Education Commons^™

Challenges For Beginning Secondary Technology Education Teachers, Sally E. Arnett-Hartwick, John Cannon

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe challenges faced by beginning technology education (TE) teachers in [state]. Background: The highest attrition rates are among beginning teachers and with a continued shortage of TE teachers, identifying the problems new teachers encounter need to be identified for retention and the sustainability of the TE profession. Method: A qualitative research design using an online questionnaire was completed by 27 [state] TE teachers who had taught four or fewer years. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: facility management, student management, external relations, and instruction management. Each theme contained subthemes; the predominant subthemes …

What Do They Do Different? A Comparison Of Practices At Award Winning Technology Centers That Work And Non-Award Winning Centers, Gary Dan Williams, Kemaly S. Parr, Brian A. Parr 8092966

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine characteristics of award winning Career and Technical Centers that may contribute to best practices in the integration of core academic concepts into the Career and Technical Education curriculum. These responses were compared to non-award winning schools in order to determine what award winning schools may have done differently that could have contributed to their success. Background: It is widely accepted that educators should place an increased emphasis on workforce readiness in secondary education to prepare students for a global economy that is becoming increasingly complex and knowledge-based. New participants must enter …

High School Students' Perceptions Of Their Internship Experiences And The Related Impact On Career Choices And Changes, Michael Papadimitriou

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to illuminate STEM students’ perceptions of internship experiences and to examine the impact of these experiences on career and college major choices and retention in the science career pipeline. Background: Many high schools operate internship programs with the purpose of providing authentic work experiences. Through these experiences, students are forced to confront the unrealistic nature of their personal perceptions of practice, and are then exposed to the nuances of practice and authentic skills of practice. Methods: Students were asked to complete an internship questionnaire as part of the senior exit process along …

Preparing Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders For Employment, Princess M. Cullum, Demetria Ennis-Cole

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The work experiences and job histories of adults with ASD were examined to determine whether or not they corroborate findings in the literature. Incidences of ASD are on the rise, and children diagnosed with ASD will become adults who will need employment opportunities. Most employers are using a variety of technology tools to increase productivity, communicate, perform record-keeping tasks, save time and money, and conduct business. Individuals with ASD gravitate toward technology, and employment opportunities that capitalize on the use
technology may allow them to be productive in the
workplace. Semi-structured interviews using
open-ended questions reviewed and approved by
founders …

Family And Consumer Sciences Teacher Educator's Perception Of Integration Of Reading Skill Instruction, Frederick Polkinghorne, Sally E. Arnett-Hartwick

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine family and consumer sciences (FACS) teacher educators’ perceptions on the integration of reading skill instruction in secondary FACS courses. Background: As a result of low national reading scores and legislation, family and consumer sciences (FACS) teachers are being challenged to explicitly teach reading into course curricula but feel untrained to do so. Therefore, this demonstrates that FACS teachers know the value of literacy integration, but lack pedagogical skills too successfully and explicitly integrate literacy in the FACS curriculum. This draws attention to the preparation of FACS teachers, moreover FACS teacher educators’ …

Investigation Of Learning Style Preferences Of Business Students, Chen Wu, Dominick E. Fazarro

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

This study investigates learning style preferences of college business majors. We find they prefer the Structure learning style as defined by the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Model (1978). Modification of instructional techniques to suit this preference generates a marginal significant increase in the performance of students in the experimental group relative to the control group as measured by their Final Course Grade Average (FCGA).

The Great Regression’S Impact On Construction Training Programs: Multi-Level Analyses Of Recruiting & Retention Concepts, John S. Gaal Edd

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The intent of this practitioner-based research study is to determine if there is a difference in the attitudes of construction industry professionals—at local and international levels—towards various training-related recruiting and retention concepts. In light of the global economic malaise, training programs are being held to higher standards and, thusly, different metrics than in the past. In today’s environment, outcomes-based designs (versus outputs-based) have gained attention from both private and public funders of such training programs. Thusly, programs must adapt to the needs of the industry rather than rely on outdated materials and methods. To this end, a survey was designed …

Perceived Professional Development Needs Of Idaho Secondary Career And Technical Education Teachers: Program Management, John G. Cannon, Karl Allen Kitchel, Dennis W. Duncan

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived professional development needs of Idaho secondary career and technical education teachers for a set of non-instructional competencies specifically associated with duties related to program management. The population of this study consisted of CTE teachers employed by Idaho secondary schools (N=725). Sixty-one percent (n=446) of the population participated in the study. The findings indicated that the top five perceived in-service training areas for the program management construct, as identified by a mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS) ranking, to be “Grant writing & funding opportunities”; “Understanding federal (Perkins), state, and local funding”; …

Partnering Industry And Education For Curricular Enhancement: A Response For Greater Educational Achievement, Deborah R. Barnett

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Despite high rates of unemployment, research indicates that employers are having a difficult time finding workers that have the knowledge and skills needed for available jobs. President Obama, state lawmakers, and national higher education associations are calling upon educational institutions to not only fill the current gap but to reach aggressive goals set for educational attainment in the U.S. by 2020. This article looks at a historical view of how education has met workforce needs in the past, employment projections, employer needs, and how educational institutions might respond to the call to develop a highly skilled workforce. In addition, a …

Conflict Management Education In Medicine: Considerations For Curriculum Designers, Jeffery Kaufman

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

It is important to address conflict in the medical field for a variety of reasons ranging from reducing turnover to increasing the quality of care received by patients. One way to assist with the management of medical conflict is by teaching resolution techniques to medical personnel. There is an opportunity for conflict management curriculum to address many of the issues facing physicians, administrators, staff and patients, however, it is also necessary for those developing that curriculum to understand the nature of the environment and appropriate conflict management tools to be used in that environment as part of the design process. …

A Research Framework For Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Implementations Of Social Media In Higher Education, Abbas Foroughi

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Following the lead of today’s hi-tech businesses and industries, many college campuses have begun using Web.2.0 social media technologies like Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and YouTube to facilitate information sharing and collaboration among administrators, faculty, and students. An examination of research on campus social media initiatives revealed that universities are beginning to provide support and infrastructure to support social media initiatives, and that social media tools are being used as part of course content and delivery, where students can use them for collaboration and group decision making on real-world projects. However, much of the research to date was found to be …

Experiential Learning Curricular Development Model For Stimulating Student Interest In Green Collar Careers, Sally E. Arnett, Allen Kitchel, John G. Cannon

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Green jobs are in high demand, yet there is lack of a trained workforce for the green industries. Early exposure to green careers can stimulate future employment interest among students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an experiential learning unit of instruction designed to expose students to and develop knowledge about the green collar workforce. The study used a mixed method research design. A purposive sample of 101 (n=101) secondary students in career development type classes were given a pre-test, treatment, and post-test that involved both quantitative and qualitative responses. The findings revealed that the …

A Perceptual Analysis Of The Benefits And Barriers To Creating All Inclusive Learning Environments In Secondary Agricultural Education Programs, Antoine J. Alston, Chastity K. Warren English, Anthony Graham, Dexter Wakefield, Frankie Farbotko

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The purpose of this study was to gauge the state of inclusion in American Secondary Agricultural Education programs as perceived by state directors of agricultural education. It was found agricultural education is beneficial for minorities and women. Additionally, it was perceived that inclusion overall was critical for secondary agricultural education: however, barriers to its full implementation in secondary agricultural education were found to be the lack of role models, stereotypes, the perception of agriculture itself, guidance counselor support, and understanding student learning styles. Solutions to improving inclusion in secondary agricultural education were perceived to be preservice and inservice training in …

The Integration Of A Lean Manufacturing Competency-Based Training Course Into University Curriculum, John J. Cooper Jr.

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The manufacturing industry has become extremely competitive in nature and each company’s survival depends on gaining an edge in their respective field. Lean manufacturing has emerged as the leading management philosophy in this struggle. The original model of lean, called the Toyota Production System, is utilized by the phenomenally successful automotive manufacturer Toyota and many others have followed suite. There is a need for a course in schools that offer manufacturing curriculum which will integrate the lean concepts with the current manufacturing program of study. Lean is a proven management strategy and should be offered as a course of its …