State Certification Research Articles

Using QR Code and a Smartphone to Provide University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) Certificate Authentication

In the modern world, people frequently fabricate their credentials in order to secure a job or to show up where and when it is necessary. Verification is the most effective approach to identify those fraudulent certificates. Despite this, the paper verification method requires a drawn-out and time-consuming process to handle certificate verification because the certificates must be returned to the institutions who awarded them. As a result, the certificates either fail to pass verification or are delayed by the lengthy process. Hence, a certificate verification method using QR codes is developed in this study for quick verification of University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) certificate genuineness. A Smartphone and 3D Printed QR Code were employed for the enhancement of UNICROSS certificate mobile authentication services. ScanTrust anti-counterfeiting services were used to secure and host the encrypted information. Results show that our framework is effective for creating mobile authentication services with high user satisfaction rate and having reasonably low computing requirements.

USING THE INTERFACULTY TECHNOPARK OF UNIVERSAL PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCIES AS A TOOL IN PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER TRAINING

The paper reveals the possibilities of using the technopark of universal pedagogical competencies established within the framework of Altai State Pedagogical University as a tool in the professional training of future primary school teachers. The authors reveal the main conditions and stages of integrating the technopark’s resources into the process of developing professional competencies of bachelors and discuss how the technopark can help enrich the contents of design and technological training courses, practical and laboratory classes of academic disciplines. In conclusion, the authors share expert knowledge on conducting a demonstration exam using at the technopark as part of the final state certification.

The Launch of Massachusetts Community Health Worker Certification: Findings From the Massachusetts Community Health Worker Workforce Surveys.

The launch of state certification for community health workers (CHWs) in Massachusetts in 2018 aimed to promote and champion this critical workforce. However, concerns exist about unintentional adverse effects of certification. Given this, we conducted 2 cross-sectional surveys to evaluate this certification policy. We conducted surveys of CHW employers and CHWs in 3 sample frames: community health centers and federally qualified health centers, acute-care hospitals, and community-based organizations. We administered the surveys in 2016 (before certification launch) and 2021 (after certification launch) to answer the following questions: Was certification associated with positive outcomes among CHWs after its launch? Did harmful shifts occur among the CHW workforce and employers after certification launch? Was certification associated with disparities among CHWs after its launch? Certification was associated with higher pay among certified (vs noncertified) CHWs, better perceptions of CHWs among certified (vs noncertified) CHWs, and better integration of certified (vs noncertified) CHWs into care teams. We found no adverse shifts in CHW workforce by sociodemographic variables or in CHW employer characteristics (most notably CHW employer hiring requirements) after certification launch. After certification launch, certified and uncertified CHWs had similar demographic and educational characteristics. However, certified CHWs more often worked in large, clinical organizations while uncertified CHWs most often worked in medium-sized community-based organizations. Our evaluation of Massachusetts CHW certification suggests that CHW certification was not associated with workforce disparities and was associated with positive outcomes. Our study fills a notable gap in the research literature and can guide CHW research agendas, certification efforts in Massachusetts and other states, and program efforts to champion this critical, grassroots workforce.

Examinees’ Four Skills Performance Balance in High Stake Foreign Language Examinations

The present study aims to investigate the balance of the examinees’ performances in different skills tests as part of a foreign language examination. In many cases, the examinees’ performances in the four skills present significant deviations. This deviation raises the question of whether it is an indication of an error in the construction or rating of the test or whether it is an expected result. In order to explore this question, a study was conducted using real data collected from 8715 candidates who participated in Italian language exams, administered by the Greek State Certificate Language Proficiency System (KPG), between 2011 and 2015 (ten sessions). The data were analysed with Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and indicated that there is no balance between the performances of the examinees in the different skills tests.

Heterogeneity of State Stroke Center Certification and Designation Processes.

Stroke centers are critical for the timely diagnosis and treatment of acute stroke and have been associated with improved treatment and outcomes; however, variability exists in the definitions and processes used to certify and designate these centers. Our study categorizes state stroke center certification and designation processes and provides examples of state processes across the United States, specifically in states with independent designation processes that do not rely on national certification. In this cross-sectional study from September 2022 to April 2023, we used peer-reviewed literature, primary source documents from states, and communication with state officials in all 50 states to capture each state's process for stroke center certification and designation. We categorized this information and outlined examples of processes in each category. Our cross-sectional study of state-level stroke center certification and designation processes across states reveals significant heterogeneity in the terminology used to describe state processes and the processes themselves. We identify 3 main categories of state processes: No State Certification or Designation Process (category A; n=12), State Designation Reliant on National Certification Only (category B; n=24), and State Has Option for Self-Certification or Independent Designation (category C; n=14). Furthermore, we describe 3 subcategories of self-certification or independent state designation processes: State Relies on Self-Certification or Independent Designation for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital or Equivalent (category C1; n=3), State Has Hybrid Model for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital or Equivalent (category C2; n=5), and State Has Hybrid Model for Primary Stroke Center and Above (category C3; n=6). Our study found significant heterogeneity in state-level processes. A better understanding of how these differences may impact the rigor of each process and clinical performance of stroke centers is worthy of further investigation.

State Variations in Certification of Teachers of Students With Visual Impairments

Introduction: This study reviews state certification requirements for teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs). Method: TVI certification criteria were systematically reviewed and coded from 55 states and territories. Fifteen variables captured a broad overview of criteria including license and endorsement data (i.e., terminology, grade and age range, and standards and testing requirements) and provisional and emergency certification data (i.e., terminology, length of time, and renewability). Results: Thirty-two of 55 states required some form of initial teaching license on which to add a TVI endorsement. Sixty-five percent of states specified certification as required for working with students aged 3–21 only. Slightly over half of the states did not have coursework requirements. Forty-two states had provisional certification and 20 states had emergency certification. Discussion: Multiple pathways to certification with varied terminology across states suggest that becoming certified in the visual impairment field is complex. Implications for practitioners: Variations across states make requirements for certification difficult to navigate and differences in required competencies across states may create varied quality of certified professionals in the field impacting the services to children who are visually impaired.

Effective coalitions in redesigning teacher education

AbstractA diverse stakeholder partnership led to the development of a Pre‐Elementary Education program through its collaboration among faculty, academic advisement, and administration across higher education institutions. Housed at an institution that serves a minority population, this collaboration led to offering an Associate of Arts degree that is fully (2 + 2) transferrable to three key transfer universities. This collaboration also created a credit hour transfer pathway to a prominent Research I institution utilizing a Mellon grant partnership between the two institutions. These collaborations are significant because pre‐education is a transfer degree and requires completion of a bachelor's degree program to meet state certification requirements. This partnership emerged in 2021–2022 at a prominent Midwestern community college. This article resports on the process of building the Pre‐Elementary Associate of Arts degree. The student population is considered minority status, being first‐generation, lower socio‐economic, coming from black and brown communities, and Middle Eastern North African descent. The lessons learned are that forging collaboration among academic advisement, faculty, and administration leads to a more successful student experience through the creation of a highly transferrable program.

СПЕЦИАЛЬНОСТЬ «МУЗЫКАЛЬНАЯ ЗВУКОРЕЖИССУРА» В КОНТЕКСТЕ СТАНДАРТИЗАЦИИ ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ В РОССИИ

This article is devoted to the standardisation of higher education in Russia, covering the period from the early 90s to the present. Russia’s accession to the Bologna Process has determined the key directions for restructuring activities in the formation of the content and organisation of the educational process, the purpose of which became the formation of groups of basic and professional competences. At this stage, special attention is paid to the measures aimed at ensuring the accessibility of vocational education for people with disabilities. The history of the development of the state standards is considered in relation to the direction of training specialists in sound engineering. The requirements of the state standard for educational institutions are analysed in terms of preparing the applicant for admission to the university, as well as the requirements for the final state certification of the graduate. The presented problem is not sufficiently covered in the scientific literature and there are no monographic studies dealing with this topic. Over the past decades, vocational education in Russia has undergone a difficult process of reform. Correlation of historical experience in vocational education and innovative scientific and pedagogical knowledge in this area provides an opportunity to preserve the best traditions of national pedagogical thought, as well as to develop new approaches to the optimisation of educational activities based on the Federal State Educational Standards (FSES).

Внедрение образовательной траектории для подготовки рабочих кадров в сфере судоремонта в Приморском крае

The use of educational technology, namely the educational trajectory, is considered on the example of the educational process at the Vladivostok Shipbuilding College in the specialty “Installation and maintenance of ship machinery and mechanisms”. This pedagogical technology is used throughout the entire training program for the training of a mid-level specialist in project activities, which completes each stage of training. During the entire period of four-year training, the future specialist studies various subjects, academic disciplines and professional modules. As part of the training, individual, course and diploma projects and works are used as the final stage of their development. The totality of all projects can be built into a single, but individual educational trajectory, which allows for training from the academic discipline “Introduction to the specialty” to the defense of the final qualifying work. The use of this pedagogical technology has made it possible to build a system of training middle-level specialists in such a way that a student can independently determine the vector of further development of both a specialist and a personality. The assessment of the application of this pedagogical technology based on the results of the state certification of students for a five-year period is presented. The results of the analysis of statistical data indicate the positive dynamics of the results of the protection of final qualification works, and also reveal the features of the results at key points. In general, the pedagogical technology under consideration has determined the possibilities of improving the methodological, material, technical, scientific base for the training of a mid-level specialist on the basis of the Vladivostok Shipbuilding College.

Self-Testing with Dishonest Parties and Device-Independent Entanglement Certification in Quantum Communication Networks.

We consider the task of device-independent quantum state certification in a network where some of the nodes may collude and act dishonestly. We introduce the paradigm of self-testing with dishonest parties and provide a certification protocol for the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state in this framework, together with robust statements about the fidelity of the shared state. We extend our results to the cluster scenario, where many subgroups of parties may collude. Our findings provide a new operational motivation for the strong definition of genuine multipartite nonlocality originally introduced by Svetlichny.

"Once a peer always a peer": A qualitative study of peer specialist experiences with employment following state certification.

Peer specialists are people with lived experience of a mental health or substance use disorder who are certified to deliver peer support services under state training programs. This qualitative study explored recently certified peer specialist (CPS) experiences navigating the job market to find postcertification employment, experiences with employment once in the workforce, and reflections on CPS training. Qualitative data were collected as part of a multistate, 3-year observational prospective cohort study of CPS graduate employment trajectories. We conducted 25 in-depth, semistructured interviews with a subsample of recent CPS graduates who indicated a range of employment experiences in a survey as part of the parent study. Interviews focused on their current employment and satisfaction with the position and experiences looking for work. Data were analyzed using constant comparative methods informed by grounded theory. Participants described factors that supported or undermined securing employment, which included a shortage of CPS positions, their professional networking skills, financial considerations, and a position's alignment with CPS values. Once employed, participants described how relationships with supervisors and coworkers, which ranged from supportive to confused about the value of the peer specialist role, impacted their work. In general, participants held their CPS training and certification in high regard. Our findings highlight policy, employment, and practice opportunities to strengthen CPS training to improve their work readiness of graduates and expand their role, while preparing organizations and their staff to hire and work inclusively with CPSs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Interdisciplinary integration in the context of preparation for the license exam

Higher-educational institutions have the task of preparing innovatively trained specialists who can ensure and continue the development of the pharmaceutical industry. To achieve this goal, it is important not only to create a fundamental base of knowledge and skills but also to form a system of monitoring and evaluating educational achievements, one of which is the licensing integrated exam. The aim of the work: is to reveal the peculiarities of the implementation of interdisciplinary integration in the context of preparation for the licensing integrated exam on the example of teaching the disciplines of pharmacognosy and general and pharmaceutical chemistry. One of the professionally oriented disciplines is pharmacognosy, the study of which contributes to the formation of the necessary outlook on the rational use of natural plant resources. The foundation of the theoretical basis of pharmacognosy is the accumulated knowledge of chemistry. To improve learning results and systematize knowledge in preparation for state certification, some activities are carried out, the first step of which is the systematic study and repetition of educational material using educational and methodological literature and information and communication technologies; the second stage is self-monitoring, in which tasks based on the principles of interdisciplinary integration are applied. The next stage in self-monitoring of knowledge is the use of the “pyramid” algorithm, which consists of the fact that questions to which students give incorrect answers appear several times during the testing process. Successful certification depends on the systematization and ordering of students' knowledge, the creation of training conditions, appropriate control, as well as the successful contact of the teacher with the student. Conclusions. The proposed mechanisms of integration in the educational sphere ensure the implementation of interdisciplinary connections that affect both the quality of specialized training and the results of preparation for the licensing integrated exam.

THE PROBLEM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT OF STUDENTS OF PEDAGOGICAL SPECIALTIES IN THE PREPARATION AND PASSING OF A DEMONSTRATION EXAM ACCORDING TO WORLDSKILLS STANDARDS RUSSIA

Currently, a demonstration exam is being introduced into the educational standards of secondary vocational education as one of the forms of final state certification, taking into account the requirements of the competence approach. The demonstration exam has great potential in assessing the professional training of future primary school teachers. However, the organization and conduct of a demonstration exam affects the increase in exam stress and the growth of exam anxiety among students.
 Exam stress is a situation that leads to negative physiological and psychological manifestations; a test situation for a student that requires increased self-control, activation of communicative and intellectual and other resources. Exam anxiety can negatively affect students’ learning outcomes and lead to disappointment in the profession. Therefore, it is important to organize psychological support of students in preparation for the demonstration exam.
 This article describes a study in which the level of anxiety (Spielberger-Khanin Anxiety Scale) and psychological stress (Psychological Stress Scale) of students were diagnosed at all stages of the organization of psychological support. This work included three areas: psychological education, training work with a group of students with the highest rates of anxiety and stress, and individual psychological counseling. The scientific data obtained from the results of the questionnaire and psychological diagnostics (using methods of mathematical statistics) showed that the most effective direction of work is to conduct group training sessions.

Scalable Bell inequalities for graph states of arbitrary prime local dimension and self-testing

Bell nonlocality—the existence of quantum correlations that cannot be explained by classical means—is certainly one of the most striking features of quantum mechanics. Its range of applications in device-independent protocols is constantly growing. Many relevant quantum features can be inferred from violations of Bell inequalities, including entanglement detection and quantification, and state certification applicable to systems of arbitrary number of particles. A complete characterisation of nonlocal correlations for many-body systems is, however, a computationally intractable problem. Even if one restricts the analysis to specific classes of states, no general method to tailor Bell inequalities to be violated by a given state is known. In this work we provide a general construction of Bell expressions tailored to the graph states of any prime local dimension. These form a broad class of multipartite quantum states that have many applications in quantum information, including quantum error correction. We analytically determine their maximal quantum values, a number of high relevance for device-independent applications of Bell inequalities. Importantly, the number of expectation values to determine in order to test the violation of our inequalities scales only linearly with the system size, which we expect to be the optimal scaling one can hope for in this case. Finally, we show that these inequalities can be used for self-testing of multi-qutrit graph states such as the well-known four-qutrit absolutely maximally entangled state AME(4,3).

TOOLS FOR MONITORING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE OF EDUCATION IN THE CONDITIONS OF AUTONOMY OF KAZAKHSTAN’S UNIVERSITIES

The purpose of the research is to analyze the implementation and perception by the academic community of the main tools for control and quality assurance of higher education as preventive control and accreditation.Methodology. The method of analysis of secondary data obtained from open sources of the Committee for Quality Assurance in Education and Science, the Center for the Bologna Process and Academic Mobility, the Information and Analytical Center under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan was used. Content analysis of legislation, strategic and program documents, national reports, speeches was also carried out. In addition, a mixed research method was used as an expert survey (758 respondents) and an expert interview (14 people).The originality / value of the research lies in conducting a study based on the opinions of employees and teachers of Kazakhstani universities to determine the level of their perception of preventive control and accreditation.Findings. As a result of the analysis of the assessment of preventive control and accreditation and the perception of universities, more positive assessment of accreditation than of preventive control was revealed. The survey results proved that despite the rejection of state certification, the elements and approach in preventive control remain «bureaucratic» and «limiting the autonomy of universities».Considering the positive perception of independent accreditation by the academic community, today the question is brewing as to whether it is already relevant to use these two tools in parallel with duplicate goals (achieving quality, improving quality) in quality assurance.

Perspectives on certification of community health workers: A statewide mixed-methods assessment in Nebraska.

While the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce in the United States has been growing, so far only 19 states certify CHWs. This study sought to identify perspectives on CHW certification among stakeholders in Nebraska, a state that has not established official certification for CHWs yet. A concurrent triangulation mixed methods design. Study data came from a survey of 142 CHWs in Nebraska and interviews with 8 key informants employing CHWs conducted in 2019. Logistic regression was used to identify significant factors associated with favoring CHW certification, supplemented by thematic analysis of qualitative data from CHWs and key informants. The majority (84%) of CHWs were in favor of a statewide CHW certification in Nebraska, citing community benefits, workforce validation, and standardization of knowledge as the main reasons. Participant characteristics associated with favoring CHW certification included younger age, racial minority, foreign born, education lower than bachelor's degree, volunteering as a CHW, and employed for less than 5 years as a CHW. Key informants employing CHWs were divided in whether Nebraska should develop a state certification program. While most CHWs in Nebraska wanted to have a statewide certification program, employers of CHWs were less sure of the need for certification.

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Choosing a Path for Career Development

Librarians can choose between the career strategy of staying put in one library or moving around to different libraries. Money may be the most important factor; but fringe benefits, cost of living, the librarian’s financial needs, and moving expenses also matter. Professional considerations include: current job satisfaction, relationships with colleagues and administration, ultimate career goals, and job security. Lifestyle preferences can play a big part. Finally, moving may impact the librarian’s personal relationships. School librarians lack promotion possibilities; the libraries are small and state certification is often needed. Moving between public libraries is easiest because job duties, status of librarians, and organizational structure are similar. The wide differences in special libraries create obstacles. Academic libraries present a complex challenge with differences in status, multiple promotion paths, and more varying responsibilities. The final decision is often less rationally based than most believe. The good news is that staying put or moving around are important in the short run, but both strategies can lead to successful library careers.

Comparison of the Scope of Practice of the Army Combat Medic Specialist and Civilian National EMS Certification Levels

Introduction The transition of Army Combat Medic Specialists (Military Occupational Specialty Code: 68W) from military to civilian emergency medical services (EMS) is challenging, and the pathway is not clearly defined. Our objective was to evaluate the current military requirements for 68W and how they compare to the 2019 EMS National Scope of Practice Model (SoPM) for the civilian emergency medical technician (EMT) and advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT). Methods This was a cross-sectional evaluation of the 68W skill floor as defined by the Soldier’s Manual and Trainer’s Guide Healthcare Specialist and Medical Education and Demonstration of Individual Competence in comparison to the 2019 SoPM, which categorizes EMS tasks into seven skill categories. Military training documents were reviewed and extracted for specific information on military scope of practice and task-specific training requirements. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results Army 68Ws were noted to perform all (59/59) tasks that coincide with the EMT SoPM. Further, Army 68W practiced above scope in the following skill categories: airway/ventilation (3 tasks); medication administration route (7 tasks); medical director approved medication (6 tasks); intravenous initiation maintenance fluids (4 tasks); and miscellaneous (1 task). Army 68W perform 96% (74/77) of tasks aligned with the AEMT SoPM, excluding tracheobronchial suctioning of an intubated patient, end-tidal CO2 monitoring or waveform capnography, and inhaled nitrous oxide monitoring. Additionally, the 68W scope included six tasks that were above the SoPM for AEMT; airway/ventilation (2 tasks); medication administration route (2 tasks); and medical director approved medication (2 tasks). Conclusions The scope of practice of U.S. Army 68W Combat Medics aligns well with the civilian 2019 Scope of Practice Model for EMTs and AEMTs. Based on the comparative scope of practice analysis, transitioning from Army 68W Combat Medic to civilian AEMT would require minimal additional training. This represents a promising potential workforce to assist with EMS workforce challenges. Although aligning the scope of practice is a promising first step, future research is needed to assess the relationship of Army 68Ws training with state licensure and certification equivalency to facilitate this transition.

О проблемах развития математического мышления у школьников

The paper discusses the influence of test certification systems on the development of schoolchildren mathematical and logical thinking, including the negative one. The basics, without which mathematical and logical thinking cannot develop, are described. The com-ponents of mathematical thinking which may not be developed in the learning process with the use of test control are noted, including the process of state certification. The factors that counteract the mechanistic style of teaching mathematics are listed and analyzed.

Practical training of future translators in Germany

The paper deals with the analysis of the system of training of rural youth in colleges of the People's Republic of China. It is established that there are several government strategies and programmes to eliminate the inequality between access to education for graduates of urban and rural schools, in particular, the introduction of the National College Entrance Test, increased funding for educational needs in rural areas, and support for the creation of new colleges. It is noted that the role of polytechnic colleges in the system of vocational education is growing. It is determined that one of the leading trends is the reorientation of young people from academic to vocational education. General (academic) and vocational education coexist as two parallel areas, which does not exclude the possibility of switching from one area of training to another at different levels. Institutions providing vocational education in China mainly fall into two categories. One is public academic vocational education institutions, ranging from low to high level, such as technical schools (vocational high schools), junior vocational colleges, and undergraduate vocational universities. Students are admitted to such institutions through a selection exam, and upon graduation receive a state certificate of completion of the relevant level. At the same time, students also receive a certificate of professional qualification by passing a relevant exam during their studies at the educational institution. The other type is non-academic vocational education and training, such as training courses. Only a certificate of learning experience is issued upon completion of the learning tasks, and these certificates are not legally binding. In the People's Republic of China, several government policies and programmes are being implemented to address the inequality between access to education for urban and rural school leavers. One of them is the introduction of the National College Entrance Test. Vocational education plays an extremely important role in this process, as well as in the fight against poverty. Polytechnic colleges provide rural youth with the opportunity to receive an education, focusing on the development of professional skills. After graduation, the graduates have better chances of finding a job, and thus employment becomes an effective means of poverty alleviation.