With the foundation ofandragogy having been laid, there was a serious attempt at investigating it... more With the foundation ofandragogy having been laid, there was a serious attempt at investigating its value. Some felt that a broad scope was established in the practice to support growth in learners, with any mention ofadult learning needing to include andragogy. Others perceived that andragogy produced unproductive debates along a binary path, with its being too caught up in individualization, the politics of exclusion, conformity, and de-contextualizing adult learning. However, some research revealed numerous dimensions ofandragogy. The connection with distance learning became very strong and solid. New applications ofandragogy were spawned into foreign language learning, internet learning, validation ofthe adult instructor's perspective, the public school, emotional intelligence, and an interlinking with brain research. The long range projection ofandragogy saw a strong resurgence in numerous research papers being put forward through conferences and publications with the worldwide foundation being established by thorough documentation ofthe materials. Savicevic looks far into the future and credits Knowles with a meritorious place in the advancement of andragogy. Many new applications over an extensive period oftime were increasing. reinforcement, or feedback, to the learner. (p. 78) Pinheiro (2001) found that the perception of a multicultural international population of students in an American university indicated a preference for teaching-learning experiences congruent with the andragogical model. Their positive and preferred experiences were characterized by the andragogical themes of engagement and connectedness, while their negative and not preferred experiences were characterized by disengagement and disconnectedness. Shore's (2001) perception that Knowles' andragogy became a catalyst for unproductive debates framed along a binary path. This path was such as adult/child, isolation/relation, objective/subjective, explicit/implicit, Black/White. Grace (2001) considered that Knowles' (which is closely identified with and almost synonymous with andragogy in America) andragogy as a theory of how adults learn, ascended to prominence in the U.S. adult education after the 1970 publication of his book The Modern Practice ofAdult Education: Andragogy versus pedagogy. By 1990 it was losing much of its punch as a result of the discussion and controversy surrounding it. He felt that Knowles' perspective is too caught up with individualization, institutionalization, professionalization, techno-scientization, self-directed learning, the politics of exclusion, maintenance, and conformity. Grace also believed it ignores resistance and transformation, and sees mainstream U.S. and Canadian adult education as having been complicit in sidelining cultural and social concerns, thus depoliticizing and decontextualizing adult learning. Although he saw Knowles' andragogy as having been effectively dismantled in the 1980s and 1990s, Grace presents a vigorous case for needing more of the same to neutralize its continued prominence and influence. Notwithstanding the hope of the demise (or at least receding) ofandragogy, others found its application very useful. Numerous citations of its usefulness will follow in this chapter. Mason, et al. (2001) indicated that air carrier check airmen could benefit greatly from Henschke's (1987) model in their preparation for becoming instructors in the pilot learning program. Most especially, they considered implementation of the plan would help pilot instructors display flexibility and an attitude of: Being open to ideas that differ from those in the design; caring and being capable of showing it; treating adults as individuals and recognizing that each is unique; supportiveness towards learners; and, considering the learning process as important. Merriam (2001) also posited that the scholarship on andragogy since 1990 has taken two directions. One stream seeks analysis of the origins of the concept or its usage in different parts of the world, thus becoming a touchstone for professionalizing through the establishment of a scientific discipline. The other stream critiques andragogy for its lack of attention to the context in which learning occurs. She emphasized that andragogy as one of the two 'pillars' of adult learning theory (self-directed learning being the other pillar) will continue to engender debate, discussion, and research, thus suggesting that in so doing, it will further enrich our understanding of adult learning.
In the face of an impending shortage of vocational teachers in the United States of America (USA)... more In the face of an impending shortage of vocational teachers in the United States of America (USA), factors such as decreasing university budgets and the changing demographics of vocational teachers and teacher educators make it increasingly difficult to ensure adequate supplies of trained teachers. In addition, electronic learning (e-learning) and computer-based instructional technology are changing the means and mechanisms as well as the role and function of vocational teacher education in the USA. In order to meet these challenges, the Department of Human Resource Development at The University of Tennessee has designed a coordinated program of study for students to complete their whole vocational teacher licensure program through the medium of e-learning. Graduates can then accredit these courses toward a Bachelor of Science degree that can also be completed online.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of training on attitudes and perceptions abou... more The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of training on attitudes and perceptions about law enforcement by participants of a Citizen Police Academy. The first goal was to identify any significant differences between attitudes or perceptions and demographic factors such as age, working status, education, ethnicity, gender, military experience, victimization, and relationships with officers. The second goal was to ascertain the existence of any correlation between certain variables related to attitudes or perceptions. The researcher surveyed 554 members of the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. The alumni members received a three-part survey containing general demographic information questions, a post Citizen Police Academy survey, and a training participation assessment. A total of 216 Alumni Association members responded, with the majority being white females. Statistical methods used in this study included calculating the means, standard deviation, one-way analysis of variance (.05 level of probability with a 95% confidence interval), and multiple analysis of variances. The Cronbach's Alpha was used to measure the reliability of the instrument. Major findings of the study indicated that (a) the majority of participants who attend the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy have 2 years of college or more; (b) subscale scores of attitude and perception related to gender, military experience, personal relationships with officers, and victimization did have significant differences related to law enforcement; (c) and the majority of people who have attended the Citizen Police Academy would recommend the program to their friends. v
This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perce... more This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perceptions toward an interior designer’s impact on the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The study also established an initial profile of perceptions within building industry professionals, identified the salient factors within those perceptions, and determined the level of these factors through a factor analysis. The Health, Safety, & Welfare in the Built Environment instrument was developed using a table of specifications based on the subject content that interior designers must be familiar with in regards to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public according to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the interior design Body of Knowledge (BoK). The questionnaire was administered to members of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) Gulf States Region. A factor analysis on the gathered data determined that there were four underlying thematic sub-groups or factors. They were labeled codes & materials, design strategies, mechanical, and supervision. These factors, along with the study’s findings will be discussed further in this article.
The purpose of this study was to explore the association between overall job satisfaction and sel... more The purpose of this study was to explore the association between overall job satisfaction and selected demographic variables among 332 employees of a youth development organization. The Job Satisfaction Index (JSI) was used to measure the level of job satisfaction, and demographic information was obtained via a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Data analysis procedures included descriptive statistics, Spearman's rho, Pearson r, t tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated no significant relationships or differences (p ¼ 0.05) between job satisfaction and demographic variables. These findings have implications for future research on job satisfaction and employee retention in youth development organizations.
This chapter is an investigation to determine the receptivity of family physicians to new technol... more This chapter is an investigation to determine the receptivity of family physicians to new technologies of continuing learning. Family physicians that were active members of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP) served as the research group for this study. A response rate of 55% was achieved. Most responding family physicians perceived that Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities affect their practice of medicine. This study revealed that physicians thought the CME activity must be relevant, applicable, and the content and quality important to the learner for participation by distance education. Computer usage via the Internet, CD ROM, and email are being used more frequently and have a higher degree of receptivity by public health physicians than non-computer generated modalities. It is recommended that specialized marketing efforts, online Web-based courses, CD ROMs, and other modes of distance education delivery could change the level of interest in using distance education as a viable option for CME.
With the foundation ofandragogy having been laid, there was a serious attempt at investigating it... more With the foundation ofandragogy having been laid, there was a serious attempt at investigating its value. Some felt that a broad scope was established in the practice to support growth in learners, with any mention ofadult learning needing to include andragogy. Others perceived that andragogy produced unproductive debates along a binary path, with its being too caught up in individualization, the politics of exclusion, conformity, and de-contextualizing adult learning. However, some research revealed numerous dimensions ofandragogy. The connection with distance learning became very strong and solid. New applications ofandragogy were spawned into foreign language learning, internet learning, validation ofthe adult instructor's perspective, the public school, emotional intelligence, and an interlinking with brain research. The long range projection ofandragogy saw a strong resurgence in numerous research papers being put forward through conferences and publications with the worldwide foundation being established by thorough documentation ofthe materials. Savicevic looks far into the future and credits Knowles with a meritorious place in the advancement of andragogy. Many new applications over an extensive period oftime were increasing. reinforcement, or feedback, to the learner. (p. 78) Pinheiro (2001) found that the perception of a multicultural international population of students in an American university indicated a preference for teaching-learning experiences congruent with the andragogical model. Their positive and preferred experiences were characterized by the andragogical themes of engagement and connectedness, while their negative and not preferred experiences were characterized by disengagement and disconnectedness. Shore's (2001) perception that Knowles' andragogy became a catalyst for unproductive debates framed along a binary path. This path was such as adult/child, isolation/relation, objective/subjective, explicit/implicit, Black/White. Grace (2001) considered that Knowles' (which is closely identified with and almost synonymous with andragogy in America) andragogy as a theory of how adults learn, ascended to prominence in the U.S. adult education after the 1970 publication of his book The Modern Practice ofAdult Education: Andragogy versus pedagogy. By 1990 it was losing much of its punch as a result of the discussion and controversy surrounding it. He felt that Knowles' perspective is too caught up with individualization, institutionalization, professionalization, techno-scientization, self-directed learning, the politics of exclusion, maintenance, and conformity. Grace also believed it ignores resistance and transformation, and sees mainstream U.S. and Canadian adult education as having been complicit in sidelining cultural and social concerns, thus depoliticizing and decontextualizing adult learning. Although he saw Knowles' andragogy as having been effectively dismantled in the 1980s and 1990s, Grace presents a vigorous case for needing more of the same to neutralize its continued prominence and influence. Notwithstanding the hope of the demise (or at least receding) ofandragogy, others found its application very useful. Numerous citations of its usefulness will follow in this chapter. Mason, et al. (2001) indicated that air carrier check airmen could benefit greatly from Henschke's (1987) model in their preparation for becoming instructors in the pilot learning program. Most especially, they considered implementation of the plan would help pilot instructors display flexibility and an attitude of: Being open to ideas that differ from those in the design; caring and being capable of showing it; treating adults as individuals and recognizing that each is unique; supportiveness towards learners; and, considering the learning process as important. Merriam (2001) also posited that the scholarship on andragogy since 1990 has taken two directions. One stream seeks analysis of the origins of the concept or its usage in different parts of the world, thus becoming a touchstone for professionalizing through the establishment of a scientific discipline. The other stream critiques andragogy for its lack of attention to the context in which learning occurs. She emphasized that andragogy as one of the two 'pillars' of adult learning theory (self-directed learning being the other pillar) will continue to engender debate, discussion, and research, thus suggesting that in so doing, it will further enrich our understanding of adult learning.
In the face of an impending shortage of vocational teachers in the United States of America (USA)... more In the face of an impending shortage of vocational teachers in the United States of America (USA), factors such as decreasing university budgets and the changing demographics of vocational teachers and teacher educators make it increasingly difficult to ensure adequate supplies of trained teachers. In addition, electronic learning (e-learning) and computer-based instructional technology are changing the means and mechanisms as well as the role and function of vocational teacher education in the USA. In order to meet these challenges, the Department of Human Resource Development at The University of Tennessee has designed a coordinated program of study for students to complete their whole vocational teacher licensure program through the medium of e-learning. Graduates can then accredit these courses toward a Bachelor of Science degree that can also be completed online.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of training on attitudes and perceptions abou... more The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of training on attitudes and perceptions about law enforcement by participants of a Citizen Police Academy. The first goal was to identify any significant differences between attitudes or perceptions and demographic factors such as age, working status, education, ethnicity, gender, military experience, victimization, and relationships with officers. The second goal was to ascertain the existence of any correlation between certain variables related to attitudes or perceptions. The researcher surveyed 554 members of the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association. The alumni members received a three-part survey containing general demographic information questions, a post Citizen Police Academy survey, and a training participation assessment. A total of 216 Alumni Association members responded, with the majority being white females. Statistical methods used in this study included calculating the means, standard deviation, one-way analysis of variance (.05 level of probability with a 95% confidence interval), and multiple analysis of variances. The Cronbach's Alpha was used to measure the reliability of the instrument. Major findings of the study indicated that (a) the majority of participants who attend the Knoxville Police Department Citizen Police Academy have 2 years of college or more; (b) subscale scores of attitude and perception related to gender, military experience, personal relationships with officers, and victimization did have significant differences related to law enforcement; (c) and the majority of people who have attended the Citizen Police Academy would recommend the program to their friends. v
This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perce... more This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perceptions toward an interior designer’s impact on the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The study also established an initial profile of perceptions within building industry professionals, identified the salient factors within those perceptions, and determined the level of these factors through a factor analysis. The Health, Safety, & Welfare in the Built Environment instrument was developed using a table of specifications based on the subject content that interior designers must be familiar with in regards to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public according to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the interior design Body of Knowledge (BoK). The questionnaire was administered to members of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) Gulf States Region. A factor analysis on the gathered data determined that there were four underlying thematic sub-groups or factors. They were labeled codes & materials, design strategies, mechanical, and supervision. These factors, along with the study’s findings will be discussed further in this article.
The purpose of this study was to explore the association between overall job satisfaction and sel... more The purpose of this study was to explore the association between overall job satisfaction and selected demographic variables among 332 employees of a youth development organization. The Job Satisfaction Index (JSI) was used to measure the level of job satisfaction, and demographic information was obtained via a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Data analysis procedures included descriptive statistics, Spearman's rho, Pearson r, t tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results indicated no significant relationships or differences (p ¼ 0.05) between job satisfaction and demographic variables. These findings have implications for future research on job satisfaction and employee retention in youth development organizations.
This chapter is an investigation to determine the receptivity of family physicians to new technol... more This chapter is an investigation to determine the receptivity of family physicians to new technologies of continuing learning. Family physicians that were active members of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians (TAFP) served as the research group for this study. A response rate of 55% was achieved. Most responding family physicians perceived that Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities affect their practice of medicine. This study revealed that physicians thought the CME activity must be relevant, applicable, and the content and quality important to the learner for participation by distance education. Computer usage via the Internet, CD ROM, and email are being used more frequently and have a higher degree of receptivity by public health physicians than non-computer generated modalities. It is recommended that specialized marketing efforts, online Web-based courses, CD ROMs, and other modes of distance education delivery could change the level of interest in using distance education as a viable option for CME.
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