Abstract not available

The main aim of this thesis centred on what made effective professional development programs. As a particular case study data was collected on those programs sponsored by the Melbourne Catholic Education Office. Teachers from three schools in the North Western Metropolitan Zone of Melbourne, Australia, the principals from the three participating schools and training staff from the Catholic Education Office in Melbourne became the subjects of the study. The data collected from questionnaires was analysed in order to ascertain whether there were any common trends as to what the teachers thought was needed in effective professional development programs. The interviews with the participating principals and training staff were taped and later analysed in order to determine what they believed was the purpose of professional development and whether the programs currently being offered were effective. In addition, a list of characteristics of effective professional development was developed from the relevant research literature. The analysis of the above data was used to develop a model of effective professional development. The design of this model is cyclical. A main characteristic of the model promotes the reflection by both the participants and the training providers on what has occurred during the program and this process of reflection contributes in later development of programs in similar areas. It was also concluded that the needs and expectations from professional development of teachers and principals were different to what has been expected in past research projects. Both the teachers and principals expected that they would not be solely immersed in theory or in activities that may be used in the classroom. Instead they hoped to gain a knowledge of activities that are based on theory and develop an understanding of how these activities may be used and how they will assist in student learning. Hence, the link between the theory and its application was believed by teachers and principals to be of primary importance in professional development in order to maintain high teaching practices and in turn result in improved student learning.

'Profession' and 'professional' are shifting signifiers that have taken on a range of new meanings in the past two decades as professional occupations have been reshaped by moves to 'flexible' (deregulated and decentred) work processes and work practices. The role of modern professions was significant in terms of the democratic elements of the professionalising project. But how do moves away from the modern bureaucratically-structured professions, and a professional ideal based on the concept of universal service, impact on graduates currently entering professional employment domains in which new 'performativity-based' management regimes are replacing the older control structures? This study draws on a range of sociological literature to explore both the structural and discursive changes in the meaning of profession practice. The study also draws on a number of research projects, including materials from focus group interviews of final year undergraduate students, recruitment brochures, ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) statistical analyses and DEST (Australia: Department of Employment, Science and Training) graduate destination studies, and policy documents. These materials are used to argue that the employment destinations of those with professional qualifications and credentials are now more stratified and more diverse and no longer necessarily coupled with a lifelong career. In addtion, the new management regimes that accompany the move to more flexible work processes and work practices are changing how those in professional work locations construct their sense of themselves as professional practitioners. Changes in the nature of professional work, and in the structural and discursive location of professional workers, have implications for education and training institutions. These institutions not only prepare workers for these occupational domains but are the main conduits through which access to work in the restructured labour markets is mediated. The study concludes by drawing attention to the need for educational research to be anchored in a 'sociology of employment' that is able to provide a more critical account of the relationship between education and training and entry into high status/low status employment domains.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 113-119). Also available in print.

Abstract: This dissertation is a case study of one teacher who participated in a project that investigated the effects of the Texas Instruments NavigatorTM, a wireless communication system on student algebra achievement and related pedagogy. The larger study, Classroom Connectivity in Promoting Mathematics and Science Achievement (CCMS) based at The Ohio State University (OSU), funded by the U. S. Department of Education, involved approximately 120 self-selected participants across the United States. A partial requirement for participation was agreement to attend professional development provided by the CCMS project. The professional development included a week-long summer institute at OSU prior to implementation of the TI-NavigatorTM, attendance at annual International T3 meetings, participation in the cohort listserve, and semi-annual telephone interviews. During data collection of the CCMS project, many of the participants exhibited an enthusiasm for implementation of the tool and the pedagogy supported by the CCMS project. The subject of this case study, Mrs. G, was among those perceived as high implementers. This longitudinal study attempts to verify alignment of her instruction with the pedagogy promoted in the professional development sessions provided by the project. Transcripts from professional development sessions were compared with Mrs. G’s comments about her perception of her implementation of the project. Transcribed classroom observations were then analyzed using NVivo software to quantify evidence of implementation of the pedagogy with respect to the three constructs of classroom discourse, levels of questioning and formative assessment. The results of the analyses indicated that Mrs. G implemented the pedagogy advocated by the professional development sessions of the CCMS project. According to the literature key elements were in place for successful professional development. The teacher was allowed autonomy and choice in her professional development In Mrs. G’s words, “Professional development must be relevant to my profession and support my goals… student understanding.” Implications are that pre-service programs should instill in prospective teachers the importance of life-long learning and equip them with strategies to seek out professional development opportunities that are relevant to them. In-service teachers should in turn be given autonomy and choice in determining which professional development opportunities will complement their programs.

Based on four articles, this compilation thesis analyses the demonstrated com-petence defining a medical doctor, to the extent to which he or she acquires a high status and high level of employability in professional practice. Overall, the thesis aimed to describe and analyse professional socialization during doctors' transition from education to work. Questions addressed included how higher education should be understood as preparation for professional practice, how ideals of the future professional were conceived and how these ideals differenti-ated 'good' from 'bad' doctors in professional development and recruitment. The research employed a version of practice theory as its theoretical framework, developed with the aid of work by Pierre Bourdieu, Judith Butler, John Dewey and Theodore Schatzki. Throughout the individual studies, ideals were con-structed and understood as moral imperatives, stating how doctors are expected to perform in professional practice. Article I explored the ideals of academia and higher education practices in a general sense. In this study, the ideals involve the perceived function of higher education in relation to work. Three different and conflicting perspectives were constructed with the aid of a literature study. Arti-cle II was a survey investigation of how two cohorts (n=169) of recent graduates from a Swedish medical programme viewed their competence and the prepara-tion they received for work through the medical programme. The results show that graduates might be overly prepared from a knowledge perspective, while lacking in practical skills and preparation for difficult situations in the work-place. Article III investigated the ideals of the medical programme using an interview study with eight medical students and eight medical teachers. The ideals constructed show how conflicting ideals, such as strength and humility, shape conceptions of the future professional. Finally, Article IV reports an inter-view study with recruiters of medical interns in Sweden's 21 most popular hospi-tals. Results showed that the most attractive candidates balanced two traits: orientation towards performance and orientation towards human relations. They also successfully demonstrated possession of these qualities in their appli-cation and subsequent interview. Overall, the results from the studies indicated that there are great differences between views of proper preparation for work and views of the highly-employable doctor. While medical knowledge and skills were seen as important in preparation for work, they were absent in the views of the highly-competent and employable doctor. Instead, generic attributes, such as drive, curiosity, cooperativeness, warmth, maturity and reflectiveness, char-acterised descriptions of the most accomplished medical professionals. These attributes also were seen primarily as developed before or 'beside' the formal medical education programme.

Personer med autism behöver ha människor runt omkring sig som förstår dem, vilket kräver kunskap både om autism och om den specifika individen. För att kunna uppnå detta behövs ett fungerande samarbete mellan föräldrar och personal. Syftet med denna studie var att jämföra personal och föräldrars syn på personer med autism. För att undersöka detta genomfördes 10 intervjuer som analyserades med meningskoncentrering som analysmetod. Resultatet visade att föräldrar och personal betonade olika delar av störningen. Föräldrar ansåg sig ha samma syn som personal, medan personalen ansåg sig ha en annan syn än föräldrarna, något som kunde bero på att de hade olika referensgrupper i åtanke. Samarbetet ansågs kunna förbättras genom att ha fler möten. Resultaten bekräftar tidigare forskning.

The purpose of this study is to investigate ethical dilemmas and ethical difficulties experienced by psychologists in Sweden and South Africa. The study is a replication of previous studies conducted by Colnerud (1997) and Slack and Wassenaar (1999). A sample of 295 psychologists in Sweden and 312 psychologists in South Africa were asked to describe situations that they identified as ethically difficult. 53 psychologists in Sweden described 61 incidents and 21 psychologists in South Africa described 24 situations. This corresponds to a response rate of 20% in Sweden and 8% in South Africa. The reported dilemmas were categorized according to a qualitative content analysis developed by Pope and Vetter (1992). The contribution of this study is that the results confirm that confidentiality is a prominent ethical dilemma for psychologists in Sweden and South Africa. This finding is consistent with findings in comprehensive international research. Furthermore, the results indicate that psychologists, especially in Sweden, experience ethical problems due to weakened legitimacy when conducting assessments. The results are discussed taking into consideration the different contexts in which psychologists work, the application of different ethics codes and different levels of ethical awareness. The weaknesses of the study and the method used are also discussed.

Over sixty franchise relocations have occurred across the four major professional sports leagues in the United States, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, National Football League and National Hockey League. By taking a look at the changes in four factors that occurred from the pre-move to post-move site of each franchise and move date, years in pre-move location and winning percentage of each franchise pre-move, this paper is able to determine general trends in determining why franchises move from and to particular locations. The six factors that are looked at in this study are standard metropolitan area size, moved date, years in pre-move location, racial demographics, per capita income and unemployment rate.

A concern following school counselors participation in professional training is whether or not they are able to implement information learned. One such professional training that school counselors attend is Adventure Based Counseling (ABC). ABC groups are effective for addressing a myriad of concerns with young people. ABC groups address problem-solving skills, self-esteem, responsibility, goal setting, cooperation, and interpersonal skills. Although many school counselors have participated in ABC training, there is a lack of research that supports whether they are actually utilizing these techniques with their students. Additionally, current research does not provide information as to how training programs and school dynamics may be improved to allow for increased utilization of ABC with students; therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand the barriers that inhibit and the factors that support school counselors' ability to implement information learned from Professional Trainings, with a focus on ABC training. This qualitative study took a phenomenological approach, with a constructivist philosophical stance. Data sources included interviews with school counselors, which provided descriptions of their Professional and ABC training experiences and reasons for either using or not using Professional and ABC activities. The themes included What Professional and ABC training sessions school counselors attended and What they are implementing that they learned from these sessions. In addition, school counselors' various reactions to Professional and ABC training, such as Choice, Type of Delivery, Presenter Qualities, Time and Applicability were delineated. Results also included information pertaining to the Impact and Logistics of using information learned at Professional and ABC trainings. The results of this study may have important implications for school counselors, counselor educators, and administrators related to the implementation of skills learned from Professional and ABC training experiences. Implications for future research and limitations of this study are discussed.