This mixed method study investigated continuing professional education practices of active Presbyterian ministers serving congregations within the United States. In the first phase, a self-developed survey instrument was mailed to a stratified random sample of 1,000 Presbyterian ministers. The survey instrument contained items relating to demographics, educational strategies, and techniques used when participating in continuing professional education. The data from 439 completed surveys was analyzed to determine if any significant relationships existed between gender, career choice and educational strategies and techniques used by Presbyterian ministers. The second phase consisted of telephone interviews with 12 Presbyterian ministers from the overall sample population. The interview consisted of questions relating to overall satisfaction with quality of available education strategies and techniques.Based on the data analysis and telephone interviews completed during this study, 4 conclusions were made. First, Presbyterian ministers are satisfied with the continuing professional education strategies and techniques that are available for their use. Second, there is no difference between gender, career choice and educational strategies and techniques of Presbyterian ministers in this study. Third, concerning continuing education practices, Presbyterian ministers use the methods they were taught in their pre-professional training. Fourth, Presbyterian ministers in this study served as their own educational agents and made decisions about what educational strategies and techniques best suit their needs for continuing professional education.

With the increasing use of the computer and the Internet in the training sector, there are constant debates about the effectiveness of e-learning versus traditional face-to-face (FTF) education since the early 1990s. However, limited empirical studies have been conducted for this purpose in the field of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), on which the flexibility in time and place of e-learning have made and will potentially make a greater impact. Even fewer such studies were situated in a non-academic context for professions other than nursing or healthcare. Moreover, the learners‟ voice is often absent in the debates. This exploratory study was designed to a) obtain professionals‟ perceptions concerning the effectiveness of online versus FTF CPE courses from two pedagogical aspects of adult learning: professional knowledge and practice development and technology context link, and b) assess if professionals‟ perceptions varied as a function of their sociocultural and professional contexts. Self-reported perception data were collected through an online survey. Professionals (n=399) from Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) participated in the study. The professional units where the participants worked included Fire Service, Utilities and Public Work, Homeland Security, Safety and Health, Public Safety and Security, Technology, and Search and Rescue. Exploratory factor analysis (Principle Component Analysis), descriptive statistics, t-tests, multivariate analysis and ANOVAs were run for the purpose of data analysis. It was found that the professionals who participated in the study (a) perceived that online CPE courses were less effective in enhancing their professional knowledge and practice development when compared to traditional FTF CPE courses; (b) perceived that online CPE courses were more effective in linking what they had learned to technology contexts that they were in; (c) perceived that online CPE courses were less effective than FTF courses in general; (d) who were female perceived online CPE courses‟ ability in improving their professional knowledge and practice less negatively than male participants; and (e) who were firefighters favored the online CPE courses compared to professionals from the other units in TEEX, while the professionals from Safety and Health were most negative about the effectiveness of online CPE courses. The responses to the two open-ended questions provided information on the measures recommended by surveyed professionals to improve the effectiveness of online and FTF CPE courses.

Master of Public Health - MPH / Health institutions in Zimbabwe often cannot fulfill their health care mandate due to lack of specialist health workers in different fields. Despite the effort by the Ministry in providing CPE opportunities, there is poor uptake of CPE by health workers in various provincial hospitals in Zimbabwe. This has resulted in severe staff shortages, particularly doctors (and more specifically specialists), as well as nurses and allied health workers.

No description available.

Accounting is a professional occupation that is continually evolving and requires a dedication to continuing education to meet the legal demands of new regulations and to maintain professional competency. Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is required by state boards for certified public accountants (CPA) to meet these requirements and to maintain professional competence. CPAs are responsible for complying with all applicable CPE requirements, rules, and regulations of state boards of accountancy, as well as those of other professional organizations. The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of CPAs about the current requirements for CPE and to determine their level of satisfaction with the content and delivery of CPE instruction. CPE has come under scrutiny in recent years with some professionals questioning if the needs of accounting professional and the objectives of continuing education are being met. This survey research included 23 Likert-type items and 5 demographic questions. The survey was administered to 203 licensed certified public accountants to obtain their opinions about continuing education. The 5 dimensions of the survey were: Value (cost benefit), Delivery (methods and quality), Benefit to Self, Benefit to Others, and Barriers (to obtaining CPE). These dimensions were compared across the demographic variables of gender, years of experience, type of business, number of employees, and position with their employer. No significant differences were found among the 5 dimensions between gender or among different positions. Significant differences did occur among the Dimension of Value opinions based on years of experience, among the Dimension of Value opinions based on type of business, among Dimension of Benefit to Self based on type of business, among the Dimension of Value based on number of employees, and among the Dimension of Benefit to Others based on number of employees.

This study was designed to investigate the current practice of continuing professional education in the library science departments of teachers colleges and universities in Thailand and the role of the library science department in continuing professional education for librarians. In order to accomplish this task, two questionnaires were developed and administered to 236 chairpersons and library school faculty of 31 tecahers colleges and 9 government universities. Of the returned questionnaires, 72.88% were usable. Data were analyzed using percentage and a contingency chi-square test. The major conclusion of the study was that while the library science departments of teachers college and universities in Thailand provide to some extent, all 20 continuing education items of the Association for Library and Information Science Education model, only two were identified as being provided by more than a majority of institutions.

In our study the purpose was to examine the influence of Continuing Professional Education on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. The study also aims to analyze possible similarities and differences in how small and medium sized auditing and accounting practices are affected of the requirements regarding Continuing Professional Education. In order to fulfill our purpose in the study we conducted interviews with auditors and accounting consultants on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. Totally did we conduct seven interviews with four auditors and three accounting consultants. The majority of auditors and accounting consultants we interviewed are satisfied with the current requirements on Continuing Professional Education and think they contribute to the increase of quality and status of the work tasks performed by auditors and accounting consultants. Respondents also stressed the importance of Continuing Professional Education to maintain and develop the skills among employees. Our respondents prefer two forms of Continuing Professional Education, namely intensive seminars and topical courses. Demand for intensive seminars and topical courses will probably continue to increase, given that these two forms makes it possible for small and medium sized practices to keep current in a time efficient and economical way. Our findings also show that auditors prefer a training where they start out as beginners and end as an expert. On the other hand accounting consultants focus on training that is practical and provides direct benefit to the everyday work.

No description available.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / W. Franklin Spikes / As individuals, we rely on the expertise of professionals to help us navigate the complex problems of modern life in areas such as medicine, accounting, social work, teaching, and the law. Although each profession has its own unique knowledge base, lexicon, and culture, they all share the need to keep members’ knowledge and skills current through continuing professional education. Driven by concerns like frequent law change, increasingly complex clients, and eroding public opinion, 46 states have instituted mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements for attorneys. The Kansas Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Commission administers MCLE in the state of Kansas by monitoring attorney compliance and accrediting CLE programs. In this study, the researcher used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate two existing data sets--survey outputs and focus groups transcripts--that were captured during the Kansas CLE Commission’s Education Initiative. The 260 CLE providers completing the survey and 22 focus group members varied demographically by structure (for-profit, nonprofit) and size (number of employees or course offerings). Using quantitative statistical tools and qualitative grounded theory methods, the researcher identified the current program planning and design, delivery, and evaluation practices of CLE providers in Kansas and evaluated these practices against best practices for any learning effort, as established by CPE research and theory. Study findings indicated that most Kansas providers plan, deliver, and evaluate CLE programs using more traditional, didactic, update-oriented approaches. Most participants reported CLE curricula that were focused on keeping attorneys up-to-date, delivering classes in traditional formats using speaker presentations, and evaluating programs with Level 1 reaction methods. Only some evidence existed of providers determining attorney needs using methods such as competency models or performance evaluations, refining course delivery according to learning styles, or evaluating programs at higher levels. Still, evidence was found of providers using creative ways to incorporate some best practices into their programs, such as partnering with the other stakeholders in the Kansas MCLE space (attendees, employers, and regulators) to plan and evaluate programs. Similarly, some providers are finding new ways to incorporate more interactive learning methods into their classrooms such as discussion groups, Q&A sessions, panels, mock trials, and networking. This research also provided important insights into the contextual realities and limitations that influence MCLE provider capabilities, priorities, or choices. Cultural norms of the legal profession such as a preference for traditional educational experiences, fierce opposition to any form of testing, and a focus on billable hours affect which best practices the providers are able to implement. Likewise, the diversity that exists across learning events, law practices, and providers in this space creates challenges to implementing new practices consistently across all programs. Finally, the fragmented, multistakeholder ownership of all Kansas MCLE processes means that providers alone are not able to implement fully the recommended best practices without the help of employer partners. This study added to the general body of knowledge concerning CLE programs with contemporary research, a new focus on providers as the source of data, and a context-specific assessment of current best practices application.

La thèse de doctorat porte sur l'éthique dans la relation éducative. Elle s'intéresse à l'engagement du formateur pour orienter son activité dans une relation d'accompagnement en formation professionnelle continue en soins infirmiers. Il est fait l'hypothèse que cet engagement ne peut être qu'éthique et orienté dans une éthique de la relation. La problématique de recherche porte sur la relation d'accompagnement visant la professionnalisation dans une profession traversée par différentes finalités. La méthodologie de recherche s'appuie sur l'analyse de l'activité, utilisant des traces visuelles et auditives pour l'élaboration d'une compréhension de l'engagement éthique pour s'orienter par l'action. L'investigation de l'activité de six formateurs dans la relation d'accompagnement est conduite à partir d'une double analyse, du discours et interprétative sur la base d'indicateurs issus du cadre théorique élaboré.Les résultats éclairent l'extrême variabilité de l'orientation éthique et l'importance de l'expérience dans le déploiement d'une réflexivité délibérante. Cette variabilité a des conséquences sur la manière d'investir la relation éducative d'accompagnement, ses dilemmes et de conduire la mission de formation. Une éthique de la relation met en œuvre un accompagnement autorisant une professionnalisation comme mise en projet par la reliance à la culture infirmière.La finalité de ce travail de recherche s'inscrit dans une didactique au service de la formation. L'utilisation du collectif apparaît comme un moyen pouvant servir à faire émerger un travail d'interprétation de l'action et de soi et la faculté à délibérer sur la légitimité de ses actes. / PhD thesis is part of the field research on ethics in the educational relationship. She is interested in the commitment of the trainer to guide his activity in a relationship of coaching in the field of continuing professional education in nursing. It is hypothesized that this commitment can only be ethical and oriented in an ethics of the relationship.The research problematic focuses on the relationship of coaching to professionalization in nursing, a professional field crossed by different finalities. Methodologically, the research relies on the analysis of the activity, using visual and auditory traces in the development of the understanding of the ethical commitment to direct action. The investigation of the activity of six trainers in the relationship of coaching is conduct from double analysis, discourse analysis and interpretative analysis on the basis on indicators developed from the theoretical framework.The results shed light on the extreme variability of the trainers' ethical orientation and on the importance of the experience in the deployment of a deliberative reflexivity. This variability has consequences on how to conduct the relationship of coaching, to deal with its dilemmas and with the training mission. An ethics of the relationship implements a coaching allowing professionalization process as power of action by the reliance with the nursing culture.The purpose of this research is part of a didactic dedicated to the teacher training. Using the collective appears as a mean that can be used by a trainer to develop an interpretation of action and of himself, and the ability to deliberate on the legitimacy of his actions.