Innovation in a professional organization

The innovation of academic programs has been an issue of considerable interest in higher education policy in the Netherlands during the past five years. Both university administration authorities and the minister of education have tried to stimulate the innovation of academic programs by creating incentives.This article evaluates two innovative projects at the University of Utrecht, and the role of incentives in these particular cases. The results of this evaluation are then reconsidered from a theoretical point of view. Conclusions are formulated with respect to the extent to which innovation can be stimulated, and the kind of incentives suitable for this purpose.This article is a revised version of a paper presented at the 9th European Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Enschede, The Netherlands, August 24–26, 1987.     

Social Justice in Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Position Statement

ABSTRACT

There are varied approaches that have been used in sport for development (SFD) projects. This article is focused on the move by sport and exercise psychology researchers toward community-based SFD projects where marginalized groups are centralized. The authors have chosen two of their projects to exemplify different approaches to SFD. An initial project with an Aboriginal community is critically examined to reveal cultural missteps that perpetuated cultural colonization–something antithetical to community capacity building. The second project is then considered because of its closer alignment with cultural praxis and community capacity building. This second project focuses on the initial developments of a YMCA physical activity project designed to meet the needs of forced immigrants (a self-titled name developed by the refugee community members) and the staff who work with them. We culminate with five postulates proposed for SFD project teams derived from our vantage in sport and exercise psychology, where community engagement and eventual self-governance are imperatives.     

Transitions to work: A model for program development

Interventions designed to assist the unemployed make the transition to employment have typically focused on the development of specific skills. In this paper, the author argues that such approaches are insufficient for counselors to assist individuals attempting to make the transition to employment. A brief background to the unemployment problem is presented, followed by a summary of some of the major problems with traditional employment programs. The author then presents a comprehensive model for program development that incorporates seven levels of intervention, and five components of effective transition programs. Implications for counseling are discussed.     

Reflections on the state of educational technology research and development

In this article, I comment on the seven articles that appeared in the special issues of Educational Technology Research and Development (1998, 46(4); 1999, 47(2)) and an associated American Educational Research Association (AERA) symposium, as well as other selected developments in educational technology as presented in a recent edited volume (Jacobson & Kozma, in press). I address the importance of the research and development (R&D) described in these articles and identify five interconnected themes that cut across many of them: the centrality of design, the enabling capabilities of technology, collaboration with new partners, scaling up of projects, and the use of alternative research methodologies. Together, the projects described in these articles are defining new directions for educational technology that put it at the forefront of educational R&D. At the same time, I direct a critique and challenge to traditional instructional systems design (ISD) technology programs.     

Staff development in early reading intervention programs: the facilitator

Current reform initiatives often call for facilitators to work with teachers and administrators in the change process. Although this facilitating position is becoming more common, little is currently understood about this role and the forms it might take. This study examines the work of four facilitators involved in five different successful reform programs focusing on early reading intervention. These facilitators are instrumental in different approaches to reform, ranging from externally adopted to internally developed interventions. Findings examine the different roles of facilitation as viewed by the facilitators themselves in relationship to these different approaches to reform. Common issues and dilemmas are also examined.     

Evaluation of Corporate Training Programs: Perspectives and Issues for Further Research

Performance improvement interventions, including training, are investments that can yield identifiable payoffs for an organization in the form of better job performance. Evaluation is vital to continuous improvement of human performance in the workplace. Without measures of effectiveness, organizations do not know whether dollars are being spent wisely and, consequently, whether to continue, modify, or improve performance interventions. There are several approaches for the evaluation of training programs. Few adequately cover the broader perspective of performance improvement. Various schemes and terms are used to describe facets for evaluating training programs. However, sometimes different terms describe the same event. At other times, quite different training evaluation activities are discussed by different authors using the same terms. The present article reviews six overall evaluation perspectives of corporate training programs: Kirkpatrick's four‐level approach; the CIRO approach; Hamblin's five‐level approach; Florida State University approach; Indiana University approach; and Phillips' five‐level approach. And four research areas for further study are recommended: overall evaluation models, causal relationships between evaluation categories, systematic research on how to evaluate the various categories, and appropriate uses of the results of evaluations.     

Elements of a successful capstone course considering the needs of stakeholders

One of the principal objectives of engineering education is to prepare graduates for the practice of engineering in industry. Industry involvement in the educational process can be very helpful in devising programs to meet this objective. Yet, engineering education has a number of other stakeholders including students, faculty, academic administrators, and others. Identifying and meeting the needs and wants of these various stakeholders is essential in developing educational programs and learning activities that are effective and sustainable. Stakeholders in engineering education are identified, including their wants and needs. Alternative approaches to developing a Capstone course, with input from these stakeholders, are proposed and evaluated in light of stakeholder needs and wants. A case study for developing a two-semester senior design capstone course at Brigham Young University is presented. In this example more than 300 industry sponsored, design and build, projects have been completed by cross-functional student teams over more than ten years. Feedback from alumni on the success of this course in meeting desired educational objectives is also presented.     

Characterizing engineering faculty's teaching approaches

In this paper, we identify several approaches engineering faculty use to teach engineering topics. We report results from an exploratory study, consisting of 16 faculty interviews from five diverse institutions of higher education. We focus specifically on engineering faculty because the engineering faculty teaching culture is not well explored, even though there are many ongoing projects to reform engineering education. The results from this study contribute to efforts currently underway to improve teaching and learning in engineering education, as well as in higher education. Results from this study highlight the disciplinary nature of teaching in the engineering domain. Furthermore, our results can serve as a foundation to compare teaching approaches in other disciplines, or to potential changes in engineering teaching practices.     

“全国教育科学规划课题”中学前教育课题研究的状况与分析

本研究采用内容分析法,对我国“七五”到“十一五”期间“全国教育科学规划课题”中的学前教育规划课题进行了分析,结果表明：在此期间,“全国教育科学规划课题”中共设立了114项学前教育课题,其绝对数量与相对数量都在逐年增加;研究课题的主要承担者是高等院校,并主要分布在沿海城市等发达地区或是具有重视学前教育传统的地区;研究涉及范围较广,但主要集中在五大领域、儿童与课程三类研究选题上;呈现出特色课题不断涌现、研究选题凸显时代背景、研究内容由宏观向具体易操作方向发展等特点。     

中国学前教育研究会立项课题的研究状况与分析

本文采用内容分析法,对“十五”（2001-2005）、“十一五”（2006—2007）规划时期“中国学前教育研究会立项课题”进行了分析,分析维度涉及课题数量、课题承担人员、课题选题。分析结果表明：“十五”“十一五”期间,中国学前教育研究会立项课题共549项;课题承担者主体为幼儿园,共323项,占课题总数的59．9％;课题负责人所在单位主要位于沿海城市等发达地区或具有重视学前教育传统的地区;课题选题丰富,不同单位的承担者在课题选题方面存在极其显著的差异。     

Die Transferproblematik im Kontext von Modellversuchen und Modellversuchsprogrammen

In this article the results of transfer research, which were acquired in the context of pilot programs, will be presented. The problem of transfer gained special attention in relation to pilot projects during the late 1980s and was one of the major reasons for a change of focus from financing pilot projects to financing pilot programs. However, in research the transfer problem has not as yet gained the attention it deserves. Reliable conclusions on the effects of the great variety of available transfer concepts are rare. The selected results of the transfer program “Transfer 21” that are presented in this article, however, exemplify some positive effects.     

Establishing the Integrity of the Independent Variable in Early Intervention Programs

With the implementation of P.L. 99–457, early intervention programs are becoming more widespread; they are also being pressed to become more accountable. Persons evaluating early intervention programs have typically adopted outcome-oriented approaches focusing exclusively on measuring the dependent program variable (i.e., changes in student measures). This article highlights some of the problems inherent in these traditional approaches to program evaluation. A number of recommendations are offered for assessing the independent variable with the same methodological rigor that is typically reserved for measuring student outcomes in program evaluation studies. The implications of this shift in methodological approach are discussed in terms of improving the ability to replicate successful programs, design new ones with increased efficiency, and provide long-lasting support for early intervention.     

Establishing the Integrity of the Independent Variable in Early Intervention Programs

With the implementation of P.L. 99-457, early intervention programs are becoming more widespread; they are also being pressed to become more accountable. Persons evaluating early intervention programs have typically adopted outcome-oriented approaches focusing exclusively on measuring the dependent program variable (i.e., changes in student measures). This article highlights some of the problems inherent in these traditional approaches to program evaluation. A number of recommendations are offered for assessing the independent variable with the same methodological rigor that is typically reserved for measuring student outcomes in program evaluation studies. The implications of this shift in methodological approach are discussed in terms of improving the ability to replicate successful programs, design new ones with increased efficiency, and provide long-lasting support for early intervention.     

THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY IN THE REGULATION OF GIFTED CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

Experiments on problems of development of abilities have been carried out for five years with pupils in different age groups. The basis of the approach was development of psychodiagnostic approaches that would help in speeding up the development of cognitive activity in children with ordinary abilities. Gifted children display a high level of self‐regulation, master complicated psychological processes faster, react positively to novelty and complexity, and can differentiate more clearly. Teaching of gifted children is carried out in the Small Academy of Sciences, where programs on the development of interests and abilities take account of each specific pupil's characteristics. Gifted children can predict the future better, their plans are directed to the future. They are interested in renewing society, because their aims are more motivated by a strongly developed future perspective. Further work requires coordination with the International Council on Children's Talents and Gifts, especially regarding teacher training programs involving the study of special endowments and their development.     

国际经济与贸易专业人才需求探析

通过对苏州多家从事外贸出口业务的中小企业实地参观、考察、面谈、问卷调查,从五个方面调查了企业对国际经济与贸易专业人才的需求情况,同时也得出了对国际经济与贸易专业建设的一些新思路,为改进国际经济与贸易专业的教学模式,办出专业特色,进一步拓宽毕业生就业渠道奠定了坚实的基础。     

Practice in Teacher Education: an Israeli perspective

This paper describes prevailing models of teacher education programs in Israel and tries to explain their variability regarding the student‐teaching component. It is argued that this variability is the result of holding different views regarding three core factors: professional (the way teaching is perceived as a profession), epistemological (the way the knowledge base of teaching is created and acquired), sociopolitical (ownership claims regarding this knowledge base). The combined effect of these three factors is a variety of teacher education programs especially in terms of their practical components. These differ in timing, organization, location, intensity in actual student teaching and reflection, amount of supervision and control. Different modes of practicum emerge, ranging from technical ones deriving from competency based approaches to constructivist reflective ones. Among the constructivist practicums some are based on interactionist modes of meaning construal, some are social or dialectical type of knowledge construction and some emphasize the collective structuring of meaning within the community of practice. The many types of teacher education and student‐teaching programs in existence in Israel, reflect this variability of approaches.     

我国小学科学教师教育:现状、问题与思考

我国小学科学教师职前培养已形成了四种主要模式。不同模式的小学科学教师教育在科学类专业课程、教育类专业课程和专业实践课程上差异较大,在小学科学教师继续教育和专业发展方面也存在多种多样的方式。当前我国小学科学教师教育存在的五个方面的问题,针对这些问题作者提出了改进小学科学教师教育及其专业的五条建议。     

函数展开成Fourier级数的几何解释

为帮助学生深入理解Fourier级数，本文用Mathematica软件编写了四段程序，通过几幅简单的静态与动态图形，形象地揭示了用三角级数逼近周期函数时的过程。