Continuing education requirements in all fields and professions are intended to promote continued competence, to develop current knowledge and skills, and to enhance professional skills and judgment beyond the levels required for entry-level practice. The idea of enhancing one’s knowledge and the ability to stay current with the newest updates in one’s profession is vital to the success of an individual and his/her profession. The profession of athletic training is no different. Being a part of the allied health field, the profession of athletic training continues to evolve. All professionals continue their education through experiences, formal schooling or continuing education systems. How can continuing professional education be most effective in enhancing the certified athletic trainer (ATC) in the ever evolving allied health field? The purpose of the study was to examine and then determine the most preferred method of continuing professional education (CPE) for certified athletic trainers (ATC). The research study evaluates the most effective instructional method to disseminate the content, context and the process of the athletic training profession to its members through continuing education activities. Continuing education requirements are intended to promote continued competence, development of current knowledge and skills, and enhancement of professional skills and judgment beyond the levels required for entry-level practice. The governing body of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) requires its members to participate in continuing education activities for these reasons. The study involved 287 certified athletic trainers (ATC) and their responses through a survey instrument. The survey instrument was sent to every certified athletic trainer in Indiana through the Internet and their responses were collected by Ball State University’s Research Design and Analysis Services. The ATCs responded to a multitude of questions concerning their view of continuing education, impediments to continuing education and their demographics. After reviewing the data, certified athletic trainers responses resulted in showing a strong preference to hands-on and interactive opportunities as being the best perceived delivery system to provide the profession and its members with continuing education experiences. / Department of Educational Leadership

<p> This qualitative study used narrative analysis to gain a greater understanding of the educational experiences of Latina immigrant English language learners (ELLs) and how they achieved and advance academically in the community college. The study used race-based (i.e., critical race theory and Latcrit) and asset-based methodologies (i.e., community cultural wealth) as a basis for focusing on the social identities of these students in order to gain a greater conceptual clarity of who these students are and how they are able to achieve and advance academically. The findings in this study identified current institutional inequities and challenges that hinder the academic progression of Latina immigrant ELLs, while highlighting the ways in which they draw their strength and gain support from those in their communities in order to address their challenges and achieve academically. These findings provide new ways of understanding the educational experiences of Latina immigrant ELLs. Suggestions for practice and research are made to help this specific population of students to ultimately achieve their academic goals of transfer and degree attainment.</p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative research project was to add to the body of knowledge of incivility in the class by examining the perceptions of community college instructors in the State of North Carolina. Instructors were asked to identify behaviors they believed to be disruptive or uncivil in their classroom, indicate how frequent these issues occurred, indicate how they handled the disruptions, and whether or not they believed their practices to be effective. Each of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina was invited to participate of that 58, 13 chose to accept the invitation. The sample included 793 instructors who received the email at the 13 colleges and the respond rate was 162 or 20 percent. The instructors in the community college have a variety of students. Instructors have students in the age range of 14 to over 65 that reflect the community in which the college is located. The survey was adapted from Indiana University which ran an incivility survey in 2000. Instructors taking the quantitative survey also had text boxes in which to add their comments. Behaviors such as chewing gum in class or not being prepared where not considered as disruptive to the instructors as cussing the instructor or making threatening comments during class. Findings included no significant between an instructors race and their perceptive of classroom incivility. There was no significance between the instructors' years of teaching and the size of the classroom and their perceptions of incivility. The findings at the community college level mirror the literature and findings at universities and K-12 schools. </p>

<p> With the rapid growth of technology and a fast pace society, students have discovered tablet computers, a powerful portable useful device for education. Although studies have shown rapid growth of tablet computer adaptation within education, limited research exists regarding how tablet computers are used for classroom performance, communication, and leadership among college students. The purpose of the study was to explore and understand how college students use tablet computers by interviewing undergraduate and graduate students. Interview results of 20 college students are as follows: (a) students reported that tablet computers were more portable, easier to use, and convenient devices over laptop computers; (b) in regard to classroom performance, students expressed that the use of e-text books combined with tablets was a faster method of searching for a specific subject over standard paperback books; (c) in regards to leadership, many students believed that tablets are only a tool for leaders but not an essential tool for leading people; and (d) in regard to communication, students expressed that tablet computers was an essential tool for team projects and communicating with their professors and peers while on the go. The study includes a discussion of future research in leadership&rsquo;s use of technology in the workplace, college professors&rsquo; perceptions of tablet computers in the classroom, and marketing modern tablet computers.</p>

<p> This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP. Constructivism and behavioral social learning theory guided this study. The research problem addressed the need for students to remain in IEPs and achieve second language acquisition. The research questions were designed to learn what instructional approaches motivated and engaged participants to persist in successive introductory courses. A qualitative case study design, guided by interpretive epistemology, was used to collect students' opinions, perceptions, and suggestions on their experiences in their first course. The target population was beginners in a second IEP course at a community college. A purposive sample of 16 participants took part in 2 focus groups, individual interviews, and open-ended surveys for data triangulation. Constant comparative analysis using open and axial coding was used to aggregate data themes for inquiry. The findings revealed that poor student engagement, lack of mentorship qualities in instructors, and little inclusion of technology have been persistent reasons for their dissatisfaction. The project, a collaborative professional development effort, was designed for IEP instructors to gain awareness on past and current research about the andragogical framework of student-centeredness which culminated with the cooperative elaboration of a set of best practices. The social impact of the study comes from benefits that sustainable IEP programs could offer to communities with large populations of immigrants and to international visitors to empower them to achieve immersion into English-speaking societies.</p>

<p> For students with significant disabilities, the process of transitioning from their secondary school setting to their post-secondary setting includes the exploration of potential adult settings. This paper explored the perspectives of secondary school personnel, as well as the viewpoints of personnel from St. Louis area post-secondary programs, as to the characteristics which determine adult program placement. State agencies that facilitate Person Centered Plans were also interviewed regarding viewpoints as to how secondary students with significant disabilities could seek and secure their most non-restrictive adult program placements. Research questions included: (1) How do the Missouri Alternative Frameworks utilized in secondary programming differ from the eligibility criteria utilized in post -secondary programs?; (2) How does the post-secondary eligibility process relate to the Missouri Alternative Frameworks Curriculum guidelines?; (3) What specific self-care skills and academic skills determine criteria for students with severe cognitive disabilities in post-secondary adult programs in the St. Louis area?; and (4) In addition to self-care and academic skills, what other factors determine student placement in post-secondary programs for the severely developmentally disabled within the St. Louis area? Revealed in this study was the importance of the development of lifelong relationships with post-secondary program organizations. Age, type of residence as well as the geographical location of residence, can be paramount to the applicants' skills or ability levels as adult program placement is determined for individuals with significant disabilities. Funding sources, as well as specific skill sets, were explored as they related to post-secondary clients achieving their most non- restrictive post-secondary placement.</p>

The arrival of lifelong learning within nursing constitutes a major conceptual shift that every qualified nurse is expected to adopt to be able to function as a Registered Nurse (RN) throughout their career. In the 1990s, lifelong learning had been appearing sporadically within nursing literature as a fait accompli, and with a seemingly general assumption that there was a shared understanding and acceptance of the concept amongst all nurses. The literature review revealed that lifelong learning is closely linked to the evolving nature of healthcare delivery in the National Health Service (NHS), and that it comprises of a number of related components. However, there was a dearth of empirical literature with regards to its application to day-to-day nursing practice at the time this study started. The study focused on examining the assumptions that seemed extant at the time and the areas that were not documented in the literature. It sought to ascertain the nature of RNs' perceptions of lifelong learning, and took into consideration the underlying philosophy, principles and practicalities of the concept. It also sought to identify both the formal structures required for effective implementation of lifelong learning as well as the day-to-day factors that might facilitate uptake and continuation of learning. Furthermore, the study endeavoured to ascertain the current and likely future impact of lifelong learning on nursing. To explore these issues, the study involved collecting, analysing and interpreting data from twenty-six individual interviews and two focus group discussions along with a comprehensive documentary analysis. The findings revealed that there are positive perceptions as well as reservations about lifelong learning amongst RNs, the latter mainly because mandatory continuous professional development (CPD) is resented by a number of nurses. This could be due to their lack of experience and apprehension related to studying in a university. The study found that structural mechanisms could be more firmly anchored and equitably available. Numerous day-to-day factors such as profession-based and personal networks tend to influence levels of engagement in formal learning. For instance, CPD in the form of workbased formal and informal learning is relatively widely utilised. Additionally, the impact of attitude change towards continuing development of own knowledge and competence yields favourable outcomes for the RN and for patient care.

The thesis looks at the morphogenesis of structure, culture and agency and the historical interplay between them. It attempts to do this by investigating the lives of mature students applying for a place on an Open Access course as a foundation year for university entrance. The focus of the study concerns the reasons given by the students for their application to undertake Access and seeks to discover whether their decision to enrol on Access can be interpreted morphogenetically as representing a 'new beginning' in their lives; a 'new beginning' which in turn represents the end of a personal and culturally related morphogenetic cycle. It is the contention of the thesis that the socio-cultural background of the students is not one that is usually seen as culturally compatible with university entrance and thus their application represents not only a major event in their personal lives but also a significant cultural movement from one cultural base to another. Since Access courses represent a major educational initiative the students' decision to join the course can be read as a morphogenetic interplay of structural, cultural and biographical factors. Research material was gathered through a morphogenetic analysis of the students' Access application forms, course interviews, informal discussions, written statements whilst on the course and a series of in-depth interviews. The thesis concludes that from the evidence of their own life histories the students were experiencing a personal morphogenesis related to change in their lives and that their biographical 'journeys' need to be read in relation to the changing wider structural, cultural and familial backdrop against which their own morphogenesis is occurring.

In 128 small companies in the West Midlands, the way staff are selected for development is explored is explored, together with the characteristics of staff and selector. Finding that some staff are repeatedly selected for development, a comparison is made between the attributes of those being selected and of those carrying out selection. This is an attempt to define why some staff are identified as possessing 'the right stuff' while other similar staff are not. Variables such as gender, ethnic background, age and educational background are compared but relationships only found between the learning outlook of the CEO and that of his or her selected key worker(s). The learning outlook is described in terms of the preferred learning style and of the most preferred methods to learn. However, in some sectors very little selection of ethnic minority staff occurred. Part of the research reviewed the selection process, relating this to business planning and identification of training needs. Little evidence was found of the use of formal planning or of specific processes to identify training needs, selection resting firmly with informal mechanism often under the narrow control of the CEO. Given the investment by government in this sector of the economy, it seems important for those providing resources to recognise this lack of formal planning and to work to ensure that opportunities for education and training are widened to include more of those employed by the company. Similarly, where CEO ambitions are explored, it is clear that most CEO's are not committed to growth but have other varied, personal aims. Investment in all companies assuming that growth is a key factor may be an ineffective use of resources, which might be better specifically targeted rather than distributed uniformly across the whole sector.

In recent years policy changes have encouraged access to and the participation of adults in British universities. This thesis is a case study which looks at the experiences of non-traditional adult women students in universities. Emphasis is placed on understanding the experiences of mature undergraduate women students in universities from the perspectives of the actors. This is a sociological study. I draw on and integrate three theoretical paradigms: Marxist feminism, Marxism and interactionism. I examine the significance of macro and micro levels in shaping the behaviour, attitudes and experiences of women adult students. Gender and class were important factors in shaping the past and present lives of women in this study. However, in deciding to return to learn the women were actively choosing to change the direction of their lives. An underlying question was to what extent did studying change the way participants perceived themselves as women? Learning and the influence of social science disciplines helped the women to deconstruct and redefine the self. Being a student was influenced by the interaction of structure and agency. The women's student identity was shaped by both their own actions and institutional forces. Adult students are not homogeneous. Younger, single mature women experienced university life differently from older, married women as do full-time students compared to part-time students. The women studied here adjusted to the institutional life of a university through the formation of subcultures. To understand fully the experiences of being an adult student the interactions between public and private worlds are examined. A biographical approach using interviews was employed. A small sample of male mature students was included to identify the extent to which experiences were gendered ones. Despite the struggles the women interviewed valued the acquisition of knowledge and learning in a university environment.