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Descriptors:
Public Agencies; State Government; Financial Support; State Aid; Smoking; Health Promotion; Health Programs; Program Evaluation; Training; Role; Evaluators; Technical Writing; Reports; Information Utilization; Attitudes; Stakeholders; Accountability; Program Effectiveness; Test Construction; Scoring

Abstract:
Nearly all private, government and non-governmental organizations that receive government funding to run social or health promotion programs in the United States are required to conduct program evaluations and to report findings to the funding agency. Reports are usually due at the end of a funding cycle and they may or may not have an influence on the continuation of program funding. The final evaluation report (FER), as the end-of-funding-cycle report is often called, generally relates the intervention and evaluation results of the funding period and has a dual purpose. It is considered an element of accountability and should give the program and its stakeholders direction for the future. All too often though, this is not the case. Evaluators have voiced myriad concerns about the many issues related to reports and their usage. In their study of a random sample of American Evaluation Association members, Torres et al. (1997) found that evaluators are generally discontent about reporting and about the fact that their reports are often misused or not used at all. Evaluation reports could be a valuable instrument for moving projects forward if stakeholders and project staff would make good use of evaluation findings. The Tobacco Control Evaluation Center (TCEC) (2006) at the University of California at Davis developed scoring measures for final report writing for over 100 local tobacco control projects in California but found 2007 reports lacking in quality. In 2010, it conducted a training campaign in the hope that the projects themselves, the funding government agency and TCEC may make better use of the reports. The response to the training call was overwhelming, and comparing scores from 2007 and 2010, participating agencies made statistically significant improvements but non-participants did not. Results relating to the mode of training were inconclusive. The pre- and post-score comparison proved to be a valuable measuring tool, and the 1-day face-to-face training was a useful training mode. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Cultural Differences; Creativity; Cross Cultural Studies; Attitudes; Collectivism; Participation; Drills (Practice); Individualism; Foreign Countries

Abstract:
The article integrates the seven papers of the two special issues with a special focus on discussing the differences in people's beliefs about creativity between the Chinese and American cultures: How it is conceived, evaluated, and nurtured. It uses three metaphors to capture major differences in these aspects, and highlights areas with profound cultural variations in conceptions and creative education for future research. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Foreign Countries; Older Adults; Creativity; Retirement; Well Being; Quality of Life; Cross Cultural Studies; Aging (Individuals); Attitudes; Predictor Variables; Mental Health; Health Conditions; Interviews; Mandarin Chinese; Chinese; Group Activities; Physical Activities; Measures (Individuals)

Abstract:
This study examined a total of 140 elderly Chinese from China and the United States to investigate the relationship between attitude toward aging, daily activities, general health, education, and other demographics and rated creativity as measured by collage making and storytelling. The result of this study shows that creativity declines with age. However, education, general health status, daily activities, and the attitude toward aging are also found to be decisive factors of creativity. The implications of the findings are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Foreign Countries; Nurses; Research Methodology; Attitudes; Learning Activities; Workplace Learning; Work Environment; Reflection; Learning Processes; Decision Making; Social Environment; Misconceptions; Error Correction; Vocational Education

Abstract:
This article addresses two research questions concerning nurses' engagement in social learning activities after errors at work. Firstly, we investigated how this engagement relates to nurses' interpretations of the error situation and perceptions of a safe team climate. The results indicate that the individual estimation of an error as relevant to learning and the tendency to cover up an error significantly predict nurses' engagement in social learning activities. Secondly, by applying latent class analysis, we aimed to identify how individuals differ in their interpretations of error situations, their social learning activities after errors and their perceptions of a safe team climate. A reliable four-class solution was obtained from latent class analyses. Only one class (58.8%) showed a clear orientation towards socially shared reflection and learning from errors. The other classes were characterised by answer profiles that seem incongruent to learning from errors. We discuss implications of these findings for organisational practice as well as for professional and vocational education. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Standard Setting (Scoring); Criterion Referenced Tests; Benchmarking; Student Evaluation; College Bound Students; Student Placement; Racial Segregation; Politics; Social Environment; Educational History; Attitudes; Foreign Countries

Abstract:
Criterion-referenced assessments have become more common around the world, with performance standards being set to differentiate different levels of student performance. However, use of standard setting methods developed in the United States may be complicated by factors related to the political and educational contexts within another country. In this article, experience gained from conducting several standard setting studies in South Africa is shared. The legacy of the apartheid era, in which segregation and discrimination were institutionalized, affects the attitudes of South Africans toward assessment and placing students into performance levels. These issues played out as panelists were asked to make judgments related to students' likely performance in higher education. Although the instantiation of panelists' reluctance to label students may be different in South Africa compared to the United States or other countries, lessons can be learned about how the effects of these beliefs and anxieties may be addressed during standard setting activities. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables and 2 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Foreign Countries; Agricultural Occupations; Attitudes; Rural Extension; Technical Assistance; Experience; Innovation; Information Systems; Case Studies; Focus Groups; Semi Structured Interviews

Abstract:
Purpose: Malawi's current extension policy supports pluralism and advocates responsiveness to farmer demand. We investigate whether smallholder farmers' experience supports the assumption that access to multiple service providers leads to extension and advisory services that respond to the needs of farmers. Design/methodology/approach: Within a case study approach, two villages were purposively selected for in-depth qualitative analysis of available services and farmers' experiences. Focus group discussions were held separately with male and female farmers in each village, followed by semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants selected through snowball sampling. Transcripts were analysed by themes, and summaries of themes were made from cross-case analysis. Findings: Farmers appreciate having access to a variety of sources of technical advice and enterprise-specific technology. However, most service providers continue to dominate and dictate what they will offer. Market access remains a challenge, as providers still emphasize pushing a particular technology to increase farm productivity rather than addressing farmers' expressed needs. Although farmers work in groups, providers do not seek to strengthen these to enable active interaction and to link them to input and produce markets. This limits farmers' capacity to continue with innovations after service providers pull out. Poor coordination between providers limits exploitation of potential synergies amongst actors. Practical Implications: Services providers can adapt their approach to engage farmers in discussion of their needs and work collaboratively to address them. At a system level, institutions that have a coordination function can play a more dynamic role in brokering interaction between providers and farmers to ensure coverage and responsiveness. Originality/Value: The study provides a new farmer perspective on the implementation of extension reforms. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Ethics; Personality; Experiential Learning; Coping; Attitudes; Cognitive Processes; Theory Practice Relationship; Experience; Epistemology; Educational Philosophy

Abstract:
"The importance of being experienced" plays a central part in the ethical philosophy of Aristotle. An experienced person is a person who has acquired a coping skill, an appropriate attitude and a sense of situation. According to Aristotle the soul and the body are interdependent, which indicates a close connection between human activity, human cognition and human character. By insisting on the primacy of action, Aristotle changes the educational focal point from an epistemological discussion of knowledge to an ethical discussion of practice. The paper discusses what Aristotle can offer contemporary education in relation to his understanding of experience. The frame of the discussion is organised according to the three notable elements that are contained in Aristotle's notion of "the importance of being experienced": a practice, an appropriate hexis or character and a sense of the situation. As a background for and framing of the discussion, the paper will outline some of the many variants as well as substantial differences of the notion of experience and experience-based learning and categorise them in three different understandings. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Quality of Life; Trust (Psychology); Satisfaction; Attitudes; Attitude Measures; Urban Environment; Social Indicators; Measurement; Sociometric Techniques; Evaluation Methods; Comparative Analysis; Surveys; Correlation; Statistical Analysis

Abstract:
I investigate the relationship between the popular Mercer city ranking (livability) and survey data (satisfactions). Livability aims to capture "objective" quality of life such as infrastructure. Survey items capture "subjective" quality of life such as satisfaction with city. The relationship between objective measures of quality of life and subjective measures is weak (correlation of about 0.4). Trust is highly correlated with both, objective livability (0.8) and subjective satisfaction with city (0.65). I postulate to pay more attention to subjective indicators of quality of life. After all, what matters is what we perceive, not what is out there. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Violence; Conflict; Death; Causal Models; Intervention; Psychological Patterns; Attitudes; Responses; Leadership; Power Structure; Bias; Cultural Influences; Mythology; Risk

Abstract:
Acts of deadly violence give rise to powerful emotions and trigger pre-programmed responses that often cause affected persons, including leaders, media, armed forces, and the general public, to act in ways that aggravate the situation and feed into cycles of violence. In this article, a model of the cycle of violence is presented that facilitates logical analysis and response. Starting from an act of deadly violence this model traces a series of interacting factors that can lead to armed conflict. These include distortions of perception and response that impact the public and their leaders. Negative codes, prejudices, and myths feed fear and grief, which may then escalate and lead to violent retaliation thereby triggering a similar response. Those professionals who care for bereaved individuals and families are familiar with these emotions and responses and are well qualified to analyze, explain, and support people affected by armed conflict. We suggest that they could also play educational and other important roles in reducing escalation and breaking the cycle of violence. (Contains 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Immigrants; Surveys; Social Work; Social Science Research; Anglo Americans; Whites; Stranger Reactions; Intergroup Relations; Cultural Awareness; Foreign Countries; Limited English Speaking; Employment; Psychological Patterns; Attitudes; Ethnic Groups; Context Effect; Social Discrimination

Abstract:
Using survey data from 1,036 participants, which included 4 immigrant groups, we examined the factors that influence immigrants' experiences as they interact with nonimmigrant Americans. Logistic and multinomial regression results indicate that non-European immigrants were more likely to report negative experiences with Americans. The odds of reporting negative interactions were lower for African than for Hispanic immigrants. Immigrants who have lived in the United States for 10 years or longer and immigrants who have been involved in community activities were more likely to report negative interactions. Immigrants with employment, perception of lack of cultural understanding, and limited English proficiency also reported positive interaction. The study reinforces the need for social workers to facilitate intergroup relations among diverse populations. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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