Leisure activities,optimism, and personal growth among the young-old,old-old,and oldest-old

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of leisure activities to optimism and personal growth among older adults. We used data from the Alameda County Health and Ways of Living Study. The sample consisted of 1600 individuals who were 60 years of age and older. While the literature shows that participating in leisure activities is relevant to improving the well-being of older adults, the impact of such participation across various age groups is yet to be determined. We employed a one-way multivariate analysis of variance to determine the age group differences with regard to optimism and personal growth. We also used a series of hierarchical regression models to examine the contribution of the types of leisure activities on optimism and personal growth across various age groups. The ability of leisure activity variables to predict optimism was the highest for the old-old group. The old-old group demonstrated the highest level of predictability from the leisure activity variables regarding personal growth. We suggest that professionals need to provide carefully selected leisure activities to enhance optimism and personal growth for clients within different age groups. Professionals may include a variety of physical, social, and volunteering activities for the young-old and old-old groups while more casual leisure activities such as community activities and entertainment can be offered to the adults of 80 years and older.     

Cognitive ability and cognitive style: finding a connection through resource use behavior

Instructional Science - The goal of this study was to investigate cognitive style (the visualizer–verbalizer dimension) and cognitive ability (spatial and verbal abilities) in terms of...     

骨干教师培训评估体系的概念框架与标准

美国杜肯大学教育学院围绕国家教师教育资格认证委员会(NCATE)制定的教师培养概念框架构造要素:机构、组织设想和使命;组织的运作哲学、目的及目标;知识基础,包括理论,研究,实践策略以及教育政策;学员业务能力与相应的专业标准、国家标准以及机构标准相吻合;学员表现定期测评系统,提出杜肯大学骨干教师培训项目(LTP)中评估系统的设计与专业标准、国家标准衔接过程中遵循的九项标准:哲学和心理学基础;领域和主题;学员业务能力与职业标准、国家标准的衔接;对技术的承诺;对多样性的承诺;教师作为领导者、职业素质;发展学校职业合作伙伴;评估体系。     

User Needs of Digital Service Web Portals: A Case Study

ABSTRACT

The authors examined the needs of digital information service web portal users. More specifically, the needs of Korean cultural portal users were examined as a case study. The conceptual framework of a web-based portal is that it is a complex, web-based service application with characteristics of information systems and service agents. In addition, the users’ reactions to the technology can impact the service quality. As such, a model that specifically measured cultural portal user needs was created by implementing data quality, service quality and technology adoption models. Through confirmatory factor analyses and model respecifications, the authors suggest a measurement model consisting of 5 first-level latent variables, with 19 observed variables. The measurement model confirmed the research hypothesis that data quality, service quality, and technology adoption models complement each other in assessing the needs of cultural portal users.