LEADING GROUPS OF OLDER PEOPLE: A DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF THE EDUCATION OF PROFESSIONALS

With the substantial growth of an aging population, professionals in gerontology need to know how to work with groups of older people. Group work has become a popular means of helping the elderly, for example, to cope with losses (support groups) and to engage in social activities with peers (groups in day centers) as well as to support caregivers of dementia patients (caregivers' groups). We started group interventions to relieve loneliness among older people and developed long-term training to enhance the group leadership skills of professionals and to promote their self-reflection capabilities. Our training process consciously took advantage of constructive learning theory and a reflective learning model. The education process used modern activating learning methods to attain its goals. In this article we describe the main steps of this educational process and show the results of the trainees' evaluation, how they experienced the training process, and how the learning objectives were achieved.     

依托综合实践提升学员组训能力的思考

文章着眼于专业综合实践教学,以提升学员组训能力为目标,通过制订、实施科学的教学计划、教学过程和考核内容,使学员将课程知识点总结归纳,融会贯通,形成系统思维和全局意识,实现专业知识和技能的系统总结应用。     

A Leadership Approach for Counselors

A leadership approach applicable for counselors and guidance directors is presented. Videotapes of groups that were given leadership problems were informally studied and a number of dimensions identified that would help counselors in developing a leadership approach appropriate for their situations. The importance of counselors recognizing that leadership skills are different from counseling skills is key to department or unit accomplishments. The importance of first estimating the maturity of the group to accomplish the task is essential in using the correct combination of task-oriented behavior and relationship-oriented behavior. A situational life-cycle approach to leadership is presented as an appropriate option for counselors to consider when they are in leadership roles.     

Enhancing thinking skills in early childhood

A case study approach was adopted to investigate two thinking skills programmes for a maximum variation sample of five- to six-year-olds in four schools, in two local authorities (LAs), in England and Wales, using multiple methods. School staff interviewed felt that thinking skills programmes enhanced critical thinking skills and improved use of language, attentive listening, social cooperation, confidence and independence. Welsh staff indicated that the programmes had a whole-school impact, reflecting national policy, intensive training, coaching and monitoring and leading to transfer to other lessons, such as mathematics. Without a national curriculum mandate, the English thinking-skills practice was vulnerable to disruption and lack of continuity. Observation showed that teachers' delivery varied in open questioning and challenge, group work and pupil talk. Pupils' verbal reasoning and numerical attainments showed modest evidence of change and development. Conditions supporting change and sustainability included: national policy with thinking skills at its core; high-quality professional development and a whole-school approach; coaching with systematic observation and feedback. This promoted changes in leadership, trust and collaboration, structures of interaction between policy and LA, head teacher, teachers and children.     

学生标准化病人在内分泌科实习岗前培训中的应用

目的:为了探讨学生标准化病人(SSP)在内分泌科实习岗前培训中效果,寻找一种更有效的临床医学生岗前培训的教学模式,提高医学生的基本学习技能和实习效果。方法:选我院临床医学系本科2012年至2013年至内分泌科进行实习前岗前培训的学生共450人为研究对象,确定其中50人作为学生标准化病人,其余400人随机分为对照组和实验组,每组各200人。其中研究组采用SSP模式进行岗前培训与考核,对照组采用常规的通过对岗前培训学生标准化病人开展内分泌科临床教学进行分析与总结,将其教师为主的传统教学模式进行岗前培训与考核。结果:无论是SSP还是教师评分都显示:实验组的系统问诊、全身查体、病情诊断、病例分析、医患沟通成绩明显比对照组得分更高(P<0.05),而在病例书写方面,两组没有显著区别(P>0.05)。结论:基于SSP的教学模式,可以显著提高内分泌科岗前培训学生的临床问诊、体检、病情诊断分析等临床基本技能和与患者的沟通能力,不失为一种良好的岗前培训的教学模式,值得进一步推广。     

关于“综合团队训练”提升大学生职业能力的研究

本研究以同专业同年级的其他217名学生为参照,针对60名大一学生实施为期一年的“综合团队训练”方案。通过方案实施前后学生们在（EUREKA技能问卷》的测评结果,验证“综合团队训练”在提高大学生职业能力方面的作用。结果显示,参训学生在自我管理、处理细节的能力、沟通技能、人际交往技能、领导技能等方面明显提高。所以,“综合团队训练”能显著提高大学生的职业能力,具有推广价值。     

Can weekly discussions in a sensory science course influence student's perception and confidence in their professional success skills?

The Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) success skills highlight the importance of developing professional skills in the food science curriculum. On the other hand, many students in higher education report that the public school system feels disconnected and unrelated to their future. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate student's perceived importance of professional skills, as well as to enhance their awareness and confidence in them. Students in a sensory science class at the University of Illinois completed a questionnaire at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester to assess their opinion of and self‐assurance in professional skills, such as writing technical reports, providing leadership, making formal presentations, and applying critical thinking. During the semester, students received basic training and guidelines on each skill and were given assignments and activities to practice them as part of their coursework. Results showed increased knowledge about the existence of IFT core competencies, as well as an increased motivation to practice success skills regularly. They also showed an increased perceived importance of presentation skills, leadership, dealing with group conflict, researching scientific information, and library resources. Confidence in 80% of the skills increased significantly by the end of the semester, after students had been presented with opportunities to practice and discuss the skills in groups. Students were also able to relate their learning of specific success skills to different course assignments. This study concluded that a general exposure to the importance of practicing professional skills in a college setting enhanced student's experiences and awareness by connecting them to their future professional careers.     

The Relationship between Personality and Achievement Variables in the Elementary School

Abstract

A 20-hour training program in human relations skills was provided for two groups of student teachers using the model initially developed by Carkhuff (3). One group received training concurrent with the student teaching experience while the other received human relations training immediately prior to student teaching experience. A control group of student teachers received no training. Results indicated that the training was highly successful, however, the group trained before the student teaching experience decreased in human relationship skills following the experience. The concurrently trained group, while exhibiting no deterioration, did not achieve as high an initial level of functioning as the former group. The attitudes of both experimental groups toward the training experience were extremely favorable. Implications of the findings for the timing of human relations training groups in the teacher education process were considered.     

Complementary assessment in teacher and school leadership training: Necessity,conceptualization and validation

Contemporary education requires teachers and school leaders who have well developed basic skills and competencies such as interpersonal communication, teamwork and leadership, in order for them to lead their students toward successful integration into society. These skills and competencies are crucial for proper functioning in modern society. Existing training programs for teachers and school leadership roles, however, have little if any dedicated guidance for developing these skills and competencies. Inclusion of basic skill development in training programs necessitates a new model that focuses on their assessment. As a first step toward the development of such a model, this study, carried out using the Delphi method, offers definition and validation of a new concept called “complementary assessment”.     

Systematic modeling versus the learning cycle: Comparative effects on integrated science process skill achievement

This study assessed the effectiveness of the systematic modeling teaching strategy on integrated science process skills and formal reasoning ability. Urban middle school students received a three-month process skill intervention treatment from teachers trained in either the use of systematic modeling or the learning-cycle model. A third, control group received traditional science instruction. The analysis of data revealed that (a) students receiving modeled instruction demonstrated a significant difference in their achievement of process skills when compared to either of the control groups. (b) Students taught by teachers who had received special process skill and strategy training demonstrated a significant difference in their process skill achievement when compared with the control group. (c) Students at different cognitive reasoning levels demonstrated significantly different process skill ability.     

The Superiority of Distributed Practice in Drill in Arithmetic

Abstract

Forty-three second and third grade non-readers who were diagnosed as having visual perceptual deficiencies were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received training in visual analysis, which included visual short-term memory, visual discrimination of letters and words, and remedial instruction. The control group received only remedial instruction. After seven months, there was no significant difference between the groups in visual perception or achievement of reading skills. However, there was a significant mean difference between pretest and posttest scores for both groups on all measures tested. Experimental subjects gained 8.9 months in reading achievement versus 9.2 months for controls, indicating that visual discrimination and visual memory of word training influenced the achievement of reading skills for this group to the same degree as did a remedial program without visual training.     

The influence of a peer-tutoring training model for implementing cooperative groupings with elementary students

This study examined the effects of peer-tutoring training on elementary school student communication and collaboration skills when used in conjunction with cooperative learning. Within six classes (grades 2–6) in an inner-city school, cooperative learning pairs were randomly assigned to two groups (control and training). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) of quantitative data from a systematic observation instrument used over an entire year showed that, in general, the training group surpassed the control group in both communication and collaborative skills. Students in grades 2–3 showed substantially more improvement than students in grades 4–6; also, students with average or below-average reading levels required more time to acquire these skills than did above-average students. The qualitative data further substantiated these findings while revealing a large variation among teachers in implementing cooperative learning. and is Editor of the Research section of this journal.     

IDENTIFYING AND CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Though National Association of School Psychologists standards acknowledge the urgent need for leadership skills among school psychologists and loosely define a leadership agenda, a cogent model for the training and practice of this skill set has not yet been explicated. The formulation of a preliminary conceptual framework is a particularly pressing agenda for school psychology practitioners and academicians who, in response to the call for increased accountability in general and special education, must shift curricula from a traditional diagnostic/consultative/intervention framework to include topics related to organizational effectiveness. The objective of this article is to identify key behaviors, skills, dispositions, and contextual variables that will facilitate successful leadership among practicing school psychologists and then to propose considerations for specialist‐level training in school psychology.     

从个体到系统的联动：学校领导视野下的小学骨干教师培养

学校的革新和发展离不开一群德才兼备、能力卓越的教师,特别在学校领导理念不断革新的当下,骨干教师的培养更应该成为学校领导的一项系统工程,应该从学校愿景引领和组织文化革新的高度来考察骨干教师的养成问题,通过激发个体、组织和学校系统的合力,挖掘骨干教师培养中从个体到系统的联动效应,形成推动和支持学校整体发展的影响性力量。     

The relative effectiveness of lecturing,modeling, and role playing in training paraprofessional reading tutors

Three methods of training remedial reading tutors were compared. One group of college student volunteers heard lectures and received written handouts describing seven tutoring skills. Another group received the handouts and observed an expert model demonstrate the skills. A third group was given handouts, practiced the skills, and received feedback on performance. All groups attended eight half-hour training sessions. Data from videotaped tutoring tests indicated all groups made significant improvements in the target behaviors. The group that practiced the skills and received feedback made the greatest gains and was significantly better than the other two groups at the end of treatment. The demonstration group also was significantly better than the lecture group.     

A Model for Teaching Group Work Through Service-Learning in a Baccalaureate Program

Generalist practice social workers need to master group leadership and facilitation skills, and the best way to achieve this goal is through actual practice. An innovative teaching approach used to engage undergraduate social work majors in developing group facilitation skills is a “hands-on” service-learning experience leading social skills groups with middle school children. Students have the opportunity for a meaningful educational experience while working with children in a school setting. A four-session social skills curriculum is provided.     

儿童孤独症早期家庭训练方法的研究

目的 :探讨以家庭为核心对孤独症儿童进行早期干预的有效方法。方法 :以《早期训练纲要》(FFK)为宗旨对 2 1例孤独症儿童 ,进行为期 18个月的家庭训练对照研究。结果 :18个月的家庭训练中 ,指导组患儿技能平均增长 10 0项 ,对照组患儿技能平均增长 53项。两组结果差异显著 (P <0 .0 0 1)。结论 :系统指导下开展家庭训练对促进孤独症儿童早期技能的发展十分有效     

教学领导研究的新进展：理念与技能

教学领导研究与西方国家对学校绩效和学生成就的关注存在密切关系。自20世纪80年代以来,教学领导研究经历了兴起、削弱和再度回潮三个时期。20世纪90年代末期再度兴起的教学领导研究在内涵和理念上发生了深刻变化,研究重点发生转移;同时,研究者通过实证方式提出了促使教学领导理念融入日常领导行为和工作的一系列关键技能和技术,为大学和学区制定校长培训方案建立了基础。     

新形势下农民工职业技能培训现状及对策探究

农民工职业技能培训需要学理层面的支撑,人的全面发展的理论、人力资本理论、公共产品理论和多元合作理论是其重要的学理基础.当下,农民工职业技能培训的参与度比例偏低,培训主体各自为政,有待整合,培训的体制机制有待进一步健全规范,培训的实效有待进一步提高等是农民工职业技能培训面临的整体现状.破解这些难题,需要解放思想,树立科学的农民工职业技能培训观;需要整理资源,加强农民工职业技能培训的组织领导;需要多措并举,切实提高农民工职业技能培训的实效;需要多元投入,为农民工职业技能培训提供可靠的经费保障.