This study sought to determine the role that perceptions played in the adoption of an instructional innovation. According to current diffusion theories, an innovation is more likely to be adopted if potential adopters have favorable perceptions in regard to its complexity, compatibility, relative advantage, observability, and trialability. Three…

This training guide is intended to help Head Start staff develop the essential partnership-building skills that contribute to Head Start's overall effectiveness as a supportive, family-centered community. Each of the guide's three modules details module outcomes, key concepts, and background information. Module 1 defines family support in terms of…

In preparing a special needs student for employment, a variety of assessments should be used based upon the skill level of the individual student. Past challenges and successes in vocational education must be examined. These past challenges and successes are the building blocks and roadmaps necessary for individual success. During the planning…

This book describes a systematic method for producing instructional programs, courses, and materials that focus on human performance and how to improve it, not merely on training itself. It addresses such diverse topics as the following: how adults learn best, analyzing the training need, developing evaluation tools, delivering training courses,…

This annotated bibliography and resource guide for early childhood trainers aims to provide an overview of the training materials used in the Child Development Associate (CDA) training programs throughout the country. The bibliography contains citations of books, training manuals, modules, and audiovisual materials and lists more than 140 printed…

This document, which is designed to assist workplace education practitioners in business, education, and labor partnerships funded through the Massachusetts Department of Education's Workplace Literacy Program, includes materials about and/or for use in developing workers' mathematics skills. The first section, which examines the current state of…

This report provides guidelines and a process for people with disabilities living in Massachusetts to follow to evaluate employment service options that will allow them to receive services best meeting their individual needs. Strategies for finding out information about the different programs and a checklist are given by which to evaluate…

This practicum report describes a 12-week intervention designed to help parent volunteers in six kindergarten classrooms better perform their volunteer work, which included such tasks as grading papers, decorating bulletin boards, and listening to children read. Objectives of the intervention were that: (1) a total of 90 percent of volunteers…

This paper examines the use of paraprofessionals at reference desks in a random sample of Ohio public libraries. The assumption underlying this research is that before one can address the effectiveness of reference paraprofessionals, it is necessary to understand the extent to which they are used; the tasks they perform; and the conditions…

This book examines the use of an experiential (participative) learning approach in training people in areas that are particularly emotionally challenging. Each of the nine articles focuses on the design and conduct of workshops in which the principles of experiential learning are used to help trainees acquire knowledge related to and cope with…

This paper presents three interrelated diagnostic tools that can be used by school staff as they begin to plan a systemic reform effort. These tools are designed to help educators reflect on their experiences in creating changes in their school and to examine the current barriers to and supports for the change process. The tools help school design…

Tutor training programs in composition which emphasize interpersonal skills while offering concentrated correctness doses of mechanics and grammar are inherently limiting. While interpersonal skills are important, they only superficially address the complex situation of tutoring. A prescription for a healthy tutor program, one which would allow…

This manual, written in workbook form, presents a self-management program for individuals with severe disabilities. The program is designed to facilitate treatment gains in multiple settings and in the absence of a treatment provider. The steps in the program include: (1) getting ready (define behaviors, measure behaviors, choose a reward, and…

A study determined what trainers considered to be the most frequent problems they faced as beginners delivering training to adult learners. Experts were then asked to respond to these problems with solutions they found to be effective. A literature review was conducted that focused on two distinct elements: the human learning principles and needs…

This study sought to examine the structure and consistency of perceptions of behavior deceleration procedures within populations, provide a preliminary "index" of acceptability, determine if these procedures can be categorized into meaningful groups, and examine the consistency of perceptions across populations. Subjects were 20…