No description available.

It is estimated that by the year 2020, African American, Latino, Asian American, and Native American groups will comprise 40% of the population. This implies that we must be equipped to teach students from both genders and various ethnic groups efficiently through educational systems that promote diversity, equality, and empowerment. Due to the teaching force becoming more female and white, while the student population is becoming more diverse, teacher educators and pre-service teachers need to learn and accept that diversity and multicultural education goes beyond celebrating holidays and sampling ethnic dishes. Therefore, it is paramount that teachers increase their awareness about issues related to multicultural education. The purpose of this research study was to examine an education program and its job in promoting and facilitating tactics that embrace multicultural education ideologies. Thus, a teacher education training program's efforts to provide pre-service teachers with knowledge and experiences in issues related to diversity and multicultural education were investigated. Three questions guided this study (a) Do student teaching/internship experiences affect teachers' attitudes about multicultural education and diversity, (b) Do pre-service teachers believe they are knowledgeable about cultural diversity and teaching minority students, and (c) Do pre-service teachers believe their internship address issues of diversity? An analysis of survey and focus group data indicated that teachers believed they were knowledgeable about multicultural education. However, the data gathered also indicated the need for teacher education programs to improve their efforts in providing pre-service teachers with opportunities to learn and apply their knowledge in teaching minority students.

Adolescence is a period of enormous adjustment for both teenagers and families. As children transition from childhood to adulthood, they go through many physical, emotional and behavioural changes. Not surprisingly, many parents describe adolescence as the most difficult and anxiety-provoking period of their children’s life. Parents’ concerns are well justified, considering the high prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems during adolescence. Although health professionals and researchers share parents’ view of adolescence as a challenging period of life, the scope of research on adolescents is scarce compared to research on children and adults. However, this is now changing. Research on adolescent development and adolescent psychopathology has increased dramatically during the last two decades. Reducing risk factors in adolescents’ development has been receiving more and more attention both from researchers and policy makers. Family risk factors such as inadequate parental monitoring and family conflict are among potentially modifiable risk factors that can be targeted in order to reduce the rate of emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. Behavioural family intervention is considered to be one of the promising intervention systems in this area because of the extensive empirical support it has received in research with families of preadolescence children. The research presented in this thesis focuses on parenting programs for parents of teenagers. The first study evaluates the efficacy of a behavioural family intervention (Triple P – Positive Parenting Program) targeting parents of teenagers. The second study explores factors which affect parents’ decisions to participate in parenting programs. The first study outlines a randomised control trial (RCT), assessing the efficacy of a parenting intervention in reducing behavioural problems in adolescents. The study provides support for an intensive individual version of Teen Triple P – a behavioural family intervention designed specifically for parents of high risk adolescents. The intervention aims to improve adolescent behaviour by reducing parents’ use of ineffective parenting. Participants were 46 families with a teenager aged 11 to 16. The outcomes of the intervention included a reduction in teen disruptive behaviours (d > .85) and parent-adolescent conflict (d = .1.21), as well as decreased parental use of harsh and coercive parenting strategies (d = 1.15) and a decrease in parents’ conflict over child rearing issues (d = .64). These positive changes were maintained at the three-month follow up. In spite of the growing recognition of parents’ need for information, guidance and support during the crucial and challenging years of adolescence, little is known about the factors which affect parents’ engagement in programs designed to help them in their parenting roles. The second study aimed to provide a conceptual framework for understanding parents’ decisions to accept or decline participation in a parenting program by employing the Health Belief Model (HBM). The model suggested that parents are more likely to participate in a program when they (a) perceive their adolescents to be susceptible to development of problem behaviours, (b) perceive the problem behaviours to have serious consequences, (c) believe the parenting program to be beneficial in reducing the risk of development of problem behaviours in their adolescent, (d) perceive the personal, social and financial cost of attending the program to be low, and (e) are confident in their ability to successfully learn and apply what they learn in these programs. The model explained 31% of the variance in parents’ inclination to participate in parenting programs. The study also showed that parents differ in their preferences of delivery format for parenting programs. These two studies contribute to the literature in a number of ways. Firstly, they demonstrate that parent training is an effective intervention in the treatment of adolescent problem behaviours. Secondly, they highlight the importance of addressing parents’ beliefs and attitudes about the benefits of parenting programs as well as reducing participation barriers to encourage greater parental engagement in prevention and intervention programs. Finally, the research emphasises that in order to increase participation rate, parenting programs should be made available in a range of delivery formats. The implications of the current research and future directions are presented and discussed.

The Saskatchewan Indian Community College (SICC) is an institution of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) having the mandate to deliver occupational training progams to Indian people in Saskatchewan. For the years of this study, 1976-1981,the SICC delivered approximately 250 occupational training programs to nearly 3000 students.This study is the first attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of these training programs in a systematic manner. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the SICC occupational training programs and to make recommendations regarding the future operation of these programs.<p> The main goal of SICC occupational training programs is to provide their recipients with skills to advance to either further levels of training or to employment, As a result,the Decision Making Model of evaluation was utilized in order to gain adequate information on the results of SICC training in relation to employment. In order to obtain a broader perspective in terms of all the impacts of SICC training, the Goal Free Model was also used.<p> Data for this study was collected through interviews administered by research assistants. Research assistants were trained in a week-long orientation and skill session to prepare them to conduct student follow-up interviews. The research assistants travelled to reserves to interview as many former SICC students as possible. A total of 806 of 2909 former SICC students were interviewed for this study between June,1982 to August,1982.<p> The Adult Basic Education student completion rate was 60.8 per cent and it was 70.5 per cent for skills training. The pre-training Adult Basic Education employment rate was 33.5 per cent as compared to 33.3 per cent after training. The pre-training skills training employment rate was 33.3 per cent as opposed to 54.6 per cent after training. While SICC training is one variable affecting the employability of students, the difference may be the result of a number of variables of which SICC training is only one.<p>Former SICC students generally were satisfied with and perceived their training to have been of high quality but found the training to be of limited value in gaining employment. The training was of limited benefit in such unintended areas of increasing the respondents' self-confidence, their involvement in band affairs, their incomes and their children's attendance in school by their example.<p>There are a number of structural barriers limiting the effectiveness of the College's occupational training programs . These include(a)the lack of positive definition of the type of institution that the College is or should be, b)a complicated program identification, request, and approval process,(c)lack of accreditation of skills and trades programs,d)lack of a student support system and strategy, and (e) inadequate linkages between training and economic development and employment opportunities. Recommendations from the study include ensuring (a) that the nature of the SICC as an educational institution be positively defined and that this definition take into account the complex set of factors affecting the College, (b) that SICC training fits into a larger strategy of economic and employment development, (c) that a comprehensive set of occupational training opportunities exist, (d) that training be fully accredited and recognized, and (e) that links be made between Adult Basic Education programs and skill programs and employment.<p>This study provides a baseline of information on the SICC and the effectiveness of its occupational training programs . There needs to be further research in this area to develop a model for the delivery of occupational training that can be generally applied .

The Saskatchewan Indian Community College (SICC) is an institution of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) having the mandate to deliver occupational training progams to Indian people in Saskatchewan. For the years of this study, 1976-1981,the SICC delivered approximately 250 occupational training programs to nearly 3000 students.This study is the first attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of these training programs in a systematic manner. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the SICC occupational training programs and to make recommendations regarding the future operation of these programs.<p> The main goal of SICC occupational training programs is to provide their recipients with skills to advance to either further levels of training or to employment, As a result,the Decision Making Model of evaluation was utilized in order to gain adequate information on the results of SICC training in relation to employment. In order to obtain a broader perspective in terms of all the impacts of SICC training, the Goal Free Model was also used.<p> Data for this study was collected through interviews administered by research assistants. Research assistants were trained in a week-long orientation and skill session to prepare them to conduct student follow-up interviews. The research assistants travelled to reserves to interview as many former SICC students as possible. A total of 806 of 2909 former SICC students were interviewed for this study between June,1982 to August,1982.<p> The Adult Basic Education student completion rate was 60.8 per cent and it was 70.5 per cent for skills training. The pre-training Adult Basic Education employment rate was 33.5 per cent as compared to 33.3 per cent after training. The pre-training skills training employment rate was 33.3 per cent as opposed to 54.6 per cent after training. While SICC training is one variable affecting the employability of students, the difference may be the result of a number of variables of which SICC training is only one.<p>Former SICC students generally were satisfied with and perceived their training to have been of high quality but found the training to be of limited value in gaining employment. The training was of limited benefit in such unintended areas of increasing the respondents' self-confidence, their involvement in band affairs, their incomes and their children's attendance in school by their example.<p>There are a number of structural barriers limiting the effectiveness of the College's occupational training programs . These include(a)the lack of positive definition of the type of institution that the College is or should be, b)a complicated program identification, request, and approval process,(c)lack of accreditation of skills and trades programs,d)lack of a student support system and strategy, and (e) inadequate linkages between training and economic development and employment opportunities. Recommendations from the study include ensuring (a) that the nature of the SICC as an educational institution be positively defined and that this definition take into account the complex set of factors affecting the College, (b) that SICC training fits into a larger strategy of economic and employment development, (c) that a comprehensive set of occupational training opportunities exist, (d) that training be fully accredited and recognized, and (e) that links be made between Adult Basic Education programs and skill programs and employment.<p>This study provides a baseline of information on the SICC and the effectiveness of its occupational training programs . There needs to be further research in this area to develop a model for the delivery of occupational training that can be generally applied .

Problem statement The Western retailer H&amp;M is one of many multinational retailers presently preceding a rapid expansion, followed by an extensive recruitment of new employees in China. H&amp;M works extensively with the transfer of corporate values, mentioned as “the H&amp;M spirit”, to its foreign subsidiary in China through a Corporate Training Program. Scholars have recently highlighted the Corporate Value Transfer process, however the understanding of this process within the International Business literature today is limited. Research purpose The purpose of this research is to create a deeper understanding of the Corporate Value Transfer process in an emerging market context. This research therefore aims to investigate how H&amp;M transfers their corporate values to new employees in China, by focusing on the cultural challenges and opportunities arising during this process within a Corporate Training Program. Methodology The methodology being used was qualitative with an abductive approach, focused on performing a single case study. Empirical data was gathered through 19 semi- structured interviews with managers at H&amp;M ́s Human Resource offices for the Southern China region in Shanghai and Hangzhou. Results and contributions The Corporate Value Transfer process, to new Chinese employees, was summarized in three phases. These three phases, and different cultural challenges and opportunities within them, were conceptualized. This conceptualization contributes in terms of a theoretical foundation within the International Business literature and illustrates how a Corporate Value Transfer process in China can be viewed upon.

As evidence-based programs are implemented in real world settings, there is a strong need to effectively and efficiently monitor fidelity, or adherence to a program, in order to maintain the expected effects demonstrated in research settings. The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of assessing fidelity to an evidence-based, parent-training model (SafeCare®) as implemented by community service providers. Specifically, analyses compared fidelity assessed via video versus audio recordings. SafeCare modules often require mobility and high interaction, thus, video recordings may provide a more accurate view of home visitor and family interactions for scoring fidelity. However, videos are more expensive and cumbersome in comparison to audio recordings. Trained coders were randomly assigned to score a video or audio recording of the same session for 25 SafeCare sessions and the codes were compared for agreement. Two types of SafeCare sessions were assessed: assessment and training. Average agreement was somewhat higher for assessment sessions than for training sessions. Average agreement, across all sessions, was higher among items pertaining to SafeCare content than items pertaining to the therapeutic process. Several specific items were identified that are difficult to code via audio recordings. However, more research is needed to determine agreement levels across all SafeCare modules and session types in order to provide insight on the implications for SafeCare's future use of audio and video methods of measuring fidelity.

Adolescence is a period of enormous adjustment for both teenagers and families. As children transition from childhood to adulthood, they go through many physical, emotional and behavioural changes. Not surprisingly, many parents describe adolescence as the most difficult and anxiety-provoking period of their children’s life. Parents’ concerns are well justified, considering the high prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems during adolescence. Although health professionals and researchers share parents’ view of adolescence as a challenging period of life, the scope of research on adolescents is scarce compared to research on children and adults. However, this is now changing. Research on adolescent development and adolescent psychopathology has increased dramatically during the last two decades. Reducing risk factors in adolescents’ development has been receiving more and more attention both from researchers and policy makers. Family risk factors such as inadequate parental monitoring and family conflict are among potentially modifiable risk factors that can be targeted in order to reduce the rate of emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. Behavioural family intervention is considered to be one of the promising intervention systems in this area because of the extensive empirical support it has received in research with families of preadolescence children. The research presented in this thesis focuses on parenting programs for parents of teenagers. The first study evaluates the efficacy of a behavioural family intervention (Triple P – Positive Parenting Program) targeting parents of teenagers. The second study explores factors which affect parents’ decisions to participate in parenting programs. The first study outlines a randomised control trial (RCT), assessing the efficacy of a parenting intervention in reducing behavioural problems in adolescents. The study provides support for an intensive individual version of Teen Triple P – a behavioural family intervention designed specifically for parents of high risk adolescents. The intervention aims to improve adolescent behaviour by reducing parents’ use of ineffective parenting. Participants were 46 families with a teenager aged 11 to 16. The outcomes of the intervention included a reduction in teen disruptive behaviours (d > .85) and parent-adolescent conflict (d = .1.21), as well as decreased parental use of harsh and coercive parenting strategies (d = 1.15) and a decrease in parents’ conflict over child rearing issues (d = .64). These positive changes were maintained at the three-month follow up. In spite of the growing recognition of parents’ need for information, guidance and support during the crucial and challenging years of adolescence, little is known about the factors which affect parents’ engagement in programs designed to help them in their parenting roles. The second study aimed to provide a conceptual framework for understanding parents’ decisions to accept or decline participation in a parenting program by employing the Health Belief Model (HBM). The model suggested that parents are more likely to participate in a program when they (a) perceive their adolescents to be susceptible to development of problem behaviours, (b) perceive the problem behaviours to have serious consequences, (c) believe the parenting program to be beneficial in reducing the risk of development of problem behaviours in their adolescent, (d) perceive the personal, social and financial cost of attending the program to be low, and (e) are confident in their ability to successfully learn and apply what they learn in these programs. The model explained 31% of the variance in parents’ inclination to participate in parenting programs. The study also showed that parents differ in their preferences of delivery format for parenting programs. These two studies contribute to the literature in a number of ways. Firstly, they demonstrate that parent training is an effective intervention in the treatment of adolescent problem behaviours. Secondly, they highlight the importance of addressing parents’ beliefs and attitudes about the benefits of parenting programs as well as reducing participation barriers to encourage greater parental engagement in prevention and intervention programs. Finally, the research emphasises that in order to increase participation rate, parenting programs should be made available in a range of delivery formats. The implications of the current research and future directions are presented and discussed.

Adolescence is a period of enormous adjustment for both teenagers and families. As children transition from childhood to adulthood, they go through many physical, emotional and behavioural changes. Not surprisingly, many parents describe adolescence as the most difficult and anxiety-provoking period of their children’s life. Parents’ concerns are well justified, considering the high prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems during adolescence. Although health professionals and researchers share parents’ view of adolescence as a challenging period of life, the scope of research on adolescents is scarce compared to research on children and adults. However, this is now changing. Research on adolescent development and adolescent psychopathology has increased dramatically during the last two decades. Reducing risk factors in adolescents’ development has been receiving more and more attention both from researchers and policy makers. Family risk factors such as inadequate parental monitoring and family conflict are among potentially modifiable risk factors that can be targeted in order to reduce the rate of emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. Behavioural family intervention is considered to be one of the promising intervention systems in this area because of the extensive empirical support it has received in research with families of preadolescence children. The research presented in this thesis focuses on parenting programs for parents of teenagers. The first study evaluates the efficacy of a behavioural family intervention (Triple P – Positive Parenting Program) targeting parents of teenagers. The second study explores factors which affect parents’ decisions to participate in parenting programs. The first study outlines a randomised control trial (RCT), assessing the efficacy of a parenting intervention in reducing behavioural problems in adolescents. The study provides support for an intensive individual version of Teen Triple P – a behavioural family intervention designed specifically for parents of high risk adolescents. The intervention aims to improve adolescent behaviour by reducing parents’ use of ineffective parenting. Participants were 46 families with a teenager aged 11 to 16. The outcomes of the intervention included a reduction in teen disruptive behaviours (d > .85) and parent-adolescent conflict (d = .1.21), as well as decreased parental use of harsh and coercive parenting strategies (d = 1.15) and a decrease in parents’ conflict over child rearing issues (d = .64). These positive changes were maintained at the three-month follow up. In spite of the growing recognition of parents’ need for information, guidance and support during the crucial and challenging years of adolescence, little is known about the factors which affect parents’ engagement in programs designed to help them in their parenting roles. The second study aimed to provide a conceptual framework for understanding parents’ decisions to accept or decline participation in a parenting program by employing the Health Belief Model (HBM). The model suggested that parents are more likely to participate in a program when they (a) perceive their adolescents to be susceptible to development of problem behaviours, (b) perceive the problem behaviours to have serious consequences, (c) believe the parenting program to be beneficial in reducing the risk of development of problem behaviours in their adolescent, (d) perceive the personal, social and financial cost of attending the program to be low, and (e) are confident in their ability to successfully learn and apply what they learn in these programs. The model explained 31% of the variance in parents’ inclination to participate in parenting programs. The study also showed that parents differ in their preferences of delivery format for parenting programs. These two studies contribute to the literature in a number of ways. Firstly, they demonstrate that parent training is an effective intervention in the treatment of adolescent problem behaviours. Secondly, they highlight the importance of addressing parents’ beliefs and attitudes about the benefits of parenting programs as well as reducing participation barriers to encourage greater parental engagement in prevention and intervention programs. Finally, the research emphasises that in order to increase participation rate, parenting programs should be made available in a range of delivery formats. The implications of the current research and future directions are presented and discussed.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Educational Psychology) in the Department of Psychology at the University of ZuIu/and, 2004. / Social skills are a well-researched topic, and skills programmes have been used extensively to improve the social and emotional problems encountered by learners with learning disabilities. They are often the therapies of choice for learners who suffer from poor self-concept and poor social skills. Meta-analyses of recent social skills outcome studies have indicated that the amount of change effected by social skills programmes was minimal, and that rarely does it reach the level of effecting clinically significant change. In the light of these contradictory statements, the aim of this study is to establish whether the current social skills programme succeeds in improving the self-concept of learners with learning disabilities at a school for learners with special educational needs. The results of the study indicated that this social skills programme does not improve the global self-concept of learners.