No description available.

Adults are constituting an ever increasing, often integral part, of todays’ learners, from elementary level to higher education. Their life situations are different from the traditional learners’ in many ways. The aim of this literature study was to identify, describe and categorise factors related to learning and teaching that supports or impede learning and that may be important for teachers of adults to know. The study resulted in four main themes into which found categories were subordinated. These themes were social learning environment, the supporting and motivating role of the teacher, teaching mode and method and motivation.

Tennessee Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programs teach beef producers the importance of quality within beef industries. BQA programs assure consumers of the quality and safety of supplied beef, as well as the environmental orientation of farm production practices (Tsakiridis et al., 2021). Any active BQA certificate holder in Tennessee can apply for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). TAEP significantly benefits both farmers and the economy. The TAEP is a cost-share system funding over $106 million dollars funding over thirty-seven thousand programs in the agricultural community statewide (Farm Bureau, Tennessee 2019 Resolutions, 2019). The cost-share program aids farmers to begin projects that could not have been financially feasible if the cost-share program was not available (Menard et al., 2019). The BQA program is an educational program taught as Cooperative Extensions efforts. The program aims to predominately adult beef cattle producers. Andragogy, also known as adult learning theory, was created by Malcolm Knowles to effectively teach adults. In this study, qualitative methods and quantitative methods were used to accurately identify how andragogy is being used in Tennessee BQA programs. The results showed Extension agents followed the seven-step andragogical design process and showed that BQA participants have the six andragogical principles. Recommendations for future research were identified to adapt the Andragogy in practice inventory for instructors, conduct a research study that addresses counties with smaller participation, and conduct studies with county agents in early career stages. Recommendations for the Tennessee BQA program are to have trainings for Extension agents around the andragogical process and to reevaluate the requirement for additional programs. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Since BQA was established in 1987 by the Beef Checkoff, trainings across 47 states have been implemented to guide beef producers with the tools and training necessary to assure animal health and well-being. The program is an educational program that is typically taught by Extension education. Extension education was established by the Smith-Lever Act in 1914 which was established for the educational outreach of the Land-Grant institution for the growth of rural areas across the United States. This study aimed to identify how adult learning theory, andragogy, is used in Tennessee BQA programs and to make appropriate recommendations to ensure program effectiveness. This study is important to identify educational effectiveness in the BQA program and to ensure program participants are implementing program objectives to ensure the goals and purposes of the BQA program.

No description available.

Höjd pensionsålder och ökad livslängd har medfört att fler personer arbetar allt högre upp i åldrarna. Detta faktum tillsammans med snabbare samhälls- och teknikutveckling, samt en ständig efterfråga på ny kunskap och personlig utveckling, förstärker behovet av ett livslångt lärande. Denna bakgrund ramar in studien vars syfte varit att undersöka den seniora studentens upplevelser och erfarenheter av att vara äldre i en lärsituation där normen och lärandet är utformat efter yngre studerandes situation, behov och inlärning. Metod som använts för insamlandet av data har utgjorts av semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju individer som har erfarenhet av att vara seniora studenter. Ur intervjuerna utkristalliserades teman som sedan analyserats genom Interpretativ Fenomenologisk Analys i relation till tidigare forskning och teorier. Resultat som motivationens betydelse, utbildningsmöjligheter och omgivningens påverkan visade på olika faktorer som fått individen att ta steget in i ett seniort lärande. Gemensamt är att detta steg är stort och visar på en bredd av individuella faktorer som styr, med den gemensamma nämnaren av att ha genomgått ett inre och yttre förändringsarbete. Baserat på tidigare forskning visas att det finns en växande grupp av seniora studenter. För att möta det kommande behovet bör det tas ett helhetsgrepp på hur utbildningsväsendet ska uppnå Europeiska unionens direktiv på det livslånga lärandet i praktiken vilket även gäller äldre studerande med en tidigare högre utbildning.

The paper explores the complex nature of the postmodern world in which leaders find themselves and questions the appropriateness of the current discipline-based structure of MBA education in terms of its usefulness to develop effective postmodern leaders. What is called for is an approach to problem solving that is heuristic and also a tolerance for the temporal nature of solutions, flexibility, and multiple perspectives and inputs. Transdisciplinarity, which focuses on bringing together these different perspectives, provides a useful platform where developing leaders can engage with the dynamic and complex environment of a postmodern era. The nature of transdisciplinarity, from the perspective of a number of theorists, is presented. Furthermore, synergies between the transdisciplinary approach and the nature of postmodern leadership are identified and analysed. The paper examines synergies between transdisciplinarity and other scientific paradigms such as social constructivism, critical management theory, postmodernism, social cognitive theory, critical pedagogy, systems theory, complexity theory, cybernetics, narrative psychology, critical reflexivity, and others. The methodology is qualitative and involves the observation of a number of lecturing sessions at Business Schools in the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa, with the objective of noting whether any elements of transdisciplinary learning are evident. These observations are followed up with individual interviews with selected lecturers. The paper concludes with an analytical discourse on the value that a transdisciplinary andragogy can add to leadership development, particularly in relation to assisting students with embracing the complex challenges of leading in a postmodern era. The paper concludes that there is a significant lack of alignment with the prevailing approach to learning methodology in MBA programs and the nature of the postmodern world. The research recommends that a transdisciplinary learning methodology has a great deal to offer in terms of providing a learning environment for an emerging leader, that will equip him or her to be effective in a postmodern environment. Tools and methodologies for implementing a transdisciplinary approach to leadership development are suggested and outlined in some detail. / Psychology / (Ph. D. (Industrial and Organizational Psychology))

The paper explores the complex nature of the postmodern world in which leaders find themselves and questions the appropriateness of the current discipline-based structure of MBA education in terms of its usefulness to develop effective postmodern leaders. What is called for is an approach to problem solving that is heuristic and also a tolerance for the temporal nature of solutions, flexibility, and multiple perspectives and inputs. Transdisciplinarity, which focuses on bringing together these different perspectives, provides a useful platform where developing leaders can engage with the dynamic and complex environment of a postmodern era. The nature of transdisciplinarity, from the perspective of a number of theorists, is presented. Furthermore, synergies between the transdisciplinary approach and the nature of postmodern leadership are identified and analysed. The paper examines synergies between transdisciplinarity and other scientific paradigms such as social constructivism, critical management theory, postmodernism, social cognitive theory, critical pedagogy, systems theory, complexity theory, cybernetics, narrative psychology, critical reflexivity, and others. The methodology is qualitative and involves the observation of a number of lecturing sessions at Business Schools in the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa, with the objective of noting whether any elements of transdisciplinary learning are evident. These observations are followed up with individual interviews with selected lecturers. The paper concludes with an analytical discourse on the value that a transdisciplinary andragogy can add to leadership development, particularly in relation to assisting students with embracing the complex challenges of leading in a postmodern era. The paper concludes that there is a significant lack of alignment with the prevailing approach to learning methodology in MBA programs and the nature of the postmodern world. The research recommends that a transdisciplinary learning methodology has a great deal to offer in terms of providing a learning environment for an emerging leader, that will equip him or her to be effective in a postmodern environment. Tools and methodologies for implementing a transdisciplinary approach to leadership development are suggested and outlined in some detail. / Psychology / (Ph. D. (Industrial and Organizational Psychology))

För att möta en framtid där medelåldern bland Europas befolkning blir allt högre har Europeiska unionen riktat fokus på frågan om hur förvärvsfrekvensen i de högre åldersgrupperna kan höjas. Genom att anta en policy avseende det livslånga lärandet uppmanar EU sina medlemsländer att skapa nya förutsättningar för att förverkliga detta mål. Utifrån detta fokus på möjligheten att studera även i hög ålder har föreliggande studie utgått från seniora studenter i åldern 50+. Studiens syfte har varit att studera behov av och krav på anpassad pedagogik som den yrkes- och livserfarna seniora studenten har för att kunna tillgodogöra sig undervisning vid högskola och universitet. Studiens teoretiska perspektiv har utgått från sociokulturell teori och andragogik. Studien är byggd på vad den seniora studenten som individ upplevt samt hur omgivningen och dess krav ser på seniora studenter som grupp. Insamlandet av data har utgjorts av semistrukturerande intervjuer med sju individer som är 50+ och varit aktivt studerande på svensk högskola eller universitet under vårterminen 2016. Intervjuerna genomfördes utifrån frågeställningar om behov, krav och anpassad pedagogik. Svaren har analyserats utifrån interpretativ fenomenologisk analys, i relation till teorier och tidigare forskning. Studiens resultat visar att den seniora studenten inte ser att det egna lärandet har förändrats över tid men att förutsättningarna har förändrats. Den seniora studenten har behov av att bli bemött som vuxen ansvarstagande individ och att den erfarenhet som följer med ska ses som ett positivt komplement genom att bidra till förening av teori och praktik i lärsituationen. Den seniora studenten har krav på kvalitetssäkrad undervisning och vill lyfta frågan om validering av tidigare erfarenheter samt bidra med sin erfarenhet för en anpassad pedagogik. Studien visar att den seniora studenten vill ha insyn och vara medbestämmande, men att de seniora studenterna i föreliggande studie inte är kravställande varken individuellt eller som grupp.

The number of academic institutions offering courses online has increased with courses being offered across almost all academic disciplines. Faculty members are often confronted with the responsibility of converting a face-to-face course to an online course while simultaneously dealing with new technologies and the interrelationship between the technology, content, and pedagogy. Best instructional practices may be applied inconsistently in the online environment due to faculty members' lack of proficiency in implementing such practices. Although Course Management Systems and Web 2.0 technologies make the task seem less daunting, faculty members still need guidance in consistently implementing best practices in online courses. The study examined the problem of academic institutions offering online courses without any validation or tracking processes to ensure course quality. An online instructional maturity model was developed to guide faculty members in implementing learner-centered practices in online courses. Survey methodology was used to collect data on instructional practices being implemented in the North Carolina Community College System. The model was developed from the survey findings using guidelines from the American Psychological Association Learner-Centered Principles, best practices found in the literature, and the People Capability Maturity Model. Feedback from an expert panel was used to refine the model.

This study examined periodontists' ability to self-assess their knowledge of periodontics. Self-assessment was measured as the difference between actual knowledge and perceived knowledge of two topics of clinical practice of periodontics: periodontal disease therapy and dental implant therapy. Other variables included were learning needs, motivation to learn, and background characteristics (number of years since graduation from a periodontics training program, classification as Diplomate or non- Diplomate, number of years since achieving Diplomate status, classification as private practitioner, academician, or private practitioner with a part-time academic position, and number of credit hours spent in continuing education per year). A questionnaire was e-mailed to 1,800 periodontists practicing in the USA. Two hundred and nineteen subjects participated in the periodontal disease therapy questionnaire and 200 in the dental implant therapy questionnaire. The results showed a significant difference between actual and perceived knowledge for both topics. Correlation coefficients showed no correlation between participants' actual knowledge and perceived knowledge of periodontal disease therapy and a low to moderate correlation between actual and perceived knowledge of dental implant therapy. Also, the results showed that need and motivation are not related to self-assessment ability, but actual knowledge may be related to moderate-high need and motivation; and, that among the background characteristics, Diplomate status is related to a better ability to self-assess, and fewer years since achieving Diplomate status is related to higher actual knowledge and perceived knowledge. In conclusion, periodontists' ability to selfassess their knowledge of periodontics is at best moderate. The concern that practitioners believe that they have higher knowledge in areas in which objectively measured knowledge is significantly lower continues to be valid.