their classes. Consequently, the novice teachers did not feel suitably trained or capable of providing the range of differentiation necessary to equitably meet the needs of their students. Thus, the novice teachers admitted to teaching by subjective intuition and asking for guidance from colleagues. The effects of adding the dialogue protocol included both an improved sense of trust among participants and of personal efficacy among the novice teachers. Questions posed during the dialogue protocol challenged the novice teachers’ personal biases, ethics, and decisions. Overall, the dialogue sessions created a space to help each of the novice teachers understand their options, responsibilities, and resources to improve their instructional praxis. This study recommends future research be conducted about the longitudinal impact of implementing a Critical Friends Group (CFG) dialogue protocol into the California induction credentialing process. This includes research into how to train mentors to facilitate group dialogue sessions, and collect and analyze student outcomes data.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the impact of parental involvement as minority students access information while preparing for college. Two qualitative questions formed the foundation of this study: 1. How does parental involvement contribute to minority students’ access to TRIO? 2. What roles do minority parents play in their children’s education while they are enrolled in TRIO? Participants of this study were minority parents whose children were enrolled in TRIO. In total, 9 minority parents participated in this study – 67% Hispanic, 22% Pacific-Islanders, and 11% Native-American. To collect data a semi-structured interview was used; interviews were face-to-face and lasting approximately one hour. Three themes emerged from participants’ interview: 1) passive parental involvement; 2) the impact of TRIO, and 3) active parental involvement. Examples and a further explanation of each theme are described in the results chapter of this thesis.

Students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) are educated in restrictive placements at higher rates than students in other disability categories due to their challenging behavior and inability to function in the general educational environment (Bullock & Gable, 2006). The increasing utilization of alternative programming to educate students with EBD has prompted scholars to more closely examine and identify critical intervention components of these programs (Simpson et al., 2011). Although outcomes associated with restrictive placements have been investigated, there has not been any systematic investigation of whether the recommended elements of comprehensive programming are in place in these settings, whether they are being implemented with integrity and whether they, in turn, lead to improved outcomes. Therefore, a review of the literature aimed at examining studies of restrictive settings for the existence of the eight critical elements for effective EBD programs (Simpson et al., 2011) and the associated academic, behavioral, and social outcomes was conducted. The review revealed that none of the studies described the existence of supports in all eight areas. Examination of the outcomes across the studies indicated that students with EBD made some progress academically, behaviorally, and socially, but the extent and practical significance of that progress varied. A descriptive study was also conducted. Administrators and teachers from Board of Cooperative Educations Services (BOCES) specialized programs and approved day treatment programs in New York State were surveyed about the intensity and fidelity of implementation of evidence-based academic practices, effective behavior management and treatment plans, and social skills instruction. Means and standard deviations were used to summarize the levels of intensity and implementation fidelity across the sample. Two-way multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to determine the effect of type of program and the respondents' professional position on the three elements. Overall, the results suggest that the three critical elements are present in some capacity and implemented with at least medium fidelity across the two restrictive settings. Significant differences were found between programs and positions in regards to the perceived levels of intensity and fidelity of implementation of the practices. Implications for future research, practice, and limitations are discussed.

Technology is a critical component of modern-day success. Advancements in technology have improved communication between individuals and companies. Technological advancements have allowed students to earn college degrees online. People who habitually use technology expect a high level of performance and support. As new technologies are implemented, such as complex web services or new operating systems, the dependence for information technology (IT) support grows in demand. Even learning curves can be cumbersome without proper assistance from IT professionals. Companies and institutions must accommodate user needs by implementing fast, efficient, and friendly support. In order to offer optimal customer support, representatives must be knowledgeable of the products and services that are supported. At Western Kentucky University’s (WKU) IT Helpdesk, a training program called Consultant Accelerated Development and Education in Technology (CADET) focuses on software, hardware, customer service, and procedures mandated by the IT Division. Prior to CADET, the Student Certification program was used to train student consultants. The Student Certification program was developed to satisfy training needs that allowed consultants to support end-user technical issues. CADET was developed in 2008 to replace the Student Certification program. This study explored the question if CADET training is more effective in preparing consultants to do their jobs than the Student Certification program. The study investigated the effectiveness of CADET training compared to the Student Certification program by surveying IT Helpdesk student consultants. The survey results indicated which program was more adequate. Both programs contained the same training content, but training delivery methods differed. A t-test was used to compare both programs and determine the outcome of the study’s hypotheses. The Student Certification program did not accommodate different learning styles. The teaching methods only included traditional classroom-style delivery. CADET training did accommodate different learning styles, delivering training through a wide variety of formats including video, audio, assessment, assignment, and face-to-face training. The research focused on the importance of addressing different learning behaviors. The study suggested that CADET is more adequate in preparing students to do their job duties. When both Student Certification survey and the CADET survey were compared, CADET training is more adequate in 26 out of the 27 training sessions. The results suggested that learning style accommodation is directly related in the success in the CADET training program over the Student Certification program.

Because of the potential age-related mass departure of seasoned educators in respiratory care programs, higher education institutions should develop strategies for attracting practitioners who hold or are pursuing graduate degrees to transition to academia. The purpose of this study was to identify current mentoring practices of new faculty members in Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredited respiratory care programs in the U.S. and to identify the perceptions of program directors regarding the observed impact of program mentoring practices. The methodology for the study was quantitative nonexperimental survey research. The survey instrument was an electronic questionnaire. The survey consisted of 25 items that were divided into 3 dimensions: mentoring practices, mentor/mentee relationship, and perceptions of mentoring program impact. Of the 410 possible participants, 126 (30%) responded to the survey. Data from the survey were used to analyze 12 research questions and 12 null hypotheses. Six research questions were analyzed using an independent-samples t test and 6 research questions were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance. Testing of the null hypotheses associated with the 12 research questions resulted in 3 significant findings and 9 findings that were not significant. Significant findings included female program directors reported greater opportunities for mentoring within their programs and greater levels of expectations in regard to mentoring. Associate degree programs also reported a higher level of expectation in regard to mentoring. There was overwhelming agreement concerning the potential impact and benefit of new faculty mentoring on job performance, turnover, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The results of this study may benefit administrators and educators in the field of respiratory care in efforts to support new faculty in higher education who may feel underprepared or overwhelmed in the new role. Because other allied health fields of study are similar in nature to respiratory care, the findings of the study could have potential implications across a range of health related professions.

The purpose for this study was to add to the current research on the perceptions of superintendent preparation programs within Pennsylvania by examining how participants felt their preparation program prepared them for their current role as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or assistant to the superintendent. One of the school board’s most important responsibilities is selecting a superintendent who is prepared for the position. A superintendent is the top administrative position within a school district with roles and responsibilities that have evolved and changed over time.

With these various responsibilities, changes in preparation programs must occur in order to prepare qualified candidates for this role. Studies have occurred around the topic of superintendent preparation programs; however, no studies have been conducted examining superintendents’ perceptions of the preparation programs within Pennsylvania.

This study used a mixed-method sequential design to answer the four research questions utilizing a survey and an interview. The survey was used to examine how the participants perceive how their superintendent training program prepared them to perform their daily responsibilities as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, or assistant to the superintendent. For the qualitative component of the study, participants were chosen purposefully from those who completed the survey to participate in an interview. Three individuals from each position participated in the interview process.

Employability skills training programs are an essential strategy to improve the skills of the workforce and minimize unemployment in Malaysia. However, there has been a lack of assessment and evaluation studies regarding local employability skills training programs. Existing local studies are focused more on the identification of the skills that allow a person to be employable. Due to the lack of assessment and evaluation studies, stakeholders seem perplexed about the direction of training programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of educators, employers, and recent graduates regarding the role of employability skills training programs in the workforce of Malaysia. The study also identified those factors that facilitate and improve training programs. The theoretical framework for this descriptive study was based on Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1993; Schultz, 1961). All participants for this study were from the central economic region of the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The first population was engineering, technical, and vocational educators in public higher education institutions. The second population was employers in the manufacturing sector. The third population was recent graduates who were enrolled in employability skills training programs in higher education institutions and training centers. A questionnaire was adapted to gather perceptions from the respondents. The findings of this study revealed the importance of training programs for improving the skills, minimizing unemployment, and developing the workforce of Malaysia. Educators and recent graduates agreed about the positive impact of such programs on trainee skills. However, employers perceived that employability skills training programs neither ensure improvement in the skills, minimize unemployment, nor develop the workforce. The factors that facilitate the involvement of recent graduates in training programs and recommendations were also identified. Additionally, the findings revealed that employability skills training programs are relevant for recent graduates and workers in the labor force. Further, the findings identified the most integral skills that recent graduates should possess to obtain employment in the competitive job market as perceived by educators, employers, and recent graduates, including discipline and integrity, interpersonal skills, and professionalism, creativity and innovation, teamwork, lifelong learning, ability to apply knowledge, and knowledge in specific engineering disciplines.

Childhood obesity is a worldwide problem that can lead to adverse health conditions. In several rural Pennsylvania communities, over one third of elementary students are characterized as overweight, having a body mass index above the 85^th percentile. The purpose of the study was to investigate educational stakeholders' perspectives about school-based obesity-prevention programs. The conceptual framework focused on cognitive theory, the theory of planned behavior, and the trans-theoretical model of health behavior change, which postulates that an individual's readiness to change is the most important factor of intervention programs. Qualitative interview data were gathered from 18 educational stakeholders. Inductive code-based analysis led to categories and themes. Key findings revealed a variety of barriers that limited and prevented effective student-wellness initiatives: students' physical activity; family dynamics, schedules, and socioeconomic factors; lack of transportation limiting children's participation in physical activities; parental engagement and input on obesity-prevention initiatives; and cafeteria environment and meal offerings. Findings informed the development of a policy recommendation for a research-based nutrition education program for schools and a strategy to communicate students' cafeteria habits to parents. Recommendations include a heightened awareness on factors contributing to obesity, as well as better educator-led planning to make improvements to school-based programs. Implications for positive social change may be the potential to increase awareness of healthy behaviors and improved student health through obesity-prevention methods, exercise patterns, and dietary habits of youth. These healthy habits may reduce adverse health effects in adulthood, which could hold the potential to improve the health of the next generation.

[EN] Nowadays, universities are finding they have more and more competition regarding postgraduate programs. As educational institutions increase the offer, the need for them to improve their knowledge about the postgraduate market becomes more evident due to the lack of existing research and scarce literature about the topic. All this will help the educational institutions to develop suitable competitive strategies in order to attract postgraduate students' talent, thus distinguishing the institutions from the competition. This proactive orientation towards the market wills, like in many other markets, end up confiding in those programs which have successful marketing and allow for innovation and differentiation. At the same time, many authors relate this proactive orientation towards the market to co-creation. More specifically in the education sector, co-creation has been researched very little and has always been focused on the undergraduate student, not postgraduate. Lastly, the consequences of the postgraduate students' participation in these co-creation processes concerning satisfaction and loyalty is something that has not been studied either. This first quantitative study has led to a validation of the proposed model which allows us to affirm that, independent of the results obtained in the co-creation process, the student involvement in it, will result in greater satisfaction and loyalty towards the institution. For this reason co-creation can help the educational institutions to develop competitive differentiating strategies which will generate not only a greater satisfaction for the student but also the possibility of achieving differentiation thanks to the resulting innovation. After this first quantitative study, a second study was carried out in a Business to Business context by sending a professional from the company to the educational institution. In this study an attempt was made to measure the consequences of co-creation in student satisfaction, strength of the relation and student loyalty. This new structural equation model (SEM) has more variables and relations than the former one, introducing the strength of the relation. In addition, the study is centered on adult students who in this case are professionals sent by their companies to study a master program, Business to Business as opposed to Business to Consumer from the former study. The conclusions of the study are that the co-creation where the adult student participates in the process takes them to higher levels of satisfaction and greater loyalty towards the educational institution. At the same time, our research shows that the strength of the relation is positively influenced by the process of creation of value. In this case, the research has only validated part of the model. Therefore, this last part of our research again reaffirms the idea that co-creation can be a beneficial tool for universities in order to develop competitive strategies which generate more value for their clients and which also makes it difficult for the competition to imitate. Finally it should be pointed out that the results of this research facilitate the implementation of a co-creation process between universities and postgraduate students as well as the possible areas of its application within the purchase process and choosing a master program. On the other hand, it has also been demonstrated that independent of the results of this process, co-creation itself leads to higher rates of satisfaction, an improvement in the strength of the relation and more student loyalty towards the institution.
[ES] En la actualidad, las universidades se encuentran con una competencia cada vez mayor en lo que se refiere a sus programas de posgrado. A la vez que se incrementa la oferta por parte de las instituciones educativas, impera la necesidad por parte de las universidades de mejorar su conocimiento sobre el mercado de posgrado, debido a la falta de investigación existente con una literatura sobre marketing escasa. Todo ello, ayudará a las instituciones educativas a desarrollar estrategias competitivas adecuadas para lograr atraer el talento de los estudiantes de posgrado diferenciándose de la competencia. Esta orientación proactiva el mercado, pasará, como en otros muchos mercados, por apostar por políticas de marketing de éxito, que permitan en un sentido o en otro, innovar y diferenciarse. Al mismo tiempo, son muchos los autores que relacionan esa orientación proactiva al mercado, con la co-creation. En el caso específico del sector educativo, la co-creation se ha estudiado poco y siempre desde una perspectiva de estudiantes universitarios, no de posgrado. Por último, las consecuencias en el alumno de posgrado de participar en estos procesos de co-creation desde el punto de vista de los efectos en su satisfacción y lealtad, es algo que tampoco se ha estudiado. Este primer estudio cuantitativo ha supuesto una validación del modelo propuesto, por lo que se puede afirmar, que con independencia de los resultados obtenidos en el proceso de co-creation, el propio proceso de involucración del alumno en ello, redundará en una mayor satisfacción y lealtad hacia la institución. Por todo ello, la co-creation puede facilitar que las instituciones educativas desarrollen estrategias competitivas diferenciadoras que generarán tanto una mayor satisfacción para el estudiante como la posibilidad de lograr diferenciación gracias la innovación que surja del mismo. Con posterioridad a este primer estudio cuantitativo, se realiza un segundo estudio si bien desde un contexto Business to Business al pretender medir las consecuencias de la co-creation en la satisfacción, fortaleza de la relación y lealtad del estudiante, en este caso profesional enviado por la empresa, hacia la institución educativa. Este nuevo modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) es más amplio en variables y relaciones que el anterior, introduciendo la fortaleza de la relación. Además se centra en estudiantes adultos que en este caso son profesionales enviados por sus empresas a realizar el programa master, vertiente Business to Business frente a Business to Consumer del anterior Las conclusiones del estudio son que la co-creation donde el estudiante adulto participa en el proceso, lleva a niveles más altos de satisfacción y a una mayor lealtad hacia la institución educativa. Al mismo tiempo, nuestra investigación muestra, que la fortaleza en la relación, está influenciada positivamente por este proceso de creación de valor si bien no media entre la co-creation y la lealtad. En este caso, la investigación sólo ha validado parte del modelo. Así, esta parte última de nuestra investigación vuelve a ser una reafirmación de la idea de que la co-creation puede ser, en sí misma, una herramienta beneficiosa para las universidades para desarrollar estrategias competitivas que generen más valor para sus clientes y que también sea difícil de imitar por la competencia Finalmente señalar que los resultados de este trabajo facilitan la implementación de un proceso de co-creation entre universidades y estudiante de posgrado así como las posibles áreas de aplicación de la misma dentro del proceso de compra y elección de un programa master. Por otra parte, también se ha demostrado, que con independencia de los resultados de este proceso, la co-creación en si misma resulta en mayores tasas de satisfacción, mejora en la fortaleza en la relación y mayor lealtad hacia la institución por parte del alumno.
[CAT] Actualment, les universitats es troben amb una competència cada vegada més gran pel que fa als seus programes de postgrau. Alhora que s'incrementa l'oferta per part de les institucions educatives, impera la necessitat per part de les universitats de millorar el seu coneixement sobre el mercat de postgrau, a causa de la falta d'investigació existent amb una literatura sobre màrqueting escassa. Tot això, ajudarà a les institucions educatives a desenvolupar estratègies competitives adequades per aconseguir atreure el talent dels estudiants de postgrau diferenciant-se de la competència. Aquesta orientació proactiva el mercat, passarà, com en molts altres mercats, per apostar per polítiques de màrqueting de éxitoexitosas, que permetin en un sentit o en un altre, innovar i diferenciar-se. Alhora, són molts els autors que relacionen aquesta orientació proactiva al mercat, amb la co-creation. En el cas específic del sector educatiu, la co-creation s'ha estudiat poc i sempre des d'una perspectiva d'estudiants universitaris, no de postgrau. Finalment, les conseqüències en l'alumne de postgrau de participar en aquests processos de co-creation des del punt de vista dels efectes en la seva satisfacció i lleialtat, és una cosa que tampoc s'ha estudiat. Aquest primer estudi quantitatiu ha suposat una validació del model proposat, de manera que es pot afirmar, que amb independència dels resultats obtinguts en el procés de co-creation, el mateix procés d'involucració de l'alumne en això, redundarà en una major satisfacció i lleialtat cap a la institució. Per tot això, la co-creation pot facilitar que les institucions educatives desenvolupin estratègies competitives diferenciadores que generaran tant una major satisfacció per a l'estudiant com la possibilitat d'aconseguir diferenciació gràcies la innovació que sorgeixi de ell mateix. Amb posterioritat a aquest primer estudi quantitatiu, es realitza un segon estudi si bé des d'un context Business to Business en pretendre mesurar les conseqüències de la co-creation a la satisfacció, fortalesa de la relació i lleialtat de l'estudiant, en aquest cas professional enviat per l'empresa, cap a la institució educativa. Aquest nou model d'equacions estructurals (SEM) és més ampli en variables i relacions que l'anterior, introduint la fortalesa de la relació. A més se centra en estudiants adults que en aquest cas són professionals enviats per les seves empreses a realitzar el programa màster, vessant Business to Business davant Business to Consumer l'anterior Les conclusions de l'estudi són que la co-creation on l'estudiant adult participa en el procés, porta a nivells més alts de satisfacció ia una major lleialtat cap a la institució educativa. Alhora, la nostra investigació mostra, que la fortalesa en la relació, està influenciada positivament per aquest procés de creació de valor si bé no hi ha entre la co-creation i la lleialtat. En aquest cas, la investigació només ha validat part del model. Així, aquesta part última de la nostra recerca torna a ser una reafirmació de la idea que la co-creation pot ser, en si mateixes, una eina beneficiosa per a les universitats per desenvolupar estratègies competitives que generin més valor per als seus clients i que també sigui difícil d'imitar per la competència Finalment assenyalar que els resultats d'aquest treball faciliten la implementació d'un procés de co-creation entre universitats i estudiant de postgrau així com les possibles àrees d'aplicació de la mateixa dins del procés de compra i elecció d'un programa màster. D'altra banda, també s'ha demostrat, que amb independència dels resultats d'aquest procés, la co-creació en si mateixa resulta en majors taxes de satisfacció, millora en la fortalesa en la relació i major lleialtat cap a la institució per part de l'alumne .
Peralt Rillo, A. (2015). Co-creation innovation for business programs for educational institutions [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/51462
TESIS

The pervasiveness of injustices is rooted in structures and ideology that reinforce and reinvent oppression; there is a need to engage in transformative change to dismantle systems of domination and subordination. Educational leadership is essential in the social transformation of educational settings and the wider society. In the collective responsibility for transformative change, educational leadership preparation programs serve as spaces to encourage the development of students’ capacity to address issues of oppression and create new power relations for social justice. Faculty play a role in preparation programs to enact teaching that uncover to power dynamics of oppression and domination for social emancipation. The purpose of this critical qualitative study was to understand how faculty in doctoral educational leadership preparation programs teach to encourage students’ capacity development to engage in transformative leadership. The guiding question for this study is: How do faculty engage in teaching to encourage students’ capacity development to understand and transform social oppression affecting education? Using an interview methodology, data is generated through relational interviewing using artifacts. The conceptual framework of critical pedagogy, transformative criticality, and transformative leadership development guides a sociocultural approach to the analysis of the data. There were four major findings: The participants (1) integrated critical frameworks into curriculum and pedagogical approaches, (2) established spaces in and outside of the formal classroom to engage students, (3) centered student-faculty relationships for support and collaboration, and (4) evoked students’ transformative activism through academic practice. This empirical study will contribute to the research on critical perspectives in educational leadership preparation programs with a focus on faculty teaching as an expression of transformative power.

Childhood obesity is a worldwide problem that can lead to adverse health conditions. In several rural Pennsylvania communities, over one third of elementary students are characterized as overweight, having a body mass index above the 85th percentile. The purpose of the study was to investigate educational stakeholders' perspectives about school-based obesity-prevention programs. The conceptual framework focused on cognitive theory, the theory of planned behavior, and the trans-theoretical model of health behavior change, which postulates that an individual's readiness to change is the most important factor of intervention programs. Qualitative interview data were gathered from 18 educational stakeholders. Inductive code-based analysis led to categories and themes. Key findings revealed a variety of barriers that limited and prevented effective student-wellness initiatives: students' physical activity; family dynamics, schedules, and socioeconomic factors; lack of transportation limiting children's participation in physical activities; parental engagement and input on obesity-prevention initiatives; and cafeteria environment and meal offerings. Findings informed the development of a policy recommendation for a research-based nutrition education program for schools and a strategy to communicate students' cafeteria habits to parents. Recommendations include a heightened awareness on factors contributing to obesity, as well as better educator-led planning to make improvements to school-based programs. Implications for positive social change may be the potential to increase awareness of healthy behaviors and improved student health through obesity-prevention methods, exercise patterns, and dietary habits of youth. These healthy habits may reduce adverse health effects in adulthood, which could hold the potential to improve the health of the next generation.

The purpose of this study was to analyze organizational learning and the facilitating factors and critical elements for development of post-secondary distance education and online degree programs at three universities in Hawaii: University of Hawaii at Hilo (public), Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade University (both private). The researcher interviewed campus officials, key staff and tenured professors who had been instrumental in development of these programs. The data revealed that the growth of these programs was organic, with no formal edict, with only one institution having formalized grant monies to help develop their program. Support for distance programs was not widespread throughout the campus, but rather focused in compartmentalized areas, and in some cases, began with one person venturing out of 'the norm.' This organic growth led to a gradual, but minimal increase in faculty involvement, and administrative support, albeit without any significant investment in course architecture and software support, initially. Institutional support has continued, but does not encourage in a broad sense, continued distance education growth, nor faculty involvement. Marketplace considerations proved a heavy influence on development of these programs. Many students continue to be geographically isolated and there is a heavy concentration of military being transferred from their existing base, and university, unable to transfer credits to a new university at their new duty station. Further development of distance education and online degree programs is a means of assisting institutions of higher learning in reaching more students, geographically isolated from main campus operations. This applies to those existing and potential students in Hawaii, as well as abroad and in the continental United States. Although distance education and online degree programs do not totally replace campus-based courses at these institutions, they do provide an augmentation of existing classroom architecture and allow the student more freedom in the pathway to degree completion.

Relying upon many years of experience as an early childhood educator and consultant, and utilizing examples of programs and forms during the past thirteen years while serving as the Director of Peace Lutheran Preschool/Kindergarten in Owensboro, Kentucky, and as a regional/national early childhood consultant. The author has proposed a manuscript whose purpose is to assist early childhood professionals in the development and implementation of quality, needs-appropriate preschool programs. The eleven chapters are divided into seven areas of concern: program survey, development, purpose, regulation requirements, administration, financing, enrollment, curriculum and day-care. (Within each area are varied appropriate methods of implementation relating to specific outcomes of each desired program.) Curriculum is discussed with emphasis given to programs which are both age and developmentally appropriate for the early childhood area. Day-care materials are discussed in detail in the final chapter, although there are references throughout the manuscript that help explain overlaps in the two types of programs. Since the entire manuscript is based on experiences of the author and was developed from working programs, materials are of a research basis, but they have also been used and tested. Therefore it will be useful to professionals in their existing or planned programs. The author hopes the experiences within this manuscript prove invaluable to the novice in developing and implementing quality early childhood programs. This manuscript’s purpose is to assist those who dedicate their lives to meeting these needs of the young by providing a working guide for early childhood program development.

In Education, there has been an amplified interest regarding the need for distance education practices over the course of the last century (Allen & Seaman, 2010, 2013, 2014). The purpose of the present study was to explore the attitudes and experiences of counselor educators in Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredited counseling programs in relation to distance education. A secondary purpose was to gather data about the implementation of distance education activities in these programs. Exploring this phenomenon provided an up to date picture of the lived experiences of counselor educators with distance education.

This research study employed a phenomenological design with a quantitative survey and qualitative follow-up interviews. The sample for the quantitative phase of the study consisted of 41 CACREP-accredited counseling programs that successfully completed the researcher-designed survey instrument. Maximum variation purposive sampling for the qualitative phase of the study identified four participants for follow-up interviews. Three themes emerged from participant interviews that described the lived experiences of counselor educators with distance education: external encouragement for implementation, adequate preparation and support for development and delivery, and evolving design for counseling programs and courses.

The results of the study indicated that implementation of distance education in counselor education programs was related to both extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors. Factors such as institutional encouragement, incentives, student needs, adequate support services for distance education, competitive program marketability, and university-level teaching experience, were identified as influencing distance education adoption in counselor education programs.

The results of the study provided information helpful to counselor educators and university administrators planning to implement distance education in counselor education programs. In order for counselor education programs to serve a larger population and remain competitive, they may need to consider incorporating distance education activities within their curriculum. Counselor education preparation programs may need to further infuse instructional components in their curriculums that prepare graduates with the skill and knowledge necessary to implement distance education. A wide range of support services need to be available to assist faculty that want to develop and implement distance education activities. It is recommended that counselor education programs first use a hybrid model in knowledge base courses and transition to making available full distance education courses that include skilled based coursework.

A chronic condition causes many psychosocial and emotional impacts to children and adolescents who are diagnosed. However, various interventions, including camp programs, have been developed to promote coping. The intention of this study was to examine the benefits of camps for children and adolescents with chronic conditions from camper-first perspectives. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of seven participants who attended a camp for children and adolescents with chronic conditions. Results of this study indicated campers experienced many benefits. Further, this study brings an awareness to the impact and importance of camp programs long after the week-long session has ended. Further, it displays camp programs should serve as an intervention utilized by Child Life Specialists and other medical staff to promote optimal growth and development.

The purpose of this study was to determine factors that have influenced decisions made by principals and teachers to initiate multi-age classrooms in the United States. A descriptive research design was utilized for the purpose of this study. Principals and teachers who had implemented multi-age programs were mailed a questionnaire. Three hundred fifty-seven principals and teachers responded. Data were collected and analyzed to determine if principals and teachers differed in their perception of the factors that may have influenced the selection of multi-age classrooms. Five statistical tests were used to evaluate the hypotheses. An alpha level of .05 was used for hypothesis testing. Statistical analyses revealed that principals and teachers held the same level of perception about the selection factors of retention, student achievement, social development and developmentally appropriate practices, regardless of their school size or its location. Principals and teachers rated each selection factor as important; however, social development and developmentally appropriate practices were rated higher than retention and academic achievement. Principals and teachers should not expect this organizational and structural method alone to solve all of the educational problems of today. The practice of multi-age grouping must be thoroughly researched along with developmentally appropriate practices and the effects of retention on student achievement and social development.

Addiction leads to homelessness, AIDS, other health problems, crimes, financial burdens, family conflict and many social and psychological problems. Relapse rates remain very high in addiction programs and employees are frustrated by the poor response of clients to treatment and to the bureaucratic style of management often found in hospitals and clinics. Relapse rates are due to stress factors, respondent conditioning processes, and lack of focus on techniques of relapse prevention. One approach to overcoming the morale problem could be a more participatory style of management to improve the work climate. This study was completed in response to the lack of previous research in this area. Employees in 11 Veterans Affairs Domiciliary Addiction Programs completed the Work Environment Scale developed by Moos to measure stress in the work environment. The leadership behavior of the coordinators was measured with Yukl's Managerial Practices Survey to determine levels of skills of participative management. Rates of program completion and program demographic data were also obtained. Seventy-three (72.3%) sets of responses were used in the analysis of data from eleven programs. The rate of program completion ranged from 62.5% to 85%. The MPS mean for each program ranged from 117.25 to 246.00. A one-way analysis of variance indicated that programs with higher scores on the MPS had higher program completion rates (F = 32.86, p =.003). The five programs with mean scores above 205 on the MPS and the six programs with mean scores below 184 were compared with their scores on the WES subscales. The following dimensions were statistically significant: involvement, comfort, autonomy, and supervisor support. There was no statistically significant difference in the subscales of innovation, clarity, task orientation and peer cohesion. The programs with lower scores on the MPS had higher scores on the subscales of work pressure and control. The analysis produced an F = 11.54 (p =.01) for work pressure and F = 25.10 (p =.007) for control. Results of this study supported the importance of using a participative management style to improve work climate and increase program effectiveness. Recommendations for further studies focused on organizational development and job redesign in health care to tap the unrealized potential of human resources. Future studies could be focused on successful reintegration of clients within the community since recovery is a social process.

The purpose of this study was to analyze perceptions of Missouri public school administrators regarding twenty-first century learning skills in choice and innovative schools, and to report the research-based best practices those schools are using with students. For this study, qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire and then coded for analysis (Fraenkel et. al, 2014). The questionnaire, used to elicit information from 10 administrators of Missouri public schools housing a choice or innovation program, was the anchor of the research design. The results of this study indicated choice and innovative schools are incorporating a combination of current research-based practices in programming. The significance of this research is the reference, made available to educators, of current research-based practices being used to accommodate the changing needs of students in classrooms across the United States (Livingston, 2013).

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation’s health. Lack of awareness and sensitivity to what motivates individual participants versus group participants built formidable barriers to accessing all workplace employees equitably. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the intent of this study was to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement when faced with perceived barriers in an eight-week walking challenge. Second, the study sought to explore the relationship between efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement in an eight-week walking challenge between those who participated as a member of a team (collective efficacy) and those who participated individually (self-efficacy). A sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design was used to address the research questions, which entailed a quantitative survey followed by qualitative interviews. The population included 495 benefits-eligible employees representing Brandman University’s full-time faculty and staff from over 25 campuses throughout California, Washington, and Oregon.

Organizations invest billions annually in the form of Tuition Assistance Programs (TAP) with little knowledge as to the reasons why employees choose to participate. The purpose of this multiple exploratory case study was to explore the perceptions of employees with access to a TAP of at least $5,250 per year. Interviews were conducted with 17 participants to elicit input on the perceptions and rationales related to participation in the program. In Case One (participators), the data suggests that communicating the intentions of the programs through marketing and individual development plans (IDPs) could help employees differentiate these programs from standard benefits. Next, the support role that managers played in the decision-making process encouraged participation and therefore, engaged them with work. In Case Two (non-participators), the data suggests that time is a considerable factor that prevented participation. Additionally, institutional barriers, such as financial holds on previously earned transcripts or an inability to apply work experience as experiential credits, caused discouragement and demotivated employees to participate. Lastly, this study provided the opportunity for cross-case analysis, which showed that manager support, regardless of the decision to participate in the TAP, improved an employee’s engagement and motivation at work. The analysis also showed that the intention, value, and benefits of the employers’ TAPs were not understood by the employees with access to participate. Implementation of IDPs for those eligible to participate in the program could help employees make the connection between the investments made in their education and their future career opportunities with their employer.

This study focused on the motivation of K-12 teachers to participate in district online professional development and to sustain the knowledge or skills learned. This study identified how teachers in a suburban school district, located in the Hudson Valley region of New York state, evaluated the online professional development they received and the extent to which their learning continued beyond the initial training. Through a phenomenological study, data indicated several factors motivated teachers to participate in online professional development; the primary motivator was the relevance of the topic. The online survey and interviews indicated teachers were interested and willing to participate in online professional development when they could choose the topic and the setting in which the learning takes place. An additional motivator was the benefit of collaboration and support provided by the facilitator, both during and after the training. Teachers shared their ability to make connections and to reflect on their own experiences increased when they had the opportunity to work collaboratively with the facilitator to develop and implement a lesson using the new knowledge or skill. Teachers who identified taking relevant district online professional development with collaborative facilitators also reported specific examples of how they implemented skills in their classrooms. Teachers described how the district online professional development helped to improve their students’ learning.

This study explores teacher perceptions of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs in the classroom, with a focus on teacher use, student equity of access, and student ability to use their devices as learning tools. While one-to-one laptop programs (students assigned identical school-owned laptop or tablet) has an extensive body of literature behind it, BYOD has relatively little peer-reviewed research.

A framework was developed to guide this research that related teacher technology use, equity of student access, and student ability to learn to use the devices they brought. Two instruments were created to collect data: (a) an anonymous online survey to collect information from 108 teachers already incorporating BYOD into their classes, (b) a semi-structured interview with eleven teachers who volunteered after completing the first instrument.

Findings suggested that teachers with constructivist compatible beliefs were likely to have more positive perceptions of BYOD, as were those who worked in schools with a more positive atmosphere. Very few teachers (12%) thought that BYOD programs were inherently inequitable, although 25% thought the programs in their own school was inequitable. Teachers were concerned that all students have access to an effective device when the student did not bring one and they primarily looked to school-owned technology to be available. Teachers also reported that students could learn to use their individual devices by working with other students and through working on assignments, while teachers had specific techniques they used to support this learning. Teachers overall did not view themselves as being responsible for providing technology support to students, and instead expected students to resolve their own technology problems. Many teachers (42%) liked that students had different types of devices.

A key advantage of BYOD is the knowledge the students bring when they bring their own device. These results provide tentative support for Bring Your Own Device programs as a viable, cost- effective way for students to use their own technology for learning.

During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a trend developed for schools to meet the needs of struggling and at-risk learners through the implementation of multi-tiered response to intervention models (Apple, 2014). Response to intervention (RtI) is one of those frameworks and has been extensively researched from the perspective of those working in urban elementary schools (Burns & Gibbons, 2013). This research project was designed to allow for better understanding of the rural secondary perspective of RtI through investigation of the perceptions of administrators, counselors, and educators who have implemented RtI frameworks. This qualitative examination resulted in a narrative gathered through interviews with teachers, counselors, and administrators working in rural secondary schools of southwest Missouri about their experiences with academic intervention strategies and response to intervention. Data were gathered during the fall and spring of 2017. The purpose of this study was to add to the limited body of research about the implementation, operationalization, and improvement of RtI programs in rural secondary schools. Respondents identified difficulties and obstacles and illustrated how the implementation of RtI has affected their roles. Both similarities and differences were discovered between rural secondary-level staff and their urban elementary-level colleagues. Respondents explained how solutions addressed problems with their programs. The researcher noted how this process created one-of-a-kind multi-tiered intervention programs. Lastly, suggestions for additional research were offered.

The study of leadership practices of athletic training program directors is severely limited and the lack of clearly defined program director qualifications combined to provide the underpinnings for this research. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to identify if a relationship existed between athletic training program directors? leadership practices and the programs? 2012-14 academic years three-year aggregate first-time pass rates on the Board of Certification, Inc. examination. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the first five research questions sought to examine the directors? relationship of the Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership? and the directors? previous coursework in leadership to program pass rates. Athletic training programs? directors (N = 52) were solicited to participate, and completed the Leadership Practices Inventory-Self? and provided demographic information. Results from the Spearman?s rho correlation analysis indicated no significant relationship between any of the five leadership practices (Modeling the Way rs=-.159, p=.261; Inspiring a Shared Vision rs=.086, p=.545; Challenging the Process rs=.011, p=.937; Enabling Others to Act rs=.047, p=.743; Encouraging the Heart rs=-.039, p=.782) or the number of collegiate courses completed in leadership (rs=-.192, p=.181). Even though the results were not significant, the findings will contribute to an understanding of the inconsistencies and significant lack of leadership coursework for athletic training program directors. Additional research is needed to determine how leaderships effects student outcomes in athletic training education. Keywords: Athletic Training Education, Program Directors, Transformational Leadership, Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership, Educational Outcomes, Certification Examination, LPI-Self?

A survey was conducted to examine current training practices of NASP accredited specialist programs. Information was gathered through a mailed survey to NASP accredited school psychology Ed.S. training programs across the United States. Of the 97 training programs to whom surveys were sent, 56 surveys were returned and 51 were considered usable (53% return rate). The survey respondents were divided into groups according to self-reported program emphasis. Thirty-one programs reported emphasizing traditional assessment (Traditional Programs), while 20 programs reported other areas of emphasis (Other Programs). An independent t-test indicated that Traditional Programs offer significantly higher amounts of training in traditional assessment than Other Programs. A Chi-square analysis revealed that approximately half of the Traditional Programs have not changed training in assessment; however, the remaining Traditional Programs showed shifts by an equal number of them increasing and decreasing the amount of training in assessment as compared to 5 years ago. Several differences in level of preparation of program graduates were indicated by a descriptive discriminant analysis. These differences are consistent with program emphasis.

Educationalists working in the sphere of special education, psychologists and software engineers continue to debate the efficacy of technology interfaces and the merits of information technology with regard to supporting learning in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and the need to standardise software design for this group. This research argues that, for these children to optimise the use of this technology, it must be designed to meet the learning needs and characteristics of this condition, and so a design/development standard is needed. There is currently no instruction to aid educational professionals in choosing suitable computer programs that can be employed to support learning to read in children with ASD. The present research offers a rigorous comparative analysis of the multimedia conditions. A selection instruction (SI) was developed to facilitate the choice of appropriate computer programs for children with ASD, and forms part of the pilot study for this investigation, which was later modified and developed into an educational computer programs design standard. This SI serves as a set of guidelines that is intended to assist professionals and the parents/guardians of children with ASD in their search for good, useable programs that will assist in the acquisition of early reading skills by this group. This research advocates the development of effective computer programs based on individualistic considerations and the stringent application of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) principles in the design of multimedia computer technology for children with ASD. Two educational programs were employed in the investigation, and the data collection method included quantitative (pre-tests; a comparative study of children with ASD and typically developing children in videorecorded sessions, and post-tests) and qualitative (interviews, and an attitude questionnaire) methods. This approach was triangulated, thereby promoting the validity and rigour of the investigation. The present research concludes that, although there were recorded gains in the application of computer technology to teach new words to children with ASD, there were problems relating to the appropriateness and suitability of the programs for the children employed in this research, as detected during the interviews and from the attitude questionnaires, noting the need for autistic preferences in the design and development of these educational computer programs. This investigation offers a broader approach to the theoretical understanding and explanation of autistic learning styles, reading methodologies and issues relating to the design, development and usability of multimedia computer technology. Attention is drawn to the inadequacy of the existing technology and research into ASD and how the disorder affects learning in these children.

Since their creation, CubeSats have become a valuable educational tool for university science and engineering programs. Unfortunately, while aerospace companies invest resources to develop verification and validation methodologies based on larger-scale aerospace projects, university programs tend to focus resources on spacecraft development. This paper looks at two different types of methodologies in an attempt to improve CubeSat reliability: generating software requirements and utilizing system and software architecture modeling. Both the Consortium Requirements Engineering (CoRE) method for software requirements and the Monterey Phoenix modeling language for architecture modeling were tested for usability in the context of PolySat, Cal Poly's CubeSat research program. In the end, neither CoRE nor Monterey Phoenix provided the desired results for improving PolySat's current development procedures. While a modified version of CoRE discussed in this paper does allow for basic software requirements to be generated, the resulting specification does not provide any more granularity than PolySat's current institutional knowledge. Furthermore, while Monterey Phoenix is a good tool to introduce students to model-based systems engineering (MBSE) concepts, the resulting graphs generated for a PolySat specific project were high-level and did not find any issues previously discovered through trial and error methodologies. While neither method works for PolySat, the aforementioned results do provide benefits for university programs looking to begin developing CubeSats.

Advanced practice nurses fill a vital need in the U.S. by increasing access to needed healthcare. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are one type of advanced practice nurse with a long history of safe and effective peri-anesthetic care. Nurse anesthetists have a rich tradition of providing anesthetic care for rural and underserved communities, and are a primary provider of anesthesia for active and retired military personnel. CRNAs comprise over one-half of the actively practicing U.S. anesthesia workforce currently, and are able to function in any anesthetic care model. Nurse anesthesia educational programs (NAEPs) are the single source for new graduate nurse anesthetists in the U.S. Demographic, geographic and epidemiological factors have combined to produce a predicted increase in the demand for peri-operative anesthesia care among a complex, aging and increasing patient population. The uninterrupted or increased supply of CRNAs to the anesthesia workforce is important. The goal of this study was the production of a comprehensive analysis of potential resource constraints upon the NAEPs in the U.S. This was accomplished through a focused, prospective and correlational research design, grounded conceptually in Resource Dependence Theory. A novel survey tool was developed for the assessment of critical resource constraints, completed by U.S. NAEP administrators and faculty. This research was exploratory in nature and is the basis for continued work in critical resource planning tools for U.S. NAEPs.