Using social constructivist theories of adult learning, the Faculty Pedagogical Development (PD) Programme was designed to offer faculty a unique professional learning experience at one university in Qatar. This study reports on the evaluation of this PD programme that involved 24 participants from different colleges in its first round of…

This article presents how character development practitioners, researchers, and funders might think about evaluation, how evaluation fits into their work, and what needs to happen in order to sustain evaluative practices. A broader view of evaluation is presented whereby evaluation is not just seen as something that is applied at a program level,…

As students graduate and enter the workforce, they face the job market's demand for critical thinking (CT) skills. The demand is caused by the market's increasing need for providing professional services that require performing complex tasks. In response to this demand, institutions of higher education are expected to prepare their graduate…

The paper examines how the use of hybrid models--that consist of the interacting continuous and discrete processes--may assist in teaching system thinking. We report an experiment in which undergraduate students were asked to choose between a hybrid and a continuous solution for a number of control problems. A correlation has been found between…

The dynamic systems theory, a theory that goes beyond Piaget and Vygotsky, looks promising for curriculum development. In this theory it is explained how a curriculum that creates physical and psychological space for play and initiative learning (self-regulation) is being designed and how the teacher can support the enrichment of play and…

This evaluation of progress in tackling the problems of access, quality, equity and completion of primary and secondary education examines the results of an alliance between the Coffee Growers Committee of Caldas (CGC) and the Department of Caldas, Colombia. The evaluation team employed a retrospective approach to understanding the social,…

Describes a program evaluation model that was developed over three semesters of teaching an introductory graduate-level course in program evaluation. The framework uses a systems approach that emphasizes its sequenced methodology and the significant of monitoring work through feedback loops in an ongoing revision process. (Author/SLD)

This article provides a flexible systems approach model for planning programs that includes seven steps: (1) assessing needs; (2) establishing priorities and responsibilities; (3) selecting goals and objectives; (4) allocating resources; (5) selecting teaching techniques; (6) evaluating outcomes; and (7) determining effectiveness. (JOW)

A systems perspective of adult literacy assessment stresses use of comprehensive, holistic strategies. For literacy methods, systems theory emphasizes the holistic nature of the adult in relation to the complex web of systems. Systems theory applied to materials reflects the plurality of literacies and the need for a variety of materials. (SK)

The special education training program at the University of Northern Iowa provides a systematically integrated program designed to develop professional personnel with the requisite competencies to (a) diagnose and teach; (b) organize and supervise programs; (c) evaluate instructional programs; and d) train professional educators to implement…

Examines the effectiveness of a systems approach, diagnostic reading program. (RB)

A guide for agencies in setting up new employee development programs or a tool for assessing existing ones, the paper presents an eight-step process for organizational training. Step 1 commences with the identification and ranking of learning needs, or conducting a needs assessment. Step 2, selection of learning objectives, includes a job analysis…

The 30th annual American Industrial Arts Association (AIAA) Convention was held in Minneapolis in 1968. Topics for the AIAA general session addresses were: (1) "A Fresh Look at Industrial Arts," (2) "New Curricular Concepts," (3) "Making Education Relevant," (4) "Industrial Arts in an Educational System for the Seventies," (5) "New Concepts in…

A management education planning approach called Computer-Assisted Subject Area (CASA) has been conceptualized as a framework for viewing, evaluating, and recording efforts to improve the effectiveness of a subject area to be integrated within an overall curriculum. CASA is a generalized set of models which feature a hierarchy of activities in…

Based on analyses and recommendations reported in School Improvement Planning: What's Missing?, the present report proposes ways to (a) reorganize school improvement guidance and (b) expand standards and accountability to encompass a component to address barriers to learning and teaching. In doing so, the work highlights the need and a focus for…