Education Commons^™

Ready, Set, Train!: Strategies To Incorporate Self-Directed And Embodied Learning Into Training And Development Programs, Jennifer Warrner

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Offering training and development programs to employees is one strategy to help companies maintain a competitive advantage in industry. In order to be beneficial for employees and companies, training and development programs must be effective. Learning activities are one strategy to incorporate into training and development programs to keep participants engaged. This article highlights how the adult learning theories of self-directed learning and embodied learning can be incorporated into training and development programs. An overview of self-directed learning and embodied learning theories and examples of related learning activities are highlighted that could be incorporated into other training programs and curriculums.

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 …

University Supervisors' Perspectives On The Student Teaching Timeframe, Sally E. Arnett-Hartwick, Sarah Bradshaw

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Structured Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this research study was to describe university supervisors’ perception of extending the student teaching time frame in a family and consumer sciences (FCS) teacher education program. Background: Recently, a Midwestern State University FCS teacher education program extended the length of student teaching from 10 to 16 weeks. To verify if the student teaching timeframe mattered in enhancing the development of FCS teacher candidates, this study sought the perspectives of university supervisors who worked in both timeframes. Method: Using a qualitative design, interviews were conducted with two FCS university supervisors who supervised student teachers in …

Examining Differences In Middle School Student Achievement On A State Mandated Examination: Does A Full Year Of Agriscience Really Make A Difference?, Sarah Hicks, Dennis W. Duncan, Myra Womble, Robert Branch

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Early agricultural education programs in the United States existed to promote new methods and techniques to further agricultural production. Today, extending integration, general knowledge, appreciation, and literacy about agriculture is the goal, especially at the middle school level. Not only is agricultural education designed to encompass academics, but science and technology, literacy, and career preparedness are parts of the total agricultural education program. Since the passage of No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), more pressure has been put on teachers to generate increased student academic performance and improvement of test scores. The purpose of this research study was to determine …

Effect Of Conflict On Team Performance And Satisfaction Among Health Profession Students, Jeffery D. Kaufman Ph.D

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Objective: This study continues prior research investigating the relationships between task conflict, relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction within teams of students in programs that tend to matriculate to healthcare professions. Background: As the use of teams both in practice and education continues to increase, understanding how conflict impacts team processes becomes ever more important. Methods: Student teams (n = 47) completed two different decision tasks as well as instruments that measured their individual levels of perceived task conflict, relationship conflict and satisfaction with their team. Results: No significant relationship was identified between either types of conflict …

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 Historical Development Of Program Evaluation: Exploring Past And Present, R. Lance Hogan

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

The purpose of this article is to present the historical development and significant contributions leading to the current status of the program evaluation field. Program evaluation has been defined as “judging the worth or merit of something or the product of the process” (Scriven, 1991, p. 139). Guskey (2000) updated this definition stating that evaluation is a systematic process used to determine the merit or worth of a specific program, curriculum, or strategy in a specific context. The author describes seven significant time periods in the development of program evaluation and identifies five evaluation approaches currently used by practitioners. This …