Continuing Education Institutions Research Articles

ASME Standards and Certification: Now and Beyond

ASME Standards and Certification: Now and Beyond

Mothers who are student teachers: navigating their dual roles in pre-service teacher education

Many students in New Zealand are now of mature age, female, and mothers of dependent children (Allister et al. 2006). These students typically experience the challenge of sharing themselves between their children, partners, extended families and their fellow students, lecturers and studying. This research explored how a group of student-teachers who were also mothers experienced these dual roles and sought to document their beliefs, motivations, attitudes to these roles from the time they had entered teacher education. The following key themes emerged from the in-depth interviews with the women: strong motivation for wanting to become primary school teachers; the impact this decision had on the lives of their children, partners and extended families; the particular issues they faced as they tried to navigate the roles of mother and student-teacher; and the suggestions they had for continuing education and tertiary institutions to improve opportunities for other mothers wanting to study. This last theme is perhaps the most pertinent, as it offers implications for continuing education institutions wanting to attract and retain these students, who, as a group, represent a growing demographic trend in the student population.

Exploration of Ways to Improve the Quality of Chinese CE Providers

Facing the development of the 21st century, Chinese government and CE Providers have realized the importance and the urgency of continuing engineering education. China has over 50000 continuing education institutions of various scales and levels. The education quality and teaching measures of those institutions are varied and there is a big gap comparing with developed countries. Such weaknesses as the insufficient investment from the government, incompetence of the teachers, irregular standards for the execution and the inadequate quality evaluation have seriously restricted the development. Evaluation of various continuing education institutions in some Latin and European countries have been conducted in the past few years by adopting different executive models and evaluation standards. China is seeking ways to start such evaluation by collaborating with international organizations. We intend to explore and establish proper evaluation system and evaluation standards, which are suitable to China and inconsistent with the development of China, and to help Chinese CE providers reach international criteria step by step.

Operationalization of strategic change in continuing education

PurposeHong Kong continuing education has encountered vigorous change in recent years. It is not limited to the mode of teaching and learning. Changing government policies, fund cutting to the higher education system and the entry of overseas university degrees increase the intensity of competition in the environment to an extraordinary extent. There is a large increase in demand upon internal capabilities of both the continuing education institutions and their leaders to confront the challenging conditions. Aims to examine this situation.Design/methodology/approachThe alignment theory emphasizing strategic fit among the four elements – market competitiveness, business strategy, organizational culture, and leadership style – stresses the significance of matching the four elements within the same logic which are defined as “production”, “administration”, “development”, and “integration”. Strategic fit of four elements within the same logic enhances the organization's performance level. However, the phenomenon is limited in its way of operation. The researcher substitutes the phenomenon with an operationalization model of strategy fitting the four elements within the same logic by attempting an intensive case study of the strategic change process brought forward by the leader of the Built Environment Unit (BEU) of the School of Professional and Continuing Education of the University of Hong Kong.FindingsThe research concludes with a strategic change model of the BEU which emphasizes continuous learning, affection, participation and understanding. The model is built on a groundwork comprising academic identity building and culture management. Its concrete block structure is made up of contextualization in the aspects of program diversification, progression ladders and professional recognition. The whole work is reinforced by Built Environment Sustainability Symposia and a Qualifications Framework to confirm the loyalty of their students.Originality/valueThe model can be referred to as a framework by continuing education institution leaders who cope with similar market‐changing conditions.

TRAINING GERONTOLOGICAL PRACTITIONERS IN HOME‐BASED FAMILY INTERVENTIONS

Human service practitioners specializing with the elderly learned to maintain older persons at home using behavioral methods. A 15‐hour training curricula was taught in three formats: a continuing education institute; a 5‐week class followed by consultation sessions; and an inservice training program. Content included behavioral assessment, reinforcement based interventions, evaluation designs, and maintenance methods that improve self‐care, social contacts, and decrease negative behaviors. Findings revealed significantly improved knowledge of gerontological information, practice skills, and relevant behavioral principles. All three formats produced significant outcomes with no important differences between groups. Generally, participants described the training as relevant, effective, and applicable to their practice. The procedures were useful in teaching practitioners to develop satisfying alternatives to behavior problems, thereby improving family living conditions, and reducing unnecessary long‐term c...

APHA Continuing Education Institute presents “Social marketing and contraceptives: A continuing education course for family planning and venereal disease professionals” : Sunday, November 14, 1982 Montreal, Quebec, Canada2

APHA Continuing Education Institute presents “Social marketing and contraceptives: A continuing education course for family planning and venereal disease professionals” : Sunday, November 14, 1982 Montreal, Quebec, Canada2

Gastrointestinal radiology: Miller, RE and Backer, GP. Produced by the Institute of Continuing Education, 1976. Available from Institute of Continuing Education, P.O. Box 276, Sawyer, Michigan 49125. Six audiocassettes each running 1 hr. Total listening time, 6 hr. No slides. Cost $7.00 per cassette; total $42.00

Gastrointestinal radiology: Miller, RE and Backer, GP. Produced by the Institute of Continuing Education, 1976. Available from Institute of Continuing Education, P.O. Box 276, Sawyer, Michigan 49125. Six audiocassettes each running 1 hr. Total listening time, 6 hr. No slides. Cost $7.00 per cassette; total $42.00