ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Finding a Niche: Examining Sophomore and Junior Sense of Community
Author: VanValkenburg, Sara Elizabeth
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses
Subjects: Philosophy,Distance Education,Student Attitudes,Religious Education,Student Surveys,Interviews,College Administration,Undergraduate Students,Interpersonal Relationship,Group Membership,Theory Practice Relationship,Academic Persistence,Student School Relationship,Validity,Reliability,College Housing,Extracurricular Activities,Student Responsibility

In recent years, colleges and universities have made improvements in assisting students to transition to the university community during their first year on campus, but often times this support fades away once students move into their sophomore and junior years. Theories such as McMillan and Chavis (1986) Sense of Community show that students need a place to belong somewhere in university community. In addition, areas where sophomores struggle to connect in the university community will be addressed. The study designed for this thesis focused on survey responses and one-on-one interview responses to identify where sophomores and juniors connect to the university and if the support provided by the administration is relevant to the student experiences. An appendix contains a copy of the initial survey distributed to students in Theology I and Theology II classes. (Contains 8 graphs.)
Education: Pathways to Superior Content Knowledge in Preservice Teachers
Author: Ober, Derek Logan
Date: 2013-05-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses
Subjects: Physical Education,Teaching Methods,Student Teaching,Teaching Experience,Cooperating Teachers,Superintendents,Physical Education Teachers,Personality,Beginning Teachers,Best Practices,Student Teachers,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teacher Education,Teacher Educators,Elementary Secondary Education,Qualitative Research,College Faculty,Interviews

This research addresses lack of student teaching preparation. There is strong evidence that beginning teachers are not trained to adequately teach students due to their lack of preparation/content knowledge. The purpose of this study is to examine the experience of beginning teachers to try to understand why student teachers are not prepared for the 21st century class. It also addresses how to improve the student teaching experience at all levels of teacher preparation in the elementary, middle, and high school settings. The literature revealed key findings which included the following: teacher preparation institutions need to transform their programs to reflect the realities of 21st century schools, pre-service teachers should be exposed to the intense work of the typical classroom teacher over a much longer period of time, and colleges need to ensure that cooperating teachers are models of best practice. This study takes the qualitative approach, using interview protocol. Participants included an elementary school teacher in Northern California, and one student teacher enrolled in an undergraduate program in teacher preparation at a private university in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Also a superintendent of a local school district in Dayton, Ohio participated in the study. A university professor involved in teacher education was also interviewed for this study. Results indicated that more time in the classroom would result in an improved level of a teacher's confidence. Coursework at the university level needs to parallel the same content learning in the K-12 school. Finally, an individual's personality is a strong factor in success in teaching. A teacher with superior content knowledge goes unnoticed without an engaging personality. The following are appended: (1) Questions for Student Teachers; and (2) Questions for the University Professor, School Superintendent and Physical Education Teacher.
Shaping Lifelong Learning: Making the Most of European Tools and Principles. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2011-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Quality Control,Lifelong Learning,Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Educational Principles,Alignment (Education),Regional Planning,International Cooperation,Educational Policy,Change Strategies,Educational Change,Standard Setting

As rapid change threatens to outpace the skills of an ageing workforce and Europe developed towards a knowledge based society, the European Union, other European countries and the social partners have worked together to establish a policy framework for modernising education and training. In vocational education and training (VET), the EU has developed a platform for voluntary cooperation and coordination between Member States called the Copenhagen process. Under the Copenhagen process, Member States, with the social partners, have established common European tools and principles, namely the: (1) European qualifications framework (EQF); (2) the European credit system for VET (ECVET); (3) Europass; (4) European quality assurance framework for VET (EQAVET); (5) principles and guidelines for identifying and validating non-formal and informal learning; and (6) principles on lifelong guidance and counselling. These tools and principles constitute an integrated framework, the impact of which depends on their consistency and how they interact. Their implementation will increase transparency of qualifications, support mobility and benefit citizens by providing a systematic way to validate and document their knowledge, skills and competence. (Contains 3 boxes and 1 footnote.)
Despite Its Many Benefits, Vocational Education and Training Lacks Esteem. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2011-05-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Vocational Education,Educational Benefits,Community Benefits,Outcomes of Education,Economic Impact

While the benefits of education have been widely researched, little attention has been paid to the specific benefits of vocational education and training (VET). These benefits are shared by individuals and enterprises as well as the economy and society more generally. Training provided by an enterprise increases workers' satisfaction and increases productivity. In turn, higher productivity can improve competitiveness and contribute to higher economic growth. There is also evidence that the wage returns to VET and its wider social benefits are equal to those of general education. However, the extent to which these benefits can be realised depends heavily on the institutional context in which VET is embedded. To find out more about the specific benefits of VET, Cedefop has carried out research and now is publishing its findings in a series of studies. (Contains 1 figure and 2 footnotes.)
Sectoral Perspectives on the Benefits of Vocational Education and Training. Research Paper No. 22
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Productivity,Stakeholders,Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Investment,Job Satisfaction,Human Resources,Educational Quality,Quality of Working Life,Educational Needs,Skill Analysis,Job Skills,Job Training,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Institutional Characteristics,Economic Impact,Community Benefits,Educational Benefits,Outcomes of Education

The report confirms the importance of training for the European Union (EU) industrial policy. It demonstrates that sectors where training is firmly integrated in human resource practices have higher productivity gains. Such economic benefits are not only realised through developing workers' skills, but also thanks to higher job satisfaction and increased individual commitment to the organisation. This report also contains evidence of spillover effects among workplaces within a sector in industrial clusters. These clusters usually develop around high value-added activities, which require firms to attract and retain a highly qualified workforce. To do so, firms have to adopt advanced human resource practices. They also have to cooperate and pool resources to satisfy skills development needs, whenever individual firms are not be able to sustain the necessary high training level. It appears that such joint training efforts decreases the negative impact and likelihood of losing trained workers to other firms. The case studies collected in this report also show that public investment in training--catering the specific needs of these high value-added firms--can be very effective in inducing firms and stakeholders to work together, generating high spillover effects across entire industrial clusters. The evidence collected here by Cedefop argues for integrating vocational education and training (VET) in regional and sectoral growth strategies. VET institutions may then act as a catalyst for the further development of industrial clusters. Smart growth in Europe would directly benefit from such integrated economic policies. (Contains 35 tables, 25 figures and 43 footnotes.)
Study Visits Unlocking the Potential for Better Education and Training in Europe
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Lifelong Learning,Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,International Educational Exchange,Participant Satisfaction,Communities of Practice,Professional Development,Training Methods

The study visits programme for education and vocational training specialists, part of the lifelong learning programme (2007-13), is an initiative of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Cedefop coordinates the programme at the European level, whereas the national agencies implement the programme in the participating countries. Between 2008 and 2011, 7 615 people from 33 countries received a grant from the EU to take part in 719 study visits organised in 29 countries. The visits were hosted by around 500 education and training institutions and organisations; 97% of participants and 96% of organisers reported that they were satisfied with their study visits. But what did they do with their new knowledge and experience after the visit? Cedefop surveyed both participants and organisers to find out. This paper presents the findings.
European Training Thesaurus: A Multilingual Synopsis
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2012-06-00
Type: Reference Materials - Vocabularies/Classifications
Subjects: Vocational Education,Job Training,Foreign Countries,Multilingual Materials,Vocabulary,Alignment (Education),Translation,Lexicography

Education and training issues are similar across Europe, but how can we ensure we mean the same things with the same terms? The new format of the European training thesaurus (ETT) is a multilingual synopsis. It is an online tool enabling those working in education, training and employment to have a common understanding of terms. It helps individuals and experts who need fast and easy terminological support to search for and translate terms and concepts used in vocational education and training (VET). The synoptic table complements the &quot;European training thesaurus = Thesaurus europeen de la formation professionnelle&quot; published in 2008. It also includes terms related to important recent VET developments. It is hoped this work will support communication and contribute to a better understanding of European Union VET, skills, competences and qualification matters. The multilingual synopsis provides 1 207 terms/concepts and their equivalents in 11 languages. There are a total of 13 277 terms in all languages. The table is presented &quot;by default&quot; in English alphabetical order, but can be sorted in each language. It is also possible to sort by microthesaurus. (Contains 7 footnotes.)
Spotlight on VET: Ireland
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Continuing Education,Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Job Skills,Public Sector,Apprenticeships,Postsecondary Education,Governance,Lifelong Learning

This paper provides an overview of VET (vocational education and training) in Ireland. In Ireland, the main providers of VET are the national Training and Employment Authority (FAS--a non-commercial semi-State body, part of the public sector) and vocational education committees (VECs--public sector bodies at county level responsible for vocational and continuing education). There are only 27 trades which are part of the formal apprenticeship system in Ireland. Most initial vocational skill training in Ireland is provided either by FAS or a VEC and is of relatively short duration. Several vocationally-orientated education courses are provided by the tertiary sector, mainly through institutes of technology.
When Defining Learning Outcomes in Curricula, Every Learner Matters: Briefing Note. March-April 2011
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Vocational Education,Curriculum Development,Outcome Based Education,Place Based Education,Relevance (Education),Performance Factors,Instructional Development

Curricula are not just lists of subjects to teach. Curricula guide and are central to the quality of teaching and learning. They are fundamental to improving human capital, motivating people to stay in education and training and to promoting lifelong learning. Pressure to modernize education and training to respond to the diverse needs of learners and the labor market is changing curricula. In vocational education and training (VET), curricula are becoming broader and are including key competences. The trend is moving away from learning objectives set for teachers, to designing curricula based on learning outcomes defined for learners. Learning outcome-based curricula value what a learner knows, understands and is able to do. They can also accommodate different learning rhythms and paths. This shift is particularly evident in VET and higher education and, increasingly, in general education. In conclusion, learning outcome-based curricula can promote learner-centered and inclusive teaching and learning practices. They can be important tools in the hands of teachers to develop autonomous and active citizens who think critically. The conditions for implementing curricula have to be the right ones if their potential is to be realized. (Contains 3 boxes and 3 footnotes.)
Crossing Frontiers to Share Expertise. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2011-06-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Expertise,Institutional Cooperation,Collegiality,Communities of Practice,Exchange Programs,Professional Development

Cedefop had successfully managed study visits for vocational education and training (VET) experts for over 20 years, building up a reputation for visits of high quality both in terms of content and organisation. Wishing to draw on this experience and know-how, the European Commission invited Cedefop to coordinate the new much larger consolidated study visits for experts in education, VET and lifelong learning. In 2008, Cedefop led a working group of decision-makers, social partners and education and VET experts to develop study visit themes. In 2010, the themes were updated after the launch of the Europe 2020 strategy and changes to the education and training 2020 cooperation framework. A survey of participants in 2008/09 showed a greater awareness of European developments among those responsible for shaping and implementing national, regional or local education and training policies. They were also more aware of opportunities for further European cooperation. Using contacts they made during the visit, around 30% of participants had developed a cooperation project within a year. Some 98% of study visit participants shared their learning with their colleagues, managers, other experts, students and parents. Many proposed changes to their institution's work and to education and training policy. For some participants, study visits changed their professional activities and improved their personal skills. For organisers study visits are also rewarding. Host organisations have an opportunity to present their work and achievements. Awareness of European issues is also raised among the local community. Overall, study visits have shown to be an effective way of learning. (Contains 3 boxes, 2 figures, 2 tables and 7 footnotes.)
Loans for Learning. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2011-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Administrative Principles,Finance Reform,Funding Formulas,Student Loan Programs,Money Management,Cost Effectiveness,Best Practices,Vocational Education,Financial Policy

A good loan scheme must balance costs with coverage. If loans are too expensive then people will not borrow. Governments are not banks, but they provide or support loans for many things, including education and training. Governments too need to get the balance right. Cedefop surveyed 35 education and training loan schemes in Europe, examining their design and performance. Although there is no ideal scheme, interesting features emerge that provide guidelines as to what makes a good education and training loan scheme. It appears that a successful education and training loan scheme needs to be flexible and simple, as well as attractive and well targeted. A scheme's success will be influenced by national contexts including administrative capacities and the sophistication and willingness of financial institutions. They need to be supported by good communication and guidance policies for potential borrowers and should be closely monitored and evaluated. Analysis of the survey shows that countries have tried several approaches to balance costs and coverage. While there is no single ideal model for education and training loans, it is possible to identify some core &quot;good practice&quot; principles for designing and implementing them. (Contains 1 box, 2 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Trends in VET Policy in Europe 2010-12: Progress towards the Bruges Communique. Working Paper No. 16
Author: van Loo, Jasper
Date: 2012-10-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Labor Market,Educational Trends,Trend Analysis,Educational Policy,Public Policy,Educational Objectives,Relevance (Education),Educational Quality,Efficiency,Basic Skills,Competence,Workplace Learning,Creativity,Innovation,Entrepreneurship,Equal Education,Citizenship,Labor Needs,Qualifications,Guidance,Program Validation

European countries have set themselves 22 specific goals by 2014 to support their long-term vision for vocational education and training (VET). This report is a first step in understanding progress by mid-2012 towards these goals, endorsed in 2010 in the Bruges communique to help achieve the Europe 2020 agenda. Attention has clearly focused on helping young people remain in, and return to, education and training through work-based learning routes. Building on their joint work in the last decade, countries have advanced in setting up qualifications frameworks and devising approaches to assure quality in VET, but much work is still in the planning stage. More attention to the professional development of VET staff, better monitoring of VET labour market outcomes, and considering incentives where appropriate, could help progress in the coming years. Appended are: (1) ECVET coordination points, EQF coordination points, EQAVET national reference points; and (2) Acronyms and definitions. (Contains 21 tables, 9 figures, 4 boxes and 26 footnotes.) [Additional support for this paper was provided by the the Copenhagen Working Group and the Cypriot Presidency.]
Trainers in Continuing VET: Emerging Competence Profile
Author: Jemeljanova, Irina
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Vocational Education,Foreign Countries,Professional Development,Professional Recognition,Best Practices,Profiles,Competence,Trainers,Continuing Education,Professional Continuing Education,Teacher Qualifications,Corporate Education,Industrial Training,Teacher Certification,Regional Characteristics,Teacher Characteristics

This publication is based on the outcomes of a Cedefop study on certification processes and competence requirements supporting the professionalisation of in-company trainers. It also builds on Cedefop's work on the changing roles and professional development of VET teachers and trainers (Cedefop, 2010b; Volmari et al., 2009) and the studies supported by the European Commission (European Commission; Institute of Technology and Education, 2008; European Commission; Buiskool et al., 2010). By presenting competence requirements for trainers in continuing vocational education and training from 19 examples from nine countries, wherever possible with specific reference to trainers in enterprises, the publication offers a snapshot of the situation in the Member States as regards competences and professional development of trainers. It is intended to start a discussion rather than give all the answers. Taking into account that trainers in enterprises are a diverse group, this analysis covers: (1) those who work as freelancers or in institutions for continuing training that deliver training to enterprises and in enterprises; and (2) employees in companies who carry out induction of newcomers and/or provide training to others, full time or part time. The publication addresses education and training decision-makers, professional associations of trainers, employers who look for high quality training in their companies, and trainers themselves. All those who are interested in improving the professional status of trainers in continuing vocational education and training can find useful information and ideas for reflection. This publication draws on and contributes to the work of the thematic working group on the professional development of VET trainers, set up by the European Commission in 2012 and jointly coordinated with Cedefop. The group works to identify best practices and develop guiding principles with respect to changing competences and the profiles of VET trainers to contribute directly to the objectives of the Bruges communique (Council of the EU; European Commission, 2010). List of interviewees is appended. A bibliography and a glossary are included. (Contains 4 boxes and 3 footnotes.)