NEWS AND REVIEWS

This paper discusses some of the findings of two research projects initiated by the National Union of Teachers (NUT): a survey of all Round One Education Action Zone (EAZ) NUT school representatives, which sought their views on working in an EAZ school and an evaluation of the role of teachers in EAZs on behalf of the NUT by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The paper considers the extent and effectiveness of teacher involvement in the EAZs at all stages of the initiative, from the initial application process to the implementation and delivery of zone programmes.     

团队管理专业课程关键能力培养实证研究

以实证研究为依托,针对专业课程、团队管理课程关键能力培养需求和主要影响因素进行了专项调研,针对高职教育关键能力培养存在的问题,提出了有针对性制定课程关键能力培养目标,采用行动导向教学法,渗透式教学法、OTPAE训练法、社团活动和社会实践等培养关键能力的策略。     

Competency-based Professional Development

ABSTRACT

Professional development can be a challenge for LIS professionals upon leaving graduate school and entering the work force. Engaging in an ongoing self-assessment of core competencies can assist LIS professionals in meeting their career goals. The Multi-Subject Learning Survey (MSLS) was administered to practicing librarians for a self-assessment of their abilities. Responses were analyzed through SPSS software to ascertain levels of ability in eight categories. A t test was performed for any significant differences between the groups of librarians. The survey was effective in identifying skills for improvement. Potential use by administrators for professional development and career planning were identified.     

Library and Informatics Skills Competencies Statements from Major Health Professional Associations

Every major health profession now provides competency statements for preparing new members for their respective professions. These competency statements normally include expectations for training health professions students in library/informatics skills. For purposes of this article, searches were conducted using various sources to produce a comprehensive 32-page Compendium <https://repository.unm.edu/handle/1928/15363> that inventories library/informatics-related competency statements. This compendium should aid readers in integrating their library/informatics skills training into various health professions education curricula.     

The Difficult Patron Situation

Summary

Problem/difficult patron incidents that occur in libraries are on the rise. Library administrators and library employees have attempted to decrease the number of incidents by providing staff training and formulating policies and rules to control the situation. The purpose of this article is to share the proactive steps that the Education and Behavioral Sciences Library, Penn State University Libraries, took to prevent or decrease the incidences of difficult patrons as the library prepares to relocate. The focus was on assisting the frontline staff members, who work on the reference desk, to acquire the competencies they need to provide consistent quality reference services to patrons, and to reduce incidences of unsatisfied, difficult, and problem patrons.     

An Exploratory Investigation of the Counseling Competencies Scale: A Measure of Counseling Skills,Dispositions, and Behaviors

The authors examined the psychometric properties of the Counseling Competencies Scale (CCS; University of Central Florida Counselor Education Faculty, 2009 ), an instrument designed to assess trainee competencies as measured in their counseling skills, dispositions, and behaviors. There was strong internal consistency for the 4‐factor model for midterm data (.927) and the 5‐factor model for final data (.933). Interrater reliability for the total CCS score was .570, and criterion‐related validity (correlation between the total score on the final CCS and semester grade) yielded a moderate correlation (r= .407, p < .01). Thus, the results provide initial support for using the CCS to assess counseling students’ professional competencies.     

Boys do not benefit from male teachers in their reading and mathematics skills: empirical evidence from 21 European Union and OECD countries

The prevalence of women in the teaching profession has been claimed by various scholars to be responsible for the low school performance among boys. Based on this claim there have been widespread calls for increasing the share of male teachers as a means of improving boys' school performance. There is, however, very little empirical evidence supporting the claim that boys do in fact benefit from being taught by male teachers. Drawing on data from the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and the 2006 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, this paper examines the relationship between teacher gender and boys' and girls' respective school performance in a sample of 146,315 elementary school students from 21 countries. It finds that boys do not benefit from being taught by male teachers, neither in mathematics nor in reading. In some countries, however, girls seem to profit from being taught by female teachers.     

基于岗位能力要求的职业英语输出型项目教学改革

针对高职公共英语教学存在的突出问题,探究高职公共英语项目教学的依据及如何实现有效的英语项目教学才能达到服务于就业及专业学习的功能。开展广东医疗器械企业及高职医械从业人员调查,分析该行业对于高职高专院校毕业生岗位英语能力要求,确立医械岗位所需的五项英语能力,并提出基于岗位能力分析的《职业英语》输出型项目教学的四点策略。     

Impact of professional development programme on teachers’ competencies in assessment

ABSTRACT

In the past few decades, increasing demands have been placed on developing students’ autonomy and critical thinking skills. To enhance students’ agency in learning, teachers have been encouraged to adopt alternative pedagogical practices. The revamp of pedagogy needs to be reflected in assessment as it is an integral part of instruction. Practising teachers, however, lack assessment knowledge due to inadequate training during the pre-service preparation programmes. The enhancement of assessment knowledge is being urgently called for, which demands the professional development of teachers. This study seeks to investigate the impact of a professional development programme organized by a university in Hong Kong on the development of assessment knowledge of four teachers in two elementary schools. Findings indicate that the acquisition of assessment knowledge is a long-term achievement, which requires ongoing professional development efforts.