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The objectives of the study performed at the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division of the Babcock and Wilcox Company were to (1) determine self-perceived continuing education needs of technical personnel, (2) determine how attitudes of technical personnel toward participation in continuing education programs were related to their present position, the attitude of their immediate supervisor, and division policy, and (3) recommend areas of concentration in providing programs needed to update technical personnel. Survey questionnaire data obtained from the study group was analyzed with respect to relevant material intended to profile the education background of the study group, consensus of responses between the study (Babcock and Wilcox) and control (Pennsylvania State) groups subject area continuing education needs of the study group, and formulated hypotheses. The findings of the study were: 1. Study group perceived needs were concentrated in required areas of technical competence in the work environment or were related to final application of the products manufactured by the Division. 2. Strong study group consensus concerning need for managerial training implied that the majority of personnel entertain aspirations for promotion into management positions. 3. Division policy and supervisor attitude toward continuing education were not found to be related to participation in formal continuing education programs. 4. Age was not found to be related to participation in either formal or informal learning programs. 5. Job function (administrative or applied technical) was not strongly related to either the type or extent of need for subjects relative to the work environment. / Master of Science

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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study performed in 2014 was to identify what the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs are of a selected group of electrical engineering professionals from one company in South Africa. The interpretivist research paradigm formed the basis for the “Interactive Qualitative Analysis” methodology used in the study. Due to limitations research was focused on only one constituency, a selected group of electrical engineering professionals in one organisation, which is close to, but have very little power over the specific phenomenon of CPD. Research activities included conducting focus group and individual interviews with participants to gain a better understanding of identified problem through the analysis and interpretation of the collected data. The phenomenon of CPD was found to lie within the spectrum of lifelong learning. Due to increasingly fast changing technological and work environments, practicing professionals take part in professional development, if it is compulsory or not, in order to stay competitive in the global arena. Research has shown that compulsory CPD for registered engineering professionals may further their professional development. From the “Possible Implications for CPD Provision for Engineering Professionals” document several issues and concerns were identified, which influence engineering professionals’ perception of the professional body. The CPD system and CPD provision facilitated by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) may be one of the key reasons why many practicing engineers choose not to register professionally. Through this study the perceived and proposed CPD needs for the selected group of electrical engineering professionals have been identified, but to identify the actual needs of practicing engineering professionals in South Africa, a more detailed study will need to be done that should include all the constituencies that practice within the engineering environment or have any influence on the CPD phenomenon. The study also identified aspects that could help to improve the CPD system and the available CPD initiatives, and enhance the leadership from the professional body. This may positively influence the perception of practicing engineering professionals. Such positive perceptions could result in more practicing engineering professionals registering with ECSA and maintaining their professional registration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie uitgevoer in 2014 was om die Voortgesette Professionele Ontwikkeling (VPO) behoeftes van ‘n geselekteerde groep elektriese ingenieurs van een maatskappy in Suid-Afrika te bepaal. Die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma het die “Interaktiewe Kwalitatiewe Analise” metodologie wat gebruik is in die studie onderlê. Binne die studie beperkinge is gefokus op slegs een konstituensie, ‘n geselekteerde groep professionele elektriese ingenieurs binne een organisasie, wie digby die spesifieke fenomeen van VPO funksioneer, maar baie beperkte mag daaroor het. Navorsingsaktiwiteite het fokusgroeponderhoude en individuele onderhoude met deelnemers ingesluit om ‘n beter begrip van die geïdentifiseerde probleem te verkry deur analise en interpretasie van die ingesamelde data. Die fenomeen van VPO lê binne die spektrum van lewenslange leer. As gevolg van ‘n toenemend snel veranderende tegnologiese en werksomgewing, neem professionele praktisyns deel aan professionele ontwikkeling, of dit verpligtend is of nie, en bly sodoende kompeterend in die globale arena. Maar navorsing het ook bewys dat verpligte VPO vir geregistreerde ingenieurspraktisyns hul professionele ontwikkeling tot voordeel kan strek. Vanuit die “Possible Implications for CPD Provision for Engineering Professionals” dokument is verskeie kwessies en knelpunte geïdentifiseer wat professionele ingenieurs se persepsies van die professionele liggaam mag beïnvloed. Die VPO sisteem en VPO verskaffing wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir Ingenieurswese (SARI) gefasiliteer word, mag een van die kernredes wees waarom vele ingenieurspraktisyns kies om nie professioneel te registreer nie. Die perseptuele en voorgestelde VPO behoeftes van ‘n geselekteerde groep professionele elektriese ingenieurspraktisyns is geïdentifiseer in hierdie studie, maar om die werklike behoeftes van professionele ingenieurspraktisyns in die breër Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te bepaal is ‘n meer gedetailleerde studie nodig wat al die konstituensies insluit wat praktiseer binne die ingenieursomgewing of die VPO fenomeen in dié konteks beïnvloed. Die studie het ook aspekte identifiseer wat kan help om die huidige VPO sisteem en insiatiewe te verbeter, en die leierskap van die professionele liggaam tot voordeel kan strek. Dit mag ‘n positiewe invloed hê op die persepsies van professionele ingenieurspraktisyns. Diesulke positiewe persepsies kan lei tot meer professionele ingenieurspraktisyns wat registreer by SARI en hul professionele registrasie byhou.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Nurse educators are faced with the issues of cost containment and documenting the results of continuing professional education (CPE). The results of successful CPE are behavior changes observed in the nursing staff upon returning to the work environment. Continuing professional education requires valid evaluation of instruments to determine its effectiveness, quality, and documentation of behavior changes. The purpose of this study was to establish the validity of four instruments measuring variables of behavior change in nurses after attendance at a CPE program. Cervero's (1985) evaluation model applied to CPE and behavior change was used to guide the study.Data was collected from three different convenience samples and merged for a total of 114 subjects. The four instruments that participants were asked to complete at the CPE programs were: (a) "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995); (b) "Social System of the Organization"analysis. "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995) (Ryan et al, 1995); (c) "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995); and (d) "The Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995).Findings in this study were revealed through factor outcome to improve the quality of patient care. This end revealed two factors. "Social System of the Organization" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution. "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution and "Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution.Conclusions from this study was that the four instruments have some degree of validity and reliability. The highest obtained factor scores confirmed the concepts identified as subscales in the four instruments.Nurse educators need a valid and reliable method of evaluating CPE to assess the effectiveness and extent of behavior changes in nurses after attendance at workshops, seminars, and other CPE programs. These behavior changes are a result of an increased knowledge base with an ultimateresult has a positive impact on the nursing profession, nursing education, and health care. / School of Nursing

D.Cur. / Since 1994, the government has engaged in extensive transformative processes that included the reviewing and restructuring of all relevant legislation, organisations, institutions and statutory bodies. These transformative demands resulted in the development and implementation of a new constitution and ensuing transformative legislation and policies. It is for this reason that the Department of Health, in attempting to transform the health system in South Africa, developed a strategy known as the Health Sector Strategic Framework, which sets out a 10-point plan. This plan states amongst others, that health professions and professional bodies develop Continuing Professional Development (CPD) systems/programmes. Over and above this other transformative developments in the education and labour frameworks, professional conduct hearings and national and international benchmarking influenced the need for a CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa. The problem statement is that there is no formalised and regulated CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa. The following research questions are relevant: • What is the international trend with regard to CPD for nurses and midwives? • What is the national trend with regard to CPD for healthcare professionals in South Africa? • What will a CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa comprise? • How will a CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa be implemented to ensure credibility? The overall aim of this study was to develop a CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa. To accomplish this overall aim the following objectives were formulated: • To explore and describe existing knowledge frameworks on Continuing Professional Development for nurses and midwives in selected countries, internationally and for health professionals in South Africa • To describe the draft CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa • To describe a final CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa. This study was conducted within the context of the South African professional, ethical and legal framework for Continuing Professional Development for nurses and midwives in South Africa. A descriptive, exploratory and contextual design was conducted. The description of a draft CPD system was based on the theoretical framework. The draft CPD system was developed from 9 June 2000 until May 2003 and exposed to critical reflection by the stakeholders of the SANC, the profession at large and the human resource directorates in each of the nine (9) provinces in South Africa. The researcher developed the final CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa. This final CPD system was exposed to critical reflection to confirm face and content validity, followed by a refinement of the CPD system. Emerging from this research and based on the feedback of the validators/appraisers, recommendations are made with reference to practice, nursing and midwifery education and research: The implementation of a formal, coordinated and regulated CPD system for nurses and midwives in South Africa is necessary as part of a quality promotion initiative and to meet the requirements of the transformative legislation especially pertaining to the labour and education legal framework.

The purpose of this study was to measure the learning of the specific skills and knowledge as identified by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration during internships of students from universities participating in the Alliance for the Preparation of Educational Leadership. Former interns from Brigham Young University, East Tennessee State University, Florida State University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, responded to a survey designed to measure the skills and knowledge as defined by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration. Indicators of the domains identified by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration allowed former interns to reflect and identify those areas that were best learned during the administrative internship. The target population included students who recently graduated from the participating universities. Reviewing the literature exposed the need for an inductive knowledge base. The amount of research was abundant in the area of effectiveness, the internship, and principal preparation. There was little research in the area of the development of specific skills as defined by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration using the internship as a method of delivery. The majority of the former interns were white females slightly over forty years old. The majority held a masters degree with 21% holding a degree higher than a masters. Few were serving as principals. Findings indicated that internships were highly valued, innovative, provided experiences for the domains of competency, and focused primarily on the functional theme. Recommendations included that internships ignore age, gender, and race; be designed by the university personnel; be one of a variety of field experiences; be innovative; and exist primarily in the operational dimension.