A university-wide model for coordinating internships

Colleges and universities of varying enrollments and academic missions can implement a university-wide model for coordinating internships and other credit-generating field experiences by following and/or modifying a program developed at Illinois State University. All credit-generating supervised work experiences in local, state, national and international businesses, agencies, institutions and organizations areplanned, administered andsupervised at the department level and coordinated through a university-wide central office which functions as a clearing house and resource center for students, faculty, administrators and potential employers. The program does not include those experiences associated with Teacher Education.     

The instructional gestalt: A conceptual framework and design for educational research

Summary The argument is advanced in this paper that the pattern of educational investigation wherein comparisons are made between so-called “ experimental” and “ conventional” instructional procedures tends to be defective on three counts: the criteria are often inappropriate or contaminated; the assumptions of homogeneity within and independence between “ experimental” and “ control” conditions are met only when these conditions are very grossly conceived; and the results reflect masking and cancellation effects, thereby revealing relatively little about what transpires in an instructional setting. The Instructional Gestalt is proposed as a methodological framework for educational research focusing upon the interactive nature of learner, instructor, and environmental and course variables constituting the instructional setting. Data generated by explorations within this framework can lead to the formulation of hypotheses which, if subsequently supported empirically, can become principles for inclusion in a theory of classroom learning. The nature of investigations proceeding from the Instructional Gestalt framework was clarified by presentation and discussion of an illustrative study. Since this illustration was only a representation in miniature of the larger investigation, the generalizations about teaching-learning suggested by it are of limited scope and subject to change. Nevertheless, these generalizations do indicate the kinds of hypotheses resulting from studies within the Instructional Gestalt framework. This paper summarizes the rationale underlying research on the Instructional Gestalt proceeding under a grant from the Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Portions of this rationale have been presented at the annual meetings of the American Psychological Association in 1961 and 1962.     

Evaluating educational support personnel: A conceptual and legal framework

Summary The evaluation of professional educational support personnel has not received the same attention nor generated the same efforts as the evaluation of classroom teachers. There is not yet a system for professional support personnel comparable to effective teaching behaviors, an omission that unsettles both specialized support staff and the generalist supervisors responsible for evaluating them.What we have presented here is a comprehensive approach applicable to professional support personnel. It begins with identifying district (student and community) needs, describing job responsibilities based on the goals of programs (clarified through the needs assessment), identifying staff behaviors as indicators of job performance, setting standards by which to measure staff performance, documenting the job performance, and using sound evaluation practices that incorporate all the necessary due process requirements for fairness. By involving the professional support personnel in each of these steps, evaluators will maximize the potential for growth as well as protect themselves and the evaluatees throughout the evaluation process.     

A conceptual model of relationships among constructivist learning environment perceptions,epistemological beliefs,and learning approaches

This study proposed a conceptual model of relationships among constructivist learning environment perception variables (Personal Relevance, Uncertainty, Critical Voice, Shared Control, and Student Negotiation), scientific epistemological belief variables (fixed and tentative), and learning approach. It was proposed that learning environment perceptions predict learning approach directly and indirectly through scientific epistemological beliefs. Constructivist Learning Environment Survey, Scientific Epistemological Beliefs, and Learning Approach Questionnaire were administered to 1152 Turkish eight grade elementary school students to measure constructivist learning environment perceptions, scientific epistemological beliefs, and learning approach, respectively. Path analysis supported the model in general, although not all proposed paths were significant. All constructivist learning environment perception variables were found to predict learning approach directly and indirectly through tentative beliefs. The relationship between fixed beliefs and learning approach was not significant. Fixed beliefs were significantly related only with personal relevance variable.     

Embedding librarians in online tertiary classrooms: A new model for learner support

Embedded librarians working in online classrooms present a new avenue of learner support direct to students in the space where they learn. The development of embedded librarian practice has evolved since 2004 and is becoming commonplace in online tertiary classrooms, but what is not yet so common is theory underlying this new practice. A multiple case study of embedded librarians in online tertiary classrooms in New Zealand was conducted to identify what makes this practice effective in providing support. Six factors were identified as contributing to effectiveness: relationality, immediacy, relevancy, interactivity, parity and faculty–librarian collaboration. The Embedded Librarian Support model was derived from, and is presented as the culmination of, the findings of this research.     

Teacher help for conceptual level raising in mathematics

A field study with 16-year-old students in senior general secondary education was undertaken with the following research question: “Do students working in pairs on investigation tasks with the computer attain more conceptual level raising in mathematics when they are supported by a teacher who stimulates their interaction (process help) than when they are supported by a teacher who gives mathematical help (product help)?” Students in both conditions improved, but the two types of help showed no significant difference in level raising. Also, students in both conditions had serious problems with the learning materials, and wanted the teacher to explain and correct more. For students at this level of education, learning with investigation tasks in small groups appears to be very difficult.     

Teacher education and educational self-direction: A conceptual analysis and empirical investigation

The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of educational self-direction in teacher education, an educational environment that encourages the use of initiative, thought and independent judgment in learning. First, this concept is examined conceptually. The theory and research on occupational self-direction is summarized, and the relevance of this work to education settings is analyzed. Second, the concept is examined empirically. The development of an instrument to assess educational self-direction is documented. Data from two separate studies indicated that the questionnaire was reliable (alpha values from 0.63 to 0.84), and valid. Finally, implications of this work for research on teacher education are considered.     

Three-dimensional conceptual model for service-oriented simulation

In this letter, we propose a novel three-dimensional conceptual model for an emerging service-oriented simulation paradigm. The model can be used as a guideline or an analytic means to find the potential and possible future directions of the current simulation frameworks. In particular, the model inspects the crossover between the disciplines of modeling and simulation, service-orientation, and software/systems engineering. Finally, two specific simulation frameworks are studied as examples.     

Multiple mentor model: A conceptual framework

Conclusion This article focused on developing a conceptual framework for the mentoring process. The model is based on the premise that mentoring is not a single event in the life of a worker but rather several events with different levels of mentoring. Each level of mentoring requires a different type of mentor with different types of skills and knowledge, similar to Len Nadler's HRD training model. Therefore, people may need special training to assume the different mentor levels (i.e., Training, Education, and Development Mentors), and workers may need to be trained to recognize that such experiences and people exist to help in their career progression. Counselors can be in the forefront as far as accepting and advocating the use of the Multiple Mentor Model for this training     

A conceptual design model for CBT development: A NATO case study

CBT (computer-based training) can benefit from the modern multimedia tools combined with network capabilities to overcame traditional education. The objective of this paper is focused on CBT development to improve strategic decision-making with regard to air command and control system for NATO staff in virtual environment. A conceptual design for the CBT of the Web-based command and control system including a methodology and a model of content relations is described. The system helps the personnel to effectively plan, execute, monitor and assess Air operations in a responsive and timely manner. The developed prototype of CBT for Web-based air command and control system for NATO is illustrated.     

Relationship between out-of-home care placement history characteristics and educational achievement: A population level linked data study

Studies generally show children who have entered out-of-home care have worse educational outcomes than the general population, although recent research suggests maltreatment and other adversities are major contributing factors. Children’s out-of-home care experiences vary and may affect their outcomes. This study examined the influence of placement stability, reunification, type of care, time in care and age at entry to care on children’s educational outcomes. We conducted a population-based record-linkage study of children born in Western Australia between 1990 and 2010 who sat State or national Year 3 reading achievement tests (N = 235,045 children, including 2160 children with a history of out-of-home care). Children’s educational outcomes varied with many aspects of their care experience. Children placed in residential care were particularly likely to have low scores, with an unadjusted OR 6.81, 95% CI[4.94, 9.39] for low reading scores, which was partially attenuated after adjusting for background risk factors but remained significant (OR = 1.50, 95% CIs [1.08, 2.08]). Reading scores were also lower for children who had experienced changes in care arrangements in the year of the test. A dose-response effect for multiple placements was expected but not found. Older age at entering care was also associated with worse reading scores. Different characteristics of a child’s care history were interwoven with each other as well as child, family and neighbourhood characteristics, highlighting a need for caution in attributing causality. Although the level of educational difficulties varied, the findings suggest a widespread need for additional educational support for children who have entered care, including after reunification.     

A conceptual change approach to staff development: A model for programme design

With the rapid expansion in tertiary education in the past decade, coupled with the rising emphasis on accountability, teaching quality has become an important issue in higher education worldwide. The increasing emphasis on quality has placed new demands on staff development, in particular to find promising models and methodologies that will guide development approaches. The paper describes an innovative approach to staff development that was synthesized from four theories about conceptual change or change in general. This conceptual change approach is based on the hypothesis that changing teachers' conceptions of teaching towards more elaborated levels will bring about improvement in their teaching practices. A short course derived from this model is outlined.