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TITLE: Lifelong learning of headmasters and their professional development AUTHOR: Bc. Eva Hejdová DEPARTMENT: The centre of school management SUPERVISOR: Mgr. Jiří Trunda ABSTRACT: Thesis is aimed to issues of lifelong education of preprimary and primary schools headmasters. It is based on theoretical knowledge of the issue, from special literature and other available sources, practical part is based on gathering datas from questionnaire ant its analysis. It is focused on lifelong education concept development, strategical documents, tasks, autority and professional growth of headmasters in the Czech republic and in chosen countries of European union. It states stages and lifelong learning attributes, components and functions of lifelong learning, further education, the importance of situation in the area of lifelong education in the Czech Republic. The aim is to chart the area of school headmasters lifelong learning, the questionnaire is aimed at finding out what attitude the directors have to lifelong learning, and specification of their educational needs and preferences of the most acceptable forms of education. The result of this thesis is the visibility of educational needs of preprimary and primary schools headmasters, the demand for more focused education and most acceptable forms of education....

The research was conducted by stratified random sampling. A structural questionnaire on the basis of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is designed as study instrument for data collection in this research aimed to study the influential factors on the lifelong learning (LLL) behavioral intention of nursing staff and the satisfaction with LLL passport. Seven hundreds and fifty questionnaires were distributed and 451 copies returned, which made up 60.13% of returning rate. Among the returned questionnaires, 433 were effective samples and returning rate of returning samples was 57.73%. Collected data were computed by SPSS/PC10.0. Computing results shown that average age of subjects was 30.7 and average working seniority of them was 9 years. Research results indicated that there was a positive attitude (with 70.44% of support) towards LLL behavioral intention and 65.75% of overall satisfaction of the implementation of LLL passport. Results also found that, among all of the factors, the participants¡¦ age, working seniority, number of children, job position, educational background, attitude towards LLL, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm of environmental support including support from administrators, overcoming obstacles from family, support from colleagues and families, and backup from working shift table and manpower positively correlated with their LLL behavioral intention(p<.01). Nevertheless, attribute of working unit was found to have negative correlation with LLL behavioral intention(p<.01). While participants¡¦ job position, educational background, attitude towards LLL, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm of environmental support consisting of support from nursing unit and administrators, overcoming obstacles from family, and support from colleagues and families indicated positive correlations with satisfaction with LLL passport(p<.01), attribute of working unit revealed negative correlation(p<.01). The above results have verified and echoed Ajzen¡¦s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The theory was to evaluate one¡¦s behavioral intention based on one¡¦s attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm. In this study, the perceived behavioral control has the highest influence (84.19%). In addition, there was a positive correlation between nursing staff¡¦s LLL behavioral intention and their satisfaction with LLL passport. Furthermore, by using regression analysis, the results shown that factors such as ¡§support from colleagues and families¡¨, ¡§support from nursing unit and administrators¡¨, and ¡§backup from working shift table and manpower¡¨ could be used as predictors to LLL internal behavioral intention and satisfaction with LLL passport. The overall prediction variance of these three factors reached 34% and ¡§support from colleagues and families¡¨ was the highest (29.5%) among all. In conclusion, except factor of personal characteristics, if working shift and manpower factors could be overcome when nursing staffs are participating in LLL activities, and meanwhile with support of colleagues, families, and administrators, the LLL behavioral intention and satisfaction with LLL passport could be enhanced. The researcher suggested that the results of this study could be used by pertinent units and nursing administrators to build a sound human resources system, establish a learning organization, propel incessant professional development, and help promote nursing staff¡¦s professional accomplishments and competition.

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In post-traditional societies, identity has been pervasively understood as a ‘thing’ one needs to and can endeavour to achieve or create. Many studies about identity in the humanities and social sciences have increasingly been approached in both reified and impersonal ways. These trends in understanding identity have made a significant impact on research into education and identity. This thesis aims to demonstrate the complexity of personal identity on a theoretical level and endeavours to rethink the theoretical understanding of personal identity in relation to the notion of learning. Based on Paul Ricoeur and Charles Taylor’s theories of personal identity, this thesis argues that personal identity needs to be understood both as sameness and as selfhood at a conceptual level. Ontologically, the former belongs to the category of ‘thing’, ‘substance’ in terms of permanence in time. The latter belongs the category of ‘being’ in terms of permanence in time. This thesis will argue that this conceptual understanding of personal identity suggests that identity is largely ‘shaped’ by social, cultural, traditional, moral and ethical dimensions in the human world over time, rather than merely being a result of personal endeavour as an individual creation or/and an adaptation to constant social changes. The moral and ethical dimensions of personal identity also suggest that the need for and ‘meaning’ of personal identity to a person in his/her life cannot be simply approached in an objective manner through impersonal terms. Rather, personal identity constitutively depends on self-interpretation, which highlights the role of narrative in understanding personal identity. This thesis further argues that a new understanding about reflexive learning relevant to personal identity can be drawn from this theoretical understanding of personal identity and narrative. This new understanding is based on a person’s reflexivity not only in the dialectical frameworks between sameness, self and others, but also in different moral frameworks. What this presents us with is a different view of lifelong learning as an alternative to lifelong learning implied in the notion of a ‘reflexive project of the self’.

This diploma thesis deals with the functioning of the labor market in the Czech Republic its status, development and related concept of lifelong learning and effective use of human capital. The introductory chapters focus on the theoretical definitions of the terms dealing with the concept of lifelong learning and offer a summary of current labor market situation including some statistics. The following part is specifically devoted to defining the National system of occupations and National system of qualifications. These systems are currently being put into practice to increase the effect of the labor market functions and to fulfill the vision of efficient use of human capital. With these systems is also connected to the European system of qualifications which is described in the following chapter. The final sections deal with the functioning of already established processes including the stage of completion. In these chapters I evaluated the effect of the real market and assessed the development of their implementation. Here I took into an account the role of educational and employment agencies and their impact on the successful fulfillment of the meaning of the whole project. This chapter is an analysis of subsequent developments and the effect on the entire market. It also includes a model of the Czech labor market, assuming successful incorporation of both systems and their functions in society.

Thesis advisor: Karen C. Arnold / There is a growing trend of colleges and universities to affiliate with retirement communities, often to enhance revenue sources. Little is known of the effect of this emerging phenomenon on the aging processes of elders living and learning on a college campus. This phenomenological study used focus group methodology to collect in depth interview data from a group of 31 elderly residents of a college-affiliated retirement community. Residents in this setting are required to complete 450 hours of continuing education per year. This continuing education requirement can be met through either age-segregated classes with other residents; or, intergenerational courses at the college with traditional aged students. The specific aims of this study included understanding the potential effects of the retirement community and campus settings on elders' ability to age successfully; and the impact of intergenerational engagement on the aging process. Findings from this study confirm that there are many opportunities which promote successful aging of elders in a higher education affiliated retirement community. Participants reported that successful aging is enhanced by the safety of the setting and access to: physical care; continuing education; dining facilities; socialization; intergenerational engagement; and the general disposition of intellectualism in the setting. In addition, the educational requirement results in self-selection of residents with interest in intellectual matters and continued learning that is then accentuated within the community culture. Conclusions include that more institutions of higher education should consider similar models, with careful attention to issues of enhancing both funding sources and opportunities for diversity within the program. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.

Partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Further Education Colleges (FECs) were a specific recommendation of the 1997 Dearing Review and a major component of New Labour's 'Third Way'. Between 1997 - 2010 one of the key policy drivers was to widen participation in higher education with a target of 50% participation of 18 - 30 year olds by 2010. Funded partnerships were seen as the mechanism to achieve this target. Arguably partnerships between higher education (HE) and further education (FE) were not new. Many of the so-called 'post-92' universities which had previously been polytechnics had achieved growth through partnerships with FECs and considered themselves, perhaps, to be leading the way in widening participation. Among a plethora of policy initiatives, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) embarked on its own innovative partnership scheme, Lifelong Learning Networks. Drawing heavily from examples in North America, these were conceived as a way of achieving planned progression into higher education for students with vocational qualifications at level three. The response from the higher education sector to the initiative was equivocal at best and the results uneven. This study draws from Bourdieu's early anthropological studies and combines aspects of these with his study of the fields of the arts and higher education to propose a new reading of the policy response and practice of widening participation in higher education through partnerships.

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.