Positive Influence Of Education Partnerships For Teaching Integrated STEM Through Drone Competition

Teaching quality is considered one of the foundations of student achievement and institutional performance. Consequently, linking in-service training (INSET) and teacher professional development (TPD) to student outcomes has been at the forefront of education research. This inquiry focuses on how to improve accessibility and participation in INSET and TPD programs to enhance teaching quality and revitalize the Philippine education system. Accessibility issues, allocation practices, and implementation challenges of INSET and TPD programs are examined. By triangulating data from document reviews with insights gathered from key informant interviews with sector experts and focus group discussions with teachers, key gaps that hinder the achievement of intended outcomes are highlighted. Findings reveal that while training opportunities exist and needs assessments are in place, outcomes are impeded by inequitable access, inconsistent funding, and a lack of alignment with evolving pedagogical needs. Moreover, logistical barriers, such as geographic constraints and workload concerns, prevent full participation in TPD programs. To address these challenges, comprehensive recommendations for the Department of Education (DepEd), policymakers, and educational institutions are presented, aimed at ensuring equitable access to INSET and TPD programs through increased funding, integration of digital learning tools, and institutionalization of sustainable training frameworks. Educational institutions can implement school-based professional learning communities, strengthen mentorship programs, and encourage data-driven approaches to professional growth. By enhancing INSET and TPD programs through strategic reforms and evidence-based interventions, the Philippines can cultivate a high-quality teaching workforce capable of addressing the evolving landscape and demands of 21st-century education. A renewed commitment to teacher development will not only enhance instructional quality but also pave the way for a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient education system that empowers both teachers and learners.

Effective teacher professional development is the key to improving primary school teachers’ ability to implement learner-centered education; however, guidance on building such professional development programs for teachers in Africa that accommodates local realities and cultures has rarely appeared in the literature. Reported in this study, a collaboration between a Korean primary teacher education institution and a science and technology higher education institution in central Ethiopia produced a professional development program for primary school teachers in Ethiopia using the instructional systems design model. A five-phase development process, namely analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation was used to develop and implement a total of 60 lessons presented in 30 videos. Teacher participants were highly satisfied with the results, reporting significant improvement in their self-efficacy about using learner-centered education approaches after completing the program. Lessons learned are provided for those seeking to expand professional development opportunities for teachers in Africa.

The Professions Around the World: New Web-Based Directory Goes Global

Introduction. The article presents a study on the problem of developing and implementing support interventions for teachers’ professional development programs based on an automated monitoring system. The purpose of the article is to evaluate the effectiveness of supporting teacher professional development programs based on an automated monitoring system. Materials and Methods. The study was structured within the framework of a descriptive model of supporting teachers’ professional development programs based on an automated monitoring system, as it is aimed at evaluation the effectiveness of support. The research tasks were solved by means of applying a set of complementary theoretical methods, such as analysis of Russian and international educational theory and practice in the field of designing support for teachers’ professional development; modeling, comparison and generalization. The empirical methods included assessment tools, statistical processing and expert assessment procedures. The study was based on data obtained during the assessment of professional competencies of 3,375 teachers from 48 municipal departments of education in the Republic of Bashkortostan (the Russian Federation). The data were subjected to comparative quantitative and qualitative analysis according to the evaluation criteria developed according to the types of teachers’ professional activities. Results. The authors have identified the components within the model of supporting teachers’ professional development based on an automated monitoring system. Technological aspects of implementation were adjusted, and the effectiveness of support was evaluated. It has been established that a system-forming component in the design and implementation of support for teachers’ professional development programs is assessment, which allows to identify professional deficits and determine a set of forms of educational events that contribute to teachers’ professional development. Modern assessment system of professional competencies should be characterized by validity and objectiveness; also it should follow the principles of confidentiality, competence, responsibility, systematic nature, informing participants about the goals and results of the evaluation procedure. The authors emphasize that automated systems allow to conduct valid assessment procedures, as well as to build a system for tracking the effectiveness of supporting teachers’ professional development in one or a range of educational settings. Conclusions. The article concludes that the use of the proposed model of supporting teachers’ professional development programs based on an automated monitoring system will allow each teacher to identify and eliminate professional deficits in conditions of constantly increasing requirements for teachers’ competence, which corresponds to the concept of continuing education of teachers. The authors emphasize that designing teachers’ professional development programs based on the automated monitoring system ensures the development of teachers’ subjective position, allowing them to build an individual educational route independently or under the guidance of a mentor, and also stimulates the development of variability in the content and technologies of the professional development system, which corresponds to the trends in the development of the system of continuing education. The presented practical experience of the implementation of the proposed model can be used in planning methodological activities in educational institutions of various levels.

From 2006 to 2012, Florida Statute §1003.4156 required middle school students to complete electronic personal education planners (ePEPs) before promotion to ninth grade. The ePEP helped them identify programs of study and required high school coursework to accomplish their postsecondary education and career goals. During the same period Florida required completion of the ePEP, Florida’s Career and Professional Education Act stimulated a rapid increase in the number of statewide high school career academies. Students with interests in STEM careers created STEM-focused ePEPs and may have enrolled in STEM career academies, which offered a unique opportunity to improve their preparedness for the STEM workforce through the integration of rigorous academic and career and technical education courses. This study examined persistence of STEM-interested (i.e., those with expressed interest in STEM careers) and STEM-capable (i.e., those who completed at least Algebra 1 in eighth grade) students (n = 11,248), including those enrolled in STEM career academies, in rigorous mathematics and science course taking in Florida public high schools in comparison with the national cohort of STEM-interested students to measure the influence of K-12 STEM education efforts in Florida. With the exception of multi-race students, we found that Florida’s STEM-capable students had lower persistence in rigorous mathematics and science course taking than students in the national cohort from ninth to eleventh grade. We also found that participation in STEM career academies did not support persistence in rigorous mathematics and science courses, a prerequisite for success in postsecondary STEM education and careers.

The development of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in China has experienced unprecedented growth since the 1990s. Capacity‐building is a critical aspect of NPO research. Based on data through document reviews and personal interviews, we conducted a systematic analysis and presented a conceptual framework to examine NPO capacity‐building in China. Three main bodies – government agencies, educational institutions, and supporting NPOs – lead NPO capacity‐building, and its development has experienced four critical stages: starting, localization, standardization, and diversification. A major implication for international literature and policy lies in the discovery of an evolving environmental context of NPO development in China.

This study is about Abu Dhabi high school students’ interest in science in different contexts. The survey was conducted in connection with the international project, the Relevance of Science Education (ROSE). The sample consists of 5650 students in public and private schools. A structural equation model (SEM) is developed to capture the links between the various constructs. The model hypothesize that students’ future job expectations have several significant determinants or constructs related to their interest in science, out-of-school experiences, attitude toward science, opinion about science class, and opinion about environmental challenges. Exploratory factor analysis of each of the original ROSE dimensions provided the factors and constructs for the SEM. Summated scores of factors are used for the SEM analysis. Constructs with the highest total effect are “my science class,” “my attitude toward science,” and “my interest in science.” Both “my out-of-school experiences” and “my opinion of environmental challenges” have low direct effects. In this study, descriptive statistics of items are presented, and the implications for curriculum development, teacher professional development programs, and other education strategies in Abu Dhabi are discussed. The study resulted in a comprehensive framework and model of factors and determinants that demonstrate an overall relationship to better understand what might trigger students to think about their expected future careers. Results show that just making science lessons interesting or informing students about social significance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is not enough to sway young people toward STEM careers. The current study goes one step further in an attempt to link the various dimensions in a unified SEM to better understand the effects of the various elements on each other.

Influencing public policy through advocacy is an essential strategy used by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) to achieve its health impact goals and programmatic objectives, which include helping all Americans lead healthier lives and reducing the incidence and consequences of cardiovascular disease and stroke. This advocacy work involves and engages the association's national officers, researchers, volunteer advocates, staff, and the general public and is a core strategy and key work process of the AHA/ASA. The organization's strategic approach to influencing public policy and leveraging its science and evidence base is not well known. This article provides the historical context of AHA advocacy, the organizational and legal structure under which these activities are carried out, the process used to develop the association's public policy positions and goals, the approaches used to achieve these goals, and the methods that have been developed to evaluate progress. This statement also examines the various tools and tactics that advocacy organizations use to influence public policy and specifically how the AHA/ASA conducts policy research, legislative and regulatory lobbying, coalition building and grassroots mobilization, and media advocacy. Finally, the ways that AHA/ASA evaluates the impact of its advocacy efforts are discussed, highlighting specific case studies and a brief summary of the association's 2010 to 2013 public policy agenda. The AHA's efforts to translate the science of cardiovascular disease and stroke into meaningful public policy began in earnest in the early 1980s. The association established a full-time office in Washington, DC, in early 1981 that was initially focused on increasing federal research funding administered by the National Institutes of Health.1 Other early policy priorities included tobacco control and support for programs that increased access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), new clinical preventive benefits in the Medicare program, and nutrition policy. The commitment and involvement of …

The Teacher Education and Enhancement Programme (TEEP) is a project being implemented as part of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL)’s Integration of Technology in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (ITTLA) model that works with government agencies towards improved national effectiveness in leveraging open, distance and technology-enabled learning, for quality teacher training. The TEEP project aims to strengthen knowledge and skills in digital teaching, learning and assessment among teachers and other educators. COL is working with the National Teaching Council (NTC) of Ghana to implement TEEP in Ghana as the first-ever national online professional development programme for teachers. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of the first phase of the online training in Ghana which covered Teaching in a Digital Age (DTA). The study adopted a descriptive research design with a population consisting of teachers who participated in the training. A purposive sampling technique was adopted to collect data from 456 teachers. It was found that the online training helped to develop the participants’ competencies and skills in the areas of the training, and the overall quality of the training was found to be very good.

The ability of financial statement users, investors, donors and academic researchers to compare financial information issued by nonprofit universities, hospitals, fund-raising organizations and government agencies is affected by their understanding of current accounting recognition and reporting guidance. Public nonprofit organizations report different financial results from private nonprofit organizations. This study looks at the events that brought about the divergence in nonprofit financial accounting recognition and reporting for higher education institutions, discusses specific differences, and offers a look at additional changes in recognition and reporting for the sector currently underway.

This study investigates the influence of career awareness on STEM career interests among Foundation-year students in Mogadishu, Somalia. By examining self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and academic performance as mediating factors, the research provides new insights into the complex relationships that shape students’ aspirations in STEM fields. Data were collected through a survey of 321 students across four private and public universities and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling in R-Programming to ensure rigorous evaluation of validity and reliability. The findings reveal that self-efficacy plays a pivotal role in motivating students to pursue STEM careers. At the same time, positive outcome expectations and academic achievements further reinforce their interest in STEM pathways. Although the direct relationship between STEM career awareness and career interests was not statistically significant, the results emphasize the importance of fostering self-belief among students. This study contributes to the understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing STEM career interests and offers practical strategies to enhance self-efficacy, positive outcome expectations, and academic excellence. These findings can inform the development of interventions aimed at inspiring and empowering students in their pursuit of STEM careers.

The research used Secondary Data Analysis, Participation Observation and Survey & In-Depth Interview methods to study the following three topics of Product Certification Industry in Taiwan for Electric Machinery & Electronic (EM & E) Products. 1. The Structure and Characteristics. 2. The Functions (i.e., enhance the product quality and competitiveness in global business for EM & E industry in Taiwan, foster the EM & E technicians in Taiwan, help to expand the business of Testing Equipment industry in Taiwan, help to implement the government policies and regulations in Taiwan). 3. The Problems (the relationship and issues between Product Certification Body and Governmental Agency, Accreditation Body, Applicant [or Agent]). The study finds its supply chain consists of Governmental Agency, Accreditation Body, Product Certification Body, Agent and Applicant. It has four characteristics: it and EM & E industry each other are interdependent; it has six features, such as specialized, independent, impartial, objective, factual and accurate; the most important factors for its operation are talent and superior testing equipments; it is only authorized by the government. Most interviewees agree it has four functions mentioned above. There are four findings between its Product Certification Body and Governmental Agency (BSMI): they have good relationship; BSMI helps the educational institutions, non-profit organizations or profit organizations grow, but not being active; BSMI should open more organizations for conducting the certification; the BSMI policies and regulations are clear. There are three findings between its Product Certification Body and Accreditation Body (TAF): they have good relationship; most applicants don’t know TAF; TAF provides the comprehensive and effective accreditation services with impartiality, independence and transparency. There are four findings between its Product Certification Body and Applicant (or Agent): they have good relationship; Product Certification Body provides the certification services with six features mentioned above; the certification fee is not higher due to few product certification bodies; the appraisers don’t take the bribe.

Examination of Locally and Externally-Initiated Teacher Professional Development (TPD) Programmes for Science and Mathematics Teachers in Ugandan Secondary Schools

Collaborative archaeology is a practice of partnership, stewardship, and accountability involving professional archaeologists and community stakeholders who share interests in a project’s objectives and outcomes. Community stakeholders may include familial descendants, local residents, civic officials, nonprofit organizations, tribal representatives, government agencies, commercial developers, business owners, the media, students, professionals from other fields (e.g., historic preservationists, architects, environmental scientists), and any other individuals or groups who have a vested interest in the sites that archaeologists investigate and interpret. Collaborative partnerships between archaeologists and communities take many forms, from one-time consultations to long-term initiatives that involve stakeholders in all aspects of project design, data recovery, and outcomes. In the early 21st century, collaborative archaeology projects have become increasingly oriented toward political action, ethical practice, restorative justice, community welfare, and engaging social issues that extend beyond the traditional disciplinary scope of archaeology. The sheer variety of community-involved archaeology projects and their culturally specific variations across the world are impossible to convey in a single summary. Therefore, this discussion focuses on the politically engaged and action-oriented perspectives of community archaeology projects and their processes, drawing primarily from North American examples.

To provide customized workplace learning opportunities, a digital badge system was designed by a university, governmental agency and national professional association to support teachers' implementation of professional development (PD). Teacher Learning Journeys (TLJ) is an approach that allows for teachers to customize their PD experience to their workplace and make decisions about what PD they need based on their expertise and interests. The digital badging provided and assessed experiences in online PD. Using a theoretical framework that focused on decision making and customization as part of personalization, researchers conducted a theory‐driven thematic analysis on teachers' TLJ artifacts (goal statements, interviews and reflective activity logs). Data came from 36 teachers who completed 154 PD activities over a 3‐month period. A case study was developed from an in‐depth analysis of eight teachers' artifacts and interviews. Using TLJ as a PD tool, teachers made decisions when selecting learning goals they identified as personally relevant. Teachers customized the level of assessment and the specific content depth to personalize the PD training for workplace constraints. This project informs future research aiming to understand how personalized learning activities support teachers and other professional learners in a variety of workplaces.