This study investigated associate teachers and student teachers perspectives of ‘successful’ mentoring. It aimed to understand how a group of associate teachers, who had been identified as being successful, viewed their role, looking at what it was that they specifically did that they felt made them successful when mentoring student teachers. It then compared these perspectives with those of a group of student teachers. The aim of the comparison was to establish any agreements or contradictions between the associate teachers’ and the student teachers’ perspectives about ‘successful’ associate teachers. An additional aim was to establish knowledge of particular professional development experiences that the associate teachers of this study felt had positively impacted on their practice as mentors. Four ‘successful’ associate teachers, as identified by their visiting lecturers from within the University of Canterbury, College of Education, and five student teachers who were enrolled at the same university in one of the primary programmes at the time of the study, were interviewed regarding their perspectives. The data revealed three conceptual themes as being relevant to ‘successful’ mentoring of student teachers: acquiring professional knowledge, becoming a professional through practice – teaching the student teacher, and building professional relationships. Findings of this study suggest that pivotal to ‘successful’ mentoring is the establishment of a successful working relationship between the associate teacher and the student teacher. The study identified that the mentoring relationship is more likely to be viewed as being ‘successful’ if associate teachers demonstrate certain knowledge, dispositions and practices when mentoring student teachers. Findings also highlighted the vital role that communication plays in supporting this relationship, not only between the associate teacher and the student teacher, but also the significant impact that effective communication on behalf of the initial teacher education provider has. The findings of this study calls for a review into the way that initial teacher education providers communicate with associate teachers, suggesting that providers should introduce a face to face element to communication. What became apparent through this study was the conclusion that there were excellent examples of ‘successful’ associate teachers, including those that were interviewed for this study, who were mentoring student teachers. Initial teacher education providers need to draw from this wealth of knowledge by increasing the opportunities where they facilitate discussions between themselves and associate teachers, in order to ensure that they are supporting the professional growth of their student teachers. It is my hope that the findings of this study will help to inform initial teacher education providers about the mentoring of their student teachers and hopefully result in improved outcomes for student teachers in the future.

Thesis (B.Sc.Hons.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1972.

Thesis--University of California, Los Angeles. / Spine title: Nursing programs in the United States and Canada. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 227-234).

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

This study was designed to provide data pertaining to factors affecting pass/fail performance of associate degree graduate nurses on the licensing examination. The problem was to determine if age, cumulative grade index of nursing courses, university cumulative grade index upon completion of the program, continuous enrollment in nursing courses, previous college enrollment, and the average grade of three required science courses could be predictors of pass/fail performance of associate degree graduate nurses on the licensing examination.The population of the study were graduates of an associate degree nursing program offered by a small, private liberal arts university in the midwest. The representative sample of the population consisted of 253 associate degree graduate nurses completing the associate degree nursing program and writing the licensing examination during the years 1977 through 1979.One instrument was employed to collect the data. This instrument was constructed by the investigator to record the data pertaining to each factor under investigation.The statistical analysis of the data was performed by using difference in proportion of large samples test, difference in large sample means test following the application of the F test to sample variance, the non-parametric rank sum test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and two-way analysis of co-variance test. Data pertaining to each factor was organized into two groups, the number of associate degree graduate nurses passing the licensing examination and the number of associate degree graduate nurses failing the licensing examination.Analysis of the data revealed that the mean cumulative grade point index upon completion of the nursing program and the mean cumulative grade index of nursing courses for the group of graduate nurses passing the licensing examination was found to be higher than the mean cumulative grade point index upon completion of the nursing program and the mean cumulative grade index of nursing courses for the group of graduate nurses failing the licensing examination. Mastery of content of nursing courses affected pass/fail performance of associate degree graduate nurses on the licensing examination.Partitioning of graduate nurses into age groups, continuous enrollment in nursing courses, previous college enrollment prior to admission to the nursing program and the average grade of three required science courses did not influence the pass/fail performance of associate degree graduate nurses on the licensing examination.As the result of the findings of the study, it may be concluded that age of the associate degree graduate is not an influencing factor upon pass/fail performance on the licensing examination. Previous college experience, continuous enrollment in nursing courses and high academic performance in science courses do not influence successful performance on the licensing examination.Cumulative grade index of nursing courses as well as university cumulative grade index upon completion of the nursing program, may be the best predictors as to whether or not the associate degree graduate nurse will pass the licensing examination.The results of the study suggest: (1) replicate study in same setting using a second representative sample of the population to determine if the findings of the study were unique to the first representative sample of the population. (2) Replicate study in another institution offering an associate degree nursing program to determine if findings of study would be the same or unique to the representative sample of the population. (3) Investigate how required science courses in an associate degree nursing curriculum support nursing courses if academic performance in the science courses are not a significant factor influencing pass/fail performance on the licensing examination. (4) Investigate the test taking skills of the group of graduate nurses failing the licensing examination in the representative sample of the population of this study. (5) And, using the same population investigate the methods of study of the group passing the licensing examination and the group failing the licensing examination.

The rapid growth of associate degree programs in nursing in the United States had not been paralleled by documentation of curricular development and alterations. A study was designed to accomplish a dual purpose (1) to determine what changes, if any, had occurred in programs of learning utilized in associate degree education for nurses from 1951 through 1981 and (2) to determine if selected leaders in nursing education perceived any needed changes in the program of learning currently-,-implemented in the education of technical nurses.The distinctives of the Montag-model of associate degree education were utilized as the basis for the data collection instrument. Questionnaires were mailed to the chairpersons of 125 associate degree nursing programs in institutions which met the stated criteria. Eighty-two percent of the chairpersons responded. Respondents represented junior-community colleges, senior colleges and universities located within thirty-seven states.The findings and conclusions were based upon the review of literature and related research and the analysis and evaluation of data supplied by the one hundred nursing educators which comprised the study population. The most significant findings related to the nursing component of the program of study were: (1) thirty-seven percent of the programs has retained the entire nursing component originally presented by Montag; (2) twenty-four programs included an independent course in nursing leadership; (3) clock hour allocations in clinical nursing experiences had increased by a mean of 100.5 percent; (4) class hours required in nursing courses had increased by a mean of 224.7 percent; and (5) thirty-four percent of the population responding required a summer term which extended the length of student enrollment to five semesters or seven quarters. Additional findings were reported relating to the non-nursing component and to the program of learning as a whole. Recommendations were directed to nursing educators as a whole and to specific official nursing agencies.

Thesis--Brigham Young University. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-179).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-150).

The sub-degree sector is expanding rapidly after the announcement of the Policy Address in 2000 by the former Chief Executive Mr. Tung Chee-hwa. Sub-degree is introduced in Hong Kong in order to build a diversified and flexible higher education system. Since then more and higher education institutions offer self-financing sub-degree programmes. It seems that sub-degree programmes are oversupplied in the market; and there is uncertainty in articulation and employment of the sub-degree graduates. This issue has stirred up much controversy among the community and causes for our greatest concern. In recent years, the number of full-time accredited self-financing local 4-year degree programmes offered by private institutions grows tremendously. With the recent growth of this new qualification, the average intakes of sub-degree programmes would somewhat be affected. HKU SPACE Community College has been selected as a case study of this research. Students and staff in the Community College have been surveyed and interviewed. The study examines their views on the sub-degree programmes offered by the community colleges and the self-financing local 4-year degree programmes offered by the private institutions. From the findings of the research, it is evident that sub-degree is a valuable educational attainment in term of articulation and employment; and sub-degrees still have the development potential and will not be replaced by the self-financing local 4-year degrees offered by the private institutions. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of the study was to compare the relationship between educational preparation, clinical experience, and the nurses’ self-perceived decision making characteristics. The characteristics analyzed were frequency of making decisions, difficulty in making decisions, influential factors in decision making, and process used in decision making. The retrospective correlational design used a convenience sample of 93 associate and baccalaureate degree nurses from hospitals within Midwestern United States. Informed consent for the study was assumed by the completion and return of the demographic data form and the two questionnaires: Clinical Decision Making in Nursing (Jenkins, 1985) and the Decision Making Questionnaire (Pardue, 1987). Confidentiality of the subjects was maintained through the use of coding. There were no foreseeable risks or discomforts.Eight hypotheses were developed and analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance and post-hoc univariate analysis. The results indicated no significant differences in frequency of making decisions, difficulty in making decisions or process used in decision making between baccalaureate and associate degree nurses. The only significant difference in influential factors was in the factor of “stress”. No significant differences existed for frequency, difficulty, or process used between experienced and inexperienced nurses. However, a significant difference was found in the influential factors of decision making between the two groups. The areas of difference were “experience” and “role-modeling”. / School of Nursing