Arbeitsschutz erzielt dann seine größte Wirksamkeit, wenn er bereits im Rahmen der Konzeption und Planung von Maschinen vollumfänglich berücksichtigt wird. Etwaige Versäumnisse hinsichtlich einer sicheren Produktgestaltung in diesem Stadium können unzureichend sichere Produkte und kostenintensive Nacharbeiten zur Folge haben (Klein, 2013). Deshalb benötigen künftige Maschinenbauer und Produktdesigner für ihre spätere berufliche Praxis Fachwissen zur proaktiven sicheren und gesundheitsgerechten Gestaltung von Maschinen. Die voranschreitende digitale Transformation führt jedoch in Wechselwirkung mit weiteren Faktoren dazu, dass sich derartiges Wissen heutzutage ständig entwickelt und erweitert (Korunka & Kubicek, 2013). Fachkräfte sind entsprechend gefordert, ihr Fachwissen im Rahmen ihrer Arbeitsprozesse fortlaufend zu aktualisieren. Dabei wird der Betrieb mehr denn je zum Lernort und setzt zunehmend technologieunterstützte Lernformen ein, die Mitarbeitenden einen selbstgesteuerten Wissenserwerb nach individuellem Bedarf ermöglichen sollen (BMAS, 2017). Selbstgesteuerte Lernprozesse setzen jedoch spezifische Kompetenzen voraus, die zunächst entwickelt und gefördert werden müssen. Zu diesem Zwecke entwickeln die Autoren derzeit ein Lehrkonzept, das es angehenden Produktgestaltenden ermöglichen soll, bereits im Rahmen der universitären Ausbildung sicherheitstechnisches Fachwissen zu erwerben und dabei auch in der heutigen Informationsgesellschaft essentielle Erfahrungen mit selbstgesteuertem Lernen zu sammeln.

Professionals need to learn throughout their entire career due to the rapid changes in technology (Zander, Boustedt, Eckerdal, McCartney, Sanders, Moström, & Thomas, 2012). Professional development is a need for professionals to remain updated in their profession (Murphy, 2008). One way professional development occurs is through e-learning, which provides an environment that supports self-directed learning. It is also cost-effective (Hadwen & Galloway, 2008). The authors indicate the importance of professional development and e-learning. However, there is a lack of insight into understanding what motivates persons to engage in these activities. This study thus aims to understand the motivation for self-directed e-learning for professional development.       A qualitative approach occurred via semi-structured interview questions, and findings show that people were the top motivator for this type of learning. Results also show that successful e-learning is applying the knowledge or skills learned, and accomplishing the learning goal. The top influential factors include positive emotions, popular search engines, and freedom of choice. Furthermore, persistence and critical thinking support the process, and hindrances had to do with access and disruptions. This thesis argues that autonomous extrinsic motivation is essential for understanding self-directed e-learning for professional development. Additionally, due to the many factors that influence social context, encouraging this form of professional development may be complicated, yet beneficial.

Knowledge of how gender affects learning is scarcely understood in the realm of nursing education. Prior studies have indicated certain learning styles are predictors of passing board examinations. Pinpointing specific learning styles could improve educational outcomes and produce thoroughly equipped nurses. Previous researchers have studied the differences in learning preferences according to gender; however, no studies have solely concentrated on gender specific learning preferences among undergraduate nursing students. Learning Interest, as well as Goal Orientation, were found to be statistically significant between genders.

The Party Exercise found on countless career guidance websites and popularized by the best-selling, job-hunting book What Color Is Your Parachute (Bolles, 2015) purports to provide an estimate of an individual's Holland's code. This study examines whether this commonly used Party Exercise accurately predicts an individual's Holland's code (Holland, 1997). Undergraduate students (N=473) completed The Party Exercise and then the Self- Directed Search (Holland & Messer, 2013). The results of this study do not support the use of this popular “Party Exercise” as a valid estimate of an individual's Holland code.

No description available.

Self-managing teams (SMTs) are receiving increasing attention from organizations striving for continuous improvement and searching for innovative ways to get their employees involved and empowered. More and more organizations are realizing the significant impact these teams have on quality, productivity, the social circles, worker esteem, and profitability. Consultants and researchers have also paid significant attention to the concept of SMTs, focusing on many aspects of these teams. However, little research has been directed toward the training needs of former supervisors, who, by a plant transitioning to SMTs, have now to take up the role of being coaches of the teams. They invariably are caught in the middle between empowering their teams and satisfying the needs of upper management. The confusion about their new roles may lead to unsuccessful implementation of the teams. This research is an attempt to answer questions related to the training issues of leaders of self-managing teams. The purpose of this study is to help managers and consultants further understand the issues, concern, problems and difficulties faced by the coaches of SMTs. The case study sight for this research was the AT&T plant in Richmond. Some of the outputs of this study are: prioritized lists of the issues and concerns of the coaches at AT&T, a simple cause-effect analysis, important issues and solutions proposed by the coaches, and a list of recommendations based on the overall analysis. / Master of Science

In the technological world that characterizes the 21st century society, new specialized developments are applied immediately to the different social environments and, especially, in education. Language teaching is no stranger to this unstoppable progress, thanks to the widespread implementation of the internet and of the web 2.0 in particular. New technologies help and can sometimes replace the more traditional systems used in foreign language teaching by favoring autonomous learning at any time and in any place. In this doctoral thesis, I review the literature on foreign language learning motivation, styles, and strategies applied to autonomous online platforms. This is done to present and describe the theoretical underpinnings of the COMALAT virtual learning platform, which was designed and created at the University of Alicante as a European Project in cooperation with the University of Siegen in Germany and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. Then, I report on a quantitative study that explores the attitudes, learning styles and strategies of 80 A2-B1 level EFL university students that make use of COMALAT. Besides determining the profile of the participants, the study aims to demonstrate the effects of previous training in online language learning strategies. As main conclusions, the following stand out: (a) the students’ use of this platform increases their level of foreign language learning as they can adapt it at their own pace and dedication; (b) the virtual learning environment provides a greater learning effectiveness by combining materials which consider the different learning styles; and (c) the application of the appropriate online learning strategies can help students to solve the different learning problems they may encounter while doing a self-directed online language course.

Although the need for and importance of self-directed learning are well documented, studies reporting on the influence of teaching–learning strategies, fostering self-directed learning skills, are limited. The aim of this investigation was to determine and understand the impact of the implementation of cooperative base groups on the self-directed learning readiness of first-year Life Sciences students. In order to achieve the research aim, a mixed method approach was followed. During the quantitative phase, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, a cooperative base group perception questionnaire, a checklist for social skills, and the academic achievement of first-year Life Sciences students at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University were analysed. In the qualitative phase of the investigation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with randomly selected first-year Life Sciences students of the experimental group. The questions in the interviews were aimed at determining the students‟ perception of cooperative base groups, how this perception contributed to their self-directed learning competencies, as well as the role that active involvement, the cooperative base group folder and personal support play in the development of self-directed learning competencies. The results of the investigation contribute to the body of knowledge on cooperative learning as it provides insight into how students experience cooperative base groups. The implementation of cooperative base groups contributes to the development of the following characteristics and skills, which are vital for becoming self-directed in one‟s learning: viewing peers as resources; being able to give and receive help; developing good social skills; being motivated to learn; and taking initiative and responsibility for learning. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Although the need for and importance of self-directed learning are well documented, studies reporting on the influence of teaching–learning strategies, fostering self-directed learning skills, are limited. The aim of this investigation was to determine and understand the impact of the implementation of cooperative base groups on the self-directed learning readiness of first-year Life Sciences students. In order to achieve the research aim, a mixed method approach was followed. During the quantitative phase, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, a cooperative base group perception questionnaire, a checklist for social skills, and the academic achievement of first-year Life Sciences students at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University were analysed. In the qualitative phase of the investigation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with randomly selected first-year Life Sciences students of the experimental group. The questions in the interviews were aimed at determining the students‟ perception of cooperative base groups, how this perception contributed to their self-directed learning competencies, as well as the role that active involvement, the cooperative base group folder and personal support play in the development of self-directed learning competencies. The results of the investigation contribute to the body of knowledge on cooperative learning as it provides insight into how students experience cooperative base groups. The implementation of cooperative base groups contributes to the development of the following characteristics and skills, which are vital for becoming self-directed in one‟s learning: viewing peers as resources; being able to give and receive help; developing good social skills; being motivated to learn; and taking initiative and responsibility for learning. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

O campo dos interesses profissionais é amplo e complexo, circunscrito por diferentes perspectivas teóricas e técnicas, com impacto na construção da carreira dos indivíduos. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa objetivou caracterizar inclinações e interesses profissionais de estudantes de diferentes níveis de ensino por meio de instrumentos de avaliação psicológica (Teste de Fotos de Profissões, BBT-Br e o Questionário de Busca Autodirigida SDS), bem como avaliar características psicométricas das referidas técnicas de exame na região norte do Brasil. Foram avaliados 729 estudantes provenientes de escolas públicas e particulares da cidade de Manaus (AM), pertencentes ao final do ensino fundamental (9º ano), ensino médio (1ª, 2ª e 3ª séries) e a 3ª série do ensino técnico integrado ao ensino médio, igualmente distribuídos em função do sexo. Os instrumentos (BBT-Br e SDS) foram aplicados no próprio contexto escolar, após as devidas autorizações formais para a pesquisa, incluindo-se também Questionário de Classificação Econômica Brasil para caracterização da amostra. Os resultados, após sistematização padronizada em cada instrumento de avaliação psicológica, foram tratados de modo inicialmente descritivo, para o grupo geral, bem como em função das variáveis: sexo, idade, nível de ensino e origem escolar (pública ou particular). Seguiram-se análises inferenciais dos possíveis efeitos dessas características sócio demográficas sobre as inclinações e os interesses profissionais, bem como a análise de características psicométricas do BBT-Br e SDS. Os resultados do BBT-Br apontaram tendência geral dos interesses dos estudantes (de diferentes níveis de ensino e de ambos os sexos) por atividades que envolvam pensamento abstrato/criativo e senso social/ajuda ao outro (respectivamente representadas pelos radicais G e S). No SDS a tipologia que se destacou, em todos os níveis de ensino, foi o tipo Social (interesses em atividades profissionais de ajuda e ensino) no grupo feminino, e o tipo Empreendedor (liderança, relacionamentos interpessoais e atividades persuasivas) no grupo masculino. Foram detectados padrões específicos na expressão dos interesses de estudantes da região norte em relação aos dados disponíveis do BBT-Br e do SDS para a região sudeste, embora com pontos de convergência motivacional. Sobre as características psicométricas dos instrumentos utilizados, foram identificados bons indicadores de fidedignidade (Alfa de Cronbach para o BBT-Br no sexo feminino foi de 0,84 e, para o sexo masculino, foi de 0,85; no SDS para o sexo feminino foi 0,78 e para o sexo masculino foi 0,79), e também de validade (análise de componentes principais e correlação entre resultados do BBT-Br e do SDS). O estudo contribuiu para a compreensão de características vocacionais e de interesses profissionais de estudantes da cidade de Manaus (AM), comparando-as aos dados disponíveis com estudantes do sudeste do Brasil, demonstrando indicadores positivos de validade das duas versões do BBT-Br e do SDS para uso na região norte. Reflexões foram realizadas, a partir dos achados, no sentido de sugerir processos de orientação vocacional e profissional para os estudantes do 9º ano do ensino fundamental, ensino médio e ensino técnico, para estimular escolhas profissionais que favoreçam a saúde mental e a realização pessoal, em termos científicos e educacionais, de indivíduos dessa região do Brasil. / The field of professional interests is wide and complex, circumscribed by different theoretical and technical perspectives, having impact in the construction of individuals\' career. In this context, this research aimed to describe professional interests and inclinations in students of different levels of education through instruments of psychological assessment (Berufsbilder Test BBT-Br, and Self-Directed Search SDS), as well as assess psychometric characteristics of these measures in the North region of Brazil. The sample was comprised of 729 students from public and private schools in the city of Manaus (AM), that were attending the last year of fundamental school (9th grade), middle school (1st, 2nd and 3rd years) and 3rd year of technical education, equally distributed for gender. Instruments were administered within the school context, after formal authorizations were obtained, along with the Brazil Economic Classification Questionnaire to sample description. The results, after patterned systematization in each instrument, were first analyzed for the description of all sample, on the variables gender, age, school level and school origin (public vs. private school). Following, inferential analysis of possible effects of the sociodemographic profile on professional interests and inclinations were tested, as well as the psychometric properties of BBT-Br and SDS. The results for BBT-Br pointed to a general tendency of students interests (of different educational levels and both sexes) to activities involving abstract/creative reasoning and social sense/help to others (respectively represented by radical G and S). On SDS, the featured typology was the Social type (interest in professional activities of help and teaching), for all school levels, for females group, and Entrepreneur type (leadership, interpersonal relationships, and persuasive activities) for males group. Specific patterns of the expression of interests in the North region emerged in comparison to normative data available of Southeast region, for both tests, with some points of motivational convergence. About psychometric qualities of the measures, good indicators of reliability (Cronbachs alpha of .84 for females and .85 for males on the BBT-Br; and .78 for females and .79 for males on SDS), as well as validity (principal component analysis and correlation between results on BBT-Br and SDS). This study contributes to the comprehension of vocational and professional interests of students in the city of Manaus (AM) when comparing to data available from the Southeast region of Brazil, demonstrating positive indicators of validity for both tests, to its use in the North region context. Some reflections about the data intended to contribute with suggestions about the process of vocational and professional orientation to students of 9th grade of fundamental school, middle school, and technical education, in order to stimulate professional choices that promote mental health and self-fulfillment, scientifically and educationally, for individuals of this region of Brazil.