No description available.

<p> Young adults between the ages of 16 and 30 are typically at the stage of their life when they should be transitioning from school, gaining employability skills, and entering the workforce (Settersten et al., 2005; van Gennep, 1960). An estimated 1.3 million undocumented, DACA eligible youth are currently in this transitional life stage (Hipsman, G&oacute;mez-Agui&ntilde;aga, &amp; Capps, 2016), and another 80,000-90,000 will enter this stage each year (Batalova et al., 2014) where their opportunities for gaining skills and quality legal employment will impact their futures (Becker, 1992; Schultz, 1961). Struggling to find a path towards meaningful careers, these young adults know that if they are not able to gain additional education, training, and quality work they will be trapped in an underground society, working in under-the-table jobs that are way below their potential, education, and skills abilities, and are ultimately unable to escape poverty and support themselves and their families (Anguiano, 2011; Bank-Mu&ntilde;oz, 2009; Bernstein &amp; Blazer, 2008; Burman, 2013; Gildersleeve, 2010; Gonzales, 2007, 2008, 2009b, 2011a; Gonzales &amp; Chavez, 2012; Hudson, 2012; Padr&oacute;n, 2007/2008; Snyder, 2013).</p><p> In lieu of comprehensive immigration reform, this study sought to identify policy recommendations that would assist the DACA youth to develop skills, continue with their education, and ultimately enter into the workforce in legal employment opportunities. Two theories framed this study and a third was used as a lens in which to view the issues. These theories are human capital theory, national human resource development (NHRD), and Kingdon&rsquo;s multiple streams theory. The intersection of these three theories brings together (a) the traditional economic foundation of how organizations make determinations regarding who and when to invest in the skill development of individuals, or whether the investments should be made by the individuals themselves (human capital theory), (b) what interventions can be utilized to develop skills and how policy should be used to promote those interventions (national human resource development), and (c) how these elements are brought together to formulate policy (Kingdon, 2003).</p><p> Using an iterative survey methodology called a Policy Delphi this study obtained a compendium of viewpoints from the diverse perspectives of the stakeholders represented and identified 94 specific policy recommendations. There are five barriers to skill development (transportation, education, access to information, families and first-generation issues, and hopes, dreams and fears) and four barriers to accessing legal employment opportunities (knowledge of jobs available, employability skills, a lack of having credentials and experience, and the behavior and practices of employers). There are three facilitators to skill development (attaining higher education credentials, the importance of advising, and motivation) and five facilitators to employment (work authorization, bilingual proficiency, educational credentials, internships, and mentoring). These barriers and facilitators led to the identification of 94 policy recommendations which were ranked by desirability, importance, and feasibility/likelihood. Greater than 80% of the policy recommendations were desirable or very desirable and all 94 recommendations were important or very important. However, out of the 94 recommendations there is only a moderate belief that any of the policy suggestions are feasible or likely to be addressed despite their desirability or importance. Beyond the rhetoric surrounding immigration and who is and is not desirable to be a part of the U.S. workforce, there is a more nuanced and subdued element that emerged through this study that is more salient than any others, and that is the issue of addressing social inequalities on a broad scale.</p>

<p> The purpose of this case study was to understand tradeshow exhibits as places of learning. The existing literature suggests that tradeshows are events of learning, but the purpose of this research study was to fill a pronounced gap in the literature by better understanding tradeshow exhibits as places of learning through the perceptions and experiences of industry professionals at a Midwestern exhibit house. Tradeshows have traditionally been understood to be temporary marketplaces where organizations from a given industry convene to display their products and services to potential buyers. While tradeshow exhibits are still seen in this research study as temporary places for trade, this research study went beyond this traditional view, to understand tradeshow exhibits as a complex phenomenon that could facilitate many experiences and opportunities for learning.</p>

<p> This descriptive research study examined if the training for online class delivery that post-secondary faculty currently experience includes best practices for online design and delivery.</p><p> As of 2015 most colleges and universities had indicated that offering online course programming was necessary to achieve key strategic goals for their institution. Demand for online classes is strong, but enrollment and re-enrollment in these classes have not consistently increased since 2009. Dropout rates have increased and are reported at twice that of traditional classes with students blaming the school or faculty, and faculty and academic leadership blaming the student for lack of self-motivation, which is key to successful online learning. </p><p> As online programming has become ubiquitous, academic leadership is no longer wondering whether they should offer online courses, but rather have shifted focus to how to address and maintain the satisfaction of the online student. Faculty training in online delivery can impact student motivation and satisfaction. This study examined what type of training faculty experience and as a result, whether they were able to indicate knowledge of best practices in demonstrating Presence in an online class, understanding importance, and methods, of Interaction, whether they understood the best practices associated with the Design of an online class, how design can impact student motivation, as well as whether faculty felt confident in their ability to deliver an online class, or prepared to communicate virtually with their online students.</p><p> A self-report survey was administered to more than 2800 faculty and 254 responded. The majority of participants acknowledged having received some type of training and were more likely to indicate knowledge of best practices than those that had received no training at all. Those that indicated training that included both design and delivery of an online class were more knowledgeable in the best practices than those that had received training in the software alone. Finally, faculty that received training that included design and delivery elements were more likely to say they felt confident in their ability to deliver an online class and that they felt prepared to communicate virtually with their online students.</p>

No description available.

<p> The following document offers a qualitative case study in the field of adult and community education from an educational leadership perspective using baseball as an adult learning tool. Relevant existing theories (adult education, lifelong learning, adult learners, and certain leadership practices) for successful facilitation of historical baseball research were examined. The study focused on a purposeful sample population upon which a pilot study was conducted, revealing the experiences of adult self-directed learners who produce the seminal work in their field as an avocation. The findings of this study included, but are not limited to, the passionate approach the study group members have for their subject matter, their love of learning, and the self-directedness of nonformally trained research historians using baseball as an adult learning tool. The findings also revealed the group members belief in the academic worthiness of baseball history, and their willingness to share their work with others to advance the field.</p>

<p> Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) exhibit low motivation to participate in educational leisure activities at Clubhouses accredited by Clubhouse International (CI). This correlational study examined the relationship between each of 4 motives, intellectual, social, competence-mastery, and stimulus-avoidance, to engage in leisure activities, and the perception of recovery from SMI. Knowles&rsquo;s theory of andragogy supported the concept of informal self-directed learning, which occurs with leisure activities. Literature indicates that participating in leisure activities such as those offered at Clubhouses aids in the recovery from SMI. Quantitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 75 individuals at 4 CI clubhouses using 2 Likert-scale instruments, the Leisure Motivational Scale (LMS) and the Recovery Assessment Scale &ndash; Domains and Stages (RAS-DS). Pearson correlation coefficients indicated significant moderate positive correlations between each of 4 motives, intellectual, social, competence-mastery, and stimulus-avoidance, to engage in leisure activities, and the perception of recovery from SMI. These findings were used to design a professional development program on motivation to teach the staff at a Clubhouse about how to engage members in leisure activities. The study has the potential to inspire positive social change by motivating members to improve their quality of life, learn social and work skills, develop friendships and a support system, reengage with society, and to become employed.</p>

<p> To ensure optimal patient care an especially high level of accountability is required when entering the workforce. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, describe, and define perceptions of accountability as described by sophomore and senior nursing students in two baccalaureate nursing programs. The research questions aimed to (a) define what it means to be accountable as a student in general and a nursing student in particular (b) describe the importance of accountability to the profession of nursing (c) describe the circumstances and conditions that demand accountability, and (d) engage in actions that promote self-accountability. After obtaining IRB approval, the researcher explained the study to the sophomore and senior nursing students who agreed to participate in the research. Eighteen participants were interviewed. </p><p> Six questions were asked during interviews conducted to investigate perceptions of accountability. Content analysis was used to discern the essence of the narratives, from which nine themes emerged. The nine themes identified are: Difficulty defining accountability and the interchangeable use of the terms; accountability and responsibility; emerging knowledge; focus on work of nursing; student attention to tasks and outcomes; motivation/self-discipline; student stress and sources of stress; conditions for accountability and responsibility, and faculty actions; and promoting self-accountability and accountability to others. </p><p> Study findings suggested that this group of students understood the importance of accountability but were unable to verbalize a definition, often confusing accountability with responsibility. Students perceived that faculty played a role in their academic success; students also promoted accountability in faculty and in peers who were less successful academically.</p><p>

The purpose of this study was to identify and specify knowledge and skills needed by adult educators in Thailand. This study provided information for establishing a guide to be used in professional training and in graduate programs in adult education. A three round Delphi technique was used to develop the consensus of findings. The first round solicited open-ended responses from twenty panelists. One hundred and twenty-five knowledge and skill statements, the responses from the first round, were developed into a five-point rating scale questionnaire. This questionnaire was utilized in both Round II and III. Median, mode and interquartile ranges were applied to specify the consensus of the panel of experts. The one hundred and twenty-five knowledge and skill statements, seventy-five knowledge statements and fifty skill statements, were classified into four major categories: teaching, administration, research and general experience. The experts for the study consisted of eleven non-formal education officers and nine university professors in adult/continuing education and non-formal education. From seventy-five knowledge statements, sixteen were rated at the highest priority of importance. Forty-nine statements were rated at above average priority of importance and two statements were rated at average. Eight statements did not meet the interquartile range criterion as a consensus of the panelists. From fifty skill statements, fifteen statements were rated at the highest priority of importance; thirty statements were rated at above average; one statement was rated at average; and four statements failed to meet the interquartile range criterion.

<p> The purpose of this study on employee ethical decision-making (EDM) in financial institutions was to explore how bankers experience tension between a firm&rsquo;s formal ethical standards and those that are actually practiced, as they make decisions about issues that arise in their daily work. Interviews with 13 bankers explored three main questions: (a) how they approach challenging business decisions that have ethical implications; (b) what factors they take into consideration as part of the decision-making process, especially where existing laws and guidelines are inadequate; and (c) what learning processes they engage in that underpin their decision making. </p><p> This qualitative inquiry utilized a single-case study method with a common rationale to provide insights into the ethical decision making across the financial industry. Three data collection methods were used: (a) a pre-interview questionnaire, (b) in-depth interviews using a critical incident technique, and (c) a review of publicly available industry documents. Four key findings emerged: 1. Bankers experienced significant tension between the espoused theories and theories-in-use of their organizations. 2. The majority of bankers endeavored to preserve their integrity and find meaning in their careers while accepting the tensions they experienced and even defending the industry. 3. Six factors impacted informal and incidental learning processes utilized by bankers for ethical decision making 4. All bankers engaged in at least one of three levels of reflection as part of their decision-making process. </p><p> Deeper insights into the data were revealed through a cross-interview analysis, and three analytical categories were used to further synthesize and interpret the data: (a) lack of fit between individual and organization priorities; (b) time horizon as a determinant of ethical decision making; and (c) individual, organizational, and environmental forces impacting learning. </p><p> Five conclusions were drawn from the descriptive findings and the analysis: 1. EDM in financial institutions is a complex social process. 2. Organizational strategies designed to help EDM actually prevent it. 3. Speaking up is hindered by the desire to preserve integrity. 4. Informal learning is important for EDM, but insufficient. 5. HR must have a voice as employee advocate.</p>