Excerpt:The purpose of this study was to determine a student’s computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students’ improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and post‐test scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college level introductory computing class.

The purpose of this study was to determine a student’s computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students’ improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and post-test scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college level introductory computing class. This study also determined whether there were differences in improvement scores by gender or age group. The results of this study were used to determine whether there was a difference in improvement scores among the three campus locations participating in this study. Four hundred sixty-nine students participated in this study at a community college located in Northeast Tennessee. A survey, pretest, and post-test were administered to students in a college level introductory computing class. The survey consisted of demographic data that included gender, age category, location, Internet access, educational experience and the self-rated user category, while the pretest and post-test explored the student’s knowledge of computer terminology, hardware, the current operating system, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. The data analysis revealed significant differences in pretest scores between educational experience categories. In each instance, the pretest mean for first semester freshmen students was lower than second semester freshmen and sophomores. The study also reported significant differences between the self-rated user categories and pretest scores as well as differences in improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores). However, the improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores) were higher than the other self-rated user categories. Of the three participating campus locations, students at Location 1 earned higher improvement scores than did students at Location 2. The results also indicated that there was a significant difference between the types of course delivery and course improvement scores (post-test scores minus pretest scores). The improvement scores for on ground delivery was 5 points higher than the hybrid course delivery. Finally, study revealed no significant differences according to the gender and age categories.

Standardized test data from a southern suburban elementary school showed lagging student scores behind those of students from similar settings. These scores suggested a disconnection between teachers' understanding of and practice in formative assessment. Bloom's revised taxonomy, backward design planning theory, and differentiated learning theory guided this study, which focused on how elementary teachers use formative strategies in the classroom to inform instruction. Data collected through face-to-face interviews from 10 teachers were transcribed and organized in codes and themes. Member checks were then used to ensure credibility of interpretations. The key results showed that these 10 teachers used many formative assessment strategies with their students, yet they were unfamiliar with backward design theory and did not use peer feedback or self-assessment as strategies. The proposed project focused on providing professional development in 3 modules addressing professional learning community norms, backward design theory unit planning, and strategies for peer feedback and student goal setting. This project may lead to positive social change by empowering teachers to design curriculum and assessment with authentic learning experiences and providing students with goal-setting strategies to become responsible for learning. The project's positive social change may lead to this school and district closing the identified achievement gap. It is recommended that further research on teacher perception of formative assessment should include more elementary and middle schools.

<p>Broad access to healthcare services is a key factor of human development in any country. The current health care situation in South Africa can be diagnosed as critical. The hospitals are understaffed, over-occupied and the diseases like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) give health care workers additional challenges. The demand for management skills in the health sector including those for nurse managers is high. A recent World Health Organization (WHO) study of nurses working in maternal health services identified good management as more important than salary, unless the remuneration was dramatically higher. In South Africa, little empirical research exists about the management skills of nurse managers, even though proper management of human resources is vital to achieve better outcomes and access to health care around the world. In South Africa, a greater focus on human resource management in health care and more research is needed to develop new policies that will help to address the skills gap of nurse managers. The object of this research project was to identify the gaps between required and existing management skills of senior nurse managers in South Africa in private and public hospitals. Once identified, this skills gap assessment can be used by employers and policy-makers to define the management education that nurse managers require. The research is based on a survey of nurse managers in private and public hospitals using a questionnaire. The survey instrument was based on prior research of hospital managers&rsquo / competencies in South Africa, and a review of the related theoretical literature.</p>

The purpose of this action research is to discover how self-evaluation training affects students’ knowledge and understanding about their writing and needs for improvement. In this study of 46 fifth and sixth graders, students underwent a four-stage self-evaluation training process. This involved students in defining criteria for their stories, teaching them how to apply the criteria using a variety of samples, giving students feedback about their self-evaluations, and developing action plans The study showed that after the self-evaluation process was set into place, students had an increased awareness of what made a good fictional writing piece. The self-evaluation process helped students become more aware of writing practices and of themselves as a writer. The study also found that the self-evaluation process set clear guidelines for students, focused student attention on important writing criteria, and opened up the conversation between students and teachers about evaluation, goal setting and the writing process.

The purpose of this action research is to discover how self-evaluation training affects students’ knowledge and understanding about their writing and needs for improvement. In this study of 46 fifth and sixth graders, students underwent a four-stage self-evaluation training process. This involved students in defining criteria for their stories, teaching them how to apply the criteria using a variety of samples, giving students feedback about their self-evaluations, and developing action plans The study showed that after the self-evaluation process was set into place, students had an increased awareness of what made a good fictional writing piece. The self-evaluation process helped students become more aware of writing practices and of themselves as a writer. The study also found that the self-evaluation process set clear guidelines for students, focused student attention on important writing criteria, and opened up the conversation between students and teachers about evaluation, goal setting and the writing process.

Neben der Frage nach der leistungssteigernden Wirkung von sogenannten "Ich-kann"-Checklisten auf die Metakognitionsstrategien der Schülerinnen und Schüler, geht die Arbeit auch den Fragen nach, welche Schülerinnen und Schüler "Ich-kann"-Checklisten nutzen, in welcher Form und unter welchen Kontextmerkmalen sie am wirksamsten sind. Dabei handelt es sich um Listen mit festgelegten, fachlichen und überfachlichen Kompetenzen einer bzw. mehrerer Unterrichtseinheiten, die in Form von „Ich-kann“-Formulierungen für Schüler geschrieben sind und die Aufforderung einer Selbst- und Fremdeinschätzung beinhalten. Blickt man in die Veröffentlichungen der letzten Jahre zu diesem Thema und in die schulische Praxis, so ist eine deutliche Hinwendung zur Entwicklung und Arbeit mit „Ich-kann“-Checklisten und Kompetenzrastern zu erkennen. Umso erstaunlicher ist es, dass diesbezüglich so gut wie keine empirischen Untersuchungen vorliegen (vgl. Bastian & Merziger, 2007; Merziger, 2007). Basierend auf einer quantitativen Erhebung von 197 Gymnasialschülerinnen und -schülern in der 7. Jahrgangsstufe im Fach Deutsch wurde über einen Zeitraum von zwei Jahren diesen übergeordneten Fragen nachgegangen. Die Ergebnisse lassen die Aussagen zu, dass "Ich-kann"-Checklisten insbesondere für Jungen ein wirksames pädagogisches Instrument der Selbstregulation darstellen. So fördert die Arbeit mit "Ich-kann"-Checklisten nicht nur die Steuerung eigener Lernprozesse, sondern auch die Anstrengungsbereitschaft der Schülerinnen und Schüler, mehr für das Fach tun zu wollen. Eine während der Intervention erfolgte Selbsteinschätzung über den Leistungsstand mittels der "Ich-kann"-Checklisten fördert dabei den freiwilligen außerunterrichtlichen Gebrauch. / This paper examines the performance enhancing effect of so called “Can Do” checklists on the metacognitive strategies of 13 to 14 year old Gymnasium students. This study analyzes which students actually use “Can Do” checklists, in what form they apply them, and the specific circumstances in which they appear to be most effective. These checklists define fundamental, subject-specific, and interdisciplinary competencies that are formulated into written “Can Do” lessons that require both self-assessment and third-party assessment. The increasing development and application of “Can Do” checklists and performance metrics is clearly seen both in the recent scholarly papers that address this issue and in classroom practice. The fact that this trend is emerging despite the lack of empirical studies is particularly surprising (e.g. Bastian & Merzinger, 2007; Merzinger, 2007). These salient questions were examined through analysis of a two-year quantitative survey that monitored two consecutive classes of 197 Gymnasium students in their German class during their 7th academic year. The results of this study indicate that “Can Do” checklists are an effective pedagogical tool for self-evaluation especially for boys. Applying this methodology both fosters self management of the learning process and motivates the student to invest more effort into the subject. The benefits of continuous performance self-assessment using “Can Do” checklists also transfer voluntarily beyond the classroom.

The study was to investigate the effectiveness of Sociocultural Competency Training (SCCT) as an intervention in enhancing self-efficacy among trainees in the health care profession. The purposes of the study were threefold: (a) to evaluate the effectiveness of the training in enhancing the trainees' self-efficacy and behavioural performance; (b) to examine their personal experiences in the learning ofthe sociocultural competencies, and (c) to identify the factors that contribute to effective outcomes. A sample of 84 participants in the Health Sciences program at the Vancouver Community College was recruited. There were 26 local born Canadians and 32 immigrants in the experimental group, whereas 11 local born Canadians and 15 immigrants were in the control group. Experimental group participants took part in an 18- hour training over a 6-week period as part of their regular Human Relations Skills course curriculum. The control group also took the same training course after post-test data collection. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Self-efficacy and behavioural performance were assessed quantitatively by the results from the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), Situational Social Avoidance Scale (SSA), Social Self-Efficacy Scale (SSE), and Interpersonal Skills Checklist (ISC-33). Qualitative data was collected through written feedback from 28 participants and semi-structured interviewing with 24 volunteer interviewees in the experimental group. The results of this study supported the hypotheses that the Sociocultural Competency Training was effective in improving the interpersonal skills and lowering the social avoidance tendency among participants in the experimental group when compared to individuals in the control group. The hypothesis that there would be more significant change in participants' social self-efficacy was also supported. The Sociocultural Competency Training offered effective ways of helping people develop positive self-efficacy and behavioural competencies. Participants reported the training enabled them to have the sociocultural competencies to conduct their professional career in a multicultural community. In the future, the training can be used with high school students, college and university students, international students, professionals, business people, and expatriates who need to learn the sociocultural competencies for career success.

Rörfonation och traditionell svensk röstbehandling är två av de vanligaste behandlingsalternativen inom svensk röstlogopedi idag. Som forskare är det viktigt att kontinuerligt utvärdera de behandlingar som erbjuds för att göra vården mer kvalitativ och kostnadseffektiv. Finns det skillnader i behandlingseffekt mellan dessa två röstbehandlingar? Är skillnaderna så tydliga att det går att fastslå att den ena behandlingen är att föredra framför den andra? Med analyser av ett patientmaterial, före och efter behandling, i form av akustisk analys, perceptuella bedömningar av en grupp erfarna logopeder samt patienternas självskattningar syftar föreliggande uppsats till att besvara vad behandlingsformerna har för effekt inom dessa områden. Patientmaterialet bestod av totalt 28 patienter varav 23 fullföljde behandling. Tolv av dessa erhöll behandling med rörfonation medan resterande elva patienter erhöll traditionell svensk röstbehandling.. Utöver röstinspelningar bestod materialet av patienternas självskattningar, i form av RHI- och Swe-VAPP-formulär. Gällande behandlingseffekt på akustiska parametrar kunde inga slutsatser dras. De perceptuella parametrarna afoni, hyperfunktion och knarr förbättrades sett till hela urvalet, oavsett typ av röstbehandling. Tydliga förbättringar sågs i patienternas självskattningar efter båda behandlingsmetoderna. Röstbehandling ger således positiva resultat, men några skillnader i behandlingseffekt mellan de två olika metoderna för röstbehandling kunde inte påvisas. / Tube phonation and traditional Swedish voice therapy are two of the most common voice therapy options in Sweden today. As a researcher, it is important to continually evaluate available therapy options to make health care more qualitative and cost effective. Are there differences in treatment effect between these two voice treatments? If so, are the differences so obvious that it is possible to conclude that one treatment should be preferred over the other? Analyses of a patient material, before and after treatment, which included acoustic analysis, perceptual analysis by a group of experienced speech-language therapists and patients' selfassessments were made aiming to answer what effect the two treatment options have in these areas. The patient material consisted of 28 patients, of whom 23 completed the therapy. Twelve of them received treatment with tube phonation while the remaining eleven patients received traditional Swedish voice therapy. Besides audio recordings, the material consisted of patients' self-assessments pre- and post-therapy, including VHI and Swe-VAPP forms. The treatment effect on acoustic parameters was inconclusive. The perceptual parameters aphonia, hyper function, and creaking improved over the entire sample, regardless of the type of voice therapy. Clear improvements were seen in the patients' self-assessments after both therapy methods. Voice therapy thus gives positive results, but no differences in treatment effect between the two different methods of voice therapy were seen.

A family is the first educational institution where a child acquires his basic social standards. A family is also the most important institution for human socialization having a great influence on the development of a child‘s personality. Parents form the biggest part of a child‘s environment the development of a child‘s personality greatly depends on them. The aim of this work is to analyse the typical psychological relation between junior schoolchildren and their mothers on the bases of sex and family status. 400 people (200 children aged 9-11 and their 200 mothers) took part in a survey. 5 questionnaires were used for assessing children‘s psychological feelings, inside calmness, self - assessment, worries about school and motivation for learning. For assessing their mothers‘ psychological feelings, inside calmness and self – assessment 3 questionnaires were used. While carrying out a survey there were given 3 hypotheses which turned to be partly approved. A significant relation was defined between girls‘ inside calmness and their mothers‘ psychological feelings as well as between their self – assessment, whereas the same kind of relation between boys and their mothers was not confirmed. There was also defined a significant relation between boys‘ worries about school and their mothers‘ psychological feelings. A second hypotheses which states that in a two – parent family there is a closer relation between the children‘s inside calmness, psychological mood at school... [to full text]