Job change in the future

Job change now and in the future is a reality. Currently, job change appears to be a continental occurrence and is moving toward a global phenomenon. The present discussion of job change in the global marketplace is not meant to be an exhaustive explicative of the topic nor is it inclusive of all future contexts for employment. The intent, instead, has been to encourage the consideration of a multitude of issues related to job change, and to highlight the importance and implications of the evolution of the world of work in regard to this process. Research questions have also been delineated in anticipation of the refinement and expansion of current conceptualizations of job change in the future.Job change is an important dimension in an individual's career development process. It is anticipated, therefore, that this special issue about job change will, at a minimum, lead to a more informed and sophisticated means of understanding and intervening with individuals. Hopefully, the issue will stimulate thinking, dialogue, interventions, programs, and empirical investigations about job change. Regardless of the ultimate eventualities, job change offers exciting opportunities and challenges for individuals now and in the future.     

Associate Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Mentorship Professional Development

Associate (mentor) teachers are essential partners in guiding teacher candidates into the profession; however, little training is offered for this critical role. This study explored, through the lens of self-determination theory, types of support and delivery most useful for successful mentorship during practicum. Online surveys and invited interviews targeted at associate teachers for one teacher preparation program (TPP) were used to gather data, with subsequent ordinal scale data display and theme derivation. Based on 281 survey respondents and 13 interviews, results highlighted specific TPP supports and the need for other partners (i.e., federations, boards) to engage more actively in supporting associate teachers.     

The placement of secondary school students with Statements of special educational needs in the more diversified system of English secondary schooling

This article examines the pattern of placement of students with significant special educational needs at Statement and School Action Plus levels in English secondary schools, comparing sponsored and converter academies, maintained schools and the newly created free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges for 2013 and 2014. The analysis shows a clear pattern of differences: converter academies (which are governed by their own governing body) had significantly lower proportions of students with significant special educational needs overall than maintained (those remaining under local authority management) and sponsored academies (those considered to be weak/failing schools forced to become academies with outside sponsors that oversee the schools). There was a similar pattern of findings for most areas of special educational needs, except visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. The pattern of placement of students with Statements in the newly created free schools also showed that some free schools have unusually high proportions of students with special educational needs. These findings are discussed in terms of the increasing stratification of English secondary schools and the potential of small secondary schools to be more inclusive.     

An overview of a programme of research to support the assessment of Critical Thinking

Cambridge Assessment has more than 20 years experience in assessing Critical Thinking (CT) in a number of diverse tests and qualifications, unrivalled by any other body within the UK. In recent years, a number of research activities have been carried out in order to support these assessments, with a focus on the validity of measurement. This paper will describe the programme of work, related to four areas of research: (1) to derive a definition, taxonomy and glossary of CT and the importance of such work not just for test design but also for syllabus design and question setting; (2) to survey the practical issues surrounding teaching CT in schools, the experiences and perceptions of teachers; (3) to examine the impact of taking A/AS levels in CT on students’ performance in their other A-level subjects; and (4) to examine the predictive validity of HE admissions tests containing CT on subsequent university exams and degree performance. Finally, the paper will discuss how these research activities contribute to the validity of CT tests and qualifications.     

Debate tournament results

This study compares the difficulty in speechreading various transformations of a kernel sentence. Different transformations were found to vary in their intelligibility under these conditions.     

Wrestling

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the co‐efficient of friction (Fc) between old versus new wrestling shoes and mats and to investigate the effect of perspiration. Fc was measured by dragging a weighted shoe over a wrestling mat surface and measuring the vertical and horizontal forces produced. Three different shoe conditions were assessed over two mat types for both wet and dry conditions for a total of 12 conditions. To simulate the wet condition, saline solution was smeared over the surface of the mat. There was a significant effect of shoe, mat, and wet/dry conditions. In addition, significant interactions of shoe by mat, shoe by dry/wet, and mat by dry/wet were observed. Overall, Fc was 36% higher for the new wrestling mat compared to the old wrestling mat. Application of the saline solution reduced Fc by 14% compared to the dry condition. Comparison of the mean Fc for all three shoe types revealed the Fc for the older design shoe was 23% to 28% lower than the brand new shoe and the worn newer design, respectively. A high Fc, such as in the new mat/new shoe combination, has the potential to increase the risk of knee and ankle injuries by fixing the foot more securely to the ground.     

Part 11: Learning Strategies

Educational psychologists have investigated which learning strategies are most effective at promoting long-term learning. The best strategies involve students generating knowledge through sustained engagement. Two of the most valuable strategies are distributing learning over time and testing oneself. Resource-based assignments should require students to submit drafts for formative feedback to promote successive relearning. Students generate understanding through selecting what to pay attention to, organizing what they learn, and integrating it with what they already know. Learning is not easy, students need to experience desirable difficulties to truly learn.     

Education Trifecta: Win Attention,Place Knowledge,Show Understanding

Continuing education for librarians and educating library school students in the areas of technical services are topics often discussed within the field of librarianship. The presenters in this session provided alternatives to “on the job” education for technical services professionals. Two presenters provided strategies for instructing an online continuing education course on acquisitions. The third presenter shared information about the development and teaching of a serials course at a library school.     

An Overview of Evaluative Instrumentation for Virtual High Schools

Abstract

With an increasing prevalence of virtual high school programs in the United States, a better understanding of evaluative tools available for distance educators and administrators is needed. These evaluative tools would provide opportunities for assessment and a determination of success within virtual schools. This article seeks to provide an analysis and classification of instrumentation currently available. It addresses issues regarding the limited arsenal of assessments and evaluation instrumentation for virtual schools.