Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'In-Training Examination'

Thesis (M.S. in Management)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2009.
Thesis Advisor(s): Hatch, William ; Roberts, Benjamin ; Cahill, Maureen. "March 2009." Description based on title screen as viewed on April 23, 2009. Author(s) subject terms: Training Officer, HR Community, Milestones, Lateral Transfer. Includes bibliographical references (p. 51). Also available in print.

An examination of the trainee experience in a competency based training programme. In a high-risk industry, having highly trained personnel is taken very seriously. This four year training programme produces highly qualified and skilled individuals and this research examined the experience of progressing through the training programme through the trainees' lens. Learnings include two consistent elements contribute to a negative trainee experience: Evaluation Methods that produced a tension between memorisation and learning and Trainer Practices that lacked student-centred, research informed methods that would likely improve the trainee success rate as well as the overall trainee experience.

Throughout the twentieth century increased interest in the training of actors resulted in the emergence of a plethora of acting theories and innovative theatrical movements in Europe, the UK and the USA. The individuals or groups involved with the formulation of these theories and movements developed specific terminologies, or languages of acting, in an attempt to clearly articulate the nature and the practice of acting according to their particular pedagogy or theatrical aesthetic. Now at the dawning of the twenty-first century, Australia boasts quite a number of schools and university courses professing to train actors. This research aims to discover the language used in actor training on the east coast of Australia today. Using interviews with staff of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the Victorian College of the Arts, and the Queensland University of Technology as the primary source of data, a constructivist grounded theory has emerged to assess the influence of last century‟s theatrical theorists and practitioners on Australian training and to ascertain the possibility of a distinctly Australian language of acting.

The purpose of this study was to strengthen our understanding of counsellor development by examining changes in trainees' knowledge and thinking during master's training in counselling psychology. Forty-two volunteers (21 practicum and 21 internship students) critiqued a 20-minute segment of a counselling videotape before and after one academic year.
Qualitative analysis of pretest-posttest responses revealed substantial improvement in students' understanding of the counselling process and adjustment to the counsellor role. Greater self-confidence was also conveyed by a significant increase in trainees' use of clinical terminology. However, students' ability to observe and conceptualize the client, to establish therapeutic goals, and their overall counselling effectiveness did not differ over the academic year. Given that changes were related to training emphasis, results call attention to the need for more systematic training in a wider range of cognitive competencies.

The training regimes associated with competitive sport place athletes under both physical and psychological stress. Moreover, there are many further unique stressors associated with competitive sport (e.g., injury risk). This environment can leave athletes susceptible to a number of negative outcomes. Two important outcomes associated with the psychosocial and physiological consequences of sport are burnout syndrome and overtraining syndrome. Burnout and overtraining can have a number of cognitive, affective, motivational, and behavioral consequences (Goodger, Gorely, Lavallee, & Harwood, 2007; Meesuen et al., 2013). Subsequently, sport and exercise psychologists have sought to identify factors that may predispose athletes to these syndromes with a view to reducing their deleterious effects. One factor that has shown particular promise is perfectionism (see Hill & Curran, 2016). Although the existing literature has provided evidence for a relationship between perfectionism and burnout, an over-reliance on cross-sectional correlational designs has meant that conclusions regarding temporality and/or causality have been limited (Taris, 2000). Moreover, the only extant longitudinal study has several methodological limitations (Chen, Kee, & Tsai, 2009). As such, the first three studies of this thesis investigate the longitudinal direct, reciprocal, and mediational effects between perfectionism and athlete burnout. Finally, no study has investigated if perfectionism may predict changes in the susceptibility to overtraining syndrome over time. Using training distress as a marker of overtraining syndrome, the final study of this thesis sought to determine whether perfectionists are predisposed to experience training distress. Study one investigated perfectionism and burnout in junior athletes over a period of three months and the findings showed that perfectionistic strivings predicted decreases in burnout, whereas perfectionistic strivings predicted increases. Replicating and extending study one, study two investigated whether the two dimensions of perfectionism showed interaction effects in predicting changes in burnout in adult athletes over three months. The results of study two showed that the two dimensions of perfectionism interacted, with perfectionistic strivings buffering the incremental effect of perfectionistic concerns. Study three sought to examine whether the quality of motivation would mediate the longitudinal relationship between perfectionism and burnout in junior athletes over a period of six months. The findings of study three showed that autonomous motivation mediated the longitudinal negative relationship between perfectionistic strivings and burnout at both the between- and within-person level, whereas controlled motivation mediated the longitudinal positive relationship between perfectionistic concerns and burnout at the between-person level only. Study four investigated whether the two dimensions of perfectionism also showed divergent relationships with training distress in junior athletes over a period of three months and the findings showed that whereas perfectionistic strivings had a negative cross-sectional association with training distress, perfectionistic concerns had a positive association. Moreover, perfectionistic concerns predicted increases in training distress over the three month period, whereas perfectionistic strivings did not. Taken together, perfectionistic concerns appear to be a factor predisposing athletes to a higher risk of experiencing burnout and training distress, whereas perfectionistic strivings may be a protective factor. These divergent relationships may be explained by autonomous and controlled motivation. With this, the findings of the present thesis provide further evidence for the important role that perfectionism plays in sport.

The effects of a training package (modeling, role-playing, and feedback) were evaluated using a multiple baseline across skill areas. Two trainers taught two teachers to use basic intervention skills that included components of both discrete trial teaching (DTT) and the Natural Language Paradigm (NLP). Training occurred in the context of one task. Generalization was assessed with two untrained tasks. Teachers' responses in the target task increased following training, as did appropriate responding from the child. Some generalization of the teaching skills occurred. Teachers were instructed to generalize acquired skills as a possible method to promote generalization. The results of these findings and implications for training of ABA providers are discussed.

Durant les darreres set dècades la creativitat ha atret un interès creixent. Investigadors científics de diversos camps acadèmics, així com gerents d'empreses, professionals de la creativitat i educadors, estan interessats en el tema de la creativitat humana i els factors que l'estimulen o la inhibeixen. Aquest interès es basa en la creença que la creativitat és un motor de la innovació, un factor clau en el desenvolupament futur de la humanitat. Així mateix, hi ha la creença que si som capaços de comprendre els factors subjacents que augmenten la creativitat humana podem dissenyar programes de capacitació per ajudar els empleats d'avui i a les generacions futures, a assolir el seu ple potencial creatiu per al benefici de tota la humanitat. El propòsit d'aquest treball consisteix en examinar l'efecte que la formació té sobre el rendiment creatiu. La capacitació ha estat indicada per la investigació en creativitat de tenir el potencial de millorar les habilitats creatives. Com a resultat, al llarg del temps s'han dissenyat molts programes de formació que tenen el propòsit de capacitar i millorar les habilitats creatives (Sawyer, 2006). No obstant això, l'evidència empírica sobre l'eficàcia d'aquests programes està limitada a alguns d'aquests programes. En lloc de centrar-se en l'eficàcia d'algun programa específic aquesta tesi doctoral es proposa avaluar la mesura en que el format del programa de formació (el mètode d'ensenyament) pot tenir en el rendiment creatiu dels grups que han rebut formació creativa. D'aquesta manera l'investigadora desitja saber si la forma en què la creativitat s'ensenya als alumnes afecta el rendiment creatiu post-entrenament. Específicament aquest estudi examina l'efecte de dos d'aquests formats, és a dir, la formació de l'aprenentatge basat en l'experiència comparat amb els enfocaments més tradicionals (tipus seminari). A més, l'estudi també analitza els efectes que el tipus de problema (problema real o fictici) pot tenir en el rendiment creatiu. Cent nou grups d'empleats de quaranta-cinc empreses espanyoles (981 participants en total) van participar en diferents experiències de formació dutes a terme per determinar si i com els factors abans esmentats (tipus de formació i el realisme del problema) afecten al rendiment creatiu. El rendiment creatiu dels grups es va mesurar mitjançant l'ús de tres mesures: la fluïdesa, l'originalitat i el grau d'elaboració de les idees produïdes per cada grup. Per al tractament estadístic de les dades es van utilitzar tècniques com l'anàlisi de variància (ANOVA) i la prova t de Student. Els resultats estadístics revelen un efecte positiu de la formació en el rendiment creatiu indicant també que l'entrenament basat en l'experiència és més adequat per a l'entrenament de la creativitat. A més els resultats empírics revelen també que treballar amb problemes reals en oposició a problemes ficticis, millora el rendiment creatiu. Aquest estudi té una doble contribució per al camp d'investigació en creativitat. En primer lloc, proporciona evidència empírica addicional pel que fa als factors que condicionen l'eficàcia de la formació en creativitat. El mètode formatiu i el realisme del problema són dos factors amb potencial de condicionar l'eficàcia de la formació en creativitat. Aquests dos factors han estat poc examinats pels estudis previs. Els resultats empírics d'aquest estudi indiquen l'existència d'una relació entre el format concret del programa de capacitació i el rendiment de la ideació després de rebre aquesta formació. En concret, els resultats del procés d'ideació es veuen reforçats per la prestació de formació a través d'aprenentatge basat en l'experiència. Els grups que van rebre aquest tipus de formació van generar més de dues vegades tantes idees que els grups que no van rebre entrenament (9.07 vs 4.34) i gairebé tres vegades més idees que els grups que van rebre la formació de tipus tradicional (9.07 vs 3.67). En comparació amb les idees generades pels grups que van rebre formació tradicional, les idees generades pels grups d'aprenentatge basat en l'experiència van mostrar nivells superiors d'originalitat i elaboració. A més, també s'estableix una relació entre el realisme del problema i la ideació post-entrenament. Els grups que van treballar per generar solucions a problemes reals i van rebre formació a través de l'aprenentatge basat en l'experiència van generar idees amb un grau d'elaboració superior comparats amb els grups entrenats a través d'un enfocament tradicional (3.47 vs 3.39) i comparats amb els grups que no van rebre cap tipus de formació en creativitat (3,74 vs 3,47). A més els grups d'aprenentatge basat en l'experiència van produir més idees i van obtenir una qualificació més alta en la dimensió originalitat que els grups que van rebre formació tipus seminari (3,98 vs 3,78). Una contribució menys directa, és que l'estudi també proporciona evidència sobre la relació entre la formació en creativitat i el rendiment creatiu. En concret, els resultats empírics estableixen una relació positiva entre la formació i el rendiment creatiu. Els grups que van rebre formació van produir més idees i també van mostrar resultats superiors en termes d'originalitat i elaboració, en comparació amb els grups no entrenats. Mitjançant l'estudi de la producció creativa post-formació dels grups que van rebre capacitació en diferents formats i han treballat en diferents tipus de tasques, l'estudi proporciona evidència sobre l'eficàcia de la formació, valuosa no només per al món acadèmic, sinó també pels professionals en la seva recerca de desenvolupament de la majoria dels programes de formació de creativitat efectiva.
La creatividad ha atraído un creciente interés en las últimas siete décadas. Investigadores científicos de diversos campos académicos, así como gerentes de empresas, profesionales de la creatividad y educadores, están interesados en el tema de la creatividad humana y los factores que la estimulan o la inhiben. Dicho interés se basa en la creencia que la creatividad es un motor de la innovación, un factor clave en el desarrollo futuro de la humanidad. Asimismo, existe la creencia que si somos capaces de comprender los factores subyacentes que aumentan la creatividad humana podemos diseñar programas de capacitación para ayudar a los empleados de hoy y a las generaciones futuras, a alcanzar su pleno potencial creativo para el beneficio de toda la humanidad. El propósito de este trabajo consiste en examinar el efecto que la formación tiene sobre el rendimiento creativo. La capacitación ha sido indicada por la investigación en creatividad para tener el potencial de mejorar las habilidades creativas. Como resultado, a lo largo del tiempo se han diseñado muchos programas de formación que tienen el propósito de capacitar y mejorar las habilidades creativas (Sawyer, 2006). Sin embargo, la evidencia empírica sobre la eficacia de dichos programas está limitada a algunos de esos programas. En vez de centrarse en la eficacia de algún programa específico esta tesis doctoral se propone evaluar la medida en que el formato del programa de formación (el método de enseñanza) puede tener en el rendimiento creativo de los grupos que han recibido formación creativa. De esta manera la investigadora desea saber si la forma en que la creatividad se enseña a los alumnos afecta el rendimiento creativo post-entrenamiento. Específicamente este estudio examina el efecto de dos de estos formatos es decir, la formación del aprendizaje basado en la experiencia comparado con los enfoques más tradicionales (tipo seminario). Además, el estudio también analiza los efectos que el tipo de problema (problema real o ficticio) puede tener en el rendimiento creativo. Ciento nueve grupos de empleados de cuarenta y cinco empresas españolas (981 participantes en total) participaron en diferentes experiencias de formación llevadas a cabo para determinar si y cómo los factores antes mencionados (tipo de formación y el realismo del problema) afectan en el rendimiento creativo. El rendimiento creativo de los grupos se midió mediante el uso de tres medidas: la fluidez, la originalidad y el grado de elaboración de las ideas producidas por cada grupo. Para el tratamiento estadístico de los datos se utilizaron técnicas como el análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y la prueba t de Student. Los resultados estadísticos revelan un efecto positivo de la formación en el rendimiento creativo indicando también que el entrenamiento basado en la experiencia es más adecuado para el entrenamiento de la creatividad. Además los resultados empíricos revelan también que trabajar con problemas reales en oposición a problemas ficticios, mejora el rendimiento creativo. Este estudio tiene una doble contribución para el campo de investigación en creatividad. En primer lugar, proporciona evidencia empírica adicional con respecto a los factores que condicionan la eficacia de la formación en creatividad. El método formativo y el realismo del problema son dos factores con potencial de condicionar la eficacia de la formación en creatividad. Estos dos factores han sido poco examinados por los estudios previos. Los resultados empíricos de este estudio indican la existencia de una relación entre el formato concreto del programa de capacitación y el rendimiento de la ideación tras recibir dicha formación. En concreto, los resultados del proceso de ideación se ven reforzados por la prestación de formación a través de aprendizaje basado en la experiencia. Los grupos que recibieron este tipo de formación generaron más de dos veces tantas ideas que los grupos que no recibieron entrenamiento (9.07 vs 4.34) y casi tres veces más ideas que los grupos que recibieron la formación de tipo tradicional (9.07 vs 3.67). En comparación con las ideas generadas por los grupos que recibieron formación tradicional, las ideas generadas por los grupos de aprendizaje basado en la experiencia mostraron niveles superiores de originalidad y elaboración. Además, también se establece una relación entre el realismo del problema y la ideación post-entrenamiento. Los grupos que trabajaron para generar soluciones en problemas reales y recibieron formación a través del aprendizaje basado en la experiencia generaron ideas con un grado de elaboración superior comparados con los grupos entrenados a través de un enfoque tradicional (3.47 vs 3.39) y comparados con los grupos que no recibieron ningún tipo de formación en creatividad (3,74 vs 3,47). Además los grupos de aprendizaje basado en la experiencia produjeron más ideas y obtuvieron una calificación más alta en la dimensión originalidad que los grupos que recibieron formación tipo seminario (3,98 vs 3,78). Una contribución menos directa, es que el estudio también proporciona evidencia sobre la relación entre la formación en creatividad y el rendimiento creativo. En concreto, los resultados empíricos establecen una relación positiva entre la formación y el rendimiento creativo. Los grupos que recibieron formación produjeron más ideas y también mostraron resultados superiores en términos de originalidad y elaboración, en comparación con los grupos no entrenados. Mediante el estudio de la producción creativa post-formación de los grupos que recibieron capacitación en diferentes formatos y han trabajado en diferentes tipos de tareas, el estudio proporciona evidencia sobre la eficacia de la formación, valiosa no sólo para el mundo académico, sino también a los profesionales en su búsqueda de desarrollo de la mayoría de los programas de formación de creatividad efectiva.
Creativity has attracted increasing interest over the past seven decades. Scientific researchers from numerous academic fields as well as business managers, creativity practitioners and educators, are all interested in the subject of human creativity, its stimulators and inhibitors. Such interest is based on the belief that creativity is a motor of innovation, a key factor in future development of humanity. It is thus also believed that if we are able to understand the underlying factors that enhance human creativity we can design training programs to help employees and future generations to reach their full creative potential to the benefit of the entire humanity. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the effect of training on creative performance. Training has been long indicated to have the potential of enhancing creative abilities. As result many creativity training programs have been developed by organizations and educational institutions alike (Sawyer, 2006). Yet, the empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of creativity training programs is limited to few such programs. Rather than being focused on the effectiveness of specific training programs this dissertation is centered on the effect that the delivery format may have on the creative performance of groups that have received creative training. This way the researcher seeks to ascertain whether the way in which creativity is taught to trainees affects post-training creative performance. Specifically this study examines the effect of two such formats namely lecture-based training versus an experiential-learning approach. In addition, the study also examines the effects that the type of problem (real-life versus fictitious) may have on creative performance. One hundred and nine groups of employees of forty five Spanish companies (981 participants overall) participated in different training experiences conducted to ascertain if and how the aforementioned factors (type of training and problem realism) affect creative performance. Each group was submitted to a specific training experience and group creative performance was measured by using three measures: fluency, originality, and elaboration of ideas produced. Statistical analysis of performance differences between each training experience and each measure was conducted using Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results of the data analysis reveal a positive effect of training on creative performance and also showed that training based on experience is better suited for creativity training. In addition the empirical results also reveal that working on real-life problems as opposed to fictitious ones, enhances creative performance. The contribution made by this study to the field of creativity research is twofold. First it provides additional empirical evidence regarding the factors conditioning the effectiveness of creativity training. Specifically, the empirical application looks at training delivery method and task realism. These factors have been under examined by previous creativity research literature. The empirical findings of this study indicate the existence of a relationship between training delivery method and post-training ideation performance. Specifically, ideation performance is enhanced by training delivery based on experiential learning. The groups that received this type of training generate more than twice as many ideas as the groups that received no training (9.07 vs. 4.34) and almost three times more ideas than the groups that received lecture-based training (9.07 vs. 3.67). In comparison to the ideas generated by the groups that received lecture-based training, the ideas generated by experiential learning groups received superior rating scores for originality and elaboration. In addition, a relationship was also established between problem realism and post-training ideation. The groups that worked on solving real problems and were trained through experiential learning rated higher on the degree of elaboration of the ideas generated than both lecture-based trained groups (3.47 vs. 3.39) and untrained groups (3.74 vs. 3.47). Experiential learning groups also produced more ideas and were rated higher on the originality dimension than lecture-based training groups (3.98 vs. 3.78). Another, less direct contribution, is that the study also provides evidence regarding the relationship between creativity training and creative performance. Specifically, the empirical findings establish a positive relationship between training and creative performance. Trained groups, produced more ideas and also show superior results in terms of originality and elaboration as compared to untrained groups. By examining the post-training creative output of groups that received training in different formats and have worked on different types of tasks, the study provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of training, valuable not only to academia but also to practitioners in their quest of developing the most effective creativity training programs.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2005.
Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 198-203). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-101).
Studies that have been carried out on literacy development in lower primary school classes in Malawi suggest that a lot of children complete the first four years of their primary education without being able to read, not only a text of their grade level, but also of 100ver grade level. In addition, these studies suggest that some of these children complete the first four years of primary education without even being able to write their own names. However, these studies do not mention any specific reasons why basic literacy development remains a nightmare for the majority of children in lower primary school classes. This study. therefore, seeks to investigate the effectiveness of approaches that are used for initial literacy development in lower primary school classes in this country. Chapter one gives a brief background to the structure of education and the primary school system in Malawi and defines the problem that is being investigated. Chapter two discusses the theoretical framework and a review of literature on the concepts of literacy and literacy teaching and learning. Chapter 3 gives an outline of the research design and methodology that was used during the investigation. Chapter 4 provides details of how the data was analysed and presents the findings. Chapter 5 concludes the study and presents recommendations for considerations.

The purpose of this study was to explore the application of learning contracts in the process of preparing to take the AT BOC exam. The goal of this study was to investigate best practices to assist students in being successful when taking the BOC certification examination. Self-directed learning in medicine was an important skill in the ever-changing healthcare landscape. One self-directed learning tool, learning contracts, had been studied in other healthcare fields. However, little research had been conducted utilizing learning contracts in athletic training. In addition, providing students with a research based instrument that could be used to improve success on the BOC examination would positively impact the profession of athletic training. Therefore, a mixed methods research study was implemented to study the usefulness of learning contracts in the preparation for the BOC examination. The data produced in the study showed that athletic training students were self-directed learners and that learning contracts were a useful tool when preparing for the BOC examination. Along with the Self-Assessment Exams (SAEs) produced by BOC, Inc., learning contracts were shown to be useful in helping students diagnose learning needs as well as creating a plan to study. Based on the outcomes of this study the researcher recommends that athletic training students, and athletic training programs, implement the use of learning contracts when preparing for the BOC examination. The researcher also recommends that students strongly consider using SAEs to diagnose learning needs or gaps.

This thesis examines the notions of self and no-self, specifically in light of the actor’s experience and manner of engagement in actor training. Arguing that the actor’s assumptions and beliefs regarding self affect embodiment and engagement in training, the thesis highlights the importance of considering these notions, and proposes some practical explorations. Training experiences in theatrical biomechanics and the work of Nicolás Núñez are reflected upon as practical references for the investigation. The lack of a fixed ongoing self in experience is identified as a key stance in considerations within philosophy, psychology and neuroscience, and the consequences, for the actor, of conceiving an independent, on-going self as existing in experience are suggested to lead to a perceived dualism that is at times considered to interfere in the actor’s work. The thesis suggests an understanding of self as a ‘myth’ created through ‘storytelling,’ conceptualisation and embodied metaphor, and as a process of neurological mapping as argued by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, Antonio Damasio, Louis Hoffman and others. For considering the notion of no-self and the actor’s potential for operating without a sense of personal identity, the thesis draws on the no-self theory of Buddhism and ‘attunement’ and the ‘self-cultivation’ model proposed by Nagatomo Shigenori and Yuasa Yasuo. Drawing on no-self theory, the questions regarding dualism in the actor’s experience, a transformation of habitual patterns of movement and action, everyday consciousness and the actor’s manner of engagement in training are examined. Identifying actor-training as a process of self-exploration and self-definition in the work of Phillip Zarrilli, Eugenio Barba and others, the thesis argues for the importance of considering the notions of self and no-self and introduces alternative models for this examination.

The school subject of Art and the profession of the primary school teacher are gendered female and both are considered low status within the field of Education and other professional areas of society. A number of sociological studies have examined the impact of gendered socialisation and habitus on females’ career choices and various educational initiatives have been put in place over the years to encourage females to select subjects and/or pursue career paths normally associated with males. Yet Art and primary school teaching continue to be a popular choice with middle class girls. Based on a critical ethnographic study of female BAED Art students, who are training to be primary school teachers, this study is an examination of the many factors, historically and contemporaneously that have shaped and continue to shape the subjectivities of females and frame their aspirations and ambitions. Within this discourse significant aspects of the history of Art and Art Education that have contributed to and influenced the construction of the female artist, and their consequent impact on artistically talented females’ personal identity as artists, are also examined.

The basis for the thesis research was the examination of the extent to which YMCAs in the United States incorporate public relations skills and corporate mission statements into the training of their employees.A mail survey was sent to the total population of 913 corporate YMCAs which represent all 2,170 locations in the United States. The first of two mailings was sent on July 5, 1984. A total of 530 responses were received from forty-nine states representing 58 percent of the total population. Of the returned surveys, 514 were usable in all aspects of the study, or 56.2 percent of the total population.The findings show the typical YMCA is served by a male director with eighteen years of YMCA work experience who has been in his current position just less than ten years. He oversees the management of a YMCA serving an average of 6,700 individual members.Public relations duties are performed by an average of 2.5 persons in the responding YMCAs including the executive director himself. The training and preparation for handling these responsibilities most often comes in "learn-by-doing" situations. Workshops enhance on-the-job training in most cases. Fewer than 20 percent of the professional directors performing public relations functions have had university or college coursework in public relations.Approximately 70 percent of the responding YMCAs have made a specific attempt to determine how their organization is perceived by the community. Two-thirds of the associations which have attempted to measure community perception stated they used formal research methods to do so. Only 32 percent of the YMCAs responding have prepared a written statement of their mission with 28 percent having a formal action plan for achieving their goals and objectives.Just less than 60 percent of the 514 respondents budget public relations items as a planned expense at an average of 3 percent of the total operating budget.Three of the conclusions drawn from this research are:1. The lack of formal training of employees performing public relations functions, in the YMCAs responding, suggests some disparity between job preparation and the generally accepted guidelines for training public relations practitioners.2. The marked increase in the number of YMCAs which have formulated written mission statements and action plans since 1980 is one indication of an increased awareness of the need to operate these nonprofit organizations under traditional management principles.3. Not only must more YMCAs develop and implement formal action plans, but more employees at all job levels must be informed of these plans if their YMCA is to experience the degree of membership growth and the improved community image possible through a total organizational effort.

Thesis (DPsych) -- School of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009.
Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology in the Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009". Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-189)

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS)
The dominant influence of Western and European psychology on the African educational system brought about a specific point of view for the teaching curriculum (Heleta, 2016), which also spilled over into the workplace and job training practices. The present study gave a brief review of the history and development of the Industrial Psychology curriculum in South African higher education institutions. It also highlighted the dominant influence of Western and European psychology on the African educational system that brought about a non-African (i.e. Western scientific model) psychological discipline in the teaching curriculum. The study sought to examine the contextual relevance of Industrial Psychology training at a University in the Western Cape. Furthermore, the study investigated how the concepts and frameworks of Euro-Western Industrial Psychology affect graduates entering into a multi-cultural work context. The need was found for a teaching and learning curriculum that prepares students with multi-cultural knowledge, thus enabling graduates to embrace a diverse work environment. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The method of thematic analyses was used and the themes identified manually from the transcribed interviews. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The method of thematic analyses was used and the themes identified manually from the transcribed interviews. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The method of thematic analyses was used and the themes identified manually from the transcribed interviews. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The method of thematic analyses was used and the themes identified manually from the transcribed interviews. These themes were analysed to provide findings from which relevant conclusions could be drawn. The findings varied due to diverse groups of participants with differing workplace expectations. However, participants agreed on the need for introducing more African examples in the teaching and learning of Industrial Psychology, to ensure the curriculum is applicable to a work context of a developing country such as South Africa. Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry. Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry. These themes were analysed to provide findings from which relevant conclusions could be drawn. The findings varied due to diverse groups of participants with differing workplace expectations. However, participants agreed on the need for introducing more African examples in the teaching and learning of Industrial Psychology, to ensure the curriculum is applicable to a work context of a developing country such as South Africa. Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry. Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University.Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The researcher followed a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews to collect data. The method of thematic analyses was used and the themes identified manually from the transcribed interviews. Ethical considerations of the study did adhere to the guidelines from the Ethics Committee of the particular University. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry. Recommendations were made to help other universities in South Africa see the need for not only contextualising the curriculum of Industrial Psychology, but redefining teaching techniques in line with expectations from the industry.

Focusing on teacher learning, this study follows fifteen teachers in the crux of comprehensive school reform. These "regular" classroom teachers are the ubiquitous players of this theatre of school reform. "Regular" teacher is defined as a typical classroom teacher who is not actively involved in the district's school reform project or one who hasn't taken an active leadership role. The teachers in this study work in the challenging environment of a poor, diverse urban school district that was in its third year of a comprehensive school reform program, the Accelerated Schools Project. Fifteen teachers volunteered to take part in a teaching laboratory where they met, planned, taught, assessed and reflected on their practice. The study tells, analyzes and speculates about their journey. The Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) is a national comprehensive school improvement model that provides professional development to schools. The study described the experiences of regular classroom teachers who engaged in a yearlong professional development program that is part of the ASP service to schools. This study employs qualitative research methods in a multiple case study analysis. By examining the teaching practices of regular classroom teachers who are often depicted as "closing the door" to the outside influences of school, district, state or federal policy, the study seeks to fully understand the planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting of classroom teachers who are caught in the center of school reform. The key findings of this study suggest teacher practice for all teacher cohorts (novice, mid-career and veteran) was influenced by participation in the Powerful Learning Laboratory. Each aspect of teaching (planning, teaching, assessing and reflection) was influenced, with differing emphasis by each cohort. The findings suggest the Powerful Learning Lab is a positive professional development experience for teachers, and that teacher learning labs should remain an integral part of the Accelerated Schools Project.

The purpose of this research project is to examine the role of conflict resolution in training programmes for military peacekeepers. It offers a significant contribution to the conflict resolution literature by providing contemporary analysis of where further manifestations exist of the links between military peacekeeping and the academic study of conflict resolution. The thesis firstly provides a thorough analysis of where conflict resolution scholars have sought to critique and influence peacekeeping. This is mirrored by a survey of policy stemming from the United Nations (UN) in the period 1999-2010. The thesis then undertakes a survey of the role of civil-military cooperation: an area where there is obvious crossover between military peacekeeping and conflict resolution terminology. This is achieved firstly through an analysis of practitioner reports and academic research into the subject area, and secondly through a fieldwork analysis of training programmes at the UN Training School Ireland, and Royal Military Training Academy 4 Sandhurst (RMAS). The thesis goes on to provide a comprehensive examination of the role of negotiation for military peacekeepers. This examination incorporates a historical overview of negotiation in the British Army, a sampling of peacekeeping literature, and finally fieldwork observations of negotiation at RMAS. The thesis discusses how this has impacted significantly on conceptions of military peacekeepers from both the military and conflict resolution fields. The thesis adds considerably to contemporary debates over cosmopolitan forms of conflict resolution. Firstly it outlines where cosmopolitan ethics are entering into military training programmes, and how the emergence of institutionalised approaches in the UN to 'human security' and peacebuilding facilitate this. Secondly, the thesis uses Woodhouse and Ramsbotham's framework to link the emergence of cosmopolitan values in training programmes to wider structural changes at a global level.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Teacher Performance Appraisal Training Program in North Carolina by analyzing the skills and techniques used by three observers in performing an "appraisal cycle" of five video-taped classroom teachers. Four research questions were addressed: What impact does training have upon observer perceptions of the prescribed functions of teaching and the appraisal process? How consistent are observer's processes of data collection and analysis? How consistent are observer ratings of teacher performance? Does the system discriminate among teachers? The findings in this case study revealed that the impact of training varied substantially across observers, indicating the need for remedial training for two of three observers. Data collection and analyses across observers were frequently inconsistent and contradictory. Within the recommended range of tolerance, observer ratings of performance were similar, although perceptions of behavior differed. While the appraisal system did tend to discriminate among teachers, the accuracy of such discrimination was contaminated by evidence of subjectivity and bias.
Ed. D.

Psychology
Ph.D.
The training literature suggests that ongoing support (e.g., consultation) following initial training enhances training outcomes, yet little is known about the critical components of ongoing support and the lasting effects of ongoing support. The present study examined components of consultation calls that were provided to 99 community clinicians following training in the delivery of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety. The 104 recorded consultation calls were coded for content and consultative methods present. A subset of the training sample (N = 50) completed a 2-year follow-up interview during which they reported on their implementation rates of CBT since ending consultation. They also completed measures assessing CBT knowledge and attitudes toward evidence-based practices (EBPs). It was hypothesized that active learning (i.e., role-plays) would predict therapist adherence, skill, self-efficacy, and satisfaction at postconsultation, but regression analyses found no significant relation. However, level of clinician involvement during consultation calls significantly positively moderated the relation between active learning and clinician skill. Analyses of the follow-up data indicated (a) high implementation rates of CBT and (b) maintenance of overall attitudes toward EBPs, willingness to implement EBPs if mandated, views regarding the appeal of EBPs, and beliefs regarding the clinical utility of EBPs. A significant decline in CBT knowledge and openness toward EBPs was observed. Consultation call attendance positively predicted therapist CBT knowledge, overall attitudes toward EBPs, and attitudes regarding the appeal and clinical utility of EBPs at the 2-year follow-up. Implications, strengths and limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Temple University--Theses

The purpose of this research project is to examine the role of conflict resolution in training programmes for military peacekeepers. It offers a significant contribution to the conflict resolution literature by providing contemporary analysis of where further manifestations exist of the links between military peacekeeping and the academic study of conflict resolution. The thesis firstly provides a thorough analysis of where conflict resolution scholars have sought to critique and influence peacekeeping. This is mirrored by a survey of policy stemming from the United Nations (UN) in the period 1999-2010. The thesis then undertakes a survey of the role of civil-military cooperation: an area where there is obvious crossover between military peacekeeping and conflict resolution terminology. This is achieved firstly through an analysis of practitioner reports and academic research into the subject area, and secondly through a fieldwork analysis of training programmes at the UN Training School Ireland, and Royal Military Training Academy 4 Sandhurst (RMAS). The thesis goes on to provide a comprehensive examination of the role of negotiation for military peacekeepers. This examination incorporates a historical overview of negotiation in the British Army, a sampling of peacekeeping literature, and finally fieldwork observations of negotiation at RMAS. The thesis discusses how this has impacted significantly on conceptions of military peacekeepers from both the military and conflict resolution fields. The thesis adds considerably to contemporary debates over cosmopolitan forms of conflict resolution. Firstly it outlines where cosmopolitan ethics are entering into military training programmes, and how the emergence of institutionalised approaches in the UN to ¿human security¿ and peacebuilding facilitate this. Secondly, the thesis uses Woodhouse and Ramsbotham¿s framework to link the emergence of cosmopolitan values in training programmes to wider structural changes at a global level.

The worth of rehabilitation programs should be measured in terms of their lasting impact on long-term employment. Vocational rehabilitation programs nationally and internationally appear to be falling short of their goal of long-term gainful employment. Competitive employment options for the injured worker appear to have leveled out, the pool of unemployed disabled workers appears to be rising, litigation and adversarial relationships are beginning to dominate the rehabilitation process, and costs of vocational rehabilitation are escalating. Increasingly, interest has focused on the long-term influence of vocational rehabilitation, particularly on the costly training programs, and on the employment and economic potential of program recipients. The present study focused on the current socioeconomic and employment status of those individuals who participated in Authorized Training Programs (ATPs) in 1985 and 1986. It was hypothesized that workers who successfully participated in authorized training programs would be able to maintain long-term gainful employment at or near their wage-at-injury in the field in which they had received ATP training.

The British Army has been on the receiving end of Government cuts to numbers of full-time (regular) service personnel following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and proposed 2018 National Security Review. With numbers being reduced from 102,000 to 82,000, there could be a potential further reduction to 70,000 regular personnel, equivalent to two-thirds of the French Army. The challenge the British Army faces is maximising the performance of the organisation and the individuals who serve in it. As a result, the Agile Warrior concept was developed to promote thinking skills throughout all ranks. This was facilitated by the introduction of a constructivist approach, underpinning the way learning is conducted from a behaviourist, instructor-led style to a student-centred approach to learning. This method was to be trialled at Phase 1 training establishments. This EdD thesis sought to both unpack the current understanding of the complexities of Phase 1 training including its design and implementation, and evaluate a potential solution in linking the design, instructors, recruits and organisational aims of the British Army. In order to achieve this, the thesis was divided into two studies focussing on the training design and instructional methodologies respectively. Study 1 of this thesis initially sought to examine the training design for Phase 1 training delivered at the Army Training Centre (ATC) based in Pirbright. Interviews were conducted with staff members involved in the training design of Phase 1 and recruits in order to gauge the different sides. What emerged from the results was a friction between the standardisation of training design and the instructors want for flexibility to teach in ways they saw appropriate. This finding indicated a gap that could potentially be filled by employing the Present, Apply, Review (PAR) method as the constructivist vehicle for instructors. Study 2 sought to analyse the impact of PAR in bridging the gap between the standardised requirements of Phase 1 whilst providing flexibility for instructors to teach. A mixed method, quasi-experimental design was used for data collection in order to analyse the thoughts of 239 recruits during their Phase 1 training. The findings of a pre-post survey found no difference in regard to the impact of PAR compared with non-PAR instruction using motivation, self-regulated learning and reflection as measurable constructs. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten recruits in order to further unpack the findings. Overall, this research unpacked recruit experiences of Phase 1 training. The findings suggested that factors such as the impact of the instructor, time as a restrictive factor, and the motivational climate facilitated by Phase 1 training had a potentially overriding impact over the specific instructional method delivered by the instructors. It is suggested that the constructivist approach be employed in unit training within the wider army and that further studies should examine its impact within that context.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 1999.
Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2939. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis as preliminary leaves. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-68).

Pregnancy and childbirth complications are a leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries. Worldwide data shows that, by choice or out of necessity, 60 percent of births in the developing world occur outside a health institution and 47 percent are assisted by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), family members, or without any assistance at all. This thesis argues that TBAs in India have the capacity to disseminate knowledge of beneficial maternal practices to the community. Since the 1970s the training of TBAs has been one of the primary single interventions encouraged by World Health Organisation (WHO) to address maternal mortality. However, since the 1990s international funding for TBAs has been reduced and the emphasis has shifted to providing skilled birth attendants for all births due to evidence that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in developing countries had not reduced. Researchers have observed that the shift in policy has taken place without adequate evidence of training (in)effectiveness and without an alternative policy in place. This thesis argues further that two main types of birthing knowledge co-exist in India; western biomedicine and traditional knowledge. Feminist, anthropological, and midwifery theorists contend that when two knowledge paradigms exist, western knowledge tends to dominate and claim authority over local ways of knowing. The thesis used such theories, and quantitative and qualitative methods, to assess whether the local TBA training programmes in Ahmednagar District in India have been successful in disseminating biomedical knowledge in relation to the birthing practices of local TBAs and in incorporating local knowledge into the training. The data revealed that some biomedical knowledge had been successfully disseminated and that some traditional practices continue to be practiced in the community. There is a top-down, one-sided imposition of biomedical knowledge on TBAs in the training programme but, at the local level, TBAs and mothers sometimes follow the training instructions and sometime do not, preferring to adapt to the local perceptions and preferences of their community. The thesis reveals the significance of TBA training in the district but queries the effectiveness of not including local TBA practices into the training programmes, arguing this demonstrates the hierarchical authority of biomedicine over local traditional practices. The thesis highlights the significance of community awareness that accompanies TBA training and makes recommendations in order to enhance training outcomes.

Pregnancy and childbirth complications are a leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries. Worldwide data shows that, by choice or out of necessity, 60 percent of births in the developing world occur outside a health institution and 47 percent are assisted by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), family members, or without any assistance at all. This thesis argues that TBAs in India have the capacity to disseminate knowledge of beneficial maternal practices to the community. Since the 1970s the training of TBAs has been one of the primary single interventions encouraged by World Health Organisation (WHO) to address maternal mortality. However, since the 1990s international funding for TBAs has been reduced and the emphasis has shifted to providing skilled birth attendants for all births due to evidence that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in developing countries had not reduced. Researchers have observed that the shift in policy has taken place without adequate evidence of training (in)effectiveness and without an alternative policy in place. This thesis argues further that two main types of birthing knowledge co-exist in India; western biomedicine and traditional knowledge. Feminist, anthropological, and midwifery theorists contend that when two knowledge paradigms exist, western knowledge tends to dominate and claim authority over local ways of knowing. The thesis used such theories, and quantitative and qualitative methods, to assess whether the local TBA training programmes in Ahmednagar District in India have been successful in disseminating biomedical knowledge in relation to the birthing practices of local TBAs and in incorporating local knowledge into the training. The data revealed that some biomedical knowledge had been successfully disseminated and that some traditional practices continue to be practiced in the community. There is a top-down, one-sided imposition of biomedical knowledge on TBAs in the training programme but, at the local level, TBAs and mothers sometimes follow the training instructions and sometime do not, preferring to adapt to the local perceptions and preferences of their community. The thesis reveals the significance of TBA training in the district but queries the effectiveness of not including local TBA practices into the training programmes, arguing this demonstrates the hierarchical authority of biomedicine over local traditional practices. The thesis highlights the significance of community awareness that accompanies TBA training and makes recommendations in order to enhance training outcomes.