The graduate of the Outdoor Power Equipment Technician apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) supervise, train and coach apprentices; (2) service, maintain, repair and rebuild outdoor power equipment and outdoor power equipment accessories; (3) communicate clearly with customers, staff, suppliers, as required;…

The study involved 14 volunteer facilitators, four UBC staff members, and the researcher as participant; the data collected were observation notes, questionnaires, results from focus groups, and interviews. The study revealed that the key strengths of the training workshop lay in its approach to training, its focus on confidence and capacity…

A generational shift is occurring in training environments worldwide, a shift that promises to bring with it a dramatic and long-lasting impact. Just as years ago, those of the Baby Boomer generation passed the torch to Generation X, today the process is starting anew with Generation X and those who have come to be known as the Millennials.…

Educational policy is asked to support young people in their successful transition from education to employment. In Switzerland, a two-year apprenticeship with Federal VET Certificate was established in 2002 aimed at increasing the employability of low-achieving school leavers. It is a low-threshold VET programme offering standardised vocational…

In 4 studies we tested the efficacy of artificial, letter based pronunciations to support poor spellers in building up stable orthographic representations. In all 4 studies children's spelling skills improved during training. However, the experimental group who was trained to articulate a spelling pronunciation before spelling the word did not…

This article reviews and critiques the literature regarding dual relationships in group work training. It explores the ethical concerns raised within the field, and relates this to an emerging literature concerning potentially beneficial relationships. Anecdotal and empirical evidence regarding dual relationships is reviewed, demonstrating the…

One of the aims of the Socrates Comenius 2.1 action is to prepare programmes, courses, strategies or teaching material for training the staff involved in education. In this respect, in the frame of the "FISTE--A Future Way For In-Service Teacher Training Across Europe" (118766-2004-RO-COMENIUS-C21) the on-line curse "Integrating ICT…

Higher education professionals generally work in an information and communication technology (ICT) rich environment. In this paper, we present the findings of a study of computer competencies of higher education teachers working in the arts and science colleges of Puducherry region. The present research is aimed at answering the research questions…

There is a great deal of research detailing the WHAT of effective school leadership--what school leaders in traditional schools need to know and do to lead in those schools. There is little research, however, on what leaders of alternative education programs need to know and do. Also, in contrast to the many higher education preparation programs…

Recruiting quality teachers is a top priority for school districts across the country. However, recent research demonstrates that an even greater challenge facing schools is retaining newly recruited teachers, particularly in urban school settings. This article analyzes the effects of two key components of many formal induction programs--mentoring…

This exploratory study addressed the scarcity of research into professional development for school-wide positive behavior support. A train-the-trainer model was designed. These principles were embedded within the recommended guidelines for implementing school-wide positive behavior support. School-based individuals were selected by building…

"Transformative learning" is a term used by Mezirow (1991) and his followers to designate a specifically "adult" kind of learning that involves shifts in how learners view the world and themselves. New research into learning in VET suggests that in some subject areas transformative learning may play more than an incidental…

The utility and limitations of Lave and Wenger's social theory of learning can be evaluated through specific case studies which enhance our understanding of how education proceeds in diverse contexts. Here I provide an ethnographic case study of the training of Caribbean-born Hindu "pandits" ("priests") living and working in…

Digital educational games (DEGs) possess the potential of providing an appealing and intrinsically motivating learning context. Usually this potential is either taken for granted or examined through questionnaires or interviews in the course of evaluation studies. However, an "adaptive" game would increase the probability of a DEG being…

The inability to navigate independently and interact with the wider world is one of the most significant handicaps that can be caused by blindness, second only to the inability to communicate through reading and writing. Many difficulties are encountered when visually impaired people (VIP) need to visit new and unknown places. Current speech or…