published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Five learning measures used in a skills training program were related to three types of job performance measures for a sample of 163 oil field employees. Statistical analyses resulted in only modest correlations between learning and job performance criteria. Factor analyses of learning measures followed by multiple regression on factors yielded a significant R with only one criterion measure. It was concluded from these data that the training program was of minimal value. The discussion centered on strategies for better training, training research, job engineering, and correcting the two limitations of this study.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Despite the availability of distance education technology, Oregon State University Extension Service educators have made limited use of this equipment for delivery of educational programs to clients of the state's 36 county Extension Service offices. Some Extension educators may be hesitant to use distance technology because they are unsure whether clients will accept distance delivered programming. This project explored this issue, framed in the question: Is distance education received favorably or unfavorably by volunteer adult learners? A volunteer learner is defined as one who seeks to gain knowledge while interacting with others who share like interests, a description that fits many Extension Service clients. Other questions in the project were: How much do volunteer learners learn from distance delivered instruction compared to traditional instruction? and How much do volunteer learners interact with instructors and each other in the distance classroom compared to the traditional classroom? Participants in the project were adults taking part in the MG training program in February 1993 in five Oregon counties. These adult learners participated in two 90-minute instructional segments; part one, 'Landscaping for Wildlife' and part two, 'Controlling Wildlife in the Home Landscape.' Part one was delivered via satellite delivery. Part two was delivered to participants in person by the instructor. In both parts, learners were pre- and post-tested on the subject matter presented. Learners also completed opinion surveys for each session. Audio tapes were made of each session for analysis of learner-learner, and learner-instructor interaction. Also, the Extension agents acting as downlink site coordinators in the project were interviewed to assess their opinions of the distance education session. Comparison of the data indicate that learners felt the quality of learning experience in both modes of program delivery was about equal. Also, the testing component indicated that participants learned about the same amount of material. Interaction analysis results indicated little or no difference in the amount of interaction in both the traditional and distance sessions. The results show that the effectiveness of distance delivery of Master Gardener training instruction to adult learners is equivalent to traditional delivery of training instruction for participants in this study. / Graduation date: 1997

Not available / text

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

M.Ed. / The consistent growth- of the number of new lecturers to technical colleges ecessitated a study of the induction of beginner lecturers. The educational profession is the only one where there is no formal and compulsory induction into the profession or where any beginner-lecturer is introduced to the formal way of lecturing at a technical college. The new lecturer is directly put into a class and are expected to lecture without any problems on his side. This new lecturer is put to a "swim or sink" situation and then it is also expected from him to perform as well as the experienced lecturer. This creates a number of problems for the new lecturer, that is not always addressed by the management staff of the college. In the midst of a dynamically changing job environment, it is the responsibility of the principal to accompany his subordinates to maximum self-actualisation and job satisfaction. This was some of the problems experienced by the researcher and this inspired him to undertake a study to consider the following problems: The problem that beginner lecturers experience in and around the classroom; The integration of the beginner-lecturer at a technical college; the implementation of the induction programme for beginner lecturers. By means of an empirical study at the college where the researcher belongs and with the help and guidance of the principal of the same college, the induction programme was developed and the programme for the mentor was then also formulated. This complete guide for the induction of beginner lecturers is therefore compiled to help any principal at any technical college to put his staff, and especially his beginner staff, through the induction programme as to fully incorporate them as happily trained lecturers at the technical college where they are employed. In the midst of a dynamically changing job environment, it is the responsibility of the principal to accompany his subordinates to maximum self-actualisation and job satisfaction.

The use of military forces in urban operations has increased considerably over the past years. As illustrated by the current conflict in Iraq, the Army finds itself fighting its toughest battles in urban areas facing unconventional forces. Soldiers face many threats in hostile fire environments, whether conducting large-scale mechanized warfare, low-intensity conflicts, or operations other than war. Through 1970, there has been no demonstrable reduction in battlefield mortality rate as a percentage of all casualties since data was kept since before the Civil War. For that period of time, nearly all the reduction in overall mortality rate occurred through reduced mortality in Hospital Chain. As of 1970, about 90 percent of all combat deaths occur before a casualty reaches a definitive care facility. Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), also known as TC3, is the pre-hospital care rendered to a casualty in a combat environment. The application of TCCC principles during a tactical combat environment has proven highly effective and is a major reason why combat deaths in latest conflicts (Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom) are lower than in any other conflict in the history of the United States. The Army continues to emphasize reducing battlefield mortality rate. Current tools and methods used for initial skills and sustainment training of combat medics throughout the Army are insufficient. New technologies are needed to provide medics with greater opportunities to develop and test their decision making and technical medical skills in multiple, COE-relevant, training scenarios. In order to address some of these requirements, the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering Command, Simulation and Training Technology Center (RDECOM-STTC) is developing the 68W - Tactical Combat Casualty Care Simulation (TC3 Sim) for the US Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Center & School at Fort Sam Houston. The Army is considering the use of the TC3 Sim game as a tool to improve the training of individual Soldiers as well as improve the readiness of combat medics. It is the intent of this research to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional games in general and the use of the TC3 game in particular for teaching the concepts of tactical combat casualty care. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the training effectiveness of this tool in supporting the 68W10 Healthcare Specialist Course program of instruction (POI). The goal of this research is to address important questions such as: Is this game an effective tool to train Soldiers the aspects of TC3? Can knowledge gain through the use of the simulation be transferred into task related situations? How can this tool be incorporated in the current POI in order to increase training effectiveness?

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The primary question for this dissertation was: Does online professional development increase novice itinerant Teachers of Students with Visual impairments' (TVI) efficacy for assessing learning and literacy media for students with multiple disabilities including visual impairments? The literature suggested novice TVIs might experience low efficacy when implementing strategies unique to their job after leaving teacher-training programs. Working in an itinerant position can intensify perceptions of low efficacy. One area of low efficacy was conducting and reporting on the assessment of learning and literacy media (ALLM). Using a quasi-experimental pre/post-design, data were collected from pre/postintervention knowledge questionnaires about the assessment process and pre/postintervention written ALLM reports. Eleven participants with 1-5 years of experience as TVIs were divided into control and intervention groups. Four online modules were delivered to the intervention group. The data were analyzed using two dependent and two independent sample t tests. The results indicated the change scores between the control groups pre- and post-submissions did not improve. The change scores between the intervention groups pre- and post-submissions did significantly improve after participation in the online modules. The change scores overall between the intervention and control groups' pre/post submissions were statistically significant. The intervention group completed an acceptability rating scale regarding the feasibility of the modules and the results had an average score of 3.5 (4 = strongly agree). The primary limitation of this study was the small sample size and, therefore, did not allow for generalization.