Adult Continuing and Professional Education

An Exploration of Athletic Trainers’ Perceptions of the Continuing Education Process

by Stacy Walker

A Professional Learning Plan has Value

by Stacy Walker

‘Making a Difference in the Research Community’: South Africa's Library Academy Experience and the Researcher–Librarian Relationship

by Colin Darch

In: Journal of Academic Librarianship, in press.

Co-authored with Karin de Jager. The paper analyzes problems of theorizing and evaluating a short series of ‘Library... more Co-authored with Karin de Jager. The paper analyzes problems of theorizing and evaluating a short series of ‘Library Academy’ events within a Carnegie Corporation-funded project to improve library service to researchers in six South African universities.

Training for cultural competence: Individual and group processes

by Charmaine C. Williams

Aristotle, validity, and action research

by Olav Eikeland

pp.29-44 in Boog, Ben; Preece, Julia; Slagter, Meindert; and Zeelen, Jacques (eds.): Towards Quality Improvement of Action Research, Rotterdam / Taipei, Sense Publishers

Life history approaches to access and retention of nontraditional students in higher education: A cross-European approach

by John Field

Co-authored with Barbara Merrill and Linden West

Higher education participation has become an important focus for policy debate as well as for scholarly research.... more Higher education participation has become an important focus for policy debate as well as for scholarly research. Partly this results from ongoing attempts to expand the higher education system in line with wider policies promoting a ‘knowledge economy’; and partly it results from widespread policy concerns for equity and inclusion. In both cases, researchers and policymakers alike have tended to focus on access and entry to the system, with much less attention being paid to the distribution of outcomes from the system. This paper reports on a multi-country study that was aimed at critically understanding the experiences of non-traditional students in higher education, and in particular on the factors that helped promote retention. In doing so, the study straddles the sociology of social reproduction and the psychosociology of learner transformations.

ESREA|ReNAdET Newsletter Issue nr. 4 (September/October 2011)

by George K. Zarifis

Newsletter Issue nr. 4 (September/October 2011)
This is the Newsletter of the ESREA Research Network on Adult Educators, Trainers and their Professional Development (ReNAdET). It is released in an electronic form twice a year (March and September) ISSN 1792‐538X

In preparation of the second ReNAdET meeting that will be jointly organized in Tallinn with the VET & Culture... more In preparation of the second ReNAdET meeting that will be jointly organized in Tallinn with the VET & Culture Network, our convener Larissa Jõgi and her colleagues in the University of Tallinn organize a very special event that will be close to no other in terms of paper presentations and plenary discussions. The idea is to organise three flow sessions. Each flow session will have 3 to 4 cafés and guests can visit all of them in one session. Presenters-hosts will share their ideas with all conference participants in this way. Café hosts will have 10-15 minutes for presenting and the same amount of time for discussion with their “guests”. And then they will get new guests in their café and hear their thoughts, and so on. Hosts may take notes from the discussions for later on conclusions. Café hosts may also use handouts or other presentation techniques in their cafés e.g. computers, posters, photos, iPads etc.
The idea of the learning café is not a new one in seminar and meeting organizing. It is a simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting immediate and participatory dialogue in large groups of people. Learning cafés can be modified to meet a wide variety of needs. Specifics of context, numbers, purpose, location, and other circumstances are factored into each event's unique invitation, design, and question choice, but the following five components comprise the basic model:
1) Setting: Create a “special” environment, most often modelled after a café, i.e. small round tables covered with a checkered tablecloth, butcher block paper, colored pens, etc.
2) Welcome and Introduction: The host begins with a warm welcome and an introduction to the learning café process, setting the context and putting participants at ease.
3) Small Group Rounds: The process begins with the first of three or more 15- minute rounds of conversation for the small group seated around a table. At the end of the 15-minutes, each member of the group moves to a different new table. The host will stay at the table to welcome the next group and briefly fills them in on what happened in the previous round.
4) Harvest: After the small groups, individuals are invited to share insights or other results from their conversations with the rest of the large group. This will take place in what Larissa and her team introduced as an ‘Open Space’.
Open space is one way to enable all kinds of people, in any kind of organization, to create inspired meetings and events. Over the last 20+ years, it has also become clear that opening space, as an intentional leadership practice, can create inspired organizations, where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results with regularity.
Open Space works best when the work to be done is complex, the people and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was yesterday. It's been called ‘passion bounded by responsibility’, the energy of a good coffee break, intentional self-organization, spirit at work, chaos and creativity, evolution in organization, and a simple, powerful way to get people and organizations moving -- when and where it's needed most.
This and another handful of small surprises (including a theatrical drama event as a group dynamics exercise ) is what we are promised by Tallinn. We look forward to it!

Does an outcome-based approach to continuing medical education improve physicians' competences in rational prescribing?

by Carl Savage

Esmaily HM, Savage C, Vahidi R, Amini A, Dastgiri S, Hult H, Dahlgren LO, Wahlstrom R.
Med Teach. 2009 Nov;31(11):e500-6.
PMID: 19909027 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19909027

Abstract:
Continuing medical education (CME) is compulsory in Iran, and traditionally it is lecture-based, which... more Abstract:
Continuing medical education (CME) is compulsory in Iran, and traditionally it is lecture-based, which is mostly not successful. Outcome-based education has been proposed for CME programs.

AIM:
To evaluate the effectiveness of an outcome-based educational intervention with a new approach based on outcomes and aligned teaching methods, on knowledge and skills of general physicians (GPs) working in primary care compared with a concurrent CME program in the field of "Rational prescribing".

METHOD:
The method used was cluster randomized controlled design. All GPs working in six cities in one province in Iran were invited to participate. The cities were matched and randomly divided into an intervention arm for education on rational prescribing with an outcome-based approach, and a control arm for a traditional program on the same topic. Knowledge and skills were assessed using a pre- and post-test, including case scenarios.

RESULTS:
In total, 112 GPs participated. There were significant improvements in knowledge and prescribing skills after the training in the intervention arm as well as in comparison with the changes in the control arm. The overall intervention effect was 26 percentage units.

CONCLUSION:
The introduction of an outcome-based approach in CME appears to be effective when creating programs to improve GPs' knowledge and skills.

Researching the benefits of learning: the persuasive power of longitudinal studies

by John Field

Published in 'London Review of Education'

Recent years have witnessed considerable growth of research on the benefits of adult learning. Much of this draws on... more Recent years have witnessed considerable growth of research on the benefits of adult learning. Much of this draws on evidence from large scale longitudinal data sets. Overwhelmingly, these studies have found clear evidence of economic, social and individual benefits as a result of participating in adult learning. While these claims are important and influential ones, there has to date been little discussion of the nature of the data and analytical techniques being used. The paper explores the limitations of longitudinal research, but concludes that this body of work still represents an important new departure in the field.

Is lifelong learning making a difference? Research-based evidence on the impact of adult learning

by John Field

Now published by Springer in International Handbook of Lifelong Learning

We have, in recent years, seen a remarkable expansion in serious research attention to lifelong learning and its... more We have, in recent years, seen a remarkable expansion in serious research attention to lifelong learning and its benefits. Many researchers and policy specialists find this work particularly persuasive, because it is based on large scale longitudinal survey data. After summarising and commenting on this work, as well as findings from other countries where available, I then consider the implications for policy, practice and research.

The role of reflection in audiology students' development as professional practitioners: A constructivist grounded theory

by Stella Ng

The Power of Professional Development.

by Trish Hatch

Learning from our lives

by John Field

Published in Routledge International Handbook of Learning, 2012

As individuals, we value our ability to learn productively from such everyday experiences as going about our work,... more As individuals, we value our ability to learn productively from such everyday experiences as going about our work, caring for our family, encountering friends and neighbours, experiencing illness, enjoying sports and hobbies, or sitting around relaxing. And this capacity matters. In this chapter, I suggest that our capacity for learning from our lives is also a major influence on who we are (our ‘identity’) and how we live with others. More immediately, it can help us earn a living, avoid injury, make and repair things, plan ahead and deal with llife’s crises. At a wider level, it helps to shape our social relationships and our economic position.

Self and continuing professional learning (development): issues of curriculum and identity in developing academic practice

by Chris Trevitt

Signifying authenticity in academic practice: a framework for better understanding and harnessing portfolio assessment

by Chris Trevitt

Learning in academia is more than academic learning: action research in academic practice for and with medical academics

by Chris Trevitt

Advancing assessment practice in continuing professional learning: toward a richer understanding of teaching portfolios for learning and assessment

by Chris Trevitt

This paper reviews a range of challenges and tensions experienced when using portfolios for learning as well as for... more This paper reviews a range of challenges and tensions experienced when using portfolios for learning as well as for summative assessment in the context of continuing professional learning in academic development programmes. While portfolios are becoming increasingly prominent, the details of how they are used are under-examined; they are often simply assumed to be an appropriate tool. However, it is important that, as practitioners, we are able to justify our own assessment practices and convey our expectations to our participants, who may be unfamiliar with the demands of a reflective portfolio. In this paper we explore some of the appeal as well as the difficulties of using portfolios, many of which arise from the fact that portfolios are often simultaneously used for summative and formative purposes. We suggest how the challenges sometimes experienced with portfolio assessment can be addressed by course conveners.

The Need for Increased Technology and Digital Skills in the Literacy Field in Canada

by Sarah Elaine Eaton

Technology does not need to be adopted because it is fashionable, but because the face of learning worldwide has... more Technology does not need to be adopted because it is fashionable, but because the face of learning worldwide has changed dramatically over the past several decades at all levels, from early childhood education to workforce training. When literacy professional integrate technology in meaningful ways, they ultimately help learners prepare for long-term success.

This report highlights the changing landscape of Canadian education and training. It offers recommendations for literacy organizations and practitioners to incorporate technology into professional practice in an easily accessible manner that focuses on building professional competencies.

Developing a Comprehensive Needs Assessment Model for Implementation in Continuing Education

by Texas State PA Applied Research Projects

Palacios, Kolette N., "Developing a Comprehensive Needs Assessment Model for Implementation in Continuing Education" (2003). Applied Research Projects, Texas State University-San Marcos. Paper 34.
http://ecommons.txstate.edu/arp/34

Continuing Education practitioners strive to meet the educational needs of their students, who are primarily adult... more Continuing Education practitioners strive to meet the educational needs of their students, who are primarily adult students whose educational needs are not met by traditional matriculation. It is the desire of Continuing Education to design, develop and implement educational activities that can be easily accessed and meet the needs of the adult student. As Continuing Education is motivated by a variety of goals, its successes range from providing educational programming that improves the adult learners knowledge to generating revenue. Recent literature reveals that needs assessment is a tool used to achieve these goals. It is therefore the purpose of this study to develop a needs assessment model for implementation in Continuing Education. Throughout the literature on adult education needs assessment, three key concepts are identified and discussed. These salient concepts comprise a practical ideal model for assessing continuing education activities and include planning purpose, data collection and analysis, and utilization.

In this research, the ideal model is used as a point of departure to validate and refine the model. Both survey questionnaires and interview questions are used to gauge the appropriateness and usefulness of the practical ideal model for needs assessment in Continuing Education, and to get feedback on the model from Continuing Education providers and professionals engaged in needs assessment. The table on the next page represents the practical ideal model for comprehensive needs assessment in Continuing Education.

The findings of the research indicate that the originally proposed needs assessment model derived from the literature was supported. As a matter of fact, responses to all but one of the sub-components indicated that those in Continuing Education that engage in needs assessment believe these components are important and comprise a comprehensive needs assessment model,

Expectations should be high for academics as much as students

by Tara Brabazon

Times Higher Education, March 23, 2011