Focus on education for the future, often termed 21st Century education, is on the minds of educators and much is being said about particular ways to enact curricula and teaching that supports the needs of 21 century thinking, learning, and teaching. 21st century skills, frameworks, system/practitioner examples that apply these skills and a variety of literature on the different structures and content have been disseminated through articles, professional development, and district-wide initiatives. However, there is an absence of literature that focuses on how system wide initiatives, rooted in 21st Century research, impacts teachers and their perceptions of teaching and learning. In this study, the discourse on 21st Century education is defined in relation to educational frameworks that outline specific skills students and teachers need in order to be successful in academic and workplace settings in the 21st Century. The objective of the study was to answer the following research questions (1) How does a district-wide PD initiative focused on educating students for the 21st Century impact teachers' examinations and revisions of assessments, curricula, and instructional activities? (2) How does a district-wide PD initiative focused on educating students for the 21st Century impact three 10th Grade English teachers' examinations and revisions of their literature curricula and instructional activities? (3) What factors influence the ways teachers react to the PD plan implemented in the EEF initiative? Through a qualitative examination of a professional development initiative called Envisioning Education for the Future (EEF) 2010-2013, this research study aims to bridge a gap between theory and practice by examining how Parnell School District attempts to achieve the goal of enhancing their teaching and preparation of students for the 21st Century. I explore how Parnell School District provided its teachers opportunities to focus on providing a more global-focused education by offering, a coherent professional development plan that focused on activities that included: assessment creation, instructional activity adaptation, curriculum design, practitioner reflection, and student work analysis. Outcomes from this study include recommendations for how to overcome logistical obstacles; address teachers' varying levels of self-efficacy; adapt curricula, teaching strategies/activities, and classroom assessments to reflect more 21st Century skills. What was also revealed during this study was the emergence of a new discourse amongst teachers and researchers as they attempted to create a common language around 21st Century education. This discourse is referred to as a Critical 21st Century Discourse. The EEF PD initiative encouraged individuals to examine their assumptions and biases by engaging teachers in deep questioning about their teaching philosophies in their particular disciplines, providing teachers with activities that facilitate teachers reflections on existing beliefs and ideologies and the impact thereof, and by providing teachers with the research literature and experiences that help broaden perspectives of underlying critical issues to investigate how teaching is impacted

The purpose of this study was to explore the development of second graders' spelling knowledge across the academic year using a researcher developed, word-dictated spelling test administered in fall, winter, and spring of second grade. Second grade students (N =100) from 10 classes were the participants in this study. Students' spelling tests were analyzed for patterns of overall growth, spelling pattern, and linguistic knowledge (i.e., phonological, orthographic, and morphological). Words were crossed with students to identify significant predictors of spelling accuracy. Hierarchical linear modeling and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that students demonstrated significant growth in their spelling performance from fall to spring. Number of letters predicted spelling accuracy at the end of the year, but word frequency and number of phonemes did not. Females were more accurate at spelling words than males. Students struggled with mastery of the spelling patterns expected to be taught and learned during second grade. There were relatively few phonological errors made in comparison to orthographic and morphological ones. Students in second grade, even those who made many spelling errors, tended to represent all the phonemes in their spellings. Orthographic errors occurred most frequently and there were no significant differences based on student demographics. Morphology remained difficult for all students throughout the year and would benefit from explicit instruction. Interestingly, results indicated that students and classes varied significantly in their spelling performance at the beginning of the year, but did not vary in their rate of growth. It is speculated this could be due, in part, to the lack of meaningful spelling instruction occurring at school. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2010. / Date of Defense: December 8, 2009. / Second Grade, Spelling, Literacy / Includes bibliographical references. / Barbara R. Foorman, Professor Directing Dissertation; Christopher Schatschneider, University Representative; Stephanie Dent Al Otaiba, Committee Member; Young-Suk Kim, Committee Member.

This descriptive research study was designed to investigate the relationship between the personal characteristics of high school mathematics teachers and the frequency of technology use in their classes, while describing the strategies high school mathematics teachers utilize to integrate technology into their curriculum as the hindrances or obstacles to their technology use was examined. The Mathematics Teacher Technology Usage Survey (MT-TUS) was designed as a web based questionnaire instrument to gather data from high school mathematics teachers across the state of Florida. 813 teachers responded to the survey offering insights into their usage of technology. Data analyses revealed that the majority of the teachers in the sample population made use of graphing calculators and projection devices (overhead or lcd) on a regular basis. Most teachers classified themselves at the "Developing Tech" level of technology integration and used technology as a supplement to instruction as their students used technology to test and practice for skill mastery. The biggest obstacle to technology use was access to technology resources. The results of the study provided information that is useful to mathematics educators, professional development leaders, local, state, and national policy makers and teachers of mathematics who are interested in understanding the factors that affect technology usage in the mathematics classroom. By examining teachers' technology use within the context of demographics, approaches, and hindrances, this study sheds new light on the role of technology in mathematics education. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2007. / Date of Defense: October 17, 2007. / Technology, Survey, Integration, Mathematics / Includes bibliographical references. / Elizabeth Jakubowski, Professor Directing Dissertation; Paul Ruscher, Outside Committee Member; Leslie Aspinwall, Committee Member; Pamela Carroll, Committee Member.

Abstract not available

This study attempted to answer the following question: What instructional methods should dietetic preceptors use to help dietetic interns meet the performance requirements specified by the American Dietetic Association (ADA, 1991) for entry-level dietitians? A national sample of 170 dietetic preceptors was surveyed. Ninety provided usable information to examine both the instructional methods they used to train interns as well as those methods they might try to use. Thirty instructional methods were grouped into six categories: one-to-one methods, practice/experiential methods, reading-writing methods, lecture-discussion methods, exercises/problem sets and student-directed learning. This study recommends seven "best" methods and seven "best" techniques for preceptors to use when instructing interns. Two methods, supervised practice and unsupervised practice, seemed the most important to include in the training of potential preceptors. These methods are effective, practical, and address criticality pertaining to the health and safety of patients and clients. To a lesser extent cost efficiency in these methods is related to the use of the preceptor's time. Unsupervised practice is the least time-intensive for the preceptor, but requires supporting techniques, such as, feedback or conferencing, to address health and safety issues. Five less expensive methods with equal effectiveness for promoting learning for adults can supplement or support these more costly one-to-one and supervised practice methods. These methods are shadowing, case studies, simulations, student-directed seminars and role playing. In addition, self-instruction, student teams, team building exercises, in-basket exercises and learning contracts can be blended with other instructional methods for better preceptor instruction. Since only 40 percent of the 90 preceptors surveyed reported having any preceptor training, a proposal is made to train new and experienced preceptors in the most applicable methods and techniques they can use in instructing and precepting dietetic interns. / Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Bibliography: leaf 33. Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvannia, 1913. / Bibliography: p. [88]-90. Also available in digital form on the Internet Archive Web site.

Abstract Talent is an important asset for business. Corporate must have a systematic approach to develop the training needs, planning, and implementation. But the question is, the corporate training is difficult to be created seriously in the pass. But most of people still like to build the competence system. As we know, most of researchers who study about competence, they just focus on how to create a position competence. There are few researchers study the relationship between training program and organizational performance. This research desires to study about how to create a training program from competence model. At the beginning, this study starts to survey a literature review about how to develop training needs from the competence model. Then, I was study a competence based training program through a case of logistic company. This research hoped to acquire an approach of training needs from competence model. At this case, I found that it¡¦s hard for HR to develop training needs from competence analysis. For example, case company didn¡¦t have a professional HR to deal with competence analysis, training needs, pre-test, post-test, performance evaluation, and so on. However, in this case, it would be affirmative action that they tried to develop a training program from competence. And this research recommended some opinions to improve their training program in the future. For example, case company could improve the analysis of competence; modify the blueprint of training program, etc. We hope that the case company could perform their program needs to be more scientific and more systematic. Keywords: Competency, Training

INTRODUCTION: Overhead throwing athletes develop muscular and capsular tightness of the posterior shoulder and an altered arc of motion in their dominant shoulder due to repetitive overhead throwing. Stretching has been suggested as a way to improve soft tissue flexibility and reduce the risk of shoulder pathology associated with posterior shoulder tightness (PST). Baseball players commonly perform upper extremity acute static stretching exercises during warm-up to increase glenohumeral (GH) range of motion (ROM), prevent injury, and enhance performance. However, previous literature has demonstrated that acute static stretching may be detrimental to performance. The purpose of this study was (1) to compare upper extremity static stretching and dynamic warm-up protocols and (2) determine the most appropriate protocol to increase GH ROM, decrease PST, and maintain GH strength and power. <br><br> METHODS: Upper extremity static and dynamic protocols were compared in 15 healthy and physically active males using a within-subject, repeated measures, and counterbalanced design. GH internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) ROM, PST, and GH isokinetic concentric strength and power were measured before and after each protocol. Post-test assessments occurred over four time intervals (post-0, post-5, post-15, and post-30 minutes). <br><br> RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated no significant test x time interactions between the static and dynamic protocols at any time interval for any of the dependent variables. However, a significant main effect occurred where GH IR ROM group mean significantly increased at the post-0 (p=<0.001), post-5 (p=0.004), post-15 (p=0.017), and post-30 (p=0.050) time intervals compared to the pre-test measurement. GH ER ROM group mean also significantly increased at the post-5 (p=0.003), post-15 (p=0.003), and post-30 (p=0.017) time intervals compared to the pre-test measurement. <br><br> CONCLUSIONS: This study did not identify a stretching or warm-up protocol that increased or decreased muscular force output. However, both protocols acutely increased GH IR and ER ROM for up to 30 minutes, suggesting that static stretching and dynamic warm-up may be similarly effective at increasing ROM. Clinicians and researchers must continue to work together to guide future research and determine the most effective stretching or warm-up protocol to maximize upper extremity performance.

Abstract This research, mainly thurough questionnaire investigation, too meetings with experts, scholars, and enterprises and deep interviews, underrealizesstands the plan needs and expecttion of the middle-aged unemployed for vocational training¡C In order to find out the ways for reformation in correspondence to the requirement of the unemployed, reaching the purpose of ¡upublic vocational training improving the middle-aged unemployed to reemployment¡v¡C Four thousand copies of questionnaire were sent to the middle-aged unemployed who were registered in employment service organizations at different areas. Eight hundred and ninety-five copies are returned. Valid questionnaires are eight hundred and fifteen. The major results through analyst are as follows¡G 1¡BThe purpose and future expectation of the middle-aged unemployed to register in service organizations at different area.. ¡]1¡^Registration purpose is to hope reemployment in one way, and also think that it is their rights to have unemployment payment. It shows that the middle-aged unemployed still want a job from the unemployed scheme. But by observing the result of personal attribute cross analyst, personal attribute makes no big difference if reemployment is necessary. People with age from 60-64 won¡¦t work. Business running level on job category and class-c level holders¡¦ on license category require more of their own business. ¡]2¡^The reason of reemployment needed for the middle-aged unemployed is main factor of economy. The problem of reemployment is insufficient skills. The same problem happened to the business running. Most of future businesses of reemployment are service business The expectation payment is from 20,000 NT dollars to 30,000 NT dollars. 2¡BDo the middle-aged unemployed want to accept vocational training if their skills are insufficient? There are 40% of people thinking they need a job training. The most reasons for those who don¡¦t need job training are the factors of health. Again we observe from personal reason, the age form 60-64, master degree level and above, technician of before job, farming fishery and pastureage and license A holders don¡¦t need vocational training. Service business on before job, license C holders or people without license need more vocational training. 3¡BMost of the middle-aged employed don¡¦t want to accept self-paid vocational training. The preferred training period is one month to three month and the proper class time is daytime form Monday to Friday.¡C The main expectation of attending vocational training is to acquire.¡Aemployment guarantee¡CMost people don¡¦t know much about public vocational training organization, but also 40% of people never hear of public vocational training organization. People knowing nothing about public vocational training organization occupies 70% high. What kind of organization will be chosen if people want to join vocational training? The answer is non-public vocational chosen organization for most people. 4¡BThe comparison for different main factors of important level among the middle-aged unemployed. Needed¡uTraining together with employment class¡v conducted by public vocational training organization and next is public vocational training organization near home. The main reason for not attending public vocational training is they can¡¦t get job guarante.¡AThe most needed job trade is little cofe and family medicine care. The most effective propaganda way is to ask village chief to pass around. What functions are expected for public vocational training organization? Most middle-aged people hope to develop new auitable trades¡C