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

Continuing education programs are successful only to the extent that the recommended practice or behavior is implemented. Previous research has demonstrated that some programs result in behavior change and others fail to do so. A conceptual framework developed by Cervero links behavior change to continuing professional education. This descriptive correlational study examined factors related to implementation of knowledge gained from a continuing professional educational offering into practice among registered nurses. One questionnaire on the motivation of the individual professional was given prior to the continuing professional educational offering and three other questionnaires eliciting the participants perception of the social system, nature of the change and the continuing educational offering was given upon completion of the class. Two months following the offering a self-report evaluation, a Likert scale instrument and an open-ended questionnaire, was completed by the participants to measure the change in behavior after the learning experience. Demographic data of the participants was also correlated with nursing behavior. The rights of the participants were protected at all times. Participants were asked to participate on a strictly voluntary basis. Findings of the study indicated that the variables of the individual professional, the continuing educational offering, the nature of the change and social system did not statistically correlate with the outcome variable of behavior change. However, the responses to the open ended questionnaire contradicted the statistical findings. Participants articulated numerous ways in which their nursing practice had changed as a result of their continuing education experience. Conclusions of the study were that there is no statistically significant relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable of behavior change, but that qualitative data indicated that change in nursing practice did occur following the continuing professional education offering. Implications from the study indicate that the process of continuing professional education is complex with multiple variables. There is a need for further research to delineate the influence of these variables on behavior change in nursing practice. Then, those planning educational offerings could work effectively with their clientele to more dramatically improve health care and client outcomes. / School of Nursing

This study aims to increase the level of knowledge about the gerontological knowledge of a sample of registered nurses by creating a portable and concise continuing education seminar that is based upon the fundamental components of the normal aging process. The impact on the learning outcomes of an accredited continuing education seminar that was developed for this study was analyzed. The continuing education seminar focused on some of the major areas of social gerontology pertinent to nursing. Although other variables (age, gender, educational level, and previous gerontological training) were analyzed, none were found to have significant effect on the level of knowledge.

Introduction: Telehealth allows behavioral health care and specialty services to be extended to rural residents. Telehealth is an important resource for the Alaskan healthcare system, which is tasked with providing services to culturally diverse populations living in remote areas. Training competent providers to deliver telehealth services is vital for the implementation of successful telehealth programs. Yet, the literature is lacking in the area of provider behavioral telehealth competency training. Methods: This study assessed the impact of a Behavioral Telehealth Ethical Competencies Training program on 16 behavioral health providers' development of behavioral telehealth competency. A total of 14 competencies were developed, which required participants to understand the roles and responsibilities of a behavioral telehealth coordinator working at the distal site as well as the roles and responsibilities of the therapist. Video vignettes evaluating the 14 competencies, self-reported competence surveys and follow-up surveys of progress on telehealth goals were utilized to assess effects of the training. Results: Results indicated participants' behavioral telehealth competencies increased following training. Participants reported positive perceptions regarding their competency, and achieved progress on the majority of behavioral telehealth goals set during the training. Conclusions: This study provides a baseline for developing a best practice model for behavioral telehealth service delivery by identifying specific provider competencies for administering effective behavioral telehealth services. A unique continuing education training model, led by content experts including university professors and Alaska Native Elders, incorporating behavioral telehealth, rural ethics, cultural competency and vicarious trauma training is described. Lastly, this study details the use of an innovative video vignette assessment instrument for evaluating the effectiveness of continuing education training.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Law and Management University of Witwatersrand, in 25% fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public and Development), 2016 / The National Certificate: Vocational (NCV) qualification was introduced at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in 2007 to enable students to acquire necessary skills and knowledge that would prepare them effectively for the world of work. The NCV is an outcomes-based curriculum and its introduction was accompanied by a general shift to outcomes-based teaching and learning approaches, as well as a rigorous assessment and moderation regime, particularly with regards to the internal assessment (ICASS) component. The shift required lecturers to adopt multi-dimensional assessment of skills, knowledge, understanding, attitudes, values and dispositions when assessing students. The report released by Umalusi in 2014 pointed out a number of factors that negatively affect the implementation of ICASS at some TVET colleges. The aim of the study was to explore the factors that constrain or enhance the implementation of the ICASS component of the NCV at TVET colleges. Literature related to the research topic was consulted and, subsequently, document analysis and semi-structured interviews were used to determine ICASS practices applied at Western College (Westcol) for TVET. ICASS requirements as per NCV-related policies and the current ICASS practices at the college were compared to determine the factors that (including those cited by Umalusi) hinder or promote ICASS implementation. The findings reflected that lack of resources (mainly financial and physical resources, as well as under-qualified and unqualified lecturers at the college) hinder the effective implementation of the ICASS component in some subjects at the college. Furthermore, the quality of the assessment elements was of great concern. Most interviewees reported that: some of the ICASS tasks in various subjects were of poor quality; there was lack of or poor moderation of tasks; portfolios were incomplete and there was a lack of structured remedial intervention after tasks were conducted. Interviewees attributed the above situation to increased lecturers’ workloads and students’ poor class attendance. The research recommends that the college build capacity for ICASS implementation through the provision of resources, and the training and development of lecturers, as well as partnerships with industries and other institutions to complement and strengthen the college’s limited resources and to apply knowledge management practices so that the college can leverage and benefit from the knowledge it currently possesses, to improve the implementation of the internal assessment component. / XL2018

In this study, the transfer of learning criteria that can be implemented before, during and after a learning programme was investigated. The transfer of learning criteria was identified, after which the Station Management Learning Programme was evaluated to see whether transfer of learning criteria was used during the facilitation of the programme. The study population for the research was comprised of facilitators and station commanders, who facilitated and attended the Station Management Learning Programme in Gauteng as part of their development as Station Commanders. The study methodology involved qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection, with questionnaires and one-on-one interviews. Descriptive statistics were produced and literature, questionnaires and interviews were examined to establish whether transfer of learning took place. The findings of the study reflect that various learning transfer strategies exist and that these can be used to transfer learning from the classroom to the work environment. The study concludes that a significant number of transfer of learning strategies are already implemented in the South African Police Service, in the presentation of the Station Management Learning Programme. / Adult Basic Education (ABET) / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

In this study, the transfer of learning criteria that can be implemented before, during and after a learning programme was investigated. The transfer of learning criteria was identified, after which the Station Management Learning Programme was evaluated to see whether transfer of learning criteria was used during the facilitation of the programme. The study population for the research was comprised of facilitators and station commanders, who facilitated and attended the Station Management Learning Programme in Gauteng as part of their development as Station Commanders. The study methodology involved qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection, with questionnaires and one-on-one interviews. Descriptive statistics were produced and literature, questionnaires and interviews were examined to establish whether transfer of learning took place. The findings of the study reflect that various learning transfer strategies exist and that these can be used to transfer learning from the classroom to the work environment. The study concludes that a significant number of transfer of learning strategies are already implemented in the South African Police Service, in the presentation of the Station Management Learning Programme. / Adult Basic Education (ABET) / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

This study was devoted to researching the effectiveness of e-learning, in terms of the reported experiences of the Language Services section employees in Parliament RSA. At present, the internet is seen as a successful and influential educational tool in both academic and corporate institutions. Academically, it has been adopted for e-learning methods of teaching and learning. It is perceived as a cost-effective method of providing lifelong education. It is important to know about the pros and cons of e-learning in adult education and compare them with the experiences of the people who are and have been engaged in adult education. To create an adult education skills development framework that can be used successfully in e-learning, it is important to get information about and from the people concerned regarding their learning experiences. To understand more about the influence of e-learning, this study administered a questionnaire to the employees of the Language Services Section of Parliament who participated in the pilot learning programmes offered by Parliament. The questionnaire was designed to gather structured responses from the participants in the inquiry. The results were studied and applied to draw recommendations for what can be improved in the programme to promote and endorse continuing learning experiences as is the aim of the in-house programme offered by Parliament. The study also has relevance in terms of a discussion of issues that arise in the literature on adult education, which were located as part of the study. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)