A DEAN'S AND DEPARTMENT CHAIR'S GUIDE TO DOCUMENTING COMPETENCY‐BASED PROGRAM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN IN THE 2‐YEAR COLLEGE

Changes in the new Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 have added to existing state and regional accrediting agency pressures for competency‐based instruction. Because of these increasing pressures, deans, department chairs, and administrators of federal vocational funds administered under the act are, and will continue to be, required to provide evidence that their programs are competency based. A three‐step model to competency‐based programs as well as administrator guidelines for needed documentation are presented.     

A real world comparison of the effectiveness of satellite training and classroom training

Businesses and educational institutions use satellite technology to transmit information for a number of purposes, including training. This study assessed the effectiveness of a satellite training program for achieving various learning requirements ranging from recognition and recall of information to the performance of a specific job procedure. This study also compared satellite training with traditional classroom training for two courses in which the same material was taught using both media. Results showed that learning occurred using the satellite medium and that there were slight but statistically significant differences between satellite and classroom instruction for learning job-related skills.Kristen M. Williams is a senior member of AIR's research staff specializing in training research and evaluation. The research reported here was conducted under Contract Number 104230-88-D-1811, Task Order Number 10430-92-D-1296 with the United States Postal Service. Opinions and conclusions presented do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Postal Service.     

Young Children’s Curiosity About Physical Differences Associated with Race: Shared Reading to Encourage Conversation

Many have called for re-examination of the “colorblind” philosophy to which some early educators have, tacitly or explicitly, adhered (e.g. Boutte et al. 2011; Derman-Sparks and Edwards 2010; Husband 2012). It has been argued that, while colorblind approaches may appear to be politically neutral, they actually exacerbate racial oppression. In this article, we advocate for a direct and active approach to raising conversations about race with younger preschool children. Based on the developmental nature of young children’s concepts of self and of other, our focus is on initiating discussions about concrete and observable physical aspects of human diversity associated with race. Young children notice and are curious about differences in skin color, hair texture, and facial features. Because these differences are salient, are accessible, and are of interest to young children they can serve as an effective starting point. We suggest shared reading of high quality illustrated children’s books, incorporating the principles of dialogic reading, as a potent springboard for discussions about race with very young children. Our purpose is to equip children, very early in their schooling, with a color-filled appreciation for and comfort with physical diversity of appearance. On that foundation, children may better proceed on the course of developing anti-racist attitudes.