A long-term care resident sits in front of a TV. With the push of a remote control button she instantly sees and visits with her children and grandchildren over 500 miles away. She last saw them on her 80th birthday, four years ago. She and her family are participants in a social action inquiry that explores video conferencing in order to understand the value of technology enhanced face-to-face interaction in a long-term care home. <p>This research, designed as a compassionate response to the serious problems of isolation, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom in long-term care, set out to determine what video conferencing can mean to long-term care residents and to the people they connect with. The study queried possibilities for improving the quality of social interactions of residents in long-term care facilities with family members living at some considerable distance from them. It involved setup of technical equipment, then three residents in a long-term care facility in western Canada were introduced to the practice of video conferencing with their families. Each conferencing event was supported with volunteers for a three-four month exploration period. <p>The research was intended to contribute to knowledge about learning in later life, to promote a way of increasing communication between the elderly and younger generations, and to address issues associated with elderly long-term care residents access to video conferencing technology. <p>Data collected through memory logs, observations, and interviews indicates that all study participants, including residents, family, and volunteers, responded favourably to the video conferencing experience. This study supports the claims that video conferencing can increase the frequency of contact between long-term residents and family members, and that the quality of this contact is enhanced through the visual presence and engagement of participants, through use of video conferencing technology. The video conferencing enabled family members separated by distance and unable to visit frequently to take on a "regular visitor role" and for residents to go visiting. The visually enhanced communication / visits transformed the otherwise limited audio interaction of phone calls or no interaction into socially substantive experiences of connectedness, inclusion about which residents reported feeling excited and connected with something to look forward to. <p>This suggests video conferencing could contribute to a good quality of life for residents. Future communications infrastructures should seriously consider inclusion strategies and availability of effective applications to long-term care residents.

ABSTRACT FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR CONTENT: AIMING TO DEVELOP LIFELONG LEARNING DISPOSITIONS by Svetoslava Dimova In the context of emphasis on English language, mathematics and science within the American educational system (No Child Left Behind, 2001), foreign language education appears to be increasingly dissociated from educational priorities. Ways to create relevant goals and optimize the effects of foreign language teaching emerge through the use of communication technologies and connections to academic content. This qualitative study explores the relationship between high school students’ skills in French as a foreign language (L2), their cognitive strategies during reading in L2 for academic content, and their motivation to read authentic French texts. The following questions guided the study: 1) How do students internalize the task of self-selected online reading in L2 for content understanding pertaining to their History of the Americas course? 2) What processes and skills do students evidence and draw upon to locate and read for information in L2?, and 3) What are the implications for building a theory of student motivations for extensive reading in L2 beyond the classroom context? The study was realized in the setting of an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, where 4 key informants were selected, and analysis was presented in the form of 4 case studies. Informants’ French language proficiency ranged from intermediate-mid to advanced levels (ACTFL Guidelines, 1999). Data collection occurred during 8 weeks and included three rounds of formal, phenomenological interviews, classroom observations, and students’ learning journals. Data were analyzed through the lens of Activity theory (Engeström, 1999) and motivation theory (Keller, 2008) in order to determine emerging themes. While both L2 skills and interest in historical content influenced the task completion, and informants used multiple strategies to search and read, internalization and motivation aspects related to acquiring content superseded those related to increasing language skills. Informants’ differences in attitudes toward the curriculum integrative task were additionally caused by their ideas of content appropriateness in a L2 course. Development of cultural awareness and critical thinking was also primarily shaped by interest in content. Findings from the analysis suggested further directions for L2 classroom instruction that could lead to developing students’ lifelong learning dispositions.

Continuing education (CE) in nursing is a critical element in assuring quality health care for the public. Rapid changes in technology and increasing emphasis on utilizing current research findings in practice increases the importance of participation in CE. Many nurses, however, do not attend CE sessions. As provincial professional associations are looking at ways to ensure competency in practice, the issue of who participates in CE and who does not is becoming more relevant to employers and educators. p*A review of the literature found that while many studies looked at factors that increase participation in CE, few examined deterrents or barriers to CE participation in nursing. Few studies were found comparing CE participants with nonparticipants. <p>This comparative descriptive study examined the similarities and differences between participants and nonparticipants of CE. Questionnaires, including the 40-item Deterrents to Participation Scale as well as some demographic and recent CE participation information, were distributed to a sample of acute care nurses in three different-sized hospitals in Saskatchewan. To maximize response rates, Dillmans Total Design Method for surveys was used where possible. <p>Means of the interval data was compared between the participants and nonparticipants. Cross tabulations were used to explore relationships among non-interval data. <p>This study provided valuable insights into participation and nonparticipation in CE, and will thereby help employers and educators develop a deeper understanding of possible strategies that could increase participation in CE.

A long-term care resident sits in front of a TV. With the push of a remote control button she instantly sees and visits with her children and grandchildren over 500 miles away. She last saw them on her 80th birthday, four years ago. She and her family are participants in a social action inquiry that explores video conferencing in order to understand the value of technology enhanced face-to-face interaction in a long-term care home. <p>This research, designed as a compassionate response to the serious problems of isolation, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom in long-term care, set out to determine what video conferencing can mean to long-term care residents and to the people they connect with. The study queried possibilities for improving the quality of social interactions of residents in long-term care facilities with family members living at some considerable distance from them. It involved setup of technical equipment, then three residents in a long-term care facility in western Canada were introduced to the practice of video conferencing with their families. Each conferencing event was supported with volunteers for a three-four month exploration period. <p>The research was intended to contribute to knowledge about learning in later life, to promote a way of increasing communication between the elderly and younger generations, and to address issues associated with elderly long-term care residents access to video conferencing technology. <p>Data collected through memory logs, observations, and interviews indicates that all study participants, including residents, family, and volunteers, responded favourably to the video conferencing experience. This study supports the claims that video conferencing can increase the frequency of contact between long-term residents and family members, and that the quality of this contact is enhanced through the visual presence and engagement of participants, through use of video conferencing technology. The video conferencing enabled family members separated by distance and unable to visit frequently to take on a "regular visitor role" and for residents to go visiting. The visually enhanced communication / visits transformed the otherwise limited audio interaction of phone calls or no interaction into socially substantive experiences of connectedness, inclusion about which residents reported feeling excited and connected with something to look forward to. <p>This suggests video conferencing could contribute to a good quality of life for residents. Future communications infrastructures should seriously consider inclusion strategies and availability of effective applications to long-term care residents.

Abstract By way of interpreting relevant references, depth interviews, and consulting Public Affairs Management (PAM) (Wang, 2006), there are several opinions as follows: 1. From the macroscopic historic viewpoints, in order to examine the cross-strait communication, cooperation between two straits is not only the basic condition of Taiwan¡¦s development, but also the sequence of Chinese historical development. 2. Within globalization and regional economies conformity, connecting Taiwan with the mainland China is the most convenient way to the world. 3. Permanent civil servants have to get rid of the constraints of personal ideologies in order to realize the current mainland China¡¦s development with open-minded attitudes. Through visiting or traveling mainland China, they can directly experience the uprising big country. 4. The southern local organizations are always influenced by the party politics. Because political civil servants lack precise cross-strait policies, they might influence permanent civil servants¡¦ decisions and positions. 5. Regardless of Internet digital learning or annual institutional training courses in every organization, it is very deficient for our government to comprehend the related information for cross-strait¡¦s transmission and cultivation. Thus, it is faking to portray cross-strait situations in our learning institutions. In other words, we are short of various investigations. Besides, we also lack enticements of rewards and punishments for cross-strait¡¦s relationships. 6. We have to reinforce the combination of theories and practicalities in education. Besides, cross-strait knowledge training courses should match the development of cross-strait policies. The central government should declare the training policies in cross-strait education. And local organizations should follow the rules by implementing the administrative management. Based on questionnaires collecting and data analyses, the major findings of the study are as follows: 1. Permanent civil servants are concerned with relevant affairs of cross-strait communication, but they lack practical experiences of visiting or traveling mainland China. 2. ¡§Trainings by their own organizations¡¨ and ¡§Internet digital learning¡¨ are the major tools for permanent civil servants¡¦ lifelong learning. 3. The educational training institutions of Internet digital learning apparently lack courses about ¡§cross-strait communication.¡¨ 4. Through the educational trainings of lifelong learning, it is still can¡¦t get the amount of related information about mainland China. 5. Recruiting cross-strait professionals through testing is still slow. And it can not catch up with the actual development of cross-strait communication. 6. The percentage for permanent civil servants to browse news via mainland China¡¦s websites (including official and popular websites) is relatively low. 7. Permanent civil servants have inadequate information about the relevant policies of ¡§developing closer relationship of region cooperation between southern Taiwan and the related districts in mainland China.¡¨ 8. The southern local organizations are influenced by the party politics. Because political civil servants lack precise cross-strait policies, they might influence permanent civil servants¡¦ decisions and positions. According to the results of the study, there are several suggestions as follows. 1. The Central Training Organization of Central Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan, should provide precise guidance of cross-strait educational training policies for local organizations in order to reinforce the cross-strait training courses of their own organizations. 2. Central Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan, should fulfill the precise reward measurements of the lifelong learning and emphasize the practical effects of lifelong learning. 3. Civil Service Protection and Training Commission, Examination Yuan, should strengthen the cross-strait training courses for new, intermediate, and advanced civil servants in order to promote the high qualities of public man force. 4. Mainland Affairs Council, Executive Yuan, should offer Internet digital learning courses of cross-strait information to other digital learning websites and organizations, and build its own digital homepage. 5. It is not efficient to satisfy the related departments¡¦ needs for public servants in dealing with cross-strait relationships by the admission members of the national examinations. National Academy of Civil Service should set up cross-strait specialized courses in order to strengthen permanent civil servants¡¦ knowledge and education and solve the problem for the shortage of specialists in cross-strait relationships. 6. NACS e-college which belongs to National Academy of Civil Service should completely plan and design cross-strait courses, actively collect practical cases on cross-strait communication, supply teaching materials on Internet digital learning, and continue to review and reform the way of training and lectures. Besides, it also should offer research classes for civil servants to study cross-strait practical cases and have advanced seminars for administrative leaders, including chiefs and directors in all counties and cities to fully reinforce cross-strait knowledge and comprehension for all public servants in every level. 7. National Academy of Civil Service, right now, launches the ¡§One Book in a Month¡¨ activity. This activity should supply important books and films for people to understand mainland China, broaden the horizon of learning mainland China, and spread cross-strait knowledge toward mainland China. 8. National Academy of Civil Service and mainland China¡¦s training departments should cooperate with one another to train public servants in both sides in order to promote cross-strait substantial communications. 9. Local organizations should, step by step, offer various opportunities for both organizations to train their civil servants. It should start from some uncontroversial departments, such as fire bureaus and public welfare departments. Then, gradually, it can broaden the depth and range of cross-strait communication. 10. The Internet digital lifelong learning courses, designed by related organizations, not only bear the responsibility of training and broadcasting cross-strait communication, but also offer the detail information in current situations. It will be helpful for both sides¡¦ professional specialties. 11. Internet websites outside the public affairs¡¦ system should gradually loosen the restrictions of mainland China¡¦s websites. Thus, permanent civil servants can understand and be familiar with mainland China¡¦s organizations in order for their own improvements. 12. Local organizations should gradually share the experiences of dealing with administrative affairs in both sides by way of interviewing and traveling with one another for the purpose of learning and improvement. 13. Mainland China¡¦s regions would be the alternative choice for public servants to go abroad and study because they can know more about mainland China. 14. Actions speak louder than words. Permanent civil servants should be encouraged to visit or travel mainland China. Thus, they can realize the real situations of mainland China, and decrease misunderstandings because of different customs.

Basic interpretive qualitative research design (Merriam, 2002) was used to explore the experiences and events that Aboriginal students reported during the transition from a rural to an urban setting and attend post-secondary school. Three participants, who were both Aboriginal and successful in completion of their first year of post-secondary education, were interviewed. Data was analyzed and five common themes emerged that contributed to their success. These were academic, family and community, culture, financial and social. These findings are discussed in relation to the current research in the area of Aboriginal education, including the First Nations and Métis Lifelong Learning Models. As well, recommendations and implication for future practice are included.

Defined as an awareness of suffering coupled with a willingness to do something to relieve suffering, compassion has recently received an incredible amount of attention in popular culture, social media, and academic and scientific research (Jinpa, 2015). Qualitative research is needed to investigate the experiences of adults learning to cultivate compassion. The present study adds to the body of research on compassion by investigating compassion cultivation with first person accounts, and by providing examples of somatic learning, or learning through the body. In this qualitative study, I investigate individuals' perceptions of the course Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), developed at Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). I explore three questions: 1) How do participants find CCT and why do they take the course? 2) How do participants describe the CCT course and their learning experiences? 3) How do participants describe the impact of CCT and integrate what they learned into their daily lives? I conducted 1-hour open-ended interviews with 18 CCT alumni and a qualitative analysis of interview transcripts to identify themes across the data. I identified four cases that exemplify elements of cultivating compassion, including: a case of depression relief, a case of increasing the capacity to stay, a case of dealing with self-criticism and a case of reducing empathy fatigue. I then organized findings across the entire data set into three categories according to my research questions; in each finding, I identified four themes and clustered participants' responses according to themes. Findings indicate that the 18 participants' reasons for taking CCT are diverse, including the desire to connect with others, curiosity about compassion and contemplative science, and the need for compassion in their personal and professional lives. All respondents reported CCT as a powerful and meaningful learning experience, describing the value of learning through the body, through meditation practices, and as a group. Participants attributed substantial positive changes to the course, citing improvements in their relationships to themselves and others, and increased awareness of their own mental and emotional states.

There is important to create flexible placement system in a world economic that is very variable so attention is paid to life long education. Changes in environment and activities act on permanent society. Individual should have a possibility to live in changeable political as well as economical situation, creating new democratic society. Regularly elevating science level, developing new technologies, changes requirements for employment. So continual need for improving knowledge is significant. Research object: Possibilities of continual adult education in Utena district. Aim of the research: To explore possibilities of continual adult education in Utena district. Tasks of the research: 1. To discuss conception, destination and aims of continual education. 2. To study adults’ motivation and experience in education. 3. To present institutions for adults’ education in Utena. 4. To research possibilities of continual education between inhabitants in Utena district. Used methods in the work: 1. Theoretical: analysis of scientific and methodical literature was used with the aim to ground theory of research problem. 2. Empirical: empirical research, interview of respondents and analysis of data. 3. Statistical: data of the research was analyzed using SPSS. At the theoretical part or work is reviewed education as continual process lasting all the life. At the practical part research are present. This research was competed in Utena. Respondents are adult people. Aim of research... [to full text]

In this master`s work you will find unemployed women`s problems and possible ways of otheir salvation. The theoretical part of this work will be based on both, Lithuanian and foreigh scientist`s works. Introduction. Actuality of social- practical research. After Recreation of Indepondence in Lithuania the problem of unemployed became essential. Major part of large enterprices went bancrupt after they hadn`t managed to reorganize. A lot of workers were released from work. An unemployed person is not able to participate in increasing the national product he also loses his qualifications and shills. His thinking standart is still orientated in being dependant on someone who is responsible for him. The following characteristics as sex, age, social status (head of the family or house wife) defines activities of society. But not only formal features are important in occupation, like education and knowledgs of languages but a person`s ability also to adapt to new conditions. When his profesional activities are stopped a person suffers great changes of his social surroundings, communication. His economical status is suddenly changed due to discreased income. Such economical deprivation can cause certain phycological changes (Gruževskis,1994). In such permanently changing surroundings lifelong (permanent) learning becomes one of great importance. People should be ready for changing society and market as for critical accesment of their own knowledge and shills in professional area... [to full text]

Globalizacija, kintančios ekonominės, socialinės ir politinės sąlygos, informacinių ir komunikacinių technologijų plėtra, didėjantis visuomenės poreikis, reikalavimai švietimui ir besikeičiantis mokytojo vaidmuo reformuotoje mokykloje – veiksniai, kurie pedagogo profesiją šiame postmodernizmo amžiuje veikia labiausiai. Mokytojo darbas darosi vis sudėtingesnis, jis privalo reaguoti į įvairialypius pokyčius, mokinių poreikius, į sparčią technikos pažangą ir tenkinti visuomenės keliamus tobulumo reikalavimus. Todėl visiškai natūralu, jog šiame kontekste vis labiau akcentuojamas mokymosi visą gyvenimą principo įgyvendinimas, kuris yra pagrindinis sėkmingo perėjimo į žiniomis grįstą visuomenę garantas. / Globalization, the changing economic, social and political conditions, information and communication technology development, constantly increasing public demand, the requirements for education and the changing role of the teacher in the reformed school - factors affecting the teachers profession in the postmodern age the most. Teacher's work becomes more advanced, it must respond to the diverse changes to students' needs, the rapid technological progress and meet the public's need for perfection requirements. So it is absolutely natural that in the context of the growing emphasis on lifelong learning implementation, which is central to the successful transition to a knowledge-based society guarantee.