We present the results of a longitudinal evaluation of the Western Region 4-H Institute, a 5-day training program designed to enhance the skill sets of early-career Extension professionals organized around the 4-H professional research, knowledge, and competencies model. Programs such as this often are assessed for their short-term relevance and…

Kazakhstan, having joined the Bologna Declaration in 2010, committed itself to modernize the higher education in general and make a fundamental change in the approach to the development of regulations, in particular, the educational programs. The article describes the basic concepts of the problem, provides an overview of the regulatory frame-work…

The relevance of the research problem is caused by the need to use various teaching methods and techniques in training students majoring in pedagogical specialties while implementing the competency approach in education. Information about the technology of critical thinking development (CTD) in future teachers training is limited, and the…

The number of competency-based education (CBE) degree programs has increased rapidly over the past five years, yet there is little research on CBE program development. This study utilized conceptual models of higher education change and a qualitative methodology to analyze the strategies and challenges in implementing CBE business degree programs…

Business and professional communicators increasingly rely on visual thinking and design strategies to create effective messages. The workplace need for such thinking, however, is not readily accommodated in current pedagogy. A long-running study abroad short course for American students taught in London provides a model for meeting this need.…

The article analyzes the goals, objectives and content of professional training for international communication specialists in the UK universities. It is found that professional training of international communication specialists aims to prepare a competent and competitive expert under the rapidly changing requirements of British society and the…

In this National Science Foundation Advanced Technician Education program (NSF ATE) project, we aimed to explore factors that would strengthen the rural IT employee workforce and improve educational support related to broadband, telecommunications, and networks in rural settings. Using multiple methods to triangulate rural IT program curricula…

'Good teaching' remains disputed, but few studies have empirically studied variations in views of good teaching as reflected in teacher education. This study performed a content analysis of criteria for student teacher lesson observations stated in protocols from universities in six countries. Similarities across the protocols were the absence of…

This research is predicated on the hypothesis that a fieldtrip project adhering to a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) philosophy can be effective in promoting learning of both social and linguistic competencies. The main objective was to evaluate the didactic efficacy of a bilingual urban itinerary with teachers in training (from…

This brief draws upon its companion report, "Harnessing Micro-credentials for Teacher Growth: A National Review of Early Best Practices," as well as New America's previous work on educator micro-credentials, to outline a set of model policy proposals for states to effectively incorporate high-quality micro-credentials into educator…

This article considers the advantages, benefits, disadvantages and weaknesses of experiential learning through the use of educational drama (ED) to assist business students and academics to improve competencies required for their future roles in business. A review of the literature was undertaken. Simulated interaction (SI) and role-play (RP) are…

This paper presents a comparative research project on pre-vocational education in lower secondary schools in seven European countries. The primary aim of the study was to better understand how the formal pre-vocational education curriculum is interpreted and shaped by individual teachers. The countries covered are Austria, Germany, Hungary,…

Recognition of Acquired Competencies (RAC) as it is known in Quebec, Canada, or Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), requires a learner to engage in retrospective thought about their learning path, their learning style and their experiential knowledge. This process of critical self-reflection and rigorous analysis by the learner of their prior…

In education, there is a growing interest in the concept of "competency" especially in vocational training and professional development. The concept is strongly associated with the ability to apply knowledge and skills in effective ways in unanticipated situations. In Sri Lanka, a new competency-based mathematics curriculum was…

Today's adult learners are continuously searching for successful programs with added learner flexibility, a positive learning experience, and the best education for their investment. Red Deer College's unique competency based welder apprenticeship training model fulfills this desire for many adult learners.