This thesis is an exploratory investigation of how apprenticeship instructors in two of Ontario's colleges perceive and have experienced professional development over the duration of their careers and the role their employer-colleges, played in that professional development. As the primary agents for skills and knowledge transfer, the instructors of apprenticeship training provide a key role in preparing competent, skilled-trade workers for a complex and changing work environment. This research is relevant at this time because of the many changes to the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology since their inception in the mid-nineteen- sixties. The original mission of the colleges, to deliver occupation preparation programs has evolved to a much-expanded mandate to include degree granting. Other changes include a much more diverse student population with diverse needs, backgrounds and values. Have the apprenticeship instructors received the requisite training and development to deal with changes in technology, student needs, teaching and learning strategies and the evolving complexities of the college environment? This study contributes to the literature of professional development in the apprenticeship professoriate by examining the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours concerning professional development. The findings reveal that there are issues of physical location, discourse and methods of instruction, unique to apprenticeship training, which have a profound impact on the apprenticeship instructors' disposition and participation in professional development. Data were attained from a series of in-depth interviews, which revealed that the apprenticeship instructors are a dedicated and motivated group of educators who are committed to providing the highest quality of education to their students. However, the professional development offered or supported by the college-employers attracts very little, if any, participation by the apprenticeship professoriate. The findings indicate that changes to facilitate the active participation in professional development, creating a more inclusive environment between the apprenticeship instructors and other faculty members and restructuring the professional development programs to include review and evaluation of every faculty member's needs would create a more comprehensive and continuing enhancement of instructors' capabilities and student learning outcomes.

This thesis is an exploratory investigation of how apprenticeship instructors in two of Ontario's colleges perceive and have experienced professional development over the duration of their careers and the role their employer-colleges, played in that professional development. As the primary agents for skills and knowledge transfer, the instructors of apprenticeship training provide a key role in preparing competent, skilled-trade workers for a complex and changing work environment. This research is relevant at this time because of the many changes to the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology since their inception in the mid-nineteen- sixties. The original mission of the colleges, to deliver occupation preparation programs has evolved to a much-expanded mandate to include degree granting. Other changes include a much more diverse student population with diverse needs, backgrounds and values. Have the apprenticeship instructors received the requisite training and development to deal with changes in technology, student needs, teaching and learning strategies and the evolving complexities of the college environment? This study contributes to the literature of professional development in the apprenticeship professoriate by examining the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours concerning professional development. The findings reveal that there are issues of physical location, discourse and methods of instruction, unique to apprenticeship training, which have a profound impact on the apprenticeship instructors' disposition and participation in professional development. Data were attained from a series of in-depth interviews, which revealed that the apprenticeship instructors are a dedicated and motivated group of educators who are committed to providing the highest quality of education to their students. However, the professional development offered or supported by the college-employers attracts very little, if any, participation by the apprenticeship professoriate. The findings indicate that changes to facilitate the active participation in professional development, creating a more inclusive environment between the apprenticeship instructors and other faculty members and restructuring the professional development programs to include review and evaluation of every faculty member's needs would create a more comprehensive and continuing enhancement of instructors' capabilities and student learning outcomes.

Encouraging older adults to become more active and maintain that activity is critical to the promotion of their health and well-being, social networks and independence. Leadership behaviour and quality of instruction is important in influencing engagement of older adults in exercise classes. Instructors' attitudes could influence older adults' uptake and adherence to classes, but little is known about the relationship between attitudes and characteristics of instructors and their delivery in relation to uptake and adherence of older adults to exercise classes. Methods: Underpinned by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and using a mixed methods approach this thesis uses three studies to:1) Survey 731 United Kingdom exercise instructors with Level 3 older adults exercise qualification to investigate instructors' characteristics and attitudes towards older-adults' participation in exercise. 2) Interview 19 instructors to further explore instructors' attitudes, experiences and beliefs in relation to their exercise classes for older adults and how their attitudes, experiences and beliefs are influenced by their training and characteristics.3) Follow up a cohort of 16 instructors and 193 of their class participants over 6 months to explore what characteristics of exercise instructors, the group and class participants influence adherence and also whether instructors influence uptake and adherence to home exercise. Results and Conclusion: The first study establishes that there is a relationship between instructors' training, experience, characteristics and their attitudes. The second study supports these findings and demonstrates how instructors' think that these factors and others not only influence how they deliver and promote their classes but also influence older adults' uptake and adherence to exercise classes. The final study enables us to look at the relationship between instructor variables and the participant within the exercise class setting. Class participants' mental well-being, education and housing were key factors related to their attendance. Having attended the class for more than six months at baseline was an important factor related to adherence. Individual factors such as participants' attitudes, beliefs about group cohesion and instructor variables such as personality traits and experience emerged in the final models both in relation to participant attendance and adherence. There are a series of complex interactions between the instructor, participant, the group and others which influences beliefs and attitudes. It is clear that the instructor can influence participants and they have an important role to play in creating an atmosphere and environment of which participants want to be a part of.

Public relations is not a new term. It is, however, becoming more popular and necessary in the modern concept of school activities. Public relations pertains to the whole school system, but this study will deal only with public relations as it affects the industrial arts program of the school. Because industrial arts is a relatively new addition to the school curriculum, and because the par-pupil cost is generally higher than that for other subjects, the value of the program must be defended and publicized. One of the best ways to prevent the industrial arts program from being classified as a “fad” or “frill” in the education system is to make effective use of as many public relations possibilities as practicable.

This qualitative research study described African American female secondary educators’ challenges in their educational working relationships. The purpose was to truly understand the challenges that African American female secondary teachers experienced in the classroom, outside of the classroom, in their dealings with their students’ parents, colleagues, and their relationships with school administrators. This study focused on the challenges 10 African American female secondary teachers encountered in their educational work environment. This study also took into account how those teachers’ relationships with their students’ parents, colleagues, and administrators affected the teacher/student relationship. In an effort to increase student achievement, researchers, educators, students, parents, and administrators must all work closely to improve relationships between teachers and students within their district. Moreover, district policies must continue to encourage the development of schoolamily-community collaboration as an essential component vital to student academic improvement efforts. Administrators must continue to equip African American female secondary educators with a range of practices for involving students, parents, colleagues, and administrators to improve student outcomes. The best efforts are comprehensive, seeking to involve all teachers, students, parents, their colleagues, and administrators in a variety of roles. African American female secondary teachers can be empowered through training, time, and support. There are long-lasting, long-term investments in cultivating positive relationships between teachers and students that will help students reach their full potential. The cost in terms of student outcomes not achieved is incalculable.

Community colleges are crucial to American social and economic progress. They provide access to higher education for millions who cannot afford to attend a 4-year college or a university. For the past 20 years, there has been a consistent increase in enrollment in community colleges. This increase has included students of all ages and ethnic groups. While the African American student population in community colleges has increased as have other student populations, the percentage of African American instructors has not increased. Minority instructors and administrators in community colleges are not represented in numbers equivalent to minority student enrollment or to the minority population. The focus of this research study is to examine the factors that have contributed to the low representation of African American instructors in community colleges. In particular, this study explores phenomenon that contribute to the lack of representative numbers of African American instructors in the classrooms of a southern community college. Participants interviewed for this study include community college students, instructors, counselors, and administrators. Interviews, observations, and document analyses were conducted over a 5-month period. Addressed in this study were the reasons for low representation of African American instructors, ways to increase the number of African American instructors, and the reasons African American instructors are desirable in community college classrooms. Analysis of the data reveals factors that contribute to the low representation of African American instructors on community college campuses include (1) lack of competitive salaries, (2) lack of employment opportunities, (3) discriminatory hiring practices, (4) lack of desire or interest in the teaching profession, (5) lack of encouragement, (6) lack of mentors/role models, (7) inadequate pool of graduates/competition for graduate students, (8) unwelcoming campus climates, (9) lack of qualified candidates, (10) inadequate recruitment efforts, and (11) inability to retain African American instructors.

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This research study originated as a result of a paucity of information available regarding how secondary welding teachers in Mississippi perceive the value of professional development they have received within the previous two years. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Mississippi’s secondary welding teachers regarding how professional development had affected their teaching methods and collaboration with peers. Also, this study sought to determine whether the teachers had positive motivation in attending professional development activities, and how motivated they were to pursue their own professional development, other than school-mandated activities. Finally, the study examined the barriers teachers perceived to hinder them from pursuing their own professional development. The findings in this study revealed that Mississippi’s secondary welding teachers had a positive perception regarding how current professional development had changed their teaching methodology, student expectation, content comprehension, and confidence in teaching. Furthermore, respondents indicated that they had experienced enhanced collaboration with other welding teachers within the state as a result of professional development sessions; however, data revealed that collaboration between their academic counterparts was nearly nonexistent. Financial incentives and improving their teaching skill were found to be positive motivators for teachers. Personal costs, distance traveled to professional development sessions, and perceived value of professional development were determined to be barriers to attending professional development opportunities. It was recommended that future studies should include determining if welding teachers with welding certifications outperform teachers who do not have welding certifications, determine the consistency of laboratory equipment among school districts, whether the laboratory equipment in the local schools match those found in the actual employment environment, determine whether the teachers have the most up-to-date skills needed to match those skills found in industrial employment and investigate the perception of local businesses and industries about the quality of the student they have hired who graduated from Mississippi secondary welding programs. Lastly, it is recommended that administrators consider including academic teachers, career and technical teachers, and industry representatives in professional development activities to increase collaboration between stakeholders.

Soft skills include communication skills, problem-solving skills, conflict resolution, working well with other people, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Employers need employees who have adequate technical skills but who also have soft skills. There is limited information about the perceptions of which soft skills are needed in the workplace. This study attempted to close the gap in the literature concerning the perceptions of instructors and employers in the area of soft skills in the workplace. For this study, the Soft Skills Survey for Instructors and Employers was used to gather the perceptions of information technology instructors and employers in five community college districts of northeastern Mississippi concerning the importance of soft skills in the workplace. Sixteen instructors and 17 employers participated in this study answering the online survey with a 4-point Likert-type scale. A statistically significant difference was found between the perceptions of the instructors and the perceptions of the employers on four of the soft skills listed on the survey. These soft skills were “communicates clearly verbally,” “communicates clearly in writing,” “adapts to changes easily,” and “dresses appropriately.” The instructors placed a higher importance on these soft skills than did the employers. The reasons for this can be attributed to the differences between the classroom setting and the workplace. There was no statistically significant difference between the perceptions of the importance of the other 21 soft skills listed on the survey. This study concluded that instructors teach the skills students need to get and keep a job, while employers are more concerned with the skills needed to perform the task at hand. This study provides a baseline for research on soft skills in the workplace. Recommendations for further research include using the Soft Skills Survey for Instructors and Employers in different educational settings and in other areas of the United States.

Yes / Exercise classes provide a range of benefits for older adults, but adherence levels are poor. We know little of instructors’ experiences of delivering exercise classes to older adults. Semi-structured interviews, informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), were conducted with instructors (n=19) delivering multi-component exercise classes to establish their perspectives on older adults’ uptake and adherence to exercise classes. Analysis revealed ‘barriers’ related to identity, choice/control, cost, venue and ‘solutions’ including providing choice, relating exercise to identity, a personal touch and social support. ‘Barriers’ to adherence included unrealistic expectations and social influences and ‘solutions’ identified were encouraging commitment, creating social cohesion and an emphasis on achieving outcomes. Older adults’ attitudes were an underlying theme, which related to all barriers and solutions. The instructor plays an important, but not isolated, role in older adults’ uptake and adherence to classes. Instructors’ perspectives help us to further understand how we can design successful exercise classes.