Much has been written about the way in which e-learning has changed learning in higher education without transforming it to meet the changing needs and expectations of stakeholders in the sector. The beliefs and practices of teachers in the sector have remained largely unchanged despite the widespread adoption of e-learning tools. This study used a phenomenographic approach to identify the conceptual frameworks of practitioners. Among the indicators used to define these frameworks were practitioners’ levels of engagement with e-learning tools and the broader concept of technology-enhanced learning. The study identified limited evidence of the transformation of beliefs and practices in the sector to a more student-centred paradigm, despite the adoption of the language associated with such a change by the majority of practitioners interviewed. It showed how many e-learning initiatives had led to the internalization of such change with the adoption of exemplars and best practice. Examples of externalization (where exemplars were adapted to context and the modifications passed to others) were much more limited. Cases were identified where practitioners had used e-learning as a means of reinforcing the existing, teacher-centred paradigm. The majority of practitioners, however, were identified as being in a ‘transitionary’ state, adopting the language and some of the practices of a ‘transformed’ state. This study, therefore, considered factors influencing the adoption of a more student-centred paradigm through the use of e-learning. Using Activity Theory, the barriers to such change were explained and lessons for future approaches to professional development derived. Through an exploration of collaborative technology-enhanced learning initiatives, the nature of learning communities that should be at the heart of such transformation were identified. This study should, therefore, be of value to practitioners wishing to innovate, those who design and deliver the professional development programmes to support them and those managing such change in HE.

This study aimed to investigate what constituted the professional practical knowledge of EFL experienced teachers in the Egyptian context and what the sources of their knowledge were. It also aimed to examine the relationship between the teachers’ knowledge and the contextual factors intervening in action. By delineating its focus as such, the study responds to call for reconceptualising the core of the knowledge base of teaching to focus on teaching as a knowledge-based activity and an act of common sense and reasoning, the pedagogy by which teaching is done, and the context in which it is done. The study was carried out using multiple methods for collecting qualitative and quantitative data. This design was chosen to investigate the participants’ views of professional practical knowledge and to construct their different understandings and interpretations which they brought with them. Questionnaires completed by 236 EFL experienced teachers, semi-structured interviews conducted with 14 of them and stimulated recall classroom observation data with three of them were the data collected for the current study. Although it provided a parsimonious view, quantitative questionnaire data made an important contribution to the bricolage of information built up during the study. A more in-depth understanding was gained from qualitative data using responses to the open-ended section of the questionnaire, interviews and classroom observation. Based on quantitative and qualitative data analyses, six core areas of teacher knowledge were constructed from the participants’ responses and accounts. These were: subject matter, pedagogy, students, classroom learning environment, curriculum and self. The findings also revealed a variety of sources which shaped the teachers’ professional practical knowledge including: experience, teacher education, university study in the subject department, student and peer feedback, in-service training, expert advice, student output and postgraduate study. The findings also revealed that the relationship between teacher knowledge and practice was reflected in two ways. The first was that teacher knowledge represented an operative model which underpinned practice. The second was that it informed the classroom decisions. However, not all teacher knowledge found application in practice. A variety of intervening contextual challenges were revealed to deter the actualisation of teacher knowledge in action such as the EFL exam policy, lack of time, support and resources, mismatch between teacher purposes and students’ expectations and needs, and large class size. These findings were discussed in relation to existing research evidence and context. Implications for pre-service and in-service teacher learning were also drawn based on the findings of the study.

The research examined employees and stakeholders' perceptions of a significant educational reform conducted at the A. Youth-Village. The reform aimed at transforming an out-dated agriculture school into a technological-scientific education centre that would be able to train its pupils to meet the challenges of the 21st century. This study investigated the employees and stakeholders' perceptions of the appropriateness of methods used during the organisational change of A. Youth-Village. The studied perceptions related, amongst other issues, to the extent of the respondents’ knowledge about the latest changes introduced, their respective present and future positions in the A. Youth-Village, the impact of the changes on their professional careers, and the necessity for change (Samuel, 2005). The research employed mixed qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate different variables relating to the management of the A. Youth-Village, derived from background conversations with stakeholders' and a review of the relevant literature on traditional management theory. Data analysis was adapted to the different research methods, including statistics and content analysis. Five main categories emerged from the data analysis as important considerations for the management of the A. Youth-Village: (1) Personal Attitude (2) Quality Professional Development (3) Quality Management Approach (4) Quality Consumer Satisfaction and (5) Personal Improvement. These five categories used to form an innovative managerial theory (Ed.QMS), which can serve as an operative management model that would be appropriate to the needs of the A. Youth-Village during and after the implementation of change. The new theory and model embodies an addition to traditional management theory and despite the difficulties involved in generalisation due to the unique nature of the studied institution, it may be relevant and helpful for other boarding technological and agricultural schools.

The purpose of this study is to trace the history of the study of folklore from its origins in Europe through its development in the United States. Particular emphasis is laid on the part organized education has played in this development, the attitudes organized education has showed in relation to the study, those persons in American education who have furthered the study, and how folklore has been and is being used in the curriculum of the secondary school and college.

Data from recent college and career readiness measures indicate an alarming number of students are beginning college courses unequipped with the necessary writing skills to meet the demands of these courses. This, in addition to the Common Core State Standards, leave many teachers feeling underprepared to effectively teach writing. The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of LEAD PD: Writing in the Content Areas, a writing professional development initiative for teachers grounded in the writing standards and best practices of writing instruction. In partnership with a university of higher education, teachers from a local middle school were trained to Learn new information, Embed it into their instruction, Assess the effectiveness of instruction, and Disseminate their findings. The LEAD PD model was evaluated through ratings of teacher self-efficacy related to writing using the Teacher Personal Efficacy Survey and the Teacher Professional Efficacy Survey. Student writing performance was measured through the use of the Kentucky Online Testing (KYOTE) Writing Assessment Rubric. Results of this study indicated that teacher attitudes towards personal writing abilities did not change as a result of the LEAD PD training. However, increases in overall feelings of self-efficacy towards professional writing instruction were observed. Additionally, increases and/or changes were not always observed in teacher actions such as frequency of student engagement in writing tasks and effective feedback. Finally, significant increases were noted from pre/post scores on student writing samples.

Master of Science / Department of Communications and Agricultural Education / Shannon G. Washburn / STEM fields represent between 5% and 20% of all employed in the United States (United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). Many employers of job positions in the STEM field have indicated an ongoing challenge of demand for such employees exceeding supply (Hira, 2010). Literature suggests a skills gap exists in some career fields and labor markets (Sentz, 2013). A topic that falls in many STEM fields in water resources. In Kansas, both supply and demand of water resources vary greatly across the state. A growing trend statewide, however, is a need to focus efforts on preserving the quality and quantity of Kansas’ water supply. Anecdotal evidence suggests the focus on water resources increases the demand for employees prepared for careers in related STEM fields (S. Metzger, personal communication, May 3, 2016). Drawing on both the Human Capital Theory and the Theory of Work Adjustment, descriptive survey research and qualitative interviews based in symbolic interactionism were used to gather data from employers of water-related job positions. The data indicated that a variety of employability and technical skills describe both employers’ ability requirements and employees’ ability sets. The results of the study suggest that, while employers have not recently experienced much challenge filling job vacancies, demand for employees could increase in the near future. Additionally, employers utilize a variety of professional development resources, and would utilize others if available. While levels of correspondence range among ability requirements and ability sets depending on the job position, efforts in education and recruitment could help address the supply of candidates for these positions.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of teachers’ and administrators’ perception of the effectiveness of a teacher evaluation system to the effects of the system on student learning. Teacher surveys were administered electronically and administrator and teacher focus group discussions were held to determine the relationship between the following variables: Teacher perception of evaluation activities, teacher perception of the effectiveness of the evaluation system, administrators perception of evaluation activities, administrator perception of the effectiveness of the evaluation activities, professional development of teachers and teacher perception of the effects of the evaluation system on student learning.

Current literature claims that the graduate students’ personal aspects not only influence research training outcomes, but they also serve as a mediator between students’ research activity and research training environment. In previous studies, key predictors of scholarly/research productivity among counseling graduate students have been investigated (Brown, Lent, Ryan, & McPartland, 1996; Kahn, 2001; Kahn & Scott, 1997). However, only 17% of the variance in three factors—research self-efficacy, research interests, and number of years in a program—predicted student research activities directly and research training environment indirectly. Bandura’s social cognitive theory was utilized as the conceptual framework for the study. Data was collected through SurveyMonkey™, an online source that surveyed 292 counseling doctoral students currently enrolled in 90 counseling doctoral programs across the United States. The findings from a factor analysis conducted in the present study indicated, the RIFPQ-R developed by the researcher was a reliable and valid instrument. Additionally, the findings showed that counseling doctoral students’ researcher identity correlated significantly with students’ research activity and research training environment; however, the correlations were weak. Finally, using two multiple regression analyses, students’ research experiences before admission to program, number of credit hours completed in qualitative and quantitative research, number of years enrolled in their program, and weekly hours spent doing research predicted a small portion of variance in students’ reported researcher identity and research activity.

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the status of the mathematics teachers in the secondary schools of Kentucky. It is in detail a study to ascertain (1) the educational qualifications of Kentucky mathematics teachers; (2) the salaries of these teachers; (3) the teaching experiences and tenure of the mathematics teachers; (4) the number and kind of mathematics courses being offered in our secondary schools.

The Bowling Green College of Commerce is a division of the Bowling Green Business University, a privately owned and controlled institution which has been located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, since its removal there in 1884 from Glasgow, Kentucky. Until 1906 the Southern Normal School was associated with the Business University under the same management, but in that year the Normal School was made a state institution, the Western Kentucky State Normal School, and the Business University continued under private management. In 1922 the Bowling Green College of Commerce was organized with an independent state charter as a division of the Bowling Green Business University. The College of Commerce was immediately accredited as a junior college. During the next four years the curriculum was broadened and standards were raised until in May 1926, the Bowling Green College of Commerce received accreditment as a regular four-year standard college in the field of business, the first privately owned business college in America to achieve that distinction. It was with the above facts in mind that the writer decided to make a follow-up study of the teacher-training graduates of the Bowling Green College of Commerce for the five-year period 1937-1941. It was hoped that such a study would give a picture of the activities and experiences of these graduates in such a way as to indicate the effectiveness with which they had been trained for the work they are doing. Especially was it hoped that the information gained from this study would enable the Bowling Green College of Commerce to recognize any needed changes of emphasis in the preparation of its commercial teachers.